The Obaseki's Education Policy: A Commentary
by
Okoemu Okoemu Okoemu
okoemu1@gmail.com
07060497264

Even those who are none Obaseki government's admirers would appreciate the government's interest in the Edo Child. Even though there might be obvious lapses. A lot of people who attended public schools knew exactly the laxity at which teachers carryout their jobs. They come to school at will; especially, after the flemsy excuses to the headmaster or principal. Most of them even when they come to school spend the whole day splitting melon or loosing hair. They must have one or two things to do that would make them not to carry out their duties diligently. In fact everyone lost faith in public schools because the system was practically dead with teachers preferencing their private businesses at the detriment of the children's education. It was this ugly situation that gave private schools prominence and advantage over public schools to the point that once glorified public schools gradually became a shadow unto itself. A place for the only the less privileges because it could not offer anything any longer. It was worst that children would spend a whole day in school without being taught any subject, on few occasions they would have a teacher come to class, it was to give note that they will never explain. Most of them even relaxed in the staff room and give the note to students to copy. This failure in teachers' responsibilities was what fuel the rise and consolidation of examination malpractices. It is true, you cannot give what you do not have. The teachers did not teach and so the students did not learn for them to have something to write under examination condition. Why won't malpractices be the devil's alternative?
There are some people today who if they go back to the school notes will discovered that a whole session could not exhaust mere sixty leaves note book simply because their teachers where reluctant to carry out their responsibilities.
Of course there are always reasons for everything. Especially, every failure has backings. Teachers don't earn much... Teachers don't get paid... etc, etc. there is this school of thought that says 'motivation is what makes one efficient and effective in his work. What is this motivation? A commensurate wage that is paid timely.
When Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State wanted deal decisively with the loopholes that was ruining public education system in Edo State, he started by motivating the teachers by paying them promptly, a thing most government in the past failed at. Aside the motivation, public schools teachers ruined public schools with their laxity mainly because there was no check and balances. There was practically no one monitoring them. Even the local inspector that ought to be doing that once awhile would announced days ahead that he was coming which usually gives the respective teachers room to be of their best behaviors and appeared to be serious about the jobs. These inspectors visit schools not for observing errors and correcting errors but for the items they must be given. That to wet their beaks and no negative report will ever be made.
It is welcoming that the Godwin Obaseki administration brought a change. Because of Quality Assurance Officers and Learning Development Officers, who are now monitoring the activities of public schools teachers, for the first in a long time we have teachers in public schools seldom absent themselves from school, we have them not missing or skipping classes or using time to teach their students to run personal matters. Things they do before now with all impunity. The governor did not just set out to monitor them using the QAs and LDOs but also, set out to monitor the monitors using technological gadgets. In this case, all officers and teachers are on their toes. Hence we have students being occupied round the clock. However, the workforce is still below average. Most schools especially in the hinterlands are short of teachers, QAs and LDOs. The efforts of the Commissioner for Education, Joan Oviawe cannot be shove aside in this remarkable feat which is worthy of sustainability. I've had interactions with few Education ministry workers, from their point of view though displeasures one could observed that Honourable Oviawe is a leader who kept them all on their toes. Of course, a lot of employees do not appreciate such a boss.
However, the Obaseki education policies had lapses. Areas that need to be improved upon. Holistically, the policy has a fine objective - prioritizing the Edo child. In as much as this is a welcome and laudable development, the direction of the government is omitting discipline and embracing over pampering which is detrimental to the growth and development of the Edo child. Practically, in Edo State, teachers are instructed strictly not to discipline the wards in the care but only resort to counseling. Words of mouth are nothing but counseling, they are not in themselves effective. In fact the evidence of these is United States of America, they were the proponents of this don't touch the child of a thing. You cannot even shout at a child. All these extreme measure of protecting the child only end only in damaging the child. This is why in America today, there are children littered in all corners exhibiting all manners of deviant behaviours, viz-a-viz rape, mass shooting etc.
In many ways, this government has been missing it. A critical look at the policies stamped out would show that it is a one way oriented policy. It has no consideration of other factors. For instance there are many Guidian counselors experts, foundation and management but in the team, without knowing them, with the results glaring, there are little or no curriculum and instruction experts. The teaching guide is porous. With what I have of the lesson notes and plans, effective learning cannot take place. I quite understand, they tried to simplify the teaching but they failed because their concepts of simplification of subjects ended up being substandard or lower in quality. The pattern recommended for teaching is going counterproductive, because the teachers are condioned to abandoned their inborn potential while banking on already made contents and style of delivery. You cannot effectively teach with a scripted teaching method. This method no matter how it is perceived separate the teacher from teaching. Teaching is different from drama. If you must prepare lesson notes for schools, you must not be the one to determine the method of teaching. Teaching methodology should be dependent on the nature of students and the topic of the day and each group of students are peculiar. So, the methods should be left at the teacher's discretion. In order to get this properly done, the government must involved curriculum and instructions experts.
The government's concern about the Edo child includes not involving the children in any form of labour as that to the government amount to child labour. This is not entirely correct. The concern of government should be to guide the schools so that no form of measure should be taken to it extreme. To say no corrective measures no labour in schools is a death warrant. If the government want a productive citizens tomorrow, this is definitely not the best way to go. Education is a holistic venture and as such schools must be given freehands to adopt any reasonable measure to inculcate anything that would aid productivity in the children. It is not for the moment, it is for posterity sake. You cannot shove aside certain fundamentals and expect the best from the children. Don't spare the rod and spoil the child. School children should not be made to brush around their environments, yet the only provisions made is that community youths should take that responsibility. No wonder these children are learn in the forest. How then will the children learn that craft? As beautiful as most of the policies sounds, drawing inference from it inconsiderate nature, the government might have an ulterior motive which could be to either ruin public schools or ruin the futures of the children of the poor which to me is a political move.
Even Universities in the state seem to be left to ruin by the government. It is more like a situation of government nearly abandoning their responsibilities of the Universities. Edo State owned Universities and other tertiary Institutions pay fees as if they were a private Institutions. I believed if there is a careful research, our state owned Universities pay heavily more than some private Institutions around, yet they lack most facilities of learning including shortage of lecturers and others. The way our educational systems are being handled by our governments, is the reason they have none of their loved ones in the schools.
In a bid to put public schools in Edo State in check which includes finance management, the government is being a bit too stringent. For instance, the state wants to be in full control of finances in school. This means that school heads can no longer have direct access to such funds as the come in. Like PTA supports, donations of funds from philanthropists which is not in itself a bad idea. However, this is where most heads of school fall back to, to get money to pay part-time teachers in areas where government is not proactive. Most schools especially those in villages lack teachers a great deal, the school heads in collaboration with the village employ either 'community teachers' or part-time teachers. Now with government going to be the sole body to have access to the funds, the school heads might not be able to continue such act towards the growth of the school. The primary concern of government here I feel could best be handled in such a way that everyone is in check. Why not have monthly reports or quarterly reports of school heads to the government? There are many ways to pursue transparency here and still being in check. The Edo State government must work with care in order not to have it's aim defeated. In every policy, the spirit of the law achieve more profitable results than letter of the law.

