an update

I have been procrastinating updating my blog, for a long while now, but I just read temmy tayo's blog and the lady with a baby updated so whats my excuse? huh?
Alot and not too much has happened in the past months,
but it in all mostly importantly, I am here.

I am alive, happy, hopeful, full of dreams and learning.

It is the season when some of us think of all things we had planned for the year, how much we have achieved, we think of family, the good ones, the great ones and not so great ones,Love, Christmas & sharing.
The friends that loved us, the friends that held up when we needed them the most, the hurts, friendship gone sour, the ones which are still solid, the fresh budding ones,the surprises,the ones that are yet to come. The life I lived in 2008, and almost lost but was given back to me with a fresh perspective.

In all am thankful and trust I'll do it better, harder and more truthfully next year, including trying to write my own book, but that I know already is alot of work, but I'll get through it one page at a time.

so Happy holidays and a splendid new year.
I'll keep checking up on your blogs, don't know if its my server or blogger can't leave comments though.

later

Merry Christmas people

The return of O

I miss blogsville,
thank for the sweet people that checked up on me,
loving Bella's Nu webiste,
checking up on all my favorite blogs,

I'l be returning soon.

Aphrodite

Reading another book, Aphrodite by Isabel Allende.
Funny and sensual.

here some excerpts from the book

Love - " When love exists nothing else matters, not life predicaments, not the fury of the years, not a physical winding down or scarcity of opportunity;lovers will find a way to love each other, by definition it is their fate.But love,like luck, comes unbidden,thrusts us into a state of confusion, and burns off like fog when we attempt to hold on to it. As to the reliability of love as a stimulus, therefore,it becomes the luxury of the fortunate few,unattainable for those who have not been the target of its arrow.''


The Playa - "His Obsession is like that of the compulsive eaters, who gulp their food without tasting or those who drink to excess without ever discoveribng the mystery of the grape;like people who accumulate money and belongings with insatiable thirst and never experience plenitude."

so back to my book.

Warning: No harrasing whilst,I am way, promise I'll try to update soon.
ps. this is personal note to Vera.

me talk pretty -

I just finished reading this book,awesome sense of humour!
loved it, every single page, at first when I opened it, I was not too amused but eventually was laughing with tears. Beg, steal, borrow or buy! this book.

Congratulations to fellow blogger temmytayo on the arrival of her beautiful bundle of Joy!

Mugabe toons

Small small gist

First I will start by announcing that today is Miracle worker's birthday,
I am grateful to God for her,
Her Love, Her wisdom, her advice, her mother's instinct,
her prayers, her all.

Thank You God for giving me a great mother.

The Rain
The rainy season is here and I have been drenched twice and so I officially hate the season,
except of course when I am indoors and warm.
The rainy season in Lagos, means more traffic, the effects of the poor drainage on the roads fall upon us, every where is flooded and messy.

All I can say is Rain! Rain! go away!
Go away from Lagos state!
and if you have to rain, do not be too heavy and please time your self,15-30mins
is fine, you don't have to rain for like and hour and half!


2 weeks ago, I had to do some last minute shopping, so I ran into a boutique
to buy a few things, met some girls at the shop,we greeted each other and when they were choosing stuff, they asked for my opinion and I gladly offered. I paid for my stuff and was off in a huff(rhyme not intentional) and then one of girls ran after me, " Excuse me" she said
and I turned around thinking I had forgotten something in the shop and she had brought it to me.
" The things you bought are very nice"
"Thank you",I replied and wondered if that was why she ran after me to say,
"Theres a party at Ikoyi tomorrow and I want to invite you."
Ok, at this point am wondering.... what? why?
"I am sorry am not interested I replied and started walking away.
"It will be fun, my name madalla, and am a student of Unilag, there is this
woman coming from London and she hosting a party, blah, blah....
I was wondering was there something about me that made her think I would be interested in such parties, or is this how the invite people randomly to these parties and do people just agree? (Forgive me I am naive).
I declined but she kept trying to convince me, egbami ke! asking for my phone number and offering me hers. I walked away, but was surprised at the experience.
Na so dem dey recruit chicks for Lagos?
There a lot of deeper questions to be asked, but not today.
*madalla -Fictitious name.

