Life with Las B...

I was expressing surprise awhile back (to my brother), that someone is charging money for switching a person's Instagram's account from personal to business account. This person crafted this long message with technical terms explaining the features that you'd think it was a huge something.  Now the last line preceding this is where presentation when it comes to advertisement is necessary. For someone like me who's conversant with the app and have switched my account to and fro over and over again, it's easy but to another who doesn't know, those terms will befuddle them and so, they'd prefer another deal with it for a token. However, my brother merely told me that "just because I am able to browse frequently and gain free knowledge from online does not mean others do it. And the person selling is selling the knowledge, making money off people's ignorance. Moreover, it could be their bonus side of income. So, I should not castigate anyone who markets

It's not that Nigerian students are averse to learning, but many factors and conditions make academic education in most public universities hell - literally. Let's start with conducive environment. You are huddled together with 8 other people in a seat meant for only 6 people, another person is hunched over the desk of the seat.  Looking straight ahead, several people are standing obscuring the lecturer. It is 2 p.m. with the sun's heating furiously and y'all are about 250 departmental students in a class capacity of barely a 100 and that's not including the students combining your course. All the means of ventilation - windows and doors, there are students covering those spaces. No fan - even if there is, it's emitting hot air. Another - a lecture is a straight 2 hour class with the lecturer dictating monotonously. Meanwhile, you had trekked under the hot sun from a borrowed course you had in a venue at the other spectrum of the school. By the time you reach th

You see this right here? This is what many Nigerians use to console themselves when they see rich, prosperous and successful people that are not religious. They pacify themselves with the absurdity that those people must certainly have a spiritual problem or obstacle of a kind.  Somehow, they believe that without those people being spiritual, they must have an unsatisfactory and problematic lifestyle. Nigerians be Cl🤡wning  since circa 1883 AD. Pray tell me what kind of terrible problem Jeff Bezos or Bill Gates has that isn't as normal as breathing? What is that obstacle so deep that would induce insomnia for the rest of their lives if not for ways to create more wealth? We know the source of their money, the breakdown is outchea. But deeply religious Nigerians will bemoan the fact that people are actually thriving without the supposed notion they have that only religious people would. So they resort to the assumption that since they had gotten the wealth, they would b

Let's back up a bit to a conversation so trite - Beauty. How can you as a woman still struggle with beauty? Where does the insecurity stem from? Is it that parents failed to compliment you with beauty or that they constantly called you ugly all of your life? Or because you can't seem to enjoy the supposed privilege they said beautiful ones get? Or is it the male gaze - the sheer fact that you aren't an ideal standard of beauty (ditto Nengi) and so aren't getting enough fawning over? You know those stories where the abuser keeps panel-beating the lady but the girl remains and the only reason for that is her insisting that he's the only one (or first one) who ever told her that she's beautiful, that she's always thought she's an ugly swan. The girl in question will probably rival Erica in beauty but shockingly, they aren't aware. Leaves me gobsmacked all the time. I might come off as ignorant and insensitive, not understanding why some ladies start  tr

There are many causes to lay down one's life for - family, friends, children, a cause, an idea, dream, even a dog. At the very bottom of that list is Nigeria. No scrap that, Nigeria doesn't make that list at all. For countries, A Brit is supposed to be that patriotic. A Canadian German, Russian, Chinese, Korean - it's expected that the citizens of these countries be to have that amount of loyalty to their nation. An American even, can be patriotic. A Ghanaian, South African should be a patriot. But here? Here?  A Nigerian, youth especially do not have the privilege to be so patriotic as to lay down his/her life for anything, anything at all. You can not afford to be a patriot, period.  Call it cowardice or whatever, but it is not worth it. There is no recognition for whatever action you think to lay down your life for. Not in this age and time. There's no posterity to remember your actions, none! Neither will there be any monument erected in your namre. Nor will there b

