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Saturday, January 27, 2018
Saturday, January 20, 2018
THE BIRTHDAY LIST
So my birthday is on Monday, January 22nd.
Days back, someone asked me what’s on my birthday list. I said I didn’t have a
list and got a reaction that said “You’re an alien.”
A birthday list is cool. It helps people who don’t
know what to get you know what to get you. It kind of makes the job easier. You
can do ojukokoro(greed) and add really expensive or hard to get gifts if you are wealthy and expect people to
follow what’s on your list alone and share the list around to make sure people
get you gifts you want.
To me, it kind of takes away the spontaneity and
Saturday, January 13, 2018
FORGIVING YOU AND THEM
Hi there,
Today I'm sharing my thoughts on forgiveness via video. I hope you watch and you are blessed by it one way or the other.
Here's the link if the video doesn't show on your browser.
Thank you for watching my thoughts, what are yours?
Today I'm sharing my thoughts on forgiveness via video. I hope you watch and you are blessed by it one way or the other.
Here's the link if the video doesn't show on your browser.
Thank you for watching my thoughts, what are yours?
Saturday, January 6, 2018
NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS SUCK
George was overweight and needed to lose some weight. The New Year approached and he made a resolution; “This New Year, I will join a gym.” He joined a gym, truthfully. He went to the gym every day. He’d go out and be offered cake, Ice-cream, fried chicken and many more yummy treats. He turned them all down. One day in February, it was a colleague’s birthday at the office. A red velvet cake was shared; George had a thing for red velvet. “A tiny slice won’t kill me.” He ate the cake happily. Days later, his alarm rang to tell him ‘gym time’. George shut
Saturday, December 30, 2017
GRATEFUL
In the beginning of each year, asides New Year resolutions, most make plans for the year. Now, the year is ending, they reflect and check if they achieved their goals or not. I just want to tell you, it doesn’t matter if you didn’t.
It’s easy to focus on the big things you wanted and planned, to look at other people you feel got what you wanted, living the life you want and almost go green with envy. First, you are in competition with no one but yourself. Everyone has a different
Tuesday, December 5, 2017
HAPPINESS AND COUPLES’ FULFILLMENT
I woke up this morning pissed after I had heard that
the Oil marketers had decided to cheat innocent Nigerians out of enjoying the
yuletide season by hiking the fuel price.
My displeasure turned into laughter when I read in the
Punch Newspaper that Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state has appointed
twenty-eight new commissioners. That is not funny, I know. The funny part is
the name of the new ministry he just created out of nowhere and placed his biological
sister at the helm. The ministry is called
Saturday, November 25, 2017
DATING TODAY=?
In today’s world the
word ‘Dating’ has become synonymous to sex and a relationship. Dating used to
be a get to know period. A time you ask the important questions and see if you
are both compatible then move it a step further towards courtship then marriage.
Dating is the first
step for seeking out a life partner. Now, it’s just for the fun of it. No
goals, no purpose.
Dating now means, ‘in a
relationship’ with someone. Scratch that, ‘in a sexual relationship.’
Well, you see people
who are supposedly dating and date for years then they tell you’ I can’t marry
her’ , ‘I can’t marry him’.
Why be in a
relationship with that person in the first place? Call me old school but dating
isn’t an exclusive relationship. I can go on dates and get to know three men or
more, ask questions, study them all. If
any fits, we move on to courtship. I don’t understand why people do things
without purpose. Or why dating which is the first step should take years,
months and have sex involved in it.
Some guys now, thanks
to the times, ask you out, then tell you they want to date you to get you into
the stage of we are boyfriend, girlfriend just so they can have sex with you. When
you say, you don’t want to have sex, you hear things like;
“What are we dating
for?”
“It’s what people who
date do.”
“Are you not my
girlfriend?”
If you are not ready to
get married or not looking for a life-mate what then is your purpose as a man
or woman for dating in the first place?
