What it means to be a Nigerian
Mikel Obi, yes we all know him. That fine gentleman that captains the Super Eagles. Read More...
Show me a God
It’s been raining cats and dogs here and I am having what I regard as a Banji’s problem. It was Banji, a friend of mine that propounded the theory that house roofs only leak when it rains! You may laugh but it is true and his theory has stood the test of time. Nobody has come to fault it since he propounded it. In my case, the leaks were traced to a failure by the solar panel installers to seal up the holes through which the cables were passed into the house. It was to this team that I made a call to come over and fix their error. Read More...
The Russian-Croatian Conspiracy against Nigeria
That I am an Ibadan man is not news. It is also no longer news that Nigeria lost to Croatia. What remains news is that we lost because Russia denied us the opportunity to appease the powers that be. We had built our plans not so much on training and tactically matching the Croatians man for man. Rather, unlike the Croatians, we knew that there is a god of soccer. We knew also that to appease this god to be favourable to us, we need to make some sacrifices. Chickens, that’s what the god delight in and we have identified where to get them in Kaliningrad. Of course the local god’s taste is local, bringing Nigerian chickens all the way to Russia would not suit its taste buds.
Everything was in order, at least that was the situation until late in the day the Russian authorities decided to spin a curved ball at us. They won’t allow us to bring the chickens into the stadium. How are we going to appease the god? Now you all know why we lost to Croatia, it was due to nothing else but the conniving Russians that made our sacrifices impossible. Read More...
We broke the World Record
1 out of 400. Not bad at all, however this is not the record. This was the number of us who gathered at the Perth Observatory.
Yesterday I joined other stargazers in creating a new Guinness World Record for the most people stargazing at multiple venues. We broke the world record, 30,000 (some say 40,000 as the record counting is still underway) of us. It is official and will soon be in the Guinness Book of World Records. The previous record created by 7,960 people in 2015 was shattered by us. Read More...
You Are Not Alone
An African Beauty
The newspaper headlines screamed – Hanson lost. Did she? Read More...
Will we be remembered?
Today, as it does annually, Australia marks ANZAC Day – the anniversary of the landing of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps at Gallipoli during World War I in 1915. It goes beyond this, though. It seems every public space in this country is set up to remember them- the millions of her war dead. Wherever you go, you will sooner come across an ANZAC memorial, not far from you. I see this as Australians commitment to the promise, “We will remember them”. Read More...
Persist, Persevere, Suceed
I gave up on wearing suits almost 2 years ago, but today I had to put on one. It is another important day in our lives as a family. My “sugarbobo” is getting conferred with the Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. Given the efforts she had put into this, she deserves this and much more.
We made our ways to the Perth Convention Centre in the city, the venue of the ceremony. The programme of event had requested an early arrival if we want to take some pictures to commemorate the occasion. Of course, we do and did arrive early. As we made our ways into the auditorium and the official programme began, we were reminded of the Edith Cowan University values of Integrity, Respect, Rational Enquiry and Personal Excellence. These were all the values, and more, that my wife had exhibited in her quest to get this degree, I can attest to this. Whether I was here with her in Australia or thousands of miles away across the Indian Ocean, I am a witness of her struggles. She literally moved her nights to the study, forsaking the comforts of our bedroom. Oftentimes when I woke up at night to visit the restroom, her spot by my side was nearly always vacant. A peep downstairs, seeing the lights in the study on, always left me reassured that all was well. I became envious, she seemed to have fallen in love more with her study than with me. Her efforts have yielded the results she wanted, the ones she really deserve, and today we celebrate with her. Read More...
Humiliated again!
Japan signing treaty of surrender of Singapore
Back in 2013, I had complained about the targeted discriminatory practices of the Singaporean Authorities to Nigerians arriving Changi Airport. I had written a piece, titled – Blaming Singapore Immigration. I also wrote to the Nigerian Embassy in Canbera and Singapore to complain. The then Ambassador Olukoni, a gentleman per excellence was humble enough to give me a call and promised to take it up with the Singaporean authorities. Whether he did, I can’t tell but I received a response to my complaint from the Singaporean authority. It was a very bland response saying Singapore does randomly subject visitors to further inspection and my experience was exactly this, random! I knew it was a lie but how was I to prove it? Read More...
Sharpen your tools
Lawn Tennis. The turf of the greats like Rafael, Roger & Novak and of course Nduka Odizor of yesteryears. I love this game but unfortunately it hasn’t been one that I have excelled in. I have been getting on the Tennis Court since 2007 with mixed results. From VGC Club House, Ikoyi Club and a couple of Club courts here, I was hopeful, and rightly so, that I would become a force to reckon with in the game. It hasn’t been so.
Here, I have been a regular with the sport for upwards of two years. The irony had been that the more I played, the worse I became. Doubts, about my abilities started setting in. The body didn't make it easier as well. Plantar fascia, tennis elbow and cramps all wear the body down. I know I am not getting younger but seeing a 78 year old hitting the ball on the court, I became certain that my body is just being rebellious. Read More...
