Thank You Nigeria

Many things are wrong with the nation. First being the leaders, followed by their policies and then their corruption and malpractices. While I'm no longer bothered or perturbed by their ingenuity, I cannot but thank the Nigerian system for one thing. The realization of the importance of prioritization.



To all, a nation that works is one that caters for its citizenry. From the east coast to the north pole, echos of good governance reverberate.

Interactions with contemporaries further validate the potency of the empowered citizenry. Vero is a black American who is fresh from high school. While contemplating which college to apply to, she got a job to keep her busy, bossy and beyond the reach of her sister, Sime, who is always on her neck.

Hova's is another case study.

She is from a country with a popular record with the US. When she came to the point of chosing a career, she went for medicine. Several years into the program, she has been to several international conferences and inumerable local ones. She's an Iranian.

I can bore you with several other case studies but let's take check out one more. Mine.



While I remain a mystery to many, I have a rather easy-to-fathom sojourn.

I was born to a humble family with other brothers. When it came to choosing a career, I followed suit by gunning for medicine. As the almighty JAMB would later have it, I got something more, medical laboratory science. At first, I was angry with the system, but following several thoughts, I now have cause to like the country.

While we've said a lot about the precarious status of our institutions, commented on the illiteracy and despondencies of our leaders, the evil retributions for the labors of our past heroes coupled with the stagnation of the destinies of future generations, a lot remain unsaid. The first being the opportunities.

The country is referred to as the land of opportunities although the advertisers are ignorant of what they are saying.

The gaps created by the inefficiencies of the present generation had robbed them of the great opportunities at their disposal to write their names in gold. Challenges are problems that can be transformed to testimonies. While the present electrical engineers have failed to profer solutions to the incessant electricity crisis, they've ignorantly handed their future contemporaries the opportunity to be known as the saviors of the electricity dilemma. Thank you PHCN.



I've also recognized the lacking intelligentsia. The present crop of leaders are majorly illiterates who mistakenly got the mandate. They've extensively failed because they lack the intelligence and expertise to properly and effectively direct the nation's affairs. This is evident in the innumerable tsunamis sweeping across the country- Niger-Delta, Boko Haram, ASUU... It is evident that they've failed in their intellectual capacities, showing we the future the power embedded in educating the mind. On behalf of the future leaders I say thank you Yar'adua et al.



I was reading the dailies sometimes ago and came across a news piece on a college shoot out in California. I tried to envision what the Nigerian version would like. The result is quite funny.

The guys comes to the front of the class pointing a pistol at a classmate. The guy with the gun on his head would just smile and ask the prospective shooter if it is real and loaded. When he answers yes to both, I expect a cultist to inquire where he got the gun from and how much it would cost to get some. The shooter on hearing the proposed transaction would forget entirely his mission and enter negotiations with the cultist. Shooting in schools can never happen in Nigeria. Even when hypnotized people will ask the same question: You dey craze?



Nigeria, just like any other developing country, is facing several that when properly hernessed are ample opportunities to attain greater heights. We the immediate future must empower ourselves with the right capacility, knowledge and information. We should also continue to be resilient in our struggles and positive in our thinking so as not to be referred to as failures, just like the present generation.

The Atmosphere For Sex

It was a cold evening. ASUU strike was on, PHCN ensured that everywhere was dark and the atmosphere was silent, except for the momentary whispers of the two of us.

She stared into my eyes and I responded the gesture. We laid on our backs staring at each other, while awaiting our next course of actions. My hormones were surging, neurones were firing and the dragon was ready to unleash. All seemed set, only awaiting my orders.

There are several approaches, reactions and counter reactions, spiced with diverse suggestions on ways to guard against sex outside marriage. While several are interlaced and heavily laden with the Scriptures, very few focus on the real issue.

Having sex is not something extraordinary that warrants the attention and the have-sex-and-die response we give it. In the real sense, it is one of the numerous actions we take daily. They are similar in that we choose what we do, how we do it, with whom, where and when.

While it is safe and predictable to invoke scriptural verses to drive home our premarital sex- related topics, we fail to recognize the fact that some base their choices on other determining factors apart from religion.

