THE SILENCE

A friend asked me what is my greatest fear. I thought for quite sometime and I told her my greatest fear is SILENCE . She was puzzled and had no inkling as to why I chose to say Silence is my greatest fear. The word silence struck me . It was too deep to explain and I searched for a lighter word to explain to her why SILENCE is my greatest fear unfortunately there was little time to explain. I know she will read this and I know you all would understand at the end of this short piece, why SILENCE is and will always be my greatest fear.
I went for a friend's sisters burial who died young. It was emotional and sorrowful. As her sister wept at the grave side and called out the name of the dead in agony and pain all she heard was SILENCE from the dead. No answer no reply. It struck me again The SILENCE of the dead. The SILENCE between two lovers or couples.when there is dis-harmony in a once happy home and all you observe between them is Silence.The silence between Friends, who once laughed and talked together, suddenly they go their separate ways and all that is between them when they pass each other on the street is Silence. The silence when we are in trouble and we seek help and support from people we think would come to our aid, all we get in return from them is SILENCE. No help, no encouragement, no hopeful words just SILENCE.

The SILENCE of a baby whoose laughter once filled the house with joy and cries pierced through the night, suddenly quiet and can no longer cry nor laugh. The Silence when we think God is silent in our life , things are not going our way and maybe God ain't answering our prayers.

Ohh yes I don't fear death , I don't fear illness, what I fear most is THE SILENCE.

VALENTINES DAY (The MISCONCEPTION)

When I see pictures like this my heart bleeds. ..not for the lady in the picture but for the ignorance associated with this . This is not all what valentines day is all about☝☝. Please let's not turn the true meaning of valentine into something dirty. I know valentine day is a day associated with lovers, After all febuary is a month of love and romance.
Let us also know that its a month of giving , of helping the less priviledged .We forget the origin of this day Valentine ...st VALENTINE a priest who rose to fame in the thrid century . He was known for his charitable heart , his method of showing love to people.The emperor enlisted unmarried men into his Army and put a ban against them on marraige , so they would concentrate more on the battle field .st VALENTINE secretly helped soldiers get married against the emperors wishes and was thrown in prison.
In prison he healed the prison warders daughter who was blind and converted her to Christianity before he died in prison. He died for showing love to others and helping people..
Please let's all focus on the symbol of this short story ..A season of showing love to others , not only on a particular day but everyday of our lives . On a day like this looking at this pic I posted above , you can understand why i said she soiled a very beautiful day , a very beautiful symbolic day by that caption.
This is not all what valentine's day stands for, it shouldn't be sexualised. it is much more than that , it's about the beauty you see in people, the love you show yes to your spouse and Also others..We remember a saint that died for love because he helped others . Let's all remember that as we celebrate this beautiful day . Happy vals day in advance peeps, I 💟💗 u all😘

CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME

       I came across this picture and it didn't mean much to me at first, until I entered a public transport yesterday . A middle age lady selling banana walked up to the taxi I boarded to advertise her ware. Her clothes were tattered , and the holes in her blouse smiled at me through the windows. She used the edge of her wrapper to wipe her fore head , as sh tried to smile through furrowed brows under the scorching sun.                    
    Buy my banana , it's only 300 naira she piqued in a high pitched voice. A well dressed young lady sitting beside the driver wanted to buy and said in a degrading voice, is it not 200 naira she asked with scorn. Banana that I buy everyday, how come your own is different? The woman looked at her through eyes almost akin to mercy and replied the young girl . I would not cheat you ma'am,This particular banana is bigger than the one of 200naira.  

Then you are not ready to sell said the girl in a scorned voice, forcing me to look up and observe the two of them. Please ma take it for 250 the lady selling the banana said , her voice laden with pity and strain. You would be my first customer today beautiful auntie the old woman piqued, smiling cheerfully with her eyes.                                                     

The young well dressed lady in front of the taxi , with power and authority in her voice said then you are not ready to sell please go.My question today is why haggle over a difference of 50 naira with a woman you see that's obviously working hard in her own capacity , trying to make profit to eat or feed a family .

SHE chose not to beg , but decided to make a decent living and the charity we show to others in her situation goes a long way to encourage and help her without making her feel like a beggar.
Most times we cary big envelopes and give large tithes and offering in our various churches, we spend money on drinks and cloths at the bars and boutiques.
You don't want to feel ripped off , or cheated by a poor hawker but you get cheated everyday of your life at the boutiques , the eatries you eat in, the so called luxury so many fake brands sell to you. There is no measure in giving, sometimes we overlook .
SOMETIMES BUY EVEN IF WE DON'T NEED, THEY ARE THE ONES WHO DON'T BEG.CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME .....

