MEMOIRS IN THE OFFICE

Silence

2009-12-15T10:25:00.001+01:00

I've tried for 6 months and counting
and yet I only end up ranting
The words, can't find ,at least not in English
Latin I could try but not to speak gibberish
I sleep and wake and find no help
My heart bursting open to try once more
and say those things it tried to say before

Then I heard the sound of no sound
The quietness that says so much with words unspoken
Pretty intense, cannot be ignored
I heard , all so clearly
and found my response in same silence
that is accompanied by fast heartbeats

The world around seemed non-existent
Like every clock was stopped
To witness this silent communication
The words weren't there but we could feel
Our hearts beating, same cycle, same rhythm
I'm still searching for those words
the exact ones to express
what you mean to me

Then and Now!!!

2009-12-15T10:23:00.000+01:00

One step closer to the letterbox
My heart beat was in leaps and jumps
How many would I see?
those pretty envelopes addressed to me
My legs were too slow I thought
I smiled as my hands touched the knob

My smiles gave way to a frown
as I opened and saw nothing, felt nothing
What is happening to my world I thought?
And just as the first tear dropped
I looked behind me, straight at a billboard
That i'ld never noticed in ages
Go for a Blackberry , say bye to letters
My world had swallowed me up
but the world had left me behind

To and from

2009-12-15T09:04:00.003+01:00

She tried so hard but could not
let go of her heart and mind
it felt like hell, but then was it?
It was tugged and pulled from her
by who you wonder, love it was
that snatched her heart and confined her mind
to that place where no reason exists

Reason came back and so did her mind
Her heart on her way back form the destination called love
Rough and tough along the way
She refused to give up, come what may
Still feels like hell, but then is it?
running, tripping and sweating it all
from the place where no reason exists

ASARO

2009-08-19T17:47:00.004+01:00

The dreams kept me going
The image kept me wanting
I couldn't think of nothing else
My mind , 100% occupied
He got jealous, yes jealous
'Cos I was cheating on him as far as he could see
Couldn't hear his words no more
My mind was fixed, I wasn't going to falter
I moved, closer and closer
I sweated on both hands and feet
My eyes transfixed, my heart missing beats
He was angry but I was out of reach
Moving away from him once more
And causing him pain once again
Would I miss him, didn't want to think
Not that it mattered at this point in time
My moment of bliss, that moment
When my lips touched and my tongue rolled
the moment I ate Mrs Dabiri's ASARO

Where did it start from?

2009-08-13T13:54:00.002+01:00

Who was the First Nigerian President? When did Nigeria gain Independence? When did Nigeria become a republic? The above are typical questions for a Nigeria history exam. All the facts and figures must be right at your finger tips to make close to a pass mark. I watch in amusement how much and how well our youngsters cram these facts to pass their exams. Unfortunately, there is no lesson learnt and no value passed to these kids.

When Russians learn of their communist history and when Black Americans sit down to watch the tear-provoking episodes of Roots. As the name, 'Kunta kinte' sounds like the wake up crow of a red horned cock, the black American little boy remembers that he came on a ship to the melting pot of the world but he also knows , quite evidently by the recent US election that black or white, all men have rights . He resolves to tread those places that no black man has reached. It's the history that produced Colin Powell, Jesse Jackson and even Barack Obama. Those kids are filled with resolve to make their country better, to become better heroes than the ones they have read and heard so much about. Benjamin Franklin, Martin Luther King Jnr, Abraham Lincoln, Alexander the Great, and the endless list of those that make us marvel with awe.

What do we pass to our kids in a history class asides those details that can be summarized in a 40 leave booklet sold on the streets of Lagos? Those books are typically called' Current affairs in Nigeria' or better still, 'Passing your history exam in flying colours' . As parents buy that almost perfect collation of facts, for the simple purpose of passing a paper. As primary school pupils recite the states and capitals of Nigeria without flinching, and as I struggle to learn the new ministerial list that changes like card shuffle. As I Google the list of state governors just to appear to be slightly smarter than my colleagues. I wonder, so hard that I get wrinkles on my face, what history we have about our rulers in this country asides the creation of new local government councils, creation of new parastatals, impeachment of state governors, election malpractice, court injunctions, and even assassination in some cases. I weep because the colorful part of our history ended with independence and the God- given advocates that made October 1, 1960 worth remembering. And please don't take that for granted. It takes skill, patience, knowledge and maybe anointing to negotiate the future of a whole nation with the most powerful lady in the world at that time. I wish I had videos of those sessions, those patriots that put the nation above themselves. I would show my kids with pride what some Nigerians like Obafemi Awolowo and Nnamdi Azikwe did on behalf of Nigeria.