Some depend on peers, some parents, some pressures and others intuition. Solution attempts coming from the religious points of view are therefore not far reaching in efficacy. But there is one approach that I'll like to propose and that's our desires.

Desires, in my own interpretation, are dreams that we want to live. We all have one thing or another that we want to achieve in life. Some wants to be rich, powerful, and influential. To some, their dream is majorly centered on being an achiever, a force to reckon with and a decision decider in the nearest future. Following dreams, comes the next stage, that of planning.

While planning, we trace the steps that will lead us to the preferred and desired destinations. While some are truthful to themselves, others live in their self built fool's paradise.

While familiarizing ourselves with the routes to take, we also must identify factors that wills hinder us or prolong our journeys. Outcomes of prolific sex is one of such.

Authoritatively, I can say that advances in medical research have not been able to declare premarital sex as 100% safe. 75% at best. The dangers associated with the remaining 25% is strong enough to destroy any dream, leaving such at the dream stage. They include unwanted pregnancies, HIV/AIDS, several STDs, magun (don't climb), and psychological wandering.While some are serious at actualizing their dreams, others can trade theirs' with other ephemeral things.

The decision to stir clear of illegal sex is not that of God to make neither is it that of parents, or peers, the sexy girl or handsome guy to decide. It is entirely ours.

Back to my story, I looked at the girl in the eye and asked her what she wants her future to be. She told me and I replied by telling her that the next 15 minutes can shatter such dreams.

We made our choices and the body systems obeyed. Our hormones went back to normal. The neurones got calm and the dragon stayed in the leash, all hoping to act at the right time.

The "Written, Produced, Directed And Starred By" Syndrome Destroying Nollywood

THREE years ago, I made a painful but necessary decision. I just watched an over hyped meaningless IQ-lowering Yoruba movie titled FILA DADDY which starred most top and highly revered Yoruba actors. The year marked the period in my life when I needed to start seeing myself as living in my future and not just hoping for it. There and then, I decided to start biding farewell to everything that is not a part of the future I envision. Such included meaningless relationships, unrewarding exploits and of cause, Nigerian films. You got it right, Nollywood.

While many people see the Nigerian film industry as the third largest in the world (in terms of quantity). few can vouch for the quality of works emanating from the industry. As far as we are concerned, in the Nigerian context, success is seen in terms of the number of productions coming from the industry. An assertion that is wrong. Let's take some instances.

When a typical Nollywood is placed side-by-side with a Hollywood's or Bollywood's, the difference is always clear. From the anemic casting to the terrible subtitling, it is evident that the industry still has a lot to do. While these are understandable, one that is not, is the new trend. The I-can-do-it all phenomenon.

Few days ago, I saw a poster of a new Yoruba epic movie titled AWODI. I approached to read the synopsis and know the cast. One interesting fact became familiar, with other posters. In the case of AWODI, Murphy Alabi was the writer, the producer, the director and the lead actor. What a talented being you might say.

This is not the only film with the offense as the industry is now filled with such 'vast' and 'highly talented' individuals like Murphy Alabi, who without attending any film school, can do it all!

One of the things that I appreciate in a flick is the overall quality. That's why I always ensure I see any film done by Mel Gibson. He's not the only good film director around with good CVs to show. But in Nollywood, the reverse is the case. Apart from Tade Ogidan and Tunde Kelani, most film directors are hungry jobbers who might have been well suited for the mechanic profession.

While the industry's play makers might blame the insufficient funds as excuse for these jack-of-all-trade act, watchers like me don't buy it.

Where are the funds being used to produce hundreds of films monthly coming from? Why can't they merge these resources together and produce top quality films? Are there not quality film directors and producers around? What regulations have they put in place to ensure that basic standards are met? And is there a standard at all?

While I pity those that still patronize Nollywood films, I can't but ask why they are doing so. As far as I'm concerned, the films lack concept, creativity, professionalism, meaningful contribution to one's life and they take a lot away instead of adding to one's life.

While I can buy CDs of Nigerian musicians, I can NEVER collect a Nollywood film, even if it's free of charge because it can lower my IQ, an essential instrument for someone that is serious with his or her future. Let's see what the next THREE years will be like. Till then, the ban remains.

