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A boy seeks freedom, but a man sets boundaries. We, the people of Etebi, have lost our freedom, and our boundaries have been set ablaze by our brothers who speak another language. They have forced the popular but annoying term WAZOBIA down our throats since birth. They relegated us and thought of us as weaker vessels. They underestimate the chaos our unity can birth. I, Udo, grew up learning of the greatness of my people through whispers of the few that were bold amongst us. From cell 48, where I was raised by a single mother whose love for her husband knew no bounds, They made a mockery of my father, who was the dominant voice of the Etebi people. When they ripped his tongue in my presence, they thought it was over. A man's voice outlives him.  20 years later, that seed sown in my heart has become a forest. We are free, but those memories live rent-free in my mind. The WAZOBIA proponents will know no peace. You three monsters took joy from our childhood, so I will take your most prized possession from you. One more step, and I will set up the detonator, and we will all burn on this third mainland bridge. Mumsy If you're watching this, please don't cry. Destiny comes for us all. Today, history will be rewritten, and those who seized our freedom will pay for their sins. They must experience our pain because they chose to cage us. Before I end this, I need you to answer this question: Why do you hate us so much? Why did you cage my people all these years?Speak up (screaming).Adé: (sobs) We never really meant it. We were just young men who never understood power. We just wanted to show you guys that we were bigger than you all. Also, your people were not actively involved in politics and were always acting like saints. We only wanted to show that we were more powerful. I'm sorry; we're sorry. We're all still one; please let's be brothers again; we are one Nigeria.Udo: One! We were never one, and you made sure of that. You slid my father's tongue in my presence. You locked my innocent mother up. I've never known freedom, and my people have been bound for too long. We have only shown you the power of the community. The divide ends today, but you must all pay for your sins. Today, I am both man and God.Let this be a reminder to everyone that all men are born equal. Language, tribe, and wealth shouldn't matter. Division sinks the boat, but unity holds it afloat. To those that will lead after us, remember that your duty is to God and man. You must place everyone above yourself and serve your people. One of us is all of us. No tribe deserves better treatment. We, the people, must always be top of mind as you navigate the affairs of the state. See you guys on the other side.Mumsy I love you.(People are screaming noooooooo)The detonator goes off with a loud bang following...

In Literature, Writing and Blogging • 3 min read • May 25, 2024 22:10p.m.

Ajú Etébi: Son of Etébi

Ajú Etébi: Son of Etébi

Samuel Ibok

0:00 / 0:00

Tobi Igbinedion

Esther Omemu

Belinda Chiazor

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This was either you at some point or you right now… You are about to graduate, you are soon going to move from undergraduate and unemployed and you have absolutely no idea what you are going to do with your life now. You are probably studying an engineering course that you chose because you were good at maths and everyone just shoved you into the department. It made sense then but now it doesn’t. It has been five years and you are not sure you know what you want to do with that degree. Expectations are all around you, parents and lecturers are all there just blatantly assuming that you have your life together and are going to land a big job in Shell just because you scraped by and got a First class. Jokes on them…wait...jokes on you too. Convocation is finally here, 5 years of school are over! Yay! but whilst you are excited, you can’t help the memory of future joblessness flashing through your eyes and the dread of certainty working its way up your spine even as you dig into the convocation rice. I felt this dread even though I did a course that people told me will be easy to find a job with. ‘Is it not mass communication, you can work anywhere’, they told me. Alas! It was all a lie. There is good news though. I will have you know that I and some people have been able to successfully navigate this strange reality and are now settled in our different career paths. Congratulations to us…we made it! I am happy for us but for some who are yet to figure things out or those for who this will soon be their reality, sit tight and read this closely. I gained a lot of experience in this and I am happy to share. I started my career journey armed with nothing but a pocket full of random experiences, a degree, no connections, and absolutely no street sense whatsoever. I don’t even know why people trusted me enough to go out looking for a job just because I earned a degree. Why??? I was expected to begin my career journey but I had no idea about what I wanted to do or what I could even do. I can assume that this is the case for a whole lot of graduates and here’s what you need to know…it is fine, it is not the end of the world. You might suffer a little than those who already have their life figured out but the fun thing about not knowing what you want to do is that you are more open to gaining experiences in more fields and exploring more industries than others. The good news is that once you figure things out, you’ll be armed with a wealth of knowledge from all your trial and error. Now here’s where my advice starts The first thing you need to know is that you do not need to have a career path to start a career journey, you just need to start doing something and then figure it all out on the way. My biggest worry was that whilst my mate were working towards a clearly defined goal because they had clearly defined career path, I was doing all kinds of jobs that I was relatively good at and so it felt like I didn’t have a career. After 4 years of wandering however, I can boldly say that it makes sense now…and when I apply for jobs now, I can choose from as many selections as I want or combine them in one and demand a higher pay. The second thing you might need to jot down is, try hard not to panic if you were like me. Instead, sit with yourself and take note of the following things. First, identify what it is you like doing or what you are good at or what you are willing to try at the moment. It doesn’t matter whether or not it applies to yur degree or who you dreamt you will become in future. Find the closest space to your current self and start your career journey from there. For me, I had just completed a very impressive research project for my final defense and so the first career thing I started was working as a research assistant with my supervisor. I know this doesn’t look as glamorous as it sounds but you will ne surprised how far I was able to go by being in that space and how much impact it has on my current career journey. What you will need to do next is to begin a self discovery journey whilst you have a stable job. Find out what you hate about what you are doing currently, what you love about it, what you would change and what you would rather be doing. When you figure this out, it will help guide the skills you would learn, the experiences you would have and how to apply for your next job. I moved from being a research assistant to a teaching assistant as the opportunity came and I learnt a lot about myself. The experiences I gained in this position gave me the opportunity to apply as a social media manager at another company. I can hear you thinking? How did that even connect? Think about it deeply, what does a researcher and teacher have in common with a social media manager: Research, writing, ideation, creating content, monitoring trends, gathering data…and a lot more. Working as a social media manager allowed me to realize that I enjoyed creating content especially visual content and so I applied next to work as a graphics designer and then a design associate as things progressed. Long story short, I now work as a marketing manager and all of these random jobs have come together to make me appear as someone who is well rounded and knows what she is doing. Let me even shock you further, I ammoving from a marketing manager to a UI/UX writer next. Yes, I said it. So for you who is worried that you keep going around different fields, fear not, it will make sense in the end. The final advice is that you remain intentional about your journey whether it is on the same path or across different paths. Take note of every stage you are in and evaluate yourself constantly. What do I hate about this job? What would I rather be doing? And a whole lot more. There is more advice but I’ll keep that for part two. Until next time!

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Samuel Ibok

Lagos • 5 months, 4 weeks ago

Forgiveness and reconciliation have been tested through Truth Commissions in the aftermath of violence in some African Countries. It may...

edited

Hi, it's Samuel, thanks for reading my insights.

I'm a Creative Writer and Poet on a mission to Tell Stories That Torch! You can find some of my works below https://www.instagram.com/p...

Esther Omemu

Design Associate @ Hera Marketing

Lagos, Nigeria

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In Career and Jobs • 5 min read • Mar 03, 2023 18:43p.m.

Lessons Learned: Starting a Career journey without a Career

Lessons Learned: Starting a Career journey with...

Esther Omemu

0:00 / 0:00

Oluseyi Vandy Idowu Samson

Religion can be a very sensitive topic to talk about, especially when there are politics involved. In a setup like that of Kenya where the religious leaders want a share of power, and even some are currently nominated as members of parliament, it becomes an even harder conversation. The church has been a constant figure in Kenyan politics, which goes way back to the fight for multipartyism, and over the years, the involvement of the church in governance has greatly been increasing. This close relationship is even more visible during campaign periods, and like in the run-up to the 2022 general elections, religious leaders were seen endorsing politicians, and even the current president was always in church every Sunday, not to mention the huge donations. I mean, the church is always an immobilized crowd, which makes it ideal for politicians. 5 months into the new government, with millions of Kenyans’ hope for better days heightened, it’s not surprising that the church is even more involved. There have been countless ‘prayers’ and ‘thanksgiving’ crusades and congregations led majorly by evangelist religious leaders praying for the nation. It’s not news that millions of Kenyans are suffering because of the historical drought sweeping through the horn of Africa, the high cost of living which has left thousands of Kenyans going hungry, over-taxation, so many unemployed youths, the list is endless, and nothing seems to be changing.  Amidst all the chaos, on Valentine’s Day, the president of Kenya led a prayer rally to pray for the nation’s economic prospects, rains, the prosperity of the nation and all, which is very disturbing. The President even mentioned that he is proud that the church is claiming its place in the center of politics. Yes, prayers are not bad, but in this case, it is very problematic. Kenyans can no longer even afford basic needs, and not even a single political leader in the rally spoke out for Kenyans. With so much disorientation in the current leadership, religious leaders still want to claim a piece of the cake as they continue preaching the government’s agenda at the cost of the plight of millions of Kenyans. Even though the constitution of Kenya provides for the separation of the church and the state, this is not what is currently happening. Gone are the days in the 80s when the church was actually a voice that could wield so much power and the state listened, the days when the church acted for the good of the people. The church can help people when used well, like that of Martin Luther Jr and the civil rights movement. However, nowadays in Kenya, it can even be difficult to separate religious leaders from politicians given the flashy lifestyles of bishops and pastors in big SUVs, not to mention their huge following and the lure of power and money currently in play. The church has continuously allowed itself to be misused by cynics, and it is very detrimental as the current unholy alliance seeks to turn the country into a theocracy. So, what role should the church actually play in a democracy like ours? I believe the church should be a paragon of justice, it should call out the government, and voice out the grievances of the population. Prayers and rallies should be unifying and inclusive, and not the current use of prayers to attack opposing political views, and even the declaration that Kenya is a Christian country. It is not, it is and should remain secular. And so do the church and state, they must remain parallel entities.

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Samuel Ibok

Lagos • 1 year, 8 months ago

Well said Esther

I agree with you.

Sometimes we make light of some experiences not knowing they'll be needed one day. Jump...

edited

Hi, it's Esther, thanks for reading my insights.

A creative writer born, bred and established in art of advertising...Feel free to check out my work samples here https://copyfol.io/v/mnw7r7...

Anita Koske

Masters' Student

Würzburg, Germany

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2980

In Law and Governance • 3 min read • Feb 22, 2023 19:49p.m.

Why the Church and the state MUST be separated.

Why the Church and the state MUST be separated.