If Nigeria Fails?
With all the clamor for restructuring and separating the current entity called Nigeria into its separate ethnic nationality, I reached out into the archive to bring out this note of caution. It was the sincere message of Lyman to Nigerians to pull together to build rather than allow the nation to continue on its downward spiral into a failed state. Read More...
It’s okay to vote NO….It’s natural, not inequality
A few months ago, I made the conscious decision of joining a political party. Of the two predominant parties, Labour and Liberals, I chose Labour. First and maybe subtly, I don’t like the name liberal. It connotes to me a view that is fluid. It’s going to always be a little to the right and a little to the left, no firm stand on any issue. It connotes anything from “generous” to “loose” to “broad-minded.” Importantly, I chose Labor because I believe in its two objectives of “maintenance of and support for a competitive non-monopolistic private sector” and “the right to own private property”. At the time, I was not unaware that Labour’s leadership was actively supporting equality in marriage. It was supporting equality in all forms. All things considered, I do not support this objective but this did not deter me from joining the party. I knew that there will always be “issues of the day” in which the party and I will hold opposing views. That will happen, no matter which political party anyone joins.
For those who may be unaware, Marriage Equality is a movement that aims at legalizing marriages between people of the LGBT orientation. Simply put, it makes gay marriage legal and changes the definition of marriage being the union between a man and a woman. Read More...
The Man Died….Would have been 77yrs old today
77 years old. That’s right. That is how old he would have been today. We would have gathered round him, along with his grandchildren and great grandchildren to celebrate him. For sure, he may have another lady by his side as his fourth or fifth wife, but that won’t have mattered. He would have been celebrated as a loving father. Read More...
Escape
The challenges of this world are daunting and in the midst of coping with it, many do become disillusioned.
We tend to forget that this is not the destination but a journey, preparing us for the life after life.
It’s my way of awakening many as to the graveness of the decision we make each day y following the masses. Read More...
Toodyay, what a place, what a name?
Well, it starts with an interesting story, strange but true! It is said that the original name of the town was Newcastle. Given that Australia itself was a penal colony, it isn’t difficult to see why such a name was settled on by the early British Settlers. So how did Newcastle become Toodyay? Read More...
Gandhi, An autobiography. The story of my experiments with truth.
Gandhi, An autobiography. The story of my experiments with truth. Read More...
An open letter to the Minister of Interior – a plea for better service at the passport offices.
The Ikeja Passport Office
It has always been a mystery to me how men can feel themselves honoured by the humiliation of their fellow beings. – Gandhi (1957), An Autobiography Read More...
Corruption Inc
I love my country, I no go lie. There is no place else like Nigeria. This is the reason I keep coming back. I get drawn and taken to the remote corners of the earth but, to Nigeria, I still return. That corruption is rife in Nigeria is not news. I grew up in the environment and am aware of, though insulated from, it’s many ills. Read More...
Mirrabooka Harmony Day
I love Quora. It’s a simple app from where the least endowed of us can obtain wisdom. At no cost. As I picked up my phone this morning, the question on Quora was “Which is better, Canadian or Australian Citizenship”? The answers to this question, focussed on life expectancy, cost of living, economy and of course, racial harmony. It was on the latter that Australia trails Canada, according to one of the writers. I was still thinking about this when I saw a post on facebook relating to racial discrimination. I couldn’t held myself from commenting and so I joined the conversation. Read More...
Sculpture by the Sea, Cottlesloe
Ben David's BIG BOY at Cottlesloe Beach
Today, I spent some time at the Rio Tinto’s “Sculpture by the sea” event hosted by the City of Cottlesloe. It is the 13th annual exhibition of the series and runs from 3rd to 20th March 2017. Read More...
Is this not a Sahara?
Today, I took the Sahara for a spin on the sand dunes at Leschenault. It all started well, then a glitch and we got hooked on the sand.
Having tried all I knew to no avail, I sought for help. A couple of guys in their Nissan Patrol stopped, helped to dig out the sand from under the Sahara and finally gave up. Their assessment, the Sahara was too deeply stuck in the sand – it was resting fully on the sands. I pulled out the snatch strap so that they could help to pull me backwards only to realise that their vehicle doesn’t have the tow power to pull. Sahara. They wished me luck and continued on their way, with a promise to flag down help for me if they find one. Read More...
Indian to Pacific Ocean by Road – Part III: Boondi Rocks to Cocklebiddy
This is Part III of our expedition report – the road trip from Perth in WA across the Nullabor and reaching the shores of Sydney with detours to Adelaide, Melbourne and Canberra along the way. The trip video, once fully edited will be shared by K2TV vide its YouTube site. Read More...
Indian to Pacific Ocean by Road – Part II :Perth to Boondi Rocks
This is Part II of our expedition report – the road trip from Perth in WA across the Nullabor and reaching the shores of Sydney with detours to Adelaide, Melbourne and Canberra along the way. The trip video, once fully edited will be shared by K2TV vide its YouTube site. Read More...
