THOUGHTS

“I didn’t bargain for this. How could I come here job-hunting? Oh, not job-hunting. I was drawn… drawn here … by my deepest heart’s yearnings, zeal, passions. What’s that? How could… how’s that possible? And, my destination is heaven? Heaven? Of course, heaven is the goal. But how can this be the pathway to heaven? I can’t even recall how I got here. Now I’ve got to follow my heart out of here? To heaven? What’s this for Christ’s sake! What’s this! And what’s this saggy underpants I’m wearing. Why is it dirty? Why is it saggy? And my body…dirt all over. I need to take a shower. I’m thirsty too. Is there water here? Is there anything here?

“Oh my! I’m going crazy! I’ve got to be out of here before I suffocate. I need to make a call. I need to call someone. Yes! Where’s my phone? Oh no! I’ve got nothing on me… nothing except this filthy white saggy underpants! Did I get leaner? Or is it just oversized? It wouldn’t cling to my waist. So I’ve got to hold on to it—to keep its grip, else it’ll fall off and I’ll have to go on naked. What’s the difference anyways? What good can some dirtied white saggy and reproachable underpants do in covering the body? The body? The body? That’s just funny, isn’t it? Very funny!

“Who would I be concealing my unclothedness from? There’s no one here for all I care! Just me and these thoughts. Oh, he said there are others. Who is he? Who are the others? How did they get here? Yes! yes! That’s it! The others! I’ve got to find them. I’ve got to! I need to talk to someone. But how do I find someone? Where do I go from here? In what direction? It’s dark. It’s gloomy. It’s scary. I’m losing my mind…even close to tears. What has happened to me? Can I reverse this? Can I go back in time and alter my heart’s yearnings and zeal and passions so I wouldn’t have to thread this path? What can I do to change this fate? Oh, Lord!

“Was I too forward to see forever from yesterday? Did I outrun my shadow? I certainly did. If not, it would at least have been a companion here, though unhelpful. As for forever, this could just be mine if I get stuck. I hope I don’t. I hope I don’t. And what about yesterday? I’d give anything to go back to yesterday. Wait a minute? Yesterday? Yes, yesterday! What about yesterday? I surely can’t go back to yesterday. But there must be something about yesterday that would explain today… this moment… this path… this journey. What about yesterday?”

-----

YESTERDAY

“I’d conceded the quest. I’d gone back to living life to the fullest while keeping tabs with happenings. I’d gone back to reading, digging, searching, self-development, to all that would help prepare me for the future. I’d resolved to take another shot at the quest…sometime later! I’d decided that until such a time, I’d be dedicated to upgrading myself, to be better equipped to seize opportunities when they come along. I was going to be busy learning everything learnable, discovering everything discoverable, searching everything searchable, especially scriptures, having observed that the wisest man to have walked the earth had been in my position, burdened with a glorious purpose of leading a great people and wasn’t overwhelmed like I was.

“Almost immediately after his father (king David) passed away and he (Solomon) took over the throne of Israel, he gave an order to all the officers in charge of units of a thousand/hundred men, all the government officials, all the heads of families, and everyone else; commanding them to go with him to the place of worship at Gibeon. They went there because that was where the tent of the Lord's presence was located. Solomon had a thousand animals killed and offered as a sacrifice to God. That very night, God appeared to him and asked what he (Solomon) would like Him (God) to do for him. These were Solomon’s exact words:”

“…o Lord God, you have let me succeed my father as king, even though I am very young and don't know how to rule. Here I am among the people you have chosen to be your own, a people who are so many that they cannot be counted. Give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice and to know the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule these great people of yours?”

“Pleased with Solomon’s request and the motive behind that request, God answered him thus: ‘because you have asked for the wisdom to rule justly, instead of long life for yourself, or riches, or the death of your enemies, I will do what you have asked. I will give you more wisdom and understanding than anyone has ever had before, or will ever have again. I will also give you what you have not asked for. All your life, you will have wealth and honor, more than that of any other king. And if you obey me and keep my laws and commands; as your father David did, I will give you a long life.’ Yes! That’s it! Those are the last moments of yesterday that I can recall. Oh no, there’s more. I remember some more. Not some. Many!

“I’d set out to replicate that event and become a wise man in the order of King Solomon. I seemed quite sure I’d make that happen sooner than later; that God would also get to ask what I want and I’d reply like Solomon. Yes! Yes! Yes! Though I’d at some point considered myself to be under the illusion that good things do come from Nazareth, I’d nonetheless doubted if I was really under an illusion because good does indeed come out of Nazareth. Isn’t Nazareth known to have birthed the best treasure the world has ever been blessed with? Jesus of Nazareth; the Son of the living God. Yes! I remember. I do! But what has that got to do with any of this? Was that supposed to plunge me into this path? With saggy underpants? Unbathed?

“Something is not adding up. Did I do like Solomon? Had I sacrificed a thousand animals? Did I receive an open cheque in a dream—like Solomon? To fill in whatever my heart longed for? Wait a minute, did I just say ‘whatever my heart longed for?’ Isn’t that what the… the… I don’t know his name. He wouldn’t say. But hadn’t he mentioned that I was drawn here by the deepest longings of my heart? By my zeal? My passion? Oh no! This has got to be a dream! Is this a blank cheque? Could this be a dream—like Solomon’s? Am I supposed to write my heart’s deepest longings on it? Wait. Where’s the cheque? How do I do that? How do I… How…?”

“WELL DONE!”

Who’s there? Who’s there? Show yourself!

“WELL DONE INDEED! YOU IMPRESS ME. I DIDN’T THINK WE’D SPEAK AGAIN THIS SOON.”

“Is that you?”

“YES. NOW THAT YOU’VE CRACKED THE FIRST CODE, YOU’VE EARNED SOME MORE GUIDANCE. AND YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT YOUR SAGGY UNDERPANTS AND UNBATHED BODY. YOU’VE CLEANED UP.”

“I’ve cleaned up? How? Wait a minute. My body is all cleaned up! And my underpants isn’t dirty anymore! What’s this? What happened?”

“THE MORE CODES YOU CRACK; THE BETTER YOU GET…UNTIL YOU BECOME ALL YOU HAVE CONCEIVED IN YOUR HEART TO BECOME. AND YES, THIS IS YOUR BLANK CHEQUE. YOU EARNED IT. WRITE ON IT WHATEVER YOUR HEART CRAVES. I MUST ADVISE THOUGH, BE CAREFUL NOT TO GET GREEDY. THAT’S HOW YOU GET STUCK. YOUR HEART’S DEEPEST LONGINGS WILL PREVAIL NONETHELESS. THERE’S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT THAT. FOR YOUR GOOD, I HOPE YOUR MOTIVE WAS RIGHT FROM THE START.”

“I… You…What… What now?”

“ON TO THE NEXT ONE. THERE’S A BANQUET AHEAD…GRACED WILL ALL MANNER OF DELICACIES…A BUFFET. YOU MUST BE HUNGRY. GET THERE AND SERVE YOURSELF.”

“Really? Wow! Great! I’m dying of thirst already, though I don’t feel hungry. But with such a table set before me, hunger is just around the corner. Haha.”

“GOD’S SPEED, THEN.”

“Please wait. My underpants is still saggy. It’s now sparkling white and my body is sanitized. But… but… am I supposed to grace a place like that with just underpants? How about clothes? Can I get some clothes…to cover my body? I’m naked. There are going to be people there, right? right? Hello? Hello?? Oh, he’s gone. How he just vanishes without warning! Urghhh!”

ABSTRACT

“NOW THEREFORE; YE ARE NO MORE STRANGERS AND FOREIGNERS, BUT FELLOW CITIZENS WITH THE SAINTS, AND OF THE HOUSEHOLD OF GOD…”

Hello? Who’s there?

“AND ARE BUILT UPON THE FOUNDATION OF THE APOSTLES AND PROPHETS, JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF BEING THE CHIEF CORNER STONE…”

Hello?? Who’s there, please??

“IN WHOM ALL THE BUILDING FITLY FRAMED TOGETHER GROWETH UNTO AN HOLY TEMPLE IN THE LORD…”

Who’s there?? Say something!!!

“IN WHOM YE ALSO ARE BUILT TOGETHER FOR AN HABITATION OF GOD THROUGH THE SPIRIT.”

Who are you?? Say something, please!!! Hello? Hello?? Hello??

KNOW YE NOT THAT YE ARE THE TEMPLE OF GOD, AND THAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD DWELLETH IN YOU??”

I… Uhh, I…

-----

INTRODUCTION

All the world is a stage…men and women—merely players. They have their exits and their entrances. Whether this is an exit or entrance, it is unknown…as unknown as which world-stage it is. But one thing is certain: it is alien. Unfamiliar. Gloomy. Even evil. Entrance unnoticed. Exit inconceivable. Strange locale. Unearthly. Tomblike. More like a gateway to… Wait! To where? Hell? Gateway to hell? Something’s not right! Something’s not right! And what was that voice? That indistinctly fading voice? Anyone here? Hello? Hello?? Hello??

-----

TERRA INCOGNITA

“An uproar. Far away. Far, far away. Familiar chaos. Dissenting voices. Wild chants. Violent outbreaks. Gunshots. Weeping. Lamentations. Confrontations. Vehement threats. Fights. Struggles. Possible deaths. What’s that uproar? And where’s that place? It’s far from here. Still, the uproar echoes, though fading with each passing minute, each passing second, fading slowly, slowly-steadily. Wait! No echoes anymore. No more voices. No uproar. It’s all ceased. Is that silence? It’s silence. Loud silence—suddenly. Where’s everyone? Where was that place? Wait, where’s this place? This dark place. No one’s here. None but me. Or, anyone here? Anyone?

“What’s this dirty white underpants? White has never been a favorite color for short pants, not to mention underpants. How come about this white underpants? Dirty for that matter! No shoes! No shirt! Nothing at all! Just this white underpants! This dirty white saggy underpants! What’re all these? Where is this place? What was the way in? Way in? Seriously? Come on now! Oh no! Rather, what’s the way out? Yes, the way out! Who’s here? Anybody? There’s got to be someone! Anybody! Somebody! Please! A way out, please! It’s too dark! Too gloomy! Too scary! A way out please! Help! Somebody help!”

“WALK!”

“Huh? Who’s there? I heard something. I heard someone! I heard you! I heard you! Did you say “walk?” Hello? Did you say “walk?” Oh c’mon! Talk to me please! I’m already going nuts!”

“WALK.”

“Walk! Yes, walk. I heard that. I’m walking. I’m walking. Yes, I… wait. Walk? Walk where? It’s dark all-around. Black! I can barely see a thing. Walk where? Hello? Hello? Are you there?”

“TRAIL MY VOICE.”

“Trail your voice? Yes! Trail your voice! Erm… erm… there’s a little problem here. I’m afraid trailing your voice might be a little difficult except you speak up more. Would you? Please?”

“THE JOURNEY AHEAD IS FAR AND TEDIOUS. TICK SAYS THE CLOCK; WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO, DO QUICK.”

“Oh my God! Journey? What journey? I don’t remember signing up for any journey. Even if I did, why would I journey to this… this… Uhm… that reminds me; where’s this place? I don’t know this place. Last I remember, I was… I was… yes! That was me! The uproar! That was me! I recall now! Uproar 2023! Wild chants! Streets invasion! Prayer walks! Revolution! That was me! The protests! The relentless marches by wild masses, all clamoring for one thing: a revolution! A better nation! New dawn! And I was the… the… the pioneer! I remember now, vividly. I never journeyed here. I don’t even know this place. I don’t like this place! I don’t!”

“TRAIL MY VOICE, AND YOU’LL BE OUT OF HERE LONG ENOUGH.”

“Thank goodness! Gosh! Uh, wait, long enough? Did you say long enough? That doesn’t quite resonate—if you ask me. I want out of here almost immediately. Very immediately. Can you do that? Would you do that? Do that, please. Yes, now. Do it now. There seems to be no one here beside you… and me. I don’t remember coming here. I don’t even know the way here. I mean, I don’t know here. Wait, did you… did you… did you bring me here? Did you bri…”

“EASY THERE. EASY. I UNDERSTAND YOUR UNEASE. BUT EASE UP. BOTTLE YOUR CURIOSITY. YOU’LL FIND YOUR ANSWERS EVENTUALLY…AS MUCH AS YOU’LL FIND WHAT YOU CAME HERE TO SEEK…IF YOU DON’T GET IT MIXED UP. HOPE YOU’RE AS GREED-FREE AS YOU’RE SELF-ACCLAIMED TO BE? YOU MADE IT HERE TOO FAST, TOO SOON; BEFORE ANYONE COULD VET YOUR RÉSUMÉ.”

“Résumé? I came here job-hunting?”

“NOT EXACTLY.”

“Of course not! Not! C’mon, what’s going on? Would you just spill the beans and spare me the ciphers? I’m fast slipping into an anxious breakdown. I don’t understand a thing that’s going on. Are there others here? Anyone else apart from you and me? I’d love to meet people…people I can see. Where are they? Who are you? And where are you taking me?”

“HEAVEN.”

“Heaven? Hea…”

“YES, HEAVEN. ISN’T THAT WHERE YOU ASKED TO BE TAKEN?”

“I… I…?”

“MAKE NO MISTAKES ABOUT IT…NARROW IS THE WAY THAT LEADS TO LIFE. IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN. IT ALWAYS WILL BE. IF YOU FAINT NOT, HEAVEN WILL BE YOUR HOME—AS YOU DESIRE. NOW, GIRD UP YOUR LOINS. WE’RE ABOUT TO START HAVING COMPANY. WAIT, WE? OH NO; YOU. YOU ARE ABOUT TO START HAVING COMPANY. SOME NICE. SOME DESTITUTE. SOME…SOME…”

“What? Some what? Tell me. Some what?”

“YOU AREN’T ALONE HERE. YOU MIGHT AS WELL BE THE LATEST ARRIVAL. MANY HAVE BEEN HERE. MANY ARE HERE. MANY ARE COMING, STILL. SOME STRAY HERE. SOME COME WITH DEFINITE PURPOSES. SOME…”

“Your words are confusing. I don’t think I’m following.”

“YOU WOULD IF YOU QUIT INTERRUPTING ME LIKE THAT.”

“Sorry.”

“YOU STARTED ON A JOURNEY YOU WEREN’T EXACTLY CLEAR ABOUT. NO IDEA OF THE ROUTE. NO ROAD MAP. JUST A BLIND VENTURE INTO THE UNKNOWN. MORE LIKE AN ADVENTURE. THE GOOD THING IS: YOU’VE GOT A DESTINATION IN MIND. AS MUCH AS IT IS UP TO ME, I’LL OFFER GUIDANCE.”

“As much as it is up to you? I’m only making moves because I’m trailing your voice. How can it not be up to you to offer me guidance all the way? If you hadn’t spoken to me, I’d be stuck.”