Lights, camera...budget action! Image courtesy 'This Is Nollywood'

My Facebook Friends

Ye shall know the truth... goes a Biblical saying. But how truthful are our Facebook friends? Let's start with mine as I name names, no reservations.

First on the list is Chybyke. I don't know why I like this guy, I just like him. He is open, sincere and good looking while having common sense and a pechant for self discovery as evident in his status where he sometimes ask pertinent questions. I believe he's not hiding under religious shade.

To represent the females, I will select Tracy.

We got talking during a clinical posting after which we exchanged facebook contacts. This medium allowed me to subscribe to the notion that a book should not be judged by its cover (the author might be impoverished). She is warm (I'm referring to the spirit and not body, I've not felt that yet. Maybe I will). She also keeps it real although she sometimes tend towards the religious side. On the overall, she is quite cool, just like Chybyke.

A group that is not that cool is that of the Bible thumpers who think Jesus only died for them alone. On Facebook, they are Reverend fathers (and sisters) while in real world, some of them are summarily criminals. They are who Jesus referred to as Pharisees and Saducees who boast of close pronicity with God while their hearts are filled with innuendo, perversion, ills and several unedifying components. They see the Bible as a book of facts, and not a means of changing their lives. They need deliverance. I won't mention names.

Another group of 'friends' I have are the lurkers.

Lurkers are like saprophytic organisms who take but fail to give in return, no harms done. You will think they don't visit your profile while in the real sense, they've scanned everything that you've put online, while silently praying that you upload more. I'm undeterred by these individuals but full of pity when I fail to comprehend why they can't or won't step out boldly. Maybe they pseudo superstars. Even superstars are on Facebook.

Talking of superstars, I've also added some, with mixed feelings.

Some of the so called Nigerian stars claim they are here to encourage the youths. But so far, it seems they are the ones who need encouragement. They don't chat. They don't interact. When you mail them, they are too big to reply, forcing me to ask why did you add me in the first instance when you won't interact. The foreign ones are however different.

One of such pragmatic superstars is Keri Hilson. We were both online and we chatted for long. From her closeness to Kanye (just like Chris Brown and Rihanna, before the slap) to the sensual track with R Kelly, we really talked. She's not the only one making good use of networking as most foreigners on my friends list are exceptional. None, however, is as warm as my Veronica.

From what I know about her, she is a pretty cool cute gal who likes to have good fun. She is not scared of fraternizing with people from other lands, although she has a thick bold boundary. She is a lady that quite understands what social networking is all about- enjoying yourself without forgetting yourself.

This place is an eye opener. It is an avenue for us to determine those with mission and vision. Facebook allows us to meet those with like minds while dissociating ourselves from pollutants, contaminants, and those that won't add meaningful meanings to our lives. In essence, what type of friend are you?

Ladies And Fairly Used Materials: Two Inseparable Friends

WHEN guys gather in groups, they usually do so to discuss and argue football but when girls gather, only one thing is strong enough these days to attract their attention, fairly used materials.

From Ekonuwa market in Owerri, thru Tejuosho in Lagos to Dugbe in the heart of Ibadan, the sale of fairly used materials is in vogue, and the ladies are the main patronizers. Just ask the business enterpreneurs. One of them is Emeka who markets his wares in Dugbe market, Ibadan.

He started the business in 2004. Then he was into fairly used male products, basically shoes and bags. Two years later however, he switched over to female wares because of the general consensual assertion that the business is a potential oil field and three years on, his ever growing clientelle is enough to convince any doubting Thomas that he made a wise and smart decision. That's not all.

Some months ago, after an examination, I was strolling back to my room in company of a female colleague. At the famous IMSU junction in Owerri, she dashed to a corner, in broad daylight, to catch a glimpse of the newest fairly used wares on display. After a prolonged [ultimate] search, she settled for a pair of underwear. As sarcastic as I ought to be, my tongue summarily drooped as I was short of words. Ladies!

Ladies always appear trendy, funky, upgraded, confident, sophisticated and somehow intimidating when in company of their boyfriends. But all caution is thrown into the air when they hear the summoning bells inviting them to the open air exhibition.

Sometimes I ideate hypnotization since female wears are quite cheaper than males' who they continually approach with long inflated bills, only to get their things at the bus stop. Nemesis caught up with one, the other day in Ekonuwa market, Owerri.

