Oluwatoyin Chrstiana OLUWASESIN.

It was in Gombe state, Nigeria, 2 years ago, she was doing her job…. when she met her death.

'Toyin was a teacher at the Government day secondary school, Gandu.

On March 21 morning, she resumed for work as usual, it was during the examinations period, she was invigilating a class, we learn t she distributed the question papers and announced the commencement of the paper.

A few minutes into the session she observed that Fatsuma a female student was copying answers from a book concealed in a newspaper. Confiscating the newspapers and its hidden contents she dumped the lot on the teacher’s desk and some slips of paper containing Arabic writings floated to the floor. They were later confirmed to be pages of the Hadith and Koran, as soon as 'Toyin did this, the female student stood up began to scream Allahu Ahkbar! Allahu Ahkbar! The cheating female ran out of the classroom as the others joined her in the chant. The whole school was thrown into confusion.

When' Toyin saw that the female student had raised a false alarm, she decided to report the incident to the school principal Mallam Sadiq Mohammed.

Her husband said she also called him and told him about the chaos in the school. He in turn alerted a friend in the Gombe metropolis and the family friend promptly turned up in the school premises with uniformed police men but was rebuffed by the principal who said everything was under control.

As soon as the policemen retired, the Muslim students mobilized a huge crowd and demanded that 'Toyin be released to them by the principal, when threatened that his office would be burnt the Principal came out with 'Toyin in tow to face the mob. The Principal was helpless when the students seized her.

We learnt she was tied up, striped naked , beaten up and then a boy slit her throat with a knife, while this was going on, some other students went to burn her car, they brought the spare tire of her car, put it around her and set her ablaze.

After this, they also tried to kill her 10 month old baby, but thank God for a brave woman that agreed to sneak the baby out under her cloth.

It was also more saddening to hear that she had tendered her resignation and the 21st of March (the day she was brutally murdered) was to be her last day at the school. Her husband had secured a job appointment at the Federal Medical Centre in Abeokuta of Ogun State. Her husband was to pick her from Gandu in the last week of March.

I came across a ministry that are involved in seeing that justice is done concerning the deceased and her family, they have been fighting, praying, meeting and going lengths.... The details of her gruesome murder is here

I remember 'Toyin…….,we served (our 1 year National youth Service Corps program me, NYSC) together, we were in the Nigerian Christian Coppers Fellowship (NCCF) together.

'Aunty' we fondly called her, (she was the Assistant Secretary General of the NCCF, Lagos branch). I remember her agility… she was always up and doing and was very firm.

I remember the last time I was opportune to see her, she was gaily dressed (on her way from a function), we were at an alumni meeting, she was explaining she was now at Gombe state, (her husband had been transferred to work there). We all were discussing ideas of jobs she could do there, business opportunities in Gombe state etc......I didn’t know that was the last time we would see on this side of eternity.

Her death really troubled me and every time I remember how she was wasted I shudder.

I am not sure if the real perpetrators have been brought to book, or if her family has been given an official apology or if her children would see evidences that our nation was genuinely concerned and is sorry for the unfortunate incident that happened to their mother.

I am not sure if anything as been done to sanitize the society and children especially of the value of human lives and how it can never be right or justifiable to take another person's life in the name of religion.

I pray her death will not be 'for nothing', I pray her children will grow up and live in;

- A country where a lot of value is placed on a human being's life.
- A country were the barbaric and senseless killings of people in the name of religion would cease.
- A country where people respect the rule of law and where the law prevails

- A country that has laws that protect the right of an individual to life.

- A country where they could freely choose to live anywhere, walk anywhere freely and freely make friends without fear of being prejudiced, segregated, ostracised or even mobbed

I spoke with her husband not too long ago, (they are holding up fine he said), the family launched a foundation in her memory. Her children are doing very well.

We take consolation in the fact we believe Oluwatoyin has gone to better place, where she is watching, smiling, resting and waiting.

