OLUWAJIMI . J . THORPE

Mama's call was all I needed to wake me up from my sea of reminiscence, stealthily I walked as my weary feet could carry me and in no distant time I was standing before what I will call "bundle of golden memories", I was dazed by the sight of him, we stared at each other for some seconds then he  roared " bia Chigozie, so you think because you have seen and eaten with oyibo, you have automatically became gold that everybody must come and seek ehh ogbehia" this words came with the same ever bright smile and jovial intonation, without bidding an eyelid I retort, " come ooo whatever you call yourself since when did sand become the mate of gold eeh this son of mazi Okonkwo ,I can see that the spirit of the  animals your father has hunted are already at work in you, better appeal to your chi to pardon you and no put the sins of your father on you" I said smiling. He looked at me with an eye of surprise "we shall see when the drummers roll out the...

Were he to be alive, Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola would have marked his 80th birthday this month . He was born on 24th August 1937. And without any doubt, he would have been a remarkable day in Lagos, for Abiola was indeed a man of the people. Yet, he is practically forgotten despite the fact that the democracy we currently enjoy can be credited to his sacrifices and that of a few others who challenged the military that had practically held the nation by the jugular. And he paid a very big price for that: He was incarcerated under a most dehumanizing condition, his wife, Kudirat was murdered, his businesses were ruined and eventually, he lost his life. What that compels is a reflection on the part of those who only remember Abiola on June 12, essentially for political reasons even when they do nothing to advance the cause for which he died. Granting holidays on June 12 every year in a section of the country when Abiola’s appeal was national, is cheap and meanin...

The cock has crowed thrice but my body was too weak to hearken to this nature's alarm,there I lay with my eye gazing at the rafia roof that serve as a cap to this mud hut. The morning air was fresh and the smell of bleating goat was not sufficient enough to becloud this freshness, "broda!! broad!!!" Little Ebube yelled as he pulled my arm with a consuming gaiety," broda obinna is looking for you". My eyes looked carelessly at this little boy of five,"bia leave me alone" I retorted almost immediately, for my arm was in pain from the incessant pull of Ebube, I felt sad as the little lad walked away almost in tears,"tell him am coming" I said smiling and like the ink spot on a white apparel, he smiled and raced away... Smiles found a soft spot in me as I remembered my partner in crime, Obinna, the son of Mazi Okonkwo the famous village hunter.Obinna was the only son of five children, like in other villages a man has not attained manhoo...

Some of you have begun to write me messages saying, “Fred, please mentor me. I want to become an entrepreneur!” I support this very much, because as I’ve said several times here, Africa--and the world--desperately needs entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs drive human progress. They create bold innovations that solve major pain points for society. They change lives and save lives. They ultimately create wealth for entire societies.  I know from experience that being an entrepreneur is one of the most fulfilling careers available, and I hope many of you here will choose it. However, I want to also share with you that it’s not an easy path. When I dig deeper to ask people WHY they want to be entrepreneurs, sometimes the answers they give let me know that they probably won’t become entrepreneurs. If the reason is, “ I don’t like my job” or “I want to make money “or “I don’t want to work 9-5,” then I know that person most likely  won’t survive entrepreneurship. So before you deci...

The menace of Domestic violence in Nigeria and it’s implications on the families of the victims. Unfortunately for Sylvia or Chinyere as she was fondly called by family and close friends, she did not live to tell her own story. She was cut down in her prime by the man she loved till death did them part Obinna Akaleme, her husband. She died on the day she was due to give birth after series of miscarriages in her husband’s house. A brief biography of the victim Chinyere Sylvia Akaleme (nee Igbo) was born on 27 april 1981 into the family of Mr and Mrs Reginald Chiaka Igbo.  The second child and 1st daughter of the family with six other siblings, Sylvia was raised in a middle-class Catholic family residing in Ajao estate, lagos where she had her nursery, primary and secondary education. She was a very bright pupil and her position in class never went below the top three. She gained admission into the university of Ilorin in Kwara state where she read electrical engineering and g...

