₦airaland Forum

Tattoos are actually African in origin. Long before the arrival of the white man, most African tribes, male and female, had tattoos, sometimes as an indication of their social status, or as tribal identification or beatification. The whitemen came and called the practice barbaric, as they did everything African. Guess who its biggest fans are now? Go figure.
Nothing wrong with tattoos, if tasteful and discreet. (Then again, that concept is subjective. LOL) I'm getting one soon.

I have a medium afro, coloured light to medium brown (mixed in with my grey hair!) But I cheat and use a texturiser! It gives me lovely loose curls. Sometimes I use a curl activator and then use my hand dryer. Its soft and non-greasy. Sometimes I set it using pin rollers. It gives me big loose curls with a slight kink. Very retro and funky.
I gets tons of compliments about my hair so I think I'm done with perming. Thanks to my stylist, very creative guy, if a little annoying!

I don't like lipstick. Makes me feel like I need to wash my face! I like tinted lipgloss with lip pencils.

I think Estee Lauder and Givenchy make the best perfumes.
However, White Diamonds by La Liz remains one of the best perfumes ever.
Boudior by Vivienne Westwood is sex in a bottle!!!

I used MAC for about 6 years until I tried Mary Kay. I use the foundation and pressed powder. I found MAC too heavy and 'make-up-y'. Mary Kay is light and natural. Provides cover but lets your natural complexion show. Why go through all the facials and scrubs and moisturizers only to cover it up with heavy makeup.

A lot of Nigerian men do it. At least 95% of men in nite-clubs are married. "Hanging with the boys" is an every weekend affair: Friday, Saturday, Sunday. A huge number of them do not get home before midnight on weeknights as well. On weekends some make it home the following day, morning or afternoon. The older members of the family eg, parents, tend to gloss over this behaviour, reducing it to "one of those things", "teething problems in a marriage. Give it time", " He's a young man, he is still adjusting to marriage", or "just pray and bear it. He will change one day". Or " they're all like that. You can't change it."

That is the average Nigerian marriage. And in "giving it time" the woman lets him be and keeps praying. In doing so she she sets the tone of the marriage because we know that most of these men don't change, seeing her silence as acquiescence or "what can she do about it".
Sure he may change somewhere down the line, when he's about 50, a doddering old bore, who has lost his youth, looks, vitality and sometimes money. Of course then Madam is supposed to be grateful her husband now stays at home ("see? We told you to be patient!".

@Dudu-Bobo, that was rude and un-called for. Mamaput made very valid points and had enough integrity to buttress her points by giving her experience. If you have nothing valid to contribute, then I suggest you stay off the damn thread.

Cross River State. Married to Edo.

I thought about this just yesterday! I want my children to be well-rounded adults, with varied interests. Able to hold their own in any situation.
Lots of extra curricular activities and exposure to different interests, is important. Then a parent can determine the area that holds the child's interest. It is important to spend time with your children, and to know them well as individuals, however young they may be. My older son is just three and he seems to be always glued to the telly when a football match is on, preferring that to his beloved Barney! There is a football academy here and I will enroll him when he is old enough to join, if he wants to.

Introducing them to music at an early age is also good. Piano, violin or drums are good instruments to start off a child with and there are private teachers who offer lessons for a fee. However, a parent should never force any interest on a child. Some parents tend to project their own interests or unaccomplished aspirations unto their children. Gentle encouragement should be the watch word, not brow-beating. I never took advantage of my piano lessons when I was little, preferring to bury my head in a book. My teacher gave up on me. Now I wish my parents had prodded me firmly but gently in that direction.
But sometimes a child will find their interest on their own. My youngest brother was never offered piano or organ lessons. He learned to play from his friend. When he was 14 he asked for a synthesizer and my Aunt bought him a giant one. When it was delivered to our house, imagine our shock when he sat down and proceeded to play it perfectly.

Parents should also learn not to talk down to their children. Parents in this part of the world tend to do that. Children are a lot more intelligent than adults give them credit for, and talking to them like they are half-wits does not encourage intelligent discourse. Leave the baby talk in the nursery. Talk to him like a person, listen to what he has to say. Talk to him about different topics and ask his opinion. It builds incredible self-confidence in a child, and helps his conversation skills. It also provides valuable insight to his interests, which a parent could encourage.
Reading is great too. I love books and will encourage this love for reading in my children. It opens up amazing vistas to them and they can discover new interests this way. Currently, my little boys are more interested in ripping up their books and beating each other over the head with them!! LOL!

Why trivialise the fact that Obasanjo-Bello cannot account for the N10 mill that she claimed was spent on a departmental trip for 12 people to Ghana? Are you saying she has no case to answer because other money-bag looters have not been brought before EFCC? Or because her father who stole more than N10 mill has not been tried? How does that negate the fact that the N10 mill, part of the N300 mill excess for which the Minister and other top ministry functionaries have been sacked and prosecuted, has not been accounted for? Okay, lets wait until IBB, Atiku and all the others have been rounded up before any questions are asked for a mere N10 mill! If she is innocent as you say, she is being given a chance to defend her self in a court of law. Instead she turns tail and runs.