Oluwatoyin, we believe you lived for a cause, Good bye till we meet again at the side of our Lord Jesus!

Adieu!

NB: A lot was written and said about her death like here, and here

You will Laugh!

I got an email this morning and I thought to share it, I found it uplifting particularly because I woke up today feeling very,very, very blue.
The devil tried to depress me, reminding me of 'the stories of my life'; rubbing in my failures, the things that I still do not have in my life, that I have been good for nothing,..... I was running out of time etc. I woke up with these thoughts on my mind about 3:30am, I lost sleep afterward, and was sad till day break.

Thank God for prayers, I was able to 'encourage myself in the Lord' like David.
I am sure you have those doubts......you question your ability, your enthusiasm and your faith.
I don't believe in avoiding the facts, but I believe in standing on God's side, with the winning team , I believe in agreeing with God, that " I will laugh at last, and that in some months, days or years, I would look back and laugh again!
Your experiences are just the distance between your story and your glory.
Read this, I believe it would bless somebody:


Dear Friend,In Genesis 18:13-14 we read: 'The Lord said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say "Will I really have a child, now that I am old?" Is anything too hard for the Lord?"

Then in Genesis 21:2 we read 'Sarah became pregant and bore a son and said "God has brought me laughter" But between the first and the last laugh Sarah went through a wrenching time of disappointment and heartache. The 'love of her life,' Abraham, betrayed her to save himself. Abimelech, a heathen king, took her to his harem and would slept with her had God not stepped in to rescue her.

Yes like Sarah, between the first laugh and the last you'll do a lot of growing. You 'll celebrate your good times and pray for grace to survive your bad ones. Some days you'll feel like I can't go a step further, yet through it all you'll learn to trust God more than you ever dreamed possible.

Here's an important thought: when you share your story with others don't just tell them how you started or where you are today, tell them what God brought you through. Why? For those are the things they are struggling with too! King Abimelech's tent was in Gerea, which means the halting place.

There will be times when you'll feel as if your life has come to a complete halt; like you're getting nowhere. Maybe that's where you are today like me.
If it is, please know this God will be faithful to you! Not only will He bring you through, but like Sarah, you'll laugh again as you watch Him fulfill His promises in your life!
We must survive, You must survive as long as you faithfully trust in God, He will make you to laugh again. I pray that He will give you strength to overcome your wrenching time of disappointment and heartache.
Be strong in the Lord!

2 truths, 1 lie meme ANSWERED!!!

This is long over due, I was tagged on the 2 truths-1 lie meme, I posted mine here

I must tender my unreserved apologies for not updating my blog in a long time, what were my reasons?........nothing really, I have worked on some things I wanted to post, but just did not get to posting them, I guess I lost my flow, but I have been enjoying reading all your beautiful posts.

Well, no one got the answers to the meme right..I was planning to give those who had the correct answers surprise gifts that would make even the GNG green with envy...LOL!

So here are my answers:

1) I was bugged in the school magazine when I was in the Universtiy is a truth!

It was my 4th year in the university......a friend brought my attention to the school magazine where i was bugged; it had my first name, a variant of my surname, my department, my year of study and where I live. It was something silly about me with 2 boyfriends, "getting all I wanted from them", and I should be satisfied and stop pretending etc......interestingly, I do not remember all now, but back then in school and for some years after I could recite the whole article for you by heart.

I need to emphasize here that I was a very quiet, bashful and scared student, my routine in school was classes-church fellowship-hostel-friends-classes. I didn't have much of a social life (I enjoyed spending time with my friends though)
So I was the last 'kind' of person you would expect those 'kind' of guys that wrote the magazine would know, talk less of bug, that bug really affected me, it came as a rude shock.
I still remember always feeling like the ground should open up and swallow me whenever I saw a copy of the magazine with students. I remember walking in to the campus and thinking everyone now knew me, everyone was pointing at my direction and that everyone was talking and gossiping about me.

