A Concerned Nigerian

Are you a Nigerian? If your answer is yes,are you okay with the way things are in this country? Because quite frankly, things arent really looking good. I feel tension everywhere. Between yesterday and today, ive witnessed three public fights between aggrieved citizens with no one to direct their anger at but themselves and im witnessing one right now involving the driver of the bus im currently in. The reason for the altercation is not difficult to find; the bus fare has been doubled. Writing on the spur of the moment, i cant help but think that Hope is dissipating amongst people. Strikes are ongoing by different bodies, the price hike is terrible, power supply has reduced drastically despite the exorbitant bills, some state workers have not been paid for months, some hardworking university staff are being paid half salaries and everywhere, i hear the same thing ‘ the government is failing’ Note the continuous tense ‘ failing’ , this shows how the majority feel that this percieved failure is continuous.
I’ll continue to hope against hope though because i believe if there is going to be any ‘change’ at all, we’re going to have to get involved. How do i get involved? you may ask, afterall you’re not the government, you’re just a citizen. Well, personally i believe the spiritual controls the physical. Oh, i can imagine you asking, is this a sermon now? No its not. Its just a call to every ‘concerned’ Nigerian to start praying for Nigeria. There are prayer chains in different places. They’re good but i believe as individuals, we should add Nigeria to the list of our prayer requests. The candid truth is that the state our country is in will affect us directly or indirectly.
Finally brethren, keep hope alive.Nigeria will get better, amen.

The Love Phase

According to general beliefs,when you’re in love,you’re bolder
Your eyes sparkle
You have a bounce in your step
You smile more deeply
When you’re in love, you’re secure and free from fear
Yeah all these happen. How about when you’re not in love? Do you have the opposite of all these? I beg to differ. Even when you are not ” in love” as it were, you should still be happy, have a bounce in your step, a sparkle in your eyes and peace in your heart.
Its not advisable to limit to experiencing joy only when you are in love with someone. The truth is if you are not happy on your own, you won’t still be happy when you find someone. So be a happy single and dont limit yourself.
Remember brethren, you are complete in yourself and in Christ and you cant give what you dont have. Plus, lets take a look at the following scriptures and try to substitute our names with love after all we should possess these qualities. Eg Love is kind…Korede is kind…etc. This’ll be insightful to anyone who takes it seriously. Welcome to the journey of self- discovery….
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient and kind
Love is not jealous or boastful or proud
5 or rude.It does not demand its own  way.It is not irritable,  and it keeps no record of being wronged.
6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.
7 Love never gives up, never loses Faith,  is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.<img classalignnone size-full wp-imag-112" src="https://sharethoughts2016.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/wp_ss_20151218_0004.png&quot; alt="wp_ss_20151218_" width="540" height="301" /

Are You What You Eat?

First, i’ll like to ask a question. Do you love yourself? I’ve realised that so many people don’t like themselves, especially their bodies. This body shaming culture is alarmingly on the increase and it really should be curbed. Some nutritionists are of the view that you grow according to what you eat. But still, some statures are uniquely hereditary. I say uniquely because its not really about what you eat alone but the genes inherited from parents. So are you borthered that you’re too tall( girls get borthered about this) or too short or too fat or too thin? Pause and think about this, everyone can’t have the same stature. We have been created with diverse physical features and believe me, it simply adds to your uniqueness. The amazing thing is that while you are complaining about your physique, someone else is wishing to have yours.Now, there should be moderation in everything. So we should have good eating habits, avoid late night snacking and binge eating.
Proverbs 23
2 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.
So even if you’re on a weight loss program or weight gain program to balance your body mass index(BMI), you should still eat healthy and stop trying to alter your body. Ask me about using drugs and different prescriptions for weight loss or weight gain and i’ll tell you the psychological side effects of some of these get fat or get slim quick schemes. The truth is that most people want to fit in to the ” body size or physique” standards of the society. If we can get to the point where we turn deaf ears to what the society says about our physical features, i think we would have gotten to a better place.
Personally, I used to have issues about my body size and bouts of depression set in when i encounter things like shopping for clothes and i just cant find my size or meeting an old colleague and s/he is like ” Don’t you eat? ” ( aunties are guilty of this) and i’m thinking ” which kain jamb question be dis, u no fit greet normally?”Then i started thinking up strategies to gain weight. This included praying, even fasting (LOL), using drugs( multivitamins, weight gain drugs), eating junks( @Deelivia, remember the pizzas), and checking the labels of everything i consumed to ensure that it included grams of fat. It seems funny now that i think about it because i’ve been drug free and junk free for up to a year now and sincerely i feel happy and free( even though i still haven’t gained weight) and this happened because of my change in perspective.
I realized that personally, i loved me but was so conscious of the opinions of others( our amazing society; family, friends and media) and i just couldn’t see how i could fit in to the ” standards” without changing my size. Now i realize that if we can actually accept ourselves the way we are, we would actually be happier. I have a friend who is really tall, so many people( especially guys) want to be that tall but guess what my friend wants to be taller! I guess its because we compare ourselves a lot with others and guess what, God is not pleased with that.
2 Corinthians 10
12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
Accepting yourself is accepting God’s work. David realised this and i think its high time we did too.
Psalms 139
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
Its funny how some people have even resorted to classifying people’s bodies after fruits.How can you say someone is pear shaped or apple shaped or even banana shaped? Seriously? Lets give thanks to God for what we have, enjoy life, pause and breath in, yea you have breath in you; some people dont have that opportunity again. You are fortunate to be alive. Lets take care of our bodies and also take care of our souls.
Romans 12
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Finally brethren, love thyself. The moment you accept yourself and love yourself, you’re in a better place already. Remember, the physical body is just a container. Find who you really are and pursue your dreams and passion and find your purpose in life.
What would you be remembered for?

