Hey peeps…how has it been? Well, Velli is good sha. I have to apologise for not being regular lately… been so busy. Looking at the subject today might give you the impression that Uchevelli has gone bananas upstairs… is he in any way talking about suicide?
About a year ago, one of my course mates who was already in his final year… had problems with a course … I don’t know the details, all I know was that he was facing some serious challenges, he was just a few units from graduating…when the final results came out… he failed a course (Industrial Attachment -IT)…which wasn’t an academic course…how can you fail a student because of IT, people pass it at the comfort of their homes… how much more…well he failed it twice simply because the lecturer felt that he could not prove that he actually undertook the exercise while in the UK. This was his second extra year…and he just couldn’t bear the idea of having to spend an extra semester (na normal thing for some people sha)… he couldn’t take it anymore.
How could you spend 7 years for a 4 year course? Well, UNILAG no be beans… I have seen people who spent a decade… just to get a degree…(I don’t mean a PhD) … I mean Bachelors Degree.
He went home that day…met his parents watching a Nollywood movie, he greeted warmly… got to his room to change…
The next thing his parents heard was a gunshot…from the room… it was later discovered that he went into his parents’ bedroom, got his father’s firearm and took his own life.
It was a sad news… and it got me traumatized for a while…. He was such a quiet, handsome and well mannered young man…always well dressed (very formal) and spoke very well, (he had this British accent).
I am not here to ask why it happened or who caused it… but all I can say is that God knows everything…some of you must have read about it in the papers…and for the people in Lagos or students in UNILAG, you know what am talking about…I don’t need to go further.
There is a big difference between “Kill yourself” and Kill Your Self”…
When you want to kill yourself… you are talking about suicide…killing yourself… taking your own life… which is sinful and very bad. I am not encouraging such acts…not at all. There is no reason on earth why you should take your own life… given to you by God. Who gave you the right to even think such…? God forbid.
I know people who are HIV positive… they are living happy lives today…. happily married with children (who are HIV free), I know people who have Cancer… and have been told their death dates…. But they are full of life… enjoying their moments with their loved ones… we still jam in the club from time to time... So what are we talking about? There is no excuse for such stupid actions….no justification whatsoever. Anyone who takes his or her own life will go to hell… that’s for sure.
Now… if you follow closely…you will see that the subject is “Kill Your Self”… which means something else. I am not an English major… but if you observe closely, you will see that the subjectc contains 3 different words (Kill Your Self) compared to the former which is 2 words (Kill Yourself).
The reason why am taking all this time to explain myself is because its so easy for some people to either quote or misquote me…looking at the controversial nature of what am talking about. Some years ago… (1993 or there about)…some youths shot a man in the US and claimed that they were inspired or influenced by a Tupac song… Nigga please!
A song made you shoot another man? Haba, I listen to that same song almost everyday o. So does that mean that my backyard should be a memorial park? Should that make me a killer? How come nobody has killed anybody from watching Rambo IV, Terminator or Jack Bauer in 24? With all the horror flicks we watch these days… nobody has claimed that they (the movies) influenced them to chop off other peoples’ body parts or become a menace to society. Why hasn’t anybody sued Jacky Chan or Jet Li for influencing them to beat up 20 people to a pulp…or for jumping off a 16 storey building… try am now.
Sorry for digressing… back to the subject again… what was it again?
As I was saying, when I say “Kill Your Self”, I mean that you have something that belongs to you, called “SELF” which you must kill… in order to live a life that can please God. It’s just like saying kill your goat, kill your cat, kill your pride… kill your Sinful nature, Kill Your SELF!
You have to kill the SELF in you…that is your own SELF … the SELF that belongs to you…by the way… What is SELF?
This is described as the Adamic nature, the sinful nature, the old man, the flesh, the carnal mind etc… There are many other words that are used to describe SELF.
They call it Old man because since you were born with this nature…it is as old as you are and probably knows you more than you even know yourself…but this new nature (of God) is still trying to grow, develop…and adapt to the hostile environment. The Old man knows all your strengths and weaknesses, the shortcuts to your soul… looking for ways to maintain control, but the nature went astray from the womb… you might claim that it’s the only life you know...Yes, but the final destination such a lifestyle would lead you to…is destruction. It is comfortable because you are so used to that way of life…but am telling you that it doesn’t lead to Heaven. So when I say kill your SELF … I mean killing that nature…putting to death all that is related to that sinful nature.
Romans (8:4-10) talks about SELF meaning hostility to God… explaining more about having to KILL YOUR SELF and replacing it with a new spirit. The (Holy) Spirit of God which will quicken your mortal bodies…or give life to your lifeless bodies…but first… SELF must die in you…it must cease to control your thinking, your actions, your emotions, your decision-making, in short… everything about you.
SELF is the nature you were born with… but in order to live a life that can please God… a transformation must have to take place, so that the old SELF will die and give room to a new SELF …controlled by the Holy Spirit, this connects us with Christ, gives us the right to become true children of God, making Jesus the first born among many brethren…in one big family.
