I AM

I am sitting here reflecting on the events that have taken place recently in my beloved country and nothing but anger fills my mind.

We watched these things happen on TV before, but now, it seems it is all here to stay with us.

We have a government that has failed her people in every respect of the word.

From providing basic amenities to protecting the people,

the government has not been able to do anything at all. 

Series of bomb blasts happened on Christmas day and the best our president could do was give a speech that angered instead of comforting anyone.

These are the words I can find solace in right now...

Big and strong, a shelter to all yet filled with shame and disgrace,

A home to so many, leading others yet backward in so many ways,

Blessed with fertility and no natural disasters but corruption has ravaged the land.

Known for vast ethnicity and a rich cultural heritage but consumed by religious, political and ethnic bigotry.

I am a nation for all to learn from...

Years of fruitfulness, years of boom but they all rest in the past,

A time of pain, struggle and disgrace is more of a reality today,

Basic amenities, infrastructure, shelter, food....survival is all that clouds the mind.

Poverty stricken, some are willing to spill blood to get a little for the present not thinking beyond,

So much waste, so much decay for a place so blessed, yet...

I am a leader to so many...

A wide divide between regions, there is hardly any room for unity.

Leaders so selfish and thinking only of their pockets,

Political ambitions so strong, bloodshed of the innocent,

The old standing in the way of the young, idleness leading minds to evil,

Tasks so great await able minds and bodies but locked out by those connected.

I am a mother to many nations...

A continent big enough to contain other ones, I hold an important position in it yet I sleep,

Smaller nations rise to take my rightful place, negativity clouding the minds of the world yet I do nothing to change it.

 Nostalgic feelings of the former me when I had a name and others looked up to me,

I am the giant of Africa.....

I am Nigeria!

Tales from the diaspora.....

I wrote two pieces with this same title and content for a magazine earlier this year so I am adopting the same title.

These are some experiences out of many which I have chosen to share:

A place of beauty, a place of light.
Preserved monuments, glorious to behold.
A place known for love...
Covered with snow but still as beautiful as imagined.

Right in front of the Eiffel tower, staring at the different shades of light, the glow, the beauty, wonderful to behold.

Walking into the train station, we ran onto the train, almost missing it.
A lady was seated where we went to sit and as we sat in front of her, she stared with a an all so familiar look and left to sit somewhere else. My friend called her a silly thing right as she left without a care in the world.

Nothing but rest!

I woke up this morning with a start, thinking I would be late to work. I suddenly realised it was Saturday. Phew! Back to sleep I went with such relief.

I happen to be one of those ‘morning people’ but this was one morning where I would have been grouchy, had I got out of bed.

I spent the entire day resting; I had a lazy morning. I got out of bed eventually, prepared breakfast/lunch at noon, had a little chit chat with my sister and I went back to sleep at 2pm, I was shocked when I woke up at 5pm because I usually do not sleep that much, my sister does so for this Saturday, we switched places... All that kept coming to mind were Madea’s words ‘big lump o' nothing’ (her choice of words make me laugh every time I hear them). I was feeling  like a big lump o' nothing which made me laugh as I got out of bed finally at 6pm.

The good thing about today was that I had so much time to reflect, there is so much that has happened and there could have been no better time to do some self examination. The year is coming to an end and I am thinking of what I do not want to carry over into the new year. I have had a good year; there are some goals I still have  not achieved, some I did and some I let go which I have no regrets for doing.

I have also had some good times with some great people and some not so good times with others. I made new friends and lost some old ones but overall, I am quite pleased so far.

One friend in particular who is indeed dear to me told me what my biggest flaw is and I am grateful to have people like him who will tell me the truth even when it is ugly or if I do not want to hear it. As much as it didn’t sound nice, I acknowledge it and I have been making efforts to change that.

I am not sure where I am going with this but this is more like my test post/wake up post...lol.

My tummy is complaining, its 9pm and I’ve had one meal and have been in bed all day. Time to go get me some fruits :-)