It is very easy for most concerned Esan sons and daughters to be clamouring for the turn of Esan to produce the next governor of Edo State come 2024 governorship election. It is a good thing only that in politics, it is for the majority to desire but it is for the minority to make it a reality. In as much as the yearning of some Esan to produce the next governor of the state since, it was Afemai that finished two terms and handed over to a Benin who is rounding off his tenure now, there are varied realitie on ground. I will touch them one after the other.
To start with, this agenda will suffer still-birth on the absolute or might suffer still-birth to a large extent. Reasons are glaring. Esan political structure is too fragmented. There is no Esan voice. Esan political self acclaimed leaders need to gather for Okoemu Okoemu Okoemu to address them on salient political issues, I know they will never consider this because unlike a charactered politician, the esan politicians are too self opinated and proud to call for the help of Okoemu Okoemu Okoemu. In a political society that has nearly every politician as leaders, there is hardly any political progress. In esan, every politician wants to be a king as well as a kingmaker. You cannot eat your cake and have it. Before Esan as a people will grow to that level where Chief Tony Anenih put us in the past, there must arise in esan, a Tony Anenih. Chief was not perfect, Okoemu Okoemu Okoemu might have not liked Chief Anenih, you might have not liked him either, but we all had no choice than to respect him as well as fear him. There is a need for every political structure to have a leader, not just a leader, but a charismatic leader like Tony Anenih whose words must be taken by all, his counsel heeded. He was the political mathematician of the Esan people. He knew how to do the calculation and fix up everyone on board, no matter the disagreement, he was taken seriously. In the whole of Esan land there is no such a person. Those in Uromi are leaders, those in ewohimin are leaders, those in IGUEBEN are leaders, those in Irrua are leaders, as well as ekpoma, ebelle, ugboha, Ewatto, Emu, Ubiaja and the rest and to make matters worst, all of them want to be governor of Edo State all for the Esan agenda. This is why they cannot make it. There was this agenda after the Afemai's tenure in 2016, but for the same lack of purpose, it was thrown out, and it came up again in 2020, it was sold out by those who called themselves leaders in esan politics. When there is no single individual to lead, you are easily defeated.

Those clamouring for Esan agenda must put first, the questions of character, competency, track records, selflessness and their likes. They must realized that Edo State has gone beyond the era of tribal sentiment and political emotions. If the best candidate comes from Benin, he will win the support of all. If you want an esan person to be governor, bring forward a people oriented person, purpose driven individual, someone who is politically objective. It is not about shouting and ranting that it is Esan's turn. What makes anything your turn to be enjoyed is your antecedents, track records, your pedigrees, your objectivity and people oriented mindset. If no one from esan comes up equipped with these, that seat will remain in Benin or shift again to Afemai.
All the politicians is Esan if they must disappoint Okoemu Okoemu Okoemu because he believes that the Esan agenda towards 2024 is dead on arrival, must dismantle their armour of self aggrandisement and hunt for that one man who has proven himself worthy. He must be a man or woman who has done Esan proud. There must be a consensus candidate who will able to lead not everybody running the race.

It is pathetic that Okoemu Okoemu Okoemu is seeing numerous aspirants already from one Esan which is a greenlight that this agenda will not see the light of the day.

(To be continue)

BOOK REVIEW

TITLE: IN BETWEEN HER THIGHS (Chapters 1-15)

AUTHOR: OKOEMU OKOEMU OKOEMU

What a read! First fifteen chapters and it's like I've been to many years with the characters and back.
Although the story started with Garvin Idahosa lying in state, it goes further to describe the kind of person she is/was, her character; personality; ageless youthfulness; determination, strong spirit, courage; smartness and intelligence, and the ability to understand a person's potentials.

It was she who showed Nathaniel Ogbugwe that he was better off a movie producer than an actor.
'Star Maker' she called it. Why struggle fruitlessly to become a star when you can do better being a star maker?