A father’s influence goes to the fourth generation after him. Whitney Houston’s parents Emily and John Houston divorced when she was at kindergarten. Together with her lover, Bobby Brown, Whitney smoked crack in the presence of their 5 year old daughter, Bobbi Kristina. At 22, Bobbi died of drug abuse…her mother Whitney died at 48 on similar grounds. Great careers and more importantly, great lives lost due to weak fatherhood. *While there is little you can do about your ancestors, there is something that you can do about your descendants. One thing that prevents a man from being a good father is that he hasn’t completed being a boy. To be in your children’s’ memory tomorrow, you have to be in their lives’ today. Having children doesn’t make you a father. Raising them does. *There are many of us who were raised up in unstable families but we don’t have to pass it on to our children. We don’t have to fight in the presence of our children. We can choose to shield their emotions f...

There are decisions that make you for life, sound decisions that distinguish you for success. Not being in a relationship in the university was the second best decision I made as an undergraduate, it set me apart, made me focused on God and on my assignment. Now, here's why I made such a decision... I met Bentley 2012 and we started dating in the same year. Bentley was caring, he never took me for granted, he treated me like a queen and wanted the whole world to know me, he was the type of guy who would go out with you and make sure everyone gets to meet you. "Oh, have you met Catherine?", "Let me introduce you to my babe", he would say to his friends if any was close by, so I wasn't surprised when he said to me, "My mom would love to meet you". In this relationship I was never abused, we never kissed and he never touched me. My point is, physical intimacy wasn't our focus and that's surprising because we were not bor...

Mama told me " son!! Forget not where thou hast coming from" with quivering lips and wet eyes, she pomade over my curly hair and with a peck and excruciating hug she set me off... Tears rolled and eye spined... At first I pretended to be strong but alas!!! Am still that tiny toddler who has just blossomed like an inflated balloon, hence I caused a scene with my frenzy cry and by race to hug her once more... Many years have gone bye and her mental picture still blossom like the morning sun, her voice ,very tender and calm. Have kept in touch with her and never did I loose sight of her words. Now I've made my papers ,paid my dues and seen the height that Napoleon talked about, I must now return to my nest... The village was set in disarray heralding my coming, the village just can't  get a hold of me for the son who has beheld the "oyibo" has come back,dance at it apex, my tale must linger still moonlight for age and youngster dear not miss a word, exh...

From the pen of the sad and depressed kid I present to you *Suicide* Have you ever wanted to end it all. Have you ever thought of how peaceful life will be if you cease to exist. Have you ever felt so alone that you wished you could die,Just so people can notice your absence. The thought gets more attractive as the days go by So easy, Just one wish of the  sharp knife on my wrist and then peace. You can watch peaceful as your life flows out from your veins. The best kind of art work, The blood of the artist. Have you ever just wanted the pain to stop. Have you ever just gotten fed up with the accusing voices and stares. The loneliness keeps messing with my head No one understands, No one cares. I wish i could just end it, I wish I just had the courage to put the rope around my neck. The thought grows more attractive as the days go by. What is the use of going on if no one cares? What is the use of going on if it all ends up in despair? What is th...

                        Growing up without a mother wasn't splendid, my mother wasn't dead she just wasn't living with us, I was only 6 when I went to live with my father, my father had custody of my two older siblings (I still don't know why,maybe because he's filthy rich).  Father really did his best to train the three of us but you know it was can never be the same as if mother was present.  I always envied my friends who had both parents living under the same roof,they didn't know what they had,they had something I never had ; a mother's touch. I can remember back in secondary school when we talked about our families and they mentioned their  mum this and their mum that, I never really had something to talk about because mine was scarcely ever around. She missed all the PTA meetings for which sometimes I got beaten by my teachers for. I cried on every birthday because my wish was always to have her...

