₦airaland Forum

The Igbos and Yorubas are not indigenous to Sierra Leone but they played enormous roles in this country as freed slaves long before the nineteenth century. They were known in Sierra Leone as Ibos (or Ebos) and Akus. The Ibos were Christians while the Akus were principally Muslims.

Today, most of the Ibos and Akus in Sierra Leone have been absorbed into the Sierra Leone Creole people.

Sierra Leone Creole ethnic construction was naturally done by the mingling of the newly freed blacks, Nova Scotians, Jamaican Maroons and Liberated Africans such as the Akan, Bakongo, Igbo and Yoruba - over several generations in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Some of this information and history hold several advantages for the Nigerian people. It reveals who we are as a people and how we can have a common ground to forge a new identity without erasing our history. For example, in present-day Agbor, some people who have Igbo names and even practice a very similar culture to the Igbos claim that they are not Igbos, a phenomenon that gained ground after the civil war.

However, history tells us that before the 18th century, the people of Agbor and indeed some parts of the present-day Delta State and Edo State identified as Igbo.

Richard F. Burton and Verney Lovette Cameron, travellers who sojourned West Africa in their book "To The Gold Coast for Gold" published in 1883 noted that Agbor didn't only identify as Igbo but also was known as the HEADQUARTER of Igboland. The Yoruba people in Sierra Leone were known as Aku.

In volume 2 of To The Gold Coast for Gold, the Igbos of Sierra Leone were described as "Swiss of the community". Here is what the authors wrote:

"The Ibos, or 'Eboes' of American tales, are even more divided (diverse); still they feel and act upon the principle 'Union is strength.' This large and savage tribe, whose headquarters are at Abo, about the head of the Nigerian delta, musters strong at Sá Leone; here they are the Swiss of the community; the Kruboys, and further south the Kabenda-men being the 'Paddies.'

It is popularly said that while the Aku will do anything for money, the Ibo will do anything for revenge. Both races are astute in the
extreme and intelligent enough to work harm. Unhappily, their talents rarely take the other direction. In former days they had faction fights: the second eastern district witnessed the last serious disturbance in
1834.

Now they do battle under the shadow of the law. 'Aku constables will not, unless in extreme cases, take up their delinquent countrymen, nor will an Ebo constable apprehend an Ebo thief; and so on through all the different tribes,' says the lady 'Resident of Sierra Leone.'

If the majority of the jury be Akus, they will unhesitatingly find the worst of Aku criminals innocent, and the most innocent of whites, Ibos, or Timnis guilty. The Government has done its best to weld all those races into one,
and has failed."

This 1883 revelation by Richard F. Burton and Verney Lovette Cameron also points out that while Igbos weren't united into one kingdom, they had each other back to the point of safeguarding other Ibos who aren't innocent of a crime. The same could be said about the Akus and other tribes of Sierra Leone anyway.

To date, the "Union is Strength" philosophy known locally as "Igwe bu ike" has continued to be a major principle of the Igbo people. If anyone can understand this principle better, it should be the Igbos. The Igbo identity was formed by diverse people who shared similar cultures and spoke several dialects of the same language of which some of these dialects aren't even mutually comprehensible.

The Igbos understand that together, as a united force, they can reach any height and protect their interest. To date, Igbos are always quick to form an Igbo association whenever they migrate or travel to places outside Igbo lands, they don't only form an association, they appoint, elect and coronate an "Igwe" or "Eze" who serves as a leader of the Igbos in that community.

While Igbos may be majorly divided across opinions at home, they are always united amongst strangers to protect their interests. Among Igbos, they see any Igbo who opposes the common interest of Igbos as a sell-out.

The Igbos and Yorubas of Sierra Leone also didn't have the best of relationships, they didn't see each other as one which means that they had no "pan Nigeria" ideology. At best, Nigeria was considered a colonial imposition. When an Aku beholds an Ibo, they don't see a brother, there was no such thing as the Nigerian consciousness then.

This kind of sheds light on the problem we have in Nigeria today. In Sierra Leone, the government failed to unite the Igbos and Yorubas into one ethnic group after several attempts. If we could borrow some sense from this, we can only postulate that the only solution for the divisions in Nigeria today is a regional system of Government or autonomy of States as practised in the United States of America.

The Ibos and Akus of Sierra Leone played significant roles in the country. The first President of Sierra Leone was an Ibo man, Christopher Okoro Cole.

Okoro Cole was Chief Justice of Sierra Leone in 1970. He was the country’s last Governor-General in 1971 before he became President on March 19, 1971.

Okoro was also the First Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Ambassador to the United States. He was the country’s last Governor-General in 1971 before he became President on March 19, 1971.

In April of 1992, an Igbo by the name of Captain Yahya Kanu became Military Head of State of Sierra Leone.

In 1857, a Sierra Leonian and ex-slave of Igbo extraction, Simon Jonas, wrote the first manuscript written in the Igbo language, ‘Isoama-Ibo Primer’. The Igbo dialect spoken in Sierra Leone is called Isoama/Isuama-Igbo. Ex-Lagos slave, Samuel Crowther, published it as a book. Both Jonas and Crowther stayed together in Lagos before being shipped to Sierra Leone.

Simon Jonas's work was a result of the assembling of a group of native Africans led by Schoen to master the Ibo language for effective missionary work with African other than Europeans. Simon Jonas worked with Christopher Taylor to produce a Primer in 1857 which they handed over to Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther, an ex-Yoruba slave and Scheon.

When the missionaries reached Igboland, the natives could barely understand them and they also could barely understand the Igbo natives. The dialect used in the primer was only spoken by Sierra Leonians of Igbo descent which is an adulterated Igbo from several generations. However, the works of Simon Jonas, a Sierra Leonean Igbo, laid the foundation for the official Igbo Bible.

The Aku people of Sierra Leone have always been seen as distinct from the Creoles even though some of them have intermarried and mingled with the Creoles. But their strong ancestry and religious identity separate them from the Creoles.

While the Creoles made up of various ethnic groups like Ibos, African Americans, Yorubas and even blacks born in the Western world are predominantly Christians, the Akus are predominantly Yoruba Muslims with only 0.5% of them identifying as Christians. To be accepted into the Creole community in those days, becoming a Christian was one of the unwritten rules.

Another thing that sets the Aku people apart from the Creoles was that the Aku people practised female genital mutilation and cliterodotomy which is the sectioning of the clitoral nerves. They also practised polygamy, unlike the monogamous Creoles.

Various scholars however do not consider Aku as distinct from Creole people but see them as a sub-ethnic group because of their closeness and adoption of western education and other aspects of Western culture.

While Igbos are known globally for their trading prowess, the Aku women too were great traders. However, several Akus who would later become educated returned to the core Yoruba lands in Nigeria.

According to the Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland (1886). The paper read by T. R. Griffith, Esq., Colonial Secretary at Sierra Leone on the Races inhabiting Sierra Leone indicated that the Eboes (Igbos) "...are a numerous and thriving people at Sierra Leone and many of them have acquired wealth and influence."

"They come from a country on the west bank of the River Niger, not far from its fall into the sea, and those who inhabit that country are described as tall and robust, capable of enduring great fatigue, frequently paddling their own large canoes for forty-eight hours without taking food."

He also revealed that the Igbos ascribe a superior social rank to their women in contrast to most other uncivilised tribes. The Igbos were known to be very dynamic as they quickly adapt to the customs of where they lived.

The paper read by Griffith also explained that the Igbos had a very strong desire to become excellent in whatever they embark on

THE IGBOS FROM BENIN

Igbos are naturally prone to migrations.

Pre-colonial times, several Igbos migrated to Benin (known as Idu in Igbo communities). There isn't much-written documentation on this as the people of that era mostly used oral documentation.

The Igbos migrated in very large numbers to Benin and even played special roles in the Benin empire. Chima, a popular Aro Priest who had influence was among these migrants. It is also believed that the Igbos influenced a few aspects of Benin including the names of its days, Aho, Eken, Orrie and Okuo. The Igbo calendar has four days which are "Eke, Orie, Afor, Nkwo".

Each Igbo community has a day assigned to open its market and to date, it's still in use. Being great traders, the Igbos might have used their trading prowess to influence the Benin Calendar. One might argue that it's the other way round but these names are so deeply entrenched in the Igbo culture. From ancient times, Igbos have had names like "Mgbe-Eke, Mgbe-Orie, Mgbe-Afor, Mgbe-Nkwo" for females and "Oke-Eke, Oke-Afor, Oke-Orie, Oke-Nkwo" for males. There are also names like "Nwa-Eke, Nwa-Afor, Nwa-Orie, and Nwa-Nkwo" of which "nwa" means "child". So, Nwankwo means "Child of Nkwo".