Despite his resilience and determination at the onset of the story, Nathaniel would still have given up if we have accessed him too early, but for his wife Favour Ogbugwe standing by him, encouraging him.
Once Nathaniel gave it a shot, he got friends who gave him support, though as expected, he experienced setbacks, there was the hustles and struggles for acceptance and approval, but again saw that there is indeed power in power when Garvin Idahosa put a call to AGN chairman Benin...that one call was all Nathaniel needed.

There is Rev. Fr. Sylvester...a kind, caring free spirited priest who has no time for vain things. His guiding principle is that of Shakespeare,
"an hour too early is better than a second too late." But he's nowhere to be found for that day's mass from st. Catherine which he normally spends two hours, his parishioners are worried and scare, and at this point, the reader is thrown into suspense itching to know what happened now and what the clergyman's purpose would be in the story.

Garvin Idahosa had over the years of her career, through her hard works and determination, made her little town into a legendary place where the world would want to visit and feed their eyes and souls.
As it was in the show biz and in every other spheres where fame and money was involved, there were adversaries who disliked her or were jealous of her.

Despite all the accolades the writer gives to Garvin Idahosa, he constantly reminds us that Garvin is just human like us all and there were her sins that could have her restlessness, yet the writer hasn't come out clear what it was.

Out there in the show biz, many glamours and beauties we see are fake. All lies, fame seeking folks living a lie out there, just to belong, to feel some sort of relevance. Many who came into Nollywood did so out of desperation, because they
were so hungry for fame. It was only after getting the fame that they
got to know that fame did not pay bills, money did.
There is an Instagram celeb that goes by the name, Rikky Great, he became most popular following his controversies, involving an affair with Corper Rosemary Ibiam who was his teacher in secondary school.
As a crossdresser, he fueled his popularity and made money and millions of fans by nurturing his transgender lifestyle leaving jobless fans to be his judges.
Yet Ricky had a wife and 3 kids somewhere.

In this book, you get to meet characters like Wale; George Rollas; Hikay Ikhuoyemen, and many more.
The corruption and scandals in the show biz would be revealed to you.
I won't skip a Ray Samad who had sexual affairs with the wife of the VP of the federation for more money and connections to step higher in his career.

There is Journalist Perry Aye; a rare character who would rather go for the truth than the currencies. What people like him wouldn't accept was that corruption was the new normal and honesty doesn't pay much these days.


Garvin Idahosa knew and proved that in the entertainment industry, especially in Nollywood, no one was irreplaceable. She saw that there was no best actor, and that anyone seen as best at the moment was best
because the best had yet to come. She saw also that the best when he
came wouldn't still be the best.

The first chapter would only foo.l you if you yearn to read a small book.
IN BETWEEN HER THIGHS is bulky, full of suspense, well written, plots well structured, and Okoemu Okoemu is a writer indeed, this is magnumopus!
You can get a copy of this great and timely novel from the Author today, at a very affordable rate. Everyone deserve to read a good book, at least once in a life time.

©Ehimen Iyere
13-02-2023

#BookReview
#TheReviewer
#Read_With_Me_2023

BECAUSE IT IS WESTERN, IT IS GOOD AND RIGHTEOUS BUT IF IT WERE AFRICAN, IT WILL BE FETISH, DIABOLIC AND EVIL; NO MATTER THE RATIONALE.
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The Pope must be buried within the 4th-6th day after his death. For example, Pope Benedict XVI died on 31st December 2022, and his burial is January 5th, six days after his death.

Usually, in the first three to five days, the body of the Pope is kept inside the Clementine chapel inside the St. Peter’s Basilica for people to view.

On the 4th-6th days, the Papal funeral takes place at the main altar or outside the St Peter’s square. Before the mass, the Pope's body is placed inside three consecutive coffins: CYPRESS COFFIN, LEAD (ZINC) COFFIN and ELM COFFIN.

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Part of the ritual of burying a Pope includes the ritual of three coffins:

1. The first is a CYPRESS WOOD coffin which symbolises HUMILITY and that the Pope was an ordinary human being.

Included in the coffin will be a copy of the funeral mass and bags of gold, silver and copper coins. The number of coins in each bag match the number of years he was Pope; it's very significant. It's not for him to carry it to heaven, nor because he controlled or loves money , nor to bribe heaven's gate keeper ��.

2. Lead Coffin: The first cypress coffin is then put into a lead coffin. Included in this coffin is a copy of documents he issued under his papal seal. The lead coffin will be soldered shut and have his name, dates of the papacy and a skull and crossbones engraved on top.

3. The third and final coffin is an Elm coffin(oak): Elm is rare in Rome and is meant to represent DIGNITY. This coffin includes a parchment in a copper tube with a list of the Pontiff’s achievements. This coffin is then sealed with golden nails.

When each coffin is sealed, it is wrapped with two violet silk ropes. Then it is sealed with wax and coat of arms of the chamberlain and the Cardinal Dean.

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The Chasuble which is red, a liturgical color symbolizes a willingness to shed one's blood for the faith, is the color vestments popes traditionally are buried in.

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Popes are buried under the Basilica. There are about 91 popes buried in St. Peter’s Basilica, including the beloved John Paul II who was buried there in 2005. As you walk around the church, you will see some of the most monumental ones in the various niches along the corridors. As time passed, it has been impossible to house all of the popes above ground, so they began housing them below ground in what is called the Papal tombs or crypt.

Benedict XVI will be buried in the Vatican Grottoes, underneath St. Peter’s Basilica, the traditional resting place of popes, in the place where his predecessor was buried before being moved for beautification.

