Where I have been?

I wish I could answer and say,
I have been to London to see the Queen, but on the contrary, I have been in Las gidi.
Where I have been?
I have been in out of my mind,
wondering, praying, asking questions, going crazy, returning sane.
Where I have I been?
I have mad busy and a bit lazy.

Recently, in Lagos traffic has been crazy(I know this is norm) but now it is like mad crazy,
The work on Ikorodu road on BRT lane, the construction of road in Yaba, the collapse of the bridge in Ikorodu, its like all hell has been let loose on our all mad traffic, it really a sun kere fa kere situation. The transport system of Lagos needs a total over haul.
It is not just about providing more buses on the road because at this rate now, I think I am going to be needing chopper rides across town.
It is about everything, the road networks, the roads (gosh! most of the roads in Lagos are BAD!),
the traffic officials,the yellow buses(yeah that's me!) the heavy duty trucks and tankers, the OKADA RIDERS! and the private car owners and commuters, everyone and everything.

Where do we begin? Is it from the every increasing accidents on the road?
Can't heavy duty vehicles be banned during the day? Can't their restriction be limited to a certain time, maybe like from 11pm - 6am? Do we have to move all goods by roads? Can't one of big boys buy the whole rail line and monopolize it? (Economist and those that have a say in the matter, please help here) Why do the foolish trucks drivers double park on express?

If Okada is banned? what will be alternative means of transport within short distances?
Are the riders trained? NO! Isn't there a way the riders can be scrutinized?

Why do some private car owners, who are considered the sanest on the madness chain of Lagos road users still drive on one way? Why do commuters cross the express when there is a pedestrian bridge very close by and it is not very late?

Why are accident vehicles left on the road a month or two after the incident?
Is it only me that is appalled by the unnecessary traffic and madness?
At the rate at which, we are going, won't we need mobile toilets in traffic, mobile restaurants and even mobile showers?
The beggars and destitutes on the road have become an eye sore.
Will the traffic lights and street lights ever work? (foolish question! I know)
I am just fed up with it all really.
What can I do? What can we do?

So this is where I have been,
In the centre of Excellence, with our posh vehicles on dirty roads,
sitting and seething in traffic forever, with the fear of being robbed.
With our "big" attitudes, plenty grammar, no action, no concern and increasing madness.
Who will save us?

By way, where have most of my neighbours gone? Fine boy, Alaye, Vera, Blacktinkerbell and sparkle?
Or is it me that has been gone too long?
Confused and Tminx, I miss you babes.

Tuface is alive.

I will like to dispel all rumours about Tuface, he is alive and getting better.
Read and check out more pictures Here

Nigeria is green

Today is the 47th year of our independence,
I believe the coming years will get better for us,'
The future is green.

Enjoy TY bello's single.

Fave Female Singers

I was on TLK blog and saw his post on his fave female singers and decided to do mine, He stuck to ten but its impossible for me to do so, even this list I have here is not enough. I was exposed to alot of music growing up fromTina Turner,Sidney Lauper, Onyeka Owenu, I could on forever. These are songs that will last forever. I sneaked a group in to the the list, TLC, how can I leave them out. I love brandy,Monica and Aaliyah too. There are new acts everyday, that are winning my heart, Asa, Nigeria's soulful artist is just the boom! Can't wait for her album to be released.

So who are your faves?

TLC

Macy Gray

Sade Adu

India arie




Lauryn Hill






Shania Twain

Natasha Bedinfield

still here

I have missed blogging, but I have been busy,
so many things I want to write but no time. I will finish up my write up on my next adventure of a Lagos commuter and post it up soon.
I read this article, "Men of God as Superstars" a while ago and came across it on line today,
very interesting. Read HERE and let me know what you think.

Tuface please!

Tuface is one of Nigeria's foremost artiste and I love him! Read more about him HERE.

I love his story, the humble beginnings from one of the best male vocal group in Nigeria, Plantation Boiz. I loved them, they young, fresh and unique. I was one of people that was really upset about the their breakup, even though they are back in the studio together now, but just for an album, not as a group.

