Lagos Traffic, Hustle, etc; Some of You May want to Chew me Up for This.

Some words you hear and they just slip out of your recollection. Others you hear and they become a ‘jam’ stuck on replay. I’ve had quite a few jams so far, but one which has been most resounding for about 2 weeks now is the statement made by a bus conductor. 

As talkatively annoying as the man was, I couldn’t help but mull over those few words. On that day, we had been stuck in traffic for over an hour on the Island. All the while, this conductor kept throwing in one joke after another. Most of the time, us passengers just hissed; the combination of hot weather and crazy traffic was not conducive for mirth or humor at all. 

So when he said “All of you for inside this Lagos, make una no born pikin o!”, there were a few more hisses. He still continued: 

Who knew I would one day be called Cougar! *wink*

When Korede Bello first hooked us (it's not just me, yea?) with his irresistible voice and wink, I knew him only as the new kid on the block. By far, I ain't no fanatic of music or any art generally, but Korede got me. I av a LOT of fleeting crushes! Virtually every new kid on the block who gets me with his song becomes my newest crush, until they prove to be only a one-hit wonder. That's it. I move on to the next crush who can manage to impress me with good music.

The Abnormal Normality; A Case for Unity in Diversity

I saw something again.

Walking from Anthony bus stop to work has become- to some extent- routine. So when I see something or someone who spices it up, I classify that as news (you don’t have to agree). Walking towards the pedestrian bridge, I saw this dude on the bridge, biking. It was the first time I’d come across such a sight (I can just hear some of you going “Seriously! Are you a JJC in Lagos?” I agree, I’m not the most exposed person you’ve ever met) so I couldn’t help looking. A few people on the bridge stopped to glance. Me? I looked o! Well, not in an obvious “oh-my-gosh” way; I took in all the details in that ingenious manner us ladies check out a fine ‘bobo’ for the first time.

The Little Drops: Tips on Battling Low-Self Esteem

It’s funny, no, amazing how little drops of water make a mighty ocean. When experts make a lot of noise about low self-esteem; when people assess the enormous damage that low self-esteem has been responsible for, I can’t help but think “How far along has that been?”

You see, self-esteem is actually never part of a person’s makeup at birth (at least that’s what I think). We pick it up along the way, most times unconsciously though. “Little” words, actions, experiences could send the signal “you’re not enough” to a person’s mind.

I’ll like to share something I came across here. It mirrored my situation and helped me put things in better perspective:

A lil Something Straight From My Heart

Source: samuelojo.com

The man who said “Change is the only constant thing in life , couldn’t have captured the truth more aptly!

I look back at the little-more-than two decades I’ve spent on earth and I think to myself “change is indeed constant”. I think of all the phases I’ve been through- the first 9 years of childhood innocence and bliss, before that life was tainted by ugliness in the home; the violence, the fear…

Is Fear To Be Feared?

This is basically an account of something I witnessed on my way home. Initially I was pissed off at the seat I was able to secure on the bus. It was one of those 18-seater buses where everyone is squeezed together like bread and akara, and God help you if, of all the four passengers on your seat, you’re the only slim-fitted person. Fortunately, this was not my case, but I wasn’t totally comfortable all the same. 

I had to sit on the last row (a major disadvantage when the time came to alight at my stop) and the vehicle was missing one window. So my seat was quite exposed. That meant I was quite exposed! When you’re in traffic at Mile 12, you want to use your phone and you have your bag with you, that situation is NOT cool! It wouldn’t take the dumbest thief anything to snatch my bag.

How Far, Nigeria; Issues in the Nigerian Society

I saw something again today. I’m beginning to think I deserve a tag- Legend of the Seer, maybe? Or what do y’all think? We’ll leave that for now. Let’s get back to what I saw today. A little background info first: I serve my nation at a TV station in town and I wouldn’t say NYSC has been boring for me. I work as a reporter so I get to go places and see faces.

Back to the main thing: I was just returning from another day out in the city of Ibadan, looking for news to report; little did I know that I would find news right at the entrance gate to our office.