Anita Koske

0:00 / 0:00

Politics in Nigeria has always been gimmicks and fanfare. The political space has always been a cocoon for mediocre minds, out of which reverberates this eerie cacophony of ineptitude. Elections are supposed to be issue driven, backed by solution proferring to woo the minds and gain the support of the populace. Campaigns are meant to reveal those who understand the ever present needs of the people, feel their pains and showcase the problem solving abilities of the candidates. The yearnings of political office seekers to serve should resonate with the wishes of the people for better well-being and improved living standards. Suffice to say, that those in government and political positions should be a reflection of the needs and wants of the people. The people’s heartbeat. And as such, their aspirations for the hallowed halls and chambers must be in tandem with the wellbeing of the people. This should be felt from well drafted manifestos which explain in detail, what a candidate has to offer and how they intend to achieve it. This is the ideal. On the other hand, we have a real situation that screams just the opposite. An election culture were candidates, just before election go to the streets and take pictures with the less privileged and homeless children. A culture where candidates go to market places, pretend to buy the wares of poor market women, help them to carry and feed their babies, strap the babies to their backs and pretend to help them roast corn and sell their wares. A culture were candidates abandon their posh cars for a few minutes to hop on motorcycles and tricycles, just for photo props. They do this to hoodwink the people that they are part of their everyday sufferings and as such understand their plight. This has always worked as the people fall for the mind games. The lack of a healthy debate for these candidates to showcase their myrtle. Another factor is the choice of the candidates to always play the ethnic card, Nigeria being a conglomerate of ethnic nationalities. Believing that one who shares their pain, and understands their situation will make things better. How many times has this white lie been been proved to be a lie? Once in power, these candidates abandon the people, only to return to them at the expiration of their tenures to repeat the same gimmicks with poor showmanship. Many a time, the people see through it as it has become a norm but can't do much because they have to choose between two people who both sell the idea of collective poverty. Either the man who goes to a government primary school, pretends to eat "ogi and moimoi" with the children of the poor or the man who visits vulnerable almajiri children and pretends to share a plate of rice that looks like it underwent fractional distillation in its cooking process. In the light of all these, it's funny to notice how these manipulators have failed to employ their old tactics in this campaign season. A verse from the Holy book, John 1:5 says, "And the light shineth in the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. The entrance of a particular candidate in this presidential elections seems to be the game changer. An election which would have otherwise been a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea, a choice between poison and venom, a choice between Hades and hell. An election and campaign which would have involved the usual gimmicks and rhetoric, stylized by an unstealthy and uncouth mediocre crop of politicians has taken a wild turn. Whether he wins or not is inconsequential. The entrance of Peter Obi in the presidential election has brought a ray of renewed hope. His style of issue based campaign, international and local consultations with both Nigerians at home and in the diaspora, diplomatic consultations and bridge building with other countries who have a lot to offer Nigeria even when he isn't the president speaks volume of one who has a lot to give. His progressive views and aggressive "pan Nigerianism" puts him on a pedestal, in a class, a league of his own. He has raised the electoral bar so high, the other candidates are finding it difficult to measure up, and are, in the usual Nigerian style, beginning to think of how to cut corners and subvert the electoral process. Any attempt to employ the tactics of the magician, performing before a crowd to appeal to their fantasies instead of their critical minds would spell doom and be tantamount to political suicide. Whether he wins or not, the mere fact that these political con artists can no longer apply their garri and soup approach of collective poverty is a big win for democracy.

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LAYERS OF MEMORY AND ICE

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In Politics • 4 min read • Nov 04, 2022 19:31p.m.

THE GAME CHANGER: A BIG WIN FOR DEMOCRACY

THE GAME CHANGER: A BIG WIN FOR DEMOCRACY

Tari Ogbowei

0:00 / 0:00

From elegance to seduction, Lingerie is a big part of being a woman. I have been surprised to find too many women not knowing the difference between different types of bras and hence choosing to wear wrong types of bra. This is an overlooked element of style. I read a beautiful book a few years ago by Kathrin Kemp-Griffin. It explained the ins and outs of how lingerie is constructed, different types of lace , and what to look for when shopping , with lovely illustrations. No matter how wonderful you are dressed, all is in vain if you are not wearing right bra. Bras can make a difference in your looks. Women in France embraced the corset in the early 1500s to archive the "perfect" female figure. Corsets started to evolve to a girdle making a woman's figure more of an "s " shape by 1800. 1869, Hermine Cadolle cut a corset into two separate garments - the top supported the breasts by means of straps . Then Mary Phelps also known as Caresse Crosby kickstarted the modern bra revolution in 1913. She crafted this revolutionary undergarment using two silk handkerchiefs. Bras have transformed over the centuries and the evolution of bras has sure helped women world-wide. Lets dive into the different types of Bras 1. T-shirt bra : A bra with thin smoothly contoured cups to give the best smooth shape under T-shirts. Now, you know what to do if you're wearing T-shirts ladies. 2. Full Cup : A bra with cups that completely cover the breasts. They are usually padded/molded 3. Demi bra & Balconette : Demi-wide set straps, half-shaped cups ; horizontal bust line while Balconnete is a low cut demi-bra . Better for accentuating. 4. Bralete: No-underwire bra with no padding or molded cups. A comfier alternative to padded bras for some. 5. Push-up bra : This contains additional padding at the bottom to create a fuller looking bust 6. Plunge bra: It has low cut cups joined by a thin center piece. Good for outfits with a low/dipping neckline. 7. Minimiser bra : A full coverage bra which reduces the bust size by a few inches 8. Sports bra: This supports and prevents discomfort during physical activity 9. Strapless bra : This is without shoulder straps to wear with off-shoulder tops 10. Bandeu bra: it is designed in a strip made out of stretchy fabric. Now that you know the different types of bra, you should do better with your style. Technological advancement has also played a major role in the evolution of bras. Japanese lingerie company called Ravijour has developed a bra that senses heart rate which is analyzed by your smartphone . When your heart rate changes to indicate you are in love, the bra pops open! lol I got you! What is that story about bras is engraved in your mind that you can never forget.? please share in the comment section.

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Mwambo Kate

COO @ Enchird Technologies Sarl.

Yaoundé, Cameroon

In Beauty, Fashion and Lifestyle • 2 min read • Feb 15, 2024 23:29p.m.

The World Of Undergarments

The World Of Undergarments

Mwambo Kate

0:00 / 0:00

Anita Koske

363

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Chefor Eugene

Bamenda • 9 months, 1 week ago

Most ladies are fast incorporating the habit of going without bra. What actually is the cause and what's the remedy?

Unpopular Opinion

God is a God of all religions, including the African Traditional Religion (ATR)

by | Asiogu Ugochukwu

I have always believed that the beauty of religion lies in the peoples' unique ways and approaches of upholding it. In other words, religion is best practiced in situations where there are less criticisms of whatever one is revering and whoever one is worshiping. Of course, religion is a way of life and as a matter of fact, it is a representation of man's spiritualism - an aspect of man's lif...

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Asiogu Ugochukwu

Global Security enthusiast

Africa is a home of cultures and traditions that are not only symbolic and significant to its peoples but are also interesting and thought-provoking. Aside many other sociocultural festive displays in Africa, one has remained outstandingly relevant in the 21st century possibly as a result of its unique street-style and pattern of exposition coupled with its fine blend with contemporary trends. That one cultural display is the famous "Calabar Carnival' which is perceived to be Africa's biggest street festival of all times (AFRICAN GOAT). It is not surprising that at this point, you would be wondering what Calabar Carnival is all about and how it came to be? But do not worry, just relax and follow me. The Calabar Carnival is an annual festival that is held in Cross Rivers State, Nigeria. The event holds every December to mark the Christmas celebration. It was officially launched by the former Governor of Cross Rivers State Mr. Donald Duke in 2004 and since then, it has been consistently hosted yearly until 2020 and 2021 respectively when it was halted consequent upon the raging COVID-19 pandemic, followed by the End SARS protests that caused great panic and damages to lives and properties in the country. Howbeit, the carnival is aimed at promoting all aspects of Cross Rivers State's cultural heritage and also strengthen the  people's capacity to contribute effectively to the growth and development of the State. The carnival is planned and organised by a committee in charge of tourism and cultural activities in Cross Rivers State and every year, new and mind-blowing activities are introduced to make it more interesting for the viewers. Some of the activities that take place in the carnival include the following: carnival cup competition which is usually played by five competing carnival band namely: Seagull, Passion 4, Nasta Blasta, Bayside and Freedom. These bands are distinguished by their colours accordingly- Red, Green, Orange, Blue and Yellow. Other activities in the carnival are music and dance performances from Nigerian and international artists, fashion shows, pageantry, boat regatta, visit to the Christmas village, traditional dances and masquerading plus the famous Ekpe festival that attracts thousands of tourists and visitors into Cross Rivers State. The event hosts local and international musicians, actors and actresses, entertainers, politicians, entrepreneurs, and other renowned professionals. It has featured renowned international artists such as Akon, Lucky Dube,. Kirk Franklin, Fat Joe, Young Jeezy and many others. Indeed, the Calabar Carnival has remained one of Africa's greatest sociocultural displays that has continued to export Its it's uniqueness, glory and prestige abroad. Featured by its pomp and pageantry, dynamism and fine explosion of traditional heritage, one may not be absolutely wrong to say that the Calabar Carnival has contributed immensely in facilitating the needed peace and unity in the country. But on the other hand, could it be safe to say that it has done enough? You tell me in the comment session.

In History and Culture • 2 min read • Dec 30, 2022 06:44a.m.

The Famous Calabar Carnival

The Famous Calabar Carnival

Asiogu Ugochukwu

0:00 / 0:00

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Jefferson Nnadiekwe

Freelance scriptwriter and creative photographer

Lagos, Nigeria

How much do our memories hold us back? Weird question.. I know. Memories are a gift. Through them we get to re-live the good times. They allow us call back the lovely details of a nice family trip, that vacation with a special person, or pleasant childhood experiences. Memories can be soothing. They can be a form of anti depressant, or an escape from anxiety and worry. Memories, can also be a form of restriction. Regrets, embarrassment and pain, could be a part of our memory. And sometimes, in order to avoid them; we hold back from doing something we really want to do. We know that the memory of failure lives with us and often haunts us, and it is just a few of us who can really subdue it. This knowledge, often leads to fear. The fear of having that failure ingrained in our memories. A man or woman may hold back from making their deep feeling for someone else known, due to the fear of rejection. But it's actually not the rejection that they fear. What they are really scared of, contrary to what they think; is the memory from that rejection. They're scared that when they lay in bed at night, the memory would torment them. And in a bid to avoid this, they hold back from expressing what they truly feel. Living with unpleasant memories, can be difficult for a lot of people. Shaking off that lingering recollections of failure isn't as easy as motivational pages make it seem. We remember rejections, hopelessness and failure. But imagine you had the ability to permanently discard any memory you choose, with a snap of your fingers. What happens then, is that you become emboldened. You know that you do not have to live with the torment of things not working out. You apply for that position, you make your feelings known to that lady. And if they do not go as you wish, you simply discard that memory. But unfortunately, we cannot delete memories in such manner. We live with it. If we are not held back by the burden of memory, we'd truly be free to do whatever we want.

In Literature, Writing and Blogging • 2 min read • Dec 19, 2022 15:29p.m.