But then again, that is where Nigeria history ends as far as I'm concerned. I imagine if I were to write Nigeria's Obituary

NIGERIA

Born 1960, Great potential nation

1960-2008 (nothing positive to report)

2009 (rebranding exercise)

Died…………

And just as I write, I see a news flash,' Controller-General of Nigeria Customs service may emerge today.' And another one, 'First Nigerian-made armored car being launched by president'. I can almost predict the next, 'Press conference by some state governor' or 'President travels to Australia to visit the Minister of Power and exchange ideas'. How much worse could it get? Why should it be news that Lecturers are being paid their salaries or that roads are being repaired. What then is the Nigeria's definition of normal events? What exactly is the job description of a NIGERIAN President or governor? Who do they report to? Do they get performance reviews? Am I asking too many questions?

Where did this all start? It's easy to blame individuals and add a corrupt tag to most if not all of our leaders but I refuse to do that. Leaders are born out of society and not the other way round. I laugh endlessly at people that say,' when they get into power , they change'. Change to what exactly? Our leaders are simply a reflection of the greater part of our society. We might argue that they weren't elected, they rigged the election. Trust me, rigging is not a one-man campaign. You, yes, you the ordinary man down the street that feels so upright and just cannot be absolved of blame. We, everyone that calls himself/herself Nigerian is to blame for everything that has gone wrong. And just before you frown your face as the pangs of guilt flow straight from this piece to the depth of your heart. Let's go back to those corrupt and dark moments that your children saw. The times you bribed the PHCN officials, the times you bribed for your children to gain admission into an educational institution. Yes, that moment when you threw the pure water sachet out of the car unto the road. The moment when little Dammy said, 'Daddy, why are you beating the traffic light?' You all remember those moments. That is where it all started from. The corruption, the lack of respect for law and authority did not start with policemen demanding bribes on the street, but started when you parked wrongly along the road. Generation, after generation, we multiplied the sin, the hatred, the corruption and here we are in 2009.

Light Up Nigeria

2009-07-22T15:28:00.001+01:00

And darkness covered the whole earth
Or so it seemed to my finite mind
I could see nothing and hear nothing
but the sound of crickets and frogs
What happened? Are the gods angry?
Is battle coming? Are we ready for a fight?

I slowly searched through my diary
Yes, the diary lodged in my mind
We kept the New year festival
and we observed the usual annual fast
What could we have done wrong, I pondered?
Shall I visit the shrine to find out
Or shall I call for a meeting of the elders
I searched the chronicles and recited them
all to my unlistening audience
trying to fathom the infinite darkness
Said my prayers, did they work?
Not soon enough if they did
I started to hear footsteps
but still I had no answers
The morning came slowly or so it seemed
At last I released a statement
"All women and children should be home before nightfall"
At least, I felt in control

Tis wasn't a solar eclipse
was the beginning of a degradation
of an institution and a nation
The lights out became more regular than not
At last we were back to candles and lanterns
Heaven to hell, or so it seemed
Will things get better, I dared to hope
But as I told this story on my dying bed
I gave a charge to those little kids
Change does not come until you dare
to challenge the status quo
At this point , I left a dying wish
#lightupnigeria

Re: A Nation’s Identity Crisis

2009-06-22T11:24:00.001+01:00

Identity crisis- a disorientation concerning one's sense of self, values, and role in society, often of acute onset and related to a particular and significant event in one's life.

Stedman’s Medical Dictionary 28th Edition, Copyright© 2006_Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

I read Reuben Abati’s article, titled A Nation's Identity Crisis and I tried very hard to get the point. I cannot disrespect Flora Shaw, any less the name ‘Nigeria’ but I find it difficult to diagnose ‘identity crisis’ by the factors mentioned by Reuben. Based on Reuben’s diagnosis, the USSR had an identity crisis in 1991, hence the name Russia. The Ghanaian Cedi had an identity crisis hence its redenomination. So also, Persia, Rhodesia, Abyssia, East Pakistan, Gold Coast and Upper Volta. Now we must be living in a pathetic world, even worse now with the global recession. Probably the United Kingdom might become ‘Greater United Kingdom’ by the time the world economy picks up again. I can almost hear Reuben saying, ‘Identity Crisis’.

