The day I take over the world

I recently wrote a post on an exciting weekend trip I had, you can read it up here. What I didn’t mention was the award I received days before I made the trip. A Peace Ball was organised by my department to end the semester, a couple of awards were up for grabs based on a voting system. For some funny reason I forgot to vote but had in mind likely winners. I dressed up that day, looking all glam and ready to dance the night away and have fun. And then it happened; the award for ‘The most likely to take over the world’ was called, my eyes were darting all over the auditorium when I heard my name. I think I caused a scene when I walked up to pick up the award, I kept on laughing cos’ I was shocked.

I couldn’t stop laughing, even the lecturers couldn’t help theirs too.

I think this is better but like a friend said, i’ll be more prepared when I receive the Nobel Peace Prize

 

I wish this post was all about reeling off my manifesto of my 7 point agenda when I take over the world but before I get there, let’s talk about something else. Towards the end of the event when we were all discussing and meeting new faces, a colleague in the department who is in the same society with me said something very profound and if you ask me it was the climax of the night. He said to me I like the way you freely talk and write about God and went further to say he thinks everyone should do that freely. These few words meant a whole lot to me; I had often wondered in the past how I could stand for what I believed in the midst of people who had a different belief. How can I be relevant in the world and still be associated with Jesus Christ? How do I share my belief without infringing on people’s space? Please I am not referring to the concept of religion for that is the bane of many conflicts in the world, so yes it is not the solution but it’s still part of it. Its part of it cos’ regardless of what you believe in, you can only address what you understand therefore we need to be literate of other religions.

I recently watched a documentary of a group of missionaries who went to a city very hostile to Christian missionaries. They didn’t go screaming on the street, REPENT!!! Rather one of them who’s a guitarist, started singing and playing his guitar on the streets, this attracted people gradually and one of them started off discussing with different people and prayed with them. Wisdom is important in our walk as Christians; I have often said we should look out for bridges between people if we want to share the good news of Jesus Christ. People are generally defensive these days cos’ they feel you are bringing the message of condemnation. We need to leave the four walls of the Church and reach out to the world; Paul said he became all things to all men that he may win some. We need to stop recycling Church members during evangelism and reach out to others. While I may not be the greatest evangelist, nor do I totally understand everything in the world but one thing I know and I’m certain of is JESUS’ love to the world. This love is not picky; it is for everyone regardless of our belief.

So back to my manifesto… Well to be honest I don’t have any now, but when I do take over the world I want to be known and remembered for showing the love of Jesus Christ to anyone I come in contact with and that’s a great way to change the world.  I know, not everyone reading this has a relationship with Jesus and if you desire one we could pray together. Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your love which is poured out for all of us through the death and resurrection of Your Son Jesus Christ, I present Your child before You and pray You forgive his/her sin and let them be filled with Your Spirit. I join faith with them and believe they’ve been forgiven even as they start this journey with You. You can join a community of believers close to you to help you grow; get a Bible with a translation you can understand. Welcome to the family.

Loads of Love

JMAD

“A Man’s world”

Weaker sex. Be seen not heard. You’re better off at home. It’s a waste of finances to train the child. Without mentioning any particular gender, you can figure out who the phrase refers to.  For a long time, there has been a debate on gender issues; from gender equality, to women empowerment. It’s amazing to see the woman thrive, in a world that has been generally referred to as “A MAN’S WORLD”.

The woman has been at the receiving end of this feminine injustice, right from the great fall of our dearly beloved fore-father Adam, who shifted the blame to Eve. Eve made the mistake, but she wasn’t the mistake. What really happened? A man who had the power, to name every living thing on earth couldn’t just say NO to a fruit, not a truck load of it but just one fruit. This will probably make you laugh, a friend and I were discussing and he said during the creation after Adam fell into a sleep and God created Eve, Adam was still sleeping and doesn’t know what God told the woman, he feels their’s a secret between the woman and God. Well, I don’t know maybe another lady out there may have the answer.

You’ve grown up hearing that you are weak, but how come a woman can carry another living being inside her for nine months. Throughout those months, she undergoes some drastic changes; her body gets to stretch, and adjusts to these changes. Some of them still have to work all through the nine months, and if they already have children, cater for them and of course tend to her husband’s needs all at the same time. If you ask me, anyone doing all these can be referred to as a “SUPER-WO (HU) MAN”; I can’t find any trace of weakness in her.

