2010 Countdown!

In a matter of hours, 2009 will be over.

As an individual, some of my dreams became reality and I realized that dreams indeed come true. At the beginning of the year, things were a little bit bleak but somehow from the middle of the year, it started brightening up. All in all,it has been a year of sacrifice for my family, my 'baby' and myself.

2010 comes knocking on our doors without knowing what to offer us but I hope it is full of surprises for me, my family, my 'baby'(we could be taking that bold step in 2010 ...?) and all bloggers that have visited my blog at one time or the other.

I hope to do more blogging in 2010, joint posts with other bloggers if possible(this could be an open invitation) probably because I still relish the one I did with Naijalines sometime in 2008.I also hope to do more post on my sojourn in the land where almost all their food is tasteless!

No comments on the Nigerian suicide-bomber but I wish he could have given me the opportunity he had in terms of education since he knew all along he was going to waste it!

Here's wishing us all a 2010 full of laughter,joy,peace,blessings and everything good from above!

This post is dedicated to GOD- who made 2009 a year that I would always remember!

.... Bad PARTY!

Last night, I thought I was going to have fun at a so called party but I ended up regretting my decision to go in the first place.The club was nice but the music blaring from the speakers was just weird!I had to leave early after being continuosly hugged about five times by a guy my instincts were telling was 'g.....'.

As a JJC, my first problem was the venue.I actually didn't know the venue was somewhere I knew very well but I ended up taking a cab which was driven by an Indian man who cursed throughout the journey.I had a feeling the 'yeye' Indian man swindled me with the fare he collected but thanks to him, (we) would have been totally lost.

(We)- happens to be myself and my annoying friend.She was very annoying all through the night.As a typical naija girl, she was overdressed for the night and I also felt the dress she was putting on was not her size because she kept pulling the dress down.I had to ask her if the dress was actually her size.I was also pissed with the fact that she felt all the bills were supposed to be footed by me.I don't run away from the typical African mentality but she knows we are both students and it isn't as if I store up money in my house.I have just come to the conclusion that all WOMEN are SELFISH!

NB:I hope this post gives me the needed inspiration to start work again on my school assignments!

This 'oyinbo' people sef!

Each day I spend here,I thank God for making me an African and a Nigerian for that matter.Why?You may ask.There are several reasons in the last few months that have made me come to this conclusion.We may not have the right leaders and several other factors but I have also come to realise that the 'oyinbo' people have uncountable issues that they hide or we fail to see probably because of their good leadership or accountable leadership.On my way to London last weekend,we somehow got talking about Nigeria vis-a-vis the National Assembly(NA) and one of us came to the conclusion that if the British MPs are taken to the NA for four years,they will probably steal more money than their Nigerian counterparts because the money to launder is readily available.Food for thought?

Tiger Woods seem to be in deep 'sh**t' right now.My own concern is 'wetin concern public' in the fact that he has not been faithful to his wife.I strongly believe he should be left alone to sort out his own issues but guess that's the price 'oyinbo' people pay for being stars.I just wonder what it would have looked like if Tiger Woods were to be a Nigerian celebrity and this happened?I trust Nigerians,we would definitely be minding our business and not hoping that he would come out in public to address a press conference because he cheated on his wife.

In Nigeria,you meet elderly people on your way and you greet them but here you greet 'oyinbo' and they don't have the decency to respond or acknowledge your gesture of respect.I'm learning my lessons fast o!I don't greet again!This country is just weird!

I'm proud to be a Nigerian no matter how long I stay in this country!

Life in the .......

The last two months have been so hectic coping with school work and the British weather which they say will still get worse.I'm beginning to realise that the 'oyinbo' people prevent the cold by smoking and '.........' although a lot of people won't and don't agree with me on this assumption.

What have I been up to?

I have met different people and characters!Sadly, one of these characters is a fellow Nigerian who is a 'waffi'(warri man) to the core.The sad part of getting to know this 'waffi' man is that it seems he's back or planning to go back to Nigeria because he can't afford the exorbitant school fees.He really made me laugh so much during the first few weeks of lectures because he was always complaining he couldn't understand what the 'oyinbos' were saying during lectures.One great lesson I learnt from my 'waffi' friend is that one has to get the facts about what travelling abroad entails before one jumps into it.

