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Dad, Words alone cannot begin to put a frame on how I feel so I'm just going to pour it from the heart . This is nothing fancy, but it's a note of heartfelt gratitude . Dad, there is so much to say. Too many emotions to contain, but ultimately, I just wanna say thanks .  Anything less does not cut it and any more may distort the message. I never asked to be born but I've never had a single day when I regret being sired by you. You have been a pillar- my pillar . You've supported me from the ground up. Your encouragement has kept me motoring forward . Your sacrifices have made me who I am today. I know you've not been perfect- only a hypocrite claims perfection. I'm not going to dwell on your shortcomings for we have all fallen short. As much as you are not a hundred percent, there is no one I would love to be a son too. I think I should stop here. A long epistle will come another day. Trust your son on that. You've given me enough freedom to t...

5 WAYS TO REMAIN UNDEFEATED IN LIFE To defeat an enemy in battle, one has to understand the tactics the enemy employs, and then either make their tactics work against them or deploy your counter-attacking measures.  Life, just like war, is survival of the fittest, and you either devour or be devoured. In life, some people succeed and others do not. You have to be intentional about being undefeated.  Build yourself, and learn to absorb or even avoid life’s punches. Keep learning, unlearning, and relearning. Times change; find a way to adapt to stay on your feet. There are several tips you can employ to help you remain undefeated in life, the following are the top five from my perspective: NEVER GIVE UP It is inevitable to face challenges, and some will hit you harder than others. Every day has its challenges, and your attitude towards them will go a long way in determining your chances of either staying on your feet or falling flat on your face.  Just like in a...

LOOKING BACK, MOVING FORWARD: Using the Past to Mould the Future We are where we are because of the decisions and actions that were taken, with- and without our consent- a long time ago.  All that matters is that we make the most of the present by making the best decisions we can so we can secure the future we want. We come from a place of loneliness, where everyone is on their own. You've found a way to go and make things happen by yourself. There have been awfully sad days when you felt like giving up the ghost. No one understood what you were passing through. But you did. You pushed through, and now you're out of the dark. When you look back, all you see is hurt, loneliness, sadness, disappointment... And grace. The past should not deter you from progressing. It should help you understand why you are where you are, and then help to predict and shape the future. Moving forward, you should know that you are no longer alone. Past experiences may caution you against ...

#ENDSARS #endPoliceBrutality #endNegativityInNigeria Being a Nigerian citizen has for long been a curse on the individual. Being one only means you were born in a very, very unfortunate place. A country where you could get murdered in cold blood, and safe for your family and some close relatives, no one would bat an eye, except you are a part of a select few. When you get killed, there will only be uproar on social media for a couple of days and then you become one more dead person- just another one. Wherever there is a law, the lawmakers seem very eager to show how ‘powerful’ they are by trampling over everyone on their path to breaking said laws. The Special Anti-Robbery Squad, a unit in the Nigerian Police popularly known by their acronym SARS, has been carrying out special searches in peoples’ bags and have been able to so solve robberies only in laptops and smart phones.  They question individuals based on appearance and the prices of their gadgets. Just haras...

                                                                             Image : Africa Feeds It’s been two weeks since our transformer developed some issues, and charging our electronics during the day was a challenge as we could only turn on the generator in the evening. Ever since my dad opened my eyes to the demons behind gambling, I swore to quit, and I tried, as the years went by, falling and getting back up until I managed to kick out the habit. One day I went out of the house and decided to see what was happening in a betting shop close by, hoping I could get to charge my phone. I had wanted to see if people still got consumed by the power of gambling, or if things have changed over the past few years since I stopped going there. Not surprisingly, t...

               I rear lots of birds in my compound, and they lay with time. I also have a puppy in the same space. My dog is cool, playful, and loyal, but it steals any eggs it lays its eyes on. On several occasions I gave the dog severe beatings, only stopping when I felt it was getting too brutal and begin feeling remorseful. After the beating, it will still return, as said, to the proverbial vomit, in this case- the eggs. I had chained the puppy, beat it with a stick, slippers, and all sorts of weapons. If I had the stomach I would have killed the poor dog myself. Several weeks later another hen laid up to eight eggs, only for the eggs to start vanishing; three days and four eggs had gone missing. I immediately sought out the little brown puppy with it's a big head, I hit it so hard out of anger and resentment, it produced a sound I had never heard before I thought it was going to die. "Good. Since I cannot cut your throat, this wil...

Not long ago I was traveling back to Jos from my village and I bought dog meat to make the journey more enjoyable. Alongside myself in the vehicle was my dad, sister, and my grandma who is now frail with age. Do you know how they say red meat isn't healthy for the aged and people with some conditions? Well, dog meat is red meat, and my grandma had been cautioned against partaking in this glorious delight. I knew her teeth were too good for her age, for while her age mates have either lost theirs or can only dine on soft food, she didn't have that limitation. So when she first declined, I thought she just didn't like dog meat, but after some real persuasion to either eat or tell me why she wouldn't, she gave in and said it was doctor's orders.  My message to you is from my response to her: with a smile,  I said, "Let me eat all the meat I can while I'm still young." She smiled knowingly. TD Jakes said, "If you do not devour in the morni...