From where I was pricing Indomie noodles, I was hearing fierce exchange of words like hapumaka (leave me alone), ego le sef? (how much?), iwu onyara (you are crazy)... From the high decibels, you don't need to understand Igbo language very well to know that all is not well.

Like others in the market, I tuned my frequency and gaze to the station where the resounding transmission was coming from. Only to see a voluptous lady arguing with an elderly man over a piece of underwear that got torn while the lady was trying it on.

Sometimes I wonder why ladies prefer okrika to brand new, even when their status show they can afford it. One excuse frequently given is that of durability.

They claim okrika products are strong and durable, standing the tests of time and pressure. To this, I say no. How will a material start developing strength and durability after undergoing severe wear and tear in the hands of its first user, sometimes users?

They might also blame the rising cost of new things. But as said in previous lines, guys' wears are more expensive, yet we still endeavor to get them new. In lieu of these, I've come up with my own reasons. First being greed.

Their love to have it all regularly compels them to forsake exotic unisex boutiques for road side exhibitions. They want both quality and quantity. Haba!

Another reason is obsession. Some of these ladies cherish some designers whose works they cannot afford, forcing them to resort to okrika for the satisfaction of their longings.

One last point I'll to mention is that of demonic possession. A lot of girls are spiritually entwined in bondages that tie them down with fairly used things, instead of seeking new materials. They may not agree with me but I see such ladies as being placed under a spell.

While it is medically dangerous to share certain clothings, we cannot but view this issue from another angle. Many ladies of today are like what they put on, okrika (fairly used). So, why put an old wine in a new skin? They are totally incompatible, and so it is with ladies.

The Stupidity Of The Human Race

Growing up, I had a dream of being a neurosurgeon, like Ben Carson. I loved the thrills that characterized the job. But is thrill all there is to life? I want more from life!

I shelved neurosurgery for virology. I adored the beautiful sights of viruses- the amazing constitution that when not in a living tissue seems harmless but becomes dangerous on entry via its preferred predilected route. Again I was faced with another inundating challenge of determining whether I will be satisfied with just viruses. The doubt compelled me to face the truth embedded in the laws of economics which is 'man's desires are insatiable'. So I made consults.

I studied biographies and autobiographies. I read philosophical materials and several how-to-do-it's, all to no avail as all of them failed to answer the basic question of what's next after wealth? Death? Not yet. There is still a vaccum.

Respise however came from Solomon's Ecclesiastes.

Like me, he also went through the phase of trying to phatom life and getting the missing piece. He sought wealth, fame, authority, influence, women and power. Unlike others, he was lucky to have it all. Yet he wasn't sure he's gotten it all.

In that book, he looked at his toils and achievements and declared them vanities; a mere chasing of the wind. That got me thinking. I must be on the right frequency with Solomon, except his excapades with the female species.

Going by him, wisdom, self-indulgence, living wisely, wealth and honor are all vanities. These, however, are what we daily seek, sometimes cheating, stealing and killing to get. Shame on us.

The news is daily filled with ridiculous discoveries and fraudulent tales of swindles, robberies, forgeries, and syphoning of public funds by political office holders while the youths are also not left behind in the whirlwind chase.

Cybercafes are daily filled with yahoo guys during the day, and at night, they are joined by female compatriots who sell the bodies given to them freely by God.

While the madness that we see as smartness continues, we forsake the essence we are in the world, our real reason for living.

Chapter 3 and verse 10 thru 15 of Ecclesiastes told us the responsibility God has saddled us with.

He wants us to be joyful and do good, no matter how small or big, as long as we live. Very simple? An evaluation of ones life will answer that.

As individuals, we should examine our actions, attitudes and interactions. We should weigh them on the balance of God's word and fairly judge ourselves.

Questions that should form our daily lives should include: what good thing have I done with the things and skills I've got? Who can look at me and remember a good thing I did for them? Am I joyous in the present situation God has placed me? Do I grumble when things fail to go at my preferred pace? How open am I to God's distruption of my plans?...