1. Make friends with successful people and occasionally buy them gifts and surprise them with lunch because successful people always give and hardly get, so when you give them, they value the gift a lot. 2. Get a mentor and follow his instructions and respect the relationship. Never beg your mentor for money or disrespect his or her privacy. 3. Make new positive friends as often as possible and ensure you keep the communication line open. Create a network of friends and not just connections. 5. Show kindness to everyone. Some small boys today will be big boys tomorrow. The biggest dog in the neighbourhood was once a puppy. Keep the information/secret to yourself. 6. Always plan ahead and be proactive. He that plans the future works less in the future. 7. Listen to speeches and messages from great teachers, both religious and educational. 8. Attend seminars and trainings on any area you need to improve yourself - Train the trainer, personal development, public speaking, ...

  I was born in a slum, Grew up in a slum, Have the mentality of a slum, But my heart is richer than that of those who live in Banana island,lekki,Victoria island. I walk around the dirty land on foot, Brush my teeth with bamboo stick, Bath with smelling canal water, But am endowed from heaven. So sad I don't posses the spirit of pen But my bohemian fingers are endowed. I sleep in Open Sky But grace brought me this far. I don't possess expensive glasses Am always happy tracing the sun rays with my eyes. My poor parent couldn't afford to buy me a polythene bag to stack my books, But I rock the slum carrying them on my hands. I don't have a shampoo My hair always shine under the sun. Barely can we afford a three square meal, When trouble comes,we are capable of facing the entire army. I haven't been to a airport, More-or-less entering a aircraft, But I av soared higher than that in my  dreams. You tagged me a SLUM CHILD You give m...

 Enenche the Comedian spoke a lot of fact that all religions institution can adopt in making our society a better place  with this write up : " There is a work side to prosperity. It is the works of your hand God blesses ". People are in farms planting yams and you are busy sitting in church, when it is harvesting time; don't expect yams to fall from heaven. When it is eating time; people are eating and you are "believing" God for yams. " Faith without work is dead. There should be a corresponding action in line of faith ". When the gospel came to Africa, the missionaries saw two vital areas of deficiencies; hospital and school. They filled these gaps. Today, directly or indirectly, we have all benefited from it. Today, we have a major problem; unemployment. Instead of filling this gap we are taking advantage of it. We gather the unemployed and "prophesy" jobs to them. We give them stickers, sell "holy water", tell...

A 30 year-old son decided to admit his father into an old peoples home as desired by his wife. He brought the father in a car to an old peoples home run by a Catholic priest. Then appeared this elderly priest, who came out to have a long chat with the old man. The son wondered and asked the priest whether he knew his father before, since they were talking as though they knew each other. The priest replied, yes, and continued, "He came here 30 years back and took with him a very sick orphan boy who everyone else had rejected for adoption. This man gave that boy a home and save his life. He told us this little boy deserves better and I'll dedicate my life to make him the wealthiest young man when he turns 25". The priest continued, "I don't know how long you have known him but I can tell you he is a good man and I am glad to inform you that you were the sick boy". The boy, on hearing this, fell on his knees and begged the old man for forgiveness. The ...

Do you get angry when people say annoying things to you? Do you fume when people cut you off in traffic? Do you rage when your kids or siblings behave in an uncontrollable manner? At some point in our lives, we get angry. Be it towards a person or an object. Anger is a human emotion that is normal, but when it begins to get out of control, it becomes a problem to the individual. This problem will affect the individual in all spheres of his/her life from his/her workplace, among family and peers even in their relationships. What is anger? According to Oxford advanced learners dictionary, anger is "the strong feeling that you have when something has happened that you think is bad and unfair. American Psychological Association (APA) defines it as " An emotion characterized by antagonism towards someone or something you feel has deliberately done you wrong". Anger is natural and mostly an automatic response to pain of one form or another. Anger can occur when peop...

