STRAIGHT FROM THE INK OF A POET- MUBARAK OLADOSU

 i am word

This stream is ablaze with flow of thoughts; 

Thoughts that ferocious feelings   

Across my Rubicon.

Like Caesar,

I ferry these burning memories and dreams

Of belligerent moments,

Besieged missions and hopeful visions.

O Blissful dream that I have, here, come true!

Come alive across my Rubicon, 

For these thoughts, I summon you 

In the name of the only one.

You the sole teacher of truth;

As I captain my maiden voyage 

And I swing mu first spar, 

Whisper the right words

That my pen may not misspeak 

And my mission may not be unmade.

I am smith of words in reclining scabbards;

I, the son of word,

The blade of the untested swords

That spills not but words;

I unsheathe my ink-flow   

To ferry my thought-flow.  

     

I am no Socrates

So friends, force no hemlock down my thirsty throat,

For I am at peace with foes.

I may roam like Rumi

But I am no Hallaj;               

So crucify me not

For these ejaculations.

I am no Wole

And not surrounded by his ancestral wizards:             

But I am me and me.            

Word,

Son of word;

Here, I hand you the ashes 

Of my sea set ablaze.

Tonight,

The sun of inspiration kisses my frozen seas

And this first night, it sets my feelings free.  

....an excerpt from the book 'MIND MANTRA' by OLADOSU MUBARAK... 

     Oladosu Mubarak writes for and broadcasts at the UNILORIN BULLETIN and UNILORIN FM respectively

call: 07034426998, tweet @mubarakng

MO'CHEDDA TURNS 25

Nigerian singer Mo'Chedda turned 25 yesterday 16th October. She celebrated her 25th birthday with a small dinner hosted by her boyfriend, Bukunyi Olateru-Olagbegi along with family and close friends. See more photos below...

"WE STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS"- CHUDE JIDEONWO

The inaugural edition of the Red Summit which took place in Lagos this week hosted by Red Media Africa analyzed and promoted yesterday and today’s media in Nigeria. With high profile speakers from different facets of media, it was a successful event. To close, the Red Gala was an interesting celebration of 10 years of Red Media’s impact as well as media industry i by nfluencers and veterans. The event included the official launch of the West Africa Media Industry Report.

Founding partner of Red Media Africa,Chude Jideonwo delivered this speech – celebrating media legends at The Red Summit Gala last night.

Launching the West Africa Media Industry Report at the 2015 Red Summit Gala....
.


I speak often about culture. It is my favourite topic. I speak often, and passionately about the cultures that define our nation, and how many of those behaviours appear to be at the root of our national decline.

By this I don’t mean who we are more than I mean what well have become: the attitudes, prejudice, stereotypes and behaviours we have learnt as we have tried to survive corruption, military dictatorship and several civil and other wars.

One of those cultural anoles is the arrogant dismissal of the past. It has never ceased to amaze how every time someone wants to do something new in Nigeria, they start by dismissing what everyone else there has done before they. You hear ‘Oh, TV was rubbish! Oh radio was bad! Gosh, what have our advertisers been doing?”

There is also the epidemic of people – especially younger people – declaring that ‘XYZ has never been done before’, or ‘this is the first time this is being done in Nigeria’ or ‘I am finally going to do this right.”

I grew up hearing this from peers, but years after it hasn’t ceased to shocked me. This pervasive sense of disdain, of disrespect can only come from the collapse of perspective and the absence of history as an imperative.

And that is why Nigeria is stuck in a vicious cycle in many areas – without the benefit of history, of institutional memory, of learning what we did well and what we did not, of not knowing where the rain began to beat us, how can we know how to do better, what to stand on, where to begin to build? If we do not know where we are coming from, how on earth can we know where we are going to?

Surely the same gaps in knowledge that make young musicians feel that they are first to reach massive international audiences, and deal massive global collaborations in a country where everyone from King Sunny Ade to Majek Fashek to, of course Fela Anikulapo-Kuti have been there, done that, have the t-shirt, threw it away, bought a new one and then rocked it for years. We have a history so rich by success, by victory, by massive accomplishment in the media and creative industries.

That’s not just something I say, that’s the philosophy that underlines our work – a deep humility and abiding appreciation for the history of our country, for the leaders who worked under extremely difficult circumstances, at a time when very few people understood the media, at a time when it was yet emerging, to build this industry that we have now.