“WELL, FOR STATERS, I DIDN’T GUIDE YOU HERE. YOU WERE DRAWN HERE BY YOUR DEEPEST HEART’S YEARNINGS. ZEAL. PASSIONS. THE SAME SHOULD GUIDE YOU THROUGH. BUT THEN, YOU SEEM LOST. UNCERTAIN WHERE YOU ARE OR HOW YOU GOT HERE. EVEN STUCK—IF NOT HELPED. GOOD FOR YOU, AN ASSESSMENT OF YOUR MOTIVE HAS EARNED YOU A DEGREE OF GUIDANCE WHERE NECESSARY. YOU’LL BE HEARING MORE OR LESS FROM ME—DEPENDING ON THE LEGITIMACY OF YOUR PERCEIVED VIRTUOUS MOTIVE.”

“Uhm, can I ask you a question?”

“NO. YOUR HEART IS FULL OF QUESTIONS WHOSE ANSWERS CAN ONLY BE DISCOVERED, NOT ANSWERED. BURIED AT DIFFERENT POINTS IN THIS ADVENTURE ARE THE ANSWERS YOU SEEK. DEPENDING ON THE STATE OF YOUR HEART AND THE GENUINENESS OF YOUR INTENTIONS, YOU’LL DIG THEM OUT AND ADVANCE YOUR COURSE TILL YOU REACH YOUR JOURNEY'S END: HEAVEN. BUT LIKE I SAID, NARROW IS THE WAY THAT LEADS TO LIFE. YOU CHOSE THE NARROW PATH. NOW, WALK THROUGH IT. GOD’S SPEED.”

“Wait! Wait, please! One more thing. You’re there? Hello? Hello??”

“SPEAK.”

“What’s this place? And how do I go on without your voice to trail?”

“FOLLOW YOUR HEART. AS FOR THIS PLACE… THIS PLACE… UNTIL YOU MAKE IT OUT, YOU’LL NEVER REALLY KNOW WHAT THIS PLACE IS. BUT IF IT’S ANYTHING TO YOU, YOU CAN REFER TO THIS PLACE AS ‘TERRA INCOGNITA.’”

“Terra Incognita? What does that mean?”

“AN UNKNOWN AND UNEXPLORED REGION…NOW YOURS TO EXPLORE; AS YOU WISHED TO. I’LL BE WAITING SOMEWHERE AHEAD FOR YOU. IF YOU NEVER HEAR FROM ME AGAIN, KNOW FOR CERTAIN THAT YOU’VE BEEN STUCK.”

“Stuck? I could be stuck here? Wait a minute, are there people stuck here? Why did they get stuck? What did they do? Hello? Give me some hints. What’s your name? Hello?? Hello??”

In my opinion, this writeup solves your problem. Just get Grace to read it. Then apologise. I have no doubts she'll feel loved & cherished after reading this...& that feeling will surpass any feelings of betrayal that might strike her.

UPROAR 2023

“Mr. President, we can’t take this anymore! Nigeria is not anybody’s company! Nigeria is not anybody’s property! She is not a commodity for sale or rent! See ehn, this Nigeria is not somebody’s BUSINESS CENTER ooh! Hehehe! Nigeria belongs to Nigerians! For how long shall we keep robbing Peter to pay Paul?! We can’t even have a fallout with Ghana without them “dragging” us for ZERO ELECTRICITY. But thanks to Nigeria, Ghana is a PARADISE OF CONSTANT LIGHT!”

The uproar is that of WILD CHANTS FROM MAD MASSES, all shot at Mr. President from North, South, East, and West! “IT IS 2023!” they ROAR ON! “We want things to begin to be as they should be! We are not going to be SPECTATORS anymore! We are not going to be an AUDIENCE to merely cheer PERFORMERS for their performances (no matter how awkward). We refuse to continue being CAJOLED! No time for anybody! See, Mr. President, things must change! Nigeria must REBOOT!”

If Mr. President had known, he would have stopped at AIRING PRE-RECORDED VIDEO CLIPS ON TV as an address to the roaring masses. At least, that way, the masses wouldn’t do any more than to keep wailing - while waiting to watch his next CLIP. But this young, ebullient Mr. President, this ambassador of goodwill, decided to play down on ARISTOTLE’S MODEL OF COMMUNICATION (which only allows the SENDER TO SEND THE MESSAGE TO THE RECEIVER - IN AN ATTEMPT TO INFLUENCE THE RECEIVER TO RESPOND ACCORDINGLY): NO FEEDBACK WHATSOEVER! Mr. President imagined IT WOULD BE BETTER TO INTERACT WITH THE MASSES, TO ALLOW FOR AN AVENUE THROUGH WHICH THE MASSES CAN REACH OUT AND TALK WITH HIM DIRECTLY.

So, he opted for the TRANSACTIONAL MODEL OF COMMUNICATION (which allows for each person in the communication process to act as both speaker and listener, SIMULTANEOUSLY SENDING AND RECEIVING MESSAGES ON THE GO). In this model, EACH PERSON in the communication process reacts depending on factors such as their backgrounds, prior experiences, attitudes, cultural beliefs, and SELF-ESTEEM (like in radio and TV shows when diverse listeners are allowed to call-in).

The people seized that opportunity to CHEW HIM RAW! Serves him right! The next time he wants to NURTURE AMBITION, he will know better than to GO FARMING WITHOUT SUFFICIENT FARM TOOLS. He would have understood that “in any venture, a man is supposed to overvalue the negative estimates of his prospects by two; while undervaluing the positive estimates by half.” At this point, Mr. President has no estimations, nor SUFFICIENT LEADERSHIP KNOW-HOW!

All he has is ambition, a sense of purpose, and a heart for the people. It’s quite unfortunate that HIS INCOMPETENCE IN THIS AREA HAS SEEN HIM SHOOTING HIMSELF IN THE LEG; by allowing for MULTIPLE SIMULTANEOUS CYBER-FEEDBACKS which only succeeded in INTENSIFYING THE UPROAR. Once Mr. President was ON AIR and the people confirmed that his offer to treat them to a cyber-interactive session was not a BLUFF, NIGERIANS from ALL CORNERS INVADED THE CYBERSPACE and tabled DIVERSE ISSUES ALL AT THE SAME TIME - not minding if Mr. President was MAKING OUT ANYTHING FROM THEIR DEAFENING UPROAR!

Some called-in. But due to REPEATED NETWORK JAMS because of the multitude of people TRYING TO CALL IN AT THE SAME TIME, the majority resorted to VENTING THEIR ANGER ON SOCIAL MEDIA: (SOCIAL MEDIA BILL COMES TO MIND). The BITTER PROTESTS from the masses echoed to the hearing of the “NO DO PASS YOURSELF” CREW, who only OBSERVED THE SHOWDOWN FROM THE SAFETY OF THEIR COMFORT ZONES. They could see MORE BITTER COMPLAINTS FROM SOCIAL MEDIA sliding across the bottom of their TV screens at an ACCELERATING PACE!

Mr. President wished there could be a NETWORK GLITCH so he would use that as an avenue to BAILOUT! But no! NETWORK WAS VERY GOOD! There were no STREAMING INCONSISTENCIES (despite the fact that the session was STREAMED ON 2G NETWORK). There were no TECHNICAL ISSUES, no BLANK OUT, no CONNECTION HITCHES, nothing at all. The session RAN SMOOTHLY, except for the DEAFENING UPROAR from the masses which made Mr. President feeling HOMESICK.

Mr. President was struggling to calm the people and to court their attention. He sought to have them listen to him - so he would attempt using COLORFUL ELOQUENCE to appeal to their reasoning (just like Tyrion the dwarf would do). But that was futile! These people were done listening! They were done waiting! Done hoping! And they were done BEING FOOLED AROUND! All they want, is for Mr. President to DELIVER THE COUNTRY FROM EVIL. So they roared! And roared! And wouldn’t stop ROARING!

-----

“Mr. President we are tired! We are tired of the poor health care system in the country! We want a turnaround right now! We don’t mind being dragged back to as far as 1885 when the Roman Catholic missions established the first hospital: SACRED HEART HOSPITAL in Abeokuta, followed by other COLONIAL HOSPITALS. At least, that way, there wouldn’t be so many trips abroad for medical checkups, and commoners wouldn’t lack for where to test for Covid-19, HIV, even Malaria!

“After the Berlin conference on November 15th, 1884 where AFRICA WAS DIVIDED BY EUROPEAN POWERS and Nigeria was OFFICIALLY ESTABLISHED AS A BRITISH COLONY, those health care systems and hospitals CONTINUED TO BLOSSOM with the best hands as nurses and doctors; such that other nations trooped into Nigeria for the best medical care: the kind of medical care that could only be accessed in Britain. Even SAUDI ROYAL FAMILY was using UCH Ibadan in the 50s.”

“But Mr. President, WHERE ARE THOSE HOSPITALS TODAY? Isn’t it a shame that AFTER BRITAIN HANDED A SOUND, ROBUST, AND ONE OF THE BEST HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS/HOSPITALS IN THE WORLD TO NIGERIA (following her independence in 1960), and that AFTER 135 YEARS SINCE THE FIRST HOSPITAL WAS ESTABLISHED IN NIGERIA, all we can boast of today, are VOID DILAPIDATED BUILDINGS as hospitals?? Nigerians now go to get medical care from the SAME COUNTRIES THAT USED TO PATRONIZE HER FOR MEDICAL TOURISM IN THE PAST. It’s not that we lack manpower, good doctors, or nurses. But our health facilities are all in COMATOSE, and you’re here, telling us to calm down and listen to you? What are you going to tell us, THAT WE HAVE NOT HEARD BEFORE??”

Mr. President was about addressing THE MATTER when the telecom sector interrupted and tabled its own matter! “Mr. President, because of the need of the colonial government to connect with other colonial administrations in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Gambia, and England, TELECOMMUNICATION WAS ESTABLISHED IN NIGERIA IN 1886. Britain brought Telecommunication into Nigeria two years after they arrived (just five years after Britain started telecommunications as a whole in 1881).”

“But after the British HANDED OVER A SOUND TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM to Nigeria during independence in 1960, and after 134 years since telecommunication was established in Nigeria, we can't boast of good telecoms networks! We can't boast of smooth networks! We still experience drop calls or no network! Nigeria's telecommunication is dominated and ran mostly as foreign-owned. Isn’t it such a CRYING SHAME?? Mr. President, Isn’t it?? And you are still telling us to calm down??”

The POWER SECTOR didn’t give Mr. President BREATHING SPACE before slamming him with their own MATTER. “Mr. President, 12 years after the British colonialists established their presence in Nigeria, they successfully generated power in 1896. They grew and sustained electricity in Nigeria until they handed over a functional and robust power sector to Nigeria, following her independence. But isn’t it QUITE SHAMEFUL that 124 years after power was first generated in Nigeria, there is absolutely NOTHING TO SHOW?? Despite billions and trillions of dollars already pumped into that sector??”

The EDUCATIONAL SECTOR did not miss out on the showdown, as they came on board to give Mr. President a piece of their own MATTER. “See, Mr. President, you’re probably NOT TOO YOUNG TO RUN for president. But you’re most likely too young to know that even before the British took over Nigeria officially through colonization, they had already established the first school in LAGOS in 1843. Do you know that?? Of course not!!! The school was known as NURSERY OF INFANT CHURCH; and was established in BADAGRY LAGOS. Then, during colonization, MORE SCHOOLS WERE BUILT.”

“It was like a competition between the missionaries and the Colonial government. The missionaries were using schools and hospitals to convert Nigerians into their faith. At a point, the missionaries had more schools and hospitals than the colonial government. Consequently, Nigeria’s education system was robust, with top notch teachers and administrators. THE STANDARD WAS SO HIGH, to the extent that, if you passed out from any Nigerian school, you didn’t need to write series of exams if you so wished to FURTHER YOUR EDUCATION IN BRITAIN. But what’s the SITUATION TODAY??”

“It's a shame to say that 177 years after the first school was established in Nigeria (1843), Nigerians are now sending their children abroad (for even primary school education). We pay very high fees for private school education up to the university level. Despite the billions of dollars being pumped into the education sector annually, it is sad to say that, government schools (which are supposed to be the best), are solely left for the poorest of the poor to send their children to. Mr. President why??”

Travelers and transporters didn’t let the educational sector to land before they jumped in with their own MATTER. “Mr. President, the first motorable road in Nigeria was constructed in 1906. It linked Oyo to Ibadan. The colonialist built and expanded Nigeria's road networks from the South to the North across the board. Nigeria had good, long-lasting motorable roads. But what happened?? After handing over good road networks to Nigeria at independence, it is a shame that 114 years after the first motorable road was constructed, Nigerian roads are nothing but POTS OF HOLES!!!”

Mr. President was beyond grateful when the interactive session ended. He would never REPEAT SUCH IDIOCY of treating the masses to an extended cyber-interactive session! But the ending of the session was not the end of the UPROAR! When there was no more room for the masses to vent their anger directly at Mr. President, social media became the NEXT BUS STOP! Complaints of all sorts were made on the internet, ranging from corruption to rape, to religion, to the alleged conveying of thousands of jihadists to the east for genocide attacks (just as in the Northwest where banditry and kidnapping is said to prevail, and the Northeast where terrorism and banditry adds to the list: 2020).

BUT THE SOCIAL MEDIA UPROAR GOT TO ITS APEX WHEN A FACEBOOK HANDLE WITH THE MONIKER, “POLITICAL NIGERIAN EVENTS” TOOK TO ITS PAGE TO MAKE AN UNBELIEVABLE EXPOSITORY POST THAT IS PURPORTED TO HAVE BEEN ORIGINALLY DIVULGED BY A CERTAIN “NUHU RIBADU.” MAY STILL FIND IT UNBELIVABLE TILL THIS VERY MOMENT. THE POST READS:

BOOTING NIGERIA

Mr. President’s tactic at salvaging Nigeria is to trace the nation’s prominent issues to their roots, and then see how to tackle them from there. This has led him to Nigeria’s BOOTING DAYS: that ELUSIVELY PURE BEGINNING; when light seemed to have DAWNED on the BLACK CONTINENT. Nigeria was INVADED and soon transformed into a POTENTIAL LONDON. Those were GLORIOUS DAYS, an era of ENJOYMENT GALORE; PARTY AFTER PARTY, well-structured by the MASTERS to favor IN-DEPTH EXPLOITATION OF THE PLACE. It looked like the event of Genesis 1:3 where God had said: “LET THERE BE LIGHT: AND THERE WAS LIGHT.” (KJV).

MISSIONARIES also stopped by with the GOOD NEWS, conquered the West in the shortest possible time; and expanded their footprint in the East and the rest of Southern Nigeria with their “POTENT, IRRESISTIBLE TONIC OF EVANGELISM AND EDUCATION” (as Chinua Achebe of blessed memory puts it). That was the light that had dawned on this part of the black continent, this GIANT OF A NATION, this great country: NIGERIA. However, those ENCHANTING DAYS WERE SHORT-LIVED.

There was FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN! Boys wanted to become men, and men no longer wished to be, should I say, “SUBJUGATED?” Women didn’t hold back their support, and the children merely RAISED THE NATION’S DUST with their innocent chase games until abruptly, somewhat unannounced, there was darkness again on the face of Nigeria! There were no more MISSIONARIES, no more MASTERS, just NIGERIANS treating NIGERIANS to a BLOODY THUG OF WAR!