I also heard some people in my school fellowship were saying all sorts about me, …..things like 'dont mind that sister, that is how some of them pretend" talks. I heard of how my topic was always top of agenda in hostel gists....and poor me, I didn't even have an idea of what the bug was about, I didn't even know what they were talking about.

I learnt some of my class mates decided to take it up, went as far as going to the SUG ( student union government) building to challenge those that wrote that article and others did a lot of other things.
Looking back now, I guess it was one of those things that toughened me up, I also knew the devotion of friends, their faith in me and the fact that some people believed in me unreservedly.

NB: I was told one of the editors of the magazine had some issues with a friend of mine and decided to use me to get to him( that friend's name was also mentioned in the bug too), whatever it was , I still wonder why it was me they choose to bug in the school magazine!

2) I have read the whole of my bible at least once before, I mean from Genesis to Revelation....is the LIE!

I guessed everybody would think this as the truth; I am ashamed to say that I have not been able to read my whole bible from genesis all the way to revelation. True, I have read a lot of the bible, taught bible classes, but I have never been able to finish reading the whole bible no matter how hard I tried. I also attempted the millennium craze of Cover2Cover, I never got around to finishing it.

I am humbled that a lot of people believe I've actually read my all through my bible.
I really hope to read my bible from genesis to revelations soon, and this time, not just as a religious act or to prove a point, but a study dedicated to knowing the thoughts of my father and my God.

3)I have fallen out of a very fast moving car on a major highway before is of course a truth!

I was still in primary school, in Lagos, I remember it was a Sunday, we were going back home from church, my father was driving, my mum seated beside him, I was sitting behind ( where we all know as "owner’s corner") , next thing I knew I was out of the car, flat on the floor on the high way! our car speeding ahead, I could see an oncoming vehicle behind me (I think it was a “Molue’ I don't remember very well).

My father stopped the car as soon as he could they raced to get me, but thank God I was not ground, smoothed or filed by the oncoming vehicle, and grateful I sustained only minor injuries iodine and cotton wool could solve.

I would be back soon.

It's my birthday.........Its a Tuesday!

Its Tuesday, it’s my birthday today..….and here is my Ten Things Tuesday special.......

I am thankful for:-
1) His Love: I thank God because He loves me, sounds like a cliché right?…the reality of the kind of love God has for me just hit me recently; now I understand NOTHING would stop or reduce His love! Nothing, not even my weaknesses, not death, not life, not the devil, not angels, not my unseriousness, not my failures..... NOTHING, He loves me beyond understanding…….I am eternally grateful. God lavishes His love on me!

2) My Body: I‘ve had serious issues with my health, a lot of people do not know 'cos I don’t look it.
I was practically sick all through my days in the university; to the extent the nurses knew my hospital card number by heart. I always carried my drugs in my bag. I struggled everyday.
I despaired, prayed, cried, fasted, studied, gone for endless tests, x-rays, scans, mammography etc Doctors experimented with me. ( and I no be Sickler o)

I remember at a time I stopped making plans for my future; I was so sure I would pass away soon. I thank God for this inner strength, faith and determination He gave me then, no matter how sick I felt I was able to do almost anything I wanted to do!

But Now......for the past years, I have been strong! I have not been admitted in an hospital for years! I even avoid taking drugs now, I avoid ordinary Paracetamol………….just writing about all I went through …....brings tears to my eyes……my fears, my helplessness....it was very bad............... I would continue to testify about it even on my 60th, 80th and 100th birthday anniversary( If Christ tarries). God gave me a new lease of life!!

3) My future, the process………I’m writing this by faith, God is helping me, unwrapping somethings, I'm learning to walk with God by faith and not by sight, as I write I am not sure of the outcome of some things, but I am thanking in advance for my future. I'm going to have and experience all that Christ died for me for. No more religion; having the form but no power. No more stories, but realities. I cherish and really appreciate this process. God is adding beauty to me!

