If it’s locked up in your heart, open it up
It it’s hooked up in your mind, let it down
If it’s enslaved in your head, let it loose
Don’t mistake a possibility for a ridiculous jargon
No idea is as useless as a rickety lifeless wagon
If it’s an intention, put it down
Never keep it in the dungeon of your brain
A brainchild is about to be born alive
Never cause a still-born by delaying the bringing forth
Nobody gets rewarded for something they wanted to bring forth
You won’t be rewarded for having good intentions
You won’t be awarded for thinking good ideas
It’s what you show as a product that attracts attention
No one would thank the tortoise for having a shell
No one would appreciate the snail for keeping a shell
Don’t let it die in you
... ... ...
Wednesday, 15 December 2010
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
Saintly Bandit
One is a bandit, two are saints
Life is a cycle
Time is a straight line
But, Regrets will find their way into both
One is a bandit, two are saints
Money could buy wisdom
Wisdom could make money
But pride finds a way into both
One is a bandit, two are saints
The illiterate may not be innocent
The innocent may not be literate
But poverty has an affinity for both
Corruption captivates a nation’s productivity
Productivity entices corrupt minds
But policies would moderate both
Finally, one is a saint, two are bandits
Two familiar bandits are better
Far better than one strange saint
... ... ...
Friday, 23 July 2010
Youthful Exuberance: the next moment
It’s a wild afternoon at Patmos Island
The want for crazy competition is thick in the air
I look into the deep waterbed and shudder
I shudder at my own reflection
But I see a bloke at the other edge
He’s dressed up for a quick thrust
“Blow me some cool breeze”, he shouts
He dives in and the chase begins
This game of escape or die is an instance of psychosis
It’s either the shark gets fed or the boy gets the money
But on my cynical note,
He will find “comfort” in between the shark’s jaws
And alas, He lunged into the shark!
“Life is not worth more than $20,000”
Those were his last, unspoken words
He said so by diving into the shark’s niche
But no one had thought of the next moment
It’s an evening party at Solomon’s Porch
Here’s a chap that wants some awareness
He’s finished 3 bottles of champagne (blanc de noirs)
But he’s not done yet!
He wants to create a scene
And his friends cheer him on
He’s motivated but almost comatose
I saw an impulsive move as he reached for the bourbon whisky
He staggered and complained, “It is not opened yet”
“Hic hoc”, he punctuated
“Ooh la”, I muttered
My interest moved me to the edge of my seat
As I watched him answer a phone call
He shook his head and dropped the bottle
But before anyone could say, “Jack Rob…”
He grabbed his car keys and jumped off the balcony
I won’t say more than this: we were on the eighteenth floor
But no one thought of the next moment
It’s another semester’s end at BLS.edu
And I’m just heading for my room on the 12th lane
When a boy barked into his mobile, “… when is our exam starting?”
“Ok, just flash me when it commences”
Startled, I looked behind and saw a “sure boy”
My countenance looked indifferent but inside, I was raving with hilarity
What a holy slapstick!
Yet, he walked in my direction
So, I reduced my pace
He got ahead and I trailed behind
I sought to know what was more important than an examination he had paid for
He took a turn and I took the turn
He made a left and I did the same
At last, he stopped at an arcade but I kept walking away
Having seen what was more important, I got confused
Coloured balls and a long stick on a rugged board?
Maybe, a nice time at the snooker board is the ticket to Vegas’ fortune
Sure boy was not thinking of the next moment!
And here’s the charming voodoo girl;
In Lagos, she’s the hottest happening chick
But at family reunions, she’s the anointed sinless angel
If she sinned a little, someone must have corrupted her
If she thought an evil thought, someone must have spoken it to her
She’s so perfect that she never farts,
So calm that she’s never belched!
But the truth is not found at home- it is away
All she has is a compendium of false lives
Deception, seduction & corruption prevails
So, I perceive she could beat the devil at his job
She’s got every political hotline in her directory
She calls, they come and the black powder does its work
It started on campus and grew into a metropolis franchise
Yet, time solicits her will for a change
But she says the only option available is to continue
The money, the fame
The parties, the clubs
The rep, the flow
The booze, the blues
She’s just another blind seer
A believer of the “no-way-out” gospel
Who never thinks of the next moment
I yell, “Youthful exuberance”
We’ve all had it
“Youthful exuberance”
We still have some of it
“Youthful exuberance”
We don’t need all of it
“Youthful exuberance”
It is not right to race down the wrong lane!
What was I seeking at Patmos Island?
What was I doing at Stephan’s Court?
Why was I curious about the bloke at BLS.edu?