That wasn’t new, though. Long before THE COMING OF MISSIONARIES AND MASTERS, there usually were such wars. But there were mere trivial violent exchanges that couldn’t at the most be counted for war. Howbeit, upon the departure of the masters, the trivial violent exchanges escalated into heated frenzies and ultimately pitched to a BLOODY CIVIL WAR! It could be that the light that had dawned on Nigeria, had been overcome by darkness. But if the HOLY BOOK anything to go by, DARKNESS NEVER OVERCOMES LIGHT. Therefore, would it be safe to say that LIGHT HAD NOT DAWNED ON NIGERIA AFTER ALL??

Light had actually dawned on Nigeria: - just not the LIGHT OF MEN; which shines in darkness without being overcome by the darkness. That’s probably why it was so quick to again give way to a FORMLESS, DESOLATE, WATER-COVERED, DARKNESS-ENGULFED Nigeria! Now, THERE’S AN UPROAR! The people want Mr. President to BRING BACK THE LIGHT, not just any light, but the LIGHT OF MEN: such that DAWNS WHEN THE SPIRIT OF GOD MOVES AND GOD SPEAKS!

-----

UPROAR from the masses is becoming deafening! “We want light! Give us light! We are tired of darkness! Give us light!” Such wild chants are fired at the naïve Mr. President who seems to be laden with nothing but GOOD INTENTIONS and a HEART FOR THE PEOPLE. Full of ZEST and love for his country. But those aren’t enough to earn him the HOT SEAT. As the Bible rightly says: “It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way”: Proverbs 19:2 (NIV). If Mr. President had known, he wouldn’t have let his zeal drive him to the hot seat so soon. He would have taken time to DIG NIGERIA OUT OF THE WOODS OF HISTORY before aiming for THE VILLA.

But he’s at the Villa already. The only way forward is to DELIVER, or else, STEP ASIDE for a more competent aspirant to BURDEN HIMSELF (OR HERSELF) with that MANDATE. The people have HIGH EXPECTATIONS. They trust that Mr. President is able and capable: if not for anything, for his promise to ALIENATE POVERTY and make prosperity to become a COMMON NORMAL. “When I become president of Nigeria, SILVER AND GOLD WILL BECOME LIKE MERE ROCKS AND STONES: COMMON PLAY-THINGS FOR KIDS!” With comments like that, delivered with SUPREME CONFIDENCE, the masses couldn’t help SEEING A MESSIAH IN MR. PRESIDENT.

What they aren’t exactly aware of; is the fact that Mr. President only just got to dig Nigeria out of the woods of history, in his bid calm the storms in the country. He only just got to learn that the problem of Nigeria is as ANCIENT as the word goes. How did he even get the “Mr. president” tag without as much as knowing that “there are three maps of Nigeria, which Nigerians must have in mind, in order to grasp how the country has been BUILT OR NOT BUILT? Or how Nigeria has been MADE AND UNMADE?” HOW??

Well, Emeritus Professor of Drama and Theatre Studies, Professor KALU UKA would have Mr. President understand that the said maps bear “Fascinating Tales of Historical Dramatization.” According to him, “a nation is not just GEOGRAPHICAL BOUNDARIES or POLITICAL DIVISIONS into states and local government; nor electoral wards and constituencies. Rather, a nation is PEOPLE, and peoples are united in a SOVEREIGN STATE.” That is not too hard to grasp, IS IT?

The renowned professor further made known to Mr. President that Nigeria is not the 60-YEAR-OLD COUNTRY it is purported to be (at the time of this writing: 2020). Rather, she is somewhere around a hundred and sixty (160) years old (according to the maps). To ensure that Mr. President is not left BEWILDERED BY THIS REVELATION, the Emeritus professor went even further to break things down for the lay understanding of the young, ambitious, but a quite naïve Mr. President.

The professor broke down the three maps for easy understanding in an ESSAY he titled: “DRAMA AND THEATRE AS DIGGERS OF THE FOUNDATION FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE AND NATION-BUILDING THROUGH HISTORY.” That essay was written on the occasion of the supposed “celebration” of NIGERIA-AT-50: (INDEPENDENCE DAY: 2010). In his words:

“The first map captures Nigeria from 1860: when the British annexed the “colony of Lagos” from Oba Kosoko, up unto 1906 when the first tentative steps to build a multi-national state were uncertainly taken. Then in 1906, the colony of Lagos merged with protectorate of southern Nigeria while the protectorate of northern Nigeria remained SEPARATE AND FAVORED AS A BELOVED CHILD.”

“The second map captures Nigeria from 1914 to 1945, after lord Laggard and his wife, Sarah Shaw, CONCOCTED THE NAME: NIGER-AREA. It was at that time that Nigeria saw the AMALGAMATION of NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN PROTECTORATES, producing then, TWO NIGERIA because it is/was clear, that AMALGAMATION IS NOT UNION.”

Professor Uka continued that “the objective of the colonial administration was a CONVENIENT ARRANGEMENT TO ECONOMIZE RESOURCES WHILE DERIVING UTMOST DIVIDENDS FROM A LARGE AFRICAN JUNGLE MARKET; for the Royal Niger Company consortium of traders in everything; from slaves to ivory, gold, timber, hides, and skin, BUT NOT YET OIL.”

“The last map captures Nigeria from 1945 to this present day: as it is, since the John Foncha-led excision of part of the South Eastern tip of the Cameroons, a system of loss of territory, capped in ex-president Obasanjo’s loss of Bakassi again to the Cameroons, and a shape Nigeria now has since 1963 when the SO-CALLED REPUBLICAN CONSTITUTION WAS ADOPTED.”

“Meanwhile, in 1922, there was the HUGH CLIFFORD CONSTITUTION in which, as Governor-General, he VIEWED NIGERIA AS A “COLLECTION OF INDEPENDENT NATIVE STATES that are SEPARATED from one another by great distances, differences of history, traditions, plus ethnological, racial, tribal, political, social, and religious barriers”: a myopic perception of Nigeria.”

Gratefully, Mr. President has uncovered this MYOPIC PERCEPTION and a few more to be THE ROOTS of Nigeria’s problems. As a next move, he reaches out to the masses to call all attention to these sad realities. Mr. President has called. Many have heard. But only a few have chosen to give him LISTENING EARS. A GREAT NUMBER of his hearers don’t give a damn about LISTENING! They couldn’t care less about ANCIENT KNOWLEDGE! All they want is for Mr. President to [MAGICALLY] SHINE THE LIGHT on Nigeria and bring forth the NEW ENVISIONED DAYS OF BLISS UNTOLD!

A GREATER NUMBER of his hearers seem to GET HIS MESSAGE. They get a crystal clear picture of things. They understand the extent of the damage, the loopholes, the AUDIO DEMOCRACY, and the CORRUPT FOUNDATION of the nation (in the first place). But this clarity of vision tends to be their UNDOING, sadly. They cannot possibly ENVISION A FIXING of the DIRE NIGERIAN DAMAGE! So they advise thus: “Mr. President, having seen and gotten acquainted with the SITUATION OF THINGS IN NIGERIA, we can only advise that you TAKE A WALK from politics IF YOU WON’T BEND. The entire system is crooked. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT!”

Continuing to advise, they add: “the PEOPLE THAT MATTER will not even let you alter things for the exclusive good of the Nigerian people; your good intentions notwithstanding. For your own good, drop the idea. LEAVE MATTER FOR MATTHIAS! And if you manage to find yourself on that seat, be kind enough to SERVE YOURSELF FIRST! And then YOUR FAMILY! NO GO DO PASS YOURSELF! This MESSIAH COMPLEX of yours will only land you in DEEP SHIT! But erm, please remember us in your paradise oh. No position is too small. We will manage anything: S.A, P.A, even SYCOPHANT!”

Now, the problem isn’t that a GREAT NUMBER of his hearers brush him aside; nor that a GREATER NUMBER repel him with NEGATIVE MINDEDNESS and MEDIOCRITY. His major problem stems from the frustration that comes with seeing that the MAJORITY of his SHOULD-BE HEARERS are beyond reach! How does he get them to REASON WITH HIM when he can’t even get across to them? How does he get them acquainted with REAL FACTS about Nigeria, not BASELESS PROPAGANDAS??

-----

“WINTER IS COMING,” declares Mr. President. “The ARMY OF THE UNDEAD will match upon THE LIVING! All the SEVEN KINGDOMS must put aside their differences and get set to face their common enemy: THE UNDEAD. If the KINGS and LORDS of the SEVEN KINGDOMS continue seeking allies between themselves to fight themselves, they will be drowning in a POOL OF THEIR OWN BLOOD when THE UNDEAD matches on them to ANNIHILATE ALL HUMANITY. We have to STICK TOGETHER! The last thing we need right now is DIVISION, except we ALL WANT TO DIE! You hear me??”

Such CHARMING SPEECH by Mr. President, isn’t it? At this point, one could be tempted to call him “JON SNOW: (the LORD COMMANDER of the NIGHT’S WATCH).” Do you know JON SNOW? He’s a CHARMER! Some sort of a MESSIAH! Mr. President SEEMS TO FANCY JON SNOW A LOT! Jon Snow is a FICTIONAL CHARACTER from the HOLLYWOOD BLOCKBUSTER: “GAME OF THRONES.”

In the movie, he is the supposed the BASTARD SON of NED STARK. Ned Stark happens to be the WARDEN OF THE NORTH and PROTECTOR OF THE REALM. The NORTH consists of the Northern-half of the SEVEN KINGDOMS and is ruled by HOUSE STARK (THE HOUSE OF NED STARK). They RULE FROM THEIR CASTLE at a place called WINTERFELL.

The North is SPARSELY POPULATED. But it is nearly as big as the other SIX KINGDOMS combined, which puts it in a position where it stands SUPERIOR to the other kingdoms, except KING’S LANDING. You know why? Because KING’S LANDING is the CAPITAL of the kingdoms, just like the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in NIGERIA. So, NED STARK, who rules the NORTH, is somewhat superior to all other rulers except the KING (who RULES ENTIRELY over everyone in the kingdoms).

In essence, the POWER STRUCTURE put NED STARK in a position where he’s the second most powerful ruler. At some point, he was made HAND OF THE KING (a sort of VICE PRESIDENT). JON SNOW was this man’s son; or BASTARD SON, as he was usually ridiculously aliased. Time will fail me to go into the DETAILS OF HIS BIRTH. But his complicated identity drove him to the NIGHT’S WATCH (a place for BROKEN PEOPLE), and he somehow saw himself becoming the NUMBER ONE MAN there: the LORD COMMANDER of the NIGHT’S WATCH (though being a fighter, he’d been forced to serve as STEWARD).

The NIGHT’S WATCH is THE WALL that SHIELDS the seven kingdoms from the BLACK HORRORS on the other side: “……THE UNDEAD!” The seven kingdoms were at war on one side of the wall, while on the other side, THE UNDEAD were on the verge of MATCHING ON the seven kingdoms to WIPE OUT ALL THE LIVING and put an end to HUMANITY. It became JON SNOW’S SELF-IMPOSED ESSENTIAL ASSIGNMENT to get the WARRING KINGDOMS to cease swinging swords at each other, and rather stand together to face the ARMY OF THE UNDEAD, who outnumbered them 10 to 1.

He actually succeeded in SUSPENDING THE WAR (AFTER MULTITUDES HAD FALLEN BY THE SWORD ALREADY). He succeeded in getting the armies of the kingdoms to MARCH TOGETHER AGAINST THE UNDEAD (after being to hell and back a million times). THE UNDEAD were ultimately defeated, thanks to JON SNOW’s supposed sister, ARYA STACK (youngest daughter of NED STACK). Arya put a knife made of DRAGON GLASS in the heart of the NIGHT KING (the leader of the army of the UNDEAD) and that was it. The NIGHT KING is the SOURCE OF LIFE for the UNDEAD. So, once he was killed, IT WAS OVER FOR THE UNDEAD! Jon Snow PAVED THE WAY for that defeat. But that’s not the MAIN REASON I said that one could be tempted to call Mr. President “Jon Snow.”

You see, while APPEALING TO THE REASONING of kings/queens of the kingdoms to stop the war, Jon Snow said things like: “WINTER IS COMING! The ARMY OF THE UNDEAD will match upon THE LIVING. All the SEVEN KINGDOMS must put aside their differences and get set to face their common enemy: THE UNDEAD.” In using that same speech to try to APPEAL TO THE REASONING OF NIGERIANS, Mr. President somewhat seemed like a HERO in the order of JON SNOW. One could ACTUALLY BE TEMPTED to call him Jon Snow AT THAT POINT. But that could only happen at that point, not at this very point. At this point, please do well not to call him JON SNOW. EE GET WHY!

Besides Jon Snow’s COMPLICATED IDENTITY which led him to JOIN THE NIGHT’S WATCH, he swore THE NIGHT’S WATCH OATH upon joining that MILITARY ORDER. HE SWORE A STRONG OATH; one Mr. President WOULD NOT SWEAR [ENTIRELY]! That is the concern here! That oath had Jon Snow MAKING HEAVY-DUTY PRONOUNCEMENTS! VERY HEAVY-DUTY PRONOUNCEMENTS! Like:

“NIGHT GATHERS, AND NOW MY WATCH BEGINS. IT SHALL NOT END UNTIL MY DEATH. I SHALL TAKE NO WIFE, HOLD NO LANDS, FATHER NO CHILDREN. I SHALL WEAR NO CROWNS AND WIN NO GLORY. I SHALL LIVE AND DIE AT MY POST. I AM THE SWORD IN THE DARKNESS. I AM THE WATCHER ON THE WALLS. I AM THE SHIELD THAT GUARDS THE REALMS OF MEN. I PLEDGE MY LIFE AND HONOR TO THE NIGHT’S WATCH, FOR THIS NIGHT, AND ALL THE NIGHTS TO COME.”

No doubt, Mr. President will just have to swear an OATH OF OFFICE upon OFFICIALLY ASSUMING OFFICE AS PRESIDENT. But you see, the OATH OF OFFICE of the president of Nigeria has nothing to do with taking no WIVES, holding no LANDS, fathering no CHILDREN, wearing no CROWNS, winning no GLORY, and living/dying at DUTY POST. Mr. President can’t even imagine a life with such restrictions, not to mention living that life. That is why he can’t exactly be called to JON SNOW.

However, the PART OF THAT OATH that Mr. President is FULLY CONVICTED BY, is the part that says: “I AM THE SWORD IN THE DARKNESS. I AM THE WATCHER ON THE WALLS. I AM THE SHIELD THAT GUARDS THE REALMS OF MEN. I PLEDGE MY LIFE AND HONOR TO THE NIGHT’S WATCH, FOR THIS NIGHT, AND ALL THE NIGHTS TO COME.”

Maybe the CHARACTER OF JON SNOW does not entirely REFLECT THE PERSON OF MR. PRESIDENT. But there’s SOMEONE ELSE in that movie WHOSE CHARACTER LARGELY REFLECTS the person of Mr. President. His name is TYRION LANNISTER: AN INGENIOUS MAN, A READER, LEADER, DIPLOMATIC, INCREDIBLY INTELLIGENT, and able to WORK (TALK) HIS WAY OUT OF MOST MYSTERIES AND CHALLENGES.