THE GIFT AND BURDEN OF MEMORY

THE GIFT AND BURDEN OF MEMORY

Jefferson Nnadiekwe

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Samuel Ibok

Marketing Supervisor @ Crusader Sterling Pensions Limited

Lagos, Nigeria

It's no news that the 2023 elections in Nigeria are around the corner, and our politicians, some of whom are ambassadors of poverty, have started moving into the trenches to convince and not confuse you that they deserve the crown. If you look carefully, you can tell that tensions are high in all camps, probably because there are new dogs in the game and people seem more interested in governance this year than in previous years. Lack of political education is a major reason for the crisis we currently face as a nation.  Sadly, most people, or should I say, the average Nigerian, perceive governance with levity. Putting the blame on those in power seems satisfying, but we actually put them there. Maybe not all of us. It's great that we have the right to vote, but we should also make informed votes. So whether you are OBEDIENT, properly ARTIKULATED or you are certain IT'S YOUR TURN, do well to use your head before they use it for you. Beware of shadows and false prophets. You'll be 8 years older when the next government leaves office. Do well to meticulously analyze the portfolio of candidates. Objectivity may seem abstract, but try to think beyond ethnic lines. I believe that's part of why we are in our present state. We tend to favor our brothers, even when they are the least qualified people. Take a deep dive into the candidate's character, vision, and history. Follow who know better road! Keep in mind that even if your JAPA plans are nearly complete, someone else would be affected by your vote. Be a part of history. I want to clearly state that there would be several attempts to brainwash people prior to the elections through gift items, and we would start seeing throwback doingz of these candidates. Don't be deceived. Some gifts are technically payments for something you would have to do later. Think of those gifts from politicians as an avenue for you to commit to their cause. Ask yourself if that's what you want. Have you ever wondered why they appear as angels just before the elections? Politics is a game in which emotions are mostly on the bench and may never appear. Nigeria's image in international society is nothing to write home about. We still take great pride in our past achievements and cherish the title "giants of Africa." Are we true giants, or have we taken a SWERVE down the drain? Oh, just so you know, just because the seemingly better candidate wins doesn't mean change will be automatic. However, maybe our hope would be restored. So when you stand before that ballot box, think beyond yourself. I feel like saying Hallelujah! Be vigilant during the elections and resist the urge to fight. Some people would be strategically planted at polling units to disrupt peace. In other words, make your eyes shine. Let's vote, irrespective of religion and ethnicity. Nigeria will rise again. We hope to be a part of its rise.You matter; your vote matters. Have you gotten your PVC? Learn Unlearn Relearn #swerve #LEarn

In Nigeria • 3 min read • Jan 14, 2023 19:12p.m.

The Lines That Divide

The Lines That Divide

Samuel Ibok

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Hi, it's Samuel, thanks for reading my insights.

I'm a Creative Writer and Poet on a mission to Tell Stories That Torch! You can find some of my works below https://www.instagram.com/p...

Samuel Ibok

Marketing Supervisor @ Crusader Sterling Pensions Limited

Lagos, Nigeria

I believe everyone loves children. If you don't, kindly see a therapist! This may sound crazy, but I think children are like coins, and their experiences influence their impact in society. I think they could be our future or our end. People in Africa would understand better. Deprivation leads to frustration, which in turn determines the actions we take. Children are generally feeble, and in most cases, they cannot think for themselves. They depend on their parents or the older folk for provision and protection. Now, the absence of a parent figure leaves children exposed to unscrupulous people. In other words, the children are left to choose either order or chaos. I can say for free that every day I see at least 10 children begging on the streets. Sadly, these children are found begging around the very institutions that are meant to cater for them. Today they are begging for alms; tomorrow they could take up arms. They could perceive other citizens as part of the reason for their plight, and they may find refuge in the closets of cultists, bandits, and terrorists. Yes, hunger gives direction! It exposes them to the danger of being in the company of thrives, but then where would they rather be? I think it's high time everyone became more responsible. I'm not saying we would do it all in a year, but can we at least start? Parents should do better, and the government should rehabilitate and reintegrate street children back into society. Collaborations between the government, civil society, and NGOs are pivotal. Let us remember that together we can do so much. Every child will eventually grow up. The question is: what kind of adult would they become? The answer depends on our actions and inactions. Learn Unlearn Relearn

In People and Society • 2 min read • Dec 02, 2022 22:24p.m.

From Alms to Arms

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Jefferson Nnadiekwe

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You maybe familiar with Franz Kafka's book The Metamorphosis. For those who are not, it's a short story which centers on the protagonist Gregor Samsa and his bizarre transformation into a bug. This transformation as you'd expect had its effect on the Samsa family. As a lover and a degree holder in literature, one of our favorite things to do when we read a literary piece, is look out for the symbolisms. Having been told the premise of the book, one would merely think that The Metamorphosis is just about Gregor's transformation. In actual sense, Kafka was more concerned about the change in family and human interaction. Before Gregor turns into a bug, he was the sole provider of his family. All responsibility rested on his shoulder. And this role came with the love and respect of the members of the family - father, mother and sister. All other members of the family did nothing to support him. This situation, however changed after he turns into a bug. Unable to work or provide, Gregor watched as each member of the family took up a job in order to feed and settle their bills. The reader comes to wonder; why none of them bothered to help him prior. Especially as he worked a job he did not really like, just to pay off his parents' debts. In addition to this, Gregor watched as the love he once received gradually turn to disdain and disgust. Being labelled a burden by his beloved sister, wasn't the worst. She suggested that they get rid of 'it'. Gregor eventually dies in his room from starvation and neglect. And his death was some sort of relief for his family. This book, exposes an aspect of human interaction - love under the condition of being able to provide. Often, we slave away to provide for the ones we love. We may think that we are the only hope they have, and therefore do everything in our power to meet their needs. But humans are not indispensable. If anything happens to us, the ones we think are hopeless without us, move on. They find a means to survive, humans always do. Also, a provider today can become a burden tomorrow, when he isn't able to provide anymore. Life is unpredictable, nothing is assured. No condition is permanent. Can we say certainly, that the people we help today would in turn help us tomorrow? Kafka uses Gregor's transformation as a symbolism to pass across a deep and thought provoking message. Unlike the main character, we should seek to do what makes us happy, while we aim to do good for others. Sometimes, it's okay to put yourself first. A little occasional selfishness could be necessary. Because if anything happens to you, life goes on. Nobody can be blamed for it, that is just the way it is.

In Literature, Writing and Blogging • 2 min read • Jul 26, 2022 13:17p.m.

METAMORPHOSIS

METAMORPHOSIS

Jefferson Nnadiekwe

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Asiogu Ugochukwu

Global Security enthusiast

In History and Culture • 3 min read • Oct 11, 2022 01:34a.m.

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Hero James

Lagos • 2 years, 1 month ago

Daalu nwoke oma. Udo diri gi , A si na onye wetere oji wetere ndu. " Peace be unto you, He who brings kola nut brings life". A wo...

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Samuel Ibok

Marketing Supervisor @ Crusader Sterling Pensions Limited

Lagos, Nigeria

Whenever I think of the plight in Africa, a certain song from my childhood days comes to mind. Some have food but cannot eat; some can eat but have no food; we have food and we can eat; glory be to thee oh Lord... My emphasis is on the first two lines. It's ironic how a continent so blessed is largely considered to be the face of poverty globally. It makes me ponder what exactly the issue is. To start with, we can always trace our predicament to the slave trade and link it to neocolonialism. But is that all there is? Should we point the finger exclusively at our former slave masters or should we look deeply into our choices as a people? I think we've modified the slave game and made it worse because we've internalized the lies that we can't get better. Yes, we are still heavily bound to the West, and it still influences our economic, social, and political decisions. A key means through which they do this is via multinational corporations. Now, these firms can either be seen as agents of development or underdevelopment. You choose! Isn't it suspicious how the oil-rich Niger Delta Region of Nigeria, where major oil companies reside, is flooded with violence and arms proliferation? Similarly, these companies keep violating international law, and they still get away with it. How about the issue of environmental degradation due to careless practices? Well, we tend to zip our lips because of the few scholarships they give. We are funny sha! Now over to "we Africans." We tend to kill ourselves over the national cake, and we have used religion, which was imported, as motivation and justification for violence. Development cannot take place in the absence of security. Our elected leaders have made things worse by amassing wealth while the electorate remains poor. Sadly, even those with good intentions find themselves in a system designed to make them fail. We are hungry in the midst of plenty. The political class is better informed, but their decisions often lack clarity. The truth is that each sector is interconnected. We have the impression that anything made by us is substandard and everything made abroad is original. I know it's partly because of unscrupulous individuals who thrive off the counterfeit market. How about we invest more in ourselves and our local industries? Brain drain would continue untill we take a Mental SWERVE! How about we limit our relationship with the outside world? Now, I said limit, not end (we can end if necessary). We need to stand up for ourselves more. No African nation is one of the permanent members of the UN Security Council. I want to say them no rate us but whats there to rate! We should update our educational system. In fact, there should be an overhaul. We don't need more class rooms. We need better courses! Overdependence on natural resources should end; let's use our brains. The government should relax and remember that its goal is to create an enabling environment. Oh, and yeah, the government cannot do it all. If all the conversations we have as Africans revolve around our mineral resources, then our future would remain bleak. What if we wake up tomorrow and all the resources have vanished? What would be our fate? What two cents can you suggest to change the African situation? Learn Unlearn Relearn #swerve #LEarn

In Africa • 3 min read • Jan 16, 2023 09:17a.m.

The Resource Curse

The Resource Curse

Samuel Ibok

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Asiogu Ugochukwu

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Although, the protest didn't achieve its aim but points were made and noted. On the side of the government, it was made clear that the elites are willing to do anything and everything to maintain their grip on power, even at the expense of the lives of citizenry. On the side of the youth, they demonstrated that they are willing to die for what they believe in. It is on this note the youth have decided to rally behind Mr. Peter Obi, a man who they believe carries their dreams and aspirations. This is obvious from the massive support he has garnered in such a short time on social media platforms like twitter and Facebook. Needless to say, it is the youth who form the bulk of participants on social media. He has gained such massive and organic support even without influencing the so called influencers. Such a rare feat for any Nigerian leader. It is too soon to say but he might just be the "Madiba of Nigeria".

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Anita Koske

Würzburg • 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Yes, unlearn learn and re-learn. I was writing a paper, a statement of purpose really, on what I think is the most pressing challenge in ...

Hi, it's Samuel, thanks for reading my insights.

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In Politics • 1 min read • Jun 05, 2022 11:15a.m.