Spreading
This is still a work in progress and the details are being fine-tuned each day. All names in this write up are fictitious. All rights to this work is reserved. For concerns please email me at bimbo@bimbobakare.com. With the comedy that #dasukigate has become by the day, the revelations are providing more information that would be enriching to this work. The work, which started as an element of fiction giving some hindsight to how corruption destroys a nation, has now become visionary. Read More...
Exodus…Embracing the future with wide open hands.
It’s a been a very warm summer morning in Lagos and having successfully maneuvered through the early morning Lagos traffic, we made it to Ikeja Airport. With check-in completed, we took our seats at the waiting lounge. The calls were soon made to board and we took our seats. Soon, the plane completed its taxing and increased speed with its nose tilted upwards. It’s take off time. As the sights of Lagos recedes from my window, I took a look at the passenger next to me and let out a long sigh. It was a sigh of relieve. The mission begins. Read More...
The Dawn heals and life moves on.
The Dawn heals and life moves on
(Nature continues unspoilt) – A poem by David Finley. Read More...
Spreading….A Cankerworm in the nation’s fabric
This is still a work in progress and the details are being fine-tuned each day. All names in this write up are fictitious. All rights to this work is reserved. For concerns please email me at bimbo@bimbobakare.com. With the comedy that #dasukigate has become by the day, the revelations are providing more information that would be enriching to this work. The work, which started as an element of fiction giving some hindsight to how corruption destroys a nation, has now become visionary. Read More...
May 2016 Democracy Day – Full Text of Speech by President Muhammadu Buhari
President Buhari
“My compatriots, It is one year today since our administration came into office. It has been a year of triumph, consolidation, pains and achievements. By age, instinct and experience, my preference is to look forward, to prepare for the challenges that lie ahead and rededicate the administration to the task of fixing Nigeria. But I believe we can also learn from the obstacles we have overcome and the progress we made thus far, to help strengthen the plans that we have in place to put Nigeria back on the path of progress. We affirm our belief in democracy as the form of government that best assures the active participation and actual benefit of the people. Despite the many years of hardship and disappointment the people of this nation have proved inherently good, industrious tolerant, patient and generous. The past years have witnessed huge flows of oil revenues. From 2010 average oil prices were $100 per barrel. But economic and security conditions were deteriorating. We campaigned and won the election on the platform of restoring security, tackling corruption and restructuring the economy. on our arrival, the oil price had collapsed to as low as $30 per barrel and we found nothing had been kept for the rainy day. Oil prices have been declining since 2014 but due to the neglect of the past, the country was not equipped to halt the economy from declining. Read More...
Am I now on drugs?
As with other families out there, my wife and I call each other very frequently each day. This day was not different, except as it regards the nature of the call she made. As I picked up her call and said my “Hello”, the words were still in my mouth when she asked how I was and whether I was taking any medication. Of course she knows the medication that I was taking but apart from these, I wasn’t taking any other. Well, she said “you must start taking some multivitamins”. It was an order and I knew I wasn’t going to win any argument if I were to start one. Having been married to her for close to two decades, somethings have become very obvious. Read More...
Wanting to patronise Wakanow.com? Think Again.
Recently, I made an online ticket reservation on wakanow.com. I was issued with a booking invoice advising me of the bank account details to make payment to as well as the amount. Lucky me, Wakanow supplied details for the same bank that I am using. Immediately, I transferred the stated sum to Wakanow, taking care to follow the specific details that had been advised and noting my booking number in the remark field of the bank transfer. I forwarded the evidence of transfer to the advised wakanow.com email box as an attachment and waited for my ticket to be issued. Read More...
Little Acts that destroy our nation.
Insensitive and Unperturbed....Oshinowo Omobolaji
I was on the return leg of a trip to Port Harcourt and unlike at other times, the plane arrived on time to take us all back to Lagos. It was the Aero Contractor’s first flight of the day to Lagos. The flight was the Aero Contractors (ACN) flight 314 to Lagos. Read More...
Mayflower! Finally!
It took thirty six years but I finally saw it. I not only saw it, I also entered it and it really is nice.
Early in 1979, the future was bleak and I knew not which institution that I should trust with my future. I was then living in Bodija and the first choice was the Methodist School, Bodija. It came naturally, I had spent the previous two (2) years attending the primary school so progressing to the secondary school of the same institution seemed like an obvious choice. My mom thought otherwise, she wanted to make a man out of me and thought I needed to be somewhere different. Somewhere where my character can be moulded and I can also acquire some life skills. She was passionate about Mayflower. Yes, the Mayflower School, Ikenne. Read More...
Prositution and Marijuana in Lekki Phase 1
I haven’t seen “Doctor” for quite a while, frankly not in three (3) months or so. We’ve been meeting thrice weekly on the Lawn Tennis Court in Ikoyi and it was a given that I would walk away from the matches being the victor. This day was different. Not only did he beat me, I went home limping. I was later to learn that I just got Planter Fasciitis, don’t bother asking me what this meant.