Drogba is too hot-headed. It didn't help that he had an almost lackluster match. He had to go mess it up finally. No one does temper tantrums on the field like Cantona. On anyone else without the awesome talent to back it up, its just childish and pointless.
My hubby won't let me hear the last of this. I'm off to bed. No nacksons tonight.

damn anelka!!!!

Who was it that said blood is thicker than water? The woman's family now is her husband and her son. They come first before her sister, let alone a troublesome one with her brood of 4 children. So the blood issue holds no water (pardon the pun). If blood is the utmost consideration, how come her own blood refused to take her in?
(DAMN, ANELKA JUST COST US THE CUP!!!!)

With due respect, 4Play, simplistic it may be, but it is an apt observation. Over-celebration is a reflection of our mind-set in this part of the world. I've always wondered why we, the poorest people in the world, have the most extravagant and ostentatious customs and traditions. What is the need for 2 full-blown marriage ceremonies - traditional and white? What sense does it make spending millions to bury someone who, all too often, needed that money to survive. And these are just obvious examples. I went to an American friend's Mother's funeral in the US, and neighbours brought most of the food that was used to entertain guests who came to the house from the cemetery. Who says simplicity and modesty are not part of the African culture?
And our 'I got mine' mentality will be our undoing. Its all very well to sneer at the West for portraying themselves as saviours of poor Africans who can't help themselves but can we? How many rich Nigerians support any charity or community initiative? And I'm not talking about PR events for political expediency. Mr Money-Bags will drive through the dark, dirty and pot-hole riddled streets of Lagos (V/I and Ikoyi included ), in his luxury car, and scurry into his generator-powered mansion. Who cares, let the riff-raff take care of themselves.
It hurts more when a foreigner points out our short comings, but it doesn't take away from the truth. We, as a people need to re-think our priorities and our values. Our leaders are only part of the problem.

Congratulations, Veracious. Can you post a picture after your wedding? I think you are naturally pretty.

I did wonder. I really miss her posts.
Spermdrops, oya drop us a hint.

Hi all,
What happened to this thread? What happened at the meeting? Did it hold?

How people can sit down to watch such utter crap is way beyond me. The exaggerated mannerisms, the melodramatic and unrealistic story lines, the tacky dressing, the gobs of make up on their faces, we can find all that in Nollywood. Why do we need foreign crap to add to the sucky movies we produce here? On a trip out of town with my sister in law, I was forced to watch one. She gave a run-down of the story, like it was the height of entertainment.
What happened to our own interesting soaps? Or the classic tv dramas from different parts of Nigeria? In entertainment, as in every facet of Nigerian life, we have regressed so far that we consistently set low standards for ourselves and consequently accept poorly produced trash from abroad. Non of these tele-novellas can hold a candle to Cock crow at Dawn or Mirror in the sun.

Americans do know how to put on a good show. Look at 'Strictly Come Dancing' and 'Dancing with the Stars'. The standards of the performances and the production, even the costumes, are so far apart, its unreal. From American Idol to Dancing with the Stars, to The Office, Americans have taken the original shows from the British and made it so much better.
Still love British comedies.
Not feeling the American accent, either. The upper class British accent is so yummy.

I prefer British comedies.

@ Kemofash. You obviously have no children, which is a good thing, given your incredible callousness.
Take your head out of Iyabo Obasanjo's fat, thieving ass long enough to re-read your disgraceful posts. For the sake of your innocent children, if you have any,I pray what befell poor Mrs Akindeko never happens to you.
You really disgust me.

Funny thing my Mum used to say when she's in a temper and asks me a question. I saw the Mum on Cosby show say the same thing word for word. "Don't you dare open your mouth when I ask you a question!"
I tire oh! How I wan take answer, na? She used to get so angry when scolding us, her mannerisms were funny. But you don't dare laugh. The woman was a terror, sha. Can't believe she's such a big softie now.

Pink boy shorts, pink tank top and a pair of hubby's white tube socks. Kinda cold tonight.
Feel like some action! Yeah, the rain does that to me! Going to go wake hubby up. In that case, the socks have got to go. Tres un-sexy!!!

@ AJ Especially Carry On Camping!

Meaning??

Our bedroom. I spent a fortune creating a sensual, relaxing place for hubby and I, with gorgeous lamps, beautiful sheets, soft carpet (for those times when we tumble off the bed), lots of pillows and throws and a huge sex mirror on the wall opposite the bed! No kids allowed in unsupervised. (heaven knows they've destroyed everything else in the rest of the house!)
The bathroom is also cosy because I love to take long bubble baths. My only problem is the window. What is it with these teeny weeny windows in Nigerian bathrooms? Like light and air don't belong in bathrooms! It seriously pisses me off. Someday soon we'll build our own house and I'll have a large window along one wall. Maybe with a window seat! I think bathrooms should be as pretty as the rest of the house. Not somewhere to rush in and rush out of.

He said "I can pick out your soup from a roomful and with my eyes closed. No-one cooks like you." I was pretty chuffed!

Jennykadry, I know what you mean! I start to pick up after my hubby from the front door! Shoes, shirt, bag. My living room will turn into a dressing room if I don't.
He is so forgetful! It's "Babe remind me of this and that and that." Like my own head is empty, just waiting to fill it with his reminders.