After the breakup,2face, stood out! He shone like a true star, his looks, his voice and the his songs. His first solo album, Face to face was one of the hottest album of the year 2005. Everyone single song in that album was good,every single one.

Early this year, he released another album, grass to grace, it was also another hit, every song was good,lyrics, beat, rhythm. I fell in love with artist.

But I do I have a lil problem with the 2 daddy, 2 problems actually.

Problem 1: His diction, Have you seen a television interview with Tuface?

Its really sad, please let no one say diction don't matter, it sure does. Especially has a Nigerian International artiste, your diction is really important, not jaw breaking vocabulary but simple basic grammar, not the regular YES O! YES O! he adds before,in the middle and the end of every sentence. With no disrespect to Fuji artistes,even Fuji artistes are working on their diction on the daily, so why not tuface?

His label Kennis Music, do they not see a need to brush up their artiste? A popular radio presenter on one of the local radio stations in Nigeria, once mentioned it and all hell went loose!

Oga kenny will not have any of it, clearly it had to be some bad belle for the ariste.

I am wondering can't Mr.Ogungbe hear him, can the whole world be crazy and Mr. Ogungbe sane?

I would have assumed that he will get Tuface a private tutor to help with his grammar.

Has his grammar improved? No.

2nd problem with Tu daddy, is his videos, the best so far in my opinion is his African queen video,very simple could have been better, but I like the idea.

Last week, my brother bought the Video CD of Tuface with great anticipation, only for us to have our hopes dashed. The videos were just not it,I cannot find any other word to describe how I felt when I watched the videos. I expected better, he is exposed now, worked with foreign directors and even shot the video outside Nigeria(These are not factors determining a good video).

So what happened?

Do his mangers not realise the power of a good video, he won an award at MTV Europe in 2005 , does that not indicate he steps up his game? I cannot emphasise the need for a good song and even a much better video. Why is it taking Tubaba so long to get this? Did he not see the videos of his former group members? Does he not see the final cut of his videos? Or he does not know any better? Or he does not have a say in the whole matter?
What about other videos he has featured in? like Jim jatts, Stylee video.

I will like to see Tuface improve,I do agree he has come a long way, he has evolved and I repeat he is one of the foremost artistes in Nigeria, and with time Africa. If he steps up his game, he might just be one of the foremost truest Nigerian International artiste reckoned with across the globe. His songs are tight, his looks is right, his style is evolving, simple and cool but his videos and vocabulary need major mending, someone explain to Tuface please!

Kolomental --- FAZE


True Love --- TUFACE


Sylee---- DJ JIMMY JATT FEAT TUFACE AND MODE 9

love your neighbour... love your self.

This scripture keeps nudging me,
Luke 10 : 27
"..... and you shall love neighbour has yourself"
How can one truly love another, if you have no love for yourself.
The first step to truly loving anyone is loving yourself, you cannot give what you donot have.
How can a man begin to truly learn to love himself?

how old is the danfo driver?

Happy birthday to me!

I am grateful to my creator, the author and finsher of my faith,

The One who guides me and loves me despite all my flaws.

He is my source, my strength, my all.

I am grateful to be alive to see today,

I am grateful for who I am and the potentials I have,

I am grateful for the blessed family that I have,

(Oh! you need to have heard my mother's prayers for me this morning)

I am grateful for the friends God has blessed me with, am indeed blessed among men.

I am grateful for my colleagues and place of work, though this week was particularly tough for me, but am here, better wiser, stronger.

I am grateful for the danfo drivers across Lagos, lets hope this new BRT lane in Lagos works, it should make business better for us.

I am grateful for the blogfam I have, some of whom have become very good friends of mine.

I thank all those who called, sent me gifts, cards, messages...etc. I am grateful.

I am grateful for everything, Happy Birthday to me.

PS. I am still accepting gifts.