Some call it a youth’s adventure
Others call it a custom of sociologists
It’s only an attempt at living a balanced life
But even when we have good intentions,
Our actions project a mirror image of the resident evil in us
Because we scarcely think of the next moment
There is no such thing as unfathomable idiotism
If you can call it idiotism
Then, you have measured it
If you have weighed it
Then, you can fathom it
There are only things that sadden us
They are never things that shock us
The things that sadden us
Are the robbers of our true potentials
But to the things that could shock us
We have become accustomed
So, let’s keep the leisure time low
While keeping the work time up
For the essence of life is that we may work
Epileptic electricity, Fuel Scarcity, Corruption are norms we must fight
In Nigeria, the evidences of the need for work are in excess
And each day, each one cries out for a change
So, let’s get back to work
And start thinking about the next moment.
Whether fiction or futility
We are writers of people’s living
In whose choices lie our national future
And whose individual will can power a change
So, awaken you sleeping giants in Nigeria
For my town-crying voice is almost cracking
Please, save our future and save our country
The want for crazy competition is thick in the air
I look into the deep waterbed and shudder
I shudder at my own reflection
But I see a bloke at the other edge
He’s dressed up for a quick thrust
“Blow me some cool breeze”, he shouts
He dives in and the chase begins
This game of escape or die is an instance of psychosis
It’s either the shark gets fed or the boy gets the money
But on my cynical note,
He will find “comfort” in between the shark’s jaws
And alas, He lunged into the shark!
“Life is not worth more than $20,000”
Those were his last, unspoken words
He said so by diving into the shark’s niche
But no one had thought of the next moment
It’s an evening party at Solomon’s Porch
Here’s a chap that wants some awareness
He’s finished 3 bottles of champagne (blanc de noirs)
But he’s not done yet!
He wants to create a scene
And his friends cheer him on
He’s motivated but almost comatose
I saw an impulsive move as he reached for the bourbon whisky
He staggered and complained, “It is not opened yet”
“Hic hoc”, he punctuated
“Ooh la”, I muttered
My interest moved me to the edge of my seat
As I watched him answer a phone call
He shook his head and dropped the bottle
But before anyone could say, “Jack Rob…”
He grabbed his car keys and jumped off the balcony
I won’t say more than this: we were on the eighteenth floor
But no one thought of the next moment
It’s another semester’s end at BLS.edu
And I’m just heading for my room on the 12th lane
When a boy barked into his mobile, “… when is our exam starting?”
“Ok, just flash me when it commences”
Startled, I looked behind and saw a “sure boy”
My countenance looked indifferent but inside, I was raving with hilarity
What a holy slapstick!
Yet, he walked in my direction
So, I reduced my pace
He got ahead and I trailed behind
I sought to know what was more important than an examination he had paid for
He took a turn and I took the turn
He made a left and I did the same
At last, he stopped at an arcade but I kept walking away
Having seen what was more important, I got confused
Coloured balls and a long stick on a rugged board?
Maybe, a nice time at the snooker board is the ticket to Vegas’ fortune
Sure boy was not thinking of the next moment!
And here’s the charming voodoo girl;
In Lagos, she’s the hottest happening chick
But at family reunions, she’s the anointed sinless angel
If she sinned a little, someone must have corrupted her
If she thought an evil thought, someone must have spoken it to her
She’s so perfect that she never farts,
So calm that she’s never belched!
But the truth is not found at home- it is away
All she has is a compendium of false lives
Deception, seduction & corruption prevails
So, I perceive she could beat the devil at his job
She’s got every political hotline in her directory
She calls, they come and the black powder does its work
It started on campus and grew into a metropolis franchise
Yet, time solicits her will for a change
But she says the only option available is to continue
The money, the fame
The parties, the clubs
The rep, the flow
The booze, the blues
She’s just another blind seer
A believer of the “no-way-out” gospel
Who never thinks of the next moment
I yell, “Youthful exuberance”
We’ve all had it
“Youthful exuberance”
We still have some of it
“Youthful exuberance”
We don’t need all of it
“Youthful exuberance”
It is not right to race down the wrong lane!
What was I seeking at Patmos Island?
What was I doing at Stephan’s Court?
Why was I curious about the bloke at BLS.edu?
Some call it a youth’s adventure
Others call it a custom of sociologists
It’s only an attempt at living a balanced life
But even when we have good intentions,
Our actions project a mirror image of the resident evil in us
Because we scarcely think of the next moment
There is no such thing as unfathomable idiotism
If you can call it idiotism
Then, you have measured it
If you have weighed it
Then, you can fathom it
There are only things that sadden us
They are never things that shock us
The things that sadden us
Are the robbers of our true potentials
But to the things that could shock us
We have become accustomed
So, let’s keep the leisure time low
While keeping the work time up
For the essence of life is that we may work
Epileptic electricity, Fuel Scarcity, Corruption are norms we must fight
In Nigeria, the evidences of the need for work are in excess
And each day, each one cries out for a change
So, let’s get back to work
And start thinking about the next moment.
