Wednesday 26 March 2008

purpose

Guys,

I followed by conscience yesterday and had a serious heart to heart talk with my friend. I spoke to her about her career and making something out of herself. Our conversation went well and she opened up to me. I am going to be keeping an eye on her for a while and encouraging her. I am sure herself ad her husband will be fine. About her being violent, I am taking it in prayer, there is no point preaching to her, she is a “serious born-again, devil bashing, tongue speaking Pentecostal” I am on a 7days fasting, from today. I am fasting with one of my good friends, he has been looking for a post MBA job for a while now and the Lord laid it in my heart yesterday to agree with him in prayer and fasting. I keep asking God for a message for my friend and teh only think that keep coming back to be is Matthew 16:19-34, Hebrew 11.


I am one of those people that anything I fast about anything; provided God has laid it in my heart, his promise will always come to past and be fulfilled. I also have a few more things I am taking to God in prayer. I have done my bit and waiting for God to do its bit.

Please pray for my mum, she is back to school and taking exams all the week, I called the poor woman yesterday and she is some hotel in Jos, studying through out the night. I really don’t want to be in her shoes, when I am at that age.

I had one of those days yesterday… thinking about my ultimate purpose in life. As a child, I have always felt that I have a mission, greater than myself, that I have being brought to this earth to fulfil. I am not sure what it is, but I am certain that it has something to do with my career and ambition in life. I have been told a number of times, by different people that they feel like I am on a mission. I also have a friend that I believe is set for greatness. She is one of those people that when you meet her, you either lover her or hate/dislike her. She is a journalist and I believe she is going to win a famous prize one day. I just heard that she has been invited to an exhibition. I am so proud of her!!!! She is going to be one of my unborn children’s godmother. I love the girl to bits. I am also praying for her to come back to her faith and her connection with God.

Does anyone else feel like they are on a mission… or they are set to accomplish something bigger and greater than they can ever imagine?

Sunday 23 March 2008

Things are not all that it seem...

Everything is not all it ever seems. I just found out that one of my best friends is being violent with her husband. I don't mean the shoving and pushing fights, I mean the hitting her husband and throwing things at him. I am very shocked, not just because I ever thought she was like that, but because they are "serious Christians". I was very surprise and it all goes to show that one should never judge a book by its cover. One of their biggest challenges is money and the wife- my friend is extremely lazy. I just don't get it, why a woman or anyone would wait for someone else to fend for them. I can not imagine my life without making my own money and having my own income. I can not imagine, my life without a career; even if I have 100 kids. I will always work. My mother worked all her life and at 51, she is back to school, taking her accounting qualifications that she did not complete 'cos she fell pregnant. She raised three children herself, without any financial support from any man. My Christian friend is spoilt and she comes for a "well to do family"...which is not an excuse not to buckle up when things become difficult. I have tried talking her a few times, but she always seems to want her husband to bring in the money. I think her parents are slightly disappointed that she did not marry a "rich guy" and they are partly to blame, 'cos heaven knows that I will never bring up my kids to be lazy. Laziness and not wanting to be something in life is a curse on its own. My husband is not rich but he is extremely hard working and refuses to let me pay any household bills, but I will never stop working. I don't wait for him to buy stuff in the house, book holidays, and give money to my friends or family and our relationship works well. We have never fought about money, we maintain separate accounts and he is not interested in what I do with my money; as long as I am not excessive. One thing is certain, he is confident that I can run all the expenses in the house, not matter what happens to him. He knows that all bills can be paid, should he not be able to do so and he knows that I am a serious saver. I don't take "good times" for granted, because I know there will always be hard times. I have experienced it in the past and I am always looking ahead, praying, and planning working for tomorrow.

My home is Nigeria; the west is like a going to the farm for me, I must take home all the harvest and I must not waste my youth being idle!!!!!!!!! What will I take back home?

I am very sad about my friend, 'cos I love her so much, but I am very disappointed. I know there are always two sides to a story, but the fundamental issue is that she is lazy and she uses her children as an excuse not to buckle up and make something out of her own life. When her children are old enough, what would they look up to; a stay-at-home mummy? I am not disrespecting stay- at-home mums, because they do a fantastic job, but if you can not afford to do so, then you must get out the house and bring money home. You children will not thank you if you can not put clothes on their backs or put food on their plates. Her husband is moving around with alot of burden, 'cos he needs help and he needs her to buckle up and sort herself out; but she is not willing to do so. I am very sad and I really want to talk to her. My husband says I should mind my own business, but these people are very dear to me and sometimes, I don't believe in this Yoruba mentality/Nigerian mentality that “married people should be left alone". If I am messing up, I want to believe that any of my good friends can call me to order, with love and in my quiet times, I will reflect on what I was told. What should I do guys? Have a chat with my friend about her career and kick her butt out of the house, to a meaningful career?