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While each pontiff has had his own style, red shoes are a papal tradition that goes back centuries; red shoes are as ancient as the Church. Many Popes were even buried with red shoes: Paul VI, John Paul I, and John Paul II, etc.

Pope Benedict XVI stepped away from his red shoes the moment he resigned from the papacy and won't be buried with the red shoes.

Far from a fashion statement, in the Catholic faith, red symbolizes martyrdom and the Passion of Christ. Red symbolized both the worldly authority of the pope and the Passion of Christ. It also symbolized the Pope’s submission to Christ, the love of God for humanity, and the remembrance of all the martyrs who gave their lives for Christ.

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According to Vatican tradition, the pope's ring is a sign of Authority and each pope has a ring made in the specification for him. This ring plays a critical role in the running of the Church as signet rings used by popes to put their official wax seals on documents. So that's why the ring has to be destroyed immediately after a pope's death by the Carmelengo infront of the Cardinals; so that no one can use his ring to establish the authority of the Vatican after his death.

However, when Benedict XVI stepped down as pope, his ring was marked with a cross so it can be kept intact, rather than being destroyed.
However on March 6 2013, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, told reporters that this "destruction" had been completed, although he explained that the ring is not smashed or destroyed completely; rather, two deep cuts are made in its face so that it can no longer be used as a seal." This is so because such marks would invalidate the seal on the ring. But why not destroy it completely like others? Is it because he only resigned? Would it be destroyed completely now that Benedict XVI is dead?

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The Camerlengo or Chamberlain (THE VATICAN SECRETARY OF STATE) assumes the Papal authority till a new Pope is elected. He also organizes the election of the new Pope. He summons all the cardinals of the world to Rome for a new Pope to be elected.

In the case of the late Pope Benedict XVI, such is not obtainable since he is an emeritus with the incumbent alive and mourning; the papacy remains intact.

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Usually, it is the dean of the College of Cardinals who celebrates the funeral if it is the sitting Pope who has passed on. For example, Pope Benedict XVI was the dean of the college of Cardinals at the demise of Pope John Paul II and so celebrated the funeral.

When these began
Be taken away
The memory of this write
will come back to you
You will see at that time
A robbery of a nation
In broadday light
Many heads will roll
But the rubbers will succeed
And steal the tower
In the nation of The Louvre
Taking such monument
Would make all wondering.

It is not all,
That pyramid in Pharaoh
Will be at last stolen
No blood will stain the sand
The theft will be in broadday light
No one will dare confront the rubbers.
It will be a Wonder too.

On a day it sweets Rome
The Colosseum will be stolen
By the same man
His place shall be unknown
And his identity too
He shall steal it by night
And Rome shall wonder
At dawn and lose all those
Who shall go after it
It shall be a Wonder

On Christmas day of 2090
This, Petra in Jordan
Will be stolen
The possibility shall take over
The celebration of the day
All over the world and
You will wonder again.

In 2090, on Holy Saturday
Christ the Redeemer in Brazil
Will be missing, it will miss at night
It won't disappear, some will cooperate
With a king from Europe to steal it
It will be so planned and executed.

An ivory-white marble mausoleum
on the right bank of the river Yamuna
Will be stolen on the last day of that year
The thief shall come from a new nation
Across the bank of the Niger River
First international crime of
That long suffered nation.

The Great Wall will be stolen
On the first day of that year
That nation will be in harm's way
The thief won't be caught
What they did with the items
Will be a mystery
Why they stole them will be a myth

There shall be only one wonder if the world
The possibility of these thefts
Yes, they will be stolen.

-Okoemu Okoemu Okoemu, The Sane-Madman

God, take this cross away from me
I can't take this anymore
I can't bear this life anymore
It seems the wheel is not spinning no more
So I don't want to stay alive no more.

I'm knocking, knocking on heaven's door
God, open for me,
I'm coming in there to stay.

Can't you see this world is not for me?
I don't belong here no more God,
Everything here is just not my thing
Me and they don't think same way
They flow with whatever that's playing
But me, I just wish it could be different
So, I don't want to live no more.

I'm knocking, knocking on heaven's door
God, open for me,
I'm coming in there to stay.

The world is full of angels
So God, a demon is knocking
To come over to your heaven
Everyone is an angle
The devil cannot stay no more with them
Everyone here is the righteous one
So God, call me a sinner man over.

I'm knocking, knocking on heaven's door
God, open for me,
I'm coming in there to stay.

Come on God,
Open the dam heaven door
I've been knocking
Take this pains away from me
Open this door God
And take away this cross
Because I can't take this no longer.

I'm knocking, knocking on heaven's door
God, open for me,
I'm coming in there to stay.