TWITTER PRESIDENT - PART 2

TWITTER PRESIDENT - PART 2

Tari Ogbowei

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Not to worry, I'm writing in cursive(as SZA fans would say), you know, tapping into my Gen Z or whatever mode it fits But hey, who cares, we are here for a good time and not a long time right, so why bother writing out anything? I'm kidding, I do enjoy writing things out so let me put your mind at ease BHM is BLACK HISTORY MONTH!!!!!!!! Yay!!!!!! Are you as excited as the exclamations in my previous sentences? No? I guess not But yeah, February has always been reminiscent for Black Americans as a month to celebrate their ethnicity and values and culture and how far they have come from conquering slavery and I guess what the future holds. And this February has not been left out as it has been quite extraordinary due to the feats already achieved in the space of two weeks Wanna know more? Keep reading and you will First of all, this month began with Beyonce fans getting excited as she finally announced her world tour, after performing in Dubai for a grand opening of a hotel for a whooping sum of 24 million dollars. Yeah you heard that right, 24 million!!! Of course there were mixed reactions as some people thought that was just ridiculous for an hour's performance while others were proud or would I say so meshed in their emotions, they continued the worship of Beyonce and how she is not to be messed with, noting that as a black woman, this was historic. I mean the Arab money is not to be messed with, they got bank but for an hour's performance, I think not but go on girl, you have supposedly earned it Of course the alphabet community was not left out as they pointed out the hypocrisy in her performing for people who are against their "charming" lifestyle. Some even promised to withdraw support but I knew it was only comical because those tour waiting lines say different. Yes, a million people in line for the Renaissance tour is not as withdrawn as I would have pictured, so maybe their memory is as short as I don't know, a Kevin Hart or Kim Kardashian's 72-hour engagement 😎😎😎 That's up to them, I really do not care And still on Beyonce, last Sunday, she made history by being the most awarded artiste in Grammy history with 32 wins Now I'm not one to belittle achievements so I would say that is a beautiful one and congratulations are in order but I think at this point they just give her Grammies for giving sake or because she is Beyonce. That album was not Grammy worthy but hey, a win is a win, right? And you should note that despite this grand achievement, her entitled fans felt the need to hound the Grammies and Harry Styles because his album won over hers for "Album of the year". Now I have not listened to his album so I cannot really say if he did an amazing job on it but the guy had been carrying crowds all year 2022 and really doing his thing and his album was well received by a lot of people. The Renaissance album was not worth the hype in my opinion, in fact, it had to be forced on people and TikTok played a part in pushing two of the songs that gained popularity.. I remember when it came out, and the same people complaining called it trash or mid, so I find it odd that now they are angry it did not win Album of the year. It definitely was not Album of the year but entitlement wins I guess. Enough of Beyonce, let us go to other noteworthy acts Tems, a very talented singer became the first Nigerian female since Sade(check your history if you don't know her, she is a legend) to win a Grammy and damn, I am so proud of her. I remember when I saw her live in 2019 Palm Wine Fest, and she sang two of her jams then, Try Me and Mr Rebel. When I say this girl is talented, I would really be understating it. She sounded no different from the tracks. Beautiful voice and she brought something different to the table. In a few years, she has gone from that calm upcoming singer to a writer for Beyonce and Rihanna and a Grammy winner. Now that is cool 😎😎😎😎Speaking of Rihanna, she is about to headline the SuperBowl!!!!! She hasn't performed or recorded music in 6 years so this would be one to watch. The promo has been off the hook and I just really want to see what she brings.And please Rihanna haters, aka Beyhive, stay in your lane. I'm sure your fave announced her tour this year so she can take her shine. She always tends to come when RihRih doing something, like when Rih announced she was preggers and here comes Bey with some clothing line announcement, or when Rih was receiving her Video Vanguard and of course they scheduled Beyonce to also perform. It's like, okay we get it, quit with it already, we know you want the attention on you so bad but be calm 🙄🙄Oh, by the way, these thoughts are just what we see, thanks to stan Twitter and blog comments, they are not necessarily my thoughts. May be true, may not be true but it gets you wondering though. We cannot forget the men as Lebron James became the all time top scorer in the NBA. For those of you who love Basketball, you would agree that James is one of the greats and this is something beautiful to celebrate as he broke Kareem Abdul-Jabber's record. I know a lot of people don't like him or the way he lies but when someone puts in the work, you have to give credit where it is due and oga has paid it in full. I mean, do you know what it means to play about seven or eight fathers and sons? That's legendary and you gotta put some respeck on his name ( in my birdman voice)Let's not forget this was the 50th anniversary of the existence of the Hip Hop genre and let me just say, the generational flow of the genre evolution was great but missed out on the 2010s because tell me why you are bringing one hit wonders like Glorilla to the stage? Even Lil Baby's set was real quiet and that should tell you a lot. If you want to touch on the new generation, you should have focused on those who put in the work like Dababy, Roddy Rich, Flo Milli, or to help yourself, just ended with the 2010s honestly because the new generation hasn't put in enough work to be included. They could have been shown as highlights but not performers unless they were performing hits of older generations.The "God Did" performance was a waste of food in my opinion but at least they made up for something.And yes, to me Wayne had the best verse😎😎🌚🌚Jay Z fanboys can suck it.  And finally, Billboard and VIBE dropped its list of 50 Greatest rappers of all time and in the top ten, we had Jay Z as number 1, Kendrick 2nd, Nas 3rd, Tupac 4th, Eminem 5th, Biggie 6th, Wayne 7th, Drake 8th, Snoop Dogg 9th and Nicki Minaj 10th. Now this is a solid list or looks solid until you realize Kanye and Cole are missing in the top ten. I mean, even Jadakiss raps better than a lot of these dudes and I mean that in the best way possible. Snoop Dogg and Drake are way too high on this list(in my opinion) and Wayne is way too low. And if we are keeping it a buck, Nicki has already gone toe to toe with most men on this list so she is way too low for me. And Eminem is only put in that position because a white man cannot be seen as number one in the genre but that's okay. As a friend of mine said to me, whatever list of rapper rankings comes out, not everyone would agree with it and I concur. He also noted that everyone here has done exceptionally well with their influence and deserve to be there and I agree. One thing he said that stood out to me was rap fans always putting Biggie and Pac way too high on the rankings because they did not live long enough to fail as the others have done and because of that, they seem like martyrs and with martryship comes an inexplicable respect. People just want to keep them on that pedestal and if I'm being honest, I agree. But at the same time, for them to still be brought up despite being dead over ten years is something to be marveled at. Whatever the case, I respect what these people have brought to the genre and I maintain my stance on some. You don't have to agree🌚🌚 And yes Jay Z should not be number one and a lot of people agree with me(Jay fanboys would come for me but I don't care)🤣🤣🤣 Anyway, Happy Black History Month!!!!!

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Prisca Ogonna

Abuja • 1 year, 9 months ago

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Queensley Okon

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In History and Culture • 3 min read • Feb 11, 2023 06:27a.m.

BHM

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Queensley Okon

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Share your first insight - an insight could be something you learned recently or an idea you have about a certain topic.

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To an average Nigerian who definitely does not 'like stress ' but of course, cannot afford living without it for obvious reasons, the title above could mean spiritual tongues expressed by pastors and other bible preachers whenever they are under anointing while to some others, it could also be a melodious lyrics meaning wealth and affluence. Well, to your greatest shock, non of both answers captures the correct meaning. So, what is Hakini Mudra? For people who have little or more knowledge about yoga and others who participate in it, Hakini Mudra is 'sacred' hand gesture and meditation practice that is usually done during yoga. Featuring both spiritual and psychosocial relevance, Hakini Mudra is named after the Hindu goddess named Hakini- goddess of the third eye or Ajna Chakra as it is commonly known in the yogic tradition. In her artistic form, Hakini, the goddess has six heads and sits on a lotus flower. Unsurprisingly, the six heads symbolises the brain power through which energy flows increasingly, making it possible for humans to be able to draw the strength and ability to have control over their emotions. In addition, it also has five fingertips, each with its own explanation. The thumb represents fire; the middle finger, etherr,; finger; ring finger, earth. index finger air, water, and little finger,, water. Literally, Hakini means - power to rule while Mundra on the other hand translates to the practitioner's ability to take control over the mind. Hakini Mundra is also a representation of wisdom and intuition. This is why people tend to practice it in the first place. It can be done anywhere and at any time by anyone, but this comes with a great level of psychological and physical preparation in order to be able to attract the overall gains of the practice.. It is interesting to note that sign and practice of Hakini Mudra is entirely not different from other non-verbal communication queues done with the hand. However, given its spiritual and physical impact like awareness creation, mental relaxation, self-esteem, and self-consciousness on the human system, it is believed that it is therapeutic as it plays a greater role in ensuring mental stability and physical well-being in the human system. Nonetheless, it is quite absurd why a lot of Nigerians feign ignorance over the positive impact of Hakini Mudra and rather choose to complain about the 'satanic' representation of Hakini the goddess as well as the hand position. Some people even go as far as calling it an Illuminati expression! Illuminati? For a simple exercise? When I look at things like this, I become very worried on how insensitive religion has made most of us

In People and Society • 2 min read • Feb 11, 2024 13:27p.m.

What in the name of yoga is 'Hakini Mundra '?

What in the name of yoga is 'Hakini Mundra '?

Asiogu Ugochukwu

0:00 / 0:00

Hello, I'm coming clean here on the first line; that title was just to grab your attention. If you stick around, you might find out why it's not too far from the truth. For my first insight on Twocents, I wanted to tell everyone about something I'm a veritable expert in; Me learning languages. I don't have much data on the subject matter, but I have been my guinea pig for the past seven years. I can tell you that I have now taught myself french to an intermediate level and I'm enjoying being a beginner at Italian at the moment. Before I go into where disloyalty and childish traits come into helping me achieve this, I want to establish some facts about the subject in question here (me). For starters, I had already absorbed another language other than English by the time I was six years old. I realise this is important to mention because I have seen multiple studies that say bilinguals find it easier to learn new languages. A study from the University of Haifa is my go-to for this part of my story: "Bilinguals find it easier to learn a third language as they gain a better aptitude for languages". It's all there in the fine print. I unconsciously absorbed Idoma from my mother, another polyglot and maybe I have some edge that I think is worth mentioning; an aptitude for learning languages. That being said, my Idoma is more potent in listening and having absorbed the language without intention, I can't boast of acquiring language learning skills I could easily replicate. Beyond my bilingual background (a disposition I believe applies to most Nigerians), I am unsure of any other constraining factors I can prove here. say "intelligence", for example. On the matter of disloyalty. I developed a fascination with french in my second year of University because it simply sounded excellent amongst other things. We had a french course we all had to undertake that taught us very little in the way of useful french, but when I started, I used any app I could lay my hands on. I had free trials open on Babbel, rosetta stone, tried Duolingo in its nascent form and even when I stayed on it I went about picking its weaknesses apart just so I could find some other app or website that filled the gap. this immensely helped me, so I'm begging you to be disloyal with your learning. pick a Main tool (Duolingo in my case) and find a host of side apps and tools to help where your learning device [read as partner] comes up short. As for being childish; children are amazing. they go around being idiots with pride and they find everything interesting at least till they abandon it (disloyal as they must be to learn). the second ingredient in picking up your next language is childish curiosity and the willingness to be an idiot. I realise I have just told you to be a disloyal idiot, but I have been doing this for seven years now, and I can't complain even if others surely can. I watched films as best as I could in french, I used youtube children's books narrations, I kissed my Duolingo app good morning each day then went out to cheat on it with my other teachers. I played my video games in french, and read my football news in French; I faked being french till I could understand my shows without Les sous-titres; so maybe I know a bit about what I'm saying. I want to conclude by wishing you luck in your learning endeavours and I hope you'll be a slutty foolish learner who speaks many languages eventually.

