Happy Women's Day

Photo credit: www.flickr.com
 



You can break down a real woman temporarily but a real woman will always pick up the pieces, rebuild herself and come back even stronger than ever. -Unknown

 

Happy women's day to all the wonderful women out there who have impacted into the life of someone to build their dream for their better today.

 

How can I ever forget my own special lady who crafted and molded my way to being a real woman.

Late Mrs. Eunice Towobola Banjo, she was my a beautiful, adorable, energetic, industrious and God fearing Ijebu woman. She was a grandma one will pay billion of dollar to have, I truly adore her especially now that I'm gaining from all the good things she taught me. Though, then I thought she was the most wicked grandmother in the whole world, some times I asked my cousins if she was truly my grandma.

 

She instilled discipline into me, whatever I am today was all her efforts and with  the help of God on her side. She single handedly trained me with some financial and moral supports from my biological parents. she was the parent I knew, because she adopted me at age one from my parent.

Grandma, may God always bless your soul.
 

"I knew my mother was a good person, a wonderful person, but I didn't know to what extent until people came to me and told me things from the heart." Velma  Evans

 

Giving - Quote of the day

"There must be a reason why some people can afford to live well. They must have worked for it. I only feel angry when I see waste. When I see people throwing away things that we could use." - Mother Teresa

I've always love to put smiles on the faces of  vulnerable people out there especially when they can't see me to tell me thank you for any of my little efforts. I like it better when God rewards me. (my little secret of happiness).

 

Giving in Africa was communal in the eras of our grandmothers and mothers but with civilization on our lapses now, every man is for himself and propably his immediate families.

 

We prefer to show our aggrandize by wastage, in any society where the poor and needy are not catered for, crime is usually the order of the day. I guess we all can testify to this in Nigeria.

Charity breeds goodwill

 

Charity and any act of giving (not bad gifts that can't be useful to the receivers) breed love and brotherhood. Gift most time is the real lubricant of friendship.

Rules of Giving



(Photo credit:sugarbeecrafts.com)
 

Remember that every action in life has rules governing it, so giving also has its own rule. According to sugarbeecrafts, above are five rules of giving. I truly love them.

 

Always remember that, giving will always be an old act but CAN NEVER BE OUT OF FASHION.

 

Till my next post, strech out your hands with a gift  of  love and hugs.

 





A Taste of Calabar

Book for the Month of February- A Taste of Calabar

February is synonymous to love and the say the best way to a man’s heart is his stomach.

I decided to study that act of cooking for two major reasons; one because I love to experiment with food especially food with colour. I guess that is the main reason that I love fruits and vegetables salads, they are my favourite on any buffet anyday-anytime.

Secondly, I want to cook at will; especially those soups that are typically not Yoruba’s- Edikang Ekong, Afang soup, Afia Efere and many wonderful delicacies from the southern and Niger Delta regions because I want to really give KK the very best of food.

This month I read a very small book of 80 incisive pages, which I will recommend to any woman who is very serious about improving her cooking skills because I’ve discovered from interactions with ladies that majority of them love to eat but they seriously detest cooking. Their reasons are not what I know but it might be the kind of business and professional lifestyle we live in this century where we compete with men on work fields.

I got this book on one of my trips to Cross Rivers at the culture in Calabar. Mrs. Arit Ana, the author of this book meticulously described Calabar in this book “A Taste of Calabar” may be that we give you the reason why the name CALABAR is always associated with good cooking and sumptuous meals. 

This poem was worded by Justice Otoo, it’s on page 5 of this book and it goes thus:

Calabar ooo

Calabar ooo

Calabar ooo Calabar ooo

Nyedung do mfin (I will live there today)

Ufan (my friend) canan, canan

Calabar ooo

 Nyedung do mfin (I will live there today)

My Dress is drenched in dribble

My own dribble obviously because I am

Not carrying a baby

I feel so glad to be alive as I drift in a

Trance through thousand streets

Of smell so sweet 

My eyes feast on grandma’s cooking pot

THIS IS CALABAR!!!

No wonder I have no control over my

Test buds

With this type of poem, one will definitely feel hunger without seeing food anywhere near.
 

She took us through the Nigeria’s food history, the basic staple foods of different geographical regions, food habits of different tribes, their eating patterns, also delved into small history of Calabar and the Efiks (the indigenes of Calabar) culture and food habits.

The food conversion measurement techniques in British methods and American methods were also not left out. 

On page 11 She said “Efik believe in two proverbs- That it is what a sick person like to eat that he/she will go the other world with and secondly, The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”

The book didn’t just analysis local soups but also picked menus from other regions, snacks preparation were also explained in it. 