Whether fiction or futility
We are writers of people’s living
In whose choices lie our national future
And whose individual will can power a change
So, awaken you sleeping giants in Nigeria
For my town-crying voice is almost cracking
Please, save our future and save our country
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
The Prayerful Purpose-driven Planner
Shile is an honest business man who has everything it takes to be called a wealthy man. He drives the best, wears what he likes and lives in a house that was built to his taste. He is barely forty-two and his net worth already amounts to 105 million naira. Besides, being the dependable husband of one wife and a responsible father of three kids, Shile has several properties and stocks and he sits on the board of 7blue chip companies. He is where he is today because he discovered his path to destiny early and started out based on divine instruction. He has made the right decisions in the major areas of his life and so far, it’s been a good ride. There have been challenges but with God on his side, he has always triumphed.
Faga is a dubious young man who has accumulated the cash equivalence of Shile’s wealth in just two years. By age twenty-six, Faga has defrauded many of his customers and associates to amass riches. He is known to be an unreliable and dangerous individual and many members of his extended family have renounced him. He leads a rough life and thinks that by attending a church every Sunday, God will pardon his continuous act of wickedness. He started out as an internet fraudster during his days at the university and diversified into fraudulent business deals upon graduation. What Faga does not know yet is that; his days are numbered and he will soon run out of God’s grace.
The difference between the two extremes as seen in Shile and Faga’s story is plainly a communion with God. A life lived with a sense of purpose, value for prayer and recognition of the need to plan ahead of the future will yield Shile’s kind of result (if not better). But the seemingly fast track which Faga has chosen has no other end but destruction. It will not just be a false life but also a short-lived one. However, the significance of the breathe we have each day is that we may make good choices towards achieving a particular task and eventually fulfill a purpose. Shile has chosen wisely by combining prayer and purpose with workable plans and God has honoured his labour and blessed the work of his hands. Therefore, we will look into those three values Shile esteemed in his life.
The first key to securing fulfillment in life is the discovery and attainment of one’s purpose. Purpose gives you the awareness of what to do with commitment and what to do with convenience. Whatever you are committed to defines your purpose. When purpose is clearly defined, you know the right direction and the steps to take in getting there. You don’t just gamble; you follow truthful practicable procedures. Not knowing your purpose and living life as it comes is equivalent to a life of experiment. It is like running very fast in a direction that is opposite to the path that leads to destiny. Yet, it is surprising that many still resolve to the school of thought that life is lived for what it is worth! They live each day by chance and make every decision experimentally. You ask them about their purpose and the look on their face says it all, “purpose?” To discover your purpose, you need to consult God. Consult His manual. Once you know where you are going, early arrival is guaranteed. Grey hair represents age not success. Learn from other people’s mistakes! Erase confusion by knowing what you do not want and avoid it. Talk less and act more; God rewards the acts not the intentions. Countless skulls in the cemetery are still rotting out with good intentions. Believe what God has told you, trust Him for its fulfillment and work hard at it. It might be tough, but recognise that the reward of a purposeful life is genuine fulfillment.
The second key is prayer which is simply a means of communicating with God. Man makes his request known unto Him and in response, He gives an answer. For every purpose in existence, there is a point of fulfillment; a specific time during which it must be fulfilled. This timing can only be known if we approach God, the giver and helper of purpose. “Purpose is established by counsel”, The Holy Bible (KJV), Proverbs 15:22. In other words, to fulfill purpose, men must be involved. Men must be at work. These are men who will invest one resource or the other into the purpose. The resource invested could be time, encouragement, ideas, advice, experience or money. But these people must be selected by virtue of God’s direction in the place of prayer. Prayer is inseparable from the process of purpose attainment. Men of purpose are men of prayer. In the discovery, pursuit and fulfillment of purpose, prayer must be involved; for by it, all things pertaining to purpose will be settled.
The final key as found in Shile’s life is planning. Planning is creating a detailed map of the building blocks of every good and successful thing. It is a set of things you must do to meet a target at a set time; a demonstration of possessed wisdom. That is why it applies to you. Once you have a purpose, planning becomes essential. In the Holy Bible, It was recorded that a man named Joseph saved the whole world from severe famine in his own time. We understand that he gave Pharaoh of Egypt strategic means of planning for the future and within seven years, pharaoh became the richest man in the world. Even ants understand the importance of planning. They gather their food during summer so that in the winter, they have plenty of food (The Holy Bible, MSG Proverbs 6:6-10). To every good thing in life, planning is the building block. By working out our plans, we are simply arranging the blocks that form the future we desire to see. Your plans are the greatest power you have; coupled with prayer and a sense of purpose, you can attain the greatest height and realize your true potentials in life.