Dating like I said earlier
was a get to know period. Sex was never part of it. Throwing sex into it blurs
the lines between the dating and courtship period and then you believe you have
moved on to courtship and you keep expecting and hoping he marries you.
When you go into it
with a purpose, in the first three dates you both have, you should have a
better understanding and can tell from the little but important questions to
you that you have asked, if you both
align and if you’d consider moving it a step further.
Dating is getting to
know if we can and not that we are in a relationship and sex must and should
happen.
Asking a lady out on a
date is termed romantic because you are interested in her as a woman and you
are searching for a life- mate for the future and not because sex is on the
table that day and you just want to bang that hot body you see for the months
and years you’d be in a relationship. I think you should date with a plan, not
for the fun of it and not with the flow. Why date if you are not ready to get
married?
Then when the girl you
have been sleeping with and have been in a relationship with, that has given
you time, affection, care, sex, sometimes money, cleaned and cooked for you for
months or years asks you “what’s the plan for the future?”, you run away, end
things and say she was trying to force you to marry her or putting on demands,
pressure, bla bla bla. Biko, what was
your plan, the timeline in the first place?
Dating should be a time
for discovering a little about the life principles and character of the other
person and it shouldn’t take months. You can date more than one man or woman
when it’s platonic and it’s just get to know.
Maybe, I’m the one who
is confused by today’s world were certain words have lost their true meanings
and have become diluted and now mean something entirely different.
If you decide you want
to date but don’t have marriage or forever in view or you just want to have sex
and fun, ask the person you are planning on doing that with if they want the
same thing. If you are both on the same page, have at it. Tomorrow, you won’t
hear talks on marriage from him or her.
I think I’ll talk about
the term ‘Hanging out’ in my next post.
Thank you for reading
my thoughts. What are yours?
Saturday, November 4, 2017
WHO THEY SAY I AM
In life, right from when we’re little we
often wonder what people think of us.
I’m sure you’ve asked yourself one or
two of these questions;
‘Do they like me?’
‘How do I make them like me?’
‘What will people say when they know
this about me?’
‘How do they see me?’
There are lots of questions, I’m sure
you’re already thinking of more.
We worry ourselves thinking about other
people’s
Thursday, October 19, 2017
OKORO AND HIS ZUZU
OKORO:
My one and only Zuzu. You know I love you very much.
ZUZU:
Love fire! You say you love me but you keep hiding me.
OKORO:
That’s not true. I can announce my love for you to the world. I can scream it
from the mountains, from the tallest tree, from…
ZUZU:
Story! You are all talk and no action. Mstcheew!
OKORO:
I’m going to
Thursday, October 5, 2017
THE CRAFTER'S SPEECH
The crafters' conference has come and gone but it will come again.
Respect to
everyone here present, listening and/or watching. Distinguished speakers for
this occasion; Professor Niyi Osundare, Mrs Oluseyi Abdullahi, Mrs Tosin Oludosu
Adebowale and Mr. Kuti George, members of the panel of discussants,
representatives of SMEDAN and BOI, the media and corporate partners, crafters, and
exhibitors, please accept our warm welcome.
We are
delighted to have you with us to be part of the maiden edition of The Crafters Conference which is being
hosted by The Zazee Crafts. Your presence here serves as a re-assurance to us
on the premium you place on crafting as a vocation and indeed crafters as an
integral part of the Nigerian economy. We thank you once again for coming.
The Zazee
Crafts is committed to promoting and projecting crafting as an enjoyable and
profitable vocation that can help galvanize the Nigerian economy. We want
crafting to be elevated as a viable option in the national entrepreneurship
drive; and also that crafters be recognized as valuable contributors to the
nation’s development.
Our immediate
goal is to forge solidarity with crafters, bringing into focus their peculiar challenges
and the prospects for a successful career in crafting. Hence, the theme for this year’s conference: “Crafting
the Future with Both Hands.”
The general point
of this theme is to show that crafting has a big role in the future development
of this country. But of more urgent and particular importance is the need to properly
shape the crafters – current and aspiring ones – to fit into and meaningfully
impact that future that is unfolding.
