KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, SO GO ON AND EDUCATE YOURSELF, YOU DESERVE IT...

Knowledge is power, and freedom.....!!!

And traditionally, worldwide those in power, whether wielding religious; traditional; political; governmental; institutional; social or economic power, have almost ALWAYS sought to keep the masses ignorant and in their "places". So that they can CONTINUE to wield the instruments of power and maintain the great socio-economic advantages they have accrued for themselves, shikena!!! I

SO PLEASE EDUCATE YOURSELVES EVERYONE. IT'S A SOLEMN DUTY YOU OWE TO YOURSELVES FIRST AND THEN TO ALL THOSE AROUND YOU. AND I FEEL IT IS EVER SO IMPERATIVE IN THE NIGERIA OF TODAY!!

Pick up a BOOK; read, assimilate, ponder and reason. Discuss weighty matters with experts and scholars of the field. Read theirs and other articles, debate, LEARN and then let your reasoning come to the fore. Take in only what is GOOD, BENEFICIAL, INFORMATIVE AND ENLIGHTENING. Eschew ignorance, religious superstition, blind prejudice and the crowd mentality.

And for those of us who have any faith, please let's also STUDY our holy books PROPERLY and then ask for enlightenment and understanding from our Creator where there is any confusion or unclarity, and even before... Let's also learn about the HISTORY AND EVOLUTION of our personal religious beliefs, from their inception to their current day practices and PONDER on whether we are truly and actually following the ORIGINAL AND GOOD teachings the founders of the religions wanted. that for me is the bottom line; the original GOOD plans, intentions and practices.


AND I HAVE NO HESITATION IN EXPECTING AND ASKING PEOPLE TO QUESTION AND ABANDON ANY BAD PRACTICES, BELIEFS AND TEACHINGS from their religions as guided by their personal consciences and current day laws!!! This I believe will certainly help create a better society for all of us to live in. Because when we know better, WE DO BETTER.

So go on my friends, seek, learn, do and then teach and together we can actually make this world a better place. At least our own little corner of it will be a little brighter, a little happier, a little kinder, a little calmer, a little nicer... And that's good enough for me, I don't know about you???

For Vivian Iguyovwe-Eyareya, happy birthday dear -1st of August 2013

By Christie Nonyelum Akumabor 31/07/13

Just a small fraction of my wide and varied book collection

We all fit together, the good the bad the ugly and even the insane...

We all fit together, yep we sure do (she smiles).

We all somehow fit together,

Even though I know not how, but I sure know He does...

Even when we don't want to, we somehow actually do.

And I should know
Cos God has certainly squeezed me into some reeeeeeally tight corners,
Men, I tell you no lies!!!

We all fit together; the good, the bad, the ugly and yep even the insane!!!

We all fit together, like night follows day.

Like light and darkness, like the sun and the moon.

Like good and evil, like ourselves and our very own shadows,

Like men and women even, [hey no fighting you shildrenses].

We all fit together like the tiles in a beautiful wall mosaic,

Like one big massive WORLD-SIZED jigsaw puzzle...

Except I believe only our Creator can look at the entire jigsaw puzzle from above,

And know exactly where in the picture each piece of the puzzle fits.

Cos he is the Artiste, the Designer and Master-Planner per excellence!

He knows our tomorrows before they've even begun!

We all fit together, cos that's how  twas meant to be,

Right from the very beginning.

And hey, I'm not talking about the beginnings of our lives here on earth,

I'm talking about from the beginning of creation, whenever that was,

If any of us can ever fathom that far back, cos I know I sure can't.

But that doesn't bother me in the least now.

Cos I've finally realised that my part in this crazy world
 Is just to show up and do my own little bit, play my own little part.

I leave the rest of the planning of this whole crazy shenanigan,

To our, to my very own able Oga@deTop jare.

Cos He knows how matters are, He knows just how he arranged stuff..

And anything we want do other than our own part, 
Well that's just "work no pay", as we say in Naija.

How often has God taken the unwanted,

Sometimes even very painful parts of our lives,
And created beauty beyond our [limited] belief.

Only he can give us joy for ashes, endless smiles for our tears.

So that's how come I now know we ALL fit together perfectly.

Cos God created in us a desire for connection and association.

We are born into families, communities and societies,

In which we need to live and thrive.

Man has been described as a social animal, ain't that so?

We didn't just drop down from the sky like raindrops.

Neither were we dispersed on the wind like pollinated seeds,

Left to struggle and strive wherever they land and sometimes just not even survive!

Depending on where their fortunes or the winds carried and deposit them.

Thus we all fit together, cos we were designed and created that way.

We often don't know it, because so many of us don't even know ourselves properly yet!

Much less the others around us, the others with whom we're designed to fit exactly with.

But that still doesn't change the bare-faced truth,

That we are all designed to fit together, somehow, someway, someday...