-Okoemu Okoemu Okoemu, Son of Man- S.O.M

It would have be a fine love story for Otibhor and Efe. Their love affairs have been blissful save for Efe's exceptional affection and tolerance. Everyone knew that Otibhor was the most beautiful girl in the neighborhood, she had all the endowment there was to be the only beautiful one alive. Her beauty could only be akin to those fictional princesses in prose of Ebi Iyere or Abienekpen Osa'etin . she had a remarkable height as that of the beauty queen- Agbani Derego, her dark skin was satiny, most glossily ebony, her long legs were like that of Cleopatra, an oblong beautiful face with that lovely Nubian nose like that of Genevieve Nnaji. Her teeth were well set and whiter than snow, albeit all of these which endeared her to many, she had certain characters which were capable of making everyone blind to the exceptional beauty. It was only Efe who had been able to stand it all. All the guys who were not so intimidated to woo her, had no choice but to abandon her because they could not tolerate those annoying behaviours. But then, what was love if not to inconvenient one another and that was to bear every shit.
Every woman indeed desired attention. A woman could afford to starve herself to death just to get the one she loved to care, to ask her, 'what is the problem?' She could just be unnecessary moody and withdrawn just for that as well. This aspect of women was what Efe had learnt earlier in life because his college teacher her taken out time to also teach them some aspects of relationship.
It was annoying when a lover simply wants to care and show some concern and in the end gets a snub in return. That was what Efe got when he return from work that evening with all the troubles of loosing two major contracts as a sculptor, and having a major blow with his sculpture which was to earn him a billion naira at the national auctioning gallery fell mistakenly that evening and was destroyed while the auction was 7am the next day. This was a giant size sculpture that was completed that afternoon waiting to be transported to the gallery, it had took him two years and ten months to complete, it was supposed to be a work that will bring him the fame that Michael Angelos, Leonardo Da Vinci, Abuya Marvelous Naruto, Ehiagwina Valentine and Ehizode combine never had, the wealth they never had; yet he came home to meet his girlfriend and immediately, swallowed his miseries, braced up and became alive.
'Hey my angel,' he said as he open his arms to hug her. He noticed even before doing that that she was not usual, however, that was Otibhor, one with that unnecessary mood swing- that made her a snub, saucy and unreceptive. Her reactions, though, Efe had tolerated and ignored over the years sparked him up tonight. He was vexed.
'Come on, what is even your problem? Do I have to beg you every day? Even the most beautiful woman on earth still dey regard person effort. Who do you think you are? You think you are beautiful? You wey I dey manage... You are nothing but just an ugly tra...' He froze, realizing he had gone too far, he had merely wanted to get her angry, to provoke her so that he would have certain satisfactions to even her snub and unnecessary mood swings that pissed him off everyday, of course he knew what she wanted, why she put up those attitudes, she wanted him all by herself, the attitudes made Efe to whispered in her ears a million times how he loved her and also how beautiful she was.
Efe felt bad, knowing that words were potent. He turned away to avoid her eyes, then he heard her saying, 'thank you for the truth at last,'
'The truth? What truth?' Efe asked unconsciously.
'I am nothing to you but an ugly trash" she said with tears streaming down her eyes. Indeed, she was heartbroken. Someone she loved, someone whom she felt loved her, said he was just managing her. He said she was ugly and that she was a trash. Even though Efe did not finish the word, 'trash' it made no difference. At that moment, her beauty meant nothing to her any more. She was broken. If those words had come from another tongue, she would have laughed it off saying, 'you mean not even a little because my boyfriend knows and said I am the most beautiful,' but now the words came from the guy she had thought would never hurt her. Efe knew he didn't end up vexing her, he ended up hurting her and that hurts him more.
Though Efe went on his knees immediately to beg and apologized because deep down in his mind, he knew he did not mean the words he had said; he found himself begging her from that day onward because at every moment she kept on reminding him what he had said to her.
'If I had known, I would have walked away and left her to be, but then it would have been interpreted wrongly for she is a she like every other shes,'

When it is Roman
Then it is an image
When is is African
Then it is an ebor
When I adore and honour
The goddesses, Olokun and Emotan
It is called worshipping false gods
Why?
Because they are not Romans.
When I honour the wife a certain carpenter
It is honouring a mother of God
When I drop money or fowl
At Emotan or Olokun shrine
I am being fetish
But when I drop money
At Marian's shrine
I am a devotee.

-Okoemu Okoemu Okoemu, The Enlightened One

REST IN PEACE TO A ICONIC LEGEND- PROFESSOR WOLE SOYINKA.
By
Okoemu Okoemu Okoemu

