31st day of December 2016 and I am reminiscing. Not about the friends I have lost, but about those I've gained, my family and the journey so far. In 2016, I learned to be happier, trust more, live more, love more and worry less. I learned to kick out negativity, place all my anxieties on the only Fixer I know and enjoy Him deal with them all whilst bestowing blessings upon me. In 2016, I learned to acommodate and love those who thought they could clog my wheels of success  because they felt threatened by my shine (that was a hard one though), but my fixer made all things possible. Did I hear the gossips? Well according to my best musician, Tuface; "if nobody talks about you then you are Nobody...if you must chop, then they must talk..." I must be a diamond so let the gossip continue.

Merry Christmas sweeties!! Click on this link to catch up on Christmas blogs on Facebook. I love you all!! 

Hello Nikky! I have read your take on gifts and found it quite interesting and real. However, I have a problem. My husband is the most adorable man anyone would wish for. He is an angel, utterly brilliant, and a blessing in my life. Well, that was before he got converted and joined a church with unusual beliefs. Since then I have been hoping and praying for the veil to fall off his eyes. Last night, he was delayed at work due to a meeting.  Being bored, I went into his study to select a book from his rich collection. I was trying to decide on a book for the night when a partly concealed box caught my attention. My husband is a disaster when it has to do with hiding things so I guessed he was trying to conceal whatever it was from me. Nikky I dated my husband for awhile before we got married and we have this tradition of exchanging gifts on Boxing Day over homemade dinner and drinks. It is usually a big deal for us and since we are high income earners, we always go for th...

Six days to Christmas and I have every reason to sing praises to God. Omo, Naija this year no easy but God is super faithful and I am going to let my hair down, throw caution to the winds and dance Atilogu to my Lord. But hey, today is not about me. Today is for appreciating all the special people in my life and you all made the list. For sticking around even when the stories started trickling in, for bothering to click on my links and yes, for reading and even sharing them with friends I can only say THANK YOU. It shows how deeply you all appreciate me and I am indeed very grateful.

When will extrajudicial killings end in Nigeria? In October 2012, four young undergraduates were falsely accused and lynched in Aluu , a community in Port Harcourt. In 2013,  Samuel   a twelve year old boy who was accused of attempting to kidnap a boy with a fifty Naira note was their victim. He was lynched while the world watched helplessly. We spoke out against injustice on our streets, fought for our children and thought the battle was won but alas, the recent horrific murder of a seven year old boy on the streets of Lagos for stealing a cup of Garri has left Nigerians devastated and angry.

On 1st October 1960, Nigeria became an Independent nation through the selfless, courageous, zealous and dedicated service of young representatives of the Nigerian people. These men were more concerned with nation building and the development of a nation they worked so hard to set free from the shackles of colonialism. They were more concerned with the unification and growth of the Nigerian people than with self enrichment. Sadly, many years after this victory the new breed of leaders derailed from this patriotic part. Nigerians have witnessed a plethora of selfish leaders and representatives who have not only shown that they lack the ability to manage our affairs as a nation, but have slowly and ignorantly destroyed the firm foundations of this nation. However, all hope is not lost. Today is another opportunity for our leaders to retrace their steps and for Nigerians to rise above all the prejudices restraining us from advancing as a nation.

Tesa pushed the door open and paused. Her breath caught in her throat as she soaked in the glorious and phenomenal transformation. The boring dinner room had been turned into a mini heaven. The metallic gold wallpapers were shimmering from lights coursing down from the new chandelier hanging from the roof. The mean looking table had been replaced by a medium sized expensive table made from polished wood which stood firmly under the weight of the array of dishes and flanked by two high backed chairs with appealing  cushions. The unrestrained splash of wealth and sophistication was breathtaking and it would be a crime to conceal her appreciation of the stylish and tasteful interior decoration.

It was 3am and my heart was pounding out  of control as I took another step towards that door. My plan was simple: charge into the room, take out the enemy and rescue my bride. A surprised opponent is already half-defeated and whoever had been making all that ruckus in my mansion was obviously not expecting me to be awake. With my gun aimed at the door, I inched closer. The foamy rugs hushed my approaching footsteps. Sweat streamed down my tense face, through the soft hairs on my bare chest to the band's of my PJ. Charging into the room might put my bride at risk, was the thought that raced through my bemused mind. If whoever was making her yelp like that had not already hurt her, then rushing into the room might make them harm her. I hesitated.

Unemployment, Under–employment, Population Explosion, Inadequate Health Care , Terrorism, Religious and Ethnic conflicts, Environmental Degradation and a bleak future are some of the broadening complications plaguing my dear country. Naive Nigerians fell for their flagrant campaign promises to finally lay to rest our lingering woes. I nearly got caught up in the web, nearly danced to the chant. The initial gragra got me testifying that our sleeping giant has finally woken up. I was about singing "things are getting better" only for us to topple into the worst Economic Recession we have ever witnessed as a democratic nation.

MY DEMOCRACY DAY THOUGHTS Happy Democracy Day to you All! May 29, 2016 and I did not hear the usual chant of "June 12 should be our democracy day!" Got me wondering if it's because our brother is now the VP. Nigerians and brotherly love... Mscheew! Pro-Buhari Crusaders? I admired their resilience. They found their way into all the media houses and were so passionate. For them PMB must be seen to have achieved something. One Chibok girl walking back was not enough. By mid afternoon, I got tired of listening to rehearsed, heated arguements of what Baba did and did not do. Did all Nigerians travel to the moon for 365 days? It so reminded me of the PDP era... but hey, guess the cross-carpeting and new name didn't change APC much. Besides, who does not know that One out of Four years is too early for blame games.

A look at his glowing face added years to my life. All the sadness and stress of the day flew out of the window as I watched him toss my wrapped gift around. He had no clue what I had gotten for him, but he was happy. His appealing innocence melted my hard resolve to cut short my visit. Bending down with a wide smile, I lifted him into the air and laughed out at his musical giggles.  "Who needs to see an Angel when I have one in my arms" was the thought that raced through my head as I yielded to the strong urge to wrap my arms around him. 

I was taught never to look down on people no matter their status. Back in the days, Nigerians were kind and peaceful people, but now old things have indeed passed away. Some people now feel that being the Leader of any group or community gives them the right to disrespect or maltreat their subordinates or the people who elected them to that position. Treating people with disdain simply because of your current status, their present predicament or position in life will never add more years to your life.  The fact that you are smarter, richer, or that you got a political appointment does not make you better than the next person or even more appealing. The fact that you ride in one of the most expensive cars in the world or that you have been swimming in milk and honey all your life does not justify your demeaning attitude neither does it give you the right to look down on another person’s meager hussle or humble lifestyle.