Sunday, 2 January 2011

My (belated) NewYear's Resolution...one shouldn't rush into these things lightly.


Exercise more – I am told that the thing in the corner of my bedroom on which I casually hang my clothes actually serves another function. According to the manual that was recently thrust under my nose, again, if one were to climb on to this contraption, place ones feet on the pedal looking things one would actually burn calories and fat and one would be considered to be doing aerobic exercise. Oh yes, one must not forget to actually push down on the pedal things and pull on the aforementioned coat hangers. One will give this a try. Tomorrow. If any damage was to occur to one please remember to tell the coroner Iyawo made me do it.

Eat healthier – It has been brought to my attention that there are some foods that are naturally green and are good for you. As a typical Yoruba man I am of the opinion that if it is green and comes out of the ground then it needs to be fried in some kind of saturated fat to make it edible. Or even better yet Palm oil. Iyawo, in alliance with that yeye Dr of ours, now informs me that it is possible to eat and digest these substances naturally and wituout support from amala,eba and other nutritious starches. I had always assumed that was the difference between animals, like goats and horses, and humans. It now transpires that I must now share the same dining table or stable with them.

Oh and now they are trying to convince me that plantain is not a vegetable!! Is is not green when it first comes from the market before I lovingly wrap it in that blanket and put it under the sink until I can smell its wonderfully putrid odour signaling that it is now ripe for dropping with care into boiling red oil? The debate over this one is still ongoing and in the meantime I will continue to imbibe freely.

Finally, they casually mention that it is possible to drink water that has not been diluted, coloured, or carbonated in some way. Yes it might be possible but whats the point? Needless to say I have had to succumb to pressure and confirm that I will be taking one glass of this substance, orally, at least once a day if not more. Said dosage not to be preceeded by alcohol, ribena, juices or other sugary liquids of any kind.!!

Relax – It is fair to say that my idea of relaxing is my BB in one hand and ipad in the other whilst watching a film and maybe listening to some music in the background. Besides proving to Iyawo that men can truly multitask I have now been advised by that yeye Dr again that relaxing means letting go of all my gadgets, locking myself in a dark room and taking it EASY. I have promised to look up that term in the dictionary as soon as they give me my ipad back. And the good Dr is prepared to pay off my mortgage and marry off my three daughters. To Northern politicians of course.I am sure that would relax me extremely.

Be happier – I have had to put my foot down on this unless a compromise can be reached on the first three items mentioned above. If one can;t fry ones plantain in palm oil where does happiness come into the picture? In parallel Iyawo has also refused to budge on the Halle Berry issue so this one will be quite a struggle. I mean is it any wonder the poor girl has to throw herself at all these Hollywood losers when Iyawo will not release me from my vows just for one week? Its obvious, to me, what she really needs in her life is an IT consultant. A digital soulmate.

Be more giving – I have thought long and hard about this. Now those that know me will say aha you are already too generous and are already making so many sacrifices but I feel I must do more. After a lot of internet research, of course, to find the right cause and outlet for my gift I have decided to focus on mentoring those girls that apply to Playboy magazine to be playmates of the month, or year, but for some reason never quite make it. Imagine the devastation of being rejected because these are too big or that is too wide, or for the unfortunate tattoo that says Crack bitch or Lammar's Ho on ones inner thigh.

To this end I propose to offer them some comfort and solace and a shoulder to cry on. It is only right and fair to give these needy souls something to hold on to as we enter this new year. Yes it means more sacrifice on my part but surely this is what giving is all about? I have raised this again with Iyawo this year, being the fifth year in a row, and this time I am feeling very optimistic that she will finally say yes. She said earlier today that I would be hearing from her lawyers soon and that there would be fireworks this evening. This time insde the house. Wow. I can't wait.

In the meantime, HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all.

Monday, 20 December 2010

Sun worshipper


I awake to find you
Creeping up my toes
Like a lover with desire
I yawn and stretch
And spread myself carelessly
Enjoying your embrace
The morning air, already warm
Fans my face softly and gently
I turn to face you
To give my full attention
I have to cover my eyes
Blinded by your brilliance.


I take a stroll to the water’s edge
Disrobe with a shrug
And slip into the calming waves
They lap at me like last nights dreams
I open my arms wide
I soak in the sensation
Of a million magic fingers
Sparkling with your light
Warmed by your heat
Reaching to my core
I float, float, float away.


I throw myself onto golden sands
Watch water beads evaporate
Steam rising off my skin
As you caress me with your rays
You, and your accomplice, the wind
Playfully soothing me into a gentle daze
Lulling me into a light slumber
I wake to find you disappearing
Over the horizon from whence you came
But I know it will not be long
Before you appear again
Creeping up my toes
Like an old lover
With Desire.

Thursday, 28 October 2010

You think you 've had love.......