4) His Mercy: boy…..I’ve really messed up in my short life, I have made a lot of wrong choices and decisions. You might not believe me, but I think I am one the greatest recipients of God’s mercies……… you know that saying that ‘to whom much is given, much is expected’ ? Me? I keep falling short, but God? he keeps forgiving, keeps believing in me, keeps cheering me on.

5) The Fire: Remember I wrote about loosing our house to fire here, I almost lost all I managed to re-own to another fire incident some days ago…….they said it was something that had to do with some gas leakage...bla bla bla, the gas exploded, the whole house was almost in flames. I was not in the house, but neighbors were able to put out the fire on time, and thank God no life was lost……….me I know Baba interfered!

6) The Depression: oh yea………I was there, it was about 3 years ago....it actually started before then. Mostof theplans I made for my future failed, I saw my dreams crashing before me, I lost a lot, that was the season that almost everything I feared most in life happened to me.

I tried to pretend to everyone I was fine, I talked less about it, I worried so much, I internalized all these pains. I discovered one day I started to loose it............I was on the verge of depression. I had a new job, I went on vacation to interesting places, went to the hospital, prayed, indulged my self, I tried all I could, but it was not working, I was sinking more and more into depression day by day.

Looking back today………I still don’t know how I came out of that condition, but I got over it………..God carried me through that season!

7) My Trips: I’m thankful for protection, in the last 3 years of my life, I travelled a lot, moved about a lot, I can leave one destination for another place at any time without thinking (even in strange lands). I have come out of car crashes unhurt, I have been robbed at gun point, I have flown in aircraft that were in terrible conditions, flown at very bad weather conditions. I have gone to site locations at very dangerous places and times, I can go on and on, I know I have walked through the valley of the shadow of death. ……….God kept me!

8) The Job: ….I remember this with a lot of mixed feelings … those days! o those days! when I was jobless. Yours truly prayed, fasted, cried, schemed, but the jobs were just not forth coming.
At a time, I was ready to take or do anything.

I remember always 'doing serious prayers' to God to provide money just to make my hair, I 'enjoyed' strolling when there was not enough money for transport fare,
I depended on people….and put up with all sorts of harassments. but like the Isrealites in the wilderness, whose clothes and shoes did not wear out for 40 years, He took care of me.

A lot of people are loosing jobs in their thousands now, I do not take mine for granted, its not yet my dream job, but it can conveniently pay all my bills and afford to do anything I want to, plus I have gained a lot of experience………..God settled me!


9) The family: they are my cheerleaders, my own support group, my allies, we have our own issues too, but they would do almost anything for me. We have been through a lot; no food, no money, no house etc, but we are survivors. God blessed me with people, I can depend on.

10) and to Blog Ville, I really have become a better person, a more focused person, I have read things on people’s blog that has made me to go pray about my life, make some good decisions or given me food for thought. ……….oh God…its been wonderful,
Love you all……Muah!! God has made me a companion of the wise!

I want to go on and on, to thank God for my sweet and faithful friends, my dreams, for this place, this time, for the lots I have learnt, my love life, my walk with God; peace, joy, answered prayers, my opportunities, my pains etc……….
but I want to stick to the rhyme…..TTTT……Ten Things Thankful Tuesday! I’ll stick to 10
I’ll be back soon………need to go get ready to send you all your share of the cake!

I know you need to say it...........Ok…let me help you all say…...Olufunke, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Episode 'Goat Vs Nigerian Police"

I was shocked, overwhelmed, flabbergasted and even 'flagabasted' when I saw this news title "Police parade goat as robbery suspect" eh! for where ? how come? that can't be true! lai-lai! haba! a goat--robbery suspect! when did this world come to that? etc........

My friend sent me the news link here yesterday, since I read it I have not stopped wondering about a lot of things.........