Name of local ingredients were given with their local names so one will not have problems of not getting the ingredients from the market women, clean picture of some of the prepared meals are also presented.

My most loved in the book is on page 48 where she described the preparation of Ekpang Nkukwo, this is a menu similar to Ikokore the native food of the Ijebus. I’ve prepared the meal and it turned out nice and I love it.

I know my friends abroad who love Nigerians meals or those who married to Nigerians will find a helping hand in Mrs. Ana food compilation in The Taste of Calabar.

As you get the book, please try some of the menu in it and all I can say from this end is Bonne Appétit.

Denrele Edun Pays Tribute To Goldie Harvey

 

Just as Oluwabimpe Susan Harvey aka Goldie is laid to rest today, her bestie, Channel O VJ, Denrele Edun paid his last emotional laden tribute.

The tribute below:

My super star friend sways away and I stand watching till she fades on the horizon and someone at my side says “she’s gone”…Gone where?.

Gone from my sight, that is all. She is just as gorgeous now as when last I saw her.

Her slightly disappearing figure and total loss from my sight is in me, not in her.

And just at that moment, when someone at my side says she’s gone, there are others who are watching her coming over their horizon and other voices take up a glad shout – There she comes! That is what dying id – An horizon and just the limit of our sight.

My lifeline, my lexicon, Therapist and support system. We have known lots of pleasure, at times endured ppai, we have lived in the sunshine and walked in the rain.

I had acute malaria (was shaking terribly) but performed “skibobo” with you at the Industry Night and Loud&Proud show, I sprained my ankle but still shot your three videos in a row in S/A.

I left my family house and moved in with you and your family right after all the Big Brother Africa madness, I did all the damage control.

I fought every organizer simply cos I wanted you on the bill with me and split my show earnings with you, I dragged you to the American Embassy even if it meant I had to get up at 4am.’

I endured negative criticism because shallow minds couldn’t comprehend your brand essence – I started wearing block heels (you got me the most fabulous pair of Jeffrey Campbells) and I damned the consequences.

I recorded the reality show “Tru Friendship” with you because you went on and on about it and I wanted to please you.

I have been your fierce-alter ego in all your videos, I have fought your fights, endured countless eccentric P.As with you. I can go on and on and this is how you leave me? You chose an eternal sleep over a fabulous life with me?

Lest I forget, I ate the entire box of birthday chocolates Bola sent to you.

Phew, I can’t type anymore, I’m playing “Good To Me” (always disturbed you to release that song) and my notepad is a misty mess of my never ending tears. So sad when people who give you the best memories, become a memory!

The Goldie I knew, despite your success and worldwide recognition, still wondered, “Am I good enough?” “Am I pretty enough?” “Will they like me?” It was this burden that made you great…And that made you stumble in the end.

Goldie if you can hear me now, you weren’t just good enough – You were abso-frigging-lutely GREAT! You sang the whole damn song without a band- you made the picture of a showbiz star look so perfect!

Your parting has left a void, but I will fit it with remembered joy. A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss and oh yes, these things I too will miss.

Even though we are separated and for a time apart, I am not alone cos you’re forever in my heart. I will move mountains to continue your legacy, I will crash ceilings to spread your good works, I will break barriers to sell your “market” but above all, I will cherish the awesome times we spent together. You will forever be my source of infinity!

We wore the same shoe size and had the same body proportions. You made me start strutting lashes and recall I wore that black dress of yours you never got to wear? No masterpiece can ever match your face! To everyone reading this piece, let my dear friend rest in peace! Speak no evil about her, she was too good to be true!

I can hear you say to me…Mbirikoko, do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there, I do not sleep, Do not stand at my grave and cry. I am not there, I did not die!

Rest in peace Goldie!

Rotary International is Good at 108

 Rotary International celebrated its One Hundred and Eight years of excellent service to humanity on February 23, 2013. It was founded by by Paul P. Harris with his three other friends namely Gustavus Loehr, Silvester Schiele  and  Hiram Shorey. They started their first fellowship in Rotary Club of Chicago, which was formed on 23 February 1905.

 

Today, Rotary International has about 1.2 million Rotarians in over 32,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries in six continents.

 

 

 

 

As a young undergraduate of Ogun State University now Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago-Iwoye and with freedom on lapse I saw different organisations on campus but remembering the stern warnings from my parents on not to associate myself with bad group, I was not just interested in joining any club or society not even the Muslim Students Society then.