The events of Igbo influence in Benin may have taken place a very long time ago, so long that details might have been lost in the abyss of oral traditions. For example, a radiocarbon dating placed at the Igbo-Ukwu site placed it to 850 AD and some materials recovered from the sites had evidence of a trading system extending to Egypt. Igbo-Ukwu culture was the earliest-known example of bronze casting in the region and the craftsmen worked centuries before those who made Ife bronze. Benin would later learn the art of bronze making from Ife. It is believed by historians that Ife bronze originates from Igbo-Ukwu.

There seem to be very deep untold stories that are lost in Igbo history. The democratic nature of Igbos seems to have had an origin and a purpose too. It is said that "Igbos don't have kings" but on the contrary, research had shown that Igbos didn't only have kingdoms, they also had trades stretching to as far as Egypt! Along the line, something might have happened but we do not know because the details seem lost.

Back to our Benin story.

At some point, it seemed that these migrants were becoming very influential. It was feared that they would take over the Benin Empire and war broke out between the migrants and the Benin kingdom. This is what is known as "Agha Idu n'Oba" in Igbo folk tales. Details of this war also seem lost and much of it has become a folk tale. However, the oral history of Igbo communities like Onitsha agrees that they left Benin following a very violent attack.

The trans-migration was more like a homecoming as the Igbos faced East to start returning home where their safety can be guaranteed. This trans-migration according to the oral history of many communities in the Western Igbo areas is said to have been led by Eze-Chima.

Eze-Chima is believed to be one of the most popular leaders of this return migration which led to the founding of the formal establishment of several western Igbo towns.

Who is Eze-Chima?

Eze-Chima was an Aro native doctor/Herbalist who left for Benin. Some oral tradition also believes that Eze-Chima was rather a Nri priest. When he got to Benin and reported himself to the Oba of Benin as the custom demanded, the Oba welcomed him but also became impressed with his mystic skills which led to making Eze-Chima a chief in Benin. Hence why he was called "Eze" amongst his people.

In some accounts, during the reign of Oba Ewuare, he had famous heroes and magicians in Benin. In Jacob U. Egharevba's account, there were Igbo migrants too who were forbidden by the Oba to practice cannibalism but were rather placed in charge of two of the royal gods. This was before Oba Ozolua's emergence after the death of his father and brothers.

Egharevba writes that Eze-Chima led the resistance against Oba Ozolua who was the Oba of Benin between 1483-1514. Oba Ozolua was known for expanding the Kingdom through warfare and contact with foreigners. He was the youngest son of Ewuare. His elder brother was killed on the day of coronation while his other brother ruled for seven years.

David Van Nyendael, a Dutch merchant who lived in Benin as a trader in the 15th century wrote "The ruin of the town and the surrounding land was occasioned by the King causing two kings of the street (Rios de Aro) to be killed… After this barbarity, the king found also a third man that stood in his way, who being much beloved, was timely warned of that prince’s intention, and accordingly took flight, accompanied by three-fourth of the inhabitants of the town…"

This indicates that there was indeed a war of kings in Benin between the King and "kings"; possibly the Ezes. "Rios de Aro" means "King or leaders of Aro". Some Portuguese documents have also indicated that Igbos had significant influence in Benin courts. It was possible that indeed, Igbos were becoming a threat to the throne.

The respected historian, Jacob U. Egharevba also wrote that the warrior King, Oba Ozolua fought against Origbo, a chief at Ejide in Siluko District where he subdued Origbo and seized his treasures. Origbo was possibly one of the Ezes like Chima.

Mr Wellington Igunbor, a Benin historian who was also related to the Benin chieftaincy families wrote that "The settlement of Eze Chima in Old Benin was established in the area through which Siluko Street runs in present-day Benin City. As Eze Chima’s influence increased so did the population of his settlements expanded. So influential was Eze Chima and so completely absorbed in the society was he and his clan that
there was hardly a thing he and his people could not do on the basis of equality with Benin indigenes."

Mr Wellington's account explains why the Igbo migrants had possibly become a threat to the Benin throne. To date, Igbos have been known to migrate, expand, adapt to their new environment and even become leaders in such communities and towns. Little wonder an Igbo man was once a President of Liberia.

U. B. Okpevra, from Department of History and International Studies, Delta State University, Abraka Nigeria, in his article published in 2015 titled "IS OZORO AND UZERE CLANS' TRADITIONS OF ORIGIN EDOID OR IGBOID?" argued that Oba Eze-Oti (Ezoti) who was shot with a poisoned arrow on the day of his coronation in 1473 was Igbo.

It could be that Eze-Oti's mother was Igbo, he was adopted or there could be other unsaid truths about his personality. The name "Eze-Oti" has no meaning in the Bini language. He reigned for only 14 days and died from injuries sustained on his coronation day. His only son Owere was also murdered. Owere also seems to be an Igbo name.

All of these are indications of what would have caused the return migration of the Igbos who had lived, grown and invested in the Benin Kingdom. They might have left Benin as a result of violence against them. All of these things were happening between the 15th to 16th centuries.

Olaudah Equiano the popular Igbo slave turned writer whose life is being studied all over the world wrote in his memoir that he was born in 1745 to an Igbo family in the ancient Kingdom of Benin.

Although it couldn't have been possible that his community would be under the Benin Kingdom at that time, the Benin Kingdom might have been very popular amongst them. We must remember that Equiano was kidnapped and sold as a very small child, so his understanding could have been very limited.

Onitsha, a town in Anambra was founded by such return migration and to date, there are very few elements in Onitsha who would rather argue that they come from Benin as their original home even though the perception is almost lost amongst them.

Other towns founded by UmuEzechima (Children of King Chima) included Ozoro, Isele-Uku, Onicha-Olona, Onicha-Ugbo, Onicha-Mili (Present day Onitsha), etc. There was also a possibility that some initial migrants has previously settled before getting to Benin. Borrowing a leaf from Benin, these communities had monarchs unlike their other counterparts across Niger.

From Agbor down to Onitsha, there are many Igbo communities known today as "Umu Ezechima" but this may not mean that Ezechima single-handedly founded these towns, some of these towns already had indigenous people and in some cases indigenous Igbos living in them before the arrival of Ezechima and his people.

It is as a result of this return migration that several Western Igbo communities including Onitsha, across Niger, claim Benin origin. This is because the communities were founded or discovered as they were leaving Benin. When the culture of these Igbos is observed, they do not have a lot of things in common with Benin culture, they rather share similar cultural and religious traits with their kin Eastwards.

How could a people originate from Benin and yet there isn't any tangible trace of Benin in their names, languages and culture? This becomes even funnier with the claims looking childish when studying the culture of Ikwerre people in River State Nigeria.

Yes, there could be Benin influence here and there as a result of migration to Benin and return migration eastwards but there has largely remained a jealously guarded Igbo tradition amongst the Igbos in Benin. Even amongst the Igbanke people of Edo State, there are also communities of Igbo origin who mixed with other migrants from Benin.

Isn't it funny that Igbo communities close to Benin to this date still speak Igbo and practice Igbo culture and yet people would claim they are only so because of Igbo influence? One would wonder, why didn't this Igbo influence reach Ibibio? Why didn't it reach Urohobo? Why aren't these people answering Igbo names, eating Igbo foods or practising Igbo culture?

I am not a historian and may have missed a thing or two but I hope that this article adds to the conversation around the identity of several Western Igbo communities who are often said to originate from Benin with no atom of Benin found in them. Yes, they were indeed from Benin, but they weren't of Benin.

(c) 2022 | Onyedikachukwu George Nnadozie

If you want to know what goes on in the life of your male child, read this and make of it whatever you want.

In my family, we weren't brought up to count on friendships. We were dissuaded from making friends. Making friends of the opposite sex was an abomination. I grew up not being serious about fostering friendships.

We were also raised to loathe what you could call "obscene dressings". I and my siblings could pass a lady wearing sexy clothes and shout "something is smelling here...". We would make funny and despicable remarks about women who chose to wear things we felt weren't right.

For me, I didn't know what it was to be sexy, I didn't even understand what being sexually appealing was and I didn't know what sex meant. As at JSS3, I didn't know that there was a possibility of the penis penetrating the vagina. I thought the moment you have any immoral attraction towards a lady, you'd get HIV. I also thought babies come after the wedding.

I recollect when I was enrolled at St. Christopher's Junior Seminary School, 3-3, Onitsha. We were asked to provide our HIV results, I was so nervous. I was shivering when we did the test in a hospital.