Dreams come true.
Be careful what you wish for because you might just get it.
I have been going on about wanting to read Sidney Poitier - Measure of a man
well, I looked for it in a few shops around Lagos and couldn't find it,
I finally heard it was available in Numetro store, but before I could get it, it was out of stock,
so fast forward to last month, a sweet blogger, who has become like my big sister,
came into town and brought me a gift and yes, it was the book!
I was grinning from ear to ear, like a happy child.
Thanks Jola.
Then another friend of my sister bought me another book from Muhammad Yunus- author Banker to the poor, an autographed copy. Goodness, I am sooo happy.
so next up I want a Nikon D... whatever the latest is, Camera.
and I know am going to get it. Amen!

Same thing from the course I just finished,
I wanted the do the course but couldn't afford it,
and just when I had given up, God brought in some sponsors,
who subsidized the fee and I paid up and thoroughly enjoyed the course,
though I missed some classesk and my course mates are just the best! great new friends
added to old friends of Gold.

so Vera, here is an update.. LOL.

6 Quirks

I have not done a meme in a bit,
so when I saw one on Overwhelmed blog,
I decided to tag myself and do it.

so here are my 6 quirks

1. When I am very angry,I burst into tears when I try to speak.

2. I love the art of cooking, but hate to spend long hours in the kitchen, as soon I am in kitchen for more than one hour, I am tired of the whole thing.

3. I cannot function properly without music, at home, cleaning, at work under pressure,I must listen to some form of music. Even when theres no light to charge my phone, I will run the battery flat when I need to listen music.

4. Sometimes I get into a "serious mood" or "moody mood" for no reason, and no it is not my period or PMS, sometimes.

5. I am insular about alot of stuff I shouldn't in .(I am sorting this quirk out slowly)


6. I love nicker underpants and lingerie, I can spend hours, just shopping for them.


so tell what are your quirks?

African Leaders

Picture from: members.telering.at/art4u/congo

I watched the last King of Scotland to the end, for the first time 2 days ago and I cried at the end.
I cried not because of what happened in the film but because of what is presently going in Africa,
you would think after the likes of Mobutu seseko and Idi amin, there would be no more but there is Mugabe now and Africa is silent.
What can we do? What should we do?

I really don't like the finger pointing about how the western countries support dictatorial regimes in Africa, but I am wondering as African why we allow it? Why we sit in silence after all the war, hardship, poverty, hunger, diseases and disasters we have gone and we are still going through.

I believe strongly that our leaders are reflection of who we are,yes we can shake our heads vigorously and say am not like that but I'll say wait till you are given a little power.
I worry about my continent and mostly about my country,Nigeria.

Yes, we are amazing people with great gifts, and I dare say we are the most creative Africans in the world, but look at us. In a few years down the line, what will we become?
I'll know some might say, try not to focus on our leaders(though I confess it is hard not to.) but what the people are doing, but if we don't have the right people making right choices for us, all our efforts may just not be worth it after a while.
Even with the simplest of things, corruption has eaten deep, parents look for ways to write common entrance exams for their primary school children/wards, the man driving against a one way traffic, to the state governor who had embezzled his state's funds and was allowed to travel out of the country during his trial.(Ok, I promise not to focus on the leaders) or the pastor who smiles sheepishly at the entrance of a politician into church.
Three of the most influential and important people,(Sunny Okosun,Yinka Craig and Gani Fawehimi) in Nigeria have cancer and we cannot boast of one hospital that can fully diagnose and treat them properly. They have to raise monies and fly abroad for treatment.

Do our leaders not see what we see? Do they not feel what we feel?
Why loot and build another man country and not put anything valuable in your home country?
Are they leaders or rulers?