But on one faithful evening in 1997 after our lectures, my friend Yetunde, a statistics student invited me to her club for a fellowship as they described their meetings, she specifically told me I will love the group. I reluctantly followed her and to my surprise I met some of the Efikos and the bookworms as we called them (The brilliant students)  in my department there as club members including other students from other departments and faculties like medical science, Agricultural science and Law.

 

This got me interested and I wanted to find out what this club was all about, I later found out the name of the the club was Rotaract club of Ogun state State University district 9110, this was my first encounter with Rotary International.

 

International Mother Language Day

"Learning in a language students can understand isvital for them to enjoy the right to quality education" -UNESCO.

"Oruko mi Banjo Omolaraeni, mogbadun lati ma so asayan ede Yoruba ni ibi kibi ati ni igbakugba"-My name is Banjo Omolaraeni, I love to speak Yoruba Language every time and everywhere.

 

If I express my thoughts in Yoruba just like I've done above in my secondary school, I wonder how much money Mr. Olatunde, my English teacher would have fined me for speaking in vernacular. But thank God, I'm out of his classroom and not anywhere near his cane and his punishments.

 

I join millions of natives everywhere around the world to speak their mothers' language today as we mark the International Mother Language Day which was proclaimed by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in November 1999.

 

 

It's not uncommon nowaday to see young parents who do not speak their mother langauges to their children due to their civilization claims, this is very sad because if a race looses its language, the tendencies of such race going into extinction is very high.

 

According to Bashoru Dele Momodu the best language in can ever pray is in Yoruba language.

 

So my Hausa, Ndigbo, Ishekiri, Ijaw, Kanuri, Tiv, Urhorobo, Bini brothers and sisters and all other tribes in Nigeria,  let's switch our English langauge  today for our beautiful mothers' langauges.

 

Happy Mother Language day.

 

O dabo, O digba Kanna!

Rest in peace Goldie

Goldie Susan Harvey is dead.

For more than 3 hours after getting the flash on blackberry instant messenger asking me if it's true that Goldie is dead.

I told myself that it can't be the Nigerian Goldie because I was following the events at the Grammy and you represented Naija very well, that was how glamorous you were.

Even up to the moment that I'm writing this, I can't still get my mind together that you are no longer going to be on the music stage.

I pray that the Lord give your family the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss, I also mourn with Mr. Kenny Ogbunge the CEO of Kennis Music, the entire Nigeria music industry, Prezzo and your fans throughout the world.

Rest in peace Oluwabimpe Susan Harvey aka GOLDIE.

Book of the Month

 - 15 Minute Home and Family Organizer

by Emilie Barnes

The first time I saw this book, I thought it's one of the books in the market that give vague and unrealistic approach to family management but having had it for over two years now and having read it for more than six times from back to back, I know better that it's a survival kit for today's wives.
 

I gave Tunde (my bookman) the condition of reading at least three chapters of the book before paying, I guess he knew what treasure was in it because he gladly gave his nod without hesitation for me to read the whole chapters even before paying. I'm sure you want to know the outcome, I paid for my own and also bought two copies for my sisters.

Emilie Barnes carefully organized this book in such a way that it can be taken in one on one topic basis without going through the entire book. For my Christian friends, I'm sure she had you all in mind when she was planning this book because each chapter of the book starts with a Biblical quotation which explains each topic to be discussed.

The Daughter of a Driver

 

Each time I walk past through a particular street in Ikeja, I can't just but thank my father from the very depth of my heart for the sacrifice he made for my siblings and I so that we could get the best of education. This is always the feeling every time I'm on this street because sometimes tears of joy roll freely from my eyes.

 

Maybe that is why I love the hit track titled "the son of a kapenta by Brymo", the Nigeria's newest hip-hop sensation. He carefully painted the picture of what an average person who has risen from lowest ladder of the society to at least an average level of the social ladder, feel like.

 

I'm proud to tell chauffeurs that I'm a daughter of a driver. If I'm privilege to be chauffer driven, I'm quick to tell them that I'm from their constituency and this makes me have soft spots for drivers especially the honest and hard working ones. This always makes us bond immediately.

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

 

January is earmarked as cervical cancer awareness month.

 

 I’m feeling very bad that I’m just talking about this almost at the end of January. I must apologies to my women folks and the wonderful men who truly care about their mothers, sisters, wives, girlfriends and female colleagues and friends. As you all know that the beginning of the year is usually very tight, my schedule is very busy now that’s why I have very little time for posting on the blog.

 

I guest is good to be late than never, I promise to fully resume back soon.

 

Cervical cancer is the genital cancer that kills at least one woman in every one hour especially in Sub-Saharan Africa including Nigeria. It is also the second commonest cancer after breast cancer affecting women in Nigeria. It is preventable and could be managed if detected very early.