A goat (abi na ram) has been arrested for attempting to steal a car!....ok the gist is that a man was caught attempting to steal a mazda car and while he was about to be apprehended, he turned his back to the wall and turned into a goat! and the goat has been arrested and would be kept in police custody till all investigations have been concluded.

In as much as I do not doubt our super abilities in Africa; to turn a stick to a human being and turn a human being into a tuber of yam, I also know we have the best air force one technology; we can fly at night to anywhere under any weather condition, etc but our police for shame small, and think twice before parading a ram about as a robbery suspect!

Well, I had fun thinking about it over and over again, imagining the police men dragging about a ram (and you know how sturbborn Nigerian goats can be), to court house, to televesion houses, to and fro the police station, to press conference centres etc. I really do not envy the Police Public Relations Officer that was saddled with the responsibilty of informing the public.

So my people, I have some questions:-

• Will this goat be charged to court for robbery?
  
• If it is charged and it is found guilty, how will it serve its purnishment? .......starve the goat? beat it till it can't bleat again.....or better still till it starts shouting 'ye' 'ye'..or 'ouch' 'ouch' like a proper human being ( that it is supposed to be)?
  
• Can it be proven that true true this goat was a man before now? as we know the forensic technology capability (or prowess) of the Nigerian Police.
  
• And if it is true that the goat was a man, can this skill be harnessed, the technology developed, so that we can be the exporter of the 8th wonder of the world, and then some of us can just turn into a mosquito ( whenever we like) and enter anywhere without any inhibition/restrictions.etc...a lot of things are running through my mind.

Please.......help me to stop wondering............................

2 truths , 1 lie

I've been tagged by Danny in the 2 truths, 1 lie meme,

( I have really been wondering what 'meme' means and who started this tag-tag thing?)

but since I have been tagged, I obey the tag :-)

OK I'll try to make is as simple as possible............. but then I think I should make mine 3 truths, ...1 lie...I like the number 3.

OK, I decided to obey the rules strictly, and I also want to avoid confusion due to inconsistency, a lot of people are used to 3 things not 4 things
I am deleting the above ( I only retained it so those who had read it before woudl not think 'deja vu' , it was there)
Its still 3 things; 2 truths and 1 lie

So here we go!

1. I was bugged in the school magazine when I was in the university

2. I have read the whole of my bible at least once before, I mean from Genesis to Revelation

3. I have fallen out of a very fast moving car on a major highway before

4. DELETED


I hereby tag the following on the 2 truths a 1 lie meme

1. Enkay

2. Beulah

3. Dammy

4. Rita ( not sure you've been tagged before)

5. Tobenna ( not seen your 2 truths, 1 lie, hope you have not been tagged on it before now)

6. YankieNaijababe ( hope you've not been tagged on this too)

anyway, let's all enjoy it......................


I know a lot of you know the rules to tagging..........well, I'd repeat here


The Tagging rules are:

1. You have to tell us 3 things about you, 2 truths and 1 lie

2. Link the person who tagged you.

3. Mention the rules in your blog.

4. Leave a comment on the blogs of those you have tagged

5. Tag 6 following bloggers, link them.


I hope the new year is already bringing new smiles to your faces!

Credit Crunch...............(2)

One of the news that caught my eye that morning (over a month ago) was ‘Oil falls below $56 as Japan slips into recession’; my heart sank……

Japan? A whole Japan into recession? Japan is the world’s 2nd largest economy now?

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Meanwhile…..permit me to feel like an economics teacher…….

A recession is a decline in a country's gross domestic product (GDP), or a negative real economic growth, for two or more successive quarters of a year. Credit crunches are usually considered to be an extension of recessions.

A credit crunch makes it nearly impossible for companies to borrow because lenders are scared of bankruptcies or defaults, which results in higher rates.

The consequence is a prolonged recession (or slower recovery), which occurs as a result of the shrinking credit supply.