A woman is simply a man that has a womb and has the capacity to reproduce. We’ve heard that behind every successful man is a woman, but I want to go further and say that for every man that has worked the surface of the earth, was a representation of a woman; the woman who gave life to him.  The woman from the period of conception decides the fate of the seed in her; whatever she does during the period of pregnancy, will have a huge influence on the child that will be brought forth.

 Ladies, we have no idea of what has been deposited on the inside. The moment you discover you are not weak, there is no limit to what you can do; granted, we’ve been told it’s a man’s world but women have a major role to play too.

Gen. David Petraeus, Pres. Bill Clinton, Dominique Strauss – Kahn and even the wisest man that ever lived King Solomom, all had one thing in common, Greatness; on the flip side, they experienced a downfall that wasn’t caused by a nuclear weapon, but by women.

Ladies the issue isn’t if we’re unique creatures, but rather the inability to live ignorant of who we are. These women, who brought down these men used their femininity; though in a negative way, but yielded results. Just like hydropower is gotten from harnessing the energy in falling water, women have to harness the qualities in them to make an impact in this world.

In a documentary I watched on the Argentine ‘death flights’ and human rights violations that occurred in the 70’s where many young activist who were speaking against the dictatorship of the government were either locked up in secret detention cells, tortured and murdered, the babies born in the cell were given up for adoption to some families in the military. Many people were reported missing at that time but the mothers of the missing young men and women decided to stage a protest, even when they were harassed. A journalist recalled how he saw the women in a different light; he said he noticed most of the people who came up to report a missing person were women and when the men came with them they were hesitant and tried to hush the women not to speak about the issue extensively saying they may lose their jobs in the government but the women wouldn’t keep quiet. These women who were in their 60’s and even older continued to search for both their children and grand children born in those camps. He said, nothing else mattered to those women except to get answers. They have been able to find over 100 of their adopted grandchildren; I’m talking of children in their 30’s, such tenacity. Although their children were murdered but they have been able to find their grandchildren and some of the perpetrators have been charged and given jail sentences.

Ladies, enough of the battle of the sexes; explore your unique nature to affect your environment.  We may be weak physically but we are so strong on the inside. The only limitation you will truly experience is the limitation you place on yourself. The world is eagerly waiting for your manifestation. See you at the TOP.

Loads of Love

JMAD

The unfolding story

Time-check 00.03 A.M. my phone starts to ring, a look at the caller made me smile and there goes my first call accompanied with a song. After the call I tried to go back to sleep but I couldn’t, said a few words of prayer and I ended up typing this post.

The 16th of June may just be another date to you, but not to the South Africans whose youths took to the street in a march protesting the poor quality of education as well as the right to be taught in their language resulting in hundreds of deaths and it has been set aside to be celebrated as the day of the African Child or to late Tupac Shakur who was born on this day. The Ogbogu’s are not left out in this too, some years ago, on a day like this Heaven visited them with a gift in the form of baby girl.

That little seed has grown and has become me, yes you heard me, and it’s my birthday. I’ve thought of so many things preceding this day and all I can see is an unfolding. I pause today to say Thank You to God, our Heavenly Father we have come a long way. He has been my strength in the middle of the night when I’m up thinking of the next thing. I’ve grown and improved over the years cos’ He has broken me and He is still breaking me. I can’t forget my parents, the two of them have given me a glimpse of Our Heavenly Father through their love, sacrifices, I may never say enough of it but I pray I’ll be able to spoil the two of you silly with so much care. My sisters, oh how I love them so much, they thrust on me my first leadership position and they have been faithful followers because of them I can’t quit and my two soldiers, God brought you into the world to make everyone realise beyond the clouds, there is a God existing and not even science can disprove it. I wish I can call out the gifts God has blessed me through friendship but I may get into trouble for forgetting some names but I truly appreciate you.