Faga is a dubious young man who has accumulated the cash equivalence of Shile’s wealth in just two years. By age twenty-six, Faga has defrauded many of his customers and associates to amass riches. He is known to be an unreliable and dangerous individual and many members of his extended family have renounced him. He leads a rough life and thinks that by attending a church every Sunday, God will pardon his continuous act of wickedness. He started out as an internet fraudster during his days at the university and diversified into fraudulent business deals upon graduation. What Faga does not know yet is that; his days are numbered and he will soon run out of God’s grace.
The difference between the two extremes as seen in Shile and Faga’s story is plainly a communion with God. A life lived with a sense of purpose, value for prayer and recognition of the need to plan ahead of the future will yield Shile’s kind of result (if not better). But the seemingly fast track which Faga has chosen has no other end but destruction. It will not just be a false life but also a short-lived one. However, the significance of the breathe we have each day is that we may make good choices towards achieving a particular task and eventually fulfill a purpose. Shile has chosen wisely by combining prayer and purpose with workable plans and God has honoured his labour and blessed the work of his hands. Therefore, we will look into those three values Shile esteemed in his life.
The first key to securing fulfillment in life is the discovery and attainment of one’s purpose. Purpose gives you the awareness of what to do with commitment and what to do with convenience. Whatever you are committed to defines your purpose. When purpose is clearly defined, you know the right direction and the steps to take in getting there. You don’t just gamble; you follow truthful practicable procedures. Not knowing your purpose and living life as it comes is equivalent to a life of experiment. It is like running very fast in a direction that is opposite to the path that leads to destiny. Yet, it is surprising that many still resolve to the school of thought that life is lived for what it is worth! They live each day by chance and make every decision experimentally. You ask them about their purpose and the look on their face says it all, “purpose?” To discover your purpose, you need to consult God. Consult His manual. Once you know where you are going, early arrival is guaranteed. Grey hair represents age not success. Learn from other people’s mistakes! Erase confusion by knowing what you do not want and avoid it. Talk less and act more; God rewards the acts not the intentions. Countless skulls in the cemetery are still rotting out with good intentions. Believe what God has told you, trust Him for its fulfillment and work hard at it. It might be tough, but recognise that the reward of a purposeful life is genuine fulfillment.
The second key is prayer which is simply a means of communicating with God. Man makes his request known unto Him and in response, He gives an answer. For every purpose in existence, there is a point of fulfillment; a specific time during which it must be fulfilled. This timing can only be known if we approach God, the giver and helper of purpose. “Purpose is established by counsel”, The Holy Bible (KJV), Proverbs 15:22. In other words, to fulfill purpose, men must be involved. Men must be at work. These are men who will invest one resource or the other into the purpose. The resource invested could be time, encouragement, ideas, advice, experience or money. But these people must be selected by virtue of God’s direction in the place of prayer. Prayer is inseparable from the process of purpose attainment. Men of purpose are men of prayer. In the discovery, pursuit and fulfillment of purpose, prayer must be involved; for by it, all things pertaining to purpose will be settled.
The final key as found in Shile’s life is planning. Planning is creating a detailed map of the building blocks of every good and successful thing. It is a set of things you must do to meet a target at a set time; a demonstration of possessed wisdom. That is why it applies to you. Once you have a purpose, planning becomes essential. In the Holy Bible, It was recorded that a man named Joseph saved the whole world from severe famine in his own time. We understand that he gave Pharaoh of Egypt strategic means of planning for the future and within seven years, pharaoh became the richest man in the world. Even ants understand the importance of planning. They gather their food during summer so that in the winter, they have plenty of food (The Holy Bible, MSG Proverbs 6:6-10). To every good thing in life, planning is the building block. By working out our plans, we are simply arranging the blocks that form the future we desire to see. Your plans are the greatest power you have; coupled with prayer and a sense of purpose, you can attain the greatest height and realize your true potentials in life.
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
A Good Woman in Nigeria
If the world refuses to give the women folk a voice
If the scheme of opportunities remain less favourable to ladies
If the girl child is not chanced to maximise her potentials
Then the tale of exploits we keep telling would be a cooked fable
We have told the eternal tale of good deeds
We have written the amazing stories of glorious titans
We have witnessed the unmatchable endurance of fearless heroines
Yet, we have remained silent to the indifference of this sitting generation
How many more women must die with undiscovered potentials?
How many more must die with unmatchable inventive ideas?
How long more shall we attempt to keep female geniuses from the spotlight?