I had a female neighbour "Ozioma". We were very friendly as at the time we were in Primary School at Early Life Nursery and Primary School, Obosi. I had this thing for her that I couldn't explain. I only got to know what I had for her years after.

When Mum got the result and told me I was HIV negative, I shouted "God forbid!" I knew HIV was deadly, I was even told it kills people before one realizes it. The way it was depicted in Nollywood movies made it appear like the worst thing one would ever have.

But then, after making fun of me, Mum explained to me that being HIV negative means that you don't have it at all. I was relieved.

Anyways, although I had something for Ozioma in Primary School, it was innocent, it was pure! Ozioma was beautiful and that was all that counted. But then, going into the world, I realized that people had different things that got them attracted to others. It could be big buttocks, large breasts, curvy waist and all those other features men trip for. I didn't understand why people could be falling for that.

I bonded with Ozioma because she was my neighbour. We shared things, stories, pencils and so on and the bond grew that way. I could be wrong though; maybe I was feeling a bond with her while she felt like "he's just a classmate".

I also had a classmate in primary school, Nzube who was more like a competition. He was always coming in between me and Ozioma. They were friends too and it seemed they were even family friends. I was a bit overprotective so I didn't like the fact that I can't have Ozioma all to myself.

I enrolled on a Seminary School where I'd spend my time with only boys. There was no interaction whatsoever with girls, it wasn't in my conversations, it wasn't in my thoughts. At home, we weren't allowed to play outside, we were discouraged from visiting neighbours or conversing with them. So, aside from Primary classrooms, I had no interaction with girls.

I left St. Christopher's much later when I and my brother could no longer cope with the lifestyle there. I remember sharing a story of how I was sexually abused by a schoolmate who was only my senior by one year.

Then, we were enrolled on Winners International School, Nkpor. At Winners, my first neighbour was Chioma. I had this thing for her that I couldn't explain. At some point, my classmates noticed and started talking about it. I remember Ekene, one of our humourous intelligent classmates always hinting to anyone who cared to listen that Onyedika and Chioma are husband and wife.

I know I had something for Chioma, something that I couldn't explain but at the same time, I thought Ekene was being too irrational. I didn't concede to having anything for Chioma. By the time we got to SS1, my attention had moved from Chioma because I felt she wasn't reciprocating my attention. We were also beginning to fight over little things.

Ogechukwu was a hot cake in class. She was intelligent and beautiful. She was our neighbour at Limca Road where I lived with my parents. Sometimes, I would want to wait for her to see if we could go home together. The few times Mum noticed that I had something for Oge, she warned me. I think that was the first time I challenged my mum on the issue of having female friends.

I was the first among my siblings to protest certain rules at home. If Oge noticed that I liked her but chose to pretend like she didn't, I don't know. What I do know was that she didn't act as she noticed. I recall she was the one I gave my first ever valentine's gift. At a point, I thought there were just too many people interested in Oge and I let go. I didn't stop liking her but I just chose to exit the competition. I could be wrong but I felt I didn't measure up.

Surprisingly, Ozioma got admitted into Winners! Yes, the same Ozioma that I had something for in Primary school but it wasn't like it used to be. Ozioma was in Art Class while I was in science class. We were only about 7 or thereabout in science class while we had several others in Art class. Using the first letters of our names in the science class, we labelled our class as the "PROKETIC" or "PROCKETIC" class. I'm not exact.

I and Ozioma didn't connect that much the way I felt we should but we were getting very along when she left Winners International School for another school. I was going to meet Ozioma much later after secondary school and we remained friends till she got married.

One certain time, I was discussing a movie with someone when one of my classmates Sarah picked interest. Sarah was in Art class and I hadn't noticed her that much. I only knew she loved reading novels much like me. As we got talking, we started finding so many interests we shared.

We began by always exchanging movies. Sarah had this knack for American movies that requires you to wear your fifth sense to understand. We shared books too. Because I didn't want us to stop communicating, I was always ransacking my Mum's library or even borrowing movies and books just to engage her in conversations.

Sarah was just naturally beautiful and smart. She may not have been among the most intelligent people in the class but Sarah was intelligent and always ready to learn. By the time I exhausted all I had, I realized that as usual, Sarah was a hot cake and the competition was high!

Throughout my Secondary School, I suffered low self-esteem, I regarded myself as unattractive, and I always didn't want to be part of some conversations even though anytime I find myself in one, I could be the centre of focus. As a result, I wasn't ready to fight for any relationship where the other person wasn't showing serious interest. Maybe, none of them knew that I had such feelings for them. I also didn't understand what I had for them, I couldn't define it and I didn't come plain with it.

One certain time, a classmate by the name of Joan approached me. She wanted both of us to be learning together as she believed I could teach her one or two things in mathematics. Me? Mathematics? Well, if it was Beautiful Joan, I could do anything!

I got home that day and began to study my worst subject, mathematics. I suddenly started understanding our Mathematics teacher better. I had to do all I could to impress Joan. So, during the break period, I and Joan could move to an empty classroom and learn. I was doing most of the teaching. I didn't know I knew Mathematics that much.

Joan was so beautiful and special. I didn't feel I was worth it. I felt that I wasn't attractive enough or well-built like some other prominent handsome dudes in class who come to school with expensive shoes, well-made hair and belt.

I remember one of the days Joan asked me if I knew Emeka Offor Plaza, she wanted to repair the phone her dad bought for her. I had never gone to Emeka Offor Plaza before, everyone had this feeling that I was a computer wizard, they had this feeling that I knew my way around anything that had to do with phones and computers so I was the person she had to reach.

I claimed to Know Emeka Offor Plaza just so that I could go with her. We indeed went to Emeka Offor Plaza together. It was stressful to figure the place out, she almost caught me; maybe she did but didn't say. That night was a good one for me because I went to Emeka Offor Plaza with Joan!

Towards the end of our Secondary School when we were busy preparing for WAEC and NECO, mum sent me to repair her shoe at Aboki's shop. This was during a long vacation.

It took me time to locate any Aboki until I got to a place. As he was fixing the shoes, I noticed Joan's younger brother and when we got talking, he told me they live in the house. Chioma, my first friend at Winners International School lived there too.

I started lurking around the building every day. Most times, I would always look for spoilt shoes or slippers and convince mum that it needs repairing. Fortunately, I met Joan. She was excited that she even asked me to come to their house. She introduced me to her ever-young mum who worked at NTA as a presenter then.

We were just getting along just fine, I could visit her sometimes or come around the house. Joan was such a nice innocent soul and I believed that what existed between us though shortlived was pure friendship. I wanted to consolidate it, I wanted assurance and then I messed up.

One early morning, as early as 7'Oclock. I gathered the courage, to do what I had never done before. I went to Joan's house and knocked. It was her sister who came to check who was at the door. She was surprised to see me standing there. I believe she would be wondering what I was doing there that early.

"Call Joan for me please," I said "It's urgent..."

It took some time but Joan showed up. I told her that I didn't want to come inside. I told her that I wanted to tell her something but that I had no courage to. She smiled and said "Onyedika try... You came here to tell me this remember..." She was patient with me but I was too naive and timid.

After a while, she went in, brought paper and pen and said "if you can't say it, I believe that you can write it..."

"Promise me that you won't look as I write," I told her and she agreed. She faced the other way to allow me to write and I wrote "I LOVE YOU", kept it on the staircase and ran away. As I approached downstairs, I could only hear her shout "You are very stupid!"

That was it. That was the end of the friendship I should have allowed to grow and blossom into something beautiful. When school resumed, the gist panned into the class among the ladies and they would laugh at me. She didn't stop talking to me though, I was just too scared to keep talking to her.

I mentioned earlier that I didn't know what sex was or what was involved. This ended during my senior secondary class when I overheard a classmate discussing with her male friends. We had this naughty set of people who could talk dirty and say all manner of things. I heard her say "this your small penis cannot enter my vagina nah..." And they laughed.

My head burst!
I couldn't hold it.

Immediately after I got home, I approached my brother who was also my classmate and asked "are you aware that people put the penis into the vagina? I overheard them saying it in class...!" I can't remember what his reaction was. One time again, I caught this same set of people in school watching "blue film". It got stuck in my head!

All of a sudden, I could understand to some extent certain things that were happening to my body. I remember I used to feel very ashamed whenever my penis gets erect in class for no reason or even at home. I remember I could enter the toilet to force it in between my legs where no one could notice... I didn't know my body was simply responding to changes. I was getting mature but no one was putting me through.

There was a time our Mathematics teacher was advising the boys. The class was divided between boys and girls and a female teacher was appointed to talk to the girls while our Maths teacher who was male was appointed to talk to the boys. He was teaching us about hygiene when he said "ensure you keep your penis clean. Ensure you watch it with soap even if it means using soap on it for five minutes." The entire class burst out in laughter.