But then maybe it’s because many of us in RED grew up on ‘I am Prince Jide Sokoya, the only son of the soil and by the grace of God, the youngest millionaire in the whole universe’, on Nigerian content, and therefore we have an understanding of what makes it special, of why what our forebears did was special.

Up until this moment, I remember I felt in the public relations activation of Onyeka Onwenu and King Sunny Ade preaching the message of birth control, I remember how perplexed my young mind was that every show on TV had on its credits Peter Igho and Grace Egbagbe, I grew up interesting in knowing how my former boss Levi Ajuonuma did that magic where he spoke to the camera and everyone watching felt he was talking to you directly.

I think of the genius of the Bagco Super Sack ad and how viral it went before many of us knew what viral meant, or the forever standard that the ‘MKO is our man’ ad from Rosabel set those 22 years ago. I grew up in awe of these creators.

And I see all of them here today, and my heart swells with pride, with excitement, with joy, with love, with reverence, with awe.

We are truly standing, this generation, on the shoulders of giants.

You, our mentors and forbears, icons and legends, across television, radio, print, public relations, advertising, are those giants.

For sure, older people bear some culpability for the Nigeria that we have today, but you won’t find many of those ones in this room today.

You are a different breed, truly worth celebrating. You inspired this young boy in Ijeshatedo who grew up on the columns of Helen Ovbiagele and Mike Awoyinka, and watched Frank Olize every Sunday night. Who looked longingly at Insight when he was in Secondary School and wanted to join that company as soon as he was out. You inspired a generation.

You made it possible for us to dream, you made it possible for us to imagine as far as our passions could take us, you took the path less travelled at a time when your peers chose the usual and the convention – banks, politics, oil. You created something truly special.

You know, in a country where most awards are given to politicians, to billionaires, to corporate fat cats, and to anyone who can pay money for it, some of our honourees here were shocked when call we called them: “Why are you doing this?”

The underlying question obviously was: In Nigeria, why would anyone do something so obviously not for financial gain?

The answer is simple, and this is the simple answer truly: it is a decision of the heart and not of the head, driven by gratitude rather than balance sheets. Our hearts wanted to do this. Our souls wanted to do this. Our very beings wanted to do this.

We wanted to say thank you. For courage, for chutzpah, for character, for creativity, for depth. Thank you for passion, for ambition, for purpose.

So tonight, we thank you. Red Media Africa thanks you. Nigeria thanks you. I thank you.

. .

FROM THE DESK OF TIJANI SHERIFFDEEN OPEYEMI, V

DO POLITICAL WOMEN MAKE THE BEST OF MOTHERS?

With the events of things, I was forced to take my pen to write something on this mind perturbing issue. In recent time, women have been seen to be wanting in unethical acts mostly corruption and indiscipline.  I then find it hard to understand why role models should be the steering to social vices in our society. Or don’t you see women as role models?

In my quest to find a reasonable and justifiable answer to this momentous question, I sought to use the social media to pass the question across to intellectual minds to hear what they have to say on this critical topic. Comments were fighting their way into my notification box onFacebookjust the way my android phone was buzzing of messages on whatsapp and other social media, everybody had something to say, am sure you have something to say too, but before then, let’s see what some quick-witters had to say.

Koyum Kolade Afolabi- a chemical engineering student of the better by far university (university of Ilorin) said in his opinion that, political women don’t make good mothers not to talk of “best” as used in the topic. He argued that women are not like men that can take care of too many things at a time and as such, it would be difficult for them combining two herculean tasks. He stressed his point saying, if you see a good family and you want to give credit to anyone at all, the mother is next to none on who you should give it to, and for a family to be upright, the mother has to sacrifice her time. He frankly said he doesn’t think a political mother can give all the necessary education to her children.

And when I got that submission, I was blown off, only to get a counter message from another student of the University of Ilorin, Ashir Faridah, who said in her words that a political woman can make the best of mothers, even something better than the best. I wonder if we have anything better than the best. She said it’s all about finding time. She accented that she just doesn’t have to mix business with family, if she isn’t a good mother then believe me she isn’t cut out to be one was her concluding sentence.

