Radiant's blog

Like caramel in a lion's cadaver Christ in Majesty born in a manger Shekels in a shark's braces There could be love in unexpected places
Ever feel like the shit in the mud Trodden, sunken, swept by the flood Now in sight, unsightly, causing smirks on smiling faces There could be love in unexpected places
There could be love in unexpected places Like treasure veiled in uninviting cases Thunderous victories in unprepared races And in gifts as teensy as tiny shoe laces
Some seek love in lemon Lamborghinis Others in blue perfumed bedrooms I found it in the pain and punctured palms Of a marred and mangled man

#LoveInUnexpectedPlaces ©Radiant~ December 2014 (In the spirit of Christmas)

'Anyi abanyego na tipa bu aja!', exclaimed a passenger.
By this time yesterday, I was in the middle of an uproar that ended in a torn shirt, raised blood pressures and someone at risk of losing his job. I was to travel from Enugu to Lagos yesterday and by 7am I was at a popular traveling company's motor park in Enugu. I went to the counter to buy a ticket and was told to buy it from the bus where an agent was selling them. I counted my cash and handed it over, watching circumspectly to see that there was no behind-the-scene business like my friend experienced last month in that same park. 
She had withdrawn some money from the bank and was paying with them except that she took her eyes away for some split seconds and next thing she heard was the cashier shouting 'counter!' returning her money. He had exchanged one of her 1000 Naira notes with a counterfeit. She was shocked to the marrow but she couldn't defend herself 'cause she had no evidence and she was ma…

So sorry guys. I've been off your face for too long. I was engrossed in preps for a hip hop dance drama my church staged on Sunday. It was a long arduous two months of preparation with daily rehearsals from three weeks to the time and vigils too. It was fun nonetheless. I'm glad I volunteered to participate. I picked interest from the time the audition was announced in church. A lot of people that started with us didn't finish. And some that joined the last minute, were casted for major roles. Typifying the first shall be the last and the last, the first. We had some happy moments- free lunch and dinner packages, and sad moments; during the production, we lost 3 phones. And it was a very shameful thing for us 'cause we didn't know we had to also be careful in the presence of God. We didn't see the big picture until we were on stage with almost 3000 people as audience. We relied solely on God 'cause we couldn't see us pulling through without help. Thankf…

If you live in Nigeria in this day and age (e go beta), to 'not have light', as we say when there is power failure, is simply a norm, as normal as breathing bad air, who makes a fuss about that? But when you don't see it blinked for many days, you begin to wonder, "could they have cut our light?", an expression we use when the power holding company disconnects us because we haven't paid our bills or "has the transformer spoilt?" It had to be one of the two.

This comes with a lot of lifestyle changes that you naturally adjust to; you don't need to be taught any more than you need a tutorial to modify your lifestyle if your salary drops from five zeros to four zeros. And in Lagos, where most houses have electricity-driven boreholes, no light automatically correlates to no water.

Assuming, you are a girl, a Christian and somewhere in the middle class, this is how your typical day would look like. You're most likely going to wake up late because y…

Sometimes, I just need a brother
And not a lover

Me to clutch
But not to touch 

To cuddle
Not fondle

To lend an ear 
Not pet my rear

Sometimes, I just need a big brother

To get it off my chest
Not take off my vest

To kiss my cheek
Not peck my beak

To give me a nod
And not his rod

Sometimes, I just need a big brother

To let me lie in his arm
And not fall for his charm

To guard me from hoodlums
Not leave me with huge sums

To lead me to my bridegroom
Not lead me to his bedroom

Sometimes, I just need a big brother

©Radiant~ November 2014

Since today is the International Stammering Awareness Day, I decided to interview a few stammerers and let their voices be heard on this platform. 
Meet Joseph Entekume and Tosin Smart.
When did you start stammering? Joseph: It started when I was 4. Tosin: I really can't remember when because I knew I started at a very young age, maybe 4yrs and above.
What do you think caused it? Joseph: I was imitating the Late. Sam Loko Efe for a while and nobody stopped me. Also, it was a Tv series so it was a daily habit for me to imitate him. Tosin: Well, I think it was fear, being bullied and lack of confidence.
Was any other member of your family a stammerer? Joseph: Nope. Only me!!! Tosin: My mum stutters once in a while because it is that obvious but I wouldn't say she is a stammerer.
What was it like, growing up as a child stammerer? Joseph: It was bad, really bad, but sometimes it brought me good things. My teachers liked me a lot, they always had my back and I think that that, apart from me be…

Published by Daily Sun Newspaper, page 29 on October 22nd 2014. 
Author: Chidiogo Ibe 
Today is the day set aside worldwide to create awareness to the public about the 1% of the world's population who have that flaw in fluency of speech, called stammering or stuttering. You might have heard one speak or heard of them during stand-up comedies

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Photo by eventsvenue.com.ng

Have you ever held unto the handle of a door and prayed that no one came near it to open it?