It is not sad but a thing of great joy to have a great man of Soyinka's calibre passed on at this critical moment in the history of mankind. It is a privilege for me personally to send out this epistle in honour of this maverick icon. It is unfortunate that you are no more but it good, for one who laboured needs rest, eternal rest. And so I say at this point, 'eterna rest grant unto Professor Wole Soyinka, and let perpetual light shine upon him; may the soul of Wole Soyinka and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen!
Here is a man who has put his freedom on the line, for an entire nation and continent, a man who has risked his life for nations. Save to say, to save the deaths and genocides that was uncalled for in Nigeria many years ago, Wole was thrown into the gallows in chains and manacles. A man who was chased and declared wanted, dead or alive by the Sani led military government - an event that pushed him into exile for years because he stood against the tyranny of the government at the time. Wole has always been that man who fought for the masses even most people seemed not to acknowledge such rare benevolence.
Wole has led series of protest against injustices and inept leadership both on local and international scale. At this juncture, the man who has been running this odious race of life for humanity has been called home to come and rest by Orisa his maker. I am at peace because Wole transited in his sleep, a thing we all prayed for. I am grateful that my prayers was answered because the gratest pain of my life would have been to see the old Wole after all the suffering and struggles for humanity which were all selflessly rendered would suffer again the intoxicating atmosphere of the hospital ward, and forced to the uncomfortable dieting on drugs, surgery and injections. As Kenny Roger rightly sang, "the best thing to hope for is die in your sleep." So this is my consolation that Wole died in his sleep.
Professor Wole Soyinka has left this world in peace. The stresses are over, the struggles are over, he has finished the fight, he won the race, now he wears a crown of glory. In the great beyond, Wole has found his assured place, as he had the same assured place in the history of mankind not just that of his race or country.
My only pain in your passing on to glory is the fact that my life-time wish has suffered still-birth which was to meet with a sage like Wole Soyinka, I had so desired to meet with you. It is a fact that nearly everyone mourn the dead, this is so, not because we are not pleased by the passing on to glory of such person but so much so that his departure has caused a vacuum in our lives. Wole Soyinka has been one of the very few sources of inspiration to me, strength, courage and hope. I have always been excited whenever I find myself talking about his greatness among people. It is such a thing of joy when friends listened to me talked about this man as if I have lived with him.
I cry, I mourn, I am still weeping, not because I never wanted you to die, for that would mean I love you not. It is true that whoever wish someone a long life, wishes him long suffering and pains, anyone who mean well ought to wish people not to live long because long life is not based on number of years but the sort of achievements attained. This Wole had fulfilled. So we have be fortunate that Soyinka chose to live long ardious years bonus for our sakes and for the selfishness in our blood which make us wish and desire that our loved ones should live forever, albeit the obvious that everyone needs to go in peace and rest.
To be frank, I had wished and made efforts to take Wole Soyinka's place, to be the one to take the bartton from him. This unfortunately didn't materialize even though I have tried to get published few times. I wanted this enigma live with the fulfilment of seeing Okoemu doing the arts especially, the writings.
Even this I will always mourn never having the opportunity of sitting or standing with him which could have been an achievement for me in it self, I am consoled that I have had the privilege to live with this sage through the universe of books- his books.
Professor Wole Soyinka, my master, my Lord, has been the brightest star in the gallery, the sun that gives life. You might not always agree with him, you just have no choice but to love, admire and respect him.
Soyinka achieved enough; only to realise that for over six decades, six long arduous decades that was two generations; two generations, this man not withstanding his injuries and hardship, victim of oppression and intimidation; he had endured and struck fear in the hearts of many, responsibility in the souls of governments, if not terror, in the hearts of almost every world leader he came across in the sphere of humanity. At the same time, he had entertained, informed, educate and motivated the global audience, be it the west, the east and of course, Africa as we know it. Today marks an end of an era. End of an era of a long, storied career. It had to never be duplicated. So today, it was, it was goodbye. They say nothing last forever. I think they're wrong, because the legacies of Wole Soyinka will live on eternally.
William Shakespeare passed on in the year 1616, over 400 years ago, and today, he is still one of the relevant people on earth, more than that is Professor Wole Soyinka my idol, who would be most relevant in thousands of years from now. No generation will live without your impact, even after the end of the world.
Rest in perfect peace great one!

#This is what I have to say when your day shall come to depart. I don't have to wait to say it when you shall not be the one to hear or see it.

On my credo
I am not afraid
That he will die soon
I am just scared on
The manner death is
Going to take him
I just want him to die
Peacefully on his bed
In his sleep
He has suffered in
This life.

I didn't want her to die
Under needles and knife
I didn't want her to
fade with Anesthesia
Nor wriggleed and bow
After stitches
If death deemed it fit
I want to to see her
On her bed when she is sleep
Just to go from there
No pains, no suffering.

22 months he had been
Behind bars, grids and locks
He crossed the boarder via
Bushes and forest
Running for dear life
For he was declared wanted
Dead or alive
He ran and was in exile for few years
He has scaled through thick and thorns
I know now his time is near
But i don't want him to suffer again
Just to sleep and go from there
To rest with Orisa in peace
The God of tranquil

The best one can ever wish for
Is to die in one's sleep.

-okoemu okoemu okoemu, Rabbi

I wish I can spend the rest
of my life in your beautiful arms,
so still and warm, so tranquil
as if I am living five hundred years ago
With you, life is more worth guarding.
The snow is falling heavily
outside the window
of my tender heart
If I am sentimental and
so inclined it will be easy
To conjure up your face
with mine drifting smilingly
through those swirling snowflakes
Nothing in the world
can diminish me
I am safe here in your bosom
Warm as toast
Safe from the raging wind
That hurled the terror
of the day against the
window of my soul
I will not leave you in this life time
Away from you
The road is icy, a jet will skid
and death can mangle me
Viral poisonous colds
can infect my spine and blood
Oh, there are countless dangers
besides death
And I am not unaware of
the spies death can infiltrate
into my own brain
With your love,
I set up defenses against them
I have charts of your serene face,
charts of your soft tear-drop
succulent breasts
I have charts of your
hypnotizing smiles
Your alurring lovely shape
And spotless skin pasted
on the walls of my mind
Charts of your beauty,
my salvation, my armour
If i will have to retreat,
I will do so deep into you
To rest at your heaven's gate
I don't want to hide
in the future nor in books,
I want to hide inside you
I don't want to be found
Let me be 'lust' in you forever
forgetting the promises
of heaven and hell
Both wouldn't have been
Made for me but you
Just you,
Let me write you
Let me read you.

-Okoemu Okoemu Okoemu, the Perfect Man

My Lover.
She is my Queen,
Who rule my world;
Her thoughts occupies my heart
Day in day out,
And night in night out;
When I'm alone,
She is in me;
When I'm with her,
She is with me;
She direct my actions,
If I am going left,
She always echo to my consciousness.

.
My lover
Whom I love so much,
I romance in open
Before heaven and earth,
I kissed her and make love to her anywhere,
Because she is my everything,
I have no other,
My heart is only for her;
And no other can take my heart but her;
She is beautiful and strong;
The essence of my life.