On whose side do we fall? Are you confused too? You needn’t be. Maybe this would convince you. An astute writer and jack of all trade-Rufai Ajibola commented outstandingly. He said statistics has never gone a single way to favour two different hypotheses unless problems are encountered in the sampling. In his own words “first of all, I would be keen to find out if we have arrived at the consensual meaning of ‘best of mothers’ and who exactly does the subject refer to as the ‘women in politics?’ Are we looking at ilks of female political heavyweights (Oyewole, 2015) like Gbemisola Saraki in Ilorin, the Aisha Alhassan of Taraba or late Simbiat Atinuke Abiola in Ogun state? There are also the female political kingmakers cum appointees: the Stella Oduah, Remi Tinubu, Alison Madueke, the Okonjos, Bolajoko Kadiri, Bola Shagaya and the rest from the non-exhaustible list. I’ll also mention the female ‘Bole-kaja’ touts, or female political crowd who can be hired for a few thousand naira to attend rallies, mount road blocks, and hawk tailored placards. So, if we want to critique if this are the best or worst of mothers, the fair thing to do is just to ask their children!

Are the children in the best position to answer the logical question? Are you in supportof what the scholar highlighted? Interestingly, a young boy looked at the topic from another perspective, and here is what he said. Political women don’t get enough time for their children; he argued that they are likely to set more bad examples for their children since politics has got a stinky downside. And finally he said the children or kids as the case maybe, run a high risk to their safety by virtue of the status of their parents, since political opponents may want to attack the children. Do you think Muhydeen Tiamiyu who happens to be a Jambite has seen it from the right angle?

At Lagos junction, Maryam Yusuf of the University of Lagos also had something reasonable to say. She said you don’t give what you don’t have, for a woman to say she wants to actively partake in politics that means she must be there for her immediate family. She further stressed that the post of motherhood is one big post that one without leadership aptitude can’t succeed with. And as such you having that makes you qualified to rule brilliantly over others.

The scope of discuss wasn’t limited to the western educationist alone, an Arabic scholar of the Madrasahtu Talim of Ibadan contributed too. He brilliantly said politics is just a professional game in which any one could venture into irrespective of their sex. The Arabic scholar said we shouldn’t turn women into weaker vessels, they should be allowed to venture into any career they feel like, including politics in discuss. He strengthened his point saying they being good mothers doesn’t depend on their job but their own individual quality, which may include how they cherish their children and other relatives. He believes Nigeria’s politics isn’t a clean one, but hestill highlights the fact that we have bad mothers who are not even politicians.

Hmm! I guess you just said that, I did too when I read the unending comments sent by eggheads. Those I highlighted above are just a few of the replies I got, people really had convincing points. You must be eager to know which side I fall into, what class I support and points I sincerely don’t agree to. I was moved to seeking people’s opinion on this issue because in recent time, some women have been painting motherhood colours, they have been remodelling good attitudes and characters with unethical attitudes they pose. See what’shappening in our society today, you hear of women laundering country’s fund, involving in bribery, indiscipline turning their second nature among many other vices that roughen the good painting of motherhood. If one would be found in acts like this should it be a mother or a woman as the case may be?

Exclusively, this piece is for people’s opinion and for you also to decide on which side to fall to. To be abreast of my own opinion on this critical issue is to wait patiently for the second part of this interesting topic!

Your comments are welcome; you can always reach me at 07033254385 or mail me at s_opeyemi42@yahoo.com. From the desk of Tijani Sheriffdeen (docshe), a student of the better by far university- Unilorin.

TIJANI, sheriffdeen opeyemi.

 