I have decided to make an effort into discovering impressive Nollywood Movies and giving a rundown/review of the movie. This time, it is "Diamond in the Sky." Diamonds in the sky is the kind of movie I love to watch, movie that addresses societal issues, in this case - Cancer. It's a movie that explores the stigma associated with the illness and dynamics of how people in different social classes react to Cancer. When you watch movies like this, you are not expecting mushiness or any of that, you are sharing the journey of the characters. You are experiencing experiencing the pain and the fears they have of the circumstances that they found themselves in. Like one of the cast said, "You read about cancer, hear about it but you never imagine it happening to you." The norm in Nigeria is that we always try out self-medication first. Nigerians are so guilty of this - cuts across social classes. However, when it escalates, the rich visit sophisticated heal

It was on this year's Ash Wednesday that I was summoned to my mentor's office. I was busy snapping pictures with the white gown I intentionally wore on the day almost everyone wore black to school.  As I arrived to her office, she asked me a couple of questions which later ended with my being told to choose a topic to work on for a paper. At that time, I didn't even know the first thing about academic paper or anything. Everything she was saying was gibberish in my ears but I was nodding like agama lizard.  "Okay, I will do it," I said. The next day, I came back with an attempted abstract on a topic on Igbo Language, of which the guidelines for writing, I had gotten from Google.  She later sent me another document, this time on CBAAC, an organisation which is an offshoot of the FESTAC77 and said to draft another abstract, that I would be presenting a paper. The conference was going to be at the end of the month at UniBen, and the accommodation and transportation w

We had a couple of African-American books back in secondary as recommendations for the literature subject. They were Native Son and A Raising in the Sun. When Bigger suffocated the white girl, Mary, my only thoughts were "What is wrong with this one? What kind of fear would make you do such thing when you could have easily escaped the blind woman. I didn't have a clue what American society was. I just read the book for entertainment and for analysis in the exams but never really understood the setting behind the story. Also, I was mildly annoyed with the court proceedings. And because I had little idea on how that society worked, I hoped that Bigger be freed, alas that was not so. Infact, now I think about it, it would have been more than a  miracle for a black man who actually killed a white woman be spared especially in those days. Guy readily accepted the punishment. I remember being really uncomfortable with the whole scenarios. Really uncomfortable. While I enjoyed the bo

I am learning to be specific on the criticism of movies and because I study instead of merely enjoying movies these days, I am able to decipher from the angle of which a film is lacking. Say Reach for instance. It's a Nigerian movie starring Timini Egbuson - of an older woman finding love, a low budget movie. The storyline is nice but the dialogue just isn't. It was mediocre at best, boring conversations and discussions, average something. Also, the lights crew didn't do justice to the movie. The scenes were dark but it's pardonable - twas a film featuring a few characters and the actors did try with their roles. Another movie is Gabriel's Inferno. I had read the trilogy before hand. I would have said the movie has got to be the most boring book adaption I've ever seen but Native Son's own triumphs it. So it comes a close second on the list. The adaptation was literally the book word-for-word and chronologically too. Movies and books are not the same in the

I saw one post like that, asking why you won't marry a pastor. Me sef, I won't even marry a chorister, an usher or anyone active in church departments. Infact, if you are going for any service apart from Sunday Sunday medicine, I no dey marry. Preferably, I wouldn't like to marry a church goer oo. Anaghị dị m ezo ọnụ ekwu ya. But if you really want to worship your maker, then Sunday is fine. Here are a couple of reasons I don't wanna. 1. I don't go to church (I do it now unwillingly cos I no get my own house but in school, I no dey step foot for church) 2. I cuss faster than a sailor - so I am uncouth and vulgar, not something Church mommy should be. 3. I don't believe many things in the Bible. Imagine me teaching young ladies Proverbs 31 or Ist Timothy 2 vs 12. I'll even cuss in that meeting before I am done. 4. I don't believe in Hell, so I won't even scare anyone with repenting or they are damned to hell. How do I feel about death and afterlife? Y