 

Cervical cancer is said to occur in midlife however it does occur even in women below 20 years of age, some older women do not seem to realize that they are susceptible to developing the cancer as they age.

Medical expert noted that at least 70 per cent of cervical cancer is caused by a virus known as the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and mostly contacted through sexual intercourse, women who are sexually active are vulnerable to the HPV infection.

 

Aside HPV other factors that may increase chances of contracting cervical cancer are smoking, having HIV and using birth control pills for a long time or having given birth to three or more children. (African men I hope you are reading this), starting sex at an early age, having many sex partners and sex partners also having many multiple sex partners.

Quote of the Week!

"Poverty is not an accident but man-made like slavery and apartheid" -Nelson Mandela

 

As Madiba has said, we caused poverty by our attitudes but the good thing is that we can break its long chain.

So friends, wherever you are you can help an orphan, a widow, the homeless , the  senior citizen uncared for or that poor brilliant little boy/girl in your neigbourhood. You can get a child back to school, you could volunteer to do free coaching for those who can't afford a class.

You can share your used textbook or story books with those who are willing to read but that can afford a book. Education and knowledge break the rope of poverty.

This is not about giving money because a helping hand to pull someone up from going down could save them from poverty.

A genuine smile to that loneliness child could save his/her life.

Go out and make a different because it could change a generation.

Believe me, we can collectively conquer POVERTY by caring for those who need it and don't have those to care for them .

Bon weekend, a la prochaine!

 

Year 2012 in Retrospect

How far did I go?

Last year was fantastic but it also has many challenges however I will give it a pass mark.

Some of the thing I touched and I’m extremely happy to share with you are:

· -I knew God better, the relationship with Him is not what any money can buy. I pray I know Him better, serve Him more, do His will more and I pray His mercy endureth forever more in my life

· -The Connectivity with my family was like never before, Mama et Papa, MJ, TY, Fourpointer, GBoy. Mama and Papa, you are simply irreplaceable. You all rock my world!

· -Improved at work, the level at which my boss recommended me for leadership position was simply amazing.

· -I got to know more on legal proceeding and legal terms. It was incredible and I'm beginning to love it. Maybe someday I might buckle up for a law degree.

Happpppy New Year!

 

Year 2012 has come and gone, it has is up and down, low and high moments.

 

This is a brand new year, nothing and I mean nothing will stop me from achieving my goals. All I pray to God for is good health and His mercy.

 

New year resolutions for me is just another phrase which a lot of poeple have misused over time maybe that's the reason I wouldn't use it as a benchmark for my new year goal setting or I just don't want to be cuaght in it world web.

 

One thing that I know that I need to seriously work on this year is my habit of late coming for functions and activities, I'm very sure Ola and Oyeronke are praying about this unbecoming attitude of mine. I'm very tired of running helther skelther to events and now that Okada is a no go area in Lagos it has been pretty difficult "by force by fire change is inevetable".

 

Merry Christmas

I can't thank God enough for seeing another Christmas, it's a rear privilege “if one can look back since January” - all the blessings from Him. It has been terrific moments.

To all my friends who have made this year 2012 a race worth running , kindly accept a token of my love and kisses.

This moment is special to me because it’s a time to be with your love ones, friends and plenty of chicken and rice to eat and share.

For all my friends whom cold and ice is like your second skin at this joyous season, I hope you're not missing home too much? Remember you're always in our thoughts we love you always especially Omotola, TY, Gboy and Abby my love.

 I wish you all my beautiful friends around the world merry Christmas. To all my acquaintances and my unknowns friends who have been visiting this page since inception I wish you all Merrier Christmas and I hope we’ll do it together next year God’s willing.

 

Kk, thank you for making this year love filled 'cos without you it could have been really really boring, I truly love you.

 

Je vous aime!

I'm thankful!

“A true friend is someone who reaches for your hand and touches your heart.” –Unknown

My family, friends and colleagues showed this yesterday (oh it was my birthday, I’m sure you remember I told you that I love November dearly) by their numerous messages and best wishes that they all sent to me from far and near, special songs birthday songs especially the one from Pupa Orits Williki, cakes, lunch orders, my picture display on the timelines and blackberries’ DPs, the gifts especially the chocolates and the cake.

 I love that cake, thank you Darling I TRULY LOVE YOU.

This means so much to me.

What more can I say that I’m humbled by all your love towards me and I mean this “I love all from the very depth of my heart”.