This was the state I found myself in on July 18, 2014 at some minutes past two in the morning. Following the previous day's hectic work, I had zonked out and sailed off to dreamland unsuspectingly until I sprang off my bed awoken by the characteristic sounds that I heard. I had heard a lady exclaim 'Jesus!' as an iron boot collided with a wooden door. I knew immediately what it was. My sister had told me that the compound had been attacked earlier in the year, so my memory cells picked the signals quickly. I saw myself hiding my iPad, picking my phone and blanket, switching off the light and running into the kitchen. I put the phone on silent mode and quickly hid it, then I held the door so tenaciously that I could have broken the handle, was it present. Since there was no handle, my fingers latched on the holes in the handle space and lost their blood supply. My heart raced like a…

So today, I woke up quite late 'cause I wasn't supposed to go to work. I knew that. So I watched a movie series late into the night. When I woke up, somehow I had some feelings that I needed to go to work. My colleague and I took turns at work and today wasn't my call, so I felt I deserved some rest. So I prayed, studied my Bible and slept off again. I was awoken by the popular Nokia ring tone. It was my colleague calling. I already knew what she was going to say. 'Are you free? I can't make it to the clinic. Could you cover for me if you're free?' I agreed and not reluctantly. I liked the fact that the clinic afforded me time and a good environment to read, though I didn't like having to bear the complaints of many patients on some of my unlucky busy days. I looked at the time and it was 9:30am. I hadn't even taken my bath. So I rushed into the bathroom and out, dressed up, had my regular breakfast (bread and tea), sprayed the room with …

Today, I'll be hosting an ace writer who happens to be one of my mentions in the previous post. This is a personal letter but I feel it's too interesting to enjoy it alone. So with his consent, I share it with you. He wrote:
          'It has been over a year since I sat down to write anything like this. This is because I write mostly when I'm inspired. I get inspired by experiences, life issues, people or most times, how I feel. One could think me to be a writer when I say “I write”, but I see myself more as a scribbler and this is not because it also sounds like my name (he laughs). I decided to write this because something happened to me over the past weekend. I’ll try to be short as much as I can.            I had a very busy week at work that also took a lot into the weekend. My Saturday morning was filled with chores, errands and activities that got me tired even before it was noon. I got myself so engaged that I had to call it a day before 3pm, so I decided to eas…

It started quite well with me doing Saturday home chores- washing the toilet and doing some laundry, while listening to a sermon. I had three slices of bread and a cup of milk for breakfast. Then I dressed up in a smart blue top and a pair of black jeans, made sure my hair was in proper alignment, packed my bag ( you know, transfer some things from one bag to the other), then scurried out of the house 'cause I was already thirty minutes late for the Tax Seminar organized by my church. 

            As I walked into the church, I was greeted by a greeter and an usher ushered me to where I was going to sit. I suddenly realized I was quite a distraction because the metal fancies on my sandals jingled as I walked. So I tiptoed, trying to stop them, but to no avail. I finally saw that delaying my movement would only prolong the distraction, so I walked faster and took my seat. It didn't take long before I got into the message of the day. Many speakers took the stage. Tho…

Tonight, my heart paces
My head pounds
Like I downed a cup of coffee
I know what's right, but it's hard to do
Tomorrow is the day
                                   And I'm only ten min's away

I so wish it were
A moving melting mirage
That I couldn't reach or catch
But I'm here now, I dunno how
Did I pause praying?                 
                                   Or did I stop studying?

'Twas while working your vineyard
I got trapped in this love yarn
Am I at fault for falling over? After all 
I asked you take them butterflies away
Nay, King of kings
                                   You gave 'em extra wings

Now my mouth blinks
My eyes mutter
I stutter
Rehearsing my parting lines
Tomorrow must come, ain't no doubt
                                    I wanna do right. I want out!



©Radiant~ August 2014

Now this is what I've been talking about- A proper way of Chyking'.
If you've been following this blog, you probably would have come across my two articles - Chyking 101 and 102. If you have not, I kindly suggest that you scheme through them for a better appreciation of what I'm about to write.

Chyking, a word from Nigerian parlance, is the art of chatting up a lady in order to get into a closer relationship with her. It also refers to what we call 'to toast a girl'. It simply means to woo a girl. 