In the event where his COLORFUL ELOQUENCE fails to redeem him from challenges and mysterious situations, he still always has the LAST LAUGH - with his CUTTING WIT. Tyrion lives life to the FULLEST, just like Mr. President. He tries to be good (despite his unredeemable family), just as Mr. President tries to be good (despite his seemingly unredeemable country, Nigeria). However, Tyrion’s unredeemable family makes it IMPOSSIBLE for him to be WHOLLY GOOD.

Hence, he does have moments where he dips into the dark side. We can only pray that NIGERIA’S SITUATION doesn’t see Mr. President equally dipping into the dark side, just like his favorite Tyrion: a DWARF. Oh, did I mention that Tyrion is a DWARF? But that’s not THE REAL BIG DEAL! The real big deal is that he is the MOST FAMOUS DWARF IN THE WORLD! (you can try asking Google). There will be a lot more to say about this DWARF in the latter part of this essay. Just STAY ON WITH ME!

If you watch GAME OF THRONES, you will notice that the PROMINENT THEME which endures all through the movie, is that of UPROAR (those who’ve watched can attest). It has EIGHT seasons. There was CALM in SEASON ONE. That calm vanished in SEASON TWO, only to return in SEASON EIGHT (the last season). But, until SEASON EIGHT when CALM RETURNED, there was only one prevailing element: UPROAR! UPROAR! UPROAR! just as it is; in NIGERIA RIGHT NOW!

INTRODUCTION

If Nigeria is to again amount to anything praiseworthy, there’s got to be a “rebooting.” If it wasn’t so, Senator Dino, in the absoluteness of his person, wouldn’t publicly stress the need for it. Although this need had become glaring enough for even the blind to see, such VALIDATIONS by the likes of Dino, I would say, are perfect CASE STUDIES for analysis; such as TREATED IN THIS PIECE. Perhaps; at the end of this piece, that GREAT NEED will become EVEN MORE GLARING THAN EVER!

-----

Mr. President has nothing but good intentions. It is very clear from his doings. All he wants is to CREATE A REPLICA of the era of biblical King Solomon, under whose reign - SILVER AND GOLD BECAME LIKE MERE ROCKS AND STONES: (2ND CHRONICLES 1:15). Imagine NIGERIAN CHILDREN throwing silver and gold (rocks and stones) at each other for play. As in, what many would readily GIVE THEIR LIVES FOR, becoming mere play-toys in the HANDS OF CHILDREN?

Fantasy! Fantasy! many would say! But this is actually Mr. President’s goal, his mission, his purpose: to establish heavenly bliss in the land - on the wings of LEADERSHIP. It just so happens that the situation he comes to a face-off with; is the kind he is LEAST PREPARED TO TACKLE. The country is in gloom: a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. She is formless and desolate, everything covered by a raging ocean - engulfed in TOTAL DARKNESS!

Given the gloomy blackness, Mr. President can’t seem to find his way around. Where does he start fixing things from? Everything is in a mess! Everywhere is in shambles! It is hopeless! The place is beyond repair! UPROAR from the masses isn’t exactly helping. Pressure from accrued failures by past governments is already too much for him! Adding an uproar is surely going to drive him nuts! He doesn’t know where to turn, who to call, how to start, or what to do. He is in a dilemma, more like caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. How did we (Nigeria) even get here, please??

Nigeria is a country lavishly laden with MILK and HONEY, richly adorned with the GREENEST OF PASTURES, aesthetically decorated with the FINERIES OF NATURE, blessed with a variety of natural and human resources, with bunches of talented folks, intellectuals, creatives, you name them! But even with such abundance and splendor, there seems to be nothing to write home about this OVERLY OBVIOUS GREENLAND, and Mr. President is now CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE of it all.

Things had moved from good to bad; and then to worse. They moved again from worse to “attempted good,” to bad again, and finally to WORST! Mr. President envisions moving things BACK TO GOOD, TO BETTER, TO BEST. You see, it is very okay to LAUGH AT THIS POINT. I mean, he must really think of himself as some sort of a SUPERHERO; or a GENIUS perhaps. Or maybe he sees a lot of HOLLYWOOD MOVIES; that “GAME OF THRONES” kind of thing. YOU KNOW, RIGHT??

But then, UPROAR from the masses isn’t the “TWITTER BASHING” kind of thing! It isn’t some fictionalized artwork or some RANDOM RANTINGS on the internet. It is UPROAR INDEED! The streets are filled with RIDE-OR-DIEs: those who totally disagree that LIVING DOGS ARE BETTER THAN DEAD LIONS! I mean those who would rather be LIONS, whether living or dead! Mr. President just has to perform, or things will just have to GO SOUTH! Thankfully, he is a man of PEACE.

He would rather tow the path of diplomacy, to see how to attend to the conflicting matters of the country without leaving the masses dissatisfied in any way. He is all set to leverage his leadership prowess to pilot the affairs of Nigeria. It takes great inherent leadership abilities to run the affairs of a country, not to mention a country like Nigeria. But Mr. president is CONFIDENT IN HIS ABILITIES. He is confident that he can REBOOT NIGERIA like Senator Dino strongly suggests.

His eager attempt at doing so has seen him revisiting NIGERIA’S BOOTING DAYS. Like they say: “SOLVING A PROBLEM BECOMES EASY WHEN THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM IS KNOWN.” This is Mr. President’s APPROACH at REBOOTING Nigeria: to seek out the roots of PREVAILING ISSUES, devise means of tackling them from that root, and consequently rebooting Nigeria (while at the same time managing a raging masses, fuming with TOXIC DESPERATENESS for the dawning of a NEW NIGERIA).

ABSTRACT

“You can ASPIRE FOR PRESIDENT. But please, POSTPONE YOUR CAMPAIGN till after 2019 election.” Those were the words of Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari; upon his signing of the “NOT TOO YOUNG TO RUN” bill into law in 2018: one of the BEST THINGS to have HAPPENED TO NIGERIA. Those words were uttered during a brief remark after his signing of the bill - and was directed to representatives of YOUNG PERSONS from the 36 states, including ABUJA.

I guess that we, the youngsters, have MR. PRESIDENT to thank for the signing of that bill into law, thus opening POLITICAL DOORS unto us - come 2023 upward. You and I now have the chance to slide ourselves into the CORRIDORS OF POWER and take shots at BETTERING THE NIGERIAN STATE - rather than merely TONGUE-LASHING past and present leaders for OBVIOUS FAILINGS: - such that former Nigerian lawmaker, DINO MALAYE, took online to LAMENT OVER, saying;

“EVERYONE WHO HELD, AND IS HOLDING ANY POLITICAL OFFICE IN NIGERIA, WHETHER ELECTIVE OR APPOINTED, INCLUDING ME, HAS FAILED! WE SOLD CRUDE OIL FOR 64 YEARS. BUT WE COULDN’T FEED OUR CITIZENS FOR JUST TWO WEEKS OF [CORONA VIRUS] LOCKDOWN. WELL, THE GOD OF THE POOR WILL JUDGE US ALL. IT IS TIME TO REBOOT.”

He said so - in reaction to the woeful effects of COVID-19 in Nigeria, and I couldn’t agree more with his GOOD CONSCIENCE. That comment, to a large extent, reflects the present state of Nigeria in its entirety, as well as paints pictures of possible roles played by variety of a SELECT FEW; to arrive at that eyesore state. If only Dino had ELABORATED on his comment, then there would have been a lot more to tell. But one very INVALUABLE PHRASE to consider from his words would be the part he said; “IT IS TIME TO REBOOT.” Indeed, if there’s only one thing Nigeria needs, it is absolute, severe, extreme REBOOTING.

If you’re familiar with computing terms, you understand clearly what it means to REBOOT a computer, what it means to HIBERNATE a computer, what it means to put a computer to SLEEP MODE, and what it means to BOOT a computer. Sleep mode is a power-sparing state that computers can enter when NOT IN USE. But computers usually WAKE from sleep mode through touching a key, clicking the mouse, or pressing the power button - to resume from WHERE THEY STOPPED.

To “hibernate” implies powering down a computer while retaining its state. Upon hibernation, the computer saves the contents of its random access memory (RAM) to a hard disk. When it resumes, it is exactly as it was before entering hibernation; - resuming its work from where it stopped. SLEEP MODE and HIBERNATION only rest computers for a while before they resume working from where they stopped. But when it comes to REBOOTING, it’s a DIFFERENT BALL GAME ENTIRELY!

Rebooting reloads the ENTIRE OPERATING SYSTEM of a computer: it starts the computer up again. To BOOT (BOOTING) is to START A COMPUTER'S OPERATING SYSTEM. Therefore, REBOOTING is to start it for a second time, a third time, even a fourth time, and so on. Ultimately, rebooting allows the computer to RESTART and GET BACK TO WORKING NORMALLY (not merely resting and resuming from where it stopped). More so, after a CRASH, a computer is useless until REBOOTED.

So, if what Nigeria needs is a “rebooting,” it, therefore, supposes that Nigeria has crashed beyond remedy, and needs to be RESTARTED; in order for her to go back to WORKING NORMALLY. Senator Dino is positive that THIS IS WHAT NIGERIA NEEDS. “…IT IS TIME TO REBOOT” (a fresh start), he says. But then, HASN’T NIGERIA HAD SEVERAL FRESH STARTS FROM “INDEPENDENCE?”

What about those steady transitions of power from leader to ruler; to leader to ruler? Weren’t they FRESH STARTS? Or, aren’t FRESH STARTS supposed to be synonymous with REBOOTING? Perhaps Dino means to say that what Nigeria needs is a REAL REBOOTING (an actual fresh start) since all previous rebooting (former supposed fresh starts) weren’t fresh starts after all. They were mere HIBERNATIONS and SLEEP MODES: one administration putting Nigeria to rest after years of MILKING HER SILLY, another administration emerging quickly to RESUME THE EVIL - with reckless abandon. HELL IS REAL!

Just like Dino, Nigerians cry of having had enough HIBERNATIONS and SLEEP MODES! An ACTUAL FRESH START is what everyone now yearns for: a REAL REBOOTING. But this tends to be FARFETCHED. At the same time, it seems VERY HANDY; - just that a vast majority tend to deem it more farfetched than handy (understandably). The world will no doubt end someday, and all the suffering and cheating and oppression will be no more! But how near is that end?? And if that end so happens to tarry, SHALL WE KEEP ON LIVING THIS WAY?? Shall we keep on SUFFERING?? STARVING?? CRYING?? DYING?? WAILING?? SHALL WE KEEP ON……??

-----

And so commenced UPROAR 2023: echoes of dissatisfaction from a SLIGHTED FIRE-BREATHING MASSES who now want to be heard or GO BANANAS!!! After all, how much worse can it get?? If diplomacy has failed, perhaps we should consider other options!!! Fighting maybe: another long-drawn-out war, bla-bla-bla... “We don tire!!! Our mumu don do!!! We die here!!!” Such brave words are spewed by these masses, all HIGHLY FLAMED-UP in readiness to FORCE-REBOOT Nigeria if efforts at traditionally courting the attention of “SUPERIOR CITIZENS” happen to fail again. I guess it’s high time ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!

The good in all these is that MR. PRESIDENT is given to diplomacy, otherwise, these “FIRE-BREATHING MASSES” may have learned the hard way to never HAVE MORE COURAGE THAN SENSE, especially in these LAST DAYS. God so kind, Mr. President is not a MAN OF WAR, not the LION, not a FIGHT, nor the INDABOSKI BAHOSE. Rather, he is a MAN OF PEACE, a man of LOVE, a LAMB, and a FELLOW NIGERIAN. That is why there could be a dialogue between PEOPLE and STATE (i.e. “governed” and “governor”), a fair marriage of ELITES and MASSES: a WELL-PACKAGED DEMOCRACY!!!

THIS IS A NOVELIZED EXPOSITORY ESSAY ON LEADERSHIP FAILINGS IN NIGERIA, ON THE “NOT TOO YOUNG TO RUN” BILL, ON THE NIGERIAN STATE AS A WHOLE, AND ON THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE NIGERIAN ARMED FORCES: “MR. PRESIDENT.”

CONCLUSION

They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed but abides forever. They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint; their paths are as a shining light that shines more and more unto the perfect day. Keep that in mind. And in your days of adversity, remember that weeping may endure for a night; but joy comes in the morning. There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel.

All you need do is keep pressing, press hard. I trust that by now you already know what role the higher power plays in all this; so I need not reiterate on this whole ESSAY. The IMAGERY herein may relatively reflect your immediate reality on THIS SIDE, as well as give you ideas of what could be your immediate reality on the OTHER SIDE. Whatever angle it approaches you from, the point is that IT CALLS YOUR ATTENTION TO SOMETHING; something serious, something you might want to GIVE ATTENTION TO. On the flip side, this may only have been a GOOD READ. Good all the same.

But if you find anything about this imagery relative, this piece may just have just been a ROADMAP for you! You never can tell. Aristotle would have you understand that “ALL MEN BY NATURE DESIRE TO KNOW.” Channel your natural QUEST FOR KNOWLEDGE in this direction too. See what you can dig up. I mean, I may only have succeeded in scratching the surface here. You never know what your findings might be. ENOUGH SAID!

I, therefore, draw the curtains on this note: the BAD SITUATIONS you find yourself in life may not necessarily be intended for your suffering; as you may like to think sometimes. It could be that you're being afforded a story to tell, a lesson to teach, a sermon to preach, etc. Rather than just being told/taught/given that story/lesson/sermon to relay to the world (whatever that world might be for you), you're made to go through it firsthand: a FIRST CLASS experience.

That EXPERIENCE counts for the DEPTH that'll someday hold the world SPELLBOUND to your ideas, works, creations, etc. Cherish that experience: you'll have to give account of it someday, whether to a big audience or just a small circle. That account has to be RICH, DEEP, RELATABLE enough, etc., to cheer, edify, and strengthen others that may at the time be plagued with BAD SITUATIONS. That ACCOUNT has to be HELPFUL, an account like this one: MY ACCOUNT.

Jezuzboi©

THE FIRST WALL

The first wall is the highest, widest, and largest of all the walls. It’s the firmest, strongest, most deeply rooted, DESIGNED TO LET NO ONE GET PAST IT. It is monstrous, devilish, exuding an evil aura from its rough surface. It has thorns littered all over, making it hard to make contact with it. When one gets really close, it becomes like an actual mountain, not just a wall that bears the resemblance of a mountain. There’s seemingly no way through it. DEAD END!

It is such a gigantic wall, responsible for the truncation of many destinies, the doom of many souls, the tearing apart of many families, the mediocrity of many persons, the destruction of many lives. It is usually a collision with this wall that awakens people’s consciousness to the REALITY OF THE OTHER SIDE. Upon that collision, one certainly needs to GET PAST that wall if he/she MUST AMOUNT TO ANYTHING ON THIS SIDE. But hey, that’s only THE BEGINNING.

-----

OTHER WALLS

Other walls serve as backups: the first is backed up by the second, the second is backed up by the third, and so on. But that doesn’t make them any less limiting! In fact, subsequent walls are designed to usually want to prove their worth by stopping what previous walls could not stop. So, if you manage to get past the first wall, the second is more likely to GIVE YOU A HARD RUN! If you get past the second, the third is more likely there to make sure you GO NO FURTHER!

