Growing up, I heard stories about haunted houses, the living-dead, spirits and tales of people who embraced the welcoming arms of death screaming, yelling or fighting for an extension of their earthly timeline. As a Christian I grew up learning and believing in what the bible teaches about death, resurrection, purgatory and so on.  As an inquisitive teen and young lady, I read books and stories on time travel, souls departing the physical realm and saw movies like The Omen, I know what you did last summer, Hammer house of horror, Back from hell (I never had the heart to finish that one), our own Willy Willy and Nneka the pretty serpent which by the way always got me screaming my lungs out and yeah, there was Mel Gibson's passion of Christ which was a detailed (in my opinion ) portrayal of the agonizing death of Christ. That movie  had me crying for days.  Between the movies and the books, I would say the movies were more impactful because they vividly portrayed in pictures and vide

If the events of the last few days or weeks did not trigger an emotion in you then I don't know what would.  The anxieties, diatribes and resultant loss of lives and properties. The aggression, pain, agony and the blame games that usually follow our gradual but steady return to our old and unchanging routines got me thinking; Nigeria, will we ever get it right? When are we going to end the politics of violence fueled by either tribalism or religion?  Anyway, today I want to share something most of you might already be familiar with. It's called; Maslow's hierarchy of needs as can be seen in the table below

Oh my love, my beau, it's been more than 365 days since our paths crossed and you're probably feeling abandoned and forgotten but indeed, I really, truly, deeply miss you.  The love I have for you still pulsates albeit, weakly. But like a comatose heart charged by a pacemaker, everyday, the lingering fond thoughts of our escapades invigorates my fading memory. You are my spring of life and the thin threads of my heart clings on.

 A new addition to mental disorders is called "Obsessive Japa Mental Disorder" (OJMD) Causes 1. Naija economy  2. Childhood trauma 3. Adulthood trauma 4. Genetics 5. Sudden wealth Symptoms

Recently, I met a Cameroonian and the first question he asked after the introduction that I am a Nigerian was, " are you from Anambra? " Lol!  I was curious and since I had some minutes to spare, I fired questions at him in my bid to get to the root of his initial question. As expected, it paved the way for a conversation about the forthcoming Nigerian presidential election.  As we navigated the delicate waters of the Nigerian politics, I realized that this my African brother was truly in tune with the intricacies of the Naija Political arena. The finesse with which he dissected the complicated and interesting history of our political modulations, the Bakassi peninsula issues and the current presidential candidates of the different political parties with verifiable facts and figures, left me fascinated and humbled. 

This is not a campaign but an analysis by an independent observer - NikkyIvy ------------------------- As we are all aware, 2023 and the much awaited presidential election will soon be upon us. Undoubtedly you have been following the campaigns, slogans, rhetorics and "vawulence" both online and on the streets. Therefore I am diving into this narrative based on the belief that you would agree that our country is witnessing a historical shift in the tides and Nigerians are no longer navigating the previous illusory murky waters of politicking. 

Today, I saw another gory news of a young girl dismembered by her teenage boyfriend and I asked myself; what is going on? How did we get to this stage? Our teenagers are now engaging in this false belief called "money making rituals"!!!  I am vexed and won't dwell on this issue. I won't go for the usual target; our near comatose government nor would I point accusing fingers at our failing family system. My focus will be on our dear Nollywood as a public educator. Research has shown that Television, and other media devices, influence children and in extension, the society. Children who constantly view violent programs, movies or clips have a tendency to become more insensitive, violent, aggressive and most times, depressed.

Christmas is in the air!  Hello NIB family. As you all know, we usually run exciting Christmas stories, documentaries and articles from the first week of December every year. You can check out our Seasons greetings label for all the Christmas selection. The good news is; this year we will be celebrating Christmas in a special way! Oh Yes! So, don't forget to get into the Christmas spirit with us this year and we promise to make it worth your time ❤️💕 ******************************************* The  Advent Season Reflection For an in-depth reflection on the Advent season,  Read More

[Catch up on- Ripples E.3 ] Ominous silence lingered as the rain poured down, unrelenting. They could hear the wind whistling, goading the heavy torrents hitting the roof of the car like children rehearsing their unversed drumming skills. Fierce lightening marked the skies, revealing other cars parked along the wet road. The defeaning sound of thunder  tore through the tangible silence, roaring as  if the heavens were angry at the earth. Kene noticed the Ice queen flinch beside him. His fingers itched to grab her stiff body,  to comfort and  keep her safe from the storm. But he knew that would only result in him being tossed out in the rain. He quickly discarded that thought and tried to work up a tune in his head with the rhythm of the fierce rains and the clicking sound of the hazard light she had turned on to warn any approaching vehicle. Smart move, he acknowledged, but her battery would end up being drained if the rain persisted for a long time.  Angel Kene. How  e  take concern y

