Let it be! Let it be!!

“The greatest discovery of my generation is that human being can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind”

- William James of Harvard University.

Looking back in time, depending on whose rear-view mirror you are viewing, year 2008 will be fondly remembered, missed or hissed at. To many others, it might as well be goodbye to year 2009 if not welcome, year 2006. In other words, expectedly and naturally too, year 2008 dealt differently to different persons. A cursory glance at the year-book of 2008 will reveal an overwhelming disparity in thoughts, actions and inaction of men, resulting in varying degrees of results and counter reactions. Regardless of race, religion, region or class, year 2008 no doubt, delivered an unending laughter, joy and happiness to many just as many homes and institutions were rife with pain, sorrow and despair. There were birth and death. Winners and losers. Leaders and rulers. Achievers and dreamers. The lot had their way, others merely had their say. Desperate others even desired to freeze the year under review. Mother Nature won’t have none of that. Whatever your inevitable lot, year 2008 is gone and gone forever. Same (2008) better described as yesterday in our recent past, relegated to memory lane is only good to history and useful to historians. Hence, nature’s deliver on year 2009. Year 2009 today (o1/01/2009) like Virgin Mary (Mariam) is pure, young and innocent. Like a new born baby its (2009) very welcomed and cherished. Above all, like most new trends, this year brings with it high hope and expectations, coupled with traditional blind enthusiasm. To this end, all manner of measures, permissible or otherwise – cash and kind – are employed to achieve set objectives. Such measures are largely the direct offspring of the new year’s resolution phenomenon borne, to a large extent, out of constructive criticism, self-appraisal and deep reflection.

To please the profs; new year’s resolution like all other resolution, is, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, “ a firm decision to do or not to do something”, but unlike the latter that are haphazard, the former is very popular and synonymous with 1 Jan. of every year. Year 2009 in particular.

“The beginning is half the whole” - Greek proverb.

Regardless of who we are, our past and circumstance (Immediate and remote), the decision to make or mar our lives is in our hands. In this regard, John R. Rice once Opined:

No matter what a man’s past may have been, his future is spotless. where there is no faith in the future, there is no power in the present.

Hinge your goals on your desires, not on your circumstances. our wishes are but prophesies of what we capable of achieving. As “nothing lie beyond the reach of prayer except those request that fall outside the will of God – Aaidh Ibn Abdullah Al-Qarnee. A quick & simple guide in these manner & matter of human existence – active adults, especially – is to plan (confide & consult), pray and look deep before you leap with utmost caution. “Easy” they say, “does it ”.Meaning:

one step at a time.

Furthermore, life by the yard is hard, by inch is (life) cinch. We may be disappointed if we fail but we will be doomed if we don’t try at all. Grieve not over those chances you failed, about them you are done with. John Keats writes:

Failure is the highway to success, in as much as every discovery of what is false leads us also to seek earnestly after what is true.

Success doesn’t mean the absence of failure. It means the attainment of ultimate objectives. It means winning the war not every battle. What’s more, the British once assert:

When an exercise fails, let it die fast & silently; and if any one mentions It, you don’t know what the hell he’s talking about – Que Sera Sera.

The vision that you glorify in your mind; the ideal that you enthrone in your heart - this you will build your life by, this you will become.

So?

Resolve to have a new lease of life. Resolve to fault all fears – they are false. Resolve to be a firm believer in divine intervention. Resolve to avoid bad association – be your self. Resolve to stand for something – be bold and strong. Resolve to start where you stand – however small. Resolve to be an incurable optimist. Resolve to be different to make a difference – be a role model. Resolve to know more to be more – learn to learn. Resolve to ignore your limitations – focus on your strength. Resolve to travel light – bear no grudges. Resolve to be happy – have peace of mind. Resolve not to entertain life vanities – life is brief. Resolve to take pain – no pain is in vain. Resolve to see the end – don’t quit, hang on.

Resolve that “destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, a thing to be achieved” – William Jennings Bryan.

Resolve to be resolved!

Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible. They are no born champions. Today is all that you got, yesterday (2008) is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Be a champion today.

God bless and sustain Nigeria.

OMALE SURAJ ALLADEY (OSA)

Osapenn.blogspot.com.

deensuraj@yahoo.com.

0806 547 2054.

Sun girl and the culture of nudity

SUN GIRL AND THE CULTURE OF NUDITY:
“where it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspaper or newspaper without government. I should not hesitate to prefer the latter"-president Thomos Jefferson (1743-1826), courtesy of vanguard book of quotations, pg 200 )”
For the avoidance of doubt, Sun Girl is a regular picture show, by the editor’s measure, of stunning girls on page 3 of THE SUN, Nigeria. A case in point is that of Joy Akins of Delta State. Supposedly a student, inevitably turned off by lies/cheat, and can be cheaply accessed on 0802 584 6447, published on Friday, November, 2008. Page 3. While this writer may be too dull to know if the Sun Girl phenomenon is either of the department of information, education or entertainment department of the media, he is properly informed, very sensitive and of course, privileged to know that the Sun Girl epidemic as currently being run by THE SUN and others have a lot in common with certain illicit services offered by most hotels across the globe.
Once upon a time (a true to God life story) on his way from Abuja (Nigeria) to his village, one Alhaji Dauda (not real name) checked in at Anyigba motel (a hotel shamelessly situated straight across the Kogi State
university-KSU, Anyigba, Kogi State) and requested for the “special menu” that contain obscene pictures of teenage girls (mostly students of university-KSU), with their names, numbers and address-for fear of network (GSM) failure. At a single glance, Alhaji Dauda made his choice and was about to fulfill the terms of engagement when nemesis stroke. For next to his would-be quickie mate was the picture of his friend, Alhaji Nasir’s (not real name) wife (an undergraduate-KSU). Expectedly and naturally too, his (Alhaji Dauda) Libido was lumbered.
A week later, Alhaji Dauda managed to lure his friend, Alhaji Nasir to Anyigba motel (aforementioned) for the ultimate showdown. What an earthquake. The above Anyigba ordeal is a quick and simple variety, a case out of several millions and an all-day, everyday occurrences. The worst of all possible worlds of these agents of damnation are the ROT and RUST popular in most of our homes, schools, and the society in general. Especially among them in authority with stolen privileged positions. Imagine Joy Akins picking pins-chaos. or worst still, imagine if Joy Akins is the editor’s daughter if not the first daughter of the federal republic of Nigeria-outright objection.
It deeply hurts!
Permit me therefore to opine that the culture of nudity dubbed “Sun Girl” and others be reviewed. Such valuable paper pages be committed to charitable works for the common good. “Pro boro publico”
God bless and sustain Nigeria.



Omale suraj Alladey (OSA)
OSAPENN.blogspot.Com
deensuraj@ yahoo.Com
0806 547 2054.

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OBJ’S CLOCK .

With spent hope of finding water I returned home weary and dejected not sure of what next to do amidst so much to be done, considering the time of the day and the day of the week- 10:20am, Sunday, October 25, 2008.

My confused state and manner was brief as could be heard all around the neighborhood was the popular euphoria of “up Neepaaa” that usually greets and announce the unusual epileptic availability of electricity supply by power holding company of Nigeria (PHCN). Quickly and quietly, I dashed to my bedroom, grabbed my cloths and hurried to the sitting room for fear of sibling rivalry and uncertainty on the part of PHCN or both possible reasons. In the end, I only managed to iron the collar of a shirt before the obvious; thus confirming my original fear of erratic, comatose, obsolete, oppressed and depressed PHCN. Above all, my attempt to call and cancel my date with her was repeatedly met with ‘Network busy’ – busy doing and achieving nothing.