WHEN PEOPLE RIGHT YOU OFF, GET RIGHT IN...-ali baba

The comedian shared a few minutes ago on his
instagram page. Read below:
In life,there are many reasons some people will
hate you. There are many reasons some will run
you down. Some will say all sorts to make
themselves feel important. Or get out of a tight
corner. Some do it just to be happy. The people
that you should beware of are those who say
things and in spite of how wrong what they said
are, still try to tell you they did not mean it. Or
didn't mean what they said "that way". There are
those who make you feel comfortable and just
when you are settling into the besto zone, stab
you in the back. I have heard all sorts in my
short life time. One time, an event planner
wanted me to be Mc of an event and wanted to
get a female co-mc, so I suggested 2 names.
One of the ladies I suggested, told the lady she
should get another Mc that she could work with.
Why? The event pLanner asked. Ali is old, get a
younger Mc. As fate would have it I still worked
with her.
During the event, as I wrote notes for her, to
introduce several segments of the show and how
to bring on different dignitaries, the event
planner will come backstage and smile. She
came in backstage once, while my co-mc was on
stage, using an intro I gave her and said, "Ali you
are rare. Someone just commented on how
awesome the introduction ********* (co-mc's
name) gave the last speaker was. I nearly told
him you wrote it. Especially after what she said
when I was trying to book her." Not necessary, I
replied. When people write you off, get right in.
Some two years ago, someone said Ali Baba's
time has passed, I did a straight 6 hours of stand
up comedy. All of my original stuff. Many of the
comedians who were at the show, have since
boosted their jokes arsenal with some of the
materials used in that epic performance. And
since that 6 hours, many comedians have
received free jokes as often as we meet. My
producer @officialbunmidavies told me jokingly
that if the 6hr video is made public, many people
will see the source of some great jokes. But as
Zakilooooo will say Judas no stop Jesus. It's
allowed. People who don't see you in economy
class are unaware you are lounging in First
class... Even when you are on the same flight.
(thanks @mi_abaga) Who the cap fits...

NUNU SUPPORT DOWN SYNDROME FOUNDATION

As the world celebrates the Down syndrome awareness week, Nutricima Limited, makers of premium Nunu milkbrand has once again demonstrated its commitment to creating awareness for Down syndrome in Nigeria. This year’s theme tagged ‘Accept, Educate, Inspire‘ is in line with Nunu’s “Grow everyday” campaign.

Over the years, Nunu has been at the forefront of good nutrition and nourishment for Nigerian children while also advocating effective physical and mental growth associated with their everyday development.
. . . 
eaking at a meeting with members of the Down Syndrome Foundation of Nigeria in Lagos, Category Marketing Manager Charity Adeniji, said the physical and mental growth of children in Nigeria, including those affected by Down Syndrome, is dear to the brand; hence the continuous support they have given to the foundation over the years.

“At Nutricima, we are constantly looking for credible platforms through which we can showcase our excellent corporate values, and our ‘Grow Everyday’ campaign is one of such. We recognize that every child has the right to be properly developed in their journey to adulthood, and it is to this end that Nunu has been supporting the Down Syndrome Foundation, and this year is no exception. We will continue to show our friends in the foundation that we are a brand that cares; despite their challenges, we are committed to ensuring that they grow healthily every day” Charity Adeniji said.


n the spirit of accepting, educating and learning, the brand has donated a desktop computer as a teaching aid for the children at the Foundation with the hope of assisting them to be computer literate.

“The world has gone digital, enabled by the advancement in computer technology. Our friends in the Foundation cannot be left out on this global trend. They are very intelligent children, whose daily growth has been consistently supported by the nourishment provided by Nunu milk. With this computer, we are sure they will further be exposed to the digital world, exploring and exhibiting their potentials. We believe that these children should not be discriminated as they constitute a vital part of the society” Charity explained.

Charity Adeniji also encouraged mothers to fortify their kids with the nourishment that Nunu milk provides. “Studies have shown that most Nigerian kids are deficient in iron and zinc and vitamins like B2 which ensures the formation of strong bones and teeth. Nunu contains all these essential vitamins and has been specially formulated to enable children grow everyday”.

In her comment, Rose Mordi, President,Down Syndrome Foundation of Nigeria, expressed her gratitude to Nutricima for their support with a promise to ensure the computer donated will be used to advance the knowledge of the children.

“We appreciate Nutricima for this kind gesture. Essential nutrients are vital to the growth of any child and from all available evidences; Nunu milk provides a large part of these essential nutrients. With the computer and the ever refreshing Nunu milk available for our children, we are sure of producing intelligent children who are computer literate, and can hold their own anywhere in the world.” Mordi enthused

Until recently, children with Down syndrome face tough challenges like stigmatization which affects their relationship and growth in life. However, with the support of brands like Nunu through their “Grow everyday” campaign the awareness is getting better.
Nunu milk is specially formulated for children and contains nine active ingredients that make kids have strong bone and sharp minds. It contains vitamins to keep children focused and essential protein required for everyday growth.