From my experience, I have concluded that many Nigerian guys have an approach that puts women like me off rather than attract them. I've also discovered the missing key. For me, it's politeness. Just some manner of courtesy. That's all. I'm not promising I'll let out my number but at least I'll give an ear to a polite guy. 

So after much disappointment with guys, I came across one who I'm sure hasn't read my blog but has the proper approac…

Today, I was awakened by a call from my mom who wanted to find out about the relationship between Ebola virus and salt water solution. She had been harassed by calls and text messages just this morning about how bathing with salt water will prevent Ebola virus. One of the calls was by 3am. The other said a prophet prophesied that bathing with salt water without soap will prevent it. How ridiculous!
Some say is a biological war that Americans are using against Africans. That seeing the emerging economy of Africa, Americans released Ebola, that has been in existence for quite some years into Africa, so that Africa will seek World Bank aid, borrow money and be in debt. Now World Bank recently pledged a loan of 200 million dollars to a few African countries for the prevention of Ebola and we are now in debt.
While people are dying, others because of the same thing are becoming wealthy. Broadcasts and text messages are flying everywhere. People are blogging. Fear grips the hearts of men. Peop…

Okay, now I need to talk.

I've seen a few movie reviews lately. Kind of interesting how people have so varied opinions about the same stuff. Not surprising though since we don't wear the same shirt.
Anyway, I went to the movies today. Ozone Cinema at Sabo, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. Do I also need to tell you it's in West Africa? I hope not. 
I saw the popular movie, 'Half Of A Yellow Sun'. 
Hmmmm (sighs), how do I begin this?

Okay, generally I think it's eh........m,  starting with the good side, I was impressed. Really. I looked out for a foolery in the costume and props and setting, you know, since it was dated back to the 60's. They pulled it off pretty well. I loved the fact that the hair styles and the dresses were old school and the cars.... I was really tripped to see right hand drive cars. It showed they were thinking. That's unlike what you see in typical Nollywood movies; not to bad-mouth anybody, but I think Nollywood directors should understand that …

29th June 2011
Thank you Lord for today. There's so much that happened today so where do I start my gist from?
Alright, I woke up at the right side of my bed, if there's anything like that. I had a difficult time getting up anyway 'cause I tossed and tossed trying to pray with sleep in my eyes until I finally opened them and picked my Bible. With heavy eyes I scanned through it and read today's passage at ODB(Our Daily Bread)- I can't even remember what it talked about. Then I got up and prepared for the bathroom. Without delay, I had my bath and went to Amy's room to ask for breakfast. She had just finished eating my preferred breakfast- bread- and offered me Indomie. So I cooked it, ate, fetched 'free water', read a chapter of 'The happiest people on earth' and dressed up for school. I met the bus at the gate and I was at the hospital in less than an hour. I headed for the theatre like I've done for eleven days in Anaesthesia posting, got ch…

Right now, I feel like hitting someone. 

I don't understand how people can be so dishonest in dealing with customers. Yesterday, I bought a donut and a bottle of drink from a provisions store near my house. It wasn't my first time of patronizing that store. I was a regular face and the woman that sold to me knew that. I gave her money, don't remember the particular denomination, but she gave me some change and said she didn't have the rest of it. I turned to leave hoping to come back for the rest of it but on a second thought I turned to her and said 'can you write it down somewhere?' She looked at me like I was patronizing her and said that there was no need for that. So I added 'I hope you will remember'. She replied emphatically, 'I will remember. I'm not like that', as if I suggested that she was a thief, which was very far from my thought. I just didn't want to come back and we start bumping heads over how much she owed me or I meet …

I almost got sacked on Monday.
Or maybe redeployed to Chibok.
It's a bit complicated and seeing that I do not control who reads this post, my employers may just be going through it, so I dare not make things worse than they already are.
Lessons learnt anyway include:
1. To greet the Oba 'Kabiesi' whether it sounds good in my mouth or not.
2. To follow the Oba around like ants follow sugar until he is done with inspection.
3. To make sure I appear in the group photo with the Oba.
And to wait until the Oba leaves before I take a glass of water.
Actually, my main mistake was failure to recognize that the name of the hospital I work in starts with 'Oba' and that the Oba must not be in kingly attire for the name to take effect.
I wasn't being disrespectful. I was just being a girl from the east.
Lesson number 7, when in Rome, act like the Romans.

©Radiant~ July 2014

It's been some time
I wrote a rhyme
Pen up as before
But now I snore
I read another's lines
Hoping to inspire mine
Even just a bit
I don't wanna quit

For people wait on my light
Some lives hung on it
I must again write
My gift not delete

©Radiant~ May 2014