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Oluwadamilola Adesina

Lagos • 1 week, 1 day ago

Maybe when a Nigerian puts his hands together in the Hakini Mudra position, hoping to benefit from it's therapeutic benefits, the thing t...

Joshua Omoijiade

Senior Designer @ Studio Contra

Lagos, Nigeria

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In Education • 3 min read • Jan 14, 2023 16:43p.m.

How being disloyal and Childish can make you a polyglot

How being disloyal and Childish can make you a ...

Joshua Omoijiade

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Tomi Walker

Lagos • 1 year, 10 months ago

I find it very fascinating the number of Nigerians who are actively seeking to learn a new language. I wonder what is the driving factor ...

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Suzanne Nanyonge

Nice write up! So, if we are to go by the definition you gave of a mother tongue, then that means my mother tongue (as well as yours) is ...

9 months ago

Asiogu Ugochukwu

Global Security enthusiast

It was George Santayana who mentioned that we must welcome the future, remembering that soon it will be the past , and we must respect the past remembering that it was once all that was humanly possible. Life can be likened to a journey of a trillion miles and whoever that is ready to embark on this journey must be well equipped with the knowledge of the past so as not to be ignorant of the present. Imagining a world where there was no meticulous recordings of past human experiences, cultures, traditions, ideologies, among other fragmentary evidences of man's perspective of his society is enough to make the concept of imagination itself archaic. This is because such a world would have been boring, uneventful and uninteresting. It would have been a world of emptiness; where humans have no direction and understanding of who they really are, where they came from and where they are headed. According to Edward Hallett Crr, history is a dialogue between the present and the past. In addition, Voltaire noted that the first foundation of all history are the recitals of the fathers to the children, transmitted afterwards from one generation to another. Mankind will continue to live in ignorance and mistakes without maintaining quality relations with its history. and heritage. It is true that not everyone likes history or finds it useful. However, the acceptance or rejection of history does not limit its Implications on every society. Acceptance of the fundamental role of history in a society provides the people with a compass of present and future prospects while the opposite according to James Joyce, remains a nightmare from which people are trying to awake. Overall, any society that does not prioritize the study of its history is doomed to making mistakes that will continue to hunt its people and relegate its cultural, political and economic significance. Little wonder, in his masterpiece entitled - "The Life of Reason," George Santayana adumbrated thus: Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. The study and lessons of history helps us understand our true identities, our origin and heritage. It connects us with our root and gives us insight into our present challenges. History provides man with practical solutions to societal challenges. It imbuilds in those who connect with iit, analytical and interpretative skills and abilities to comprehend what, why, when and how events occur as well as what can be done to either avert or welcome.them. In all, it is important to note that history is not mere fictional stories about the dead and the living;, rather, it is man's guide and companion to his future.

In History and Culture • 2 min read • Oct 04, 2022 05:31a.m.

History: An antidote to man's ridiculous mistakes and excuses.

History: An antidote to man's ridiculous mistak...

Asiogu Ugochukwu

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Asiogu Ugochukwu

2 years, 1 month ago

Exactly. This explains why most historians believe in the cyclical concept of history. This means that history repeats itself. So, if tru...

Jefferson Nnadiekwe

Freelance scriptwriter and creative photographer

Lagos, Nigeria

Deep breath... Alright, let's get the good news out - I placed 2nd in a recently concluded screenwriting competition... yay!!! Sure I was gunning for first, but when I think about how big the competition was and imagine the hundreds if not thousands of entries that were sent in, 2nd place is huge. And for that, I am so grateful to God for this talent he has given me, and myself for honing and sharpening it. I vividly remember the afternoon I came across the announcement post for the competition like it was yesterday. I also remember going through the comments and visiting the pages of the writers who had indicated their interest. I will have to admit, I did feel like entering the competition was a futile effort, as I saw way more experienced writers throw in their hats into the ring. Thankfully, I shook up the jitters and decided to give it a shot. And today, I have a recognition and honor from a pool of experienced filmmakers.  That is the first lesson I Iearned from this experience - compete! If you wish to go far in your career, you have to be willing to go up against the best in that field. Sometimes, we get so comfortable and content with where we are that we do not see the heights we can attain. As long as we have family and friends who tell us that we are 'good', that is okay with us. But you do not really know how good you are until you test yourself against hungry and talented individuals gunning for the same thing. So do not be scared to compete. Another thing I learned from this journey is to always be prepared. I am not ashamed to say that I have wished to break into the film industry fully. I am also not ashamed to say that it hasn't always gone as expected. However one thing that remained constant is I kept preparing myself. Through continuous idea development, sharpening my skills and sourcing for writing opportunities, I unknowingly prepared myself for this moment. Once, while nursing a disappointment, a friend of mine said to me 'the good thing is that you are getting yourself ready for when that opportunity comes'... And boy was she right. For sure this is a launch pad to greater heights, and I would have missed it if I wasn't prepared. Preparation is nothing without consistency, and I wouldn't be one of the winners in this competition if it wasn't for consistency. Let nobody deceive you, consistency is hard - and that is putting it mildly. Putting in the work in varying degrees daily can be frustrating, especially when it seems like the results aren't coming. One thing I have learned is that the results are always present, but because we fixate on the grand picture, we overlook the little wins. Ironically, these little wins are the steps towards the bigger ones. In the past, I have fiddled with the idea of pivoting into something else. Especially those times it felt like everyone else has their lives figured out and I'm flailing. At those times what kept me going was the thought that all of the hard work and aspirations would be for nothing. Do I wish it happened sooner? Of course. However I am recently learning that there is no actual deadline for the rewards of hard work to manifest. My final lesson is a petty one - do not throw your pearls to swines. Sometime last year, I entrusted one of my stories to a 'producer' who clearly couldn't handle such story. Said producer tried desperately to make me believe that my script was incomprehensible and in her words 'maybe na you and your friends go watch am'. In less than a month after she said that, here I am with a recognition by seasoned industry folks.  The point of my little story is not everyone would appreciate your craft and it's much better to identify those people and avoid them. A swine cannot comprehend the value of a pearl after all. In a situation where you misjudged and indeed cast your pearls to swines, count your losses and move on. The people who would appreciate your work are out there. There are a lot of lessons I could draw from this bit of good news, but I will leave that till next time when I am the king of the mountain.

In Career and Jobs • 4 min read • Jul 16, 2024 16:24p.m.

VICTORIES AND NUGGETS

VICTORIES AND NUGGETS

Jefferson Nnadiekwe

0:00 / 0:00

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Favour Okwuise

Ikeja • 4 months ago

Wow! Congratulations jefferson. This is just the beginning of great heights and achievement

Hi, it's Jefferson, thanks for reading my insights.

I'm a creative screenwriter, photographer, cinematographer and creative director. You can check out some of my works here https://instagram.com/themi...

Samuel Ibok

Marketing Supervisor @ Crusader Sterling Pensions Limited

Lagos, Nigeria

It always starts with a thought and then a taste. As much as we can all agree that appetite is inherent in humans, I strongly believe that it is learned. Also, when you constantly feed that thought with meat, it becomes a part of your being or identity. The appetite for certain things gets heightened over time, and the inability to satisfy those desires could lead to anxiety. I guess that's why addicts always find a way back to their poison. It reminds me of the prodigal son fleeing to the streets because of Sapa! A few days back, I saw a young boy in his early twenties waiting patiently for a BRT bus so he could end his precious life. Thank God, and thank those who approached him and dragged him off the road. It was clear that he was under influence. To put it another way, otilo! My Yoruba is rusty, but I could pick off comments about him being a chronic smoker and alcoholic who spent most time hanging out with his peers, who are obviously birds of a feather. It took a lot of convincing to get him stable, and he was still trying to force his way back to the express. Even in his high state, he could recall his parents' phone number, which was quite cute! After his highness took a bow, he regained his sanity, and reality hit him again. He started showing signs of remorse and was in tears. I'm no sadist, but I've seen things like this on several occasions, so I wasn't moved by his tears. Yeah, the tears are not a guarantee of change. His father arrived on the scene and didn't seem very surprised at his folly. I may be wrong, but I could tell his dad drinks and smokes. In my mind, I said, "Like father, like son!" Let's be real, yeah. Who do we blame—the boy or his dad? Most of the time, we jump to conclusions and assume that peer pressure is the primary cause of societal problems, but this is almost always incorrect. Cheers to parents for all they do, but they have to do better. What's the point of your grind as a parent if your children, humanity's hope, end up wayward or become a threat to society? The money you provide after toiling is no guarantee that your kids have character. Sometimes you have to stop telling parables and start living them. Quit the blame game and do better. In the end, we are all models for others to follow. And I believe you, young men, can tell right from wrong. Make yourself and your parents proud. Let the fear of missing out not lead you out of the promised land! I believe "restraint is what keeps us free." Your taste buds fit carry you go where you no know! Just because it's cool doesn't mean it can't get you burned! This doesn't stop you from enjoying your life as a young person. Let us put an end to the myth that a chilled life must contain traces of vice. If you think these thoughts are unrealistic, I dare you to be better. The truth is, that young man was lucky to have people around to stop him from ending his life, so he technically has a second chance. Not everyone is that lucky. If you're hooked on something that can get you in trouble, give yourself a second chance today. Children are our responsibility and our hope. Never forget that. Learn Unlearn Relearn

In People and Society • 3 min read • Dec 29, 2022 09:31a.m.

Otilo (Izz gone)

Otilo (Izz gone)

Samuel Ibok

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Cyrus Majebi

Asiogu Ugochukwu

If you like my insights, you can encourage me by sending a TIP. Thank you!

397

Hi, it's Samuel, thanks for reading my insights.

I'm a Creative Writer and Poet on a mission to Tell Stories That Torch! You can find some of my works below https://www.instagram.com/p...

