Saying I was scared would be an understatement. Nikky , I was almost paralyzed from the sudden panic attack. My heart probably stopped beating briefly before picking up speed as if it had a mission of racing out of my chest. I felt as if my spirit had abandoned my physical body. My joints froze and all I could do was tremble and stare at their figures by the door. I just knew it was over and the rest of my life would be wasted inside that police cell or even worse, in a jail house. 

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Without as much as an explanation, my application for a short leave of absence which was by the way my first since I got employed at the company, was ditched. I was beyond livid as I my plans crumbled Infront of me. This was the height of oppression but I had nobody to run to with my cry for justice. Swallowing my hurt, I wiped my tears and went back to work.

I know it's not the Valentine Season but permit me to share my story with you. Feel free to share it on your blog, it's fine with me.  Normally, I categorize people into categories or strata. Those born with the silver, golden or diamond spoons are at the top while those born with plastic, wooden or even damaged cracked spoons are below them. These are followed by those born with no spoons who occupy the lowest strata and that was where I found myself the moment my cognitive sense became developed. Since no one is given the luxury of choosing their parents or the family they should  be born into, I concluded that growing up in an orphanage was something that gets thrusted on you because your opinion didn't count at the time of creation and birth.  The moment I resumed school and started mingling with the society, I became aware of the reality that I was different from other children. This kicked in the initial confusion followed by questions, explanations and acceptance o...

At this point, I think it's important to paint a vivid picture of my new position. Almost every junior staff envied my promotion but I didn't want it especially after I got to know that it was a mere title without much benefits attached to it. Asides doing regular jobs like every other junior staff, my schedule increased since it meant that in the absence of the manager and his assistant, I would be in charge of  activities at our exclusive rooftop bar which was our major attraction. 

  Merry Christmas from NIB 🎄 Enjoy the sights of Ingolstadt with the NIB family 

Did you know that every Christmas season, the streets of Germany come alive with open-air markets known as Christkindlmarkt (the little city of wood and cloth)? These historical markets usually adorn the beautiful market squares of cities only during the Advent Season and end on the Christmas eve in most cities. Although this tradition dates back to the middle ages, today they still resonate the  past.

Its another beautiful December day and I woke up to a very eventful morning. Calm down its not what you're thinking lol! So, out of habit I picked up my phone to check for notifications and saw a chat from an old friend (which I'm sharing with her kind permission) and our conversation got me thinking really hard. I was deeply touched by her perspectives as our discussion progressed. In the end, she had reasons to be Merry and was excited for the season.  So, today I am going to share these reasons with you. Quickly grab a cup of tea or your favorite drink and have an open mind. WHY SHOULD YOU BE MERRY AT CHRISTMAS

Hello! 123... testing testing...1 2 3 lol! Good old days but Hellooo!!! Christmas is here again and It feels so good to be back, all thanks to this awesomely possessive Christmas spirit; "my season to be MERRY!!" Hey I know you missed me but try not to judge a sister for being quiet, at least I didn't abandon ship lol! So, wassup!!  Hope you are having a spectacular season while we await the 25th of December? If you're still dragging your feet and burying yourself under files, projections, hustle and deadlines then allow me to be your Santa...Santaress...Santadame? Hey what do we call a female Santa Claus? Think on it ☺️ Anyway, my point is; Nikky is here to make your Holiday season Jolly and Merry so buckle up because its going to be your best season ever!! Don't go away SIMILAR POSTS Christmas Season -  your life in your hands Christmas: Reasons to be Merry  Recession, Christmas and You Christmas, Alcohol and You What Christmas Means

We are now in the second week of December and I'm guessing that you are already screaming; where are the days rushing to?" I understand that feeling. Infact, I recall when I used to wonder if December was indeed 31days because it always ended before you were even ready for the month to begin.  Once schools close for the holiday, everything starts spiraling out of control and down hill. Items become annoyingly pricey especially at a time when your pocket is tight and you need to buy new decorations for the house, gifts for everyone and fuel the car for your trip. Even airplane tickets skyrocket, leaving you wondering who we offended in this country. 

NB: there is a scene of violence against a woman towards the end but don't worry, nobody was harmed. Kindly skip if you will be emotionally affected.  ********* “ Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.” –  Babe Ruth FLASHBACK “Dad please, don’t start with that, I will be back before you know it. Besides, Alex said that he would assist with my redeployment after the camp.” I rolled my eyes as the words escaped my lips, suddenly wishing camp could be extended. I was dressed and ready to embark on my trip to the neighboring state where, all thanks to my meddling brother, I was posted for the compulsory national youth service. Growing up with a brother like him was a cross too heavy for my tender shoulders. It was like having a steady, overbearing bodyguard entrusted on you without your consent and our parents would always wave off my complaints.  As we got older, he became less overbearing but more protective. I had thought having a career or ...

“We count our miseries carefully, and accept our blessings without much thought.”  Chinese Proverb _____________ I cut the call on him and walked back to the house. At the door I stopped to take calming breathes because I didn’t want to get my mother more upset. She was saying her rosary when I walked in so I headed for the study; my dad's former home office and the hidden vault he had shown me before he passed on.  Maneuvering the books to the side I keyed in the codes known only to me and pulled out the gun I had concealed in it; t here was no way I was going out naked.   The vault was where dad kept extra cash and private items which were sold or pawned at some point during his ailment. Since I took over the study, it had become a safe place for my toys. I knew my Mom would be displeased if she found any weapon inside the house so I always kept them in the vault whenever I came visiting and of course there was another reason: Dapper...the girl had a skill of discoverin...