I'm 27 and my gf is 24, My instincts has been telling me she’s cheating due to some financial challenges i've been facing and i have asked her if she’s cheating, but she clears the air saying she will never do anything to jeopardize what we have. Recently she changed her Whatsapp dp and the environment looked weird cuz she’s not the going out type except for work which is her studio. I asked her about the pics but she said i have no right to ask her about her dp cuz she doesn't ask me such too. I told her i have the right to ask bcuz it raises suspicions but she got mad at me. So i asked her If she doesn't tell me who owns the car and who is behind the camera, it’ll hurt me but if she tells me why she was at that place and who’s behind the camera then its not something i have to be bothered about, but she got angry and cut the call on me. My heart has been heavy. Then she called few days later, she said she was sorry for getting angry and if I breakup with her, i...

1. Original Sufferhead (1981) This song describes the problems and sufferings that abound in Africa as a continent, despite its rich resources. He condemns the ‘big big man’ and ‘white man’ for taking up everything and leaving nothing but suffer and anguish for the average African man. This song, released over 20 years ago sadly still applies greatly. The economic disparity between Africa and other continents is displayed in the fact that basic resources like food, water, electricity and the likes are still unavailable to a large number of people living in this part of the world. Such disparities are even found within countries, where we have the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. 2. Suffering and Smiling (1977) Fela describes the life of the average Nigerian who is constantly suffering, but smiling through the pain, believing in the rewards that await them in the afterlife due to the teachings of religious leaders, who themselves live the most lavish lives,...

It was sometime in the year 2010, I was walking behind the celebrated World Court Jurist Prince Bola Ajibola on our way to the Ogun State Elders’ Forum meeting when the then 76-year-old Judge turned round and exclaimed: “Tola, nnkan ti won n pe ni agba yi ‘o daa!’ meaning old age is a big burden.. He had probably thought I was observing how his footsteps were slightly slow and unsteady and the knots and bolts holding his limbs and legs together were in a state of ageing. For a man who had lived a very action-packed life of accomplishments and whose calling had taken him round all the corners of the globe, not to talk of his days as the National President of the Nigerian Bar Association and also as the Attorney-General and Federal Minister of Justice it was not unexpected that the law of diminishing returns was exerting its toll. Little surprise then if the respectable gentleman inching towards 80 years of ceaseless breathing should cry out, albeit jokingly that this thing calle...

In psychology, it has been established that a child's personality would have formed by the age of 5. This gives insight into how to relate with a child and as he/she grows up. 1. Be a parent to the child between birth and 12 years of age. This is when the spankings, etc can come in. Whatever you don't correct at this age, forget about correcting later. Correct their perceptions, their orientations, etc. Be available to physically incorporate values into them. 2. From the age of 13-19, you are to be a friend to them. Many parents want to do core parenting at this age range. If you didn't achieve that earlier, you may not succeed outrightly here. Note that one significant factor that can help the child at this phase is the God-factor. If they find God at this age or earlier, they will likely stick to Him forever. 3. From age 20 and above, the best you can be to the 'child' is a mentor. At this phase, be an inspiration to him/her. Let your life inspire hi...

My name is Felix (not his real name), I'm in my early 30s, Jan this year I met a beautiful lady on an online social platform, we have never met because she stays abroad  we chat almost 6 hours daily.  Presently  we have been dating for 6 months, I tried  to tell her to send me a picture or even video chat, she refused and  sent a half picture.  When I told her to send me a full picture she refuse and told me: "don't ask for my picture again", The problem is that I love her and I don't know if she loves me or if she is real  what can I do to confirm her originality?

You’ve probably never heard of William Kamkwamba, but his life story is one you should know. William dropped out of school in rural Malawi when he was 14 because his family couldn’t afford to pay his fees. He then sat at home for 6 years. One day, he found a book in the local library describing how a windmill generates electricity. Using only the pictures in the book, William figured out how to build his own windmill using scrap metal, pipes, wooden planks and an old bicycle dynamo he found in the village. People thought he had lost his mind--what on earth was he doing collecting all those scraps ? But guess what, he managed to generate electricity from his windmill! Before you knew it, everyone in the village was coming to his house to charge their cellphones and radios, and he became the hero who transformed the lives of his fellow villagers. Inspired by his story, we admitted WIlliam into the first ever class of African Leadership Academy 10 years ago. He could hardly spe...