Jefferson Nnadiekwe

Freelance scriptwriter and creative photographer

Lagos, Nigeria

The effects of reconstructive history can be so bad that it affects a long line of generations. Especially in this time where people are too nonchalant to make casual research, if it isn't work related. As Africans, it's imperative that we make the conscious effort to get familiar with our history, lest we fall into the mischief of western PR. For some people, it might be too late because the mindsets of a lot of Africans have already been influenced in certain topics.One of the persistent ones that has sunk into great depths, is the gender roles and marginalization in African societies. It's generally believed by advocates of gender equality that the traditional African society has always marginalized and suppressed women. Western culture is being credited to the rise of equality and fairness. While Africa is constantly condemned, we in the same breath heap praises and accolades to America and Europe for their good work in breaking gender based barriers. This however isn't the case. And to prove this, one has to consider pre-colonial Africa. It might come as a surprise to a lot of people the prominent positions African women held before the advent of the white man. In certain societies, it was common to see a council of female chiefs who had duties ranging from political to societal. After colonization, some of the things that the colonizers did was abolish such councils or impose their own choices which were men just like it was where they came from. Queen mothers were also common in Africa during pre-colonial times. These Queen mothers had authority and reference that only that of the King could rival. In fact, there are historical accounts of how some of these Queen mothers led their people in resisting British invaders. A prominent example of this is Yaa Asantewaa of the Ashanti people. It was during the periods of colonialism that patriarchy became accepted in African culture and solidified the subjugation of women. The same patriarchy that a lot of misguided and miseducated feminists claim is an original African culture. Yet, patriarchy was not Africa's primary system of political and social organization prior to colonization. Many matriarchal societies have existed throughout African history. Now, it cannot be said that specific roles didn't exist in these societies like all other societies around the world. But these roles weren't created with the purpose to belittle women as we have been made to believe. The female gender has and will always be sacred to an African man. He sees women as the source of life and even attributes the earth to a woman. Honor and exaltation are very important ways of appreciating women in traditional settings. It's a shame that we have allowed history to be butchered so bad that African societies have become the villains and chief proponents of women's marginalization. Granted that there are men amongst us who subscribed to the idea that women are inferior, however, it could be a part of the lingering effects of colonialism. Maybe modern African feminists need to revisit history of both cultures - African and Western. A little research could change the whole approach to a less antagonistic one. Time and time again, we have allowed our history told by foreigners to cause some sort of rift or the other. If you don't care to know your history, not only would an outsider tell it to you, but he would use the ignorance against you.

In History and Culture • 3 min read • Mar 19, 2024 14:45p.m.

THE MISEDUCATION OF THE AFRICAN WOMAN

THE MISEDUCATION OF THE AFRICAN WOMAN

Jefferson Nnadiekwe

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I know you like my insights 😁. Kindly consider leaving a tip.

What if I told you that Independence was a scam? That the labour of our heroes' past though honoured and hallowed forever in our Nation's story was a lie, a play on the grand stage of Global politics.  In school, I was taught about multiple tipping points that led to the successful fight for independence; one being the education of prominent citizens who fought the white men for independence, another being that our participation in foreign wars made us see through the mysticism that was the powerful white man. We saw that they were indeed mortals, mere flesh and blood. But over the years of reading, I have come to realise that like every good story, history is easily rewritten, edited and also can easily be made up. To understand what happened and get the full story, we need to zoom out and expand our lens past the geography of Nigeria and see the world like the colonialists saw it, a chessboard with moving pieces and parts; i.e. any nation that wasn't predominantly white or European. Because there were 2 races at that time; the powerful whites and every other primitive inferior one.  Like the fight for intelligence, nuclear power or the space race, they competed for who had the most colonies. In that era, colonises signified power in the form of resources. After the abolition of slavery, they had to go for the next best thing, natural resources and if they could also get the minds of the best of that race working for them indirectly, was it really a loss? They played the game of benevolent masters or vindictive and spiteful lords, depending on which got the job done, or which was more economically feasible. Because you see, wars have always been costly; preparing ammunition, paying men enough to risk their lives, providing food, water and welfare, and then shipping all these to a faraway land was a venture not to be taken lightly, especially if the reward was not high. So, this was a period where the powers that be and European nations shared sovereign nations like a slice of pie, some getting the indigenes to sign documents which literally said they were under the protection of the colonial master. Just like gangsters telling you to pay protection money, except this document was a proof of ownership. They showed the other European nations the document and it meant "They are mine, stay clear." These were the rules of engagement among them, breaching it meant war because the first rule is "do not mess with the money."  A beautiful book I read called "A Peace to End All Peace" by David Fromkin speaks beautifully on how the British and other nations fought for and carved up the Ottoman Empire into what we now know as the Modern Middle East. Most importantly, it gave me an insight into why the British had to re-strategise their approach in other colonies, this is because those in the Middle East fought them nonstop. So they kept needing to move men around to recapture and defend territories that they had occupied. It costs them time, money and infrastructure. They made deals and counter-deals with different clans and even blood relatives, turning brother against brother and even father against son. Then there was World War II, which put a massive strain on the power structure and world order. They used every resource available to them, including their colonies, conscripting them in a war that didn't directly affect them. The agitation, scuffles and struggles to put out the multiple fires in the different British colonies had left them stretched thin. America spoke against the colony arrangement and a new agreement was made. The colonial masters were to pull out and give back sovereignty to the nations. But before they left, they had one more card up their sleeves.

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Hi, it's Jefferson, thanks for reading my insights.

I'm a creative screenwriter, photographer, cinematographer and creative director. You can check out some of my works here https://instagram.com/themi...

Oluseyi Vandy

Freelance writer, audio producer, 3D modelling

Lagos, Nigeria

942

14795

In History and Culture • 3 min read • Apr 29, 2024 07:16a.m.

THE END OF COLONIALISM: AN UNPOPULAR OPINION

THE END OF COLONIALISM: AN UNPOPULAR OPINION

Oluseyi Vandy

0:00 / 0:00

Mr. Peter Obi has run a formidable campaign. From the day he moved to the LP from the PDP, it was obvious to everyone that he must run a campaign such as never before seen to even stand a chance in this race. How he should do it, what amount of effort would suffice to give him a fighting chance, and if he could rise to the occasion, nobody knew for certain. Forget that he had achieved a similar feat as a political neophyte on his way to becoming Anambra state governor 20 years ago. Nigeria is 200X bigger, is home to 40X more people, and is politically hostile to the idea of an Igbo presidency. Plus, at 61 years old, how much could his body bear? Today, however, even his most ardent supporters marvel at how he has conducted his campaign, and the impact of it is clear to all. Yet even Mr. Peter Obi knows that his fantastic campaign is only a small part of what he needs to win. His ace in this election has always been with him. And he needs that ace to deliver more than any bigwig endorsement. Young people in Nigeria have endured so much unfair criticism from the older generation over the last few years. Generational wars are normal and to be expected. But when you hear many of our older citizens speak of us, it sounds like we are the worst to ever live – while they are the best thing to happen to Nigeria. We have been tagged, the “social media generation”, a way of saying that we are all talk and zero action. When Peter Obi first declared to run, and it was clear that he is the overwhelming favorite of the youth, the social media spaces were awash with, “Elections are not won on social media” and “There is no polling booth on Twitter” campaigns, and they tagged the man “Twitter President” and “Facebook President”. This mockery of our generation has been consistent with older people. At first, they accused us of being too self-indulgent and lacking the ability to organise ourselves for change. Even our president went abroad and told the world that Nigerian youths are “Lazy”. Then, when we hit the streets in 2020 to demand an end to police brutality, they jeered at first, assuring us that we’ll leave the streets after a few days. And when we sustained the protests for weeks, united in purpose, even shunning our jobs, they shifted to complain that we were disrupting their lives. All in all, they paid no heed to our demands. They tasked us to organise politically instead of protesting. In spite of our organic, decentralised, and efficient organisation of the #EndSARS protests, they were still so sure that we lacked the ability to organise politically. For 15 months after the protests, they jumped on every opportunity to label us as inept, unfocused, weak, lazy, and self-indulgent. We were tagged with every bad name in the book, and we endured it. Then came 2022, and amidst the usual octogenarians presenting their entitled selves to be voted for president in the upcoming elections, we identified with Mr. Peter Obi based on his record of prudence, tangible delivery of good governance, and simplicity. We declared our support for him, then the older ones came with their mockery again. This time, they said we would be unable to sustain the support with the required intensity for 9 months. They listed many events that people in our generation enjoy, and invoked their opinions of us as the reasons why we would soon lose steam; "Big Brother Naija, The English Premier League, The FIFA world cup, and Big Brother Africa" would soon take our attention, they said. But those events have come and gone, and yet we have kept Mr. Peter Obi’s name on the lips of every Nigerian, and even made other Africans take notice and be invested in the outcome of our elections. In 2 days, the Social Media generation has the opportunity to put an end to the disrespect on us – and hopefully, stop the culture of disregard for younger people in our society. While many older people continue to be blind to our potential, I have seen enough to believe that we have it in us to complete this mission. I must say that I am immensely proud of my generation of Nigerians. We will not always agree on issues, we might continue to bicker on the age long issue of male and female roles in society, and there will surely be more fights in the future, but these are not grounds enough for the political establishment to disrespect and ignore us as they have for the last 8 years. This is not the time to fear about whether we will succeed or fail. It is not the time to buckle under their pressure. Looking back at the last 2 years, we have consistently confounded the naysayers, and I dare to say that we can do it again this Saturday. They have been wrong about us on many issues, yet they refused to learn their lessons. That they still believe Obi cannot win, in spite of the youths being the majority of registered voters is a testament to the fact that they still doubt us. However, Mr. Peter Obi not only believes in us in words, but he has also banked his run on that trust that we as a generation have the ability to deliver. So, shut your ears to naysayers today. Seal your heart to contrary thoughts. From now, till when the votes are counted and declared at your polling unit, have only one thought on your mind: I MUST WIN MY POLLING UNIT FOR PETER OBI! PS: Dear friend, I have written this to encourage other young people to come out and vote, and I want to thank you for reading to this point. Has this encouraged you? Please let me know. And if your answer is yes, it would be amazing if you could share it with your friends and community, so that many more can be encouraged to vote on Saturday. Thanks again.

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Hi, it's Oluseyi, thanks for reading my insights.

Let me tell you a story https://instagram.com/reneg...

Chinomso Uzoeto

Growth Marketing @ TwoCents

Lagos, Nigeria

725

5069

In Politics • 3 min read • Feb 23, 2023 13:28p.m.

