My thots........

I took a very deep breath and looked around at the faces of people in the train with me. Hmmm, everybody seems to be minding their own business. Young parents trying to control their overzealous kids, couples having a supposedly quite, romantic time in a PUBLIC train, argh.... others busy solving the same’o suduko puzzle. Me? I was busy minding my business NOT, which is how I saw all of these things I hardly pay attention to until now, but my naughty mind won’t let me rest, so many things ve been going on in there, I wish I could just take a fat, big mallam cane and threaten it to stop, but alas..... Summer’s almost over, the famous 4 months we all look forward to, the time to get rid of those scary winter jackets that makes us look like Eskimos, the time to shave our legs and put on those fabulous shorts and tanks and head for the beach, a period where the flowers bloom . Fall is knocking on the door, as i get ready for my last year at school as a graduate, 2 weeks more to becoming a year older, everybody says I’m getting old, no way, i don’t think so, i don’t wanna think so. What have I accomplished? I guess a presentable resume, LAFF was born, I turned a newer and better person, etc, well except the fact that i still didn’t add that weight i promised myself . I guess overall, it’s what been happy about rite? But something seems amiss. I don’t know what it is, i just can’t fathom it, but I kinda feel incomplete, empty, unaccomplished, maybe a lil sad.... Maybe it’s just the weather . Wishin everyone a great new month and a pleasant fall....xoxo

When LOVE means something else.....

Funny how I thought I had posted this topic b4, anyhoos, I was with some bunch of pre-teens, helping them learn one or two things about growing up wisely and making a positive difference in the society we live in and I innocently gave an example about how you tell your fellow friend that you love him/her and won’t let them act in a wrong way etc, and before I even finished, one of the boys, a cute 11 year old boy just cut me short. He said” Aunty please can you use a different word, that love sounds kinda creepy” and you could tell he was almost blushing and very uncomfortable. Jeeez, what’s wrong with the word love I asked sweetly? And he says its either gay or they are too young to use the word and more examples from the rest of the team. I was left astounded. I thought Love was suppose to be an intimate feeling between two people, where affection, joy, peace and pillow fights are acceptable, I thought love was an affection shared between parents and kids, friends and colleagues etc. Even the bible linked love to patience, kindness, understanding and the rest of them, in fact welcome your brother with a holy kiss (meaning love your neighbour as yourself) But his word struck a chord. Truly, what is love? Is it a word that sounds creepy, a verb or noun that is a password to get laid? What has become of love where relationships are now based on deceit, name calling and cheating? Is it love that makes a woman endure a marriage where she’s been physically and emotionally abused? Why is it so hard to teach our kids and siblings that it’s okay to use the word “I love you” indisputably? I want to have a home where my kids will not be shy or afraid to use the word LOVE, I want to teach my kids and nieces, nephews, cousins, god kids what it means to love and be loved-AGAPE to EROS guiding them every step of the way. I want to have a home where my husband and I will have fun playing xbox, wii especially the rockband, and pillow fighting and watch soccer together where Chelsea beats whichever team he’s a fan of and of course I won’t mind him stealing my beef when I’m cooking, lol. I want a home where my family and I would share the word of God in fun and exciting ways and above all where Love has come to stay. But what then is love? My friend would always say, xxx wake up from your dream and face reality there is no such thing as love. While I hope you guys share your thoughts with me, I’m gonna try and convince my lil pals that love is more yummy than creepy. xoxo.....