Yet, we clamour the realization of indiscrimination and the arrival of civilization
We praise the ape man for his persistent inventive ability in the medieval ages
But we forget the women who were there to assist and motivate him
We give kudos to the masculine geniuses that ever lived
But we ignore the motherhood that nurtured and trained them
Many a woman is as brave as Kudirat Abiola the kind
A good mother, a faithful wife and a supporter of scarce justice
Many more women would do as well as madam Tinubu the deliverer
Whose wealth and wisdom comforted the lives of countless slaves
The peak of scholastic work is only neared by diligent academicians
But the same was reached by an intelligent Grace Alele Williams
The fight for human rights was reckoned to be a feat for bold men
But the same exploits as performed by Diana Wiwa cannot be forgotten
There has not been another lioness as fearless as Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti
The Lioness of Africa and a colossal force against colonial rule
Yesterday has enjoyed the bravery, brilliance and beauty of the Nigerian woman
Today is pleased to witness the continuity of such exceptional exploits
The sun that shines today has witnessed the commitment of greater women
Dora Akunyili’s contribution to national health security is an indelible mark
Lives of the innocent were kept by her tenacity and commitment to good works
Many ghosts would wish she had received the baton of salvation earlier
Ngozi Nweala’s efforts on our crying economy was dynamic
Her skilfulness in economics worn her a top seat in the bank of this world
Her resignation from the proffered office speaks volume of her righteousness
And, the good woman from Nigeria keeps a home and a family together
Abike Dabiri is a woman of great dreams and outstanding aspirations
The poor of this nation have taken solace in her good works
The orphans in this land have found their lost childhood in her efforts
The politics of this nation have seen a clean hand play a dirty game
My mother has the spirit of a mighty hero living in her heart
Her commitment to hard work has bred a giant in my little heart
Her words of enthusiasm and persistence has killed my many doubts
I am indebted to her with the coin of expectation to succeed in life
This is a debt whose remembrance puts a smile on my lonely face
I will pay her with a wife having good character and a valiant spirit
I will shame her troubles and be the answer to her prayers
And only a virtuous and diligent companion will give these dreams a chance
If there is a good woman in Nigeria,
There can be a good wife in Nigeria
If there can be a good mother in a good wife,
There can be more good women in Nigeria
Indeed, yesterday was good and today could be better
Tomorrow is promising and the future will be the best
For, if one woman can change anything
Then, many women can change everything!
Submitted to CHD Africa(http://www.chdafrica.org/WritingCompetition.html)
If the scheme of opportunities remain less favourable to ladies
If the girl child is not chanced to maximise her potentials
Then the tale of exploits we keep telling would be a cooked fable
We have told the eternal tale of good deeds
We have written the amazing stories of glorious titans
We have witnessed the unmatchable endurance of fearless heroines
Yet, we have remained silent to the indifference of this sitting generation
How many more women must die with undiscovered potentials?
How many more must die with unmatchable inventive ideas?
How long more shall we attempt to keep female geniuses from the spotlight?
Yet, we clamour the realization of indiscrimination and the arrival of civilization
We praise the ape man for his persistent inventive ability in the medieval ages
But we forget the women who were there to assist and motivate him
We give kudos to the masculine geniuses that ever lived
But we ignore the motherhood that nurtured and trained them
Many a woman is as brave as Kudirat Abiola the kind
A good mother, a faithful wife and a supporter of scarce justice
Many more women would do as well as madam Tinubu the deliverer
Whose wealth and wisdom comforted the lives of countless slaves
The peak of scholastic work is only neared by diligent academicians
But the same was reached by an intelligent Grace Alele Williams
The fight for human rights was reckoned to be a feat for bold men
But the same exploits as performed by Diana Wiwa cannot be forgotten
There has not been another lioness as fearless as Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti
The Lioness of Africa and a colossal force against colonial rule
Yesterday has enjoyed the bravery, brilliance and beauty of the Nigerian woman
Today is pleased to witness the continuity of such exceptional exploits
The sun that shines today has witnessed the commitment of greater women
Dora Akunyili’s contribution to national health security is an indelible mark
Lives of the innocent were kept by her tenacity and commitment to good works
Many ghosts would wish she had received the baton of salvation earlier
Ngozi Nweala’s efforts on our crying economy was dynamic
Her skilfulness in economics worn her a top seat in the bank of this world
Her resignation from the proffered office speaks volume of her righteousness
And, the good woman from Nigeria keeps a home and a family together
Abike Dabiri is a woman of great dreams and outstanding aspirations
The poor of this nation have taken solace in her good works
The orphans in this land have found their lost childhood in her efforts
The politics of this nation have seen a clean hand play a dirty game
My mother has the spirit of a mighty hero living in her heart
Her commitment to hard work has bred a giant in my little heart
Her words of enthusiasm and persistence has killed my many doubts
I am indebted to her with the coin of expectation to succeed in life
This is a debt whose remembrance puts a smile on my lonely face
I will pay her with a wife having good character and a valiant spirit
I will shame her troubles and be the answer to her prayers
And only a virtuous and diligent companion will give these dreams a chance
If there is a good woman in Nigeria,
There can be a good wife in Nigeria
If there can be a good mother in a good wife,
There can be more good women in Nigeria
Indeed, yesterday was good and today could be better
Tomorrow is promising and the future will be the best
For, if one woman can change anything
Then, many women can change everything!