FROM THE DESK OF TIJANI SHERIFFDEEN OPEYEMI IV

CHILD ABUSE, STILL A THING IN OUR SOCIETY.

It’s so painful how we fail to recognize the fact that we are the cause of our own miseries; we tend to blame some factors for working against us and as such causing problems in our lives. In spite the cry of human right bodies we still find some heartless, unsympathetic, callous and cruel people in our society. These people are still found in the act of maltreating children, most of the time who happens to be maids or children of other people.
In this age, where everything has advanced, we still find some been relegated to acts of the past, of course, maltreatment is an act of the past, and should remain at that. Why on earth would you maltreat others? What pleasure do you find or gain in displeasing others? The questions are too much if only I will help stop at these two. I don’t seem to understand why people are found in this barbaric attitude.
A girl very close to me came in one morning crying, her eyes were swollen already, her face wasn’t appealing at all, even a melancholy would carry a better face in that situation. I came out of my room to hear silent chats in our sitting room, “what’s wrong I inquired?” At first I got no reply, because the girl in question was just mumbling, and I couldn’t get what she was saying. “Calm down, talk to me what’s wrong” I pestered, she told me her Madame cursed her for nothing. Haba! For nothing, she said yes affirmatively. Then why the curse? She said she had done all she had to do- sweeping and other chores, which her Madame asked her to do, only for her to return from her journey to start cursing her over not taking proper care of her children or some sort. She cried while pointing at the children who looked smart in the clean clothes she had worn for them, in fact the children were eating happily, what other care could she have rendered?
What other care could she have rendered? Am posing that at you. Of course that wouldn’t be the height of her Madame’s barbarity, but the girl was too emotional to hold the false claim that morning. She wasn’t happy at all, who would be? Her Madame just wanted to display her bossiness, that’s what I figured out, because I don’t seem to comprehend the reason why you jump at a girl who had done all she was expected to do. The girl in discuss had even done all she had to do a day to her Madame’s arrival, so what excuse has she got to bounce on an innocent young girl?
I also had this type of people for neighbours, well, not any longer. They had this hefty boy as their houseboy; he does virtually everything in the house, even the tasks naturally designated to ladies. It was then I observed you could get muscular like a person carrying weight with just home chores, he was always doing something. It might shock others to hear that he ran away from that home, it didn’t pull the smallest string in me, who wants to live to be maltreated. The maltreatment the dictionary defines is even small compared to what some get as the share of what life throws at them. Why should this menace continue to grow in our society?
We hurt ourselves thinking we are hurting others, life is the best of judges because it throws back at you what you throw at others, it’s simple, what you sew is what you reap. On a television station, a lady was seen maltreating a baby, stepping a little kid, what ignoble word wouldn’t suite her actions? How can one be that desperate to hurt a baby like that? Was the question everyone was asking. Not to even talk of the haaa! Do you want to kill the baby? Among many other utterances people made. What must have resulted to this? I wanted to read something out of that incident. The lady was actually a maid, but why that callous attitude? That I can’t give an answer to, but what do you think might have resulted to that? If the lady was treated well would she take revenge for nothing? Might be that she gets maltreated by the baby’s parents, and she wants them to taste the better sweet they offer her too. Was she right in her pay back too?
Parents who maltreat others are doing so at the detriment of their own children. Do you think a child you act towards wrongly will do otherwise to your children? He/she will reciprocate in that unkind gesture to your children too, and as such the children are left to suffer from what they don’t know. Brutality shouldn’t be the pay back for barbarity, the lady who took revenge on her boss child went the extra mile, and of course there are better ways to resolving issues like that than taking laws into ones hand. We have human rights group who fight against child abuse, policemen could be sought and many other authorities. The right thing should always be done.
The act of maltreating others is one thing that should be fought against in our society, let’s all say no to child abuse, it’s a menace that should be giving no room in our society, don’t take laws into your hands, if you are oppressed, you definitely have places to turn to, and let those who find joy in maltreating others remember there is always a tomorrow.

Tijani sheriffdeen is a youth advocate, social commentator, and an optimistic Nigerian of the better tomorrow. Your comments are highly welcomed; you can reach me at, s_opeyemi42@yahoo.com or 07033254385.