We are
honoured to have Prof. Niyi Osundare, Mrs Oluseyi Abdullahi, Mrs Tosin Adebowale
and Mr. Kuti George to help address the underlying issues. Prof. Niyi Osundare
is a renowned poet and university lecturer. I have no doubt that his decades of
mentoring experience would be a vital resource on this occasion. From both Mrs
Abdullahi and Mrs Adebowale who are established entrepreneurs, we could expect
practical guides on how to chart a course to success as crafters. And I am
quite sure the deep insights and experience of Mr.Kuti in financial matters
would complement the other speakers excellently.
So, clearly
we are in competent hands – for knowledge, new insights, inspiration,
excitement and fun.
I welcome you once more, on behalf of Zazee Crafts,
to the 2017 edition of The Crafters’ Conference.
Hope you'll attend the next one?
PANELISTS DISCUSSING
ME AT THE CONFERENCE
It was worth it. To see videos and pictures from that day, check out their Instagram @thecraftersc or mine @thefrancesokeke.Hope you'll attend the next one?
Friday, September 29, 2017
INDEPENDENCE DAY BLUES!
(Blast from the past. I
look forward to the year I'll discard this article.)
The
Nigerian Independence day has come. I always have mixed feelings every time it
comes around. Why? Despite all the money pumped into the country,
sometimes borrowed, the country doesn’t seem to be moving forward. Some
people spend their time blaming the colonial masters for taking different
confederacies and gluing them together to form a country; some spend their time
blaming the leaders past and present, then the rest don’t even care. Well, the
general news is that our leaders are the problem the country has, they destroy
the country by stealing away the money meant for the masses, they say.
This leads me to the
heart of my thoughts on this. Our national anthem, which I regret to say, some
don’t even know the words, others know it but recite it like a poem they had to
cram. They don’t know the meaning of the words in the National anthem,
especially the first line.
‘ARISE O COMPATRIOTS,
NIGERIA’S CALL OBEY
TO SERVE OUR FATHERLAND
WITH LOVE AND STRENGTH
AND FAITH
THE LABOURS OF OUR
HEROES PAST
SHALL NEVER BE IN VAIN
TO SERVE WITH HEART AND
MIGHT
ONE NATION BOUND IN
FREEDOM
PEACE AND UNITY’
Well, the National
anthem should be scrapped because it is nothing but a farce.
Monday, September 11, 2017
THE CRAFTERS' CON
The Crafters’ Conference
Theme: Crafting the future with both hands,
Date: 23 Sept; 2017
Venue: The Shalom Park and Events Centre, Unity bus
stop, Igando
The Crafters’ Conference is a platform designed for members of the craft community to showcase various talents and creatives that will beat your imagination.
The conference which is the first of its kind is organized by The Zazee Crafts; a paper and fabric crafts venture.
The Crafters’ Conference is a capacity building forum for people, especially the young, in different dimension of crafting. It is mainly in consideration of the important role of entrepreneurship in the development of the nation’s economy.
According to Azeezat Sanni; the Founder/Executive Creative Director of the venture and Convener of the conference;
‘We feel obliged to organise an event such as this to contribute our quota to youth and
entrepreneurship development in Nigeria. It is our conviction that many aspiring and already
established crafters would benefit immensely from various interactions ensued with the conference audiences and fellow crafters.
The conference which is also enriched with exhibition, training and retraining, it's our believe that the initiative will positively impact our image as a growing institution that is genuinely committed to promoting the spirit of enterprise, through craftsmanship, among young Nigerians.”
Participating in this laudable idea are Mrs. Oluseyi Abdullahi; the pioneer crafter in Nigeria, Founder/MD of Crafties Hobby Limited, Mrs. Olutosin Oladosu Adebowale; Founder Tosin Turn Trash To Treasure (5T) Foundation, Mr. S. T. Kuti George; President, Nigeria Small and Medium Scale Industrialists (NASSI) and Professor Niyi Osundare.
