NIGERIA at 50!

I asked my sister what the line up of events for the day would look like, and she gave me a very promising one.
"At first, we'll go to the stadium and watch the march past, then later, to see the 'night of a 1010 laughs' and maybe...."
"A 1010 laughs?" I cut in rather hastily.
Well, when I left a few years back, it was still 'a thousand laughs'.

"Nigerians must survive", she replied.
Looking at her face, I'm sure she meant every bit of what she said.



We watched the pupils and the students march in their 'best' uniforms.
The dancers performed like they had never done before. Happiness and enthusiasm emanated from within them, it was almost like they were wearing their hearts on their sleeves.
Although, the sun was shining down on us like it was trying to prove a point, I still felt a certain joy right inside of me. I'm sure my sister felt it too cos I saw it in her eyes, and in that of most of the people that surrounded us.
I tried to curtail my emotions a lot, especially when I saw some children hanging down from trees, just in an attempt to catch a glimpse of what was going on; and also when I noticed a cluster of some very young hawkers trying to peep through the large crowd from a distance.

It was but a long day!

We summed up the day at the venue of the 'night of a 1010 laughs'.
I looked keenly at every performer on the stage, like I was trying to run some examinations on them just with the help of my eyes. They all seemed to look very fulfilled as they came out in their flamboyant clothes and talks that suggested that of a person that was living the 'perfect life'.
I looked around the audience, everyone seemed to have a certain similarity, they were all well adorned, laughing and cheering too.

I had a lot on my mind, I hope I didn't show it?
One would never stop to wonder why everybody was so happy.
Maybe  a lot of people didn't bother, but I did.
Well maybe it wasn't exactly happiness, maybe it was something else that was even less describable, I thought.

I tried to put together all the memories of the day;
...The hawkers
...The dancers
....The performers
....The audience
I had to resolve to one conclusion-this was nothing but pride!
Pride and passion for what belonged to them.

Wow! I exclaimed as I woke up to the sound of my beeping alarm clock. Thank God it at least let me complete the dream before waking me up. I'm sure it would have been so disappointing if I didn't.

I had to remind myself that I was not in Nigeria.
I promised to be in Nigeria to celebrate the next independence day, where I could really feel its significance and the celebration in the air.
Reading about Nigeria was all we did on the 1st of October of the previous years, and maybe some parties to commemorate the event - yea and we didn't forget to remind ourselves that we were 'Nigerians in diaspora'.
I wanted to stay close to where I could hear the speeches by the people that mattered.
It's our 50th, some parts of those 'speeches' just needed to change. I feel like I might miss these important parts, not because they didn't say it, but because I didn't have the right avenue to hear them. I do not want to believe that they would fail to say these things because they have been left unsaid for far too long and I strongly believe that its highly expedient that somebody took the plunge and made mention of them.

I'm happy to wake up to a beautiful morning on the day of Nigeria's 50th independence anniversary still.
"When there is life, there is definitely hope", they say.

I guess I have to put on my computer and check what is happening over there as usual.

Lest I forget, HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY NIGERIANS!
And to the rest of the world, HAPPY OCTOBER 2010!

Falconets! Glory Glory!

*Singing* Glory Glory!

Mehn I know this is so yesterday but I was just so busy during the female's world cup that I didn't really have time to watch them.
I have not really been one to like female football though, otherwise I'm sure I would have carved out time for it somehow.
Anyway, I watched the recorded matches, esp the important ones, most esp the ones with our girls playing ;)
Yea they are our girls o! Is it easy? They did what the men couldn't do!!! Abeg! follow me sing *Glory Glory*
I'm sure you'll be wondering "why all the excitement for just a silver medal?" So I thought when I came back and heard they lost the match to the Germans, until I sat down to watch the match myself.
Abegi! E easy? Did the guys even pass the group stage? And to think that a lot of people do not really take interest in women's football (just like me), so they were highly neglected.
According to the reports, most of the attention were channeled at the Super Eagles who had their own games a month before theirs. Not as if things changed even after the end of the men's worldcup, and that I could completely understand still. There's no way one could have dared to hope on those women when the men already couldn't do it.
I watched the match o! Mehn those ladies tried, they were able to hold down the Germans for a very long time until the effects of the excess consumption of akpu started manifesting.Lol
They became weak towards the end and the pressure of wanting to equalize the goal already scored by the Germans left so much loop-holes for the Germans to score another one,exactly at the nick of time.
But still they tried, they came out second positon and if you asked me, I'd say that's a great achievement.
Congrats the Falconets of Nigeria!
Never again will we under-mine you!
Still singing *Glory* Glory*

Summer 2010!