We are each of us angels with only one wing and we can only fly by embracing one another.  - Luciano De Crescenzo _____________________ I noticed the kids playing around stopped laughing when they saw me headed in that direction and a man standing way off continued staring at me as if I was insane but I ignored them and took the turn into the dreaded route. I remember it was a moonless night and the route was darker than I had anticipated. Refusing to be bothered by the stillness and eerie shadows of the giant grasses swaying to the gentle breeze, I pulled out my phone from my denim pocket and turned on the flashlight to make out the fading foot path. Memories of my brother and I running home from school along that path filled my mind with nostalgia.  Alex and I had great moments as kids. He was my only brother, best friend and bodyguard. It was hard for him to leave the community when he had to take over the family business and make other changes he preferred to keep to himse...

" Weeping  may  endure  the  night  but joy comes in the morning.”  -Psalm 30:5. -------- I dropped my chop sticks and pushed away from the table. Somehow, I didn’t want to engage in that conversation. An overpowering desire to run far away from Brad suddenly rushed over me. "You don't owe me any explanation,  Brad. It's none of my business." I pointed out with a slight frown creasing my brow. “I'm sorry." He cleared his throat and sat back. "No need." I said shrugging my shoulders, "Actually, I really must head home now. About the bill. How much is this ..." “Bill is on me Dapper." He interjected with a grin. "Can I give you a ride home?” I shook my head and got up as my stomach began to emit a strange and new rhythm. I gently tapped it to quieten it; “Thank you, but I can find my way home and I'm guessing you don’t need me for the costume affair?"

“A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it is not open.” ―  Frank Zappa ___________________ Brad ignored me and grabbing my hand, he pulled me towards a vacant table. Pulling out a chair he mouthed "please" at me.  I was furious. Scratch that, livid is a better word; "I asked you a question. What are we doing here?"  Just then a waitress dashed over with a thick menu and welcoming smile.  Brad waved her off with a quick “Just a moment, thanks,” before turning to me. She hurriedly placed the menu on the table and walked away without a word.

" Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness"  James Thurber ****** Who could have told Brad about my love for fashion designs? Something was definitely off. “Do you like Chinese?” Chinese? I snapped out of my thoughts and tried to figure out what the man was talking about. What has my feelings for the Chinese got to do with anything? "Does it matter?" He laughed lightly and turned on the Ac of his car before driving off. The cool air calmed my rattled  and skeptical nerves but my stomach was beginning to hurt from the self imposed fast. “You mentioned you were hungry so I was thinking we could get some Chinese food before going to pick up the costumes.” My frown deepened as I re-arranged my backpack at my feet. Mr. Brad had obviously fallen under the category of people who presumed that I was a naïve teenager or a dumb girl.  I used to blame my petite looks or blank face for that misconception but I was no longer petite as was confi...

  “We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.” ― Plato ******* “ Miss Dapper! He sounded excited like we were old friends; "Sorry for keeping you waiting. Yes, I wanted to inform you that we would be picking up the costumes together. I hope you don’t mind?" Wait! What? This must be a joke , I thought with indignation. Mabel must have hit his head too hard against the wall during their make out session because there was no way I was going anywhere nor picking costumes or anything with the man. “I think you are confusing me with someone else sir. I am not in the logistics unit. I am a dancer." I explained firmly. “I know who you are.” He said and took a step in my direction. "Sir it’s late and I am supposed to be at home at this moment ...” His smile widened and he nodded as if in agreement with me; "Allow me to apologise for the short notice." He explained camly; "actually...

"Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are" Chinese Proverb ********** She let out a low scream and scrambled up while attempting to cover her exposed skin with shaky hands. She was a mess and I had never seen her as disoriented as she was at that moment. She spurn away from the direction of the door, not once looking at me. Brad acting the gentleman stepped in front of her, obviously trying to shield her almost nude state from whoever had entered the room. He mustered some courage and looked in my direction. I could see relief wash over him as his eyes met mine. I fought the overwhelming feeling of disgust rushing through me as they toppled down the pedestal I had placed them on. “You asked for me... Sir?” I tried to conceal my emotion but as always, I failed because my tone gave away my disgust. “Oh, yes! Yes. Ermm, can you give us a minute? Thank you.” He stuttered, still shaken by my sudden appearance and discovery of their folly. Will a min...

  “The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is important.”  – Martin Luther King Jr. ***** I watched as he walked over with a wide smile on his face. The man had never said a word to me ever since I joined the troupe. That he knew my name came as a huge surprise. "Is your name Dapper?" His voice was deep. Very deep. He was obviously one of the lifters and definitely the one all the girls were crushing on. They claimed he had Abs to die for. I think they nicknamed him muscles or something. "Who's asking?" I queried while balancing my backpack on one shoulder "What sort of name is Dapper?" He asked on a short laugh. His question threw me off. I could not believe that this guy stopped me from going home because of a stupid conversation! I was hungry but instantly, I became angry.

“ Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody.” ― Mark Twain ****** For a clearer picture, I will tell you more about Mabel and Brad and how my dilemma started. Mabel was once the most sought after lady in our community especially due to her history of leading our local team to victory at the popular Calabar carnival. She also won an individual award as the queen of the carnival. Eventually, she found love with a wealthy international businessman. Their wedding was flamboyant and almost a celebrity wedding. They relocated to the city but a year later, they returned home when her husband won the Local Government Chairmanship election. But, before the Chairman, there was Brad. Not Brad Pitt ofcourse, but our very own tall, dark and handsome local general business investor. Brad was in the same troupe with Mabel back in the days. As expected, he started a small troupe tagged the Achievers but had no financial strength to achieve any victories with his grou...