Not with everyone, that would be just too foolish to contemplate,

But with most in our immediate families, friendship groupings,
Local communities, societies and eventually nations.

And if we try really hard and it still just doesn't seem to work,

Perhaps we just need to think outside the box just a little bit, 

Maybe we need to turn ourselves around and look about us,
Or perhaps we simply just need to move on,
And keep going on, not stopping,

Till we find our own little corner of the world, our very own place!

Till we find where exactly we fit into the FINISHED big picture.
Of this multi-faceted, multi-billion pieced, world-sized jigsaw I call LIFE...

So do try and have a nice life all my dear friends,
In your very own little corner of the world, cheers..

 

By Christie Nonye Akumabor 11/07/13

Like the tiles in a beautiful mosaic, only when they fit together
do they make such a beautiful picture.

And when we fit together perfectly, love then grows... 

RAISE THE CHILDREN RIGHT

Raise the children right, in Christ,

Then everything will be all right.

Raise the children right,
With love, kindness and care,

Then they will flourish and bloom,

Like lovely flowers God created so fair.

If you teach your children kindness, consideration and honesty,

Then they'll become kind-hearted, generous adults with integrity.

Teach your children right, teach them the laws of God and humanity

Then a better world you'll help create with equinamity.

Treat the children right,
All the children everywhere,

Especially those not of your blood,
 But that are in your care!!!

Treat them as you would like your children,
Treated by the strangers they'll meet.

Else your children learn wrong from you,
 And become a danger in the street.

Treat all children right,
 With love, care and kindness I say.

And teach all children to treat ALL others the same way.
Teach them to treat each other kindly,

Regardless of age, race, colour, tribe, status, religion or gender.

Then we'll raise adults who judge others only,
Based on the content of their character.

Then they'll grow up without prejudice and treat all others fairly.

Then we'll truly re-create the world as it was meant to be so clearly.

"It takes a village to raise a child"
Is what we say back home.
So we must then all get involved I add
Mums, Aunts, Uncles and also Dad.
Grandparents, Family friends, Teachers and Mentors too.
Godparents and neighbours also have a role to play that's true.

If we raise the children right,
They'll turn out so very bright.
It is a solemn and sacred duty,
Which we should carry out with care.
And if we perform our duties well,
The rewards will be beyond compare.

Towards a great and brighter future,

And towards a better world we'll dare.

By Christie Nonye Akumabor© 28/06/13

My niece Wendu's 2nd birthday August 1991

A mother reading to her son.

With my beautiful neice Nicole

MY PURSUIT OF GOD; 1ST-21ST OF JUNE 2013




Yours truly feeling snazzy
on day 1 of the fast

Day 8 My Pursuit of God; This is just mine and the members of Jesus House, London's latest effort at digging deeper to seek a better relationship, understanding and revelation of our God, whom I call Yahweh amongst other names. Actually I usually call him "Father Lord" during my constant chat sessions with him. At other times I call him Baba God more recently UltimateOga@TheTop, a name I've coined from a term used by a hapless top government official during a live interview on Nigerian national television, but that's entirely another story,((*_*)).

Ran into a pal from Uniben
on day 8, after over 20years

The pastors and leaders within Jesus House felt led to declare a 21 day fast during the month of June, when we are encouraged to commit more of our time and resources to increased praying, meditation, reading of the word, fellowshipping with others and communing with our God in order to gain a deeper and closer relationship with him. We also desire and hope to hear from him more clearly and thus become better able to submit to and do his will whilst we are still here on earth...

So along with giving a summarised version of what's happened in my life and the life of the church for the past week, I'll be posting daily updates over the next 14 days as well as pictures, songs or videos as I deem fit to share my experience with you. So welcome my dear friends and family to my Pursuit of God experience and do have a lovely weekend.
Meanwhile enjoy this lovely song I just found during my search for a particular song titled;
Yahweh. http://youtu.be/uhFauQ-9nhY



With my sister, a pal and my brother
who was visiting from Naija on day 7













Day 12
Hiya folks, I'm just checking in again after my last post. I know I'd promised daily updates, but life got in the way so I haven't managed daily updates yet, but I promise to share more frequently from now on.

Well I can truly say I am more closely connected to my God right now, I listen out for and do hear his voice, his quiet promptings too. And this hasn't only happened by my regular attendance at the daily evening church services or through strict observance of the fast, which for various health reasons I could not fully participate in, but I hope to join in the fast for the last few days as the fast progresses, though I am abstaining from some food groups as well as giving up Facebook for the entire period...

Anyway back to my pursuit of God [as if he went anywhere in the 1st place, lol], I certainly seem to keep experiencing new expressions of his love, grace and provision, especially his GRACE... I see manifestations of his awesome power and presence all around me, like when I rose early to feed the birds in the park close to my home one morning. I had been planning to go and feed the birds and listen to their dawn chorus for a little while, and I finally managed to do this during the early days of the fast. I then sat beneath the branches of a rather large tree in the middle of the park, watching the birds feed, people walking their dogs or sometimes just themselves and meditated on the word of God and what I'd read in 'The Word For Today', that morning.