Well, I have been in and out of the clinic mending this. Now, having missed my regular dose of tennis, my tummy has started bulging out. I needed to make a choice between having a sagging tummy and injuring my foot further. I called “Doctor” and we arranged to meet on Friday. The game was good, real good but the pain in the foot was disturbing. I had my pound of flesh and after playing for a little over an hour, we called it off. Read More...
Nigeria, how did we get here…How do we move away from here?
It all started as a joke, like most other things do…but underneath it, a portent message with significant undertone for a nation of 165million people. Read More...
Idanre!
It’s Eid el Kabir and it did not come unannounced. As usual with me, I deliberated on the various places of interest that I should visit, given this gift of four (4) continuous work free days.
The initial thought was focused on visiting Daura, a town that I had spent some of my early years. It is also the city from which the current President of Nigeria, President Mohammadu Buhari (PMB), comes from. The intent was to see how the town had changed over the years. Read More...
One Easter Sunday, a Visit to the Nike Arts Gallery
It wasnt the best of mornings, I had gone to bed with a terrible bout of cold and woke up with some of this not having dissipated from my body. I was very sluggish and must have laid in bed for an extra one hour before i summoned the courage to drag my feets to the kitchen for a cup of hot tea and bread and fried eggs as compliments.
I looked at the clock, it was way past 10 and sure knew that going to church on this holiest of all days was not going to be possible. I lay down on the bed again, grabbed the copy of “In God’s Name” by David Yallop, a novel that I had been reading for almost a week. The plot was thickening and I didn’t want to miss anything about the conspiracy of Calvi, Sidonna and Marcinkus – any of whom may well end up being the one responsible for the death of Albino Luciani. Luciani was Pope John Paul 1. This went on for another two (2) hours and finally I remembered my commitment, to visit the Nike Art Gallery. Read More...
Despite the Odds, I earned my bragging right – I voted!
Apparently, 240 is a really large number. This was not obvious to me until I showed up at the Ilasan Housing Estate Polling Booth to discharge my civic responsibility to vote. This was the number of voters that were accredited in my polling station but to get this done, it was an uphill task.
The day started with a lot of optimism, it was the day that the change we so clamoured for as Nigerians would finally become a reality. I turned on the TV, listened to the situation reports coming in from around the metropolis and adjudged that it was safe enough for me to venture out of my cocoon. A little bit after 9am, I set out with a cold bottle of water for the 20 minutes’ walk to the polling station. Soon I crossed the Lekki-Epe Expressway which unlike its usual self was deserted. I didn’t have to look right nor left to cross the road to the other side where I continued my journey through to Jakande. There, right at the roundabout, were fierce looking armed soldiers with barricades around the road to bring to a halt any traffic. Read More...
In God’s Name by David Yallop
Luciani then expressed his wish that the words of Sandhu Singh would perhaps one day no longer be true: Read More...
Wickedness in High Places…Impunity of Australian Visa Officers
It was early September 2014 that Mr A., a close family friend and I, were discussing and we talked about plans for the Vacation period. We talked about a planned Cruise trip and concluded that it would be a nice experience for his daughter to join the cruise.
Soon after, we looked at the requirements for a Visitor’s Visa to Australia and put together the needed application package. Since the cruise will take her out of Australian waters and then back, we concluded that she will be needing a multiple entry visa and as such need to pay for her cruise trip so as to demonstrate to the Australian Visa Officers the genuineness of our intentions. The needed payment was made to the Cruise Line and the relevant tickets were issued. The cruise would depart Australia on 6th Dec 14. Read More...
10 days aboard Carnival Legend
I have heard of tales of distant lands. Of course, I believe you would have too, especially if you grew up in post-independence Nigeria, the era when the various Nigerians that had sojourned abroad returned back home. You will remember we had a name for them – Tokunbo!
The return leg of a trip that I took to the San Joaquin valley in 2005 brought me to San Fransisco. It was here that I had my first encounter with the waters of the Pacific. Then, in my trip logbook, I had noted my gratitude to God stating that despite having been raised in the back waters of the Atlantic, I had become one of the very few on this planet of ours to see the Pacific. Read More...
Boat Letter by “Little Red Pumpkin”
So I got “home” after being away for quite a while and my daughter presented me with a boat. She requested that when I am well settled, I should open it up because it contains words that express how she felt about me. Read More...
Barclays Bank, What a Shame?
Following the fraudulent diversion of funds meant for me to a Barclays Bank Account in London, I got in touch with Barclays Bank Fraud Unit. I had a lengthy phone conversation and was then requested to send in my written complaint. Read More...
Yes, I got the Driver’s License…Nothing else is as daunting!
I am sitting on my bed listening to “Yungba Yungba, a music piece by Buga. Each time, I am opportuned, I love listening to Buga with his fast moving beats laced with the bata drum and underlying trumpet creating a unique music piece that is second to none. Read More...