Hello blogville! Enjoying your summer holiday? Cos I am :)

With my previous post, I'm sure you would have received a little hint that I love music, true that! But that cannot even be compared to the love I have for dance.
Sometimes I like to believe that I love music just because it inspires me to dance or more like it brings out the best moves I could ever think of.



Well I'm a professional dancer but I'm also schooling, so that leaves me with always having to balance things up. I try to stay very focused and busy with school when school demands that I do, and I also dance myself out enough to last me for a longtime when I have the opportunity to, with that everything is well equated.
I was so busy during the year that there was not enough room to do a lot with dancing though I was able to perform a few times, still it just didn't seem satisfying. Thus this summer I promised I was going to do a lot to my dancing skills, enough to make up for all the lost opportunities. It's as though I always have a lot of opportunities when I'm very weighed down with school responsibilities.
I finished my exams early and started searching; maybe register with some very great dance teacher, or perform with other talented dancers, or have a very challenging performance that would require my working a lot on myself to be able to give it my best. I was looking for anything, just anything to put me back in form. All my efforts to get something interesting and inspiring just seemed to be very abortive.
Gosh! how could I not dance during this long holidays? The thought of it was sickening!
Well just when I had given up and decided to look for other ways to enjoy my holiday, the offers started rolling in. At a point it became too demanding that I had to pray not to break down.
I danced, I learnt, I taught and even had to talk about dance at a show.
I have been so busy and that is why this is coming a little late, but it's for real the best experience to make a great summer.

I just hopped in to wish everyone a very fruitful new month,
yea I couldn't forget that September is here :)
Happy September 2010!

Music! Music!! Music!!!...

Ok I have been spending pretty much of my time lately listening to music.
Whatzup with all these funny music all around the world? Jeez! How did good lyrics become so far fetched?

Justin Bieber....Whatsup with you? Okay baby, ain't nothing wrong with you singing 'baby, baby' cos we understand you are one. I'm like "oh so cute!" But tell me, 'baby', like you want a girl (chic) or like you wanna be a daddy? Jeez! What has this world turned into? 

Rihanna....What is the matter with you? Have you lost your mind?(sounding like my mum and with  a very intense look).
Girl, Ok snap! We know these things happun, you meet a bad boy and all that, and all that... but puhlease! Get over it already!
And I don't even get it, you're still calling for another RUDE BOY? Haven't you had enough already? I thought Chris was rude enough to give you that great work of (martial) art on your face .
Anyway she says she's HARD. I'm like "you weren't hard when you were with Chris?" He hit you and you suddenly became "so hard ye ye ye". Ok RiRi, I get that feeling, when you just have an experience, you feel thats all that exists, trust me darling(and every girl reading this), you can have better.
But if you still say you want a rude one, maybe some even worse than Chris? then I'll just be good and say "I wish you the best of all you wish yourself"     

Miley Cyrus.... I know you are hot!
But seriously, you can't be tamed? Then no one is to be blamed.
You think its about the fame, so you don't care about the name?
...hahaha y'all didn't know I got rhymes tadaaa! LOL

Ok Miley why? Cos you got some peacock wings you think you've arrived,
so you might as well just fly?

(ohmigosh still with these rhymes! rhymes leave me :D) 

Anyway, Girl, I hope your daddy and your mummy can help you out otherwise I'll read about you soon, but I really hope I don't... See I still got love for this girl Ohmydayz! I'm sure its cos of that song uhmmm 'when I look at you'.
Mehn you surprised me girl! You can be that matured? I know you were joking. You were definitely joking! hahaha Please someone check was that song made on April fools day? Ok mabe it was wriiten on April fools' day. 

Usher...Whats with 'OMG'? Is it another confession? Dude don't worry mehn! You're handsome, just go get them brova. They don't need no confessions, don't know why you keep stressing yourself with them, mattter of fact, they just need ....... hehehe!

Ok I get it, when you saw Will-i-am in those trousers, you couldn't help exclaiming hahaha! i did too. "OMG!"  He thought cool Usher, do that again, again, wow song is ready. 