I got home that day. As I was in the bathroom, I did as we were told. As I was rubbing myself there, I was feeling some kind of strange sensation. My legs were shaking but I didn't want to stop, I was enjoying the surprising feeling. I was doing this innocently trying to understand my body. The bathroom doors were open because we usually left the doors open when taking our bath.

Not long, I felt a rush! It was white substances all over the floor! I didn't know what it was but I felt pleasure like I'd never had. When I got to school, I shared my discovery with Onyeka, a classmate and all he did was laugh at me.

For me, I thought I had discovered a pleasure that no man on earth knew about. It was very much later that I realized it was called masturbation and "it is a sin!" A new struggle began, I started closing the door of the bathroom because I became ashamed of myself. I was going to start struggling to unlearn that habit.

Unfortunately, I didn't learn about my body from my parents. We had a very good relationship with our mother but it wasn't very intimate to the point that I could boldly share some of these experiences with her. I was learning about my sexuality all by myself and carelessly so. I was just picking up experiences from here and there. It could have been much easier to exploit me sexually then because I didn't know what was happening to me.

What didn't happen in my life anyway was having any form of a sexual affair with anybody at my young age except when I got sexually abused by homosexuals right from Seminary School. I wrote a book on that titled "Raped At Seventeen".

After school, I'd realize that I was beginning to find beautiful stranger ladies that I meet on the road attractive, I was beginning to find certain features in their bodies very appealing.

Although I didn't explore these things, I began wondering to myself why some years back I could see beautiful girls and pass but now I could see them and look twice, sometimes I could keep looking till they notice me. I simply had no courage to go further than that.

This was what my formative years and life during puberty looked like. I was scared of sharing any of these developments with my parents because I didn't know how I would be judged. I don't blame my parents for not teaching me sex education, they did the best they could and protected me the best way they felt they could. But I'll have myself to blame if I am not actively involved in the life of my kids if I'm not friendly enough to have them share their secrets and experiences freely with me.

I believe that becoming your kid's best friend makes parenting easy. So many people today are "sexually damaged" not because that was the life they wanted for themselves but because they had nobody to guide them well during puberty.

Today, I see kids dancing to vulgar songs, they can sing these songs word for word and their female counterparts twerk to it at the applause of their parents. Many kids became sexually active at a very tender age, they became active before they even knew what the word sex means.

When we look around the world today and see people do many unhealthy things for pleasure, the problem didn't start with them. It started from what their parents failed to do.

It's so funny how some folks here are playing the ethnic card, profiling the Igbo people as though the Igbo people are the problem of Nigeria. Normally, I would have ignored this post and let me say that you won't change my opinion about the Yoruba people. The Yoruba people are amazing, my tailor is a Yoruba man, most amazing tailors in Anambra are Yoruba people and they are happy in Anambra State.

My tailor once told me that he is no longer Yoruba but Igbo. He eats Igbo food, speaks better Igbo than me, uses Igbo proverbs and listens to the local Igbo radio station. Would he say that if he was hated?

If you go to Main Market Onitsha, many Yorubas also carry out Businesses and nobody has ever stopped them. My best friend too is a Yoruba person. I have also always wanted to marry a Yoruba woman.

The persona that also brought my attention to this divisive post is a Yoruba man. Now let me address some of the things raised here.

1. Not all Igbos are supporting Peter Obi. I can list many Igbo people who are die-hard fans of Tinubu or Atiku. Some of them are very outspoken and have appeared on Arise and other channels. That is the same way we have Yorubas supporting Peter Obi.

Odumegwu Ojukwu contested against Obasanjo but Igbos voted overwhelmingly for Obasanjo. Obasanjo didn't win South West but he won South East despite Odumegwu being on the ballot. The records are there, go and verify them. I can also help you verify them if you want.

Kingsley Moughalu has been contesting for Presidency but has never gotten the overwhelming support of Igbos. Ask Rochas to contest, Igbos will not support him. If Osibanjo or Seyi Makinde is contesting against Peter Obi, the Igbos would have been divided on their choice because they love Seyi, they love Osibanjo. Igbos are after good governance and not ethnic politics. That is why it is always said that "Igbos don't love themselves" because they don't support you simply because you are Igbo.

2. Lagos was once a capital city. Igbos in Lagos came to Lagos as Nigerians just like every other person, they purchased lands legitimately, and they are carrying out their businesses legitimately. Some of them also joined the politics of Lagos and have grown through the ranks of Lagos politics.

Nobody brought them from the streets and forced leadership on them. There are also many Northerners in Lagos, their population is so overwhelming that they influence certain decisions. We saw this at play when Sanwo-Olu banned Okada in some areas and they protested. But how many investments have you seen from them in Lagos?

Igbos are always willing to invest anywhere they find themselves, it's even a problem on our part because we end up investing in regions where when attacked, we lose our propertied. The Igbos have contributed immensely to the development of Lagos but the other ethnic groups we have in South East hardly invest in South East.

Nobody has ever denied them buying lands, nobody has ever denied them building schools, nobody had ever denied them anything. Many don't also get very involved in the politics of the land. So many Yorubas in SE have lived here for more than 30 years, they speak Igbo, and their kids answer Igbo names. The problem is that they hardly invest in buying lands, and building infrastructures.

It's like the Northerners. All Northern communities in South-South and South East are not developed simply because the Northerners don't invest in other places, they prefer to come and squat together, do their business and go back to the North when they are tired of staying. Again, the Igbos are not like that. That is why, even in Canada, the US and Europe, many Igbo politicians have won elections there just like Yoruba migrants too.

Before you raise eyebrows that there aren't any Yorubas in the Politics of South East and South South, ask yourself if these Yorubas get themselves involved. Before you say they don't have houses in lands in the South East or South South, ask yourself if they reach out to buy lands and they were refused.

I was personally discussing with a friend and making arrangements to find cheap lands in South West and buy. Yet, we don't live in South West but we are thinking of looking for cheap lands and buy. If we succeed in doing that, tomorrow, someone will say that Igbos are taking over Yoruba land. But how many Yorubas are thinking of buying cheap lands in the South East? There isn't any attempt by Igbos to take over South West. They are simply making investments as they would do anywhere.

3. On the issue of insults. Igbos do not insult Yorubas. So many people including Tinubu supporters have been insulting Peter Obi and his supporters, calling them Obituaries, Obi supporters, PitObi and all sorts of names. Some of those insulting Peter Obi and his supporters are also Igbos. Many have also dug out certain ills they believe Peter Obi committed.

Why is it any different if someone is talking about Tinubu and his alleged drug dealings? Haven't you people also accused Peter Obi of investing in his family business (which is untrue anyway). If any Peter Obi supporters say something negative about Tinubu, you must understand that this is politics. Everyone is demarketing their opponents.

Tinubu camp is good at it too. Have Igbos risen to say that Yorubas hate them? That Yorubas are fighting against them? No! I think your problem is unhealthy insecurity or Inferiority complex. As I said, you and your likes do not represent the Yoruba people. Anybody insulting Tinubu, Peter Obi or Atiku is doing so in their capacities as individuals.

4. Should you say that Northerners supporting Tinubu are "Omo Ales"? Should you say that Igbos supporting Tinubu or Atiku are "Omo Ales"? I thought we were all fighting for a better Nigeria, when did it become a fight for regional superiority?

5. If we should be fair, we need to give Igbos credit for being true Nigerians despite being marginalized and shortchanged. Igbos are the only people willing to travel anywhere and invest heavily there. They are the only people willing to mix and get very involved in the politics of where they find themselves.

Igbos don't vote along ethnic lines. They vote overwhelmingly for people they believe will lead Nigeria well regardless of their tribe. They voted Obasanjo against a celebrated Odumegwu Ojukwu. Despite the call for secession, Igbos have shown great commitment to the Nigeria project.

And before you mention Biafra, let me say that not all Igbos support the idea of Biafra; many don't. Just the same way we have Yorubas agitating for Oduduwa nation is the same way some Igbos are agitating for Biafra.

What we need now is not the ethnic conflicts that you are fanning. Get your PVC, campaign for your candidate, if he is fingered in a crime, let him come out and explain himself the same way other candidates would. Don't hide under the ethnic label to spread hate and lies against an entire ethnic group.

I call you blessed.

Many people's idea about marketing is sales, sales, sales, and more sales. So, when you see their marketing creatives, it is full of marketing jargon, sound more "spammy" and lack the touch of creativity.

Most times, people want to be able to relate to things. Generic words are not relatable. In marketing, you shouldn't forget that it is all about communicating to people, making what you offer very appealing to them, and finding every means to make your product irresistible.