For further enquiries on events activities, registration and participation visit
www.craftersconference.zazeesworld.com
Theme: Crafting the future with both hands,
Date: 23 Sept; 2017
Venue: The Shalom Park and Events Centre, Unity bus
stop, Igando
The Crafters’ Conference is a platform designed for members of the craft community to showcase various talents and creatives that will beat your imagination.
The conference which is the first of its kind is organized by The Zazee Crafts; a paper and fabric crafts venture.
The Crafters’ Conference is a capacity building forum for people, especially the young, in different dimension of crafting. It is mainly in consideration of the important role of entrepreneurship in the development of the nation’s economy.
According to Azeezat Sanni; the Founder/Executive Creative Director of the venture and Convener of the conference;
‘We feel obliged to organise an event such as this to contribute our quota to youth and
entrepreneurship development in Nigeria. It is our conviction that many aspiring and already
established crafters would benefit immensely from various interactions ensued with the conference audiences and fellow crafters.
The conference which is also enriched with exhibition, training and retraining, it's our believe that the initiative will positively impact our image as a growing institution that is genuinely committed to promoting the spirit of enterprise, through craftsmanship, among young Nigerians.”
Participating in this laudable idea are Mrs. Oluseyi Abdullahi; the pioneer crafter in Nigeria, Founder/MD of Crafties Hobby Limited, Mrs. Olutosin Oladosu Adebowale; Founder Tosin Turn Trash To Treasure (5T) Foundation, Mr. S. T. Kuti George; President, Nigeria Small and Medium Scale Industrialists (NASSI) and Professor Niyi Osundare.
For further enquiries on events activities, registration and participation visit
www.craftersconference.zazeesworld.com
Friday, August 18, 2017
DEAR GOV. AMBODE AND LAWMA
Dear Gov. Ambode and Lawma,
Do you live in Lagos?
Can you picture Lagos, August last year and now?
Don’t get me wrong, I think you, Monsieur Governor are doing well e.g. Berger i.e. the entrance of Lagos looks
amazing. Back to the main issue.
Friday, August 11, 2017
WRITE OR FLIGHT?
It’s been
weeks, ok months, I wrote a word down. Not screenplays, I’ve been writing
those. I mean an article, my thoughts for you, here, on my blog. I don’t have
writer’s block, don’t misread me. I’ve never had that. It’s far from that. Let’s just say, I decided
to still my mind, stop thinking or sharing my thoughts and just go with the
flow. Of what use is it?, I think sometimes. Do you read? Do you share them? Do
they make any difference at all in your life?
I just fell into a robotic comatose state.
Frances, thou shalt not think. Lol! My thoughts catch up with me sometimes.
They flood in. Then I begin to ponder, ‘which do I write down first?’ Then I
will myself not to think and not to sit before my computer, stare at the
Saturday, May 13, 2017
GOVERNOR IFEANYI OKOWA AND THE 15MILLION NAIRA GIFT
Silas:
Efenation! Chai! This boy is blessed. This boy is…
Vendor:
Oga, no dey open my paper like that unless you wan buy am. (snatches the paper
from him)
Paul:
What! Fifteen million naira!
Silas:
He who God has blessed no man can curse. Kai! I wish I was him. God bless this
Governor and…
Paul:
Was the fifteen million for a service he rendered to the state or a contract.
Mr vendor, please let me…
Vendor:
You wan buy the paper?
Paul:
I just want to read this story.
Vendor:
Me I just want to enter helicopter, build one storey building for my village
and visit Queen Eliza.
Silas:
(laughs) Tap into efenation’s blessing. The way…
Paul:
Touché Mr vendor.
Vendor:
why I go touch you?
Paul:
I didn’t…Ok, do you have any idea why the fifteen million naira was given?
Vendor:
Na dash e dash am.
Paul:
Dash?
Vendor:
Gift.
Paul:
Wow! This can’t be true. It must be a rumour.
Vendor:
Rumour ke? You no see am for paper?