When I am down,
She lift me up;
When I don't know what to do,
She put me through;
She is always available,
I wonder why everybody ignores her;
I am so addicted to her
And I love it so.
.
She comes
But no one accept her
She is ever ready
But only few are willing for her
She is beautiful yet bitter,
She go with me everywhere;
I love her and she love every body.
.
Words are so potent that I treasure them,
If the way I take words as my lover,
Romance and love her,
You do, we all will be guided.
I value words and cherish words;
Words are my guides,
Speak to me
Talk to me
Write to me
And I will be grateful.
My lover is the word.

-by Okoemu

Lovers are so cruel
More living, more cruel
Women who truly love
Not the creeps, not the cunts
Oh, you really love and
They say they do
It is cruel

Don't say you love me
I don't want to say I love you
The cruelty will come
When all the illusion are gone
And when i love her most
She will love me less.

I want to live in a world
Where women never love men
As they love them now
I want to live in a world
Where i will never love a woman
As i love her now.
I want to live in a world
Where love never changes.

Oh, God, let me live in dreams
When i die, send me to paradise
Of lies, undiscoverable and self-forgiven,
And a lover will love me forever
Or not at all.

Give me deceivers so sweet
They will never cause me pains
With true love, and let me
Deceive them with all my soul
Let us be deceivers never discovered
Always forgiven.

So we can believe in each other
Let us be separated by wars and
Pestilence, death, madness
But not by the passing of time.

Deliver me from goodness
Let me not regress into innocence
Let me be free.

-Okoemu Okoemu Okoemu, the DEVIL HIMSELF

For heart beat of the nation,
Gov. GO nor gree conduct election
for local since ooh,
wake and sleep dey appoint
him robots as caretakers,
ogba'ne no dey manipulate
house of assembly
Togba togba no gree employ people,
him nor gree build
single industry or agency
Dem want make we celebrate am
because of Central motor park
wey him build for flood
Gov. GO don shut down education system
Igueben don sleep,
Ekpoma dey under attack
Tomorrow now,
GO go say him wan become
Aso number 1,
or him wan go stay for red chamber
Dem go say na GO be the one
Wey go take us from eaters to farmer.

-Okoemu Okoemu Okoemu, The Wizard

Atioe Irebhude,
Okpainor, ehor na yor
Ugbewan na gboewan
Omhan re'hor bhude.
Inior, Oyakhilomhen nor
Okpainor, ona ri oya re lue
Ene biole
Omon'nia na khin?
Ana'tioe Emhonzeria,
Okpe'ria oe se shi re
Atioe Amenaghawon
Oinegbe'ra'oria
Eghe khi se
Ona j'amen ne gbe'ra
Uwemamaren idomhenagbe khian
Okhanemhen, ebho rebhe vebumhenre
Oikhine mhen?
Edeghonghon, Eghonghon owo're re re
Ikhi yi emhon uuu!
Akhuemhonsokhonkhan!
Iri'awo re khue oe khan
Omhanre mhie bor lu
Ateunu bhe gbe
Mhanka teunu
Ayegbenni na zegbor va ughu re
Oghoadena ze nor onokpea
Na wuean aremie enemhina
Re bhe a sunu
Owor nibha khounue
Ranmhude, ekearelemhen.
Ebi bhaireta, Ehi Okoemu abhi
Oe'ya bhie, ibha roni.

-Okoemu Okoemu Okoemu, the Perfect Man

Gone

I will never show you
As someone defeated
Someone to be pitied
Even someone to be grieved.
And this is the end of the story
Here I am
The poor unhappy lover
At a distance, watching
The success of my beloved
And everybody is feeling sorry for me
I will be a hero because
I am so sensitive and
Now I will suffer and live alone
The solitary writer making books
While she sparkles in the glittering
World of campus life
Like glittering world of cinema.

-Okoemu Okoemu Okoemu, the Sane-madam

What most mothers do to their children thinking they are playing smart or outsmarting their husbands is terrible. I wonder if they don't realise that they are undulating negative habit in their children. People hear and talk about domestic violence- husband beats wife to stupor is what we hear and so we lambast, castigate, condemn the man, feigning pro-women, advocates against 'domestic violence... beating of wives.
Now hear this, I happen to teach in a school where the school, as a matter of policy organizes extra classes for students in the exit classes- Basic 9 and SS3; off course they must have to pay a fee for it. Now this student got home and told her father about it, her father went out of his way to raise the money and because he wants to get his wife involved in every affairs, he did not give the money to his daughter but the mother, his wife. The woman decided to play a game with her daughter by convincing the children not to enrol for the classes so they could spend the money on something else even when the extra classes were compulsory for every student as a matter of policy. The young girl to not join her mate to attend the lessons.
Now it came to pass that they were to get cleared before the examination and it was that debtors wouldn't be allowed to write the examination. This man knowing that he has given his wife the believed he was not indebted to the school only to receive a letter that his child was owing and as such would not be permitted to write the examinations. Enraged, he stormed the school to demand an explanation. When he was done, the Principal who realized that he had actually paid to his wife to pay the school said to him, 'sir, this debt, you have actually paid it but it did not get to us. I advised that you go back home to find out from your wife and daughter what happened." And so it was that the man went home thoughtfully; he questioned his wife and child, only to find out that his wife had diverted the money with his daughter's knowledge after convincing her about. He had to choice but to go out of his way again because he wants his daughter albeit all that have transpired to be able to sit for the examination.
If that man had reacted against his wife in so such a manner just the way the whole thing was provoking, the press who knew not the genesis of the dubious behaviour of his wife would launch a hypothetical outcry for justice.
The point here is that like this woman, a lot of women are out there raising their children in such an uncultured way. It is obvious the reason there are large numbers of people in the world today that are thieves and robbers. No wonder there are more young women being thrown out of their husbands house because they have failed as wives and mothers.
How can a mother be so callous to the point of teaching and introducing her innocent daughter into a game of swindling and siphoning her husband? This is the height of moral decadence. It means that woman had no love for her husband and had no love for a supposed home she tends to be raising. If she had love, she wouldn't swindle her husband and would not cheat and deceive her own child. It means one thing, she is an evil greedy woman who do not care about her home as she is so reckless to the point of initiating her child in the dubious believe that such action against one's husband was right and should be done with relish not knowing there is actually no difference between her and a father who commits fraud before his son's own eyes, womanizes, watches pornographic videos before his teen children, nothing actually differentiate her from another woman who masturbates not minding the children walking in on her, and she who go about with different men without also minding the teens are watching. Is this woman any different from the policeman who collects bribe from people or rob at night with his official riffle right under his children's noses? The fact is, they are one and the same. As they are all guilty of teaching their children immoralities so is this woman who is teaching this poor teen to grow up and divert public funds for personal gain, to grow up and become a swindler of her husband even at the detriment of her children and indirectly if this girl is unlucky to have a husband like her father, her mother had just succeeded in showing her the way that would lead her out of her husband's house even before she is ripe for marriage.
Does someone still want to find out how we got here or who did this to us? All the societal problems we are bedevilled with today that are bringing us to doom as a race of people are all connected to poor and faulty parenting.

