Ochanya: One Rape Too Many

Opinion Pieces4 Comments

 

A 13-year old girl lies six feet under the ground. Dead. Lifeless. Her dreams cut short, her breath snuffed out at a time when she should have no business contemplating the possibility of being non-existent. If she died of some terminal illness or had been a victim of an accident, maybe her death would have been easier to bear…maybe. But none of that is the case. The circumstances surrounding the death of Ochanya Ogbaje is a prospect every female prays against. Many would choose the option of being felled by the bullets of night marauders rather than the victim of serial rape. That frightening possibility of bodily violation that lurks in the corners of every woman’s heart became Ochanya’s reality.

The Unborn

Flash Fiction5 Comments

“I don’t know if this one will live, I am deathly afraid even though the doctors say he is doing just fine,” Ese said to Aunty Stella.

“You have to keep faith, Esosa. Be optimistic, everything will be fine.”

Osahon and his family are growing tired, he tries to hide it, but I see the impatience and fading hope in his eyes”

“Leave Osahon and his people to think or do whatever they like and focus on yourself and the baby.”

2019: Between Patriots and Belly Hustlers

Politics/Governance6 Comments

2019 is a year that many Nigerians await with baited breaths. It will be an election year, one that will determine the trajectory of the country for the next four years—whether it finally turns the significant corner that leads to sustained economic prosperity—or remains stuck in perpetual hopelessness. Nevertheless, one of the identifying factors that accompany every election season has featured once again: Shenanigans; political mischief amongst politicians, their cronies and (for lack of a better word), mentees.

Elections 2019: Let The Games Begin!

Guest Blogger2 Comments

 

It’s election season in Nigeria once again and the political landscape is heating up as expected. Already, we have witnessed defections, disqualifications as well as inter and intraparty squabbles among political heavyweights. Unarguably, the most notable of these occurrences has been the truncated re-election bid of Lagos State’s incumbent governor, Akinwunmi Ambode. No thanks to the political machinery that deemed him unworthy of a second shot at the helm affairs in Nigeria’s most valuable State.

A Date With “Satan”

Reviews10 Comments

 

Satan: A Dark Comedy is a stage play written and directed by writer and media entrepreneur, Joy Isi Bewaji

First of all, there’s no doubt that the title of the play is about as intriguing as titles get. I wasn’t quite sure of what to expect when I saw the promotional materials on social media, because, frankly, dark comedies aren’t exactly commonly explored in these parts.

Was it going to delve into the numerous vices cum evil the fallen angel is widely believed to engineer in our world? Would it downplay these perceived villainous activities and question such beliefs? I was soon to find out.

The Many Battles Calmness Wins

Essay6 Comments

 

It happened on Tuesday morning. Traffic had begun to build up as commuters tried to make their way to work. Traffic had slowed to intermittent stops as it approached the railway intersection. The time was about 6.15 am, there was still plenty of time for the driver to make the office without being adjudged late. As the car inched closer to the tracks, there was some noise…incoherent at first, and then louder, with an accompanying wave of frantic hands as a couple of pedestrians jogged in the direction of the cars who were trying to meander through fellow motorists to get to the other side of the road.

Silent Work, Self-Focus, Zero Comparisons

Lifestyle6 Comments

 

I probably belong to a negligible number of people who believe in keeping things close to their chest until there’s some form of desirable result. Many would call someone like me secretive, and maybe they are right. In a world where it’s now the order of the day to put every minute detail of one’s life out there, people like me are dinosaurs. We are going extinct because that’s just not the way the world works right now. If you are living well and life’s treating you with the level of care newly married couples show each other, then, by Jove, why wouldn’t you want to share it with others? And if you are on the side of the divide where each day is drab, uninspiring or even tortuous, you should also put it out there too. You never know who can help.

Of Serena, Bisola, And Elusive Wins

Essay8 Comments

 

One is an international superstar. Arguably, the greatest tennis player dead or alive and definitely a legend that will be talked about for many years to come. The other is a rising star in Nigeria, one who’s blessed with an abundance of gifts every creative person craves. While these two young women are at different phases in their career, with Serena gradually inching towards the twilight of her illustrious tennis career and Bisola just starting to attract that level of recognition that anyone who has followed her career knows she more than deserves, one phenomenon binds them together–the long, tortuous road to elusive victories.

How To Be A Celebrity

Satire8 Comments

 

First, it was Davido practically bringing proceedings to a halt at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Lagos, next, The Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards held last Saturday, and so it’s a good time to talk about celebrities and what makes them tick. The life of the rich and famous is as intriguing as it is attractive. Many crave the lifestyle and attention that famous people attract. The perks and many times, the frustration of being a popular face–being recognised everywhere you go, living with the reality of bidding goodbye to an anonymous lifestyle, bearing the pressure of often unrealistic fan expectations, and almost always being only one step away from controversy or a scandal.

Sometimes, Just Stop And Listen

Lifestyle2 Comments

 

 

We live in a time where everyone wants to be heard. Everybody is an expert at something and oftentimes, it’s the reason we have a cacophony of voices jostling to be heard. There are “Masterclasses” advertised on every other social media profile. The belief that the more knowledgeable one is, the greater respect they command may be true, but the flip side is a horde of humans who overestimate their grasp of a subject matter. People who think they and are convinced that because they have done something over time, they are masters at it. While this can be true, it is not necessarily always the case. You could have been doing something wrong for the ten years you have been an “expert” at it.