Oga Jega, No Permanent Voters’ Cards in Lekki
I arrived at the table late for lunch on Friday. The “group” had already taken their seats and were almost through with their meal when I arrived. I managed to secure an empty seat and settled in, trying to catch up on the conversation that I had missed.
It was then I remembered that Lagos State had declared the day a work free day for civil servants to be able to collect their voters’ cards. I interjected the discussion that was going on and I asked the “group” what their plans were to collect their voters’ cards. The response I got ranged from sheer apathy to one bothering around a loss of faith in the electoral system. As it is with me, I raised the need for us, as the educated and privileged to participate in the electoral process by going out the next day to pick up our permanent cards. With some reservation but a deference to the wisdom in my advice, everyone agreed to pick up the cards and one person added “even if I so decide not to vote later on”. Read More...
The Church on the Rock – Cathedral in Lekki
It was the 14th of September, a Sunday. I woke up late and within minutes rushed out of my temporary abode, which for all means and purposes is my home for now. Off to Church I drove. This Sunday, Church was to be the Church on the Rock and I was to visit the Cathedral, the current address of the church in Lekki. Truth be told, the cathedral is prestigious and dwarfs everything in its vicinity in terms of size. No wonder, thousands of worshippers flock into this building every Sunday. It is an address that everyone would like to be associated with. Read More...
Ibadan, ilu olokiki, ilu oloye!
I come from the ancient city of Ibadan. I am a citizen of the world and wherever I go, whatever I be, I will not forget my origin – the city of Ibadan. Read More...
A death in the family…the pursuit of happiness.
My new abode is right across a chapel of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). Yesterday evening, the sound of the Praise Worship in the church attracted me to its evening service. It happened to be a joint service of Bible Study and sharing of the Lord’s Supper. I took part in the Lord’s Supper and the Pastor asked us to pray that God should put an end to all evils that surround us. I prayed asking God to quiet all the storms that surround me.
Later in the evening, as I checked my phone, I had received various texts from my lovely wife – all indicating that all was not well with my in-laws. She made certain requests of me and I dutifully carried them out and thereafter went to sleep. It was about three (3) hours later when I woke up and saw a text message from my wife saying “My sister is dead”. This wasn’t good. While I wasn’t shocked, for she has been sick for quite a while, I knew that I had to place a call to my wife. I called and the voice at the other end was one of sobering, my wife was crying! Now, I had seen her crying once before and in our years of marriage, I have decided that anything that will cause her to cry, I have to prevent it. In this case I failed or was t that I could not have prevented this? She was never consolable when she cries and my heart melts in such instances. Read More...
Four days in Accra, A mythbursting journey
It’s 5th October and I am at the Kotoka International Airport awaiting my flight to Lagos to start boarding. Time flies or so it seemed. It was barely 5 days ago, on my bed in Lagos that I decided that visiting Accra would be a good way to spend a late minute two (2) day vacation that I got.
That I came and I saw was not disputable. However, whether I conquered as Napoleon did was altogether a different issue. However, my objective of coming to Accra was not to conquer it but to put to test the myths around Accra. As I started my trip, I got on twitter and created a harsh tag #Mythsaboutaccra to document my thoughts on the truth behind these myths. I was not waoed by Accra. As I leave, I am leaving with disappointments. It was the story of another African nation abounding in talents and resources but saddled with crap leadership and morally insensitive government. Read More...
Of Which I nearly fell victim to 419ers!
This is an alert. An alert to friends that the 419 epidemic is wide spread and largely uncurtailed. I almost fell victim of a well orchestrated 419 attack recently and am willing to share my experience with those who want a detailed download of what happened.
Suffice it to say that we all need to be conscious of the following details and if any surfaces around you, please call the law enforcement agents. These are the details of the fraudster that attempted to defraud me: Read More...
Lest we forget… Farouk Lawan has a date with Justice….
The Nigerian Police on 13th of July 2012 arrested house of representatives member Farouk Lawan, chairman of the ad hoc committee of the House of Representatives for receiving bribe from shady oil business magnate Femi Otedola. Read More...
Nigeria, we hail thee..
Somehow, the words of the old national anthem kept drumming in my ears.
Why did we give up this anthem that ought to have been a constant reminder to us all about what our allegiance to the country requires? I have heard all the argument about the colonial undertones in the anthem as well as how derogatory the word tribe was. These do not provide sufficient explanation, it really had to be something more. Something really BIG! Somehow we need to get our conspiracy theorist to look at this. Read More...
The gift that keeps on giving…Be an Organ Donor
For many of us, with not enough funds to buy exercise equipments and maintain a gym in our houses, Lake Morgan has become somewhat of our exercise spot. Apart from the scenic beauty of the lake and its well kept surroundings, it provides a 3.5km walk trail that is so easy for the young and old to use at most part of the day. If you are into running, skating, cycling, jogging or walking, this trail is amenable to whatever you bring its way. 
Whatever you do, you will not be alone and will find company in both old and young doing the same around the lake.