If you make it through the third, you still have the fourth to battle with, then the fifth, sixth, and so on. There are no soft spots on these walls for you to break your way through. No openings, no tunnels, no form of linkage of one side of the wall to the other. IT’S A REAL DEAD END. It is even pointless to think about getting past the other walls when it is almost impossible to get past the first. Thankfully, it is only ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE to get past it, not IMPOSSIBLE!

-----

YOU (ON THIS SIDE)

You know that point in life where it seems like the heavens are closed over you? where nothing seems to be working? where it’s more like “you against the world?” where you feel like a ghost among the living? or buried alive? I’m talking about that point where nothing makes sense anymore; where making a headway becomes a myth to you but very much a reality to everyone else: that point where everything goes anticlockwise and you’re close to GOING NUTS!

The near-success syndromes, failures, efforts in futility, complications here and there, the reoccurrences, confusion, a thousand problems with no handy solutions, no helper(s), you keep going down with no one to pull you up. You keep on falling, no one can hear you calling. You’re the least favored, unqualified for anything, hardly noticed for good, etc. Desperation sets in; you start to count on the exaggerations of motivational speakers to be your SAVING GRACE!

You begin to get familiar with phrases like: “winners never quit, and quitters never win.” Or like: “believe in yourself enough to never give up on you!” Or “what you don’t stop will stop you.” There are so many of them. These words have a way of keeping you on your feet as you strive to rise above your current crises. Determination, perseverance, optimism, positive-mindedness, affirmative confessions, etc., become the key components that define your existence.

All these happen on this side, very visible to observers, most of which can’t exactly fathom the events of your life at that point. Nevertheless, they watch out for what unfolds. You could even be written off on account of the doom that seems to have swallowed you up. What the eye sees when they behold you is a struggler, a failure in the making, a wounded Lazarus that’s only deserving of crumbs from the rich man’s table. What you’ve become is simple: INCONSEQUENTIAL.

You can blame this on your background, your state, country, and even the world. You can blame people; blame yourself or whatever conceivable factors. Oh yes, blames may tend to lighten you up a bit and all, but it gets nowhere close to ridding you of your demons. You know why? because all measures employed to tackle the problem centers on this side. The disorder on this side is only a CONSEQUENCE of a COLLISION; a terrible collision; on THE OTHER SIDE.

-----

YOU (ON THE OTHER SIDE)

While that is happening on this side, there you are on the other side, face against the infinitely high, wide, mountain-wall (the first). You have no idea what it is and why it is there. All you know is that you’re supposed to be on a journey. You can’t seem to understand how your path crossed the mountain-wall. You can’t even seem to figure out how to get past it. Is it even possible to get past it? How? You are not exactly aware of what is going on. It’s all DREAMY to you.

Events that pertain to this side are very clear to you. I mean, it’s not hard to tell when you’re fast slipping into a sphere of losers. If this fact seems to elude your realization, many around you will bring it to your notice. But it’s not the same with events that pertain to the other side. You can spend a lifetime without coming to the awareness of GOINGS on the other side, or that it calls the shots for this side. It is this ignorance that at times accounts for the ruin of many souls.

To be at par with goings on the other side, there has to be a connection between you on this side and you on the other side. That you journey simultaneously on both sides doesn’t imply that there’s absolute harmony between you on both sides. The simultaneous journey is more of a SUPERNATURAL ORDER. Whether or not there’s a connection between you on both sides, you journey on. But you see the connection part? It’s not exactly ORDERED. It is WORKED OUT!

The means by which this connection is brought about are diverse. Could be the FAST-LANE APPROACH; could be the NARROW PATH APPROACH. Both have their implications, demands, sacrifices, benefits, etc. While one is satisfyingly fast, seemingly easy, and elusively detrimental, the other is considerably slow, somewhat difficult, but detriment-free. Depending on what rocks your boat, you could embrace any of these means to aid a connection between you on this side and you on the other side. Only then can you stand a chance with the mountain-walls: YOUR ADVERSITY!

-----

ADVERSITY

“Life is full of ups and downs”, so they say. You are at a point where you have rephrased that statement thus: “life is full of downs and downs.” This is clearly beyond you. If you must GO FURTHER, you most certainly need the aiding of a HIGHER POWER: a power that connects you on both sides, AFFORDING YOU ON THIS SIDE AN INSIGHT INTO GOINGS ON THE OTHER SIDE that account for your distressing experiences on this side. A HEADWAY AT LAST?

Imagine a nightmare of you, aimlessly searching for a possible path through high monstrous walls, endless in length and breadth? That’s you on this side connecting with you on the other side; catching a glimpse of the root of the prevailing issues on this side. Little by little, you become more aware of your situation, you get a full picture of the problem: that things are quite bad, much worse than you thought they were. Far WORSE. In fact, the WORST OF ALL!

With the aid of higher powers, you become more enlightened, gaining valuable knowledge of the other side and your reality therein: its blessedness and your chances to share in that blessedness, its damnations and your vulnerability to it. Its wealth, riches, glory, etc., all of which you stand a great chance with. Then its pit holes, counter-forces, and several anguishes, all of which you are vulnerable to. In the event of adversities, it’s only a case of ANGUISHES – LIKE YOURS.

As your enlightenment process continues, you learn how to maneuver along successfully: how to face the terror that comes by night, or the arrows that fly by day, or the mountain-walls! You learn how to create cracks on the walls with mere words, acts, etc., how to meander through the thorns by following a BLUEPRINT of that realm, which ultimately compromises the wall, eventually resulting in its total collapse. YOU SEE HOW ENLIGHTENED YOU HAVE BECOME?

But make no mistake to think it’s an “easy come easy go” affair where you just connect to the you on the other side and simply take down devilish walls of such magnitude. Depending on the gravity of your allotted appointment on this side, it could take much or less learning, much or less seeking, much or less digging, perseverance, consistency, and much or less of everything that doesn’t come cheap! (though very much within reach; all thanks to HIGHER POWER).

-----

THE HIGHER POWER

Though the 5th century Greeks did not regard the gods as all-powerful, they did believe that the gods would protect them and reveal the future. As a result, annual festivals were held in Greek cities to honor those gods. That was an acknowledgment of the supremacy of higher powers. All over the world, different faiths have emerged, their sole aim being to bridge the gap between you and the higher powers, between you on this side and you on the other side.

Different diabolical means have also emerged to supposedly serve the same purpose. When the events of your life lead you to seek aid from a higher power, it beholds on you to cling onto one of these FAITHS or MEANS. Your choice here could depend on how informed you are (even in your ignorance), your exposure, association, and circumstances; whether unforeseen or preordained. This is usually a crossroad: you either climb up the ladder or go down the drain.

Adversities stare you right in the face! The clock is ticking! You’re RUNNING LATE IN LIFE! There’s no time for frivolities, religiosity, lackadaisicalness, and dulling. “If you’re going to shoot, shoot! don’t talk!” And “whatever is worth doing; is worth doing well.” Going for the kill is worth doing. It is your lot on earth. But the mountain-walls wouldn’t let you; except you’re aided by a higher power, a potent One, with track records: capable of melting mountains like wax, dividing seas, cutting bars of iron in asunder! etc. You know powers like that? Or would you have me point you to one?

-----

DEFEAT

The sad part is that many people monkey around, sitting on the fence, neither here nor there. Such an approach only keeps the you on this side perpetually alienated to the you on the other side. On this side, you suffer for what you can’t explain. On the other side, you wander about aimlessly. Mere determination can’t seem to pave a path for you. You go back and forth, tossed here and there, no headway. It gets tiring. At a point, you THROW IN THE TOWEL. It is finished!

You accept mediocrity, pettiness, last place, and all forms of SMALLNESS. You become an object of ridicule, to only serve as a lesson to others. Meanwhile, on the other side, you have conceded to the wall, wandering aimlessly about it and eventually pitching a tent right there before it. You have been conquered by the wall, conquered by whatever factors birthed the walls, conquered by WHOEVER may have been responsible for the walls; be it enemies, haters, “village people”, family, friends, the devil himself, or EVEN YOU! Lol. You really didn’t think it could be YOU?

-----

VICTORY

Depending on what FAITH or MEANS you employ to tackle your adversity, total victory (or what looks like victory) could be secured. TOTAL VICTORY is when you break through the first wall, break through the second wall, and keep breaking through subsequent walls until you get to the source of those light rays that beamed across the first wall, calling strongly to its source. Finally tracking it down only means you made it across the walls, aided by a higher power.

On the flip side, WHAT LOOKS LIKE VICTORY is not TOTAL VICTORY. It is a TEMPORARY VICTORY. Perhaps you had employed a WEAK MEANS to tackle your adversity; so you get a HALF BAKED VICTORY. You will still have to give it another shot if you’re aiming for TOTAL VICTORY. That’s a merry-go-round; if you ask me. Why not go for the big kill at once? I don’t know how rich you are in knowledge of higher powers and their potency. But here’s one I know: JESUS!

Remember the WOMAN WITH THE ISSUE OF BLOOD in the bible? On THIS SIDE, she was doomed health-wise. On THE OTHER SIDE, one can’t really tell what occurred; perhaps MOUNTAIN-WALLS she couldn’t get through. But having somehow learned of the REALITY OF THE OTHER SIDE (and her possible reality therein), most certainly from her hearings about this JESUS and His doings/sayings, she took bold steps towards employing that higher power to combat her adversity. Hers was a case of “instant turnaround” as you already know. Now, that’s HIGHER POWER!

You know about JOSEPH, son of JACOB, who was gifted a coat of MANY COLORS by his dad – a thing that didn’t go down well with his brothers. The lad connected with the HIM ON THE OTHER SIDE early enough to sight his DESTINED GLORY. But his own brothers became MOUNTAIN-WALLS on his way. He was stuck for thirteen years, keeping in contact with the “him on the other side,” by staying in touch with this higher power, this JESUS, this GOD! Things turned around after thirteen years of strong adversity, and the victory he secured STILL BEAMS OF GLORY TILL THIS DAY.

Jesus Himself, when it seemed like mankind had lost out on how to secure total victory over their ultimate adversity (the devil), also faced adversity in his bid to afford mankind that victory. That victory could only come by Him: a higher power: THE HIGHEST POWER. Even his own adversity; THE HIGHEST ADVERSITY, couldn’t stop Him because the existence of the so-called “highest adversity” depends on this Jesus: this highest power. How strong is your adversity?

Remember the 67-year-old man at the beginning who couldn’t get a job after submitting 365 applications? Also remember the 35-year-old demon possessed lady who couldn’t attract men despite her beauty? If not for this JESUS, that would have been their doom. As promised, here’s a brief elaboration of their story: HOW THEY CONQUERED.

After years of back-and-forth, they came to the consciousness of THE OTHER SIDE, how it is responsible for their calamity on THIS SIDE. They sought more enlightenment about such things and got to learn of how “the kingdom of God suffereth violence, and how the violent takes it by force.” So they launched into WARFARE! To be rest assured of victory, they sought the aid of a higher power, the highest power: Jesus. That’s how they stood a chance with victory.

As they engaged warfare on this side, several pictures can be painted of what may have happened on the other side. It could be that they were determinedly throwing hard fearless punches at the walls, breaking their way through, one after another. They could have opted to climb over the walls one after the other. It could have been anything at all. But you know what was overly obvious? It was THEIR ACTIVITIES ON THIS SIDE: lengthy prayers, fasting, sacrifices, commitment to the higher power, commitment to the course of that power: FAITH, etc. At the end, they came out victorious, with VALID STORIES TO TELL. Stories that touch the heart, stories that uplift the soul, that enlighten, edify.

So, as you also draw strength from this power, you gather the right weapons with which to crack down the monstrous walls. You load up your rifle in readiness to take headshots at it. You OBSERVE THE WAYS, NORMS, and COURSES of this highest power, thus getting its FULL BACKING. Then it’s only a matter of time before the walls come crashing like humpty-dumpty until the glory comes into sight. The process may have been more like A LONG WALK TO FREEDOM. It may also have been otherwise. But does that really matter? It’s freedom at last, glory, victory, TOTAL VICTORY.

ABSTRACT

This ESSAY attempts to deeply explore RICHES and its DIVERSE CUSTODIANS. We’re all familiar with the much-loved biblical maxim that “money answers all things” - which ultimately projects financial freedom as being next to nothing when it comes to this natural world of ours. So it becomes understandable when folks get dead-hooked in various professions, fields of endeavor, passions, hustles, and whatnot; just to SECURE THE BAG and amass GREAT RICHES.

The EXTOLMENT that comes with such financial establishment sparks sensations that are quite uncommon among TOMs, DICKs, and HARRYs. It takes more than being a BUSY BODY to amass riches that can provoke such SUPER GLORY; calling the GLOBAL VILLAGE’s attention to ITS CARRIERS. The earth indeed has its fill of MONEYBAGS. But filling the earth, even more, is the alarming number of wanna-be moneybags: you?? them… I, MOST DEFINITELY!

But you see, there’s “Riches” and there are RICHES. There’s “Wealth” and there’s WEALTH. There’s “Glory” and there’s GLORY. They all count for FORTUNE. Even so, there’s “Fortune” and there’s FORTUNE. While many LOWER CLASS
POPULATIONS would gladly settle and die at the MIDDLE-CLASS cadre if opportune, there are those who consider the UPPER CLASS their BIRTHRIGHT; and they want nothing less - even those from the HUMBLEST OF BACKGROUNDS.

Those breed launch into the earth to undertake diverse adventures as means of acquiring these coveted riches and its glorification thereof. As is typical with adventure games, you keep playing, moving from level to level. The slightest of mistakes can end the game. You have to attain mastery of the game through hard diligent learning and recurrent losses. The more you master it, the more you manage to meander across levels - and the closer you get to WINNING.

But real-life adventures take quite a different turn of events. While the course of adventure in games is a one-way process, that of real-life adventure does not stop at being a two-way process: it goes further to be a three-way process, four-way process; as the spirit leads. So, those wanna-bes disperse off on a wealth hunt with great GUSTO, determined to never look back until the price is secured: the MONEY, FAME, POWER, BIG BOY STATUS – AT WHATEVER COST!

Imagine the feeling that comes with being the CENTER OF ATTRACTION on account of your RICHES: the groove that comes with being a STARBOY. Everyone wants to identify and curry favor with you. You become THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE, the NEW GOD that most folks will gladly abandon their OLD GOD(S) for. The girls want to be with no one but you. From being the least desired, you become the DREAM GUY that the PRETTIEST OF MAIDENS want to have FOR KEEPS.

You become all-round appealing: everything you say makes sense. Nothing you do meets disapprovals: you’re always right. You’re the SWEET that every tongue wants to LICK, the LIQUOR that DRUNK CHAPS want to SIP, the HARVEST that SOWERS want to REAP, and the FIGURE that EVERYONE wants to MEET. Jetting around the world is SPORT for you. You even take the PRIVATE JET thing to the next level, journeying in a CONVOY OF JETS IN THE AIR.

No one has ever seen a convoy of jets in the air. So, automatically, you become a RECORD BREAKER. Many folks covet your extravagant lifestyle. Your life is all shades of GLORY and HONOUR. But be that as it may, all these are nothing but VANITY - in the opinion of certain people. They can TELL THAT TO THE BIRDS though, not the WANNA-BE BIG BOYS. These guys don’t entertain such CRAPPY TALKS. They want to win, to succeed, to become RICH - at all costs POSSIBLE!