Many live their lives with eyes on preferred conditions. They long to be somewhere while forgetting the joy God wants them to have in their present situation. In their eyes, they are wiser, smarter, more serious, focused, and determined. To them their pace is God's but in God's eyes, they are just a stupid bunch of irresponsible and ungrateful idiots that will be cast into the lake of fire at the end.

It's not too late to retrace our steps and start living our lives God's way. A stitch in time...

The Scientific Truths On The Latest HIV Vaccine

Since two days ago when news started filtering in on the success of a HIV vaccine clinical trial in Thailand, the entire world has been enveloped in an unquenchable euphoria with some individuals saying that the end has finally come to the long dreaded HIV virus, the causative agent of AIDS. In this article, scientific and statistical facts are analyzed to give readers the truth on the issue.

HIV undoubtedly remains the most popular virus as several hundreds of millions of dollars are expended annually in the fight against it. While success has been recorded in awareness, prevention remains an issue that has eluded HIV researchers globally. HIV vaccine research was quite silent until few days ago.

One of the facts we need to acquaint ourselves with is the efficacy of the vaccine. In the report, 31% of individuals in the study were protected. The issues this raises are quite enormous.

Firstly, 31% efficacy is not good enough in medical science. For a vaccine to be described as effective, it has to offer reliable protection to most individuals receiving it, a condition that the new vaccine failed to meet. If only 31% of participants were protected, how do we determine who will be in that 'lucky group'?

Also, HIV researchers are now faced with another challenge of explaining why some were protected, while others were not.

One of the reasons past HIV researches gave is the natural protection conferred on some sets of individuals who lack a particular gene. The researchers who conducted this study failed to tell if participants were screened for the presence or absence of this gene, plus other factors that confers protection on an individual.

They also need to tell the world the method of exposure. In science, it's a known fact that retroviruses (a group that HIV belong to) have affinity for certain parts of the body. There is the need for the researchers to declare the method of infection; this will go a long way in determining whether the protection can also be conferred on individuals who are exposed to the virus via means that were not included in the study.

The proliferation of numerous HIV strains is another factor that should be put into consideration. HIV strains generally refer to the numerous forms of the virus that are available. Strains arise as a result of mutation (mistake, interruption or interference) in any of the stages of development of the virus. HIV belongs to the class of viruses that mutate easily. We therefore need to know the potency of the vaccine on other strains. The researchers used a strain of the virus that is prominent in the region of Thailand where the clinical trial was conducted, which is quite different from that of African countries.

Another important point is that of the long term effect. Medical history is filled with tales of vaccines that proved effective at the outset only to turn around and become hazardous to recipients. With this at the back of our minds, the various regulatory bodies will surely not allow such re-occurrence as extensive studies would still be carried out on the vaccine to determine its safety.

While it's good to rejoice with the rest of the world that hope is visible, no matter how dim, we should be quick with the celebrations and face the realities that face us. The first being that the world is still far from getting a vaccine based on the facts previously stated.

We should not forget the fact that the vaccine is a blend of two previously failed vaccines. The questions this raises is what went wrong in the first instances? Let's look at basic pharmacology (basically the study of drugs).

In pharmacology, 3 things can happen when 2 chemical substances are combined. One is additive where the combined activity of both drugs is a sum of their individual activities; second possibility is inhibitory where both chemical substances antagonize one another. The last possibility is synergy where there is potentiation of the individual activities of the individual drugs. For the vaccine however, its mechanism can not yet be described; except if resurrection of functionally dead drugs is now acceptable in pharmacology.

The HIV vaccine trial that should interest Nigerians and other African countries is the one going on in South Africa and Kenya. We should be supportive and be inquisitive in order to see the possibility of adapting or modifying the vaccine, if potent, for Nigerian use. The Nigerian government also has roles to play.

Although most parts of the world are affected, the strains differ. The major Nigerian HIV 1 and 2 strains are different from the ones in Thailand and South Africa. Most countries of the world had realized this and had saddled their medical researchers with the responsibility of developing vaccines. Nigerian government should not fold hands or rest on her oars.

Nigerian medical institutions and HIV researchers should wake from their slumber and get down, working on getting us a Nigerian HIV vaccine. We should advance from the no-longer-new ABC campaigns which in my own researches are not effective for Nigeria, and start vaccine testing.