Paul:
it must be someone trying to tarnish the Governor’s image.
Saturday, April 29, 2017
THAT FAKE SOCIAL MEDIA POST
Hmmm, where do I start? So, early this year I ran into someone I know
who told me how last year had been phenomenal for him and how he’d been
invited to the UN (United Nations) for a youth conference. I was happy for him;
I praised God for His marvelous work in his life.
I chatted with another
friend who brought this same guy’s story up. I was even sent a picture of him
seated in the United Nations. So, I went on his social media handles, saw the
pictures and what he wrote about being specially invited because of his NGO, I
was happy.
This other friend went
on wishing she had the guy’s luck, tapping into his blessing, praying that the
work of her hands would make a way for her and the UN would invite her
someday too. That imagine how people would view her then, as a girl with a
vision, a girl who moved in the right circles and cliques, an international
girl, that with that kind of opportunity more doors would open for her and
people in top places will respect her and seek her out as it is happening for
this young man. That she can just imagine uploading that picture on her
Instagram, how people will take her serious. That she can imagine how babes
would be dying on top the guy’s matter. I laughed at her and reminded her
everyone’s paths were different.
Today, I was searching
for opportunities online and I came upon one that talked about a UN fellowship.
‘Interesting
opportunity’ I thought.
I went ahead to their main site, saw the guy’s
picture and my interest increased.
‘I’m so going to send
this link to my friend, her prayers are about to be answered’, I had thought to
myself.
I read on and saw where they mentioned
packages. I was perplexed.
Saturday, March 18, 2017
THE TRUTH ABOUT CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA
Corruption is a noun that has become
synonymous to Nigeria. Please indulge my thoughts on the matter as you read.
Before we got colonized, we had a trade
by barter system. Asides from that if you wanted a favour from a rich man or a neighbour,
etc, you don’t go empty handed. You go with a keg of palm wine, tubers of yam
or some gift to curry their favour. They say it is African culture. I say we
converted that culture and are doing it in cases we shouldn’t today.
Nigeria was colonized by Britain. We all
know by now that the aim wasn’t to give us religion but to plunder our numerous
resources. Imagine looking at so much wealth and resources but you can’t
control it, touch it or enjoy it but only get what’s doled out to you by the
colonial masters. You watch them cart away resources worth millions and
billions of pounds. You can’t do anything about it. Every single dime is controlled by another
who came from somewhere.
Then the clamour for independence began.
Yes, some patriots’ real motivation was to take back control and make Nigeria
great but for some it was to enjoy what they had seen the ‘Masters’ enjoy and
be like them.
Independence came and the plundering
continued.
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Saturday, February 4, 2017
Saturday, December 31, 2016
Friday, December 2, 2016
Friday, November 18, 2016
Saturday, November 5, 2016
Sunday, August 14, 2016
JESUS' LETTER TO THE NIGERIAN CHURCH
I woke up
thinking about it ‘If Jesus were to write a letter to the church in Nigeria
what would he say?’ So
here goes the letter;
Christ’s kingdom way,
Heaven.
Dear Church,
My spirit cries with what I see. I came to
magnify the old laws and change some. I am a Jew. I see a religion formed in my
name but it doesn’t keep my ways. Why are you divided, there are so many denominations?
I see you using the memoirs of my time on earth for your personal gain. You
distort them. My words are being used to lie and deceive.
Why do some churches say only their members
will see my kingdom? Why do you ask your members to marry only each other? Why is there discrimination amongst you, your Christian
brothers and other religions? Every man was made in my image. In my time, I ate
with and welcomed foreigners, gentiles, Samaritans though I was a Jew.
Why is there
murder amongst you? You do not keep the old commandments by my father or the
new.
Saturday, June 11, 2016
WAS HE RIGHT?
I saw this in a group I belong to. It was said that American Comedian George Carlin was the author but i just had to Google it to know if it was a book so I could buy and read. I found out that yes it was from a book but it was written by a pastor, Dr Bob Moorehead, former in his book Words Aptly Spoken, published in 1995. This essay is titled ‘ The Paradox of our Age”. Irrespective of the scandal that followed him later, well that's none of my business. Please read his words below and see if he was right or wrong.