-----

INTRODUCTION

They say the sky is big enough for birds to fly without clashing. The waters are amply massive to drown all the earth. Likewise, there are ENOUGH RICHES TO GO ROUND. The bible even makes clear that “the portion of the earth is for all”: (Ecclesiastes 10:19). But if that’s the case, what then is the deal with the alarming number of paupers in the world’s nooks and crannies? What’s the deal with financial preys and their predators? Need I mention victims of Political brouhahas?

But you see, those are the sorts of questions that WANNA-BE BIG BOYS don’t stick around to ask, or ask for too long. They couldn’t care less about paupers and preys and victims. Oh, they actually do care: they care enough to NOT WANT TO BE LIKE THEM! How I wish these riches were easy to acquire. Although the earth’s portions are for all, securing a portion for one’s self requires more than a sense of entitlement: one must make moves: – MONEY MOVES!

“No PAIN, no GAIN!” “No STORY, no GLORY!” “The VIOLENT taketh by FORCE!” I could go on and on with excerpts from the deep orientations that govern the minds of these wanna-bes; as they reach out to LAMBANO what they believe to be their portion of the earth. Generally, nothing comes without a price. And here’s one thing I know about a price: IT MUST BE PAID. That wouldn’t be a problem for the wanna-bes. They are down: – DOWN FOR WHATEVER!

Having supposedly been rightly oriented toward amassment of riches, they must have been fairly enlightened in the area of PRICES and their PAYMENTS thereof. It could be the STUDY HARD/WORK HARD policy as a pathway to bagging BIG BOY RICHES, or the SOFTWORK/SMART WORK approach as a means of stepping up to the BIGGER BOY LEVEL of riches, or SOME OTHER PATH, definitely a SUPERIOR PATH; as a means of bagging the BIGGEST BOY RICHES.

It doesn’t matter the price to be paid. As long as the REWARD thereof is the PRIDE OF LIFE, it’s a GO for the wanna-bes. It takes a GREAT DEAL to be a BIG BOY. Being a BIGGER BOY takes even more! But it could take EVERYTHING to secure a place among the BIGGEST BOYS; – the ones who can paint a NEAR-PERFECT picture of the FAMED GOLDEN STREETS OF HEAVEN. Depending on your APPETITE for riches and glory, you can be any of THE BOYS!

-----

THE BIG BOYS (UPPER-MIDDLE CLASS)

Perhaps I could start my analysis of the BIG BOYS with the 6-3-3-4 system of education in Nigeria: (I’m Nigerian by the way). 3 years of Pre-Primary Education followed by 6 years of Primary Education. Another 3 years of Junior Secondary School followed by 3 years of Senior Secondary School. Then comes 4 years of Higher Education. But it’s probably no news that this system has not achieved its objectives as envisioned by the National Policy on Education.

The reason for that failure is simple: the system is poorly implemented. Howbeit, it has been the DOING of many BIG BOYS! The highly educated business professionals and specialists from different fields of endeavor: doctors, lawyers, stockbrokers, and CEOs. These, and the likes of them, make up the UPPER-MIDDLE CLASS. They are the BIG BOYS! They have their privileges, their blessedness, their recognition, etc. They have status: highly-rated men of SUBSTANCE!

Merely being an undergraduate of LAW or MEDICINE is a REVERED STATUS. I see LAW STUDENTS march on campus in FLASHY UNIFORMS on a daily. They can easily be singled out in a multitude of students, especially THEATRE ARTS students who are said to be mostly dressed in “RAGS.” LOL. Underqualified wanna-be law students even get dumped in the Theatre Arts department, and their disdain for the department is something obvious enough for even the blind to see. LOL again. But what if I told you that this essay is brought to you from the DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE ARTS?

The same goes for students of MEDICINE/other PROFESSIONAL COURSES. If merely being a POTENTIAL BIG BOY can rouse such reverence, what happens when things blow up and these potential big boys become ACTUAL BIG BOYS; by working their way to the UPPER-MIDDLE CLASS? Short and simple: they’ll RUN THE SHOW! But that’s all it is: “run the show.” They aren’t the ones who MAKE THINGS HAPPEN, and they most certainly aren’t the ones who CALL THE SHOTS!

-----

THE BIGGER BOYS (LOWER-UPPER CLASS)

When it comes to MAKING THINGS HAPPEN, give it to the BIGGER BOYS (those at the LOWER-UPPER CLASS). These are those with NEW MONEY: money from investments, business ventures, etc. They have the potential to climb to the upper-upper class (the biggest boys). The thing with Bigger Boys is that they find no fulfillment in merely RUNNING THE SHOW (like the Big Boys). So they don’t just STUDY/WORK HARD: they WORK SMART! You can call it “SOFTWORK.”

They MAKE THINGS HAPPEN in the sense that they CREATE and MAINTAIN their own riches. They are not necessarily literates, as they don’t necessarily PLAY SAFE by threading the SAFE ZONE of ACADEMIA. They want to be more than mere “ADMINISTRATORS” - who majorly RUN THE SHOW in their different fields of expertise while only occasionally MAKING THINGS HAPPEN. Bigger Boys are in the habit of making things happen BACK-TO-BACK. It is what DEFINES THEM!

Their GLORIFICATION is “OVER THE BAR!” The highly successful footballers, filthy-rich/famous artists, multinational business gurus, and so forth. I would have loved to add TOP POLITICAL JUGGERNAUTS to the list though - if they weren’t mostly infamous for amassing ILL-GOTTEN riches. You will agree with me that the splendor that radiates from the above-mentioned personalities is simply OUT OF THIS WORLD: take other of the world’s top superstars for instance.

One could be tempted to deem these guys as belonging to the upper-upper class: the BIGGEST BOYS. Luxury mansions everywhere in the world, frequent acquisition of fancifully sophisticated automobiles that sell at mammoth prices, and their aesthetically extravagant lifestyle. But as magnificent as the BIGGER BOY CADRE is, it is not as prestigious as the BIGGEST BOY CADRE. The bigger boys are WEALTHY. But you see the biggest boys? they are EXTREMELY WEALTHY!

-----

THE BIGGEST BOYS (UPPER-UPPER CLASS)

The biggest boys have more money than they could possibly spend. The same can be said about the bigger boys though. The biggest boys are EXCEPTIONALLY RICH, the same as the bigger boys. These two are actually segments of the UPPER CLASS. Hence, they have quite a lot in common. They live in exclusive neighborhoods, gather at expensive social clubs, and send their children to the finest schools. As might be expected, they also exercise a great deal of influence and power; both nationally and globally. But then, a couple of factors differentiate this SEEMING TWIN.

Unlike the lower-upper class (bigger boys), the upper‐upper class (biggest boys) is made up of ARISTOCRATIC and HIGH‐SOCIETY families with OLD MONEY (who have been rich for generations). Again, unlike the bigger boys, these extremely wealthy biggest boys live off incomes from their inherited riches. They are the GODS OF THIS WORLD: the ROYALS, the ELITES: the ones who CALL THE SHOTS! This is what the biggest boys are; that the bigger boys ARE NOT!

ABSTRACT

This ESSAY aims at capturing your possible reality. But before we come to you, let’s briefly survey the story of a 67-year-old man who in the course of his life had submitted 365 job applications without getting employed for once. His 366th attempt paid off, but at age 67. Despite his credentials, super intelligence, skills, gifts, and talents, he couldn’t as much as get a job until he was 67 years old. He barely survived on menial jobs, moving from one failed business to the other.

There’s this other one; a 35-year-old virgin, demon-possessed, unable to attract men despite her beauty and virtue. Her situation was bad, so bad that seducers didn’t consider her a good enough victim for their seduction, usage, and rubbishing. I’m talking about a lady with beauty that can send shivers of insecurity down the nerves of goddesses. Yet, no single man would look her way. Even when she managed to become a wife, becoming a mother was no easy task.

The good thing about the lady and gentleman above is that they conquered those situations in due course, after they got to learn about the realities of THIS WORLD: the PHYSICAL WORLD (THIS SIDE), and the SPIRITUAL WORLD (THE OTHER SIDE). There’s basically a co-existence of every single individual on BOTH SIDES. But not everyone is aware, arguably. It was the knowledge of this reality that served as a blueprint for them to navigate their ways out of WOES - to BLESSEDNESS. You will get to read their full story later in this ESSAY. For now, let’s return the focus to YOU!

You have a smooth journey going on THIS SIDE; and on THE OTHER SIDE too, supposedly. You have no idea about the other side. Your consciousness of reality centers on this side alone, very oblivious of the fact that movement on this side occurs simultaneously with movement on the other side. More so, HAPPENINGS on this side are determined by GOINGS on the other side. As it turns out, huge mountain-walls await you at some point on the other side. So, as you journey along, basking in your usual groove on this side, you get to the mountain-walls on the other side. TROUBLE!

Suddenly, everything on this side comes to a halt: begins to slowly dwindle, depreciating to nothing: whatever that NOTHING might be for you. You notice a sudden stagnancy that doesn’t exactly look like it at that initial stage. But it soon becomes clear and you quickly perceive that something is not right. What then follows is a gradual loss of peace, a gradual loss of joy, of high-spiritedness; all of which afforded you a jolly life – until TROUBLE CAME!

You are ignorant. You do not know that HAPPENINGS on this side are determined by GOINGS on the other side. Therefore, as you journey along freely and simultaneously on both sides, you get to the huge mountain-walls on the other side and there’s a COLLISION! Suddenly on this side, everything comes to a standstill: a pause, a sudden regression that slowly widens the gap between you and your goals, your pursuits, destiny attainment, EVERYTHING!

A new form of life introduces itself to you: a mediocre life, a life of pettiness, stagnancy, a merry-go-round, emptiness, nuisance, a life of irrelevance: one you hate to embrace! You try not to embrace it. But it’s no use! The more you try not to, the more you sink into it. It is like a GOOD DREAM that turns into a BLOODY NIGHTMARE! You freak out, and all that is within you starts to run helter-skelter – while you actually remain stuck at one spot irredeemably, OR NOT.

-----

INTRODUCTION

The huge mountain-walls on the other side are massive limiting forces that stamp down progress on this side. Its existence/source is usually unknown. Its discovery depends largely on the measures employed to unravel certain mysteries behind bad situations that plague people on this side. The unraveling process is as taxing as it is demanding. It is onerous, it is worrisome, suppressing, deadening, and so suffocating! Not many people survive it: NO WONDER!

Those walls are responsible for DISORDERS on this side: ceaseless SUNSHINE in WET SEASONS, constant RAINFALL in DRY SEASONS, replacement of BRIGHT MORNINGS with DARK NIGHTS. Dark nights becoming darker, darker, and darker. Where does one go from here? No more easy-goings, no soft works, no more jolliness. Is this DOOMSDAY? There’s hardship, confusion, desperation, and all manner of negativities that make life one hell of a LIVING HELL!

All effort to alleviate afflictions on this side caused by the WALLS on the other side mostly proves futile. Instead, it seems to breed more afflictions. Nothing works anymore! Life is sour! In fact, all has come to an end! The next to follow should be death in whatever form it is manifested: spiritual, mental, eventually physical. But NO! there’s this mystifying signal that calls to itself from somewhere, some sort of safe haven: “come to Me; I will give you rest,” it APPEALS.

-----

YOU

You are planted on this side like every other creation. Depending on your allotted FATE, you could either be of a noble or ignoble line. You could have it going easy, you could have it going a little rough. Whatever the case, the good thing is that LIFE IS WORTH LIVING. So you advance from one point in life to the other, flexing your life as much as you can. Whatever you want, you can reach out and get it without difficulty; or just little difficulty that counts for no labor.

Even if life isn’t smooth for you, it’s not rough enough to knock you down. You still manage to steady things; though with too much energy exerted. You are hopeful for a better tomorrow. It is that hope that gives you the strength to keep going. You push on with a determination to win. Your efforts yield results, though they might be so little to show for your great input. But half bread is better than none, isn’t it? Of course; yes! until there’s no half bread ANYMORE!

-----

THE OTHER SIDE

The other side is the ULTIMATE SIDE. It is elusive, subtle, and spooky. It usually finds a way to establish its consciousness in people’s minds, hinting on the reality of its existence. It could be via impressions, dreams, trances, etc. Some people get the hint. Some don’t. Some even consider it a mirage, a myth that is common among fools. The sad truth, however, is that ‘not even such disregard of the existence of the other side; stops it from determining the happenings on this side.’

It is responsible for the abundance many enjoy on the side, the growth, progress, achievements, etc. It is also responsible for the ADVERSITIES on this side: plagues, ugly circumstances, even death! Short and simple, the other side controls this side. Hence, for anything to occur on this side, it must first of all occur on the other side. So, in a situation where there are walls on the other side to thwart movement over there, automatically, movement on this side is equally thwarted!

-----

THE MOUNTAIN-WALLS

For whatever reason, due to whatever factor, huge mountain-walls [could] emerge on your path as you journey on the other side. It is usually massive! Horrible! Frightening! 10 times mightier than the walls of Jericho! The mighty walls of Jericho were built to stop armies of nations from invading Jericho. But these massive, horrible, frightening mountain-walls are 10 times mightier; and aren’t built to stop armies of any nation. THEY ARE BUILT TO STOP YOU! Yes, YOU!

The walls are lined up one after another; with fairly short distances separating one from another. Also, the walls become shorter as its line goes – until the last wall, the shortest of all; and then an open space comes into sight (like it was before the walls surfaced in the first place; like it originally was). There’s then a bright welcoming light – GLORY: your goals, achievements, destiny, everything, which the walls emerged TO KEEP YOU SEPARATED FROM, POSSIBLY.

The first wall stands high and large with no end to its widths and no sight of its tip. It grows into the cloud, attempting to mask that welcoming light: that GLORY. But little rays of that light somehow manage to beam scantily through the wall, calling strongly to its source. It bears the aura of paradise, a place to be! to be inhabited by whosoever trails the light rays to its source: a seeming HEAVEN. It wants you to track it down, which wasn’t supposed to be a BIG DEAL.

But somehow, for some reason, there are multiple lined-up mountain-walls right there to stop you from tracking down the light rays to its source; or at least give you a HARD RUN if you’re anything of CONQUEROR. Having collided with the first wall on the other side, life becomes stationary on this side. To move on, you have to get past that first wall. You have no idea how. You don’t even know there’s a second wall, a third, fourth, and so on. You are in for HARD TIMES!

In today’s world, success is not optional. Everyone with a working mind wants to succeed. That is why we have different people doing different things to achieve success. Some think that going to school and graduating with good grades is the key to securing a good job and becoming financially stable (successful). Others learn different trades, maximize their gifts and talents, delve into one business or the other, and some even get their hands dirty to achieve success.

Since success is more like the only way to go, not so many people want to have any strings attached to failures. Actually, nothing is attractive about a failure. So it is understandable if everyone wants to identify with successful people only. But in a bid to not be “unequally yoked together with failures,” many have skipped noticing potentially successful people because the appearance of such people bear no resemblance to who they can potentially become.