I have also been a radio DJ/presenter on my school's radio station.I present a show called the 'African show' where I try as much as possible to showcase the 'hip' side of the African continent.It's been great fun and stressful that I had to initiate a co-presenter.The interesting part of it is that my show has been put in the schedule of the school's 'One World Week' activity and a lot of people have been seeing my name and calling to ....... (we all know Naija people now).Seems I'm getting popular o but I'm trying as much as possible to hide the face from the name.If my MAMA know say I dey do DJ for here,na stick she go take chase me go Naija back(just joking).

Still got loads of assignments to submit in January and I don't even know where to start from but God dey sha!I miss home no be small and it's so crazy here without the one you love especially when I'm inside the bus and unlucky to sit behind two lovers who kiss throughout till I get off the bus.'loml',if you ever get to read this,I will kiss you on the bus,at the bus stop and in public places where we dared not kiss in Naija,as soon as you set foot on British soil!

The JOURNEY so far .........

On the 10th of September, 2009, I embarked on a journey that would definitely be shaping my life and what the 'musco' entity stands for.I touched down at about 6.45pm at the famous Heathrow airport on the afore-mentioned date.By all standards,it was an okay flight but I spent the larger part of the flight trying to psyche myself up for the challenges ahead.At the point of entry(POE),I already had enough gist of the place in my entire head.There were a lot of conflicting stories about the different strategies the UK Border Agency employs to prevent people from entering the UK.It was a smooth entry for me and I realised it's always better to do things one's way when there are various conflicting stories.I learnt a big lessson here.

My postgraduate studies started fully a week later and it actually dawned on me that Nigeria has the human resources that could compete with anybody in the world but we just don't have the right structures in place to also be among the best in the world.The first week I spent in class was full of calls from my parents and sister who wanted to find out if I understood what the 'oyinbo' people were saying in class(U can just imagine what they took me for?).The calls from them really helped in those days because I missed home terribly!The 'loml' didn't help matters because I was told she cried non-stop for about four days after I left.

I'm settling down fast now and don't look like a JJC anymore though I have not been exploring the city I'm staying to the fullest.Right now,things seem to be moving real fast as per school work and assignments.There are times I wonder how I'm going to be coping with all these but I strongly believe everything is going to be fine.

............ who says it's only rich people's kids that school abroad?

A brand NEW ......

In a matter of weeks, I begin a brand new sojourn into the white man's land.

Right now,it's with mixed feelings probably because a part of me is excited,a part of me is going to miss 'HER' so much,a part of me has never been in a plane before(bush boy abi?),a part of me tells me there will be so much to blog about and a lot more.

Let's leave it here for now,there's so much to be done in the next few weeks!

..................will be back!

An Open Letter to Naijalines

Dear NAIJALINES,

I just want you to know that I miss visiting your blog.I also want you to know that when you made that decision to quit blogging it was as if my heart was broken once again('blog-broken' this time).

I still read our joint post and all the mails we exchanged to perfect that particular joint post.

We were total strangers but you were the first blogger to make me realise the positive effect of blogging.

I still remember back in those days when I just couldn't resist visiting your blog in a day but it seems that's all history now.

If you ever get to read this, I would 'visit Aso Rock' to have you back on blogville!

D-R-E-A-M-S-?

I had dreams

felt the dreams would come through soon

I had hopes

hope, that things would work out soon

I had fears

fears, I thought would go away

... enough!

I'm not going to freak out until things get better because I know there's a plan and purpose for everything!

9 WRITERS, 4 CITIES : THE BOOK TOUR

Few days back, I got a mail from a certain blogger who counted my blog worthy in terms of wanting me to help publicise this event.I think it's all about promoting the reading culture in Nigerians(my own definition).If you re in any of the towns/cities-Benin, Ibadan, Lagos and Warri feel free to enjoy the best of contemporary Nigerian authors.Participating writers include Odia Ofiemun and Toni Kan(used to read his stuff in Hints magazine back in the days), Jumoke Verissimo and others.It starts on the 2nd of May-6th June, 2009.