I'll keep at my little quota and hope that one day, my little quota will connect with good little quotas across the nation and cause a ripple effect in Nigeria and hopefully Africa.
But right now all I can ask is which way Nigeria?

p.s. I am sorry if the piece seems disjointed, my emotions got in the way of writing.

random ranting

The rainy season is here again,
and I have a hate/love with the rains,
but its all good.

I feel like am living outside by body,
I wake up constantly in pains and not wanting to get out of bed.
Over the weekend though,I had a good rest and felt well,
but by Monday morning the "feeling" resumed.

I just finished a malaria dose, so I do not know what it could be.
Is it Lagos and its madness getting to me?

I am often distracted.

I feel like going on long long holiday, with a masseuse at my side, all day.
All I just want to do now is write, sleep,sing, watch movies, relax and read.

I don't know why, but I am worried by every piece of news,
especially news about Nigeria,
I know you'll say focus on the good, but there so much going on, its so hard to focus.
I worry about Zimbabwe'.

I worry about my weight,
Its rapid the way am gaining weight,
I am loving the new defined hips, butt and boobs,
but the bulging tummy and large arms, no! no!

I am glad things are sorting out,
I need to discipline my self about my finances,
I need to go shopping,
I need shoes, bags and new Sexy lingerie.
I need to get away,
I need space.

I love my mom,
I am growing to love and respect her mom every day,
though sometime her love can exasperating.

I miss my siblings,
wish I could see them everyday.

I hate the traffic,
I feel like dancing,
I feel like hosting a beach party,
I miss my baby.

I am feeling dizzy.
its about to rain,
am at work and cannot concentrate.
I have missed two classes at school this week,
I miss school and am angry.

I need to try and focus,
before boss lady shoots my brain,
but really I need a holiday.

I just needed to do this rant and hope I feel better.
Lord,this is a prayer, sort me out, now now!

Sex slave

The lovely month of April is running to an end,
I look forward to May.

A friend sent me the link to this story,

A 73-year-old Austrian man has confessed to imprisoning his daughter in a windowless cellar for 24 years and fathering her seven children.

A 42-year-old woman had told police on Sunday that her father, Josef Fritzl, lured her into the basement of the block where they lived in the town of Amstetten in 1984 and drugged and handcuffed her before imprisoning her.

"(Fritzl) has now said that he locked up his daughter for 24 years and that he alone fathered her seven children and that he locked them up in the cellar," Franz Polzer, head of the criminal investigations unit in the province of Lower Austria, said.

Read more HERE.

Thanks B.

It reminds me of YFZ ranch polygamy story in the US.

What is wrong with these men? what makes them so sick?

The man kept his own daughter in prson for 24 years???!

Kilode!

I'll try and see if I can get a full story about a similar story in Lagos, Nigeria.

Enjoy the rest of your week.

danfo driver

Here my video for the week,

need I explain why?

Banker to the poor

I just finished this book and it is inspiring, I could not drop it and could not help scribbling down notes.
I first saw on Oprah show, last year and then saw his book with a friend, got to read it last week, great book.

I enjoyed it, hope you will too.
too lazy to type synopsis right now, just google the book or Muhammad Yunus.

Adieu mama wa.

I have never met her or her daughter,
but from her daughter, I have felt her love, her strength, her courage and Nigerianess.

London Buki showed me her mother,
with her beauty, faith and love.
All her mommy posts have been inspiring,
I admire her.

It was with sadness today when I read her post about the passing away of her mother,
I do not have words to console or encourage at this moment,
But I know for sure God is with her.

When I die...