So, instead of posting "do you need mangoes? I sell affordable mangoes", try to educate your audience on the health benefits of mango, try to tell them stories of how people made healthy choices of eating mango and how it helped them.

This way, you are no longer only reaching out to people who are looking for mango to buy, you are also making those who never knew they need mango understand why they need mango.

Many banking and fintech apps issuing virtual dollar cards were built based on Flutterwave's White labelled virtual card service through API calls. The implication was going to be huge, it meant all of these services would be dead if Flutterwave stops offering virtual card services.

On July 16, Barter, a brand of Flutterwave suspended all virtual card services after announcing it previous days before. Many startups in Nigeria, Rwanda, Uganda and parts of other Africa have been affected as they also issued notices that Virtual Card services are suspended indefinitely. It's worthy to note that this suspension wasn't based on any restriction from Central Bank of Nigeria or any other regulatory body.

This has thrown a lot of customers and businesses who depend on it to overcome the CBN drawbacks of making dollar transactions in disarray. In Nigeria, CBN has limited debit cards from making dollar transactions. Most banks offer only as low as $20 transactions monthly while GTBank offers $100 transactions monthly.

With Flutterwave suspending the virtual card service indefinitely, business owners will have to go through all manner of stress to find ways to pass through the difficulties created by the Central Bank of Nigeria and other restrictions across Africa.

This is coming amidst the crisis Flutterwave is facing after it came to the spotlight with shocking revelations from David Hundeyin, published April 12 in West Africa Weekly, a Substack newsletter by David Hundeyin.

A Kenyan court has also frozen more than $40m in accounts belonging to Flutterwave under the country's anti-money laundering. Flutterwave gave reasons for suspending the virtual card service as “...an update from the company’s card partner”. We don't know if this is connected to the crisis Flutterwave is currently facing.

You seem to be reading with a closed mind. Read again.

MMWandali:
What is this??

A ticket at the state level and one at the national level cannot be compared

Kashim Shettima ran a Muslim/Muslim ticket through out; Zulum is now the same
In Kano it's the same
Likewise in Zamfara and Kaduna and other Northern state

In Rivers State it is Christian/Christian
Likewise in Anambra
Akwa Ibom
Bayelsa and Ebonyi and a lot of other southern States

These are much more bearable
As they involved only a section of the country

But at the national level it is About everyone in Nigeria
So, why being bais to some people and putting others at advantage

BE FAIR TO ALL

I am not a BATist, I am OBIDIENT but I also believe that we can make our voice heard at the polls. If we don't like Muslim-Muslim ticket, then we should reject it at the polls.

GeorgesDiary:
[Updated] Ademola Adeleke won Osun on a Christian-Christian ticket. What are the implications and does this expose our hypocrisy as a people?

Osun is a state with a considerable number of Muslims. Although Ademola comes from a family that used to be known as a Muslim family many years back, most of them have since converted to Christianity.

Adeleke University, a school founded by Adedeji Adeleke, the father of Davido is a faith-based school aligned with Seventh-Day Adventist Church. The institution has immortalized the Adeleke brand with a Christian perception.

While Senator Ademola Adeleke has always been seen as a Christian, his father was a Muslim named Raji Ajoola Adeleke while his mother is an Igbo-Christian named Nnenna Esther Adeleke. His brother also served in politics as a senator before his demise which brought Ademola to the limelight.

With Ademola Adeleke winning Osun state with a Christian-Christian ticket, it raises questions on why people are quick to condemn Tinubu's choice of a running mate but raised no eyebrow against Ademola's choice.

Tinubu on the other hand is not an extreme Muslim. He is married to a Pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God and has supported his wife's ambition; a marriage that has lasted for 40 years. Tinubu, like most Yorubas, is not a religious bigot.

Although recent happenings in Nigeria have triggered mistrust among religious adherents, especially with the propaganda of Islamization and events that give credibility to such propaganda, we can't deny that many of us are simply hypocrites.

I also believe that Tinubu's choice of Shetimma as a running mate is a major issue for some people even though they are giving it a religious colouration. Shetimma is perceived as someone who isn't tolerant. Some statements allegedly credited to him are a strong red flag if it's anything to go by. If Tinubu had chosen a more liberal Muslim who is seen as tolerant, it may have sparked fewer reactions.

Yes, the people of Osun made their choice. Maybe, we must also let Nigerians make their choice.

If we see nothing wrong with Ademola's Christian-Christian ticket which gave him victory at the polls, then we need to rethink our perception of the same faith tickets.

Maybe, we need to stop labelling tickets with religion as religion should be a private affair. It's the people that will decide who they want to vote for. If they accept a Muslim-Muslim administration, it should be their choice.

Of course, Nigeria is still evolving politically and with time we will get better. However, the concerns of people whether it is the "Islamization agenda" or "Christianization Agenda" must be addressed in strong collaboration with religious leaders.

It begins with removing religious laws from some states. We can't claim to be a secular State, yet we have states almost officially recognized as "Islamic States". Nigerians somewhere shouldn't be judged with Qur'an just as Nigerians elsewhere aren't judged with the Bible.

Maybe, the Federal Government needs to step up its game, separate religion further from the state, and pass laws that give all people a sense of belonging regardless of their faith. This is why we need a constitutional review.

[Updated] Ademola Adeleke won Osun on a Christian-Christian ticket. What are the implications and does this expose our hypocrisy as a people?

Osun is a state with a considerable number of Muslims. Although Ademola comes from a family that used to be known as a Muslim family many years back, most of them have since converted to Christianity.

Adeleke University, a school founded by Adedeji Adeleke, the father of Davido is a faith-based school aligned with Seventh-Day Adventist Church. The institution has immortalized the Adeleke brand with a Christian perception.

While Senator Ademola Adeleke has always been seen as a Christian, his father was a Muslim named Raji Ajoola Adeleke while his mother is an Igbo-Christian named Nnenna Esther Adeleke. His brother also served in politics as a senator before his demise which brought Ademola to the limelight.

With Ademola Adeleke winning Osun state with a Christian-Christian ticket, it raises questions on why people are quick to condemn Tinubu's choice of a running mate but raised no eyebrow against Ademola's choice.

Tinubu on the other hand is not an extreme Muslim. He is married to a Pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God and has supported his wife's ambition; a marriage that has lasted for 40 years. Tinubu, like most Yorubas, is not a religious bigot.

Although recent happenings in Nigeria have triggered mistrust among religious adherents, especially with the propaganda of Islamization and events that give credibility to such propaganda, we can't deny that many of us are simply hypocrites.

I also believe that Tinubu's choice of Shetimma as a running mate is a major issue for some people even though they are giving it a religious colouration. Shetimma is perceived as someone who isn't tolerant. Some statements allegedly credited to him are a strong red flag if it's anything to go by. If Tinubu had chosen a more liberal Muslim who is seen as tolerant, it may have sparked fewer reactions.

Yes, the people of Osun made their choice. Maybe, we must also let Nigerians make their choice.

If we see nothing wrong with Ademola's Christian-Christian ticket which gave him victory at the polls, then we need to rethink our perception of the same faith tickets.

Maybe, we need to stop labelling tickets with religion as religion should be a private affair. It's the people that will decide who they want to vote for. If they accept a Muslim-Muslim administration, it should be their choice.

Of course, Nigeria is still evolving politically and with time we will get better. However, the concerns of people whether it is the "Islamization agenda" or "Christianization Agenda" must be addressed in strong collaboration with religious leaders.

It begins with removing religious laws from some states. We can't claim to be a secular State, yet we have states almost officially recognized as "Islamic States". Nigerians somewhere shouldn't be judged with Qur'an just as Nigerians elsewhere aren't judged with the Bible.

Maybe, the Federal Government needs to step up its game, separate religion further from the state, and pass laws that give all people a sense of belonging regardless of their faith. This is why we need a constitutional review.

Toluwanise247:
I bet you he can't win the election

Obalola2010:
It's good to dream

The dream has come true.

Obalola2010:
For your dream

How far?

As an Igbo, from the Eastern part of Nigeria, I will use some of the experiences prevalent in this part of the world to drive home my opinion.

Some Igbos have this weird opinion about Imo people, an Igbo state. Either they tell you that their girls are wayward or they tell you that their men don't know how to marry a woman or that they are promiscuous.

It is also said that Imo State people are very cunning. Another set of people said to be cunning are Nnewi indigenes. Coming from a family where our parents are respectively from Orlu, Imo State and Nnewi; it is assumed that we would be "cunning Promaxx"�.