The article did make me think. Yes, I wondered if the out-going old generation has the discipline or the patience to write complete sentences or think through a subject to its logical end. And if they do, how much virtue is there in keeping this ‘good’ to themselves and to the grave. Where did the younger ones go wrong? Was it in trying to improve what they met or living the life that they met. Can I blame my five year old neighbor for not knowing what a pedestrian crossing is when there are none on the roads or would I rather blame the town planners for not enforcing some certain road signs? No, I would rather blame the painter for not sparing some excess white paint for the ‘Pedestrian Crossing’ noble cause. Think about it.

The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of music vary according to culture and social context. Social environment is the culture that he or she was educated and/or lives in, and the people and institutions with whom the person interacts. With the world being a global village, the environment is infinitely extensive. For instance, if you consider the evolution of Mambo, salsa and any of the Cuban dances, you would realize how much external influence defined those dances today. This might be because I’m not the Chief Editor of Guardian newspapers, but I would rather dance away my frustrations than write them.

I can do anything

2009-04-26T14:54:00.001+01:00

It's up to me, solely to me

to make sure things are right with me

As a man thinketh, so is he

the things he is are just a sea

Of all his mind has lodged within

2009-03-27T21:08:00.000+01:00

It's been so long and if feels like yesterday
I could only be silent until today
Still remember the laughter and joy you spread
Just anytime and to everyone you met
I can't forget the prayers you prayed
On every thing and for everyone even unmet
It's still this hard to let you go
even at four years running I shed more tears
Still wish it didn't happen that way, that time and to you
I wish I had one more chance to tell you how much you blessed my life

From the lecture hall

2008-12-01T10:17:00.005+01:00

Why aren't we allowed to make choices
Why can't we make decisions
Why most one be somewhere
not for pleasure or leisure
But to be assumed as present
For a course not well understood
Except that you will be tested
On what you're assumed to have learnt
Even though it might just be a transfer
Of words to brain and brain to paper
and it's called writing a test
It's driving me crazy and it should stop
Lest I begin to bend the rules
Afterall, they are meant to be bent
By not you, not me, but someone
Who doesn't see reason for the obsession
to be in class and sit in front
Pretending to concentrate even while not
He goes on and on and stops
a few minutes after he ought to have gone
He dictates his note
that barely makes sense
Makes waste of paper a norm
every Mon and Tue
Believes he's imparting knowledge
to who I wonder, probably the seats
Has a Master's he can't defend
or probably mine he came to lend
Thity-five minutes gone
Thirty-five more to go
Of more boredom and annoyance
Must be deceived that he has a skill or gift, I'ld say a curse
Of pretending to teach when he's not
Takes a break to explain
Or sorry, to repeat
what made no sense before
like repetition helps to build snese
Even a scrap car is made of scrap
My point, you know is simple
Sense is made of sense
Repeating nonsense gives repeated nonsense
Must feel he works for his pay
Not knowing he's a beneficiary of a charity
Or what would you call pay
for merely showing up in a classroom for the required duration
and holding a marker, writing on the board
Raising his voice so everyone knows he's around
And making it sound like he knows all
It would be too harsh to say he doesn't make sense
Afterall he probably makes sense to his little world
Consisting of his mouth and his ears
A congregation of three - big enough
to give approval to what he says
His personality- oh no
a far cry from what is called normal
Could be a special breed of humans; a mutation of genes maybe
Having resigned to his fate as a teacher
that teaches nothing and learns nothing
gets fascinated by everything strange
to his little world of three inhabitants
would probably still be here in ten years
Teaching a couple of desks and chairs
With a less than fortunate audience
Watching his mouth move and waiting
keenly for the clock hands to move

Thought I'd finished, but I haven't
Event still unfold in Economics class
I have just realised how interesting
it is to have some form of power
He particularly enjoys
displaying the extent of his power
though it's not beyond the walls of a classroom
Such limits, I'ld say are sad
I mean for all the shouting and squealing
the walls are still the limit
for him not me in case you're mistaken
He illustrates by
bolting the door so no one leaves
He has to enjoy these two hours you know
Power for two hours is better than none at all
By the way, he has no manners
Cannot afford a 'sorry' when needed
Thinks he can captivate audience by cajoling and claiming to have prayed 'some prayers' for us
Spends about twenty minutes telling us off
and wishing he were not our lecturer
Preaching, teaching and screaming cooperation
like that means looking straight into his eyes
Pretends not to be complexed
Gets worked up when we ignore him
Feels like both a Christian and moralist
like a principled branch of a tree

Charlie's Angels

2008-11-14T17:23:00.001+01:00

The Charlie's Angels are not letting any opportunity slip.