Thursday 20 March 2008

finding a way...

life is moving very fast. March is turnign out to be deciding month for me. My present employer offerred me an extension, but I am reluctant to take it. It feels like it is time to move on. I need a fresher challenge.

I had an interview today, not sure I will get the job; not because I don't think I can do it, but because I found the interview tedious and my enthausism did not show during the interview. The company is not where I want to be on a long term, but it is a stepping stone to where I am going. In hindsight, I wished I performed better... but if I was offerred the job, I might accept the offer. My present boss will be very sad to see me go... but I feel it is time I move on.

I just completed by six sigma green belt training. Holla if you know any lean sigma green belt opportunities out there.

I am off on a mini MBA course latter this year... by the grace of God, so fingers crossed. I feel like I need to get back to the classroom. I hope I get into the school, I feel like I need the extra vavaroom to keep me on top of my game.

Tuesday 18 March 2008

Devil, pastors and churches in Nigeria...can you tell the difference?

The devil and poverty
What is it with Nigerians and the devil? Anything goes wrong and accusing fingers are pointed to the devil. Infact, I am directing this question to the devil, what is it with you and Nigerians? Why the devil is attracted to poor people or poverty? Why the lack of anything has something to do with the devil? This story is so dear to my heart, ‘cos over the weekend, I heard so much from someone dear to my heart about how the devil is dealing with someone that is yet to have a baby. Nigerian girl is pregnant and goes to a crap hospital that has no scanner, hence you have to go to another “backyard scanning centre” to check delivery date and depending on the “backyard scanning centre” you go to, pregnant girl gets about 5 delivery dates, with a variation of 5weeks. Pregnant girl refuses to have the baby induced or a caesarean, ‘cos of the devil and pregnant girl resorts to going from one church to the other, speaking to pastors, of course, as soon as you present a Nigerian pastor with a potential problem, they automatically assume that someone and the devil is to blame. The pastors never provide the name of the accuser, but you are left to fast and pray. Make them give me name of person wey de do me, make I send police go arrest am!

The best part of this is that it has something to do with the fact that she maybe having a boy instead of a girl! I swear, after the conversation, I was tempted to pray for the devil itself, from all these accusations.

We Nigerians are always looking for someone to blame of our woes, there must be a force behind anything and anything that does not work for us. I watch everyday, as loads of Nigerians can not put pen to paper about how to get to where they are going. All they want is to make money, whether they have capital to start a business or even have a business idea is irrelevant. I heard about a final year medical student wanting to immigrate to the UK with no money or a sponsor, looking for a miracle and when he/she is refused visa, it must be the devil’s handiwork.

Religion in Nigerian & corruption
Nigeria is one of the most religious country in the world and even the president, attributes all his failures or successes to the devil or God, whichever suits him. There are thousands of churches everywhere in Lagos, with many homes and spaces converted into some form of church or the other. Sometimes in Lagos, it feels like planning laws don’t exist with the number of church springing up. Residential areas are been bombarded and over run with churches of all sizes and their loud microphones. Even a church with a congregation of 10, must have a microphone!

Sundays and Wednesdays, not to talk of Fridays are filled with congregations, looking for miracles, deliverance etc. Most of them are not in church just to worship God, without wanting something. Yet, the same congregation go back to work on Monday and collect bribes, give bribes and contribute to the corrupt that has now been woven into the fabric of our society. Young married men are all trooping to church on Sundays and on Saturdays; they are with their girlfriends committing adultery. Married woman are doing the same. Young girls are selling their bodies and yet, they are not been told the truth in church. The churches have failed in their responsibility to imbibe morals and uphold the morals of the society and yet, no one can criticise them, if you do, you are called the child of the devil and God will cast you out of his kingdom. You are compared to Saul in the bible. These people forget that the same Jesus went into the temple and rose against all the atrocities of the religious leaders, telling them that the temple has been turned into something else.
The sermons in churches are all about making money, becoming successful, miracles and of course, paying tithes and building funds. The pastors have become rich; they now wear designer suits, travel 1st class, and produce/write hundreds of books in a short space of time and shockingly, now own planes. Where is the modesty of Jesus Christ? Where is wanting to live like Jesus lived, where is the “practice what you preach”?? Church leaders are endorsing thieving government personnel and attending their birthday parties and all the rubbish opening of one centre or the other. I am a Christian and I cringe every time I see Pastor Enoch Adeboye (Redeem church) and other Christian leader attend events or functions of controversial leaders. Our Christian leaders fail to understand how influential their positions are, and what profound impact they can make, if only they choose who they associate with and maybe use their power and influence to send the right messages, instead of associating with these known corrupt leaders and as a result saying to their large congregation that it is ok to be corrupt, it is ok to associate with thieves. I watched Ebenezer Obey (musician turned pastor) attend some Oba’s birthday party, dancing with 3 or 4 of his wives. How can a pastor endorse or deem to endorse polygamy, something that is completely against the doctrine of God. Chris Okotie divorced his wife and now wants to marry another, from the same church! What is wrong with Nigerians? When are we going to stand up to the “Sodom and Gomorra” mentality in our churches? Pastors running over 10,000 congregation churches are also running businesses by the side. Is there anyone that will stand up with me on these issues?