My wife and I have come to find this walking trail our shared opportunity to temporarily leave life’s challenges behind and enjoy the company of each other while catching some much needed exercise through walking. You will most likely find us on the trail doing the long stride walking or jogging and chatting at the same time. Read More...
Broome, Western Australia
Port Hedland out of the way…
Well it should be an old story now that VirginAustralia almost messed up my family vacation to Sydney last year. Being one that believes in holding businesses accountable for their actions, despite all attempts by VirginAustralia not to accept it erred, I was eventually able to squeeze some sort of compensation from them – a credit to my travel bank account. 
The airline expected me to utilise within a year. Time passes very fast, especially when you are having fun. A year has just gone by and I must use the balance in the travel bank or lose it. The question then was, in this vast continent called Australia, where do I really wanted to go. It was either darwin or Port Hedlands that was on my mind, that was until I heard of Broome from a colleague.
So why Broome? The answer was in the history of the town. It was the capital of commercial Pearl farming in the world and hence had a rich history in the diversity of people that call Broome home. It was also because of what I have heard about its clear blue waters known and depicted by its most popular beach – Cable Beach. As I was told, at low tide if you look carefully at an unmarked spot you will be able to see the footsteps of a Dinosaur! I was also told that it was the gateway to Kimberly, one from which many an adventurer set up for their exploration journey of the Kimberly – an area that consists of ancient, steep-sided mountain ranges. It is a popular stop for cruise ships in Western Australia and features in many Australian Travel magazines as one place that one needs to visit in his lifetime. All these were the reasons why I had to jettison the idea of Darwin or Port Hedland and chose to visit Broome. I knew the answer was certainly not about its future – not much economic activity was happening there. The sands are red…. the sort that do not support farming. As to mining, it wasn’t Broome that commands the pride of place as well. Read More...
Dreams from My Father by Barrack Obama
The marker that I placed on this book shows that I purchased it in Abuja on 19th Oct 2011. Thinking back, I faintly recollect attending ICAN’s Annual Accountants Conference and must have purchased this book, along with others, at the foyer of the conference. I love books but if the truth must be told, it is not easy finding time within my busy schedule to read and do justice to each of the books in my collection. Read More...
Being the change you want to see in the world.. Amb. Ayo Olukanni’s Example.
Following my not too savory experience in Singapore, being a man that will not go down without a fight, I wrote a letter to the Singaporean Immigration Authorities. I sent copies of the letter to the Nigerian High Commissions in Australia and Singapore as well as to the Singaporean High Commission in Australia. Read More...
School of our Pride….Those school songs of yesteryears.
Government College Ibadan
BONHOEFFER – Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas.
Over the years, I have read a couple of biographies and when this book was sent to me by a friend, my reaction was – this is another one of them. My approach to reading biography is always one of caution, I am cautious because I know that everyone likes to look good and as such any biographical work ends up in being an advertisement of how “holier than thou” the subject was. Of course, I do not believe that any human being is a saint, perfect and without blemish!
Thank God that Eric Metaxas did not potray Dietrich as one of these saints, that job was left to the Westminster Abbey who has classified him as one of the 20th Century Martyrs. Eric Metaxas simply led us through the live and times of Dietrich and allows us to end up with the conclusions that we want to make of this life – a gift from God for his generation and our generation.
20th Century Martyrs Read More...
7 Nations of Louisiana – by Popeyes @ Orchard Exchange….
The plan for the day was to get to the Ion Mall and buy a few clothes for the kids. We took the very first step by calling a cab and requested to be taken to Orchard Street. The trip from Marina Bay Sands to Orchard Street was a fifteen minute drive and one gets caught up with the sights and sounds of Singapore. Before we knew it, we were there. Read More...
Blaming Singapore’s Immigration…
Being an African or a Nigerian does not make me a criminal.
The country of my birth is not a factor that should be used in determining my criminal tendencies. Of the various life choices that I can make, neither the circumstance of my birth nor who my parents are was within my power of choices, the reality is that others made these choices for me, before I had my first breath on this planet. This holds true for each and every human that shares this space called Earth with me. What each of us can then only do is to live out our lives within the confines of these two choices that have been made for us. Read More...
I met the Pill Man.
This Wednesday, at the corner of Essex and Cambridge, I stood waiting for the bus that will take me on my daily commute to earn a living. In my hand was the book Bonhoeffer, a book that I have been reading and just have not been able to finish because of life’s other engagements. Noting that it will take the bus another five minutes to get to me, I opened the book to the page where I had stopped previously with the intent to continue with my reading. I soon realised that the lighting at the bus stop was insufficient, the last thing that I was looking for was to hurt my eyes. I closed the book and was soon lost in my thoughts. Read More...
Each day, a gift to be grateful for
The Bible encourages that we should give thanks, in all things. I have been younger and been through circumstances and situations that I thought was the worst thing to befall a man. Looking back at those situations now, my mouth is filled with laughter knowing that “it always could have been worse”. Read More...