  

To the generous minds the heaviest debt is that of gratitude, when it is not in our power to repay it.”- Benjamin Franklin

I can’t ask for a better family, friends and colleagues from God than these beautiful people He has already given and surrounded me with. Baba God you are simply too much, I’m thankful for this!

I hope I will (Retaliate) soonest!

Kisses.

Quote of the Week!

 "Resentment is like drinking poison and hope it will kill your enemies."      Nelson Mandela

At one time or the other of our lives we've had issues with people or better still they've also had problems with us and we resented them with every energy in us. I know how painful it could be to be badly hurt by the ones you truly love.

 

It doesn’t matter who was wrong or right or who caused the issues. People, I think in the spirit of the season we are about to enter let’s get out there to make up with the people who we’ve resented in this past few months of the year.

If we don’t stop the fights now, so when do we come back to fight another day.

The beauty of friendship sometime is found in the small fights we usually have with our friends especially when will settle our differences over lunch or dinner quaffing coffee or tea.

For me it is TJ and Bicci, my gals where are thou please let meet at our usual amala junction? I love you both and I can wait to hear your baby voices when Bicci is playing the smart one over our Ogunfe meat.

Bisous.

A Night with the Jailer

I have listened to Asa’s music “Jailer” many times, each time I listened to it I get goose pimples all over my body but I have never been anywhere near jail but the way she intelligently painted the picture and analyzed the relationship between a Jailer and a Prisoner will make you realize that the relationship between the two is most times not convivial. 

Reading Nelson Mandela autobiography “Long Road to Freedom” also gave me a clearer understanding that Jailers anywhere and everywhere are almost the same especially when the SYSTEM is fighting you or vice a visa. Their psychology approach towards prisoners is the same and this treatment transcends culture, colour and languages.

Jailers sometimes lose their civility and most times throw away all their profession ethics, they forget that first and foremost the prisoners are also human beings. I’m sure you are wondering “wetin concern agbero with overload- what concerns her with jail matter”. The late Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), late Fela Anikulapo Kuti and most of the activists jailed during the Abacha’s era all saw the very bad side of these errand men whom Fela (Baba 70) referred to as Zombies because even when they know the truth and their conscience is not settle about the treatments they melted on the prisoners they can’t definitely go against their bosses who most time dictate the tunes of their operandi from their Palais de chef.

 

I love my job with every blood in my system, meeting the stars which people pay a lot of money to watch.  My job has given me the opportunity to see them not only as stars but to see them at the early stage of their career, trust me this is a fantastic feeling.

Zombies at work

 

On Tuesday, September18, 2012 at about 11.00am eight men including a camera man, a middle aged woman and 15 fully armed police officers stormed our office located at No. 6, Olaribiro Street, off Allen Avenue, Lagos; ignoring our security personnel, they walked directly to the reception area. In a stern voice, a man who I later learnt is Mathew Ojo and leader of the team, demanded to see Mr. Mayo Ayilaran, our Chief Executive Officer/Director General.

When I informed him that he was yet to resume for the day, he asked who was next in hierarchy. Sensing that something must be amiss, I asked him what I could do to help. It was at this point that he flashed his identification card of Nigerian Copyright Commission, NCC, adding for effect that they were in the office to see our top executives.

How much are you worths?

In marketing up till today I still marvel on how the marketing grandmasters come to conclusion on what a premium or low end brands should be and how they also managed to place values on such products.

Another one that always dazzles me is how God Almighty made such a fantastic decision on making most things like the air we breathe that should ordinarily cost us zillions of dollars and made them absolutely free for humanity. He made sure that valuable resources are not just where they will be seeing and touched just by anybody. 

If you want diamond or petrol for instance you just don’t dig the ground as if you want ordinary water from borehole or well which you can get in some area with about 900meters below the sea level.

For you to get these valuables which are placed within the premium products by God and men, you have to use high end technologies and machines to drill most times 5000 meters below the sea level and they must also be refined with high technological processes. 

The high premium brands can not be found ordinary street shops but in high end and sophisticated classy stores for the few people who put so much attention on details who can afford the premium brands created by God and reshaped by man.

I Love the Eleventh Month

 

Happy New Month friends.

 

November is the eleventh month of the year and I love this special month.

 

This month is so special to me because I was born on the eleventh month of the year, my special baby brother was also born in November;  it is also the thankgiving month in some country; this special month is always a reminder that the year is rolling to an end and viola, christmas is around the corner.

Holiday is always on my mind from November, so let's meet on the west coast in December.

 

November is all I know, and all I ever wanna know.  To all the November babies out there I wish you all happy birthday in advance.

Je vous aime!