                  UNCOMMON GRACE
  

    Woke up this morning to see a beautiful picture covering the front of THISDAY STYLE MAGAZINE.A picture of a beautiful woman, I said to myself well another one of those beautiful  women. I looked at her the caption (Agege bread seller) and I remembered her story. Her's was was a story of time and chance.   
 The famous photographer TY bello happened to take a shot of Tinnie Tempah and a young lady selling Agege bread happened to pass by at the same time the flick of the camera captured her and Tinnie Tempah. When the pictures were out the question on everybody's lips was , who is the lady selling bread? Is she a model? Is she part of the shoot? She is beautiful.  The search for the mysterious lady began ,and she was found a week later. A 27yr old lady with two kids , who could neither speak English nor pidgin fluently .    
    She was automatically taken from her house and placed in the hands of one of  the best photographer and makeup beautician in the country. THE life of JUMOKE SUNDAY the Agege bread seller changed in one day by chance .    
 

some people call her lucky , others call her blessed but I say her story is a story of UNCOMMON GRACE. JUMOKE SUNDAY the bread seller turned super model overnight .. She didn't do it by twerking on instargram nor by showing her nakedness. One week after she makes the cover of THISDAY STYLE. A path many so called  famous models have never attained In there whole career.  
  Hard work will put you were Good luck will find you. That kind of grace that breaks protocol. Jumoke's story is a typical example of Supernatural Speed. I am extremely happy for her , when is your time no one can stop you from attaining greatness..   
  Today she is my Sunday inspiration#chronicles of an Agege bread selleruncommon grace.   

A STEREOTYPIC JUDGEMENTAL SOCIETY (PART 2)

Are we not tired society , are our bones not weary? Even a king or a judge is tired of judging sometimes, how much more Society.

A lady is in her thirties walks into a shop, you happen to know her but your friend doesn't. She compliments her style from afar and you quickly retort. "Hey I know her , very intelligent nice woman , she is a manager at UBA bank but it's a pity she is not married". Who are you to judge? Who are you to condemn who is pitiful and what is not. Is it because you are married with kids and she is no? yet you pity her. You might be the one to be pitied because you might be in a loveless marriage and she is more than happy with her life .Must everyone be married to fit into Society's projection of double standards . Yet society sees you the married one, who might not be happy with your marriage, you cry and fight every week under the cover in the dark and clean your eyes in the morning and judge . Are we not tired of living deceitfully ? Of lying to ourselves ?
A lady walks into an eatery with a man,you are eating at another table , with your food in front of you . Yet you cast glances at them , trying to judge if they are single, or if she has a ring that shows she is married with a younger man that seems single . Or if the man is way older and the lady is younger . Then the devil starts using your mind to work wonders and judge them . Society are you not tired?
Do you know if the lady in question is a client or the man is a cousin? Do you know if the older man is an uncle or maybe just a friend. Whatever the case might be , even if it's the other way around , let's all learn to have an open mind.
Let's learn to give people the benefit of doubt, society it's time to mind our business. Let's learn to live with an open mind free of bias and prejudice.
If we decide to live above the suppose standards some prejudiced society has set, life will be much easier and happier .
Today my writing is not safe, I know I have written what must not be said, I might have stepped on some rigid toes , I might loose some ardent readers with this piece. Whatever the case might be I offer no apologies. If I don't write what must not be said outwardly who will? One way or the other we are all guilty ...
I do not owe anyone safe writing .

A STEREOTYPIC JUDGEMENTAL SOCIETY (PART 1)

It is safe, please write like this so people don't criticise your work is old news in my dictionary. I am tired of safe writings and safe writings are never truly the most honest. I Don't owe anyone safe writings , so today my writing is directed at the society.
We all live in a stereotypic judgemental society full of prejudice and bias, Africa or rather NIGERIA ranks the highest.
First of all, who are you to label a man or a woman irresponsible just because she has a tattoo on her body. You don't have to say it out loud , the wary look you give her tells of your opinion in your eyes . Are you not tired of judging? Are you any better. She chose to mark her skin with a tattoo for various reasons unknown to you. It's her way of dealing with what she has gone through or what she feels she needs, in the end it's her body and it doesn't affect her character or pedigree as a human.
Are you not tired of judging when you see a lady with short skirt or maybe tight short gown walk into a respectable lounge and decide to get herself a drink ? It's a bar for crying out loud and it's 7 in the evening and she is done from work and decides to change into that for reason best known to her . Maybe it's because she has great legs and decides to flaunt it,maybe she feels she looks Good in a tight dress and wants to build her self esteem. She might have kids at home or she might be single , whatever the case might be, you don't look her in the face with a sneer in you eyes and judge. Hey you with covered cloth who knows of your mission in the lounge, you
might be the she - devil in disguise in long skirts and covered top and she might just be the Angel.
Are you not tired of judging society? The man that drove or walked past you with a swagger to his steps and maybe cigarette in his mouth, doesn't mean you should cast disapproving glances from your side eye at him .Who are you to judge? He might be a doctor, saving lives or an engineer who just came back from work and you are the jobless one , yes smoking is his vice, he knows it's harmful and maybe he is dealing with it his own way. Is it your smoke? Does it affect his work ..let him be and don't stereotype him.
Are you not tired of judging? In church you cast glances and can pin point the Christian sisters and the non -Christians. The ones you feel that do not pray enough, the ones you feel are the rotten eggs in the society. Instead of concentrating in church, you cast contemptuous glances at a lady who maybe is sporting a six foot inch heel , or did not cover her hair and because of that you the (so called servant of the most high) already condemns and sees her as unworthy? Is your prayer any different of hers because she doesn't have the same wardrobe choice as you have ?Or are you the blessed Lord jesus to judge who is worthy to enter his house(church) and serve him and who is not? Is it your house ? who is the Christian and the non -Christian, that answer is left for the good lord to answer not you.
Are you not tired of judging , are you the Daniel that has come to judge? Who the hell set the standards, is your life the standard people are expected to follow?(PART 1)