You think you’ve had love
But you ain’t seen nothing yet
I got more love
Than I know what to do with
And all I yearn for
Is to give it to you
My heart’s desire
My secret longing
My hidden passion

You think you’ve had love
But you ain’t seen nothing yet
I got more love
Where that came from
I was raised in love
By love and for love
Soaked in its powers
Dazzled by its beauty
This is what I have t give

You think you’ve had love
But you ain’t seen nothing yet
I got the kind of love
That can make you go crazy
Make you go dizzy
Set you a- floating
Toes all a tingling
Make you go ahhh

You think you've had love
But you aint seen nothing yet
My love will hit you
With the force of a hurricane
Electrify like a lighning strike
Pour down like a thunderstorm
Shake hard like an earthquake
Heat up like the burining sun
I'll be your natural phenomenon

You think you’ve had love
But you ain’t seen nothing yet
I got the kind of love
That goes beyond Christmas
Welcomes in the new year
Slides straight past Easter
Still with you in summer
October, November, December

If you’d just give me a chance?

Friday, 1 October 2010

Independence Day


Don't you know they're talking about a celebration now
Sounds like a whisper
Don't you know they're talking about an election now
Sounds like a whisper

While we queue in our petrol lines
In an oil producing country
While we pray for electricity
And clean water just to soothe our brow
While we scramble for the scraps
That fall off the tables of the mighty

Don't you know they say we are 50 years old now
So why are we still crawling?
Don't you know they're talking about an election now
When we already know the winner

While we die on our potholed roads
Or murdered by our so called protectors
While outdated diseases find new lives
And our children lack for education 
While our hospitals are bereft of care
And our security is not guaranteed 

Don't you know they're talking about a celebration now
Sounds like an obscenity
Don't you know they're talking about an election now
Sounds like profanity

When are the good people going to rise up
And tell the truth
When are the good people going to rise up
And claim what's theirs

Saturday, 11 September 2010

What an outrage!!!!!



Like all good Muslims everywhere I am outraged by this man. Has he no sense of shame? No sense of decency? No sense of decorum? He has outraged the world. He has caused great consternation globally. The Internet is aflame with discussions and comments. The TV channels cannot get enough. The big question on everyone's mind is - will he or won't he? The whole world waits with baited breath to find out when he will shave off that ridiculous handlebar tache? This is 2010 for goodness sakes.

And as for burning the Koran? This is 2010 for goodness sake.

Thursday, 9 September 2010

In defence of the Nigerian Police Force


After listening to Iyawo's show this morning I felt it was time for one person to actually stand up and defend the much maligned NPF. Now to some this might be a sacrilege as the current perception of the said Force is of corrupt gun toting buffoons and hooligans. This is based on the fact that they are either putting on a ridiculous comedy act to acquire loose change from travellers at the nationwide "illegal" road blocks or they are resorting to more vigorous means in order to extort said loose change. This can sometime result in the untimely passing of an innocent member of the general public which is totally unacceptable.

However lets put things into perspective. Let's use another example of another group of public enemies - the 419ers,  Yahoo Yahoo boys or whatever other name they are called. There is a worldwide perception that "nigerians" are all involved in this trade. Therefore as long as you are a Nigerian you must be involved. In reality I doubt if out of the 140 million Nigerians today that there are up to 50000 Internet fraudsters. This is based on some loose facts. The reason I raise this is that for the same reason we cannot continue to brand the "whole of the NPF" as hooligans. There is perception and then there is reality and sometime the two do converse as seems to be the case here. 

True there is a hardcore element that has been allowed to get out of control basically because of weak leadership. Don't believe all that rubbish where the IGP says he has ordered his men to remove the roadblocks even as you are sitting in front of a roadblock. That is mere propoganda. No Policeman wakes up and goes to the station to report in and then disappears for the day with his rifle and four other similarly armed colleagues in a police vehicle without his stations manager's knowledge or approval. And the station manager's approval comes from the area manager who has the regional commander on his neck to provide a bag of N20 notes every day or else.

But even despite this is a clear majority of Policemen that have a pride in their uniform and their duty and go about it quietly and diligently. We never hear of these ones of course just as we never hear about the university students that only use their laptops for research and studies.

I do not hide the fact that I grew up in a Police family and I have seen both sides of the coin but it seems to me that we are getting to a tipping point where all Policemen are getting tarred with one brush. I know how it feels when I go abroad and the minute it is known I am Nigerian I can see the lightbulb flicker and the spotlight of 419 er pointing my way. It is not fair to me and it is not fair to them. 

I heard today that there had been another change of command. Good. For me the last IGP was extremely ineffective and did the view of the NPF no great favours by claiming he was not aware that Niyi Rubadu had been into the country for Gani's funeral despite the visit having made both TV and newspaper headlines. Hopefully the new one will instill a sense of pride, discipline and honour that has been slowly ebbing out of the force helped by unscrupulous leaders and politicians.

Long Live the NPF.

Saturday, 4 September 2010

On the radio.....



Catch me on the radio this Saturday 4th Oct. on the Smooth Book Review Show with Mandy Brown-Ojugbana reviewing two of my fave reads this year - "I do not come to you by chance" and "Harare North". The show is on at 10am on 98.1FM or you can catch it on the internet at http://www.smooth981.fm/ and click on the listen live button.


Let me have your feedback and if you have not read these books then you definitely should.