I had my very first ever presentation in an International Conference today, courtesy of the CBAAC. They are the spin-off of the FESTAC77. I was supposed to travel to Benin City for it oo, bhettttt.... Issokay, I did it from my room. My paper topic is "NOLLYWOOD, IGBO CULTURE AND VALUES: AN APPRAISAL" I was a tad nervous prior to my time despite it being virtual, Zoom oo. Well, I was in front of all of these distinguished people. But shaa, I was calm when I began. My other experiences with conferences were mainly my going for the sake of Item 7 with little to no idea of how it worked. I was about to find out. Well, I've found out (though online)  SUMMARY OF MY PRESENTATION TODAY 1. Speaking of English in a Pre-Colonial setting movie is a mockery of the people's culture, it doesn't make sense. And you can't say it's for wider reach, people watch Korean, Indian and Chinese movies and they don't speak English. The incorporation of Igbo Language

Okay, I am so late to the party. How and Why have i been in the dark for so long? How on earth did nobody tell me about this content on Nollywood screen and I've been living under a rock since? So a few days ago, The Men's Club popped up on my recommended on YouTube and the thumbnail was catchy and I decided to give it a try and boy, I am now addicted oo. Yo, This is the content we signed up for on Nollywood Screen! I love, just love how the story isn't centred on one guy. Many a times, when films about group of friends are made, there's always a character that is the main focus and overshadows others, subtly or nah. Big whoops and accolades to Dami Elebe for giving us a balanced dose of the quartet. The endearing thing about this series is that it's clear that both the cast and the crew were invested in making it bang. The storyline and dialogue (my cheeks are either stretched in a wide grin or I'm guffawing alongside the boys with the gba gboos dia

This very short scene is what I call breaking free, yunno. Ascertaining your Independence and being firm while at it. It's not everyone that ever gets to doing this in reality. I imagine that Lucy will have a fallout with dad, but it's necessary to be your own person regardless. And if you don't let it out vocally, you might continue being under parents 'yoke.' The quotes is necessary lol, it's not an affliction but you know what i mean. I wasn't aware that Celtx had Android app tbh. I discovered that yesterday as my PC haff come again. I'm still surprised but satisfied nonetheless. Is there any app that technology hasn't tried to improve on. I love em ojare

I am that person that enjoys movies that address sensitive topics - racism, discrimination, rape, politics, autobiographies, documentaries, drug and substance abuse. Nimbe falls on the last option. I had seen a couple of reviews on Facebook praising the movie and how it addressed drugs and I decided I would watch it. Let me start by saying that I love the storyline. Nollywood is trying these days - any person denouncing that is intentionally being obtuse. The dialogue is somewhat okay - particularly on the parents of Nimbe. It truly does portray the lifestyle of people in the lower class.  Toyin Abraham immerses in her role like a glove (as always). Same with A.K. Of course my best scene is when he killed that stupid ass rapist character - I'm all for rapists lynching any time of the day. Anyone that deals with them does no wrong in my eyes. And it brings me to certain issues. Maybe it's my personality, but I really don't grab Ralph and his want for attention. Honestly! May

I know, I should be talking about Nigeria issues abi?  Nah, I write based on ones that caught my fancy and this day, it's the Black Americans. They can act skoi-skoi, the literally crazy kind. A white dude recreates dance moves from Beyonce's "My Power" and these people are screaming 'Cultural Appropriation' They had other comments on his stiffness and white people's stiffness in general, but that is dark humour that is generally accepted - of which the guy wasn't tbh. The term Cultural Appropriation crops up everytime with them, from the aggression they attack white people on box-braids to just about anything. Now these people are screaming 'Cultural Appropriation' for just dancing biko nu. Not to mention that the dude was dancing with Beyonce's visual on-screen.  Apart from that, when has appreciating and loving another culture become appropriation. Is it appropriation when I dance Salsa or Tango. Or even sing Opera with gusto?  Let's

Drug and substance abuse... This theme has not exactly been addressed in our entertainment industry but is very much etched in the very core of the society especially among youths. Nigerians no even gree that it is an issue - most downplay the extremity of how drug addiction cripples ones brain and the ability of function normally. Some think it's something you can snap out from. And because there's no addressing of this issue - other than the ole "Don't do drugs." There should be establishments of recovery centers across this country as the youths are getting hinged as the day goes by. I do wish there would be more sensitisation and correction facilities put in place for people battling with drugs and substance abuse.  But better stick to the best method of correction - "Stay away from Drugs" most especially those induced from Peer pressure. You'd hardly control it.