If you have noticed, a common factor in the success stories of successful people usually holds that “no one believed in them in their down and lowly times.” But there have also been the accounts of those who mentioned how certain people or a particular person spotted the potential in them and invested in them until they amounted to the successful persons they eventually became. But such accounts are rare, as it is usually the other way round 90% of the time.

This scenario is quite rampant in the world of romance. Not many women are interested in men who aren’t successful, and not many women can readily spot a potentially successful man. This is why we have a lot of broke guys finding it hard to get a girl for themselves and a lot of successful guys with different ladies at their beck and call. But it’s high time ladies understood that no guy was born successful. They all were once broke and only worked out their success.

There is an exception to those who were born with a silver spoon though. Certainly, not all ladies will be lucky to land themselves a successful guy, whether the one who inherited the success or the other who worked it out. But you know what? Ladies can always get down with potentially successful guys and be rest assured of a better tomorrow as was the case with Michel Obama. But then, doing this requires the ability to identify a successful man when he’s in range.

As you know, many men have taken advantage of this to jilt ladies who don’t deserve such treatment. That is why it is of the essence to learn how to identify truly potentially successful men before opening up to them, hence the purpose of this article. So, here are some ways to know whether your fiancé or boyfriend will succeed in life.

1. DOES HE HAVE A WRITTEN DOWN LIFE PLAN? Living without a vision is like traveling without a destination. It is usually said that “failing to plan is planning to fail.” Therefore, if he lacks a written down life plan, he’s a failure in the making. Let him be. But if his vision is made plain on paper, ride with him! He’ll prove to be your “ride or die.” In the long run, he will not only have a written down plan of his life alone. He will have yours too!

2. WHAT DOES HE DO WITH HIS TIME? What a man does with his time determines what he will get out of life. One of life’s general principle is that of “sowing and reaping” which holds that “a man reaps what he sows.” If you notice that the kinds of seeds he spends his time sowing are bound to yield an undesirable harvest, he’s a no-no. But if he invests his time wisely on good ventures, open up to him! You’re one of those good ventures he’s wisely investing his time in!

3. WHAT DOES HE DO WITH HIS MONEY? A man who cannot manage his money well cannot manage his own life, not to mention managing the life of another, much less that of a woman. If he’s got poor managerial skills when it comes to money, be rest assured that he lacks financial intelligence and can’t possibly have emotional intelligence. If not, success is just around the corner, and you can play a major role in facilitating the achievement of that success.

4. DOES HE TALK ABOUT BRIGHT FUTURE? AND, ARE HIS ACTIONS CONSISTENT WITH HIS WORDS? Even the bible says that “out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” Therefore, what proceeds out of a man’s mouth is not to be taken for granted. If he’s not futuristic in his words and approach towards life, he’s a failure in the making.

5. DOES HE CARE ABOUT PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT? If he’s open to more learning and new things, perhaps has a library, then he’s out to achieve success. Like they say, “readers and leaders.” But can you guess what non-readers are?

6. WHAT IS HIS PERSONALITY LIKE? Ask yourself the following questions: is he a man of integrity in terms of doing what he says? Does he have self-respect? Is he self-controlled enough not to go about sleeping around with women? How is his attitude towards other people? Who are his close friends? How positive are those friends? And what influence do they have on him? These are questions to which feedback must be positive if he’s headed towards success.

7. DOES HE CARE ABOUT HIS HEALTH BY AVOIDING THINGS THAT WILL CAUSE HIM SICKNESS? Health is wealth. A man who plays down on health plays down on wealth. A man who doesn’t; is wealthy already.

8. HOW HARD WORKING, CONSISTENT, AND DILIGENT IS HE? Hard work, consistency, and diligence are key ingredients of success. Shortage of them is directly proportional to impending failure!

9. IS HE AWARE OF THE LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES BESTOWED UPON HIM AS THE HEAD? It takes a man with great leadership skills to pilot the affairs of a romantic union, and a man has to be aware of his leadership role in this regard. Sadly, not all men do. If he does, very good! If he doesn’t, well, very bad!

10. WHO IS HIS MENTOR IF HE HAS ONE? If he has a mentor, examine the life of his mentor to see if it is worth emulating. If he doesn’t have a mentor, why doesn’t he? Every successful man needs someone ahead to lead him through the corridors of success. A man without a mentor is like a sheep without a shepherd. So, does he have a mentor? And who is that mentor?

If your answers tilt more towards the negative, you mustn’t necessarily walk away if he’s good for keeps. His shortcomings could be an indication of the work to be done on him, and you gotta be ready. Of course, nobody was born perfect. We all became who we are by learning to grow. So, if he is willing to do what it takes to get on the success ladder, stick around and be a part of his success story. If he’s obviously not, kick him out through the window!

It’s distressing how people just bear an intense dislike for other people for doing their best to play their roles on the stage of life according to the grace made available by God; how folks become resentful of other folks for running their races with a determination to win; how associates become green with envy over other associates for maximizing upon the scripture that speaks of how ‘a man's gift enlarges him & seats him among princes.’ Isn’t it just unimaginable?

Well, nothing is unimaginable anymore these days. After all, we live in an EVIL WORLD. Right from the days of old, jealousy & envy had always been the order of the day for LOSERS. Cain killed Abel because Abel offered a better sacrifice to God. He could have simply improved on the quality of his sacrifice, possibly learning from Abel. But no! He would rather kill his only brother & live the rest of his life as a VAGABOND. How did he get there? One word: ‘ENVY!’

It’s so sad that Abel got caught up in the web of it all. One may be puzzled as to why God just sat back and let Abel be murdered like that. But who are you, oh man, to question God? However, things can be quite different these days. No doubt, we’re in the last days when iniquity is bound to abound. But in these last days, iniquity isn’t the only thing abounding; GRACE abounds even more. So, the more losers continue in iniquity, the more grace abounds for winners.

By reason of this grace, a loser’s case can never be different from that of Haman who set up gallows intended for the execution of Mordecai, only for him to end up being hung on it. They can spend years consulting oracles like Haman did. But all that energy will count for nothing order than their own doom. Mordecai rose from the gate to the palace on the wings of genuineness before God and man. Haman fell from the palace to the grave on the wings of bitterness.

Even the almighty Goliath was a pitiable loser! After all that ranting against the people of God, just a sling of stone from the little David took him down like Humpty-Dumpty! What a great fall it was! The acclaimed giants of Jericho built a great wall to shield themselves from the former Egyptian slaves who had nothing but the one true God on their side. But just by singing praises to that God and walking around those walls, the walls fell, & Jericho came to total ruin!

Besides Cain, the above-mentioned losers were haters of God’s people (Israel), envious, & everything of a nightmare to them. In today’s world, those are the sets of people popularly tagged “BAD BELLE.” You don’t have to do anything to provoke their wrath; just RULE YOUR WORLD, BE HAPPY, & maintain an accelerating pace as you journey through life. It doesn’t matter if your acceleration is slow; just seem progressive & the attention of BAD BELLE will fall on you.

On the flipside, there are other factors that could foster what I’d like to call ‘BAD-BELLEISM.’ Refusing to let someone draw a snake from its hole with your hand could make that person a bad belle. Not letting yourself fall victim to a USER could make him a bad belle. Identifying yourself early enough as someone’s mark for a con and peradventure, beating him in his game, could turn him to the Chief Executive Officer of BAD BELLE GROUP OF COMPANIES. Damn!

There’s a saying that “if you don’t use people to achieve your own success, people will use you to achieve theirs.” I, however, do not share that school of thought. How about “don’t use people? But more importantly, don’t let yourself be used by people.” The problem, however, is that when you refuse to let yourself be used by certain people, they begin to hold you in contempt & develop bad belle, especially if you move on & are obviously headed towards success.

Success indeed is the RUIN OF ENVIOUS SOULS. But they that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abides forever. They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint; their paths are as a shining light that shines more and more unto the perfect day; (god is involved). Losers better roger that! Together, we can make the world a better place! But las las, BAD BELLE IS ALLOWED.

Jezuzboi©

Tajbol4splend:
Some people are selfish, they want the perfect spouse of their dream who is going to take them as they are, they don't think of being the perfect match for him or her in return, few of them are lucky but most of them spend years being single.

As in ehn...

mumumugu:
I wanna marry mumu

Be careful what you wish for, cuz you might just get it. You wanna marry a mumu? seriously?

It is more important to desire to be a good spouse than to desire to marry a good spouse. If you only desire to marry a good spouse without making effort to be a good spouse yourself, you might end up meeting a good spouse who doesn’t consider you good enough for him or her. So, as you seek a worthy spouse for yourself, also be a worthy spouse.

Nobody wishes to marry a loser who has nothing to offer. But rather than being so mindful not to marry a ‘loser who has nothing to offer’, be more concerned about not being a ‘loser who has nothing to offer’. Likeminded people will always attract each other, & whatever you give out will always return to you. Be a version of who you wish to marry!

Gone are the days when people married beauty & fine looks. Everyone now wants peace & will only marry someone who can afford them that peace. But rather than being so concerned about marrying someone who can afford you peace, work hard to be a carrier of that peace & you’ll attract a peace carrier. Be a version of who you wish to marry!

If you want someone to accept you as you are, don’t be picky. You can’t desire a tall, fine god or goddess & expect them to take you as you are. They have standards too. If they meet your standards, meet theirs too. If you aren’t ready to meet anyone’s standards, don’t expect anyone to meet your standards. Be a version of who you wish to marry!

If you desire people with good habits, cultivate good habits yourself. If you want a faithful spouse, be faithful. If you don’t want to marry a cheat, don’t be a cheat. If you want the truth, be truthful. If you wouldn’t like to be deceived into marrying someone you wouldn’t ordinarily marry, don’t try to deceive anyone into marrying you.

Quit playing mind games. It is an unattractive trait. It is why relationships fail. Many want to be players, to be in control, to eat their cakes & have it back, to play the other for a fool. If you play someone for a fool, get ready to be played for a fool, cuz that thing they say about Karma is a legit saying. Just be a version of who you wish to marry!

Jezuzboi©

Netfilix:
And there are few who mashed up the two

Like you?

In the world of ROMANCE, there are two categories of people: LOVERS and PLAYERS. You can tell the difference between the two by their approach towards the MATING GAME. Lovers keep it REAL, players keep it REALER. So, while the heart craves a constant supply of the genuine affection of lovers, it tends to find the artful dreamy displays of players more appealing, hence the reason why lovers get PLAYED and players get LOVED.

Lovers come straight-out with their feelings. They seem so predictable, unchallenging, and somewhat jerky. You might be tempted to think of them as naïve and needy. But that’s what love does to lovers, right? Players, on the other hand, keep everything vague and suggestive. They can afford to spend years playing the unpredictability game and come off really challenging. After all, they aren’t bound by passions that require reciprocation as a matter of urgency.

In a world full of vain, entitled, egotistic, self-loving, and false-hearted scheming beings, players couldn’t find better loopholes to maximize upon and prey on such overly self-indulging sets of persons who are like FOOTBALL. Within 90-minutes of play, 22 professional players strive to have their feet on the ball. This makes the ball feel “in vogue” and invincible. But what the players strive for isn’t really the ball. It’s the GOAL. However, the ball doesn’t know that.

Once the match is over, the players celebrate their GOALS while discarding the BALL until the next MATCH. At some point, the ball suffers WEAR and TEAR and is replaced with a NEW BALL, ultimately proving its vincibility. Even at that, the devalued ball is good for nothing more than to keep being PLAYED, mostly by rookie players who only play for FUN and GOALS THAT DON’T COUNT. Funny enough, the ball wouldn’t care less, as its only pleasure comes from BEING PLAYED. Soon, it is completely depreciated and is good for nothing anymore, not even to be played.

Many persons today are like emotional BALLS; little wonder they are most susceptible to the seductions of players. Yet, they tend to act like pricy jewelry when a lover stops by to trade genuine emotions. They tend to become more logical than the wise King Solomon in judging a lover’s advances to be a quest for acceptance. So they indulge themselves, confident that the seeming hopelessly needy lovers will stick around infinitely to feed their vanity. How wrong they are!

Lovers draw the line when the seeds of affection they sow don’t seem to spring up over a period of time they naturally should. They channel their affection to fertile hearts in hope to reap a 100-fold reciprocation as at when due. Lovers are investors. They don’t go around feeding their emotional assets to emotional gluttons who only take and never give back. But players don’t roll like that. They have no standards to uphold, no assets to waste, absolutely nothing to lose!

Their game is simple: they play to their targets’ gallery and indulge them until their targets defer to them and deem it absolutely needful to return the favor. The players then SCORE GOALS and run off to the next pitch to start a NEW MATCH with ANOTHER BALL, leaving their targets feeling EMPTY, FOOLISH, and USED. Funny enough, these targets keep OPENING UP to more players while staying CLOSED to lovers. It’s like an irrevocable CURSE! What a WOE!

Calls/texts/chats from lovers get ignored by their CRUSH a couple of times and they brush aside the intended affair out of absolute unreadiness for such draining and one-sided emotional adventure. But players keep the calls/texts/chats coming for as long as it takes to get a response from their targets, which usually results in them courting their targets’ attention at last, then USE and DROP them like bad habits. Lovers keep it real; players keep it realer.

Lovers get stood up on a couple of dates and withdraw from further hookup attempts. But players can afford to get stood up on a million dates so long as they get the COOKIE on the first, second, or third honored date, after which they zoom off, except they desire to have the cookie a couple more times. Lovers keep it real; players keep it realer.

I could go on and on to set instances upon instances. But I’ll leave the rest to your imagination; and perhaps experience. The funny thing, however, is that these lovers and players KNOW THEMSELVES. They are distant acquaintances, close friends, and even blood siblings. They talk, discuss trends, and have SHARED KNOWLEDGE. Sometimes it turns out that a lover’s haughty, entitled, and prideful crush has been a player’s target and eventual VICTIM. What a world!

I’ll draw the curtain at this point with the submission that lovers will arguably always be lovers and will someday reap the fruits of love. Players, on the other hand, may not always be players, as the need to love and be loved catches up with them eventually. But the targets/victims may remain so all through their PRIME, only to become regretful later in life. Howbeit, such fate can be avoided if they would do well to CHANGE THE DYNAMICS in their favor by putting aside vainness, ego, entitlement, false-heartedness, etc, and be true to the game. Lovers come to STAY. But players will always LEAVE.

Jezuzboi©

Fountainofyouth:
Hmmmmm

Is there something there that you find disagreeable?

Magnoliaa:
Love and Respect... the energizing cycle.

You can say that again

Scientists have discovered that a man's primary need from a woman is neither SEX nor FOOD like popular opinion holds. So if you're a lady and wanna know how to seize a man's heart by granting that need, watch this!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pyjv6-2R1gk

There's no way you won't be thankful that you watched this.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOwiqIBIDa0

With these natural remedies, you need not spend a dime on drugs or suffer its damaging side effects. It'll only be SOUND HEALTH all the way! Watch here & learn.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucgZjKWjOqg

jesusjnr:
Nice one op.

Very deep!

More Spirit.

Amen

Even in the midst of a multitude, John the Baptist could still sense the presence of Jesus. On several occasions, he had told the crowd that always came flocking to him about the messiah, saying He’s among them and is indeed one of them. But up until this moment, many still doubt the existence of Jesus, even after all His manifestations, both before and after His ascension. However, long before Jesus’ first miracle, John was already aware of his almightiness.