When I die
when my coffin
is being taken out
you must never think
i am missing this world

don't shed any tears
don't lament or
feel sorry
i'm not falling
into a monster's abyss

when you see
my corpse is being carried
don't cry for my leaving
i'm not leaving
i'm arriving at eternal love

when you leave me
in the grave
don't say goodbye
remember a grave is
only a curtain
for the paradise behind

you'll only see me
descending into a grave
now watch me rise
how can there be an end
when the sun sets or
the moon goes down

it looks like the end
it seems like a sunset
but in reality it is a dawn
when the grave locks you up
that is when your soul is freed

have you ever seen
a seed fallen to earth
not rise with a new life
why should you doubt the rise
of a seed named human

have you ever seen
a bucket lowered into a well
coming back empty
why lament for a soul
when it can come back
like Joseph from the well

when for the last time
you close your mouth
your words and soul
will belong to the world of
no place no time

~RUMI, ghazal number 911,
translated May 18, 1992,
by Nader Khalili. 

Adieu Mama wa.

Happy April

Well to some,it is just another day in the calendar,
but in Nigeria we like to celebrate everything, from happy new morning, to happy new day,new month new year,
so please celebrate with me and say Happy new month!

I'll do proper post, hopefully this week,
just need to find time to type and then upload and do my blog rounds but time, time ,time!

This morning while reading through the news I came across THIS
9 years olds! planning to cut their teacher???
Please what is happening to us? yes all of us.
It is so easy to point fingers and look away and claiming the responsibility is not ours but we are all in it, and like a domino effect its going to get us all.

Yesterday,I was watching Bill Cosby on Oprah show and he was talking about the same thing too, what are we doing to our children?
Yes, you can say I donot have any kids, but what about your cousins, nieces, nephew,children in your neighbourhood, how do you affect their lives?
When you are with them what do you discuss?
If you are a parent, beyond school fees and clothing what else do you know about your child?
This is becoming an emergency! If we donot address it soon, we'll have a crisis on our hands,it is not just about your kids alone, am not saying you should be put your nose in some else's family, but hey! be more involved in your child's PTA meetings, in that way you know what the other parents are thinking and what the school is planning, because if you bother only about your kid, that other kid you didnot want to see or know nothing about, might affect your child, not in the future, but right now!

What values are we passing unto our children? How much time do we spend with them?
Do we know their friends, not just by their names but who they are and what they up to? I know we are all busy most times, running after how to make ends meet? but when last did you check your daughter homework, or hangout with her alone and talk heart to heart? Family make up the society! whether the extended like we have in most parts of Africa or the nuclear from the monogamous man in Europe, people do not drop from the sky, they are part of a family.

I remember growing up, My mom was a single mom, but everybody helped in raising us, from our neighbours who checked our reports cards before my mom returned from work, to my granma who taught us to basic chores in the house to teaching us the native language,to my uncles and aunties who helped us with our home work and assignments,etc.
Yes,I know time have changed and an average child now may not have the privileges of an extended family and good neighbours and maybe left alone to hired helps,
but is anyone listening to these children? What future are we preparing for them them 10-15 years down the line?
Yes in Nigeria, the education system is going down on the daily, our leaders really donot care, they embezzle most of the funds and send their kids abroad, but for the kids that are here, beyond sending them top notch schools, what else we contributing in their lives? Is it all about the money or whose kids they will mingle with?
Education goes beyond the classroom, that does mean it is not important.

In our own little way how can we make things right?
What are our children watching?
What are they listening to?

Who are they with?

What are they doing?
What are they saying?

Show me our children now, and I'll tell what our society is going to be.
Lets save ourselves, lets save our children.

ps. so much for not having time to type,this serves as a proper post now, lol.

driving to work

too lazy to blog right now.

Enjoy!
Driving to the office this morning on the
interstate, I looked over to my left and
there was a woman in her brand new
Mercedes doing 65 miles per hour.
With her face up next to her rear view mirror
putting on her makeup!
I looked away for a couple seconds and when
I looked back she was halfway over in my
lane, still working on that damn makeup!!
Well, I'm a man, but this sight scared me so badly,
I dropped my electric razor, which knocked the donut
out my other hand, then while trying to straighten
out the car using my knee, it knocked my cell phone
away from my ear which fell into the coffee between
my legs, splashed and burned my crotch, ruined the
damn phone and disconnected a very important call!!
LOUSY WOMEN DRIVERS!!

culled from Emusing.com

A Joke at my expense.