Funny enough, I love it. The dancing was off tha hook as usu. Usher always dropping it like its hot.

Ke$ha and Lady Gaga.....One advice for both of you! Please stay very far away from alcohol or anything that could make you irrational as much as you can, cos its the only logical reason for some of the sturvs you come up with. As a matter of fact, if you are not low, (low low as in opp of flying in the sky) then stay off the MIC, studios, shows or anywhere that can make you want to sing. You need to be very very low to be able to make good music but seriously these guys just think differently. As a matter of fact, thats where they draw their inspiration from. otherwise why would any body sing BLAH BLAH BLAH (ke$ha) or RA RA RA OLALA (Lady Gaga)? I understand the feeling, it makes you just wanna Ta.................lk, but transforming those ta.................lks into songs, OUTRAGEOUS! SSMH (seriously shaking mu head)      

   

Still on Lady Gaga...ALEJANDRO!  Have you guys seen that video? She just kept saying, Alejandro, don't call my name, don't call my name! I don't know what that guy did to her but one thing is sure, for her to sing it,  make a video, even to the extent of wanting to become a nun, she's very serious.

So Alejandro, please, refrain form calling her name. Don't even BB, FB, email nor tweet that chic. A word is enough for the wise. Mehn dude you should be scared of that lady! You know whu you're dealing with? I guess not:)

Anyway, I guess I'm done with all these people and all their drama, so maybe I'll just go back to some good old India Arie and Alicia Keys Sturvs. Yes I lurrvvvv you babes, Keep doing your cool thang!

Catch y'all la'er cos I need music in my head, music in my head, in my head, my head, head! Some good music tho' and don't worry, I'm not going crazy. I know you are all wondering, 'sup with the music in my head thingy'? Ok maybe I'll start soon too.....in my head, head, head....ga ga olala ra ra blah blah  ha ha

I'm out guys.

Dream a little!

As you already know, its holiday time, I tend to think a lot during holidays like this cos there's a lot of time to do so many other things. I mean its not the usual worries of school and its stress and the etc etc etc :)
I was going through some pages off the pile up of some 'stuffs' that I wrote a while back, and it stirred up something in me that prompted this write up.
It enacted great thoughts that made me feel like I just needed to stop relenting but go ahead and make it already. Wow I love it when I feel so motivated, I thought maybe I could inspire someone too.
Actually, this is the part of me I share with myself a lot, but today, I'm happy to share a lil bit of that with you.

Success is something everybody desires. But how can you ensure it?
Here are a few things you may want to look at:

1) Vision.....
Firstly, what is vision?
This is a mental picture of your future. Its seeing your future using your mind's eyes.
Vision can also be described as seeing your purpose in clarity. I know I just used the word 'purpose' and its important that I break it down a little bit.
Purpose is the intent of a thing/person. The 'Why' in other words, the reason.
Everything on earth has its purpose, the reason for its existence.
A knife is used for cutting while a pencil sharpener is used for sharpening pencils. Think about if someone was trying to use a pencil sharpener to cut meat, afterall they both possess blades. Bizarre innit? Whereas, if its being used appropriately, you will be able to appreciate and recognise how useful it can be.
Recognising one's purpose is very expedient in understanding one's vision. When defining your purpose, be very specific about it. Do not try to generalize it at all. More often than not you hear people say "I want to be great" or "I will be great".
Great in what? Great as what?....
That is the starting point.....A Great what?
Its only when you define what you want to be that you can be able to work towards achieving that.

2)Direction....
After understanding your vision, the next thing you want is how you can achieve it.
Your vision is your destination, that is where you are headed to. Direction is the "how to get there". This is where hardwork, perseverance, planning...and the rest of them are needed.
Its not enough to dream, fold your arms and watch it play out, you have to work towards achieving it otherwise, its described better as fantasies.
The knowledge of your destination is not enough, knowing how to arrive there is ultimate.
There's nothing wrong in dreaming big only if you know you can withstand what it takes to get there.
Remember the bigger your dreams, the greater the efforts required to make it work.

