THE SHORT STORY WAS WRITTEN BY ME ABOUT MY SISTER (BOSE) IN 2005 WHEN SHE BROKE OUT FROM HOME.

THINGS I CAN REMINISCENCE ABOUT MY SISTER The year 1990, Nigeria during the military administration was filled with fraught antecedents. During this time the President General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida was the helmsman from the early 80’s and early 90’s. He was a con-man in his tyrannical dispensation; passing Governmental Policies. Thus the Military era was known for his dictatorship character especially to the democratic minded citizens. However, there was malfeasance and unbridle breach to human right, there was no respecter for fellow citizens in the country. The mentality they have is: “who his this bloody civilian, How dare you challenge me? “ The country was so enmeshed to a point that no man dear speak or write against the free-booter Government in power, they put the journalists and the press to their toes. The Pressmen and the media were so gaunt that many deft and finest journalist and Pressmen had to flee for their dear lives. Do you remember the sordid story of Dele Giwa? And the dauntless Wole Soyinka who almost lost his life to the Government at that era, the concept of armed robbery was newly born and erupting. The economy was dwindling while there was oil boom yet there was poverty in the land. What was in vogue was “Tintinnabulary” Telephone which was most found in the Government quarters in Lagos (i.e. as the then FCT). You also remember the desultory public statement David Mark made:”Telephone is not meant for the Poor; it is for the Rich”. The Military men were like Brawn gods to many Civilians. Then, it was rift for parents to send their sons to the Military so their sons can be in the affairs of the Government, it was as though the Military are the highest paid, most respected and most powerful men in the land. Since the civilians have lost their voice at that era, it was replaced with high lax spate of mundane hip-hop music that could corrupt the Young mind, it was as though there revolution in the air for change, Spearheaded by Fela’s Afrobeat genre of Music. Although, he sings against the Government in Power and yet he was beaten to stupor but never give up in the struggle in advocating for human right and abdicating justice in Government. I could remember the radio station shimmering different old songs on ray power. This particular day of the year which was not different from other days, there was slight woof of zephyr caressing the brown skin of those at Dolphin Estate. My young mind was still childish. In the year 1990, November on the 11th day, the news reached us that mother has given birth and some friends and relatives came over to congratulate her successful delivery. The people of the state were preparing their way to the Christmas eve. As usual the orthodox churches and the new generation churches were organizing Christmas carol concert and other blitheful merry events coming up at this time at very young age was becoming aware of some foreign obscene music. Modernity was beginning to creep into people’s mind. And people are now working hard to get more money and there were blatant misappropriation of Money in the Government in the full oil boom and all vices that one could think of was beginning to be the order of the day. The naira began to depreciate because of the international relations; it was not at par with dollars again. All of a sudden the rain started to cascade and it stopped abruptly. Father with Mother was carrying the baby tenderly, neighbours coming in dotting numbers sauntered in to block 22 block 1 to greet and pray for the new baby girl: “eku ewu omo o”. while the Father respond by saying: “ e se ma… e se sir….e se gan ni”. Thus the brothers seye and I were gleeful frolicking about mischievously. Ayo said: “…we now have sister”. Seye replied:” Yes” with a resorted childish nod. “ we’ll play with her when she grow…”. Some weeks after she was christened ABOSEDE YEMISI RICHARD with a baptismal name GETRUDE, she was cherubic pulchritudinous in nature. she was blemish to the extent that people started calling her Princess. Her immediate younger brother Seye was just a year older. Two months later she was already babbling! She was sharp than her pairs at one years old. She learnt how to stand upright and walk at a very early age. During her one year birth day she was adorned with clothing and style by putting a red spot on her forehead like and Indian and it was indeed apt for her as a child. They celebrated the birthday at her Grandma’s place. The party was known to be a big one for the neighbourhood children at that time, throughout the… (TO BE CONTINUED)

NIGERIA AT 52

Nigeria, a country not a nation as it claims to be celebrates her 52 years of independence from Britain who claims to be the nursing mother of this African country, ironically, a child given birth to since 1960 is expected to have grown up and successfully build a family, but it’s funny how our country is still struggling. It is not a new thing to know that on October 1st every year, Nigeria as a country celebrates her independence, this was a period recorded to be the time the “green white green” flag was raised. I sit wondering and pondering on the present state of my dear country and the journey so far, with great disenchantment and melancholy my mind bothers on what exactly we are celebrating. I believe this date should be tagged a day of sober reflection and an avenue for retreat of both leaders and followers, because I believe both the leaders and people are confused hiding under the shadow and pretense of a nation. With plethora of problems faced today in Nigeria, from the rise of militancy now at Boko Haram, from privatization to corruption, to underprivileged athletes who go around the world without winning any medals, privatization of the oil sector to increased price of fuel among many other issues, we can conclude that the country needs more than just what both the people and leaders are doing. I don’t mean to be cynical about this whole situation or talk about Nigeria, but I believe that if we get our priorities right, we can go beyond a fluctuating economic system, bad road network, corruptions both among government officials and in the academic environment. Nigeria they say is the ‘land of dreams’, but I ask myself, how could one possibly sleep in an atmosphere where explosion hits news headlines every week, or more so, how could I possibly sleep in a country where one sleeps with fear of increased fuel price or tuition fee for education. With a more sober reflection I weep for a country where the people do not govern in a democratic society rather a few people rule and dictate on what the future of Nigeria holds. Conclusively, I humbly sing again the tune of our heroes past ‘God bless Nigeria’.