Slowly but steadily, I dropped into a nearby armchair, picked (mechanically though) a copy of Sunday leadership out of my dad’s rich stock of papers; more due to the front page caption that reads “OBJ relegated by party leaders” than the desire to read. Read I read all the same till I got to page 54 of same (Sunday leadership) – Jokesvile/ OBJ’S CLOCK. And behold that simple straight joke on OBJ (Obey Before Judgment) aka Baba Iyabo completely changed my mood for the rest of that day. First, I was convulsed with laughter. Slide off the chair. Regain it (my seat), only to start another round of hysteria, giving greater autonomy to the paper in my hand to fly in all directions. With much difficulty, to the astonishment of my family members, I managed to calm down. Alone in my bedroom latter that night, I couldn’t help but remember what I regard as Joke of the century.

Surprisingly though, my initial reaction of frenzy was replaced with a well placed state of soberness for reasons I couldn’t, immediately, fathom out. Moments latter, like a jigsaw puzzle, the nickel dropped. The full import of that joke (OBJ’S Clock) dawned on me. Automatically, my sober state soon changed to anger tending towards hate. And I have all the good reasons to be angry with him, OBJ and his Committee of well connected cohorts. Despite all the good lord has done and is still doing for him. Bringing him (OBJ) from graves (first in his mother’s incubator) through grasses to grace. Obasanjo better than any one else in this country is well positioned to turn it (Nigeria) around. Baba Iyabo, for the records, is a retired army general – Cum – former head of state, a farmer, a prisoner, a former president, a former this and that – for want of space. And presently an international figure, a king maker (Otta shrine) – Cum – chieftain of the PDP (Persons Deceiving People), the largest ruling party in Africa. Above all, Uncle shege judiciously employed Mahatma – Gandi’s seven deadly sins to emerge as one of the nation’s 21^st century colossal corporate Icon and/or iconoclast to be reckoned with. What’s more, OBJ is comfortably in the league of grand parents if not great – grand parents, a chief and a renowned village elder not to mention his vantage position in the church – the list is endless. Yet Nigeria and Nigerians home and in Diaspora, is/ are well known for all the negative index of the world. Ours is a nation of motion without movement. “A nation”, according to Obasanjo, 1975 (The News 23^rd April 2001, page 48) “where the indolent, the dishonest and the inefficient can get to the top or become excessively wealthy”. Nigeria today by Abba of University of Abuja’s measure (Weekly trust Saturday, May 5, 2007, page 45) is a country “where its economic reform is reforming and refocusing and re-directing our national economic destinies to the service of few greedy Nigerians, ours is a story of a country that is at the service and (mercy) of her rulers not the other way round”.

The end result is the wanton rot and rust typical of the Nigeria project. The citizenry are hungry and angry, Deprived and desperate. Nigerians are diseased and disheartened. Infact, Nigerians are sick and tired of the so-called ruling elite ad nauseam elitism. That Nigeria still exist as a corporate entity is a miracle-it hurts! It is on this ill note that I’m most obliged to hammer home the implied points of that joke (OBJ’S Clock). OBJ, like every one of us is a mortal with definite expiring date. OBJ will definitely be remembered and be judged Ultimately. OBJ’s biological clock like his lie–clock in that joke (OBJ’s clock) is speeding astronomically to the great beyond. OBJ should therefore learn from the accidental newspaper Obituary report of Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite dubbed “merchant of death”. OBJ should see reasons with calvin Coolidge that “no person was ever honoured for what he received. Honour has been and will always be the reward for what he gave”. OBJ is finally prayed to be a good pupil of hindu philosophical believe that “when good people pass away, they don’t die. Their names live on forever through their good deeds”. Gen. Murtala Ramat Muhammed still leaves with us.