Imo people suffer a lot of stereotyping including the thinking that their men are very lazy, their elders attach huge prices on their daughters and so on. This article isn't to debunk all of these stereotyping but to tell my own little story which I'll be doing in the second part. But for now, let's address the issue.

Of every single thing that has been said to be the character of an average Imo man or woman, the same is obtainable elsewhere even in much more numbers. Talk about men who are lazy and want to marry rich women, we have a lot of them cut across all regions, all villages and all ethnic groups. Talk about wayward women, we have them in every tribe and tongue.

Several other people suffer dangerous stereotyping. An average Ebonyi man is seen as senseless and you would hear people say things like "stop acting like an Abakaliki man".

Stereotyping people blur whatever they are and make whatever you think they are more pronounced. You can't get the best of people when you already have a preconceived notion about them.

The reason is that instead of seeing them for who they are, you are forcing your perception of them into play. You are seeing them for who you think they are.

Another example is the stereotyping of Anioma girls as promiscuous, especially Asaba girls. We all indeed have stereotypes but negative stereotypes are very dangerous.

Stereotypes don't appear from the moon. They start as people's valid experiences with certain individuals which are eventually but unfortunately applied to the entire family, ethnic group, region or even country of the person. What we often forget is that when people act, they don't act as members of ethnic groups, they act as themselves; as individuals.

Sometimes, stereotyping people negatively are a way of excusing our lack of ability to deal with their complexities. For example, Imo State is said to have the highest concentration of beautiful and naturally endowed women hence the "ukwu nwanyị Owerri" mantra which means "the waist of Owerri women". For a lot of people, this is translated to more possibilities of promiscuity among their men.

Stereotypes are formed when we box a group of people into perceptions formed by our experience of just one or two persons. Whether harmful, funny or positive, stereotyping people is dangerous. Enough of explaining what stereotype means, let's see how it's dangerous.

The dangers of stereotyping

#1. Assumption is dangerous.

Settling for assumptions about a people denies us the opportunity to truly have a first-hand experience of them, learn who they are and understand them. When we have wrong assumptions about people, it blinds us from wanting to know them better.

#2. Justifies unfair treatment and discrimination.

Negative stereotyping of people can justify the unfair treatment meted out to them. For example, some people especially from the North and some parts of the West believe that Igbos are undeserving of Nigeria's Presidency because the Igbo President will divide Nigeria. Also, they have a negative perception of Igbo's dominance in other parts of Nigeria plus another stereotyping of Igbos as people who love money more than anything else.

Westerners are agitating for the Yoruba nation, there are even some Northerners calling for the Arewa nation. The North is also burdened with a full-fledged war against terrorists who are calling for an Islamic State in Northern Nigeria. Yet, they believe they deserve the Presidency more.

In all Igbo states, there are communities where people of Northern origin are predominant. Even in parts of Onitsha, there are areas you find Yorubas especially tailors in very high concentrations. In Asaba, an Igbo City in Delta State, you find that majority of Keke riders and Okada riders are people of Northern origin.

They are all where they are because they are looking for greener pastures and want to make more money but nobody assumes that they love money above everything else when indeed what everyone is trying to do is make more money. There are also so many Northern and Western politicians involved in money laundering, young ones involved in cybercrime, drug trafficking and other crimes obtainable everywhere.

However, because of the stereotyping of Igbos, a lot of things are denied them, and they are marginalized and treated unfairly. This is the same way some Igbo people treat fellow Igbos whom they have negative preconceived perceptions about.

#3. It reshapes people's thoughts about themselves.

When Stereotypes are left unchallenged for a long time, it even begins to shape the thoughts of the victims to believe that what people say about them is true. Some people have accepted the generalizations about them as true and are now even deliberately exhibiting such tendencies, not because that is who they are but because that is who they are learning to become.

For example, some women believe that they are weak, inferior, God's afterthought and less intelligent. Some men believe that they are "polygamous in nature" and hence cannot be able to control themselves. The same happens on ethnic, religious, racial and national levels. You'd see a man cheat on his wife and the excuse is "well, you need to understand that men are polygamous in nature".

#4. It facilitates Inferiority or Superiority complex

Both positive and negative stereotypes are dangerous. Sometimes, positive stereotyping makes a group of people think that they are better, wiser and superior to the rest of the people. As a result, they don't just become egocentric, they also become unable to learn and evolve as s better people.

Negative stereotyping also makes some people feel inferior when they are with others. Some Abakaliki people in Nigeria will feel inferior when they are among other Igbos especially when ethnicity is been discussed. This is because of negative stereotyping of them as unintelligent people. All stereotypes are lies.

#5. Stereotypes are easy to form but difficult to eradicate

Stereotypes are like habits which become addictions. They are easy to form and people grow up learning about these stereotypes and even holding them to be true. It's difficult to be challenged and people who challenge it are often seen as uninformed.

Challenging stereotypes requires a lot of work, much more effort than the efforts put into establishing them. Gender inequality is fueled by stereotypes, racial discrimination is fueled by the same too. It creates ripple effects that metamorphose into other problems.

HOW TO FIGHT STEREOTYPES

Truth is, things that trigger stereotyping are people's experiences which we cannot merely overlook. However, when we find ourselves judging other people based on what other people did to us, we are already stereotyping.

When we also find ourselves ticking the box about a person merely based on where they come from, their gender, ethnicity or colour, we should stop and ask ourselves "Am I right about this?, Am I just assuming because he comes from a certain place? Have I experienced everyone or a larger percentage of people from the same group?"

Another way to fight stereotypes is to get to know people for themselves instead settling for what other people told you about them. Yes, there are lazy Imo men but that is as much as we have them in other states of Nigeria. There are promiscuous Imo girls but that is as much as there are promiscuous girls in other places. There are Imo men who don't take care of their wives but that is also as much as there are men everywhere who don't take care of their wives.

In the same way, you can find a lot of responsible men and women in Imo State and elsewhere. So, the next time I don't meet your moral expectations, don't blame it on where I come from, blame it on me because I am responsible for my actions and I am the only one that can answer for it.

When fighting stereotypes, we are bringing about balance, equity and fairness.

I write at https://georgesdiary.blog

Be Smart!

Many business owners or entrepreneurs set out to do business, rent expensive shops, pay for expensive billboard adverts on the signpost in their location and hire sales girls or staff but end up complaining every month that they aren't making sales.

Running a business requires so much more than a physical shop, billboard adverts, and staff. Some business owners are willing to spend thousands or millions of Naira to get a physical shop or office but they downplay the benefit of a website.

While your office location might be open only for 8-9 hours daily, a website that serves as a virtual location available anywhere and anytime is open 24/7, 365 days, and can handle the influx of people that your physical location cannot handle.

A website can also feature automation that engages your customers, answer their frequently asked questions, handle orders, send scheduled emails, and does other activities. The advantage of having a website cannot be overemphasized and for businesses, especially small business owners, it's a great disservice to the brand not to have a website.

Here are a few reasons why you need a website:

#1: Informed customers look out for it.
The world is changing and customers' behaviours are changing every day. They are becoming more sophisticated and getting tech-friendly by the day. Your customers will always look out for your website because on the website, they can get more information about your business, your products or your services without going the extra mile to call.

#2: It offers legitimacy and credibility
A well-developed and secure website gives some form of legitimacy and credibility to your business or brand. Some people wouldn't work with you or patronize you if you do not have a website. If you are targeting foreigners for example or you are targeting certain institutions, adding a website to your proposal brings legitimacy to your business. A website also improves the chances for your brand to impress your prospects especially when developed and optimized professionally.

#3: It makes you available 24/7
As noted before, a website makes your business available round the clock and also handles a lot of tasks that it has been designed to handle without the need to have people work shifts. For example, if you are selling items, offering consultation services or selling event tickets. These are things you cannot do round the clock from your physical office but with a website, your online store is always open to handle orders, your website can handle consultation bookings and you can sell your event tickets. You aren't just making things easier for yourself, you are also making it easier for your prospects in a cost-effective way. With AI-powered chatbots, you can handle customers' issues without even lifting a finger.

#4: It serves as an online showroom
Whether you are selling products, rendering services or trying to sell real estate, a website can serve as your online showroom. A website is usually the first point of interaction between customers and your business or brand. While you may find it hard trying to sum up all the things you offer in one word, it becomes easier when customers have to just visit a website to learn more about your offerings. A website can also serve as a place where you showcase your achievements, portfolios, tutorials, etc.

#5: You become independent of Social Media
Social Media is great and every business must take advantage of it. But what happens to your Facebook or Instagram shop if your account got terminated for a flimsy reason? A website puts you in control and even expands your reach to people who aren't active on social media. In a 2018 report, Facebook revealed that users spent 50 million fewer hours on Facebook than they had done. While you don't discard social media, don't put all your eggs in one basket. We have recorded several clients whose businesses were disrupted because they build their presence only around Social Media.