Federal Character in Nigeria….Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Meritocracy was further undermined in 1979 by the introduction of the Federal Character Principle, which sets a quota for the number of public servants to be appointed from each state. It applies both to recruitment into the public service and to appointments to the top echelons of the service, such as permanent secretaries, directors generals, and heads of extra-ministerial departments and agencies………Although the underlying principle is sound in a diverse country such as Nigeria, its application is said by civil servants themselves to be grossly abused, with merit often sacrificed to mediocrity as patently less qualified people get appointed to posts in the name of fulfilling the principle.”
Reforming the Unrefornable – Lessons from Nigeria by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala page 5. Read More...
and what is FAITH? Ben Johnston
The Master Workman.
Now it’s Yakowa and Azazi….Who next?
Many might have forgotten but in March this year, we had a Nigerian Police Chopper crash which took the lives of four (4) top policemen, including DIG John Haruna. In the wake of this accident, I wrote a piece on my blog Ooh the Chopper went down!. The premise of my write up then was that these machines don’t just suddenly stop flying, it usually has to do with human failures in maintenance as per the dictates of the manufacturers. Read More...
Our “Men of God” and Private Jets
Not all things that are lawful are necessarily expedient! Apostle Paul makes this known vividly when he said that “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not” in 1 Cor 10:23 Read More...
Nigeria after Fareed Zakaria….Nothing changes…
On 17th November 2012, Fareed Zakaria lived to his billing – a good orator with sharp insights of the undercurrents that shape politics and economy. I am pretty sure that neither Airtel (the organizers of the Night of Influence) nor the 500 influential men and women that attended the event were disappointed. Read More...
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson…
What are you reading? I am currently reading Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. Read More...
Think different….Steve Jobs
“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do” Read More...
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
“He was not a model boss or human being, tidy packaged for emulation. Driven by demons, he could drive those around him to fury and despair. But his personality and passions and products were all inter-related, just as Apple’s hardware and software tended to be, as if part of an integrated system. His tale is thus both instructive and cautionary, filled with lessons about innovation, character, leadership, and values.” Read More...
A Tribute To Father
Life is a voyage,
A book with many a page,
A man and a son,
Under the sun,
Walked that path,
Called flat, Read More...
A Chase In The Shadows
Startled, stunned,
You begin to run,
Till you hear the gun,
Then the baffling is done. Read More...
Now comes Kiishi the Dancer…
For those who know her, she must have told you countless of times that she is growing up to become a model, a dancer and a singer. Read More...
There was a country by Chinua Achebe
Chinua, our own Chinua, widely respected all over the world and the author of the best selling book ever to be written by an African(Things Fall Apart) recently put his personal experiences as a Nigerian and then a Biafran together and named the book There Was a Country. Read More...
A Mosquito in Perth…
The process of applying and getting approved for a Visa to stay in Australia was not one of the easiest in the world. After getting my job offer, the hurdle was to prove to the Australian authorities that we were not coming over to Australia to infest the resident population with diseases from Africa. The medical results from our reputable medical practitioners were not enough, the Australian Immigration insisted that the results must be from one of only two approved practitioners for the whole of Nigeria. Read More...
Pirates of Penzance – the Regal Theatre Version
Pirates of Penzance
In February this year, my family and I attended the presentation of this play in Lagos, Nigeria.Now in Perth, the play is presented at the Subiaco Regal Theater by the Arts Projects Australia by a cast direct from London. Read More...
It’s Daniel .A. or simply Justin Bieber…..
Prior to arriving in Perth, my son had gained admission to the International School of Western Australia. I had looked up the school on the internet, asked a few questions here and there and concluded it will be the best fit for his education, especially since the school caters for the needs of the international community in Perth and beyond. Read More...
Leave your comments…
As you browse through these pages, please leave your comments. I do appreciate that we all have differing opinions on issues and respect that. It is my intent to promote dialogue and use this to shape society to better the lives of mankind. Read More...
House of War by Dare Babarinsa
Shehu Shagari’s tenure is a classic instance of the encounter of the unprepared with the unforeseen…….
…..He was a man with neither charisma nor definable identity. His was a face that would get lost in the crowd. But Shagari’s was a product of the peculiar dynamics of Nigerian politics. He rose so high not only because of his natural ability as a politician of means, but also because he was born in the ‘right’ corner of Nigeria. At the time he was elected president in 1979 there were many members of the Nigerian elite who believed that the leadership of the country should reside with the Hausa-Fulani oligarchy. But Shagari’s needed more than the mere accident of birth to win the number one spot. He was a seasoned political strategist who oversees his opponents by guided simplicity and measured eloquence of silence. He was a clever fox who survived in the gathering of impatient lions…. Read More...
Say you’re One of Them by Uwem Akpan – Luxurious Hearses
Nduese stood over the two corpses and barked repeatedly into the heavens. The dog mistook the still-twitching, protesting stump as sign of life – Concluding paragraph of Luxurious Hearses, one of the five stories contained in Uwem Akpan’s Say you’re One of Them (An Oprah Winfrey Bookclub endorsed reading). Bookcraft 2008 page 234. Read More...