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All this grammar means there is global meltdown, the world is in financial crisis, there is austerity..........in short 'there is shortage of money all over the world'

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There is recession in the United states, Asia and in Europe, and from all the news and reports, its forecasted the recession would be sustained, I don’t need to bore you with news of recession, or financial crises, record time fall in price of oil or increased terrorism that you are well aware about (after all, our media has been feeding us with no other news but these ills)

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While I’m quick to admit that I am not an economist, and I have no professional skills to discuss financial matters……. But after reading so much of people’s comments, fears, forecasts and predictions, I've been forming my own opinion (it's been the same since my last post here on credit crunch-1 )

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For the first time in a lot of years, we are in a ‘direction-less’ world, people are asking where is the safest place to keep ones money? What investment are the wisest to make now? What part of the world would be spared this impending disaster? Where is the world financial power shifting to? There are no answers!…….the hearts of men are failing and every one is just facing the future with dread, caution and in-uncertainty.

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I’ve read that Africa has been ‘untouched’ by the global crisis, but I feel that is just an assumption. I know in Nigeria, even though it may feel like the effect is not that pronounced, the truth is that we have not been spared the effect of the world crisis;

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A lot of Nigerians have lost money in the stock market, the Nigerian stock exchange is crashing by the day, banks are in search of liquid funds, I think the banks would go into depression soon, some bankers may loose their jobs e.t.c

The value of the Naira is dropping gradually (despite the central Bank of Nigeria’s assuring us otherwise) prices of things would go up, cost of living would increse.

Price of oil per barrel has drastically dropped, Federal government is predicting ‘no NEPA”, and with the current drop in real estate……..so many over priced& underpriced properties…little or no cash flow in the society to buy them etc , the list goes on…………………

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Would you permit me to make my own personal submissions thus;

I still want to believe that the recession would not last, I am not trying to be ‘just optimistic’ neither am I shying away from reality or the facts. The realities/facts have stared us in the face these past months…what have we done with them?..NOTHING! …..they’ve only caused our hearts to fail more.

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So, I choose to look up, to the one who made the world, the one who knows all, and the ONLY one that has ALL the solutions to the problems of the world!

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· I choose to believe the report of the Lord, I choose to believe in the prophecies that ‘there would be a lifting up’

· I choose to be optimistic, I should forge ahead in faith and not in fear

· I choose to believe God’s words

· I believe the American economy would improve; I believe God would grant president Obama’s administration the wisdom to make positive changes.

· I believe the world would recover (even though not without a lot of shakings and unseating of some powers that be now)

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I also think this is NOT a time

· To only gist and make comments about the world financial crisis, or shy away from reality; pretending like you don’t know what’s happening.

· To just shudder, sit in hopelessness, just waiting, watching and hoping…thinking "maybe, maybe thing will get better".

· To be scared and start making irrational decisions propelled by fear…'fear and worry have never be known to solve any problem'

· To be selfish or in sensitive…and think: 'whatever is happening in the world does not affect me', ‘I don’t care, me and my household we will survive’ or think you are immune.

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But I think it’s a season

· To spend more time with the one that created you and this world:

· To seek direction; to find out were to go and when to go, what to invest in, where and what to embrace and what to refrain from.

· To make adjustments; we might need to change jobs, businesses, cut down on expenses or change long/short time plans for our families.

· To seek wisdom and counsel, the tread cautiously before making investments and decisions

· To live in faith, to believe that He would not leave us, He owns all the wealth and treasures of this world, and He alone (not even the best financial analyst) determines what happens to world finances!

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I know people all over the world are praying, and I have heard a lot of encouraging prophesies, I also listened to Pat Robertson’s prediction for the year, I’ve read people‘s comments like this here& here and I am also asking God for direction and I believe we would see great things in 2009!