I haven’t spent a very long time on earth but I’ve learnt a few things.
• We have been called into various assignments; you make a huge mistake when you start comparing your rate of growth with another person.
• I am unique and there’s no one like me on earth, I need to ride on my uniqueness to be relevant, trying to be another person will only produce a prototype of the person but not my best.
• Family is important, I may make the best of friends outside but some friends are transient but family remains.
• I shouldn’t always seek to win an argument rather seek to understand the person.
• I don’t know it all in life and there’s no harm in asking for direction if I’m lost.
• I am not an island, I need people to survive.
• Having a successful career is very important but it should NEVER take priority over the family.
• The world is moving fast, we try to act as though we will be here forever hence a laid back attitude to life but I’ve learnt every single time is precious I’ll never get back the time therefore I have to be conscious of it. Enjoy every moment.
• I should never limit myself with my words; I was created to Make A Difference.
• Forgiveness isn’t a feeling rather a choice I’ve to deliberately make to rid myself of excessive luggage.

There are many more, I wouldn’t want to turn this post into a book, maybe a book should be written on it. But that feeling of anxiety creeps in as I enter this new phase of my life, I know deep down in my spirit that the next year is a launching out period of me. Do I know how it’ll turn out? NO, but it’s something bigger than me.

All I pray for is more of God, as He leads me through this phase and places me on certain platforms I should always remember it’s all about Him. Just like my charmer Eziaha said ‘she sees too much brightness in my future’ I choose to believe it but I take it a step further may that brightness not hinder people from seeing God. The story is unfolding and I’m keen on seeing the next chapter.
LOADS OF LOVE
JMAD

 

 

Introducing Abuja Colour

Where ever ladies gather, be sure to experience some form of drama especially when it’s in a salon. My last visit got me laughing real hard and re-iterated what a colleague had told me a while ago. In between I think I prefer male stylist to the females, there’s just something about a man making your hair. Anyway while my hair was being done the other guy starts to gist the lady how he was upset with the gift a customer bought for him when she travelled abroad, he told her he would have preferred a bleaching cream. Now this got me interested, did I mention he’s a skin expert and I just kept on looking at his skin (gist for another day). The lady starts to mention other skin experts in town, who make double cos’ when they recommend the cream, the lady comes back with a problem of burnt skin hence another recommendation.

A new colour known as Abuja Colour has been discovered, if you ask me, it should be included in Guinness World Book of Records. A little history digression, Abuja is the Capital of Nigeria with approximately 170 million people, Nigeria is found in the West of Africa and Africa is one of the 7 continents of the world cos someone somewhere still thinks Africa is a state. I’m pretty sure by now you know what Abuja Colour is but for the benefit of those who don’t know, it’s simply light-skinned ladies, I mean really white. It has become the new cool; almost everyone wants to be fair. I saw a lady the other day who was a half caste but hers is a special type, her face was really white but her hands and feet were black. When did we get to this? The lady who the stylist was talking to, said something really remarkable (I think she deals on cosmetics and body care products), the manufacturer of some of the products (whitening cream) she sells said a person isn’t supposed to use more than 3 bottles the whole of their lifetime cos of the effect on the skin leading to cancer… WHAAAATTTT!!!

A few months ago People Magazine named Lupita Nyong’o cast of 12 years a slave, 2014 World’s Most Beautiful Woman. Some people felt she wasn’t the best choice but it was really beyond physical beauty and more of her confidence in her skin. In her speech where she won the Essence Magazine Black Women in Hollywood Breakthrough Performance Award, she said she wished she was fairer as a teenager until she came across Alek Wek a black model who was on so many magazines and billboard. Her mom told her ‘You can’t eat beauty; it doesn’t feed you cos you can’t rely on how you look to sustain you’. She ended by saying she hopes everyone viewing her on their screen can feel the validation of their external beauty but also get to the deeper business of being beautiful inside which has no shade of beauty.

Are fair ladies beautiful? Yes but it doesn’t mean black or brown skin ladies ain’t beautiful too. Isn’t it amazing to see people go out on the beach to get sun-tanned while those who have the exact skin colour want to change theirs? I’m really wondering what will make me drop my brown skin or like my friend will call it toast bread colour for a lighter one.  You don’t have to depend on the tone of your skin to validate your beauty. I won’t bore you with the health implication of skin whitening but a little reminder you are beautiful just the way you are.

Bruno Mars has a lil’ something to say to the ladies

When I compliment her she won’t believe me
And it’s so, it’s so
Sad to think that she don’t see what I see
But every time she asks me, “Do I look okay?”
I say,
When I see your face 
There’s not a thing that I would change
‘Cause you’re amazing 
Just the way you are

LOADS OF LOVE

JMAD