Announcing Mr. Peter Obi's Not-So-Secret Ace

Announcing Mr. Peter Obi's Not-So-Secret Ace

Chinomso Uzoeto

0:00 / 0:00

What do you think this topic will be about? Take a pause and think...... Ever heard the saying Humans are social animals? What's the difference between being a social animal and a social beast? Well here's a truth steering every one of us in the eyes, we have a beast that lives within us, yes, you have a beast waiting patiently to break out left unchecked. The devil has long been blamed for humanity's darkest actions, often becoming the scapegoat for our own worst behaviors. After all, it's easier to point fingers at something or someone who can't defend itself. Here and there we hear news of people who attacked innocent victims with no prior history of violence on record, model citizens falling apart with one act done to them leading to the awakening of the beast that existed within the so-called social animal.<img src="https://www.twocents.space/media/inline_insight_image/night-tiger-beast-hd-wallpaper-preview.jpg" alt=""> This beast has plagued society in so many ways than one, across Africa and beyond, it comes in various names such as slavery, trafficking, human sacrifice, manslaughter, rape, xenophobia, etc. The list goes darker and darker, no one could imagine growing up only to have the instinct to kill and destroy, we know not what to say, it so seems the instinct has always been there. Push a social animal to the wall and you will see the beast dwelling within. Some say "No, I can't do that", well I will only meet you with a philosophical quote from Socrate "Man know thyself" a level of self-awareness that many are guilty of not having. The society is a mob of emotionally manipulate-able beasts waiting to be used at every and any point, the truth no longer a thing because a well-painted mirage of deception has been fed to their hungry beast giving enough strength to crush skulls and shatter hearts when the deed is done the beasts leaves the social animal back into its abode, reality becomes hideous, guilt becomes the stone that crushes their heart with no place to hide they seek for salvation, well maybe they did, maybe they did not and died in the pursuit of that salvation. Know this, the complexity of this world is enough to create a beast within you, but only you have the power to keep it in check, we don't control what happens to us all, but we do control the next cause action. Sorry the devil didn't do anything, You did this.

590

Godwin Erite

Senior Project Executive @ FieldConnect

Lagos, Nigeria

442

1910

In People and Society • 2 min read • Aug 11, 2024 21:06p.m.

The Beast Within

The Beast Within

Godwin Erite

0:00 / 0:00

society humannature selfawareness

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‘Done is better than perfect’ I heard this first from my now mentor, Dr. Ada S. Peter when I was only a 200-level student trying to not die from the weight of assignments and coursework. After every class, she would give us painful assignments, with emphasis on the word painful, the kind of assignments that will lead the class to drop out of their chairs to the floor of the studio and just start shedding collective tears. Once she had heard all our complaints, she would smile and say ‘You can do it’…or ‘I am grooming you’ or ‘you’ll be grateful for this training’ and whilst it was true, we definitely could not see it at that time…and out of all the many things she would say, the one that stuck with me the most was the ‘Done is better than perfect’. This simple statement has helped me through my journey as a student, an employee, and even as an unofficial career mentor. In life, we often get overwhelmed when faced with tasks that we think are beyond our capacity or confused about, and then work paralysis sets in. We find ourselves unable to even start the task because we are so worried that we can’t do it or worried that we don’t know how to do it. We get stuck on making it perfect that we never actually get it to even make it happen and that’s why I hold those words dear to me. Once again. Done is better than perfect. I promise you that once you internalize this statement, your work or study life will become a whole lot easier. Now, don’t get too excited, this is not a magic phrase but rather it is a soothing statement that helps to take away the unnecessary pressure we feed ourselves as we fight for perfection. The key point of this message is to do it. Doing the work will always be better than waiting for perfection. You can only improve upon or make perfect something that already exists #word When I started my journey in the labor market, a clueless graduate who had more theoretical knowledge than skills, I would often get confused and overwhelmed when assigned tasks that I had bragged about in the interview but have no current knowledge of. Even worse, I would sit in meetings and be so lost, and then when they assign a task at the end of the meetings, I was still there trying to figure out what half of what they were saying meant. This is where that statement started to make sense to me. When I would stare at my laptop, head throbbing, fingers itching and a blank brain, worrying endlessly about whether or not I could do it. I might even close the laptop in fury and stare at the cobwebs-filled ceiling, wondering if I should just quit just so that feeling of helplessness would go away. Then the word would come and somehow it gave me enough energy to actually start something. I would start, stop, and start again but push through and do what I can do best. Eventually, it would start to suddenly make sense, and although it was nothing close to perfect, the feeling of actually getting the work done either way was enough for me. Sometimes, well most times, what I thought was a pile of rubbish compiled together ended up being exactly what my boss was looking for. So if you ever find yourself in similar shoes, don’t bother worrying about the outcome. Just start, it doesn’t even have to make sense at the beginning. Do it first and then worry about perfection later. It may turn out perfect or it may not but at the very least, it is done. Until next time!

Esther Omemu

Design Associate @ Hera Marketing

Lagos, Nigeria

650

7147

In Career and Jobs • 3 min read • Jan 17, 2023 18:57p.m.

Done is better than Perfect

Done is better than Perfect

Esther Omemu

0:00 / 0:00

Oluseyi Vandy Samuel Mgbabor Nwite

I follow an Instagram page called “Diary Of A Naija Girl.” It is run by a very vocal, intelligent and successful woman entrepreneur who shares her life experiences as well as the experiences of others, and us who keep up with her posts can seek advice and connect with each other, as we’ve grown to become a strong community of women – both home and abroad, bonded through our similar struggles. I stumbled on one of DANG’s (for short) posts today; about the kindness of a stranger. She was a “fresher” as we call first year undergrads, and while trying to register her courses and navigate college life one fateful day, she found herself stuck in the rain, completely drenched and worse – stranded right in front of her home, as her roommates were not around to let her into their shared apartment. This stranger who happened to know this lady’s roomies invited her to her place; giving her shelter from the rain, then proceeded to offer her a change of clothes and also heat up a glass of beverage for her. According to the narrator, this experience occurred 24 years ago, but has remained in her mind and in her heart till this very day. And even though this is something I’ve always known, I’m reminded that kind gestures are so powerful, they can outlive the person who extended said kindness. It is the same thing with vileness. You can be so vitriolic, the negative impact on other people’s lives remain with them forever. That’s why it’s important to choose kindness every day because would you rather be remembered for kicking a person when they were down, or for lifting them up? If your answer is negative, you be weyrey. 😩Imagine somebody remembering you over two whole decades since they first encountered you; simply because of a moment of benevolence. The aforementioned story about the undergrad also reminds me of Adele the iconic singer, on stage, recounting her early teenage years with a particular favorite teacher of hers who was kind and took the time to be there for her students in special ways that the singer never forgot. Fast forward to being a multiple Grammy award winner years after, and Adele was on stage, telling the world the story of this teacher of hers. The teacher was in attendance as a surprise for Adele and when her presence was revealed, she moved the famous singer to tears. So memorable a person, your teenage students become fully grown adults, but can never forget you. What a legacy! I too have experienced the kindness of friends as well as strangers, as we all have. One particular moment I’ll always be grateful for, was a friend driving me to lend some money from another friend of his; so I could have transport fare to travel outside of Lagos where I reside, and star in my first feature film. Today, everytime that movie comes up on the Iroko Tv platform, I remember the person who made it possible for me to be in that movie and I mouth a silent prayer to God, blessing them for what they did for me. A singular act of kindness can change not just your life but the life of the recipient and years later, you and them can still reap the rewards of that one symbolic gesture.And in the wise words of one commenter under Dang’s post, specifically the one about the caring stranger — ‘Always be kind to people, that’s how you live forever, in their hearts.’ And I completely agree!Please endeavor to spread some kindness and cheer as you go about your day to day, I assure you, the world will be better for it. 😌😊

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Hi, it's Esther, thanks for reading my insights.

A creative writer born, bred and established in art of advertising...Feel free to check out my work samples here https://copyfol.io/v/mnw7r7...

Belinda Chiazor

Writer and Filmmaker @ Middle Girl Productions

Lagos, Nigeria

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In Literature, Writing and Blogging • 3 min read • May 07, 2024 00:23a.m.

The Impact Of Our Kindness

The Impact Of Our Kindness

Belinda Chiazor

0:00 / 0:00

kindness social impact humanity

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If life was a book what would be its title for you? "The Journey of Faith" will be the title, and this chapter will be tagged "Surviving Naija; Keeping the Dream Alive".Every Nigerian should earn a certificate of survival at this point because what the f*** is going on here?Is this the end of the world for us here? If this was a prank it isn't funny anymore, the margin dividing the poor and the rich has grown so tin and more people are seemingly poor than rich, maybe they were rich a few months back but right it seems we have more daylight robberies in the form of utilities and commercial ventures, No blame pushing here to the private sector cause it takes a lot to operate in an economy like the Nigerian Economy, but things are happening, imagine how banks don't have the cash to dispense and POS vendors always having money, like how are we buying the Naira as Nigerians?Scratch the banking sector what about the bandits tagged A, B, and C, I heard some are bandless bandits, here's broad daylight robbery cause how the hell do they calculate it, but well on the other hand people do not use electrical appliances like they use to, if you are sharing a prepared meter with your name by now you should be awarded a private investigators batch cause people get know their neighbors bad habits of leaving lights and tv on and its all coming down to bills, unavoidable cost of living, let's not even talk about security.Do we have a democrazy or are we crazy?They have made us into clowns, who do not know the definition of a democratic system of government.Well, we all are tired at this point and looking for a way out... But what way would that be?

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Hi, it's Belinda, thanks for reading my insights.

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Godwin Erite

Senior Project Executive @ FieldConnect

Lagos, Nigeria

442

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In Nigeria • 2 min read • Jul 28, 2024 21:28p.m.

My Life's Chapter 5; Surviving Naija

My Life's Chapter 5; Surviving Naija

Godwin Erite

0:00 / 0:00

nigeria whatwaynaija

Jefferson Nnadiekwe

Freelance scriptwriter and creative photographer

Lagos, Nigeria

The Lion King, is arguably my favorite Disney animation. I cannot tell how many times I've seen it. And each time I see it again, I most likely grab something new. The hidden innuendos, jokes and symbolisms. However, my attention was brought to something about the animation, in a post on Facebook. Someone said the movie had elements of toxic positivity, and this was present in the characters; Timon and Pumba. Up until that moment, I had never heard of the term 'Toxic Positivity'. For clarity, toxic positivity according to a quick Google search, involves dismissing negative emotions and responding to distress with false reassurances, rather than empathy. Reading up on this new term, I immediately saw the point in the post. At the time Simba meets Timon and Pumba, he had just lost his dad. And when he tells them, they basically respond with the phrase 'Hakuna Matata', meaning: 'no worries'. Sure.. that's much better. Rather than comforting the poor cub who just lost his dad, and had to run away, his new friends tell him not to worry about it. I also realized that this sort of response is common within our environment. People are made to 'forget' about their grief, rather than process it. Sometimes, 'look on the bright side', is not what a victim of misfortune needs to hear immediately. What this encourages, is suppression of emotions. One of the most popular examples of toxic positive is the response to bad news with; 'at least you're alive'. Yes, I'm alive, but I still feel hurt from the bad situation, at that moment. When a person is hurting, let them express it. Let them cry if they need to. Frankly, we need to start embracing a more empathetic approach towards negative feeling. Suppressing emotions leads to an individual walking around with a burden. I understand that people do this, so that they wouldn't have to deal with their sadness and grief. But the sadness doesn't go away. Just like in Simba's case. It finds a way to resurface, leaving an even worse effect on us when it does.

In People and Society • 2 min read • Jun 15, 2022 09:22a.m.

Have you heard about 'Toxic Positivity'?

Have you heard about 'Toxic Positivity'?