"We have taller buildings but shorter tempers; wider freeways but narrower viewpoints; we spend more but have less; we buy more but enjoy it less; we have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, yet less time; we have more degrees but less sense; more knowledge but less judgment; more experts, yet more problems; we have more gadgets but less satisfaction; more medicine, yet less wellness; we take more vitamins but see fewer results. We drink too much; smoke too much; spend too recklessly; laugh too little; drive too fast; get too angry quickly; stay up too late; get up too tired; read too seldom; watch TV too much and
"We have taller buildings but shorter tempers; wider freeways but narrower viewpoints; we spend more but have less; we buy more but enjoy it less; we have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, yet less time; we have more degrees but less sense; more knowledge but less judgment; more experts, yet more problems; we have more gadgets but less satisfaction; more medicine, yet less wellness; we take more vitamins but see fewer results. We drink too much; smoke too much; spend too recklessly; laugh too little; drive too fast; get too angry quickly; stay up too late; get up too tired; read too seldom; watch TV too much and
Saturday, May 21, 2016
THE NEED TO BELONG
Saturday, April 16, 2016
YOU ARE NOT WORTH IT
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I was with a friend who uttered the words ‘Frances,
nobody is worth it.’ I looked at this my friend that I had tried to show ‘you
are loved and worth it ‘on various occasions as the flawed being that I was and
my spirit was silent. What I really heard from those words was ‘Frances, I am
not worth it.’
If you
think no one is worth it then you’re indirectly trying to say that you don’t
think you are worth it. I felt sadness and pity for my friend. That’s a
dangerous way to live. My friend like many other people right from childhood
had been unlucky with love and guys. Yes, we all fail at one thing or the other
over and over but it’s how you let it handle you that matters. How could my
friend let the devil win? Was all I could think. You’ve been battered and bruised; your heart
stomped on over and over so that makes you
Friday, April 8, 2016
IN WHOM DO YOU TRUST?
Trust is a very important word to all humans. According to my Britannica, TRUST is;
1 a: assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something b: one in which confidence is placed.
Most humans spend their whole lives searching
for someone they can trust be it a life partner, business partner, friends etc.
We all look for someone we can be ourselves with, share our dirtiest secrets
and all and know that it’s safe with them and that they’d still want us after
knowing our deepest secrets.
Asides keeping secrets,
Friday, March 25, 2016
FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN
We all go through this stage at one time or the other in life. It is that gnawing sensation at the pit of your belly ,that fast heartbeat brought about by uncertainty, that sweaty palm when you ponder your future, that terrible headache that won’t let you go when you have a life changing decision to make. We all react in different ways to it.
You cannot say you have never gone through it. Remember that first day at school? Mum said go on and you looked back and realised she was leaving you; you were so scared you started crying because of the fear of the unknown. It was a new environment for you, you did not know anybody and you asked yourself questions; will my teachers like me? Will I make good grades? Will my classmates like me? Will I have friends? How do I settle in?You have a great job but you do not like it, it is not your dream job, you decide to give it up to follow your heart.
Saturday, February 27, 2016
TRUTHS AND LIES
Truths and lies, two siblings that follow each other
around. There is a very thin line between them. You can easily move from the
truth corner into the lie zone.
We tell lies for different reason, to gain
recognition, respect, feel important, and hide secrets, selfishness.
So, what situation calls for the truth and what
calls for the lie?
Funmi and Peter had been going out for a year,
things were going smoothly, and they had a little quarrel and broke up. Funmi
knew something he didn’t and she was debating between telling him the truth or
telling him the lie, so she told him the truth and he broke up with her. A year before Funmi met him; she had followed
a friend to her church. A prophet in that church had told her she was going to
meet her husband very soon and gave her things to identify him with. Alas, it
turned out to be Peter, exactly as he was described.
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