#6: It makes you in charge
You may not know but the majority of potential customers who have doubts or questions about what you offer may not seek the answers directly from you. They may decide to search for answers themselves. With a website, you can answer frequently asked questions, explain your business in clear terms and provide periodic information and updates using your blog section. This way, you are in charge of the narrative about your business.

#7: It magnifies your brand
Small businesses can be running their physical operations in a little corner but have a website that is professionally designed and highly optimized to become more effective than the websites of the big brand. Website visitors will not look out for the size of your store or office, they will not look out for how many staff you have, they simply want to get their problems solved or their products delivered. With a website, you become a worthy competitor of the big brands.

#8: Search Engine ranking
A website gives you an advantage in the search engine. People are searching for solutions and answers on search engines like Google every day. An optimized website puts you answers, information and other details on Google, helping you rank when people are looking for the kind of services you offer. If you are not prominent online, you are working for your competitors without any pay.

How to get a website
So many platforms including Google and WordPress(dot)com offer free website creation but the downside with this is that they often have very limited features, use subdomains instead of domains and become increasingly expensive when you begin to scale and decide to improve your website.

If you are tech-savvy or you have some time to spare, you may decide to learn website development from YouTube. I'll recommend that you go for my paid class on Website Development where you can learn how to build and manage websites using CMS like WordPress (not to be confused with WordPress(dot)com). This course is available at FunIQ Skills Academy.

Learning how to build a website may require some time and lots of practice before you can confidently build what will stand the test of time. If you don't want to get your hand dirty, you would want to have a professional developer build and maintain your website which is highly recommended for already existing businesses, we are always at your service at Funtrick Technology; a digital solutions agency based in Nigeria. You can contact us directly on WhatsApp.

Oladimeji122:
who be that

Someone here asked that I chat him up. Several things he did afterwards proved he was only interested in taking control of the account without paying.

Quicksilver5:
have you sorted this out

I haven't. Various guys here wanted to scam me too.

EXCELLENTEASY:
Can u pls add me on 09071729127 Whatsapp...I have piggyvest ND ave been running it for long but don't really know how to earn

You don't earn, you save. That is what Piggyvest is about. Also be careful of guys here, someone tried playing smart on me and wanted to take control of my Piggyvest account but they couldn't outsmart me.

9gerian:
Interesting perspective though debatable in some cases, especially where excessive as you pointed out.

Yes. Everything done in excess can hurt us including chewing gum, taking coca-cola and even eating beans too much

triple996:
Op na drunkard

I don't take alcohol AT ALL. Not because I believe it is a sin but because it is not my thing and I am keeping my health in check as much as I avoid various other things that those who condemn alcohol hypocritically take. However, just because I don't take it doesn't mean I should condemn taking it as a sin.

This was a question a brother asked me several weeks ago.

Most times, when we are teaching believers about their freedom in Christ Jesus and how we are not subject to the laws of Moses, they often ask “does that mean we should discard the Old Testament?”

The idea of a “lawless Christianity” sounds so odd to humans who are legalistic by default. Even atheists who don’t believe in God have tendencies to be legalistic. Our entire world is governed by laws; the law of gravity, the law of sowing and reaping and various other laws.

Human beings possess intrinsic values that govern their reasoning and behaviour. Hence, a “lawless Christianity” sounds bizarre. However, Christianity isn’t a lawless faith. That we aren’t subject to the laws of Moses doesn’t mean that we are without guidance and ethics. The Bible tells us

“…for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.” – Romans 13:8 NIV

In Christ, we have been called to live and walk in love. We aren’t just called to love, we are born of love. Let’s read other parts of the place I just quoted so that we have a better perspective of what John was talking about

“The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbour. Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law.” – Romans 13:9‭-‬10 NIV

Instead of having a list of dos and donts like the Jews had, we have only one command; to love! Jesus made it very clear in John 13:34-35

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

When asked about the greatest commandment in Matthew 22:34-40, Jesus also mentioned love. Indeed, we may not love so perfectly, we may make mistakes and we may stumble but God’s grace is sufficient for us.

Concerning the law and the purpose of the coming of Jesus, Jesus made a profound statement.

“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.” – Matthew 5:17 NLT

Jesus didn’t come to condemn the law, he came to fulfil it. The purpose of the law was to expose our inadequacies and our need for a saviour. Jesus brought the need for the law to an end by fulfilling it. To fulfil here means “to bring to an end”.

Note what Jesus said in the proceeding verse, pay attention to the last part of it

“I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.” Matthew 5:18 NLT

When you read the above verse in a haste, you may not get the point. Whenever you are reading any part of the Bible, you ought to do so with keen attention so that you don’t miss out on anything.

The law had a purpose and can not outlive its purpose. The fulfilment of the purpose of the law is the end of it. It can only stay “UNTIL ITS PURPOSE IS ACHIEVED”. Let’s see the purpose of the law in one of the writings of Paul, the Apostle of Jesus Christ.

“Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people.” Galatians 3:19 NLT

Paul wrote that the law was only fashioned to last for a moment; until the coming of the Child. The Child here is Jesus! That’s why Jesus said, “I didn’t come to condemn the law but to fulfil it”. Jesus needed to say this so that it should be clear that the Prophets of the law were not false prophets, they only spoke what was relevant at their time. In Jesus, the law expired.

Paul explains further

“Is there a conflict, then, between God’s law and God’s promises? Absolutely not! If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it. But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ.” Galatians 3:21‭-‬22 NLT

Only if the law could give us a new life… But it couldn’t! The law brought death; it is the ministry of death and condemnation and it’s only in Jesus, who has fulfilled the law on our behalf that we can receive God’s promise of freedom.

Now let’s go back to Matthew. Jesus said something very interesting

“I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.” Matthew 5:18‭-‬19 NLT

It is easy to assume that Jesus is saying “if you don’t obey the law to the last, you’ll have just a little place in God’s kingdom, you’ll not be of any good use. The question then is, who has been able to keep all the laws? Nobody except Jesus! That is why our righteousness is in him and not in our ability. The next verse explains this. Let’s read:

“But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!” Matthew 5:20 NLT

There goes a warning! You’ve got to be the very best keeper of the law before you are qualified to become a member of God’s kingdom. Nobody qualifies. That is why Paul wrote

“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” Romans 3:23 NLT

Throughout the rest of Matthew 5, Jesus goes further to expose man’s inadequacies, he brought down those things men pride in as righteousness just to show that no man can get there by their power.

For example, certain men believe they are righteous simply because they haven’t committed murder, adultery or fornication but Jesus makes it clear that by merely nursing a feeling or saying a word, we have sinned.

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.” – Matthew 5:21‭-‬22 NIV

Jesus equated “raca” or what we call “waka” in Nigeria with murder! So, Jesus was saying that anyone who calls another “empty-headed idiot” is as good as the person who commits murder. In the other verses, we also saw that whoever looks at a woman lustfully is as good as the one who has committed adultery. By this, no man can stand the test of “self-righteousness”.

The law was never designed for us to keep because we can’t keep the law.

I’ll summarise with Romans 3:24 where we can see how Jesus has saved us from the burden of the law

“Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past,” – Romans 3:24‭-‬25 NLT

We were freely made right by God through Jesus, not through the law. We were effortlessly made righteous! We were freed from the penalty of sin because Jesus gave himself in our stead. God arranged it this way to reconcile us with himself in the most amazing way.

So, how about the law? We are not under the law. The law was meant for the Jews and any Jew who believes in Jesus is not under the law. Paul writes further

“Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.” Romans 6:14 NLT

“Sin is no longer your master…” Doesn’t mean you can’t do wrong anymore, it means that your wrongs can’t hold you bound anymore, your righteousness isn’t tied to your actions but to Jesus. We live under the freedom of God’s grace.

And yes, because we are righteous, we live righteously. We are not trying to be righteous, we are righteous. It is in this light that we can not live by the dictates of the old testament. The Old Testament was given for our learning and as we continue to study it, we do so in the light of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

As we continue to learn of Christ, our love walk with people continues to improve.

I call you blessed.

The other day, I wrote on my Facebook wall that it is funny how someone who just drank coffee for breakfast is telling another fellow who just drank alcohol that drinking alcohol is a sin. First of all, it was a calculated post; to initiate a conversation that would lead to this essay and expose the insincerity of a some believers.

For the records, I didn’t say that drinking coffee is a sin or worse sin than alcohol nor did I imply that drinking alcohol is a sin. For the records, I don’t take alcohol for anything simply because I don’t like them or enjoy them. But regardless of what I think about alcohol, it is bad to make a doctrine out of my personal preferences.