Lol! This statement got me laughing and thinking hard. Its no secret I'm indifferent about bbnajia2020 or any Big Brother before now. I have never been a fan. If you enjoy it, then good luck with it. My main concern is the issue of reopening of schools, especially public schools. We all know it is almost impossible for public schools to run online lectures or classes because of the nature of our system and other obvious setbacks. A student asked me if government will give them free data...lol!  I am actually going to suggest a possible option that can be explored by the government which I believe with proper monitoring will make it possible for our students to go back to school in the near future.

With the recent arrest and investigation of  the Acting Chairman Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)  for alleged corrupt practices I've been asking myself;   The media is agog with stories of Ibrahim Magu today who will be the next tomorrow ?Why did it take so long for these allegations to  be discovered and made public? Why now? Are the  allegations  being made public probably because he offended someone/a godfather (stepped on toes)? If that's the case, does it mean that if you are loyal to "some people" or have some high priority affiliations, then all your looting and sundry illegal activities will be overlooked until there is a fallout? Is it not yet time for us to ACTUALLY fight corruption in our country instead of the selective judgement and media trials we have seen over and over again?

Not supporting Hushpuppi or any kind of crime by this article. However, when i read about his arrest, several questions crossed my mind: Is this a case of a son learning from his elders?  Are the Young ones getting better at this looting game that has been played and perfected by our leaders over the years?😏  What would have been his fate if he were a Naija politician and focused more on looting our collective wealth (oil money) and lodging same in banks abroad?  Is this a case of the young ones not being able to compete with the elders in the scramble for oil money, so they are diversifying and looting foreign currencies?

              Stop the spread of Corona virus Now 1. Stay Home To Save Lives 2. Maintain a safe Distance      3. Cover Your Mouth When coughing or Sneezing 4. Do Not touch your Eyes, Nose or Mouth       5. Wash Your Hands regularly with Soap & Water       6. Feeling Sick? Contact NCDC Help Line           Together, We Will Overcome         

I was really sad when I heard the devastating news on Sunday. Kobe and Gianna's death felt like when the world lost MJ. Your heart just gets shattered. Yes, I know this is not a time to rationalize or motivate. I know the pain you must be feeling right now. Infact you might be among those who feel; "why is she writing about him? Is he a Nigerian?" Whatever your view is, my only wish is that  you learn from this article.

I was privileged to speak at a seminar for youths and children during a visit to a local community. It was a perfect opportunity to interact with our future leaders. The seminar actually led me down memory lane, so I took them with  me on the journey and found their rapt attention appealing. When we got to the question and comment segment, a teenager's comment and questions left me dazed. He boldly informed my team and I of his career choice to become a yahoo boy (a person who engages in internet scam or cyber crime). I was deeply distraught by his well thought out reasons for deciding to join the fraud syndicate later in life. My heart shattered at the painful realities that poured out of his innocent heart as he demanded answers for the governments neglect of the citizens fundamental rights especially his right as a child. That overly active legal part of me became aroused and wanted to defend the mess we are drowning in as a nation but I held back. The  boy was right

Barely six months after the rib-tickler by our beloved minister of Labour and Employment, another witty statement attributed to another minister has left us all reeling with laughter.

Onitsha burnt We watched; helpless with fear, with rage! Oh that fire! It was a glimpse of hell Disconsolate, we wailed to the high heavens Years of hard labor, souls of the innocent; all went up in flames. Loved ones forever lost. Our hearts bled. But it was Lagos,

One of my best this year. Enjoy it. I finally decided to take the leap Nothing could have prepared me for the crippling fear creeping up my back. Their voices scoffed, filled  my head with images of a bleak future, crushing my weak resolve. Should I take that leap? Yes, I took that leap. I gave in to that still small voice; stimulating, comforting and cocooning me. But the loud whispers from the past grew stronger; you've been here before, you will fail again! My strength deserted me as I plummeted  towards the raging tempest of a harsh reality and my debacle will reverberate till eternity; was the thought on my battered mind. It is a leap of doom!

Welcome to August!!