It was truly amazing to see the birds swoop down, feed and then fly off again as "happy as Larry". I also managed to take a few pictures on my phone which serves as my mobile bible and sip the hot coffee I'd brought along in a thermos cup, what bliss... It truly brings alive for me the bible verse that says "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not more valuable than they?" Matt 7:26


I managed to capture some of the birds
on my phone camera

Day9 With my sister and her kids who
 had their 1st Holy Communion on Sunday

Dancing and Jubilation in Jesus House
 on Day 12 of the fast

Day 14
Hmmmmm, decisions, decisions, decisions!!! I woke up quite early today, at 4:12am precisely. It was too early to actually rise so I spent the next 90 minutes or so reading the Bible, the book of Isaiah, then meditating and praying. I later showered, dressed and was preparing to go out and feed the birds again when I was overcome with lassitude, probably due to lack my of sleep and the lingering effects of a bad viral infection I was still recovering from.

Anyway I decided to lay down to get some much needed rest and managed to get about two hours of sleep before my phone rang at just after 9:00 am, it was a friend. After rising for the second time today, I decided to take it easy and let God help me plan the rest of my day. So here I am at 3:30pm, writing in my journal, I've just finished speaking to another friend and am feeling empowered to finally get up and go!!!

The "devil is a liar" as we say in "Christianese", so I'm off out to feed the birds in the park. I've decided it doesn't matter if the sun is now high in the sky or that there are likely to be fewer birds in the park at this time. I've decided to feed them so fed they will be, ha ha ha. After that it's either the Antiques Arts Fair in Kensington for which I have free tickets to, or the V&A Museum to see what's on offer for their Friday late night closing. Then perhaps I'll pop into Harrods on my way back as I also have an invite to their Sales Preview as these places are all in close proximity in South Kensington. Perhaps I'll make it back to North West London for tonight's evening service, but I somehow doubt it...

Oh well, my father in heaven will surely understand I know. It's a Friday after all and He alone knows how many of those I've spent in not so happy circumstances in times gone by... So onwards and upwards I go. Catch up with you all later and do have a fun-filled and blessed weekend too y'all, ciao. Now I hope you enjoy one of my all time favourite songs by Diana Ross; Reach Out And Touch Somebody's Hand - http://youtu.be/629_vLbgv7g

Day 14+
Ahem, guess what??? I didn't get anywhere near South Kensington today! I got as far as Brent Cross Shopping Complex and then God simply ordered my steps across the road to Jesus House for the 7pm evening service and I am soooooooooo glad He did, Hallelujah!!!

Tonight, we had a totally awesome service led by Pastor David Stroud from Christ Chapel, Convent Garden. He preached such a powerful message about total trust and dependency on God, and that when we believe, with God ALL things become possible!!! I feel truly blessed to have been in the awesome presence of God this evening, who spoke words of encouragement and exhortation to us through His blessed prophet; Pastor David Stroud...

I'll leave you with this song while I go get some shut eye, How Great Is Our God- http://youtu.be/0ZFN8TBfgNU

Day 15
I attended an early morning prayer meeting that Pastor Agu was led to call for the singles in the congregation who desire to be married, according to God's holy plan. I actually managed to get there before the 6:30am start; anyone who knows me well will know that was actually a minor miracle, lol. I am soooooo NOT a morning person at all... The meeting was awesome, with deep and salient truths revealed, as well knowledge shared about why God desires and intends us to have blessed, happy and godly marriages. It is all part of His awesome plan for us and for His entire creation.


After the meeting which ended just after 9:00a, I made my way to Barnet Hospital with a chocolate cake I'd baked and iced for the staff who had looked after me so well when I had major surgery there 7 weeks ago. The location and name of the ward had changed as part of the building work and expansion going on in the hospital, but I managed to find the renamed and relocated ward, and handed over my little token of gratitude and appreciation to the staff. I then headed off to see a friend who lives nearby, getting caught up in some heavy showers along the way [they predicted sunshine and warmth, hmmmmmmm!]. To be contd.
.

a

My homemade chocolate cake

THERE IS A KING IN YOU BY DONALD LAWRENCE:- http://youtu.be/oxZBXdLplag

Day 17
Listening to some wonderful Gospel music whilst I write my updates. and I just wanna share some of my much loved tracks with you, so here goes;

MY NAME IS VICTORY BY DONALD LAWENCE:- http://youtu.be/9WoGBvtN--8
HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD [WORLD EDITION- LIVE]:- http://youtu.be/Q-ZtKzw-ipo

Day 18
Hmmmmmmmmmm, where do I start my dear friends??? Words fail me to describe my increasing astonishment at what God is doing in my life and the life of the others around me. I'll simply say the Lord is BLESSING ME BOKU BOKU!!!