Triple 'A' Woman

For some reason, i just couldn’t bring myself to wake up early for church yesterdy. It wasn’t like i was lazy or anything, maybe sometimes sha, like 25% of the time, but i knew i should have cos i had to teach the kids at Sunday school but somehow somehow, i ended up not going, so i decided not to be a bad child completely and so i went online to see if i could watch one of the previous Joel Osteen ministration but funny how the live service just came on and i said, this is it, i’m going to be present via internet. I was a tiny little bit disappointed when Joel didn’t come out, cos i always looked forward to his jokes before preaching, but with a shrug, i settled in to listen to his sister minister and my life has never been the same, lol. True oh You know most time when you feel a little depressed about something or compare yourself to others and wished you were them. Wished you’ve got their looks, brains, money, job etc and look down on yourself rite since we humans are never content with what we have most times, I’m a big example, i had always dreamt of the day i’ll put on weight, it almost became an obsession even though people still tell me I look great the way I am, i always wanted to be that person getting better grades than I, I always wanted to be as fine as Hally Berry instead of being where God has put me and being who God has designed me to be. Lisa Cowes made me realize I’ve been insulting God all along by complaining and comparing instead of loving me for whom I am. The only time you shine the most and get people to turn as you pass is when you are content with who God has created you to be and have every reason to celebrate it (i’m not saying you shouldn’t strive to be the very best in all your endeavours though) As from now henceforth, I’m celebrating my figure 8 and loving my small body and loving everything for who God has created me to be. I am a triple ‘A’ woman. Appointed, Anointed and Approved. Ain’t gonna please no man, woman, professor, boss, . I am me, fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God and His likeness, I am the apple of His eyes, A city set on a hill that cannot be moved, greater is HE that is in me than he that is in the world. God has stamped me and you with the seal of everlasting approval, fear not guys esp if you have been feeling bad about yourself, your looks, your job, your grades, your finances....he has made you to be unique and uncommon and special. People will only make you feel bad because deep down in their heart, they wish they had what you have. LAFF is beginning to grow wings, i’m getting kinda nervous but the good news is that we are reaching out to our beloved in Bayelsa too, so xmas is just going to be the best this year by God’s grace.

XoXo.....

A big Vaccum

I beg to deviate a whole lot today, but I’m still in shock. It still feels like I’m watching a movie where we all know the major actor doesn’t die. Since a co-worker called me yesterday and told me she heard from someone, that heard from someone that M.J died, I’ve had goose bumps, at first I just figured TMZ has come again with their pranks and all or maybe someone just wanted to get into the spotlight for spreading such humongous rumour. I tuned in to CNN, it was the same story. Woaw, could M.J really be dead? Michael Jackson? The guy with the high jumper trousers and gloves? Don’t get me wrong, I know there’s no human above death, but i wish someone could just wake me up and say it’s a big joke. I know there are close people in our lives we had all wished at some point to see alive today, but I just couldn’t help but feel lost and wonder if that’s really all there is to life. I grew up loving Thriller and “Make the world a better place” and all those other songs that just steals the moment. Well, compared to other people that have long been dead, I guess he lived a good life. He made an impact, he gave a reason to dance and had his own share of wrong choices, wrong decisions, but today he is celebrated as an icon, a legend, a magical performer. My major worry now is for his kids. Who gets sole custody of them? How will they be brought up as normal citizens of the United States with paparazzi’s who will take up the unsolicited responsibility of snooping into their private lives and turning them into a public figure for good or bad at every given opportunity. I guess till then, I wish his family the fortitude to bear his loss and I only hope he got to make amends with God before he passed on. Thanks to everyone for stopping by on this blog and thanks for the e-mails and prayers for LAFF. I shall be back with more gist on LAFF. XoXo....

To have or Not to have?....

The issue of having house maids in Nigeria has become a very big one now. A lot of kids are recruited for this position and thus face a new turn in their lives. Many of them for the worst. As always we know there are two sides to a coin. When we spoke to majority of Nigerian so called “Oga/Madams”, they claim that many of their maids are thieves, rude and mean to their kids and they even go as far as saying they have evil spirit, that’s why they treat them the way they do, and when we spoke to the kids, their own story is just the opposite, lol. They said that their ”Oga/Madam” are the most evil of humans, they treat them shabbily, they hardly feed them or clothe them or send them to school as they promised their parents or agents. Most of them claim that it’s because of their evil acts, that make them steal from them and run away, or maltreat their kids. The girls say their “ogas” always promise them a better life that’s why they always agree to sleep with them (that’s for the once that are not forced to satisfy the men’s stupid sexual appetite). Looking at it from another chapter, Many homeless children and kids from very poor homes have gained positively in their new homes. My mom and I was talking some weeks back and she told me about a lady we always called Aunty xxx, who I actually thought was the man’s sister or cousin, although she was the only fair lady in the family and how she was brought from Calabar, Nigeria as a maid and the man and his wife gave her a Muslim name, sent her to a fashion designing school, bought the machine she was using to sew outside their house for her and treated her like she was family and still paid her for her services of taking care of the kids and the home. I was lost for words, I was shocked in a very good way. I was like for real? Aunty xxx? Woaw.... I guess this is what it should be right? Be a part of their success, make their dreams come through, like Aunty xxx (I even heard she’s married now and the man and his family were her sponsors) and not use them for odd jobs like hawking on the streets where they can get killed by reckless drivers or make them work like slaves all in the name of $5000 Naira ($40 dollars, i think) a month. My mom said there’s a popular market in Lagos, Nigeria called Sura market, where 90% of the women there are agents who organise all these kids as little as 10 years old as maids to people who need them. They tell their parents (biological or foster) that its better for their kids to be a maid than to live in such poverty and their share is 50% of the child’s earnings, where the rest of the 50% goes, i really want to know. I know the Child’s right act in Nigeria established in 2003, stated that no one should have a child as a maid, but an adult from the age of 21 who can make a decision on their own standing, but I was told not all states has accepted this act and the ones that have, are yet to practice it. I for one, will not even get a maid, because that would make me lazy and my kids will learn absolutely nothing about morals and domestic responsibilities and it’s also a risk when you get the older girls in the house with your hubby at home, god forbid bad thing, lol, lol. Anyhoos, what do you guys think about the whole maid issue, will you or will you rather not? And the child acts too? Our website is out oh, pls be a part of a big difference and be a member, visit us at www.laffglobal.webs.com we re still under construction sha, lol. XoXo....