Feel free to call 07061141232, or e-mail auggustmedia@gmail.com for more details.

Strange!

Something strange seems to be happenning in blogville!

I just couldn't help but notice that certain bloggers have used different words to let us know they are going to quit blogging.The most painful part of this strange thing is that people I look up to in bloggville are the ones quitting.The most annoying(so sorry I have to use this word) part of it again is that these bloggers would somehow quit and after a few weeks or months,they will be back.I understand how it feels when we all get tired to crack our brains to put up a very good post but as a blogger, there's always something to write.

I almost got caught up with the quitting bug too but I have come to realise that there's this inner feeling that makes blogging a crucial part of developing my writing skills(that's if I have any).

If you are thinking of quitting,think about bloggers that take out time to visit your blog and make comments!

There's so much joy in blogging!

A day in UNILAG

Sometime this week,I found myself in Unilag where I would say millions(not an exaggeration) of young graduates all over Nigeria gathered together to write a recruitment test into one of the banks in Nigeria.I was impressed with the organisation of the test but I just kept wondering why they had invited so many of us when we all know that only a few people were going to be eventually picked or get to work with them especially those that have the right connections.It's all about having the right 'connections' in Nigeria now.

Anyway, after the test,I decided to take time off to check out Unilag.I ended up not going anywhere else than their SUB.I was a little bit disappointed because there was nothing spectacular about the school.Maybe I was disappointed because of the 'hype' that we all know Unilag has come to be asssociated with.To me,there wasn't enough space for a school enviroment and most of the guys seem to be girl-freaks.Their food at the SUB was okay but a bit expensive.I didn't really see anybody 'forming' with their food.All the people I saw ate their food like normal students.

The icing on the cake for me at Unilag was meeting a particular blogger.We had been exchanging messages about meeting on wednesday when 'yeye' Aloofaa put up one post that almost made me change my mind.The blogger is cute and we actually spent some time talking even though I spent half of the time trying to relate the blogger with the writings on the blogger's blog.I'm really beginning to enjoy what blogville has to offer.I'm not a fan of being anonymous!

Hey,saw 'exschoolnerd' too.I didn't allow her to see me o but I was watching her 'nerd' moves.She ...(actually promised her I wouldn't tell).I probably wasn't prepared to meet two bloggers in a single day even though I met her at the SBR.I wonder what I would have done if I had seen 'charizard' in his new 'club boy' aura.

I think I should dedicate this post to the cute blogger I met in Unilag.Why not?

...,this is for you!

Reflections

My unemployment status is beginning to make me act weird.If not so,why would I be reflecting on 2008 now when everybody has forgotten about it.

What was 2008 like for me? ...

You see why I think I have started acting weird?I can't finish this post ....

Maybe I need help!

Can This Be Real?

At first, it seemed like a joke when a friend of mine (female) came to meet me and told me she wanted HER to marry her brother who is in the United States. The guy in question was actually looking for a wife and had told his family members to scout for one for him. I thought it was a joke until I started seeing the moves the female friend of mine was making to woo HER for her brother. The various activities and stress of our service year obviously didn’t give my female friend enough time and oppourtunity to continue her quest.

HER-She is beautiful, smart, endowed, natural and a kind of girl you would want to spend time with (I maximized that privilege whenever we visited ‘our’ amala joint to eat every Wednesday). I remember how we became friends. The first few times we talked, HER was very rude. Later we became good friends (probably because she couldn’t resist the musco charm-I’m sure HER will crucify me for this!).

HER seems to be in some kind of confusion right now.

She met this guy on Facebook. She thought it was a joke but it seems (seems?) to be very real now. I never really believed in cyber love but from what HER has told me so far, this guy wants to marry her. He works in one of the multinational companies in Nigeria and he is going to be out of the country for the next six years. As at yesterday, he gave HER an ultimatum till the first week of February to make up her so that he can tell his parents to start making the necessary arrangements. HER seems to be very lucky but she already has a steady relationship.

HER seems to be very confused. She needs all the blogville advice she can get!