My concern: will OBJ be remembered with love and respect? Will OBJ be missed? Already, Eni-B of ThisDay wonders if “dem swear for Aremu,” (ThisDay Monday, July 7, 2003,back page). Femi Adesina of Daily Sun and his fans on the other hand view OBJ as a “National nemesis” (Saturday Sun, October 25, 2008, page 14), while formal governor Orji Kalu of Abia State and his disciplines are thanking God that OBJ is now history ( The Kalu leadership series, Saturday Sun, October 25, 2008, page 25) – the list is equally endless. That said and done, may I seize this golden opportunity to further conscientize them concerned. In other words, OBJ and his army of political contractors can still savage these ugly trends of fabrications. Gimmickry, Manipulations, Spins, Graft, Mauled investigation, Media hyped achievements and all other undemocratic actions and inactions that are currently the order of the day. OBJ and OBJ related power brokers can still pass away in peace and be remembered as national heroes, Elder statesmen and women. Aremu in particular can still earn the most coveted title of “father of modern -day Nigeria” that God so much desired for him.

My humble submission: Baba and Baba infused cabals should make hay, now, that the sun still shines. A stitch in time saves nine. “ Pro boro publico”. For the common good.

God bless and sustain Nigeria.

Omale Suraj Alladey (OSA)

0806 547 2054

deensuraj@yahoo.com

Looking for role models

As a child growing up in the late 1980s there were very rare occasions I’d allow myself the single honour and privilege to be informed, educated and entertained by the media at the expense of Hollywood productions.

Those few profitable occasions were where and when Walter Ofonagoro versus national issues were concerned. Was it his bizarre smiles? His eloquent speeches or his massive intellectual prowess? Whichever, heavens knew I was greatly fond of Walter. So what? One may ask.

To such a person and his or her likes, may I inform them that there comes a time in a child’s life when he or she decides for real what they will be remembered for.

That vital decision during the developmental stage of man is chiefly informed by the phenomenon known and called "role model" – positively or negatively. As a child, my role models, to an extent, were Walter Ofonagoro, Tom Ikimi, and others, yet, I don’t know for sure now, if Walter is dead or alive.

The obvious reasons are that: Ours (Nigeria) is a nation where only today and today’s "supposed or led leaders" reign supreme, while the legacies of our heroes past languish in total neglect. A nation where nepotism, tribalism, favouritism, cronyism and godbabarism (Otta shrine) are the order of the day. Furthermore, Nigeria is a nation where the unalienable rights of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness are the exclusive right of some selected favourites. A nation where over 95% of her earnings goes to less than 2% of her population (world bank report, 2006) with an overwhelming impunity.

Hence, we are starved and diseased, strained and pained, deprived and grieved – among all other ingredients of woe typical of a corrupt society. Above all, we are surrounded by slums and shanty towns inhabited by poverty – stricken people who wish death to life, yet, live all-day-every day in fervent desire but in vain, the dreams of the first world nations.
That I’m deeply hurt and cold is an understatement. But with the fortitude synonymous with Nelson Mandela of Africa, we shall endure to prevail. In other words, I’m hopeful of that day not too far that "our day shall come," as wisely argued by old man Mandela.

To this end, I’ve resolved to humbly remind Walter and other stakeholders (your appellations duly observed) the saying of Shiv Khera: That the societies are not destroyed so much by the activities of rascals but by the inactivity of the good people. In similar spirit, Martin Luther King Jr. once professed that "we cannot afford to give up now if you cannot fly, run, if you can’t run, you walk if you can’t walk, you crawl. But by all means, keep moving."

Sequel to which I hereby move a motion that all nationalists should unequivocally and unanimously unite and/or reunite in truth and trust in redeeming this inglorious chapter in the supposed giant of Africa – Nigeria. Especially, now that your (Walter and co) once baby fans are grown ups and are able as well willing to support (save otherwise) in no small measure, cash and kind to the inevitable glorious cause of national redemption.

At this juncture, to my fellow youths I must stress that there comes a time in a man’s life when eating becomes a vice. A time he must stand up for something or be forced to fall for everything. This time, we all like "all colours in the dark" must agree and maintain that "impossible is just another big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in a world they have been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact.

It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing." Consequently, we (youths) must resist being applied as weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Insist on our proper place in the society and exist as heirs to humanity to whom the baton of leadership must be passed on, without which we are guaranteed a total worldwide chaos.