Thankful

Today,
I am thankful to be alive.
Most importantly,I thank God for the life of my brother,
Who was caught inthe middle of the armed robbery saga inKetu on friday.

Details later, get to get back to work!

Update: I cannot even begin to recount the story like he told me, but something has to be done about the security in Lagos. The robbers according to my brother were very young, as young as 18 and 19. Their weapons were nothing to compare to the police toy guns. He ran to police station for "safety" but it was a bad idea,he was almost killed there and the station was razeddown, am just grateful that his life was spared because people were killed right in front of him. It so scary and sad.

Rejoinders to lost's return.

In response to my poem - Lost's return,
My poetry partner Lost wrote a rejoinder

Homecoming
It’s the evening,
The neighbors are gone now
The music has gone quiet
The celebrations are over
Its just us now…
Mama and I

She looks at me.
I look away.
She reaches for me.
I pull away.
She remains.
I stop.
I reach for her.
I stop.
I am not the son she lost,
I think.
I am not the boy she missed…the one that left.
The one she loved.Would she love,
the one that came,
In place of the one she lost?
It’s the evening,
The neighbors are gone now…But the questions remain.

And Blacktinkerbell,
wrote a rejoinder to his,

Mama's Love
My son has come,
returned from the dead.
My back has been bent
bent double with the weight of my prayers
My heart lightens
the burden tumbles down
Years restored;
which I thought were lost
In the midst of rejoicing,I see
see a new light in his eyes
the warrior who left me
he's returned a broken man
his lips tremble,
his eyes dart to and fro
in unguarded moments,
cold steel creeps into his touch
he is not right, he is not the same
As the night lightens into morn
with the first call of the cockerel,
I slip into his room
I call his name,
look into his eyes
lay his head upon my breast,
mama knows all, mama's love will heal.

Beautiful pieces.

Native Language

Why do some Nigerians think that speaking and teaching their children, their native language is razz?

As long as it doesn't affect their spoken English, whats wrong?


Is speaking Pidgin razz too? I particularly love the waffy dialect of pidgin.

Someone please educate me!

Lost's return

Today, Mama is rejoicing,
Singing and dancing,
Praying and crying,
Her eyes simply cannot believe it,
This is a greater gift than money,
Far sweeter than honey,

Today mama is celebrating,
That which caused her agony,
now suddenly brings her relief,
She is beside herself,
hands on her head,
hands on her chest,
hands together in the air,
God has answered her only prayer,
She thought this was a dead matter.

Clap, mama,clap
Dance, mama, dance,
Your dance is the prologue,
to the never ending chorus.
Let her bask in this reverie,
10 oceans cannot contain her floods of joy,
Nothing , noone can stop her,
From embracing her son,
The first fruit of her womb,
Who had been missing for years and years,
Everyone was assured that death had eaten him up,
A child dead, is better than a child lost,
But mama held on and kept her hopes up,

Her only son, her first born has returned,
beat the gong,play the drum
This festival has just begun.
© Omohemi Benson, All rights reserved.

This is for lost, I await your response.

Fear

Marianne Williamson

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you NOT to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won't feel unsure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. As we let our own Light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

First heard this from the film Coach carter and then Akeelah and the bee, two brilliant films,but one beautiful powerful phrase,that inspires me daily. Read it again, onTminx blog today and smiled.

The collaspe of the Mississippi bridge

Today, I heard about the collaspe of the Mississippi bridge, please read here for more details.
I couldnot help but think about our own third mainland bridge.

May God console the families of the those who lost there lives on the bridge.

Read yesterday of some prisoners in the phillppines who dance to pop as their morning routine.
will this ever happen in our prisons? If yes? When?
Please click on the link here to watch them dance, very interesting.
Enjoy.

counting...

In exactly 29 days from now,
It will be my birthday,
so am giving blogsville enough notice,
Why? because I want gifts!
not just calls and messages, but beautiful gifts.

Mark the 30th of August in your diary, phone, whatever and start planning on what to give me.
no excuses, just gifts!
Thanks.