It is unbelievable how Mr. Godwin Obaseki kept on and on, proving that like his forefather- chief Obaseki who single-handedly brought the ancient city of Benin to vanquish in 1897, is himself too, an enemy of the state- Edo. Here is a man who since 2016 that he became a governor has not brought any meaningful development to the state.
The gbim of this writing is first to tackle the state educational system. At least his predecessor, Adam Oshiomole had red roofs though it was not clear what were the activities under the red roofs, to his credit. Obaseki has refused to make any significant impact since he came in. I once benefited from the state library, now where is the state library today? It has be sold or leased to serve as a mall or complex from 2023 January.
This man called Obaseki is a fraud. What's the news about College of Agriculture, Iguerieki? I guess it is now history; and now has successfully shut down, College of Education, Igueben, the only meaningful institution in Igueben that was helping the town socio-economic life. Obaseki closed that institution not minding who loses. The students whom he kept at home for years before deciding finally on the closure, the prospective students. I heard he had transferred some of the workers to the ministry of Education meaning that no vacancy at that ministry now and in the nearest future and the job opportunities College of Education was creating is no more.
It is enough to wonder if this Godwin Obaseki has human feelings. He doesn't care a single bit, just too intoxicated by the power of a governor forgetting that power is transient. I know he played the game so shamelessly to make it look as if it was the Ambrose Alli University management that increased the university school fees- tuitions, collections of certificates, statement of result, transcript and also concessional fee and acceptance fee outrageously to over two hundred thousand naira for tuition only, but we are not foolish, Ambrose Alli University is a state institution which means the Edo State Government of Godwin Obaseki is very much involved in these significant decisions of the university, whatever might be the reason, it will forever not be justifying because the poor has more to lose and the rich a lot more to gain. Does Obaseki realized the damage his is doing to this great state. Does he ever thinks of all those students he makes miserable when he recklessly denied them tertiary education by an alarming fees? Does Obaseki considers the destinies he controls and frustrate to die by his power intoxicating policies? Does he ever realized the danger he is putting himself and his family? Chief Obafemi Awolowo had once said that, “The children of the poor you failed to train will never let your children have peace”.
If he actually passed through University of Ibadan as he claimed, his school fees were never increased one day. To even think that university established by a governor- Professor Ambrose Alli, with the intention to have the citizens- both poor and the rich have access to it, is now gradually growing out of the reach of the poor majority is terrible.
Since Obaseki became governor believe it or not, he has displayed excessively that he is a sworn enemy to the educational system, with College of Agriculture now near history, Edo state library almost in full transit to become a commercial hub for private businesses, College of Education Igueben now a shadow upon itself and now Ambrose Alli University on the brink of running into shambles; it is all crystal clear that in the same way Obaseki cared less about the security of the Edo people as he seems blind and deaf to the havoc of bandits, cultists and other crime perpetrators in the state, he is too in the same line of action, to education.
Edo University is more or less a private university because of the policies and outrageous tuition fees. It is either Obaseki is planning to shut down Ambrose Alli University as he has done to colleges of Education and Agriculture and State library or he is planning to privatize it. I want to draw Obaseki's attention to a fact that he would be remembered for this evil eternally if he refuses to repent. You must know that contrary to the notion of politicians especially in modern Nigeria, university education is for all and sundry and therefore must be made affordable to everyone. If you and your politicians friends believe thus so in that erroneous assertion that university education is not for the poor, how come you all whom we knew as not just poor but wretched had assess to university education? Such some of you are Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, Mallam El'Rufai, Senator God'swill Akpabio and many more. Is it that you all forget your history once you smell power? Or you all are what in Italy is called cafone. Just peasants who had risen to great riches and great fame and try to make themselves members of the nobility. They do everything right. They learn nobility manners, they improve their speeches and dress like angels. But no matter how beautiful they dress, no matter how much care they take, no matter how much time they clean, there clings to their shoes one tiny piece of shit...