Jesus himself confirmed John’s words time and again, declaring Himself the son of God. But not even John’s prediction and Jesus’ confirmation could bring everyone to the acknowledgement of Him as the son of God: not even the signs He showed, the wonders He performed, the unheard words He preached, and His exemplary lifestyle could make the people view Him as any more than a carpenter’s son. Yet, there were those who were totally convinced about Him.

The likes of Peter and the other apostles could not have mistaken the son of God for anyone else. When Jesus called on His apostles to follow Him, they obliged at once. There was just something about Jesus that appealed to them and made them consider Him worth leaving everything for. Jesus, on the other hand, did not go about calling just anyone to be His apostle. He knew that the task he had for them was only fitting for those with a tendency to draw from him.

At some point in His walk with the apostles, Jesus questioned Peter over who people said He was. As it turned out, He was many things to different people. Some said Elijah, some said Jeremiah, some said He’s just one of the prophets, and some even said He’s John the Baptist. But when Jesus looked Peter in the eye and asked who he (Peter) thought He (Jesus) was, Peter, in total conviction, said; “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

That response from Peter prompted Jesus to make this very valuable statement: “flesh and blood has not revealed it unto you, but my Father who is in heaven.” The truth is that you will be so many things to so many people: perhaps a meal ticket, a pleasure tool, an alternative, a trophy husband or wife, an errand runner, a last resort, and even a teddy bear to just play around with and cast away. But for every Jesus, there’s bound to be twelve apostles.

Jesus never tried too hard to court the attention of the people. He most lovingly presented the gospel to them and left them with the choice to either accept or reject it. At the end of the day, He carried out his mission on earth and returned to heaven, leaving behind eleven fortified apostles to create impact with the gospel he brought to the earth. No one can say they’re disappointed with the works of the apostles after Jesus left them to continue where He stopped.

But imagine if Jesus had yielded to pressure by trying to fit in and blend in, all in an effort to get along with the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the others as they wanted him to. There would still be no hope for humanity. By stepping into the world and uncompromisingly being God in human form, he attracted just the right sets of people to himself. Actually, He attracted all manner of people to himself. But only the right ones stuck to Him through thick and thin.

They were able to do so because they had some degree of depth in them that was able to pick the signal of Jesus’ depth. Consequently, they became His best companions. Sometimes, you come across to certain people as alien. At other times, certain people come across to you as alien. There could be nothing strange about that. I think the strangest event in history is that of a man referring to Himself as the son of God. He must have been so alien to the people!

But did that stand in the way of Him fulfilling his life’s purpose? No, it didn’t. So, it doesn’t really matter who’s not getting a clear picture of things or who’s misinterpreting things to suit their own purposes. It doesn’t matter who or what is trying to program you into a conditioned living on account of anything, even the worst situations of life. Your goal must never change, your values must never drop, and there must be no room for unhealthy compromises.

Mind you, this is no license to groom an overbearing pride that’s usually demonstrated via a superior manner toward others. This is no license to recklessness or a downplay on needful character adjustments. This is just an urge to be who you know you’re meant to be without concessions. It may seem like you’re missing out on it all. But then, what’s yours will come as at when due; and who’s yours will show up in due season. No need for any desperation whatsoever! At the end of the day, DEEP WILL ALWAYS CALL UNTO DEEP. All you need do is to KEEP HOPE ALIVE.

Jezuzboi©

The feeling of being widely known and esteemed universally can be elating: the crazy love from admirers, shouts of approval from followers, thumbs up from supporters, sacrificial support from devotees, priceless partnership from allies, dirty fights against rivals by enthusiasts, and all the paparazzi that comes with eminence, can give a godlike sensation that makes you soon forget how human you are. Even when you try to remember, many who know you, gladly forget.

According to statistics, only 0.1% of the world’s population make it to the celebrity circle, and finding yourself in that cadre will surely attract so many things: the good, the bad, and the ugly. The feeling of being in a position where the world appreciates your wonderfulness is no doubt priceless. But if you take a quick run through history, you’ll find that many who attained that enviable height ended up being victims of their wonderfulness.

First thing’s first, when you show yourself to the world and display your talents, you stir all kinds of resentment, envy, and other manifestations of insecurity, especially from the closest of associates. It becomes difficult to know who has your best interest at heart and who may be out to do you ugly, or at the least, take advantage of foul deeds you performed in your weak moments to prey on your status; a thing that has plagued many stars with paranoia.

But like the mafias say, “misfortunes always come in by the door left open for them.” Howbeit, no matter how much you stay closed to the outside world, the fact remains that the day you decide to be a celebrity, you trade your privacy with whoever nurtures enough curiosity to search you out. Interestingly, that curiosity grows and never fades until you’re off the celebrity radar. Don’t get it twisted though, the woes of fame aren’t only based on those external factors.

Being in the spotlight can foster self-destruction: a sudden arrogance, constant neediness of approval, living to impress without upholding honesty, pride, insolence, inability to handle criticism, superiority complex, and lots more. Eventually, all you get up there is loneliness, even with the enormous attention that never stops flooding in as long as you’re up there. Many try to curry favor with you for personal gains like fame by association, extravagant living, and whatnot.

Love predators are not left out of the picture, as they offer you an aesthetically pleasing romance in exchange for a hefty portion of the wealth your fame earns you. Overly insecure fellows try to rub dust on your image by digging out ugly details of your past and putting them out in the open. If you tend to be void of such details, they create them for you, using your weaknesses to lure you into despicable blunders. The aim is to make you appear less special after all.

Let me tell you the infamous story of Stan and Jeff. Stan and Jeff were given an apple each. Stan ate his apple while Jeff preserved his own apple. Shortly after, a notice surfaced, praising Apple preservers. Stan, who had eaten his apple, got bitter and began resenting Jeff who still had his apple intact. But Jeff had no idea about Stan’s resentment of him. One day, Jeff was tempted to take a bite of his apple. Stan noticed him and became very observant.

The moment Jeff opened his mouth to take a bite, Stan ran off and told the world that Jeff had finally eaten his apple and is no different; a difference Jeff never boasted of. Stan became happy again. Making Jeff look less special cured his insecurity. It then dawned on Jeff that although alphabets join together to form unique life-giving words, some have the tendency of bringing death on others over just about anything; even self-imposed failures. Jeff learnt his lesson the hard way.

Love is the greatest thing in the world. Fame wins you love as much as it wins you hate. When you get love on account of your fame, it is only natural that you give back the love, possibly in an even greater measure. Therefore, when gangsters started advising that you love and trust no one because love can get you killed, anti-gangsters condemned the saying. How on earth can the greatest thing in the world get you killed for goodness sake?

But then, lots of bereave anti-gangsters owe their deaths to the love and trust they had for fellow anti-gangsters. That situation worsens when you step on the world’s stages to showcase yourself. Considering these cons of fame, many potentially famous folks have brushed aside the idea of fame in order to enjoy wealth without the unpleasant dramas that fame brings. But despite this, a vast number of persons do unbelievable things to achieve even mediocre fame.

It’s one thing to achieve fame; it’s another thing to maintain it. Achieving fame can be elating; losing fame can be depressing. So, when next you covet fame, take a moment to question yourself over certain things like: are you ready for the hate? the possible blackmails? judgements? cyber bullying? persecutions? questionable love? looming betrayal? possible scandals? and all the other CONS of fame? not leaving out its life-sweetening and untold PROS?

This brings us to the ultimate question: DID YOU SAY YOU WANT TO BE FAMOUS, given all these CONS? Well, if you ask me, I say TO HELL WITH THE CONS!!! I don’t just want to be famous; I want to be MORE FAMOUS THAN MONEY. Who doesn’t know money? If they’re such people, rest assured they’re gonna know me (#winks). A principle at the back of my mind though: work smart to earn a living, inspire the world, be scandal free, and keep a clear conscience. In all these, always endeavor to be in tune with God, and very importantly, FALL IN LOVE (#winks again).

Jezuzboi©

skywalker240:

Maybe a woman who truly loves you wont cheat, wont argue that.
the fact remains that such women are extremely rare, and another fact remains that at a point in your life when you are extremely broke even those who are close to you tends to lose respect and value for you. a woman loves may love you genuinely when you're extremely broke, but then she might have things a man should be capable to meet (dont say she should get a job, dont say she has a father) and it might not be that much (there are things a man should do finance included. and then there's that rich dude who's all over her preaching, dont forget her freinds who boast of their rich boyfreinds, and then the african society.

nobody can be loyal forever it doesnt mean they dont love you.

nobody is above temptation, even a most loyal and loving girlfreind.

Too #sweet to read

SalafRider:
I am just a kiddie, let me be sipping on my zobo as I wait for the elders to come on board. I have learnt a lot reading comment here on Nairaland.

You can beckon on lalasticlacla to draw them in here by pushing this to them.

What you’re about to read is the story of a self-styled Nigerian feminist who most likely suffers from BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER. She did a good job putting her husband through hell for years in the name of EQUALITY. Her emotional instability got her caught between the options of staying in her one-year-old marriage or filing for a divorce for no concrete reason. She even regretted having a child. According to her, that has been her worst mistake.

Her husband was perpetually perplexed by her PERCEPTUAL DISTORTIONS and most likely cursed the day he married her. However, he managed to endure years of AVOIDABLE TRAUMA, literally taking care of their son alone until things got back in shape; for after tormenting him for ages, his wife condescendingly redressed her steps and went online to excitedly tell her story, saying:

-----

“I knew I was a career-driven woman! I knew I wasn’t all that excited about getting married. I knew children weren’t my favorite thing on earth. But building a career that I wanted seemed to take too long and I was impatient. I wasn’t going to get married. Then I met MY HUSBAND and fell in love. This was the first time in my life I was liking a man who liked me more than I liked him. I generally go for unavailable men, men who aren’t sure of me, etc.”

“If a man loves me too much, he’s not challenging and so I didn’t want him. I got married and immediately wanted a child because that’s the natural progression, isn’t it? I had my baby and almost immediately regretted it. Actually, I started regretting it from the time I got pregnant. It was as if I temporarily lost my marbles. Regardless, I made the decision. This was not an unplanned pregnancy. I wanted the child. I did everything I could to get the child.”

“I finally had him and was going to be the very best mother I could for the child who didn’t beg me to have him. As for my marriage, I love my husband like kilode. But I’d be the first to tell you he’s the one holding the marriage down. If my husband hadn’t been stubbornly refusing to let go, our marriage would have ended a long time ago. I am flighty! Do me small thing and I’m ready to leave. But the man held on, like: YOU’RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE.”

“I am grateful to him for doing that. But I still know deep down that I shouldn’t have married or have a while when I did. At 30, it was like I snapped out of my temporary foolishness and said: FLORIDA, THIS IS NOT THE LIFE YOU WANTED FOR YOURSELF. THIS LIFE OF BEING KNOWN MOSTLY AS SOMEONE’S WIFE AND SOMEONE’S MOTHER. I started applying to UK universities for masters without a word to my husband. I got admitted, saved up the 10k euros tuition money.”

“I told my husband that I’m leaving for the UK for this masters whether he liked it or not! What followed was months of fights. He wanted us to be talking about having another child, not masters! I said: THUNDER FIRE YOU! I already felt shackled enough with one and he wanted to add to it? This man threatened me that it’s either we have another child or we forget having another child entirely. I was like: SEE CHRISTMAS PRESENT! WE ARE GETTING IT. WE ARE SO FORGETTING IT.”

“If I had been thinking properly, I wouldn’t have had one child, not to mention two! I went to the UK. My husband thought I’d refuse to come back but I did. However, when I started talking about Ph.D., he started nonsense again. He was like: WHAT ABOUT THE FAMILY? I was like: EHEN? WHAT ABOUT IT? WHAT ABOUT ME? I started looking into divorce proceedings. I felt I would always meet resistance from this man every time I do something for the sake of pursuing a career and what kind of life is that?”

“That wasn’t the marriage I wanted. So it was better I end it. My mom panicked. She was like: BUT THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH YOUR HUSBAND NA! HE’S PERFECT. HE’S NOTHING LIKE YOUR FATHER, JUST LIKE I PRAYED FOR. WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? I was heartbroken, I’ll say. I still loved him very much. I had never stopped. But I didn’t want to keep fighting with him because this is who I am. I don’t take my identity from being a wife and mother. Those are my jara!”

“I will choose the latter any god damn day! I remember one day; I was crying on the phone with my husband. I was like: I’M SORRY I’M NOT THE KIND OF WIFE YOU WANTED; THE WIFE CONTENT WITH AN UNCHALLENGING JOB SO SHE COULD SPEND AS MUCH TIME BUILDING HER HOME. THAT’S NOT ME AND IT CANNOT BE ME. Mister man didn’t know that this was me signing out! I had made up my mind at that junction that the marriage wasn’t working and it was time to face reality.”

“I was going to file for a divorce and I wasn’t going to discuss it with him. Then in December 2013, I went to the airport to pick him up. He had come to London for my graduation (not knowing his wife at this point was all set to leave him). I went to the airport, saw him and started crying again. I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t leave him. I haven’t loved anyone the way I love this man. I couldn’t live without this man. I immediately filed away the divorce idea.”

“I decided to give the marriage another go. I suppose it helped that none of my Ph.D. applications went through. So I went back to Nigeria and did my best to give the marriage all I got! My husband who used to resist me working outside Lagos because the family should be together, dropped the idea. Even though the field I worked thrived more in Abuja, he didn’t complain. If it was Antarctica I wanted to go, he would let me go. As long as we were still married, he didn’t mind.”

“As long as I’d come back to him, I could go anywhere. If I didn’t want any more children, that was okay with him! We will stop with this one. It is not like people take kids with them to the afterlife. But when the Ph.D. opportunity came, not one “YOU ARE LEAVING ME ALONE YET AGAIN” did I get from him. I came here with my son because that’s what I do. I go with my son everywhere! It’s not even a question – maybe it’s guilt. Guilt that I regretted having him.”

“Guilt that I always say I shouldn’t have married or had a child. I wish I knew while growing up that it was an option to have a child and that not everyone should marry and have children. Maybe because of that guilt, or maybe it’s just pure mother’s love, I inconvenience myself to make his life better. I changed and only wanted to do everything to give my son the childhood I believe he deserves. On occasions, I’d even put him before my career. Like right now, I’ve decided post-PhD.”

“I wasn’t going to aim to be the Facebook COO until my son is 16 – 18. I’d slow down and then resume again when he’s less dependent on me. Bottom line, if I knew better, I wouldn’t have gotten married or most definitely wouldn’t have had a child. But it has already happened and I would be damned if I don’t make the best of it. Regardless, I’m reminded that those were decisions I shouldn’t have taken!”

-----

There you go, guys! I’m sure you now see the more reason why you should never throw caution to the wind when choosing a life partner. This is why I favor long courtships. It gives you ample time to GET TO KNOW your potential spouse. No one ever wants to be in situations like that, and one sure way to prevent such fate is taking time to know your spouse-to-be from the INSIDE OUT before marriage. I hope we take a cue from this and help our marital destinies

Jezuzboi©