I know I don't deserve any of this, this is simply unmerited favour -grace... All I can say is THANK YOU LORD, THAMK YOU LORD... Perhaps in a day or two I'll be better able to elucidate a little of what I have and am experiencing, but for now I leave you with a lovely worship song which was rendered at the end of this evening's awesome service, with a wonderful sermon delivered by Dr Okey Onuzo who is one of our regular guest speakers at Jesus House, because it kind of epitomises exactly how I feel at the moment, enjoy...

I'LL STAND WITH ARMS HIGH:- http://youtu.be/kV5iZBTNYrk

The Tribe of Judah choir leading us in amazing worship
 hours after the service had officially ended

A cross-section of pastors and congegation who simply REFUSED
 to go home and remained to dance and sing to the Lord 

Day 20
My day started fantastically when I woke at 5.30 am, read the days reading in The Word For Today along with some bible passages and feeling energised put on my trainers [the first time in years] and sports gear and spent the  the went for an early morning work, ostensibly to feed the birds too. I decided to forgo my usual walking route and go another direction and I'm so glad I did, whoopee...

Because I discovered a fantastic walking route, uphill [great for the thighs and heart] with wonderful scenery, a quiet secluded public park too, with local garden allotments just off the main route with plenty of wild flowers available for picking and a short cut to a friends house which I never knew about, WOW!!! Now I've lived here for 3 months short of 7 years and have never walked that route before, hmmmmmmm... Well I can only thank God for opening my ryes and mind to the beauty that's around me once again. In fact my constant refrain whilst I was walking was "Lord you have blessed me boku, boku!!!" It may seem like so little to some of you, but as an increasing nature lover and a long time lover of natural scenery, architecture and solitude, this was just my cuppa tea found in my backyard, awesome.


The day just got better from there on. I ended my walk on my local Broadway, going for a hot Mocha in my local deli, posting a birthday package to a friend, picking up some ingredients to bake yet another chocolate cake and browsing through some of the Charity shops on the way, coming out with yet another cookery book -one about West Indian Cookery as well as some carved wooden figurines which I love so much. I continued the day by observing the fast, breaking after 6pm and then went on to a wonderful evening service at Jesus House at 7 pm till late. All in all I had a really awesome day and feel truly blessed and spoiled by our good Lord, Hallelujah.

Meanwhile enjoy this song I found by Bebe and Cece Winans featuring Mary Mary, called [World Peace] Let It Be http://youtu.be/1NV7rZ3cuD0

The secluded park, lovely scenery and uphill walk I just
discovered in my backyard on Day 20 of the Pursuit, WOW.

The lovely flowers I picked on my walks,
apart from the red rose which I bought.
 

Avoid all the joy killers in your life

 Message to self; run as far away as I can from and avoid all JOY KILLERS!!! And note they come in all shapes and sizes, some are deliberate kill joys and $#!T stirrers whilst others are unwitting tools in the hands of our rather devious enemy.

  But what they all possess is a sneaky but uncanny ability to sow anger, strife, discord, resentment, mistrust, confusion, envy, jealousy and worry wherever they go!!! They always leave one feeling a lot worse than before one came in contact with them. They are the kind of people who cast an unhappy shadow over most situations.

 One most certainly do not want any of them in one's corner when things are about to go belly-up!!! So I pray that we are all discerning enough to recognise the people and situations that sometimes steal our joy and cause us needless distress... And when we start to recognise this fact let us be careful and wise enough to disengage as quickly and unobtrusively as we can and then pray to God our heavenly father to keep and protect us from their wiles too, in Jesus name I pray, amen.

LET THERE BE LOVE...

LET THERE BE LOVE,

BETWEEN ALL OF MANKIND,

LET THERE BE LOVE...

LET THERE BE LOVE, INSTEAD OF WARS,

AND LET'S GIVE PEACE A CHANCE...

LET THERE BE LOVE, SO WE CAN FORGIVE.
INSTEAD OF ALL THE HATING AND KILLING,
SO JUST LET THERE BE LOVE.

LET THERE BE LOVE, COS IT IS REALLY GREAT,
IT'S HOW BABIES GET MADE, AS WE ALL KNOW.
SO LET LOVE FLOW ALL AROUND.
IT'S THE GREATEST FORCE WE KNOW,
SO JUST LET THERE BE LOVE.

LET THERE BE LOVE, PURE AND TRUE.
LET THERE BE SO MUCH LOVE IN THE WORLD,
BECAUSE IT CAN ONLY DO US GOOD,
LOVE BETWEEN HUSBANDS AND WIVES,
AND FOR THE BABIES IN ARMS,
BETWEEN SIBLINGS AND FRIENDS,
INCLUDING OTHER RELATIVES TOO.