thy childhood dayz

Gosh, I can’t believe working can be this tasking oh, I haven’t had time to blog or meet up with my awesome executives, now I’m starting to consider playing 647 maybe if I fast well well, I’ll just hit jackpot and quit my job and travel on a vacation to all the counties in the world starting from A to Z, actually, there is an exception, lol, u know where. Anyhoos, I just read this yahoo news about the old and most famous comic book we all read growing up: Archie and his confusion with betty and veronica, well I heard from the grapevine (yahoo news) that the storyline has actually come to an end oh and d bubo don choose finally, but they didn’t say who sha, but I’ll keep u posted on d remaining gist for dose of u that wants to know and I still have some copies of the comics, if you want to borrow, lol. Talking of Archie, this actually brought back memories of our good old days growing up in Naija with cartoons such as Super Ted, Voltron (my favourite), Turtle Ninja, Danger mouse, Biker mice on Cadbury breakfast TV with them family matters with my darling Steve and his glasses and to our own national programs like Samanja, New masquerade (my darling Jegede shokoya, awww, I miss him ehn), Second chance with madam Kofo and her igele, Jaguwa (my belly oh, my head oh, lol...RIP) etc....I can’t remember the rest now. So people lets share our childhood with one another, who remembers watching all this shows or who wants to add more to the list. Growing up was good sha, gosh I remember “Yemi my lover”, dat Yoruba movie, how I used to love it den, but looking back, did I really watch that film, menn, lol. Share your childhood programmes with the house and have a great weekend. NB: Donation boxes are going to be put out soon for used clothing’s, school supplies, toys and money(optional), so watch out at your neighbourhood for our boxes, and if you wanna be a part of our three day LAFF event in Dec, holla at me. XoXo......

Voices from the Street.

Yello ladies n gents, first n foremost, a big thanks to all those who sent me private emails with prayers n advise n encouragement, I really appreciate you.

This article was written by Christine Jaulmes about a wonderful woman who went to record the voices of street kids in lagos. Here's a copy of the gist, i hope you dont find it too boring, give your thots.

The UNICEF-supported Child-to-Child Network, a non-governmental organization, worked with Radio Nigeria to train children in radio production so they could tell their own stories. The resulting series, ‘Voices from the Street’, was broadcast to more than 60 million listeners.

Earning $5 to $6 a day as a bus conductor, Isaiah lives on the streets of Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital. Some of the children in the series tell of escapes from unhappy homes, while others recall travelling to the city in search of adventure. They end up selling water packaged in plastic bags or washing the windshields of vehicles in heavy traffic. Isaiah works as a ‘bus conductor’ – collecting fares from passengers who squeeze onto the yellow commercial buses of Lagos. He earns $5 to $6 a day. At the age of 10, Isaiah left his home in Ogun State. A friend, who turned out to be a child-labour recruiter, invited him to Lagos along with 11 other boys. “We left home without telling any of our parents,’ Isaiah says. Survival on the streets The recruiter paid the boys’ bus fare to Lagos. Then he took the boys to the city’s biggest market and motor park “to sell them,” according to Isaiah. “The more people he brings, the higher his ‘rank’ goes and the more money he gets paid,” Isaiah adds. “I was eventually sold to one man for a fee of 5,000 Naira [about $40]. The man took me to a place I do not know; my duty there was to be a housekeeper.” Isaiah decided to run away. He met up with other street children who showed him how to survive on his own. “I started to sleep under the bridge or inside any of the buses parked under the bridge,” he says. “If mosquitoes are too many, I sleep inside the boot of the vehicles.” ‘I am a big man now’