The UK is currently debating taking out religion from the state- One school of thought says that in a multi-cultural society, religion(church) has no part to play in the society. Look at the moral decay of our youths and the raise in teenage pregnancy, divorce, paedophilic activities etc. Religion provides a moral presence in our society that has always been relevant and will continue to be relevant in today’s and future society. However, if religion will continue to have a place in the state, we as citizens must continue to hold all religious leaders and the faiths accountable for whatever they do. If as a Christian in the UK, I will not keep quite, why should I in Nigeria?

Thursday 6 March 2008

334th richest man in the world

Aliko Dangote made it…

Forbes list

I put on a post on this guy recently, with some incorrect information, Busola kindly help set the record straight

p.s; I have not check Busola’s information yet, put lets assume she is right.

Update...

Hep peeps,

Thank you to others that have been dropping by, I am not still alive and kicking. It is just BT messing up.

Life has been really busy, I don’t have a landline or internet access at home right now and it is making blogging almost impossible. I have a long week course next week that I am preparing for and I am also job hunting. Yes oh! my 2years affair with the Telco industry is finally over. I am frantically sending out my CV and getting some good responses, but no interviews yet. I am not sure which direction to take. I am looking at permanent positions or continue to contract. I think I have still got 1yr of contract left in me… make some serious money and just go back on the career ladder as a permanent employee. I am looking to do my MBA in 4yrs and I don’t have any intention to cough up the money, which I can get all paid for if I was in a permanent position. What do you guys think? Permanent or contract?

Life has been very busy. Valentine was swell. Hussies gave me a very very expensive bag and trust your girl, and I have been carrying the bag for over 3weeks now. desperately trying to match it with very thing I wear. We ended up in a Turkish restaurant for dinner, which was cool!

Anniversary was also very good. We went to a Mexican restaurant and exchanged cards, rather, I got him a card!

Hussy became a godfather… his good friend had a beautiful baby, hence he is a godfather. He was excited about the whole thing, even though he used to say he did not understand why I am always shopping for my own godson.

It is my birthday on Saturday, so the party continues… I am getting so close to the big 30 it is scary.

I heard Yaradua wants to fire some ministers, in time for his 1st year anniversary in office. I say it is about time. All these feasibility studies he has spent the last year doing is not doing him and his sleeping government all favours. Did he not set up committees to develop policies, when he was campaigning for elections? Infact, how did he get in? based on what policies or agendas? How come he is just doing everything when he got into government? I don’t understand these crops of politicians in Nigeria right now. You need to have at least your 1st year’s plan set in stone, before the election itself. You only have a 4yr mandate and nobody is going to pat you on the back if you spend your 4years mandate on developing policies and nothing on implementation. I rest my case.

I heard Babatunde Fashola is doing wonders in Lagos state. Apart from all the media communications about “future Lagos” are the area boys and street hawkers still on the roads?... There are so many “quick wins” and I am always surprise that Nigerian politicians fail to see. There focus is always on the ambitious plans that end up in the mud of corruption.

If I was fashola for a week, what would I do? I will clear all the area boys and the street, ban buses from stopping at non designated bus stops, clear Street hawking, and create more markets and bus stops. The difference it will make to Lagos will be enormous, very significant and a very quick win!

Long term plans will be start working on a Lagos state metropolitan police force. Start lobbying the legislative authorities. Nigerian police force is too central to serve individual states. We need a police force that is connected to the people and the state government.

What would you do if you were Fashola for a week?