WHEN THERE'S REAL LOVE AT HOME,
IT'S THEN EASIER TO SPREAD,
TO ALL THE FRIENDS THAT WE MEET,
AND THE SOCIETY WE GREET.
SO LET THERE BE LOVE
AS ORDAINED BY OUR GOD,
AND AS WE WERE SHOWN BY JESUS CHRIST.

LET THERE BE LOVE AT ALL TIMES,
IN ALL WAYS, AND FOR ALL.
WE WERE MADE FROM MUCH LOVE,
OUR CREATOR HAS SAID,
 AND HE LOVES US SO MUCH,
HE ONLY DESIRES OUR GOOD,
 
SO LET'S JUST REST IN HIS LOVE,
THEN IT'S EASIER TO BE,
LOVE FILLED OURSELVES,
AS HE  SO WANTS US TO BE.
THEN WE'LL DO AS HE SAYS;
AND JUST LOVE ALL MANKIND.

AND TRUE LOVE NEVER DIES,

EVEN WHEN PEOPLE DO.

BECAUSE LOVE LIKE GOD IS ETERNAL,

SO AU REVOIR MY BABY BROTHER PETER...

TILL WE MEET TO PART NO MORE,
 IN GOD'S GRAND LIVING ROOM,

 SELAH.

In memory of Peter
By Christie Nonye Akumabor -25th April 2013

Whenever we unite we'll actually make the world a better place

Genuine love within families creates such a solid foundation for the children 

With my darling brother Peter on his wedding day, May 2006

AFRICA MY AFRICA...

Africa my Africa...
My love for you runs so deep.
No matter how long I've been away,
How I can never ever forget you?
This land of my fathers and my mothers

Africa, oh my Africa...
Oh I love you so, despite it all...
I love the feel of the warm red sand beneath my bare feet.
And that unique smell of the earth which rises in the air,
When a little rain has just fallen on it after a long dry season.

Africa, my Africa,
Land of the Nile, Pyramids and the Masai Mara,
All of which I have been blessed to see.
Land of the Serengeti, Mt Kilimanjaro and Timbuktoo
All of which I am yet to see, but know I shall.

Africa, oh my Africa,
A land so rich in all it's ramifications,
From it's fertile soil, to it's living thriving rain forests.
From it's resilient, beautiful and diverse peoples,
To it's rich culture, numerous languages and melodious songs.
And the food, oh oh oh the delicious yummy food, hmmmm.

Africa, oh my Africa,
Land of noble Kings, Queens, Princes and Princesses
Your artwork is beautiful beyond compare!!!
Your fauna and foliage draw folks from across the globe.
And the ever present sun warms our hearts and souls, our blood and bones...
Thus, despite all that besets us from within and without,
We still smile so brilliantly and have been deemed even,
The happiest of peoples by the rest of the world!!!

Africa, oh my Africa!
When will you finally arise my dear Africa?
And take your rightful place amongst the committee of nations??
When will you finally throw off all the mental, religious and economic shackles???
Those shackles that have held you bound,
Have held you bound for over 400 years in one form or another.
From the dreadful, evil human slave trade,
To your division and colonisation by outsiders,
To the current neo-colonialism that enslaves us till this very day.

Africa, oh my dearest Africa,
When will you unite and arise?
When will you assume the noble destiny??
The great destiny that has been ordained for you???
When will you recover the splendour and noble status you once had????
And which you so rightly deserve.

Africa, oh my dear Africa.
From the land of the Pyramids, to the land of the brave Zulu's.
From the caves of "no return" in Senegal, to the horn of Africa on the Indian Ocean.
Your time is NOW dear land of my fathers!!!
Your time is RIGHT NOW dear land of my heart...
Your time is nigh, because the beautiful ones have indeed been born.
And nobody can keep them prisoner any longer,
No one will keep "us" prisoner for much longer!!!

So Arise my dear Africa,
Arise Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritania and Eritrea,
Arise Sudan and South Sudan, The Congo's and Angola,
Arise Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Mali, Niger and Lesotho...
Arise and claim back all you've once lost, my dear Africa,
Claim back all that is rightfully yours, your sacred heritage.
Because the time is ripe, because the Lord says so...

By Christie Nonye Akumabor © 22/04/13

Going back to our natural and beautiful roots

The beautiful mask of Queen Idia of Benin

Africa's future belongs to these little ones

Delicious Achara soup from Southeast Nigeria

Soon, very soon we shall arise and claim our birth right...

MY ODE TO THE BAGA DEAD; ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FIVE INNOCENT SOULS KILLED !!!

ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FIVE SOULS!
ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FIVE SOULS, JUST KILLED!!
ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FIVE MORE SOULS KILLED THIS PAST WEEKEND!!!
KILLED BY THE EVIL, HATING, CALLOUS AND MURDEROUS BOKO HARAMISTS,

WHY SO MUCH HATRED, WHY SO MUCH UNTHINKING KILLING?
WHAT ON EARTH DO THEY HOPE TO ACHIEVE BY ALL THIS KILLING??
WHY KILL INNOCENT AND DEFENCELESS CHILDREN, WOMEN AND  POOR MEN TOO,
MEN SUCH AS YOURSELVES??? AND ALL FOR WHAT????
WHY! WHY!! WHY!!! I KEEP ASKING, I'M YET TO GET ANY ANSWER...

