What it means to be a Nigerian
Mikel Obi, yes we all know him. That fine gentleman that captains the Super Eagles. Well, what was news lately was that his father was kidnapped and this happened just before that all important 2018 WorldRead More…
All posts by bimbo
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 itRead 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 theRead 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 GuinnessRead More…
You Are Not Alone
The newspaper headlines screamed – Hanson lost. Did she? You know her, Pauline Hanson. She is the founder and leader of the Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party (PHON), an Australian Political Party with a strong baseRead 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.Read More…
14Feb/18
A Scheme of Madness – Words do kill!
Words are powerful! They create and they destroy, a great reason why we need to pick them carefully. This week I had the opportunity of visiting Mundaring Weir. Here I got reminded of how important ourRead More…
04Feb/18
Persist, Persevere, Succeed
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 theRead More…
12Dec/17
Humiliated again!
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 NigerianRead More…
It’s the Outback
Day 5 [21st September] I did not wake up early the next morning, 21st September, the sun was already high in the sky. It was International Day of Peace. As I came out of my swag,Read More…
Nothing smoky in Smoky Bay
Day 3 & 4 [19th & 20th Sept] The night had been freezing cold. Probably due to the southern ocean being just a few kilometres to our south and the cold currents from Antarctica must haveRead More…
Skippy, live to die another day
Day 2 [18th Sept] We departed Camp as agreed by 7am, the troop was on its way. This was a great improvement compared to our starting time the previous day. The plan was to spend theRead More…
The Great Eastern Highway. Day 1
Day 1 [17th Sept] [singlepic id=153 w=320 h=240 float=left]It had taken several months in planning and D-day is today. We have had three (3) trip meetings, looking at the plans and evaluating different options to makeRead 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 haveRead More…
The Texas Massacre
There was a country, so wrote Chinua Achebe. He was writing about Nigeria but the same description can aptly be applied to the United States of America. It is a great nation, this is not inRead 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 messageRead 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. ItRead 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 anotherRead 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 theRead More…
11Aug/17
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 whyRead More…
09Jul/17
Gandhi, An autobiography. The story of my experiments with truth.
Gandhi, An autobiography. The story of my experiments with truth. A reflection on the book – Gandhi An Autobiography, The story of my experiments with truth written by M.K. Gandhi published in 1957 by Beacon Press.Read More…
28May/17
An open letter to the Minister of Interior – a plea for better service at the passport offices.
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 Dear Minister, Sir, please accept my apologies in advance, forRead 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,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, CanadianRead More…
Sculpture by the Sea, Cottlesloe
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 MarchRead More…
06Mar/17
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,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 tripRead 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 tripRead 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.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 waitingRead More…
The Dawn heals and life moves on.
The Dawn heals and life moves on (Nature continues unspoilt) – A poem by David Finley. I sit all night – on this cold rock. The day then breaks – as new sun shines. My tearsRead 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.Read More…
May 2016 Democracy Day – Full Text of Speech by President Muhammadu 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, toRead More…
Time Heals ALL Wounds – An Easter Sunday visit to Daura, Katsina State
It would be forty (40) years, later this year, when death came calling and struck thrice. Stealing from me three very important people. He started with my maternal grandfather, that fine gentleman. I can remember “Baba”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 pickedRead 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 suppliedRead More…
Little Acts that destroy our nation.
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 flightRead 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 whichRead More…
These Unoccupied Houses in Lekki
I pride myself in the quality of education that I got. It wasn’t costly but it was top notch. It has served me well and I remain eternally grateful for it. I passed through the classesRead 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 wouldRead 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. I had some issues to attend to in the house and aRead 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.Read More…
12Apr/15
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 mustRead 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 ofRead 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: “One day I was sitting on the banks of a river. I took from the water aRead 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 itRead 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 backRead 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 wordsRead 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 toRead 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 andRead 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 settledRead 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 IRead More…
11Oct/14
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. I am proudRead 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 jointRead 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 LagosRead 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 experienceRead 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. As atRead 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 toRead 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 lakeRead More…
and Daniel wrote a book – A Chase in the Shadows…
Excerpt From: Daniel Abimibola. “A Chase in the Shadows.” Scotch College, 2013. iBooks. “Startled, stunned, You begin to run, ‘Til you hear the gun, Then the baffling is done. Frightened, stricken, Your footsteps quicken. Another gunshotRead 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 theirRead 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, alongRead 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 theRead More…
School of our Pride….Those school songs of yesteryears.
As I sluggishly raised myself off the bed yesterday morning, made a little prayer to the Almighty God, I started the now habitual routine of singing to the almighty. However, just after a few songs,Read More…
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 biographyRead 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 toRead 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 thatRead 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 bookRead More…
28Jan/13
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 thoseRead 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 intoRead More…
and what is FAITH? Ben Johnston
My Pastor, Ben Johnston of the Subiaco Church, in continuation of his teaching “At the feet of Jesus” gave a wonderful illustration of what faith is and why God wants us to have faith in him.Read More…
30 planes for Nigeria…History is mocking us.
Vanguard – Of Nigeria’s 30 Planes They that don’t learn from history are bound to repeat its mistakes. Stella Odua is embarking on a journey, she is taking a familiar route and how I wish someoneRead More…
Corruption is not the cause of our problems….Jonathan really?
Attitude, not corruption, is Nigeria’s problem –Jonathan The recent pronouncement of our dear President, at the burial of the late General Andrew Owoyi Azazi, makes my stomach stir violently. According to Jonathan, “Corruption is not theRead More…
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, IRead 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 forRead 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 theRead More…
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson…
What are you reading? I am currently reading Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. “In July 1968 Life magazine published a shocking cover showing a pair of starving children in Biafra. Jobs took it to Sunday schoolRead More…
02Nov/12
Think different….Steve Jobs
“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do” Apple’s. “Think Different” commercial, 1997
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,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, Flat was bumpy, The son was grumpy, But the man stayed true, TheRead More…
A Chase In The Shadows
Startled, stunned, You begin to run, Till you hear the gun, Then the baffling is done. Frightened, stricken, Your feet steps quicken. Another gunshot then, You hear the sounds of dogs and men. One-thing echoes throughRead 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. Well, as we are told, the mighty Iroko treeRead 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 andRead 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 AustralianRead More…
Pirates of Penzance – the Regal Theatre Version
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 castRead 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 itRead More…
07Sep/12
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 shapeRead 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 theRead 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 inRead 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 KarlRead 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 actuallyRead 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 notRead More…
Its a first 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,Read More…
NIPOST …..now in the Theatre of the ridiculous
It’s another first for NIPOST – that colossus that rules the Nigeria’s antiquated postal system. Sitting in the quietness of my office on the 19th July, I received a mail which was from the Institute ofRead 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 wifeRead 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 downRead 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 departmentRead More…
Tale of the Cow Tail
Finally finished reading this first written work by Lanre Ogundimu. Not a bad entry for a first work. The writer’s attempt to appeal to a wide range of audience made the stories rather too short andRead 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 weRead More…