Jefferson Nnadiekwe

0:00 / 0:00

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I promised that there was more and here it is... If you scroll deep into the internet and searched why advertising as we used to know it is dying, you find articles about how traditional advertising has become irrelevant ever since a major shift in media consumption or how agencies failed to realign themselves with new trends, innovate or make proper succession plans. Some have identified that the idea that social media will help brands reduce their dependence on ‘expensive’ and ‘wasteful’ advertising…or that they could easily tap into a community of followers and reach more people for free is one of the reasons that led us to this point. I do not disagree with any of these but whilst there is truth to these statements, this has no imprint on what I am so passionately writing about. Advertising used to be an art form, a medium of creative expression where ad agencies did their best to get the very best version for their clients. This is what I mean. Agencies used to create songs that lasted forever in the memories of the audience, stories that were not quick to be forgotten, and put their back into the work so much so that it was hard not to see results. They understood their consumers and dug deep into the market until they become one with who they were selling to. The graphics were rich and the messages elite. But we really can’t say this is the same as today. We really can’t look at the overload of adverts on all our social media platforms and see anything that reminds us of quality advertising. I dare you to argue otherwise. Scroll through your phone this instant, find me the best of the best, and make this post invalid. I truly believe this art form is dying because the ones who truly appreciated it have been whisked away on the wings of evolving trends or perhaps, the internet has so radically changed things that it is hard for agencies to pick up. It could also possibly be that like every other creative work, advertising is expensive. The process of creating those iconic ads is marked with money, spending a lot of money and with all the downtimes that the economy has been through, not a lot of people are willing to pay anymore especially when a cheap designer and a self-acclaimed copywriter can do it at the cost of nothing. Only the big brands these days still understand and appreciate the art and we can count their numbers on just one finger. Slowly, it is eroding, the beauty that was once advertising. Now ads are splashed everywhere, without meaning and without a story. Designers just grab pictures of famous people, add a few effects and call it advertising. A lot of us are on this table, including me but even when the memory of good advertising is rising up within me and I feel the need to put in the extra effort and do it like it used to be done, I remind myself that ‘You are not paid enough to do this so just calm down’ and I back to reworking Canva templates. I don’t know if there is a solution to this…I don’t know if like every other trend that has been recycled, that we will go back to the art of advertising. I wonder if one day, all the good old agencies will finally lay their work to rest and take a humble bow out of the industry. I wonder if the generation that appreciated advertising, the ones who gave it their light and passion, the ones who bled true creativity, I wonder when they are all gone… if all we’ll be left of is a museum full of old memories and a future of ads that tell us nothing. No one wants to put in the effort anymore. Not the clients, not the agencies, and definitely not the modern-day designers or copywriters who are just trying their best to survive. And we can’t blame them…’ too much’ because the market economy has changed, media consumption has evolved and technology has taken over but still… Let’s do better…This is the message. Take references from old adverts even if you are still going to rework canva templates and steal copy from a paraphrased version of something you saw somewhere. It won’t be easy considering the new generation of clients are barely appreciating our mediocre advertising efforts and talk less of doing it how it used to be done…but let’s try our best. Until next time!

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Comments

Mwambo Kate

Yaoundé • 1 year, 9 months ago

Very interesting insight !

Hi, it's Jefferson, thanks for reading my insights.

I'm a creative screenwriter, photographer, cinematographer and creative director. You can check out some of my works here https://instagram.com/themi...

Cyrus Majebi

Co-founder @ TwoCents

Lagos, Nigeria

682

3509

In The Economy • 4 min read • Dec 06, 2022 00:07a.m.

WHAT PRAYER DOES THE CASKET MAKER SAY? OR, THE BROKEN WINDOW FALLACY

Ever since I was old enough to know what a casket is, and who casket makers are, I’ve always wo...

Ogechi Amonu Paul-David Maijeh Daluchi Iweanya

dilemma moral casket tragedy profiting

1068

Esther Omemu

Design Associate @ Hera Marketing

Lagos, Nigeria

650

7147

In Content Creators • 4 min read • Jan 21, 2023 15:51p.m.

The True Art of Advertising is Dead (Part 2)

The True Art of Advertising is Dead (Part 2)

Esther Omemu

0:00 / 0:00

Oluseyi Vandy Oghenenyerhovwo O...

THIS INSIGHT HAS STARTED RECEIVING TIPS

311

Hi, it's Esther, thanks for reading my insights.

A creative writer born, bred and established in art of advertising...Feel free to check out my work samples here https://copyfol.io/v/mnw7r7...

Samuel Ibok

Marketing Supervisor @ Crusader Sterling Pensions Limited

Lagos, Nigeria

If you don't believe that the pen is mightier than the sword, then I urge you to come to Lagos. In Lagos, those with markers are more powerful than law enforcement! The Owó dà phenomenon is one that is deeply rooted in society, and many have accepted it without a fight. At every bus stop, you would find these foot soldiers, whose bosses many are afraid to name. They extort money from taxi drivers in the face of law enforcement. The only time they are scared is when there's an armed soldier (staff) in the buses or cabs. In some parts of Lagos, these guys would threaten to hit bike men with rods if they didn't show them love (pay money). Naaaaah, it's crazy and unacceptable, but it's our daily reality. They basically reap where they don't sow. Who did this to us? How long will we remain silent? Should we continue to suffer so that Owó dà may prevail? This Owó dà menace is the new means of employment for frustrated youths living in Lagos. I think the government should intervene now before we all lose what's left of our sanity. These Owó dà soldiers should be taken to a rehabilitation home and trained on essential skills or given jobs. Sincerely, they need a mental shift. When the center can no longer hold, things fall apart. We're slowly establishing the right to be extorted, and it's wrong on all sides. These young lads are supposed to be our future, but it seems they may be our end. #Ówòdàmuststop

In Nigeria • 2 min read • Nov 12, 2022 07:44a.m.

Ówó dà (where is the money)

Ówó dà (where is the money)

Samuel Ibok

0:00 / 0:00

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The build up to the 2023 presidential election gets thicker everyday. The players of this particular election have made the stakes higher. It's even coming off like a Steven Spielberg directed movie. It's just so interesting. It seems like Nigerians get more interested in politics with each political season and this one is unprecedented. The activities of this election season has overshadowed the usual online top searches. Nigerians have never been this interested in politics, since, maybe, pre-independence. It was such a shock to discover that the famous Big Brother Naija (BBN) which is usually the No.1 top search whenever it is on, is not even in the top 10 searches. Why? No other reason, other than, it's election season. When this year's edition of BBN was about to start, I was scared that Nigerians, especially the youth would turn their attention to BBN, be distracted and the initial momentum would lose traction. It is however fulfilling to see us, as a people focus on the task at hand, which is reclaiming our country from neo-slavers and not give in to the obvious distraction. I'm so sure this would be the worst year for the BBN organisers. The official kick-off for campaigns for the elections was billed for 28th September and it seemed Nigerians were more fixated on the date than the contestants themselves. Nigerians have been watching with keen interest, the activities of the 3 major contenders. While the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi kicked of his campaign in the presence of ordinary Nigerians in Plateau, Jos, the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar aka Unifier only stormed the International Conference Centre, Abuja in company of other party members to inaugurate his Presidential Campaign Committee amidst an internal crisis rocking the party. The Unifier can't seem to unify the warring factions in his party. Obviously, unifying Nigeria will be a feat too difficult to handle for Mr. Unifier, except the suffix is meant to deceive gullible people again. Meanwhile, Bola Ahmed Tinubu aka Emi lokan is conspicuously missing in action (MIA). He's being made a mockery of all over social media. He seems to have jetted out of the country on one of his many medical vacations. He maintains that he wants to continue the Buhari's legacy. Laughable, I must say. At least Buhari got into office before going MIA every now and again but Emi lokan hasn't even gotten close to the office and he's already always MIA at the most inauspicious times. Without going further on this, it is without doubt that despite the sufferings of Nigerians under Buhari, a Tinubu presidency will usher Nigerians into more perilous times, worse than we have ever known before. A Tinubu presidency, going by his antecedents and recent exposés will turn Nigeria into a ghostland and a wasteland, one only which his henchmen and cronies benefit from. Well, now that campaign season is officially open, our faves can now have a field day convincing us why we should support them. Will it be a battle of the gladiators, a local Derby or will the usual rice, 5k or beans (since it has recently been added to the mix) be in circulation like the very weak Naira? Whatever the case, I'll leave you with this, "if you collect 5k na for four (4) years meanwhile olosho dey collect 20k for one night." It's CAMPAIGN SEASON, make we borrow ourselves sense.

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Hi, it's Samuel, thanks for reading my insights.

I'm a Creative Writer and Poet on a mission to Tell Stories That Torch! You can find some of my works below https://www.instagram.com/p...

Tari Ogbowei

Content Writer and contributor @ TwoCents

Yenagoa, Nigeria

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In Politics • 3 min read • Oct 01, 2022 16:34p.m.

IT'S CAMPAIGN SEASON

IT'S CAMPAIGN SEASON

Tari Ogbowei

0:00 / 0:00

343

Comments

Asiogu Ugochukwu

2 years, 1 month ago

I believe say this time around, our mumu don do.

Jefferson Nnadiekwe

Freelance scriptwriter and creative photographer

Lagos, Nigeria

Scrolling through my Instagram feed on Saturday, I came across the news of Nigerian public figure, and comedian; Mr Jollof declaring his support for APC presidential flag bearer, Bola Tinubu. But rather than the news itself, what was most interesting about that post, were the comments. It's no secret that the Nigerian youths see APC and PDP, as synonymous to backwardness and 'evil'. So it came as no surprise to see the negative comments aimed at Mr.Jollof. The youths were angry and boy did they let him know. How dare he support Tinubu, rather than the man of the people; Peter Obi. He was accused of being part of our nation's problems, an enemy of Nigeria's development amongst other names. The question here however, is; did he really do anything wrong in declaring his support for the APC man? Going by the true meaning of democracy, Mr. Jollof is well within his rights to support whomever he chooses to. And as such, shouldn't be subjected to insults and accusations of being an unpatriotic Nigerian. I understand the frustrations of Nigerians concerning PDP, and APC - both parties have failed us in all honesty. But bullying and abusing anyone who decides to vote for any of their flag bearers is wrong, and certainly not the way to go about campaigning for Peter Obi. The truth remains, in times like this, people most likely pitch their tents wherever it would favor them. Reasons for supporting a political candidate, range from collective development, to personal gain. We should understand that not everyone is after collective development. That's one of the 'uglies' in politics. I believe there is a better way to go about ensuring the right man gets the job. Rather than insults, we should aim to win others over to our side convincingly. Insults would only make those on the other side more defiant. During the election period, it is guaranteed to meet others with varying opinions, and preferred candidates. Are we going to keep abusing and bullying them? We can do better, we have to do better.

In Politics • 2 min read • Jun 13, 2022 14:54p.m.

To each his own

To each his own

Jefferson Nnadiekwe

0:00 / 0:00

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