LAST WEEK THE WHOLE WORLD MOURNED WITH BOSTON,
WHEN "ONLY" THREE WERE KILLED...
IN NIGERIA TODAY WE BLITHELY GO ON WITH OUR DAILY LIVES,
WITHOUT SO MUCH AS THE FLICKER OF AN EYELID.
NO NATIONAL DAY OF MOURNING DECLARED,
NO MEMORIALS ERECTED IN HONOUR OF OUR DEAD,
NOTHING, NADA, BABU, ZILCH!!!

I WON'T ASK WHEN LIFE BECOME SO CHEAP IN NAIJA,
BECAUSE IF I PONDER TOO HARD, IT SEEMS TO ME AND SADLY TOO,
THAT IT HAS "ALWAYS" BEEN SO.
AT LEAST SINCE THE EARLY YEARS OF OUR INDEPENDENCE AS A NATION,
AND IF WE CONTINUE PLODDING ALONG IN THIS VEIN,
WITH THIS OUR YEYE SIDDON LOOK ATTITUDE,
LIFE WILL SURELY BECOME YET CHEAPER STILL...

I WON'T ASK WHAT THEY HOPED TO ACHIEVE BY THESE KILLINGS.
I WON'T BOTHER TO FIND OUT IF THE NUMEROUS DEAD ARE;
SOUTHERNERS OR NORTHERNERS, CHRISTIANS OR MUSLIMS, POLICE OR CIVILIANS...
I LEAVE THAT FOR OTHERS TO DO, MOST OF THEM SO PETTY IN MY VIEW.
ALL I DO KNOW IS THAT ONE NIGHT 185 SOULS WENT TO SLEEP HALE AND HEARTY,
AND THE NEXT DAY THEY WERE NO MORE!!!!

THEY DIDN'T DIE IN ANY NATURAL DISASTER; A FLOOD, EARTHQUAKE OR VOLCANO!!!
THEY DIDN'T EVEN DIE IN ONE OF THE NUMEROUS MAN-MADE DISASTERS,
THAT OCCUR TOO FREQUENTLY TO MENTION IN THIS OUR DEAR NAIJA,
MULTIPLE CAR CRASHES, COLLAPSED BUILDINGS, RAGING FIRES AND THE LIKES!!!
NO, THEY WERE DELIBERATELY KILLED BY MEN JUST LIKE YOU AND I.
EXCEPT THESE ONES, THESE WICKED HEARTLESS MEN ARE JUST SO HATE-FILLED,
THEY NO LONGER SEEM TO KNOW JUST WHO TO DIRECT THEIR MINDLESS HATRED AT...

OUR HAPLESS, CLUELESS GOVT WHOM I SOMETIMES SIMPLY CONSIDER CALLOUS,
ARE TOTALLY UNABLE TO EITHER PROTECT THE LIVES OF NIGERIANS,
CATCH ANY OF THE KILLERS AND KEEP THEM SAFELY IN CUSTODY,
OR BEGIN TO PROSECUTE THE FEW THAT HAVE BEEN ALREADY CAUGHT!
INSTEAD THEY OFFER AMNESTY TO THESE UNREPENTANT, UNRELENTING KILLERS.
AMNESTY KO, AMNESTY NI. NA WAH O, HOW FOR DO???

WHILST THE AMERICANS CAUGHT THEIR BOMBERS WITHIN JUST FIVE DAYS!!!
SHUTTING DOWN A CITY FOR SEVERAL DAYS JUST TO ACHIEVE THIS.
NIGERIANS HAVE ALREADY BURIED THEIR DEAD AND BLITHELY MOVED ON...
YES, ALL ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FIVE SOULS HAVE ALREADY BEEN BURIED...
ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FIVE MORE FAMILIES LEFT TO MOURN, SO SAD.
ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FIVE MORE ORPHANS, WIDOWS, WIDOWERS, MOTHERLESS AND FATHERLESS CHILDREN LEFT TO MOURN,
AND IN SOLITUDE TOO!!!

MORE MISERY, MORE UNTOLD SUFFERING AND DEVASTATION,
AS HOMES, BUSINESSES AND THEIR MARKET GOT RAZED TO THE GROUND.
AND NO RELIEF LIKELY TO COME FROM GOVT EITHER, NOT EVEN MONETARY AID.
AND YET THE EVIL, WICKED HARAMISTS IF THEY DECIDE TO ACCEPT "AMNESTY",
WILL BE OFFERED HUMONGOUS FIGURES JUST TO SHEATH THEIR SWORDS!!!