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Even though I agree that it’s a lesson that would shake the world, to remind us that we don’t always have all the answers! and that America may no longer be the world power on finances and world politics……………I choose to believe we would outlast this recession. I must state that despite all I have written I DO NOT KNOW HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO RECOVER from the recession. .

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I’m reminding myself that:

Isaiah 60:2. "Darkness will cover the earth and gross darkness the people, but the Lord shall arise upon us and His Glory shall be seen upon us"

Deut 8:18 “And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

Ps 50: 10 “For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills or upon the mountains where thousands are”

Finally, I should say my thoughts on the global crisis is progressive, I will continue to post as other/different things come to mind on the issue….I really want to say IT IS WELL, (not just a slang to console ourselves) but because I mean it that it will be WELL.

'ELEMENT" wahala!!

For those that reside in Lagos , its no longer news that a new law has been enforced; ‘Okada riders’ (commercial motorcyclists) must wear ‘crash helmets’ and also have a spare one available for their passengers to wear too. since the beginning of this year, the law enforcement agencies have swooped on those not obeying this law.

I've heard people call the crash helmets so many names; some call it ‘element’, head wear’, 'bike helmet' etc, but I think I like the ‘element’ one

I had fun with my friends all through yesterday about different types of head helmets;…people were donning all sorts ‘hard hats’ used by construction site workers, some people had on the ones bikers use for racing, some had these old soldiers metal war helmet , some had shapes of bowls…infact all sort of head gears……and its more fun to see the passengers too…’passenger and driver’ in head gears cruising ……you get the feeling its some scene from ‘ocean 11’ or a Jackie Chan movie.
Check out the babes on ‘okada’….it was a site to behold…….with different hairdos ….tucked under different shapes of head gears in the name of ‘element’.

Since the enforcement of this ‘element’ law, there has been a lot of reservations about its use, mostly its been hygiene issues, who wants to catch 'lice' or skin disease?

I've even heard intriguing stories of fears that the 'okada' drivers could put ‘juju’ in the 'element 'and an unsuspecting passenger might just disappear to be used for a ritual later.

You need to see people wrapping up their head with different materials before wearing the 'element', to prevent them from contacting anything bad from these 'head elements'

I know if people had choices, they would avoid riding on 'okada' …. When I heard about the law…….I said to myself 'that this is it.... I would stop riding on okada'….but then we know how 'okadas' could be life savers in Lagos especially in the terrible traffic on the islands in the afternoons.

I heard some of my colleagues say they would go and shop for their own personal ‘element’ and put in their boots for those who have cars!

So I guess for those who do not own cars, we’ll start seeing …..people carrying sacks containing their 'element' to ride okada, or ladies hiding their 'element' in their big handbags!


While I know the crash helmet wearing is for our safety, (I really believe in safety measures), I've been telling people that ‘I am sorry o…….me I no fit wear 'element' o’ my reason has been that ‘It’s not hygienic’, how can I put on my head the same helmet every Tom, Dick and Harry has worn?

My kind of job requires us to go to site sometimes, and your head protection is a must, even at that we always had our own personal 'head element’!

Anyway, on my way to church yesterday I needed to ride on a commercial motorcycle, the 'Okada' driver I stopped to take me asked If I was going to wear the ‘element’ I said NO, but I agreed to hold it, if we had to pass through any police check point (so they would not arrest the guy).

On our way….we sighted some police men far off, na so yours truly quickly ‘denge' the helmet for head with one hand, but when we got to the police men, one of them shouted 'wear it very well o!' 'put it on your head properly'…I had to let the element ‘touch’ my head,……..oh my God!

I had a good laugh at myself, with all my mouth that ‘I’m sorry o', 'I CANNOT wear element'………..'lai lai that is not possible', 'they can't be serious', 'its dirty!! etc. I had an 'element' on my head!

I was hoping no one would take my picture and tag me on face book......I laughed and laughed and laughed at myself.
So much for 'element' wahala…………….