3)Dedication....
When you understand your vision, you outline your strategies on how to achieve your desires, the next thing you need is focus. FOCUS!
Be committed to what you believe concerns you. Pay more attention to those things that are essential than equating more of your time, energy, and resources to things that are not important to you. Try to discern between what is important and those that are distractions.
Think about a pilot that is heading northwards but locks his gaze east bound...there's bound to be a crash! You can't climb up with so many things in your hands.
You have to decide what you want to carry and drop what is going to do nothing than weigh you down.

If I want to go on elaborating on this, I'm pretty sure I'll leave a long epistle here, so I'll just leave it as it is and hopefully you can break it down a lot more for yourself.

Everything is attainable. Visualize it, strategize, persevere and do not hesitate until you achieve it.

HAPPY NEW MONTH!
Best wishes!!!

WORLD CUP AFTERMATH

When I saw this, I couldn't help LOL!
I was like "Is this for real?" And I had to answer myself too, "sadly yes"
Ok girls, I know some of you must have been victims of these rules in one way or the other.
If your man talked to you rudely or even treated you in a bad manner, sorry! he probably didn't realize. Football seems to have a way of displacing their senses.

But here's my advice: This is the best time to deal with him just for next time.
So to all the ladies, this has been declared WC AFTERMATH! LOL
You know most of their teams lost, so they are very dissapointed now except of course if he's a SPANIARD :)
Now they'll remember that they can always rely on you. They'll remember that even if their teams will always fail them, but you wouldn't. In you they are sure they can always find a place to run to when they are heartbroken by football :D (i.e if you are not already a craze case o)
So for all the normal girls, jes! I'm talking to you, deal with him small ok?
Maybe for just one week just so he can learn a lesson for next time....although i'm sure he will forget it long before the next WC(The EPL is already around the corner) but still Girls, colonize the remotes, watch fashion shows, let them watch boring girls walk down the runway. Anyway just so he doesn't get used to treating you so selfishly.

Guys don't hate me o!
Ladies ok I said one week, one week ok! Lol

Lets talk some football!

Welcome to the month of July everyone!
Since its still the WC season, I thought we'd just talk some football here at Ms. JB's world too. I know a lot of Nigerians will not like this idea at all, hehehe no be me say make una carry grand papas go fill the field o. If I say make them retire and give space for small pikins them, dem go say wetin...over sabi wayo people! Hilz no time jireh! Naija fans, no worry my grand children will bring us the cup one day or better still we fit buy our own private cup wetin sef:D
Anyway delay is not denial, remember? hehehe!
Ok first my teams: (in the order of preference)
1) Golden Eaglets ( them dey try pass super Eagles jireh), You know why? Because this na the real age where suppose dey super,so before they are promoted and promoted to the Super Eagles, dey don alreadyold...I nor talk anything o!
2) Ok o! Super Eagles (Make una no kill me)
3) Flying Eagles ( hmmn so much for patriotism, anyhow so far 'Eagles' dey the name sha but wait, this na one razor blade trade mark o, who remembers?)
4) Akwa United ( How I want do? ndito eka mmi, edoho nnam didie?)

Can I call another country's? Like Spain, Germany....? Just asking o! Ok but I don tire! These guys wetin sef? please step up your game jare cos if you just mess up come 2014, 2018 from the first day, I'll just start rooting for another country's team, no time to hope on you guys not even for one second!
Mehn! But this year's WC is so surprising, The great Brazilians are gone already and I can't believe the Argentines just received a whooping 4-0 Gosh!,
Ok, Super Eagles I know I can still hope on you, but its your last chance! Last chance!!! Surprise me.