Coffee contains addictive substances like caffeine which is harmful to the body when taken in excess but you don’t see anyone telling people who take coffee that it is a sin. Coke is worse than beer, it contains a very high volume of sugar and various Christians who judge others for taking alcohol can’t eat without drinking coke. That is hypocrisy.

The truth is that what applies to the drinking of alcohol applies to the drinking of coke, coffee and other addictive substances. There isn’t any single portion of the Bible or teachings of Jesus that forbids one from drinking alcohol. Jesus drank alcohol all his life, he also performed the miracle of turning water into wine. Some people in the days of Jesus even accused Jesus of getting drunk.

“The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” – Matthew 11:19

Jesus, the Apostles and the early Church did not in any way teach that alcohol is a sin. And just because we teach that alcohol is not a sin does not mean we are encouraging people to take alcohol. Coke and other soda drinks are equally very harmful to the body but merely taking them is not a sin. The most important thing is to understand your body, understand what your body needs and take them in moderation.

Some believers don’t take alcohol or even drink coffee but they are gluttons! They eat a lot and do so greedily. God wants us to take care of our bodies and he would rather have us avoid things that would harm us and others around us. The Bible has several verses that speak ill of alcohol and I’ll highlight a few.

In Leviticus 10:9, the Levites who served as Priests of God were instructed not to take alcohol. In Numbers 6:3, the Nazarites were instructed not to take alcohol. Proverbs 20:1 called wine a mocker and Isiah wrote

“Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may run after strong drink, who tarry late into the evening as wine inflames them!” – Isaiah 5:11

We can see from the places I mentioned that certain people were forbidden from taking alcohol because of their office and how addictive substances can cause them to make a mess of that office. Other verses didn’t necessarily speak against alcohol but its addiction. It is like certain verses speaking against men who go after women, yet the Bible didn’t instruct that men should have nothing to do with women.

There are also portions of the Bible that encouraged or rather portray alcohol in a positive light. Psalm 104:14-15 called wine God’s gift to gladden the heart of men, Isaiah 55:1 beckoned on God’s people to come and buy wine. Ecclesiastes 9:7 asked God’s people to drink wine with a merry heart and even went as far as saying that God approved it. Amos 9:14 called wine God’s blessings.

You need to know that the wine the Bible talked about is wine! Not Guava juice or orange juice. You also need to know that the wine Jesus brought forth through water and the ones he drank is not Hollandia Yoghurt or Limca but pure wine that can get one drunk.

In 1 Timothy 5:23, Paul instructed Timothy not to drink only water but to also take alcohol because of his stomach illness. Alcohol has several health benefits when taken in extreme moderation just like every other edible substance.

Alcohol is God’s gift to man just as every other thing the Lord has made and given to man for food. The same way one would become a glutton because of nutritious food is how one can become a drunkard because of alcohol. So, it is laughable when a believer with coke or a cup of coffee in one hand judges another believer who has a cup of beer in one hand. It’s hypocrisy.

Having said all of this, it is expedient to point out that we must not let anything become master of our body, we must not let any food or drink become our Lord. This is what addiction is. Why so many believers are loud against alcohol is because of its addictiveness and effects but truth is, Coke is also very addictive and its effect is extremely dangerous. Some doctors believe that Coke is more dangerous than beer. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:12

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.”

Whether it is alcohol, coffee or bean balls, if it is not helpful, you may want to strike it off. But if you must take them, it should be in moderation and you shouldn’t allow them to dominate you. We miss the whole point when we begin to point at alcohol and insinuate things like “that’s a bottle of sin!”. Alcohol is a gift from God and like everything we do in life, we must take it in moderation if we have a weakness of not being able to control ourselves, we should avoid anything that will put us in harm’s way.

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

Read more via: https://georgesdiary.blog

Wow... So amazing how folks are tribalistic in a way that seems more demonic. Just wow. What has the post got to do with all of the things going on here? Like people will intentionally create troll accounts to spite another ethnic group? This tells a lot of how folks suffer a very high level of inferiority complex to the point that every single success of another tribe triggers their insecurities.

Spite the Igbos all you can, but YOU and YOUR entire generation cannot amount to anything useful... Strangers will trample on you and rule over you for all the rest of your life. Whoever curses a blessed man is cursed. The Yoruba's are great and amazing people, the trolls here does not represent the majority of Yorubas and other ethnic groups in Nigeria.

The other day, I wrote on my Facebook wall that it is funny how someone who just drank coffee for breakfast is telling another fellow who just drank alcohol that drinking alcohol is a sin. First of all, it was a calculated post; to initiate a conversation that would lead to this essay and expose the insincerity of a some believers.

For the records, I didn’t say that drinking coffee is a sin or worse sin than alcohol nor did I imply that drinking alcohol is a sin. For the records, I don’t take alcohol for anything simply because I don’t like them or enjoy them. But regardless of what I think about alcohol, it is bad to make a doctrine out of my personal preferences.

Coffee contains addictive substances like caffeine which is harmful to the body when taken in excess but you don't see anyone telling people who take coffee that it is a sin. Coke is worse than beer, it contains a very high volume of sugar and various Christians who judge others for taking alcohol can't eat without drinking coke. That is hypocrisy.

The truth is that what applies to the drinking of alcohol applies to the drinking of coke, coffee and other addictive substances. There isn't any single portion of the Bible or teachings of Jesus that forbids one from drinking alcohol. Jesus drank alcohol all his life, he also performed the miracle of turning water into wine. Some people in the days of Jesus even accused Jesus of getting drunk.

"The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners." - Matthew 11:19

Jesus, the Apostles and the early Church did not in any way teach that alcohol is a sin. And just because we teach that alcohol is not a sin does not mean we are encouraging people to take alcohol. Coke and other soda drinks are equally very harmful to the body but merely taking them is not a sin. The most important thing is to understand your body, understand what your body needs and take them in moderation.

Some believers don't take alcohol or even drink coffee but they are gluttons! They eat a lot and do so greedily. God wants us to take care of our bodies and he would rather have us avoid things that would harm us and others around us. The Bible has several verses that speak ill of alcohol and I'll highlight a few.

In Leviticus 10:9, the Levites who served as Priests of God were instructed not to take alcohol. In Numbers 6:3, the Nazarites were instructed not to take alcohol. Proverbs 20:1 called wine a mocker and Isiah wrote

"Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may run after strong drink, who tarry late into the evening as wine inflames them!" - Isaiah 5:11

We can see from the places I mentioned that certain people were forbidden from taking alcohol because of their office and how addictive substances can cause them to make a mess of that office. Other verses didn't necessarily speak against alcohol but its addiction. It is like certain verses speaking against men who go after women, yet the Bible didn't instruct that men should have nothing to do with women.

There are also portions of the Bible that encouraged or rather portray alcohol in a positive light. Psalm 104:14-15 called wine God's gift to gladden the heart of men, Isaiah 55:1 beckoned on God's people to come and buy wine. Ecclesiastes 9:7 asked God's people to drink wine with a merry heart and even went as far as saying that God approved it. Amos 9:14 called wine God's blessings.

You need to know that the wine the Bible talked about is wine! Not Guava juice or orange juice. You also need to know that the wine Jesus brought forth through water and the ones he drank is not Hollandia Yoghurt or Limca but pure wine that can get one drunk.

In 1 Timothy 5:23, Paul instructed Timothy not to drink only water but to also take alcohol because of his stomach illness. Alcohol has several health benefits when taken in extreme moderation just like every other edible substance.

Alcohol is God's gift to man just as every other thing the Lord has made and given to man for food. The same way one would become a glutton because of nutritious food is how one can become a drunkard because of alcohol. So, it is laughable when a believer with coke or a cup of coffee in one hand judges another believer who has a cup of beer in one hand. It's hypocrisy.

Having said all of this, it is expedient to point out that we must not let anything become master of our body, we must not let any food or drink become our Lord. This is what addiction is. Why so many believers are loud against alcohol is because of its addictiveness and effects but truth is, Coke is also very addictive and its effect is extremely dangerous. Some doctors believe that Coke is more dangerous than beer. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:12

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything."

Whether it is alcohol, coffee or bean balls, if it is not helpful, you may want to strike it off. But if you must take them, it should be in moderation and you shouldn't allow them to dominate you. We miss the whole point when we begin to point at alcohol and insinuate things like "that's a bottle of sin!". Alcohol is a gift from God and like everything we do in life, we must take it in moderation if we have a weakness of not being able to control ourselves, we should avoid anything that will put us in harm's way.

"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31

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