Why on earth did you wake up this morning?

2008-11-05T13:25:00.004+01:00

Hi All!!

Hopefully the election fever is over and all the racism talk
I've got lots of disapproval because of my last post
Is it because my racism is toward the wrong sect?
Or because the word in itself brings up lots of memoirs
In any case, I'll let sleeping dogs lie

It's a different subject for this afternoon
No hatred, no hard feelings

In summary, it's just one question?
Why did you get out of bed this morning?
To face the problems or laugh at life?
To moan and cry or to sing for joy?
To plan and pray or regret away?
To work to live or live to work?
Think about this

Concession Speeches

2008-11-05T09:49:00.001+01:00

Concession Speech

Concession Speech - 2001

Obama in 'The Office'

2008-11-05T08:40:00.003+01:00

A Black racist against blacks
How does that sound?
Does that have any substance or meaning?
I'll try to put my point across again
I'm black but I don't like blacks
My worst experiences have been caused by blacks
The worst comments I have heard are from blacks
The nastiest arrogance has been from blacks
The worst backstabbing has been from blacks
Do you now wonder why I hate blacks?
A black will kill you before a white would
Do I need more reasons than these?
I might not love Mc Cain but I can't like Obama
It's simple, in two words- He's Black

Talking about "The Office"
What does American politics have to do with it?
Everyone around is for Obama, just because he's black?
When none of them can be trusted with confidential info
When I see Obama, I try to imagine one of my office mates as president
Hmmmmmmn. That is too far-fetched, i try to imagine any one of them as Geomarket Manager
Or even team-leaders in the very least.
What a hell this place would be!!!

The Evil One!!!!

2008-11-04T14:40:00.000+01:00

I must warn you in advance , this is not so civil
I'm trying to describe someone .....and I'm awfully nice
In summary i'll call him a cock without feathers
A purposeless occupant of space
designed just to get in the way of everything good
Would have called him a devil but that would be a praise
Cos even a devil just knows how to be evil
Don't say i'm un- nice, still looking for
Just the right adjective and I'll give a full -stop
He goes round in circles to avoid taking decisions
Would I call it a phobia, or just irresponsibility
And then he struggles to make sure you're unhappy
Just to feel like he's in control
Of course of things that don't matter
If I were God, thank God I'm not
He would be taken away in a flood

Cinema Hall?

2008-11-04T11:52:00.000+01:00

I haven't been to a movie in a while
But i see one everytime I'm at work
I'm not a movie star as you may think
Neither do I live in Hollywood as it may seem
But all the Characters for a movie are right here
Working , talking and acting it all
There is no script, that's the difference
Except the one in the unwritten hands of time

It's 12 noon and time it is
For the next soap to begin

And 5 pm and time it is
For the present soap to end

Monday to Friday, movies I see
Thought I had none for the weekend till my office I see
At weekend, yes
Working , talking and acting it all
Like it was a Monday or a Friday to be
Or time for another soap to begin

White and Blue

2008-11-04T11:32:00.000+01:00

Pieces of a jigsaw
Easy to figure out
When they are five to ten
But when in hundreds
You'll need nothing but a shrink
to think or rather to know
exactly what the game is about
Ona and One, not always two
In anywhere painted white and blue
Almost like a big game of chess
With three kings, ten queens
And a million and one puns
Each move deadly and the effect
Like the last guy in a domino stand

Starting Up!!

2008-11-04T11:20:00.000+01:00

Before you start wondering what office, why the office and what could have happened. Could you kindly permit the boring topic,'starting up'. I'm starting a blog for reasons not clear to me right now. I think part of me wants to expel some of the office gossip from my system. Perhaps I'm trying to brush up my writing skills as an aspiring newspaper editor. And could I forget? I needed to find a means to say all the words that come to me when some people talk to me'In the office' without being accused of insurbodination. Yeah! that looks like the reason. I apologise because I'm about to divulge lots of 'Office Secrets'. If you have lots of secrets like me and you belong to ' The Office', please get scared!!