Submitted to CHD Africa(http://www.chdafrica.org/WritingCompetition.html)
Monday, 30 November 2009
We are Men
We are men who fear a God we do not see
We are men who uphold justice at the hospice
We are men, fond of our wives and mothers
We are men, bound by the good of the land
We are men to our fears
We are men by our tears
We are men of our words
We are there for our wards
We are trained by the lamenting needs in the society
We are strained by the needless sufferings in our community
We abstain from the enchanting love of money
We can make money from even the sale of honey
We are men made under pressure
We are men by every humble measure
We are against every human sponsor of Nigeria’s evil show
We are empowered by the God we live to know
But there are men against us
Men who hate righteousness despise us
Men who eat with the devil to escape from us
Men who live with the oracles that war against us
They are men who boast of mammon as their lifeguard
Men, who stand with principalities on the devil’s vanguard
Men, who live in riches at the expense of lives they extinguish
Being men who are too dull to make money by fair means, they languish
They know why electric power must never be reliable
They know why refineries must never be operational
They know why railway transportation must never be resurrected
They know everything except progressive thinking
They are men by their own standards
They are babies by our own standards
They are spared by their lifeguard’s temporal verve
We are men, spared by the mighty God we serve
The Transparent Mind(c)2009.
Ayo Morakinyo is, by all yardsticks, a provoked Nigerian. By God’s grace, he says what he believes and lives what he says. He longs to see a better Nigeria and hopes he does not run of out patience. Alleging that he is a sporadic freak, friends have named him the careless poet-an identity he has modified to the transparent mind.
We are men who uphold justice at the hospice
We are men, fond of our wives and mothers
We are men, bound by the good of the land
We are men to our fears
We are men by our tears
We are men of our words
We are there for our wards
We are trained by the lamenting needs in the society
We are strained by the needless sufferings in our community
We abstain from the enchanting love of money
We can make money from even the sale of honey
We are men made under pressure
We are men by every humble measure
We are against every human sponsor of Nigeria’s evil show
We are empowered by the God we live to know
But there are men against us
Men who hate righteousness despise us
Men who eat with the devil to escape from us
Men who live with the oracles that war against us
They are men who boast of mammon as their lifeguard
Men, who stand with principalities on the devil’s vanguard
Men, who live in riches at the expense of lives they extinguish
Being men who are too dull to make money by fair means, they languish
They know why electric power must never be reliable
They know why refineries must never be operational
They know why railway transportation must never be resurrected
They know everything except progressive thinking
They are men by their own standards
They are babies by our own standards
They are spared by their lifeguard’s temporal verve
We are men, spared by the mighty God we serve
The Transparent Mind(c)2009.
Ayo Morakinyo is, by all yardsticks, a provoked Nigerian. By God’s grace, he says what he believes and lives what he says. He longs to see a better Nigeria and hopes he does not run of out patience. Alleging that he is a sporadic freak, friends have named him the careless poet-an identity he has modified to the transparent mind.
Friday, 11 September 2009
Point of Problem: Stall-Fed Cattle
In Nigeria today, leaders that know the right are endless in number but the percentage of those that do them remains minimal. Among such are rare visionaries like Raji Fashola & Adams Oshiomole. That does not mean they, themselves, cannot do better but then, their performance in office cannot be ignored when compared with that of some other governors. If more of such citizens are given the chance to lead, I believe more problems will be solved.
We are leaving the era when selfish and incompetent members of the citizenry are allowed to lead the larger majority thereby wrecking havoc instead of providing durable solutions. The days when leaders who have been spoon-fed by corrupt and fraudulent persons in our society gain undue admission into public offices are now finite. The innocent, the elite and even the poor have suffered and learnt from their mistakes. Let us just hope that unlike dogs, we do not return to our own vomit.
Now, the issue at hand is ensuring that we maintain this pattern of change that has started and strive to move along this trend, being optimistic that things will get better. I believe Nigeria's present status is a function of her content (the kind of resources and citizens she harbours). Hence, if we do not become a better people, we should not expect to see the emergence of a better Nigeria.
We are leaving the era when selfish and incompetent members of the citizenry are allowed to lead the larger majority thereby wrecking havoc instead of providing durable solutions. The days when leaders who have been spoon-fed by corrupt and fraudulent persons in our society gain undue admission into public offices are now finite. The innocent, the elite and even the poor have suffered and learnt from their mistakes. Let us just hope that unlike dogs, we do not return to our own vomit.
Now, the issue at hand is ensuring that we maintain this pattern of change that has started and strive to move along this trend, being optimistic that things will get better. I believe Nigeria's present status is a function of her content (the kind of resources and citizens she harbours). Hence, if we do not become a better people, we should not expect to see the emergence of a better Nigeria.