Eh eh, but you see all those Arsenal, A.C milan and Man U things, e nor consign me at all ( pardon mi language lol)
Ok I'll say it like I used to tell my siblings "no problems whatsoever, any of them that is ready to employ me into their medical team, trust me, my 100% devotion guaranteed, QED!" I mean why not if not? I know say as I dey worry for them, e get better sense, otherwise seriously, wetin consign me for somebody's business adventure? Hilz!
My siblings have been trying so hard to talk me into joining one of their clubs. My brother likes Chelsea FC while my sister likes Manchester United FC. You need to see each of them trying to recruit me, always so funny! LOL!  Well, I always try to be there for both of them whenever any of their teams is playing. Its always good to support Chelsea today only to support Man U tomorrow, except when it comes to when both teams are opposing each other (hmm Na serious matter o!) You know what is most likely already, don't you? Its always funny when my sister had the last laugh! I'm always like "Why do these Chelsea boys have to hurt my brother like this? Who do they think they are? Thank God for this season at least, I wished I was there to celebrate it with my brother, at least for once. Talking about celebrations, Man U peeps are cool sha, very classy peeps! (the ones I've met o). At least I never went out with Chelsea peeps but Arsenal, TUFIAKWA!!! What will we drink to start with? Coke and fanta? Hilz again! [ok my 3rd and last hilz :)]
Mehn I don't really know what it is with those guys. Looks like they were just carefully selected. Those peeps just think they are off da hook! LWKM
Ok, pardon me, maybe I haven't met one 'non-noise-maker' Arsenal fan yet,  but I have met a lot of them to help me start my hypothesis, experiment it, confirm it and draw my conclusions over and over again.
Its only an Arsenal's fan's car that you'll see decorated like a toy house. First of all, the car is painted with red. The interior is just another funny sight on its own. The seat covers have Arsenal inscriptions, check out the back seat and dashboard, covered with jerseys, football, all sorts of Arsenal crested items. No space for human beings anymore *sigh*
Don't forget to check out the car first, it will be one Starlet, Passat or Isuzu Piazza. Check out the owner of the car too, dressed from head to toe with Arsenal stuffs.  Ok you don't want to visit their house either! Do you know sleeping on Arsenal beds, Arsenal curtains... HFTW?[reversed pple, gotta be censored :)]

Do you bath with Arsenal water too? 

And you'll think its only their clothes, cars and stuffs making this noise right? Try watching a match with a group of Arsenal fans when its their club playing. Phew! forget it and check out the highlights later, esp if they scored first, Olala!! E don be be that na! Of course we and they know that they won't win, but just to  feel good as an Arsenal fan for a while we no go hear word. A typical Arsenal fan is very arrogant and boastful (my hypothesis tho! Oya prove me wrong, no be to come and make noise here o, cos you'll only confirm my doubt), that is why I always look for them after the match (not before o) cos then, they can be humble, otherwise you'll never know the humble them.

Mehn when I'm out with Man U peeps to celebrate with them, correct people well dressed in normal clothes like every other person. Only a few of them wore their vest and you'll still see the maturity in it. No tying of hair with crested bands or wearing digital belts. Gosh! That reminds me! How can you be walking and I see your belt first blinking 'ARSENAL' 'ARSENAL' the whole time, like you are some mobile notice board? OWNED! mehn these guys ger a life and ger it very fast!

As I was saying, the only thing that will suggest to you that he's a Man U fan will be his key holder or a very little sticker on his car or nothing! You don't even need to know. Check out the car too, I didn't say anything!

Even Chelsea and Barca peeps that I know, see them going about their business on normal days like no man's business, Of course there's time for everything, time to be a fan and time to go about your own private matter.I don't know how these other people manage to disengage themselves, make time for other things and be other things when they need to be.

Its only a fan of Arsenal FC that will introduce himself first as one before telling you his name. soon them go put am for their CV. A typical Arsenal FC fan thinks everyday is just about his club and him, even if they are in situations where they need to wear other stuffs e.g mechanic's robe, lab coat, school uniform...etc

there'll still be something that will suggest that he's an Arsenal fan. You don't even need to look so hard because it will be very conspicuous.
Anyway I tried to find out why this is so typical of them, and this was my conclusion : Most people that want to join a club for the first time will most likely run to Arsenal, its after a while they will start watching out for other clubs and by that time they would have grown a whole lot (note, not agewise!)
Well, the reason I decided to talk about the fans of Arsenal FC is because those guys are the most faithful and proud fans ever. They are always losing but yet they never give up. Sometimes I feel like they have very short term memory. At the beginning of the match, they are very enthusiastic and optimistic, at the end they lose, they are always subjected to series of heartbreaks but it doesn't stop them from hoping and trusting very much on their clubs the next day! Oh jes! thats one lesson we all have to learn from Arsenal Fans for the EAGLES. If they can be so devoted for something where no even concern them, how much more the "Eagles" where be our very own. Don't let your heart be feeble, visit your doctors before and after every match but still believe that one day e go better.
Whether them win or dey no win o, just keep saying GO EAGLES GO EAGLES Did I hear somebory say chickens? Make I no catch you o LOL

Best wishes for the month!