It is this transformation that will give us a striking resemblance of Christ….. making people to call us “Christians” …. Meaning that we are “Christ-like”… (Romans 8: 16 -17). Romans 8:13 says “if you live in Self or in the flesh…you will surely die.”
Gal 5:19-26, Colossians 3:9-10… explains the attributes of SELF in the life of a man before the transformation…or before the encounter with Christ and the attributes of life after the encounter.
So, when I am talking about killing your SELF … we have to rid ourselves of this sinful nature if the sacrifice on Calvary would be of any significance in our lives. This sinful nature (the Flesh) makes it impossible for us as human beings to live a sinless life…
(Eph 4:22-31, Psalms 58:3, Jn 3:5-11)
A righteous life is only possible by His grace…and by receiving His Spirit (Conversion), then striving to learn of the Master, to be like Him, Act like Him and studying His ways and His Will for your life (Discipleship). These 2 steps are vital in the life of a true child of God; it’s usually a life long process…cos we learn every day…. And the transformation is gradual. Some people just get converted at crusades…and it ends there. You have to be nurtured until you are matured in the things of God…it is a never-ending experience.
In conclusion, whatever action or ideas that originates from the flesh or SELF is corrupt in the eyes of God ... and can never fulfill His purpose or Will.
Examples are as follows
Adam and Jesus,
Cain and Abel,
Ishmeal and Isaac,
Saul and David,
Esau and Jacob
The 10 (sons of Jacob) Brothers and Joseph, (Benji was not among cos he came after Joseph)
These are examples of those in the flesh and those chosen by God to fulfill His purpose on Earth…
These stories portray how those in the flesh worked contrary to the plan and purpose of God…without even knowing it… they thought they were doing the right thing. If you notice, those in the flesh came first; they are usually older, have more experience… than the chosen ones. They are usually SELF-imposing, SELFISH (think of themselves before anyone else), they usually embark on SELF-advocating plots to achieve SELFish motives which are usually contrary to God’s plan. They are usually SELF-centred, SELF-sustaining (instead of allowing God to do the Sustaining), SELF-absorbed (too busy with themselves), SELF-abused at times, SELF–asserting, SELF–conscious, SELF-made millionaires who at the end SELF-destruct… (I’d rather be a God-made Millionaire than be what the Bible calls a “Rich Fool”)
Well, if you really want to serve God…. You must “KILL YOUR SELF”, that is the only way to true salvation…, thanks for your patience… and stay blessed.
Tuesday 4 November 2008
Thursday 28 August 2008
I SEE DEATH AROUND THE CORNER
Hey people, how are things with you all? Well things are cool with velli, only say things no too easy sha… but we thank God for every. Well, as the Bakassi controversy final dies down, and Cameroon finally carries the day, life must go on… Well, I sympathise with the people from Bakassi, and hope for the best as they choose either to remain Nigerians or change to Cameroonians.
Well, today was very bad for me because I couldn’t stop thinking of a friend of mine whose birthday was today….being the 26th August, he died 3 years ago in a plane crash along with 114 passengers on board that ill fated aircraft. He was such a gentleman, I have never seen anyone so honest, no even my humble self, Jide (not real name) was such a sweet heart and everyone loved him. He was older than me with like 5 years but we related like brothers or peers, if I would use that word. He was my best friend and we loved each other like the biblical David and Jonathan. I gained a lot from him… good advice, support, love and genuine friendship… these are things you don’t find easily nowadays...because good friends are a rare commodity these days. We argued sometimes about issues and even if it was my fault, he would still be the one to call and say… hey bro, why you dey fuck up? Shei… you still dey vex? Would you like to go out for a drink? Meet me at Ibiza (his usual joint) this evening…ok? He just carried me along like a brother and I loved him dearly. He just got married to his long time girlfriend… a beautiful lady, and he was going to become a father in a few months… he was so excited, wanted a baby boy, I teased him to expect a baby girl. It was as if he had everything going well for him… his career was blossoming… he was financially ok…just bought a new house… he had a happy home, what else can a nigga ask for?
He had a meeting in Lagos, so flew down on a Monday and was meant to come back on Wednesday. When they got to Lagos, he gave me a shout on phone and we chatted for a while thanking God for journey mercies (cos you need a lot of it when you are traveling by air… in Naija), he told me to please keep an eye on his wife since she was all alone with the housemaid, just to keep her company later in the day. I went there after work and spent sometime with her , he even called his wife while I was still there and she let me speak to him on phone again…I was a part of that family. He used to tease me that when I finally decide to settle down, that our wives and kids would all be hanging out, that one of his children should marry one of mine…he always told me of the importance of family, that it was never too early to settle down and start a family. He said he would be coming back on Wednesday; I teased him that we couldn’t wait to have him back, that I don’t want any Lagos girl to “steal” him, he laughed so hard and the wife just smiled.
On that fateful day, he boarded that plane like everybody else, with hopes, dreams and aspirations, looking forward to seeing his pregnant wife, his friends… to get back to work after accomplishing the mission for which he was sent, and that was the last we heard of him. They took off and the plane crash-landed in a swamp just 15 minutes after take off, 115 passengers and crew members all lost their lives in that unfortunate plane crash.