A friend sent this joke to me via email this evening,
ENJOY!


A Nursery 1 student in a danfo bus from school was reciting the days lesson at school, it went thus: if my father is a cock and my mother a hen, i will be a chick if my father is a lion and my mother a lioness, i will be a cob if my father is a king and my mother a queen, i will be a prince etc, etc. The bus driver was irritated by the boys 'noise', he shouted at the boy asking him to shut up. But the boy continued. Then the driver shouted; What of if your father is an 'armed robber' and your mother an 'ashawo' (prostitute) , what will you be? The boy replied; I will be a 'Danfo Driver'

---

pictures from the road

1. Tejuosho market, demolished
2. some building in falomo,taking from Obalende side of 3rd mainland bridge
3. Some danfo talk

4 Falomo shopping complex
5. A shop on awolowo road,Ikoyi, with danfo art
5. Obalende bus park, view from 3rd mainland bridge.

All pictures are© of Omohemi.

Danfo Driver goes to school

This year has been going great for me and am thankful to God.
Though there a lot of work and orisirisi to it, compounded of course with the Lagos madness but its all good. Talking about Lagos, Lagos is gradually....yes, gradually changing, from a danfo driver I can tell you so, well let me start from my angle- transport.

The Bus Rapid transit buses have not fully rolled out but some are on the road already, new pedestrian bridges are been built, and they are properly done with roof covers,(Note: one on anthony/oshodi expressway and Onipanu/Ikorodu road) the Ozumba Mbadiwe road is fab, almost completed,(I wish the same could be done to Ikorodu road) , the molue is going to be gradually phased out,though I wonder what will happen to existing driver of these molues? Will they be employed by state Government to drive the Brt Buses or some other forms of employment will be created for them?
And yes, the markets,it is a lot of work to get them clean but there is continuing effort, but I miss my Tejuosho market which got burnt last December,I mean it is one of best markets on the mainland, which had everything! I hope it can built back to something better than what existed before, but in the mean time The traders should be relocated to a proper place, some have found(or properly given) shops along the NTA road in Tejuosho but can that place contain them all? And where can the danfo driver shop without having to go all the way to Lagos Island?

Ok... back to the title of this post, Danfo driver is taking a course to help her improve on her work and get a better understanding of it, I started this month,the course is 10 days in a month which will run for four months and it is 9am-5pm and there is only one cute boy in my class...(sigh), yes I know am there to learn and all, but good looking men could speed up the learning process :-),
well am enjoying school,I love my lecturers and classmates and I love lunch time though I see only the option of rice and salad and strangely I don't talk much in class, well it only been two days this week, so lets see how it goes.

I know the month of February is long gone, but I had a very different valentine from last year, it was good. And yes I have not had any severe menstrual pain since then,thanks to my Gynie,I recommend her any day. So that all for now with the danfo driver,I'll try to be consistent with my blog rounds now, I miss Babaalaye,Vera and boorish, I hope they come and update soon.

The danfo driver goes about now with a tape recorder and camera, to capture the sights and sounds of Lagos, but men! to take pictures on the road is not easy. Any body got some tips for a female danfo driver driver, walking around Lagos with a camera, to get good pictures?

orisirisi- meaning:Different things.

I miss my blog

I miss you my darling online diary,
am sorry for the neglect,
I have have many excuses but not one strong reason.
I'll repent, today!

Happy new year

Happy new year everyone!

hope you all had a fab holiday, I did.



I love the feeling hope the every new year brings,

I know all I have set out to achieve to this year will be done.



I will blog more and not run off or allow laziness engulf me, even though more work has piled for me,but I shall get through it and blog.

I met a few bloggers last saturday and it was fun! for those that couldn't make it,

you missed! I hope we can do this again.



Happy new year again people,

may this year be your best year yet!



Enough now, Omohemi.