I AM JUST TOO SAD RIGHT NOW TO EVEN GET ANGRY AT THIS OFFER OF AMNESTY.
NONSENSE AMNESTY! WICKED AMNESTY!! CRUEL AND CALLOUS AMNESTY!!! YEYE AMNESTY!!!! SELF-SERVING AND COWARDLY AMNESTY SEF!!!!
BUT THAT'S A STORY FOR ANOTHER DAY, RIGHT NOW I AM JUST SO SAD
AT MORE NEEDLESS LOSS OF LIFE,
LIVES TAKEN BY MEN WHO CANNOT EVEN BREATH LIFE INTO A FUNGUS!!!

I HAVE NO ANSWERS FOR NOW, NO CLUE ON HOW TO STOP THE KILLINGS.
AND EVEN IF I DID, I'M CERTAINLY NOT IN A POSITION TO IMPLEMENT THEM.
I HAVEN'T BEEN TOUCHED PERSONALLY BY THE KILLINGS, YET!!!
BUT I'VE INDEED BEEN TOUCHED AND WOUNDED IN MY SOUL,
 BY ALL THE NEEDLESS LOSS OF LIFE THAT CONTINUES UNABATED IN NIGERIA...

SO THIS IS MY FUNERAL DIRGE TO THE ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FIVE SOULS,
TO ALL THE HUNDREDS, ACTUALLY THOUSANDS OF OTHER INNOCENT SOULS WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE...
SO LET'S ALL JOIN THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS IN WEEPING AND MOURNING,
LET'S ALL FEEL THEIR PAINS, SHARE IN THEIR SORROWS, GNASH OUR TEETH,
COS WHO KNOWS, TOMMORROW IT COULD BE ME OR EVEN YOU!!!
EITHER KILLED, TERRIBLY MAIMED OR PERHAPS IN MOURNING...

THEN LET'S ALL GET ANGRY, SOOOOOOOOO ANGRY MY FRIENDS AND RESOLUTE.
SO THAT WE WILL DO "ALL" IN OUR POWER TO STOP THESE KILLINGS,
EXPOSE ANY KNOWN KILLERS, SPONSORS OR THEIR WICKED OGAS-@THE-TOP.
LET'S RESOLVE TO STOP ACCEPTING OUR YEYE GOVT'S CALLOUS INEPTITUDE,
PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO DEALING WITH THESE EVIL HARAMISTS.

LET'S HOLD OUR JUDICIARY AND POLICE TO ACCOUNT TOO,
WHENEVER THEY ATTEMPT TO LET THESE KILLERS GO SCOT FREE.
AND LET'S STAND UP AND SAY A BIG NO TO THESE GOVERNMENT APOLOGISTS,
WHO KEEP URGING US TO ACCEPT "YEYE" AMNESTY AS A DONE DEAL,
AS THE ONLY SOLUTION TO THE CONTINUED CARNAGE AND WANTON DESTRUCTION

LET'S TELL THEM THAT WE'LL ONLY ACCEPT AMNESTY ON THE GROUNDS THAT; GEJ, SAMBO, THE SULTAN OF SOKOTO AND ALL PROPOSING THIS CRUEL AMNESTY,
FIRST OFFER THEIR FIRSTBORNS, WIVES OR HUSBANDS TO BE SLAUGHTERED BY BOKO HARAM,
AND PERHAPS SOME OF THIER OWN LIMBS CAN EVEN BE BLOWN OFF TOO!!!
THEN IF THEY'RE STILL SINGING THAT YEYE AMNESTY SONG,
SOME, BUT NOT ALL OF US, MAY ACTUALLY JOIN THEM IN THEIR FOOLISH SINGING.

LET US BEGIN TO MAKE HONEST INQUIRIES INTO ALL GOVERNMENT-SANCTIONED EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLINGS TOO,
WITH AN AIM TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THE KILLINGS, IDENTIFY CULPRITS, APPORTION BLAME AND APPROPRIATE SANCTIONS.
LET US STOP CLOSING OUR EYES AND EARS TO THE CRIES OF THE INNOCENT, JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT OUR KITH AND KIN.
LET US BEGIN TO DEMAND THAT OUR GOVERNMENT STARTS TO DO RIGHT BY ALL NIGERIANS ONCE INJUSTICE IS KNOWN TO HAVE OCCURRED, SHIKENA...

 GOD PLEASE COMFORT AND CONSOLE THE BEREAVED AS ONLY YOU CAN,
AND SHOW US THE WAY SO THAT WE CAN PUT AN END TO ALL THESE KILLINGS,
BECAUSE IT HAVE DO, THIS EVIL KILLING AND CARNAGE IN NIGERIA HAVE TRULY DOES!!!

BY CHRISTIE NONYE AKUMABOR 22/04/13

AFTER THE DARK NIGHT COMES THE NEW DAWN

LOVE AND UNITY ARE THE ANSWER

FOR PEACE TO REIGN JUSTICE MUST FIRST BE SERVED!!!