Nobody knows when the end will come, but it sure will… anytime I get on a plane, I ask my self… many people got on a plane just like am doing right now, and that was their last, many people traveled by bus… and they never came back, many people left their homes this morning, kissing their wives goodbye, promising to buy gifts or biscuits for their children on their way back from work in the evening, and that was the last time they ever saw their family... some have died in their sleep.
Just a second… (to get a hanky)… these tears…. should stop rolling…. down my cheeks… (Damn! I can barely see what am typing)
Anytime am about to do something risky, a lot of shit goes through my mind, not because am afraid, but because am just trying to be real, today could be the last… yes… if not for me… for someone else… cos people die everyday… you are reading this because by His grace, its not you yet…. And I am still writing this because by His grace… am still here. Just make sure you put things in order at all times no matter what… if you owe… try to pay up, if you are cheating on your wife… please stop for your own good. If you are stealing from your boss… he might not be seeing you now, but God is watching you… please stop. If you have not been honest in your dealings, all in the bid to make money… stop. If you have hurt someone in the past… kindly go and make up with that person if possible, be at peace with all men… if you have not put your ways right with God, that is even the most important of all… do it right now when you still can …put your house and life in order… cos like the Bible says “only the living can praise the Lord”. I want you to live your life knowing that the Master can call you up at anytime that pleases Him, even while you are asleep, no one can question Him.
I lost 2 friends in an inferno here in Abuja just 3 months ago; some of you read it in the papers. PHCN (a.k.a NEPA) took the electricity as usual, so they told their security guard to switch on the generator, because they wanted watch Barak Obama’s campaign. Their mum had traveled (a day before) to inspect their new estate at Ile-Ife, which was near completion. Their Father went for a party of good friend who had just turn 60, told them he was coming back late. After the Obama speech, they went to bed. They had slept upstairs, in different rooms that night leaving their friends to sleep in the spare rooms downstairs.
When NEPA brought back the electricity, they were fast asleep, the security guard, switched off the generator and went to his room, along the line, there was power surge because the electricity was fluctuating, above the normal voltage, and the wires started melting, the next thing they knew was that the whole house was on fire, especially the upper part of the house. These two brothers from the same parents died of suffocation from the thick smoke, before the fire service operatives could get there, it was already too late. They were the only sons of their parents…. Ade was 25 and Yinka was 27, both were very successful in their chosen endeavors… the pride of their parents, wonderful friends… up till this moment, the parents have not gotten over the shock of their death. So, what are we talking about? They died in their own house. Yinka was meant to go back to school the next day.
Life is like a bus carrying us all on a jolly ride through the journey of time, some times the journey is smooth and sometimes its rough but whenever it gets to a bus stop, it stops for people to get in (given birth to) and also to get off (die), and the ride continues… all am saying is… how do you know that the next bus stop is not your last?
I read of the death of ace actor/comedian Bernie Mac in the newspapers….. I was so sad, I was one of his fans…that dude was so funny and I loved his movies… he was exceptional in the Ocean’s series (11, 12 and 13), but I loved him more in “5 kings of comedy”, who knows the next person that will be called to the upper room? Could be you … could be me.
Today is his birthday (I mean my friend Jide), and I just thought I should share this with you all. Happy Birthday my Friend, Happy Birthday Amigo. Still can’t find the words to describe how much I miss you. Your wife is doing fine… and your son looks so much like you…very handsome, Am still not married though, ha ha ha (that na tori for another day)…, but I believe you are in a better place… I hope to see you someday… one sweet day. Adieu.
This goes out to all those who have lost their loved ones, husband, wife, children, brother, sister…or a good friend. It’s such a painful experience… but God knows the best. As children of God, situations like this would can dampen our faith, but be encouraged in your spirit (Philippians 1:20-25) …because we know that they have gone to be with Him…and His plans for us are for our own good, for us to get to an expected end(Jeremiah 29:11), (Romans 8:28).
We shall all meet again on that day… that sweet day, till then… I remain Velli.
Well, today was very bad for me because I couldn’t stop thinking of a friend of mine whose birthday was today….being the 26th August, he died 3 years ago in a plane crash along with 114 passengers on board that ill fated aircraft. He was such a gentleman, I have never seen anyone so honest, no even my humble self, Jide (not real name) was such a sweet heart and everyone loved him. He was older than me with like 5 years but we related like brothers or peers, if I would use that word. He was my best friend and we loved each other like the biblical David and Jonathan. I gained a lot from him… good advice, support, love and genuine friendship… these are things you don’t find easily nowadays...because good friends are a rare commodity these days. We argued sometimes about issues and even if it was my fault, he would still be the one to call and say… hey bro, why you dey fuck up? Shei… you still dey vex? Would you like to go out for a drink? Meet me at Ibiza (his usual joint) this evening…ok? He just carried me along like a brother and I loved him dearly. He just got married to his long time girlfriend… a beautiful lady, and he was going to become a father in a few months… he was so excited, wanted a baby boy, I teased