Monday, 1 June 2009
Insights From Sight-seeing
Every temptation has a way of escape; every challenge has a weak point. Discovering it, is what we need to do. Just as building bricks are easier to crush when you hit them at a point of crack, our problems are easier to solve when we take time out to analyse them and seek for smallest details we have not been paying attention to. And this approach works in most for cases and at most times. The only time at which this methodolgy proves ineffective is when the time out is an additional problem itself. This happens when there is no tolerance for an additional use of time. But eventually, a consistent practitioner or user of the "weak-point-location" strategy becomes faster in his analysis and gains credible skills that afford him proactive ability in this regard. Consequently, he is able to solve problems faster and more easily.
It costs no real effort to build castles in the air. It cost a fortune to build just one castle in life. At one or more points in our lives, we have all built glorious castles in the empty air. We have had occasions when we stimulate our imagination to fascinate our sense of fantasy. There may have been times when you imagine that you're in the White House when you're just in your study room. And boy, is it not a pleasurable thing enter to into the dreamland where you get exactly what you want before you eventually get it in reality? It sure is! Yes, yours may not have been the white house but there must have been something,a place or an experience that appeals to your fantasy. However, it worthy to stress that a problem may arise when this imaginary activity becomes excessively triggered. It could be a very frustrating event to always see something you will never become. It is more humiliating when you try all you can to achieve that thing and still, you seem to chisel no breakthrough in its direction. And perhaps, the most terrifying experience a human being can have is to always try to achieve something, always get close to it but never get it.Some geniuses have lost it through a continual misappropriation of their imaginative ability and several sane human beings still go mad once in a while.
Sincerely, I have had a few of those moments of fantasy and it has not been fun in the slightest bit! But one thing has kept me going: I have been opportuned to realise that in life, you don't get all you want (and that includes the good things you see some other people get). Otherwise, if you get what you want all the time, other people will suffer for it. Many others around you will never get what they really want. Every good thing that should happen to each individual has varying appointed times and as such, if you try to get what you should not have at a particular time, you will either get the things you don't want along with it or, you will never get that thing you want no matter how you try.
I give an instance, a 20-year-old man who has not discovered the solution to a global problem, whose father is not a global industrialist and whose talents are not extraordinary might be doing a lot of wrongs if he is attempting to own a chain of industry within a one year period. The requirements for the achievement of that dream are too cumbersome for him to meet such that it makes his dream unrealistic with the current global settings. However, if he applies strength, funds and ideas in that direction sometime down the lane of his lifetime, he might succeed with just a single hit!
This being true, makes me understand that there is a schedule of available opportunities for each person and that as we add each new day to our days on earth, certain things must be consciouly done. We must do the necessary and minimise the unnecessary. Minimise the unnecesary? Yes, minimise it! You could never be so perfect and freaky that you do just all the things that are pertinent to your life purpose. We never do that! If we live our lives purposefully, most but not all of the things we do with our lives are usually related to our life purpose. But since, it is humanly to engage ourselves in diverse unwarranted activities based on our imperfect choices, we tend to play away once in a while. Nevertheless, when we make such discoveries or realise these frivolities, we must drop them anf refocus on hitting our targets. It is such practices that make us ready and worthy in the scheme of global relevance. They bring us into the proximity of the main things we need, many of which we would have grown to deserve. Hence, the only necessary thing is to prepare, by doing the right things which remain the pre-requisites for reaching the destinations we've chosen in life.
Friends, I charge you to build less castles in the air but do more of hardwork because such venture could be a waste of imaginative thinking. Do it when it is required to gain happiness while implementing your plans and to sustain your most cherished dreams. But more importantly, work on yourself, prepare workable plans and make your life ready. Let us acquire relevant skills and pursue contemporary education. Let us set your sails now so that when the wind comes blowing, we'd be ready to sail on the sea to our most desired island of greatness. Cheers!
It costs no real effort to build castles in the air. It cost a fortune to build just one castle in life. At one or more points in our lives, we have all built glorious castles in the empty air. We have had occasions when we stimulate our imagination to fascinate our sense of fantasy. There may have been times when you imagine that you're in the White House when you're just in your study room. And boy, is it not a pleasurable thing enter to into the dreamland where you get exactly what you want before you eventually get it in reality? It sure is! Yes, yours may not have been the white house but there must have been something,a place or an experience that appeals to your fantasy. However, it worthy to stress that a problem may arise when this imaginary activity becomes excessively triggered. It could be a very frustrating event to always see something you will never become. It is more humiliating when you try all you can to achieve that thing and still, you seem to chisel no breakthrough in its direction. And perhaps, the most terrifying experience a human being can have is to always try to achieve something, always get close to it but never get it.Some geniuses have lost it through a continual misappropriation of their imaginative ability and several sane human beings still go mad once in a while.