gods by ©Ayomide Aroloye

This poem is written by my friend the poetry prodigy ©Ayomide Aroloye

Twelve in Olympus

Everything is about to change

3 brothers: Zeus, Poseidon and Hades

Overthrow father Kronos

Zeus leading independently in his stead

Son of Hermes, messenger of the gods is the cause of chaos

Theft of the bolt that rules the world

Lost in the possession of Zeus

The gods are angry

Son of Poseidon, Eyes bluer than the Circassian sea

Finds gold drachmas on the highway to hell

Demigods protected by Centaurs

Defeats Minotaur and Fury

Threatened  to be sunk in the depth of tartarus

At midnight on the summer solstice

Followed by the daughter of the Goddess of battle strategy and wisdom, Athena

Persephone, wife to Hades assist the quest to bargain with Zeus

Medusa cursed by Athena is murdered by the youngster and is useful death

Eyes emitting lighting with the scream of pythons on her head

Hercules, Achilles, Perseus, Orpheus, Aphrodite

All Intercede

Like a flash in the pan

Balance is restored

Son of Poseidon, Eyes bluer than the Circassian sea

Demigod of the seas.

Fake life vs Real life

its the still of the night.The silence is so clear.I can hear everything.Its so quiet the silence is almost deafening. It would have been awesome to have someone to talk to but at this moment,everyone is busy. Busy sleeping,some are dreaming.Dreaming of awesome scenes or horrible scenes depending on what pleases their maker.What a world.During the day, no one has time. Obviously, at night, it remains the same.No one has time for anyone nowadays.The day is always busy with the endless talks, pings, compulsory updates and necessary uploads.In between conversations meant to touch the soul, you’ll see furtive glances at bright phone screens and hear varied message tones all calling for attention. When do we really listen? Is anyone really listening? There was a time when all my mother had to do was to look me in the eye and I’ll understand whatever she’s communicating. Eye contact was enough.Now, I can’t remember the last time someone looked me in the eye and communicated.
What is taking our attention? Are our ipads,tablets and phones really worth the attention we give them when the people around us are crying out silently for someone to pay attention and lend a listening ear.
I remember feeling alone in the midst of a crowd.Everyone was looking down lovingly at their electronic gadgets and I just
wanted to talk to someone. Good conversations are like a treasure to me .I think we should value real and physical connections more than what the internet provides.Its not nice to have 1000+ friends online and in real life you don’t have friends.
Pictures online don’t even say a thousand words anymore.Probably a million untrue words. As a result of the endless editing softwares aimed at brushing up images people don’t even look like their real selves. Who says you are not goodlooking your natural self? So you edit to the extent that if you go missing, no one has the picture of the real you to find you.You are beautiful, male or female. You are good. Genesis 1:31 Genesis 1
31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.
You were created no be so? So why would you limit your whole fine self to an inanimate computer app that would airbrush your skin, lighten your complexion and enlarge your eyes till you start looking like mammy water or Johnny bravo. The number of likes you have doesn’t determine how goodlooking you are.Don’t be limited by the approval of the online world. Lets cultivate real relationships with people that can see your real flaws be it character wise or physical and love you the way you are.
Finally brethren,cherish the friends you see around you because when the chips are down, your tabs, phones et cetera wont hug you and be there for you.It’s not too late to change.Let the change begin with you.