Was the Nationwide Strike by NLC and TUC Called Off or Sold Out?RICHARD OLUSEYE

Pathetically and sadistically this is coming so soon, I long expect that all these ills will come long before now, maybe my thought was erroneous or their think is off beam. I slept, on my scrappy bed pondering about the drama my country Nigeria is acting for the past few days, I saw how Nigerians where being forced to pick several characterization on the scene in the name of fuel subsidy, some youths mention Arab Spring, while some argued that with will sooner than later occur in Nigeria, some other who are educated with foresight and vision beat their chest claiming that such will never happen in this multi-ethical country called Nigeria. People flagged the occupy Nigeria logo everywhere, in their cars, blackberry Display Picture, Face book Profile picture and wall photo and so on. The drama was as going on as if it were never gonna come to an end. Some Dedicated and fingered Nigerians where carried away, that they belief the time for revolution is here.
I was moved by the crowed that enthusiastically participated in the protest, from Lagos, Ibadan, Kaduna and others. I was poignant and filled with contempt when I noticed some people not coming out for the protest at the expense of other Nigerians who came out. I was wondering, are Nigerians not fighting for the same thing, and then I remembered, that I have not better understanding of what Nigerians are fighting for. So these set of questions began to rollercoaster right in my mind that I can’t still deduce the essence of the protest and nationwide strike. I wondered is it because of the removal of fuel subsidy or incompetence in government or corruption of our government and people that Nigerians are embarking the street amassed all in the name of protest. We have several civil societies coming up to address people and see reason why they should go on strike, it is pathetic that these civil societies successfully lure the market women and traders who manage themselves and family on the daily sales of goods and services, these people I belief depend so well on what they do on daily base to get money. I cannot forget a gentle man who approached me for money all in the name of treating his sick child who needed some drugs and I can’t shy away from the fact that my brother was also ill that my parent had to run hither scatter to get money to take him to the hospital that was billing over 70000naira, during strike! I cannot blame the hospital because I am sure they will have to pay their workers to fend for their families.
Far from this, many Nigerians had to sacrifice their time, job and listen to the appeal of NLC and TUC who jointly agreed that people should embark on strike, roads were scanty, protest ground were ample and people were dedicated, but many fail to understand what this was all about, many people were seen acting based on emotion and many see Nigerians to have woken up, even, international bodies were interested in seeing how everything ends.
As many people feel that the fight between NLC and the government is a fight against corruption many thought that the fight was for the government to reverse fuel price to its initial price. NLC reacted to the government not keeping to its word when government says that the removal of fuel subsidy will commence April. The NLC then said that government better reverse the fuel price to 65naira or nothing, it is however shocking that NLC is a victim of what it preaches against, NLC misled the people and lie to itself.
After long hours of meeting upon meeting that ends in a deadlock, NLC decides to call of the strike January 16, 2012, taking Nigerians for a fool and making many protesters look like a fools. Suffice to note that, many lives were lost in the protest; many citizens are in the hospital bed thanks to enforcing agents, like the Nigerian Police. It is pathetic also that what was brought to the round table by NLC to the government do not include ASSU strike and cut down of government allowance among many other things that the people of Nigeria demands from her government, rather, issue of fuel subsidy or no fuel subsidy was the issue of the day. I am lost to this kind of government and the various organizations that flaunt themselves as fighting for the people, as I have not trust whatsoever for these organization. Before the strike was called off, I had a report from an anonymous source that NLC has received a token from the government of the people to call off the strike, while others belief that the strike was a deliberate action to call for attention and all that, as we find many celebrities coming out to claim that they are against the decision of the government and for occupy Nigeria. Many folks claim they are ready for a revolution in Nigeria, but sadly, I see them not ready, because as we know the Arab spring people are drawing allusion to, was not triggered or done by any Union but rather by youths who feel they can die for a just cause for their country to “revolutionarize”. I have observed with great pain in my heart, that many Nigerians enjoy listing to sentimental words with baseless fact, they don’t only stop there, they allow their emotion to be the judge of their actions. I have watched with enormous lust, that the fight that we need is not against the government but we ourselves, for we make up the government and if we fail to be do away with corruption right from our intellectual capacity to monetary issues, Nigeria will continue to be where it is without growth in development and standard of living.
Let me say this in a conclusive note, that a fool at fifty is a fool forever, I belief Nigeria is old enough note to be fingered or intellectually masturbated. God bless Nigeria