This house has fallen by Karl Meir
Because the Nigerian State is so fragile we will be faced with these bush fires for some time to come. Father Mathew Kuka talking about the frequent Ervin and religious crises in Nigeria. Quoted from Karl Meir’s This house has fallen. Read More...
Freakonomics by S.D. Levitate & S.J. Dubner
“Information is a beacon, a cudgel, an olive branch, a deterrent – all depending on who wields it and how. Information is so powerful that the assumption of information, even if the information does not actually exist, can have a sobering effect.” p63 of Freakonomics by S.D. Levitate & S.J. Dubner Read More...
Stella Oduah…time to use the stick
The history of aviation in Nigeria cannot be described as most enviable, we have certainly had our ups and downs. I am impressed with Stella Oduah’s effort in trying to have stronger airlines that are not saddled with capital adequacy issues but when it comes to the way to achieve this , I think differently. So far, she has extended the olive branch to the Airlines to self regulate and create mergers that are not imposed on them by law. So far, the airlines have refused her gesture of goodwill. And so what should be done next? Read More...
Its a first to Barrow
Ticket to Barrow
The trip had been in planning for some weeks, it comes with the job. I was told this much at the time of taking the offer. In one of my last jobs, before I left Nigeria, I had the unenviable routine of flying to our own version of Barrow every week. It wasn’t exciting then and I felt the flight to Barrow will not be much different, especially if I have to do this on a single engine light aircraft that have to cope with tremendous wind gust on the way. The trip, then, was a Thursday regular and my kids were not always excited about it either. Every Thursday I left home early, drive to VGC and board the float plane for the one hour trip. On a good day it works perfectly well- I leave Lagos by the float plane and return same day by the float plane. When it goes bad, I get yanked off the plane, in most cases because one of the very big shots decided at the last meeting to travel. In such cases I had to take the energy sapping and torturing trip through the Lagos Domestic Airport home. On such days, it was guaranteed that I will get home grumpy, tired and weird. It was also guaranteed that I will do this around eight or nine pm for a journey that commenced by four. Read More...
NIPOST …..now in the Theatre of the ridiculous
NIPOST Stamp
It’s another first for NIPOST – that colossus that rules the Nigeria’s antiquated postal system. Read More...
It is Perth…..and this is Subi
It’s strange how things that we normally take for granted bring us to reality and sends a jolt to our spines. Sometimes.
While wondering around in the late evening cool weather of Subiaco Square, my wife suggested that we branch into a coffee shop and have coffee. Given the lively activities in this area, there is a preponderance of coffee shops around and within minutes we found onion our path. We stepped in, as we were meant to do, and requested to be served with a cup of hot choco and another one of capuccino. To make these easy on the stomach, we requested for two slices of ginger bread cake. Read More...
OZ at last…did I hear you say down and under?
The journey that started on Tuesday, with us rushing out of our Lekki abode around 3pm just to be in time for our flight to Dubai, eventually ended, almost 52hours later, when our plane touched down at the Perth Internaional. By this time, we had passed over various terrains. Starting with the Rain Forests of Southern Nigeria, we crossed over the Sahara Dessert and then the Nile, in all its glory, into Dubai. We continued our journey the next day, heading south across the Arabian Sea and then over the Indian Ocean before reaching the western edges of the Australian continent. The journey was long but enjoyable in the comfortable cabins of the Emirate planes and the courtesy limousines provided to pick us and drop us off at the Airports. Read More...
Boko Haram, Nigeria and the US…Time for a re-think on the US intervention…
The news is rife with the Terrorist Designations of Boko Haram Commander Abubakar Shekau, Khalid al-Barnawi and Abubakar Adam Kambar. In a Media Note dated 21st June, the Office of the Spokesperson for the US department of state announced that following consultations with the Departments of Justice and Treasury, the Department of State has designated these three (3) BKH leaders as Specially Designated Global Terrorists under section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224. Read More...
Are the King’s Hands soiled?
This Malabu Oil issue will not disappear and should simply not be forgotten. With the unfortunate crash of the Dana Airlines flight, not a few of this in our King’s palace will be praying that we should forget, but we will not. Read More...
KFC, It’s more than Tomato!
After church service today, I was a hungered (though not after 40 days and night of fasting as Jesus did). The church where I worshipped was close to Shoprite and I chose to eat at the KFC eatery therein. Read More...
The bird got tired and came down…
The happenings around Nigeria have usually not been great, in the very recent times I mean. However, it had never been as bad as it is these past few weeks when it’s been all tales of tears and sorrow. It is as if we, as a people, are eagerly engaged in a fierce and very severe competition to throw up, dismember and tear down everything that had held us together for the past century from 1914. Added to this is the fact that the God of luck seems to have departed from our shores and left us to face the sad consequences of our collective actions and inactions over time. Read More...