Sincerely, I have had a few of those moments of fantasy and it has not been fun in the slightest bit! But one thing has kept me going: I have been opportuned to realise that in life, you don't get all you want (and that includes the good things you see some other people get). Otherwise, if you get what you want all the time, other people will suffer for it. Many others around you will never get what they really want. Every good thing that should happen to each individual has varying appointed times and as such, if you try to get what you should not have at a particular time, you will either get the things you don't want along with it or, you will never get that thing you want no matter how you try.
I give an instance, a 20-year-old man who has not discovered the solution to a global problem, whose father is not a global industrialist and whose talents are not extraordinary might be doing a lot of wrongs if he is attempting to own a chain of industry within a one year period. The requirements for the achievement of that dream are too cumbersome for him to meet such that it makes his dream unrealistic with the current global settings. However, if he applies strength, funds and ideas in that direction sometime down the lane of his lifetime, he might succeed with just a single hit!
This being true, makes me understand that there is a schedule of available opportunities for each person and that as we add each new day to our days on earth, certain things must be consciouly done. We must do the necessary and minimise the unnecessary. Minimise the unnecesary? Yes, minimise it! You could never be so perfect and freaky that you do just all the things that are pertinent to your life purpose. We never do that! If we live our lives purposefully, most but not all of the things we do with our lives are usually related to our life purpose. But since, it is humanly to engage ourselves in diverse unwarranted activities based on our imperfect choices, we tend to play away once in a while. Nevertheless, when we make such discoveries or realise these frivolities, we must drop them anf refocus on hitting our targets. It is such practices that make us ready and worthy in the scheme of global relevance. They bring us into the proximity of the main things we need, many of which we would have grown to deserve. Hence, the only necessary thing is to prepare, by doing the right things which remain the pre-requisites for reaching the destinations we've chosen in life.
Friends, I charge you to build less castles in the air but do more of hardwork because such venture could be a waste of imaginative thinking. Do it when it is required to gain happiness while implementing your plans and to sustain your most cherished dreams. But more importantly, work on yourself, prepare workable plans and make your life ready. Let us acquire relevant skills and pursue contemporary education. Let us set your sails now so that when the wind comes blowing, we'd be ready to sail on the sea to our most desired island of greatness. Cheers!
Thursday, 30 April 2009
Shared Word
In African nations today, corruption has become a force to be reckoned with.It lives with the citizenry and runs in the blood of several government leaders. The people who are suppposed to be providing solutions are the very ones aggravating the weight of corruption; they are the very ones who sustain the existence of this force.
If we say there are many unqualified leaders in Africa, we are right. But if we refuse to mention the origin, we have made an unfair judgement. Corrution came to Africa based on two factors: Illiteracy & Crudeness. Before many African countries gained independence, while the white men were still ruling, corruption was unintentionally introduced to the supposed pace setters in Africa.
I said "unintentionally" because, though the intention of those folks was to cheat and make money out of Africa(using our resources), they never thought of the act of laziness and indiscipline they were imparting into the typical African leader-as at then, the tribal chiefs.On the long run, there was a transference of this act from the fathers back then down to the leaders of today.
History has it well documented that unruly activities such as slavery, bribery, deception, sexual abuse, etc were part of the "Aliens' dealing".
Corruption has come as a result of ignorance, illiteracy and greed on the part of several African leaders and the past has been put where it rigtly belongs. But the solutions still remains these:
the citizens in African nations must be educated to imbibe productive culture, to pass on education, to encourage peace at all times, to be disciplined and maintain order, to promote creativity and punish criminal offences appropriately.
Likewise, relevant education must be upheld as a strict pre-requisite for leadership at all ramifications, from local government chairmen to commisioners to state governors to ministers, senators, special advisers, reps and the office of the president.
I believe that a consistent implementation fo these and other possible solutions will cause a real change in Africa. See what is happening in Nigeria and typically, in Lagos State. The Leadership seems to be sticking to right procedures and goal setting...That says it all! Africa still needs to be monitored with good counsel, lovingkindness and continuous help. Let the world's concern be available her.
From Morakinyo Ayo
http://www.moraks.blogspot.com and http://moraks.tigblog.org
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Saturday, 21 March 2009
Laughable
If U really need twenty naira notes as change in business or trading,
call on the policeman on duty at the nearest road block. In reality,
twenty naira denomination seems to be on demand. I think it's high time
the police force started "the twenty naira bank" where all transactions
are made in 20Naira notes. That way, offenders can pay their "fines"
through ATMs
My Remarks: Let's call a spade a spade; not an agricultural implement.
The force is getting sick and needs urgent help.
call on the policeman on duty at the nearest road block. In reality,
twenty naira denomination seems to be on demand. I think it's high time
the police force started "the twenty naira bank" where all transactions
are made in 20Naira notes. That way, offenders can pay their "fines"
through ATMs
My Remarks: Let's call a spade a spade; not an agricultural implement.
The force is getting sick and needs urgent help.
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