Believing that in the end, we (youths) must be prepared to influence and shape the lives of generations yet unborn – as role models – in a way and manner very typical of Sir Walter Ofornagoro, Tom Ikimi and others.
• Omole Suraj Alladey,
Tel: 08065472054
deensuraj@yahoo.com

BURDEN OF UNCERTAINTY AND THE STACK REALITY OF REGRET.

Uncertainty, to a large extent, like regret is supposedly both a physical and spiritual low point in these matter and manner of human existence- especially among active adults. Regret, unlike uncertainty, is chiefly the corollary of human actions and inactions. In the state of regret, one is often very distressed and sorrowful; hence torpid and highly assailed.

Victims of regret, far and away, desire to reverse time or freeze same (time) at most. By so doing, they hope (but in vain) to undo or retract what they have done or said and/or do or say what they have failed to have done or said. Desperate others do even desire to change birth place or other places- but Mother Nature won’t have none of that. “We must be accountable to our deeds. There are no ‘ifs’ or ‘ands’ about it,” says Victor Hugo.

Permit then to infer that “regret” is unlicensed, unhealthy, unethical, unproductive, unmanly, ungodly, and totally unwelcome- so why still indulge in it? I humbly then posit (as a guide against regret) that we “plan and pray,” then “look,” very deep “before we leap.” What ever shortcomings we encounter afterwards are but good omen. As “shortcomings are success turned inside out, the silver tint of the cloud of doubt, and you never can tell how close you are, it may be near when it seems so far; so stick to the fight when you are hardest hit. It’s when things seems worst that you mustn’t summit to the odds and ends reckoned as regret.” What’s more, the British once opined that “when an exercise fails, let it die fast and silently; and if anyone mentions it, you don’t know what the hell he’s talking about-” Que sera sera.

Uncertainty you asked!?

Uncertainty in all its entirety is vile. It vitiates common sense; and violates divinity. Uncertainty paralyzes the faculty of reason, destroys the faculty of imagination, kills off self-reliance, undermines enthusiasm. Uncertainty discourages initiative, leads to lack of purpose, encourages procrastination, distorts facts and makes self control almost an impossibility. It takes the charm from one’s personality, destroys the possibility of accurate thinking, divert concentration of efforts- hence gross wastage of scarce resources.

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Uncertainty master persistence, it turns the will power into nothingness, destroys ambition, beclouds the memory and invites failure. Uncertainty kills love and assassinates the finer emotions of the human heart, discourages friendship and invites disaster in a million forms, hence unhappiness, restlessness, sleeplessness and misery. And all these, despite the obvious facts, that we live in the world of over-abundance of anything out of everything that the human heart could ever desire, with nothing; yes, absolutely nothing standing between us and our desire, save our doubts.

In this regard, “thought,” according to James Allen, “generates health or toxins in the system according to the kind (thoughts) entertained. The vision you glorify in your mind, the idea that you enthrone in your heart- this you will build your life. By this you will definitely become.”

It’s against this backdrop that I’m most oblige to enjoin my most amiable and people’s oriented former and potential governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris and others faced with similar fate across the federation to rejoice in their fortune. The fortune of redeeming their mandate- the burden of proof, a herbal (natural) and sure cure for the burden of uncertainty.

To my most pragmatic and inviolable former and potential governor, Prince Abubakar Audu, and other “Audu-like” politicians savouring every dividends of “the rule of law” on the other hand, may I seize this rare privilege to salute your doggedness.

To the Nigerian judiciary; may your resurrection be far-reaching and eternal.

And of course, finally too, to you that are of “like mind” like mine, do please join me in celebrating, on this note, one of our very own- Anuli Ausbeth –Ajagu (Mrs), whose dictum I pray should end this piece.

Accordingly; “I definitely am not where I dream to be, but I sure am not where I use to be. I am making progress.”-

Anuli Ausbeth –Ajagu (Mrs), Woman of the Sun, Daily Sun, 27/03/2007. pp.22

Omale Suraj Alladey (OSA),

0806 547 2054

deensuraj@yahoo.com