 P.S. Please pardon my writing in capitals, I just had to in order to try and express the degree of my angst...

HONOURING ACHEBE; 16th November 1930- 21st March 2013

The mighty Iroko has fallen in the forest,
So let's roll out the drums,
And beat a solemn tune, a worthy tune.
Because an African giant has gone home to rest,
A worthy son of the most high has been called home,
And we are all left bereft by his absence.

The acclaimed father of African literature is no more,
He has been called to a glorious resting place in the sky.
His mortal body is no longer with us,
But his words remain, his so beautiful words remain.
Words from his magnificent first; Things fall Apart,
Through to his glorious magnum opus; There Was A Country!!!

Prof Chinualumogu Albert Achebe is being laid to rest soon,
What can we give him, what can we bring that is worthy?
Mere words, when such words were his medium?
And so glorious a medium he wielded them too.
Sweet words, like new yam to be eaten with the best of palm oil .
Words taken from the memories of our great forebears,
Which contained in them the wisdom of the Ancients.

Achebe dug deep, collected and then presented these words to us,
In so palatable a form that they resonated with all and sundry.
With the old and the young, Igbo's and none-Igbo's,
Africans, Europeans and indeed the rest of the world...
Not many can do this, not many ever have, and few ever will!!!
So we were blessed to have lived when he did,
I know I certainly have been, though I never met him personally.

But meet him I did though, through his wonderful books.
Things Fall Apart, No longer at ease, The Arrow of God,
These were the first of his magnificent books I read, but certainly not the last.
So forgive my often rambling ineloquence,
Pardon my perhaps effusive praise and accolades,
I feel like I've lost a favourite wise and kindly uncle, and indeed I have.
Some of us have indeed lost a husband, father, grandfather, uncle, cousin, friend, teacher and mentor.

So goodnight our dearest Chinua Achebe,
Rest well you worthy son of your parents; Isaiah Okafor and Janet Anaenechi
Rest well you noble soul, for you have proved yourself true.
And we all know the Most High rewards those such as you.
Rest well our gentle Prof, till hopefully we all meet up again some day,
Never to be parted again from your family, friends and readers too.
Ije oma Prof, jeme nkoma, for it is well with your soul.



The Prof reading from one of his own works

 


He presented Africa to the world as proud, noble and beautiful

.

Prof Chinualumogu Albert Achebe !930-2013

BE KIND TO EVERYONE...

Be kind to everyone,

For you never know the battles they are facing or fighting,

You never see the tears behind their eyes,

You are not there when their torrents of bitter tears fall,

In the silence and solitude of their private places.

 

Be kind to everyone,

Because you don't want to be the last straw,

That makes their human [camels] backs break!!!

Because we don't always see beyond the mask of smiles,

That so many of us wear to cloak and hide our dreadful pain...

 

Be kind to everyone,

And even if that seems impossible,

Which we know it sometimes does.

Then please DO NOT be deliberately cruel,

That's the least I can ask, the very least I ask of you my dear friends.

 

Be kind to everyone,

Because it is what we did automatically as children,

And it's the best way to be, indeed everyone says so.

And even when we fail, let's not stop there just because we can,

Let's pick ourselves up, look deep into our hearts and do better, be kinder...

 

Be kind to everyone,

Especially to children, the elderly, the infirm and the recently bereaved,

Let's also be really kind to widows, to the orphans amongst us and the disabled too.

To our mothers, fathers, friends, relatives and even strangers!!!

Cos that's what God asks of us if we are to truly follow him...

 

Be kind to everyone,

Because kindness is the precursor of love,

And that's what we are all expected and commanded to do,

We are to love everyone we meet, as we would love ourselves,

So at least let's start with being kind, it costs nothing really, but produces such great gains...

By Christie Nonye Akumabor 05/04/13

The picture above was the inspiration for my poem

Even little chicks are kind to each other

 

God loves us, truly, madly, deeply...

Thanks dear, but you know I've really got ta share,

Gotta let his people know,
Just how much our God does care.

Cos to him we are all so dear,

And we know our Lord is truly fair.

 

He just wants us to know he's always there,

And when we trust Him then we'll need not fear.

We can to do all what we choose and dare,
Because God loves us beyond compare..

And so this I cannot help but share,

Cos I've truly felt his love surround me here,

And there's really no feeling to compare

His love's pure, priceless and full of care.

 

Oh how I wish all folks could truly know,

Just how much their Creator loves them so.

Then they'd live full lives and be at peace,

With the assurance that only knowing God gives...
 

Three mighty cheers for our God,
Gbooza! Gbooza!! Gbooza!!!

By Christie Nonye Akumabor 03/04/13



 

His love for us is more beautiful than the loveliest rose

Than all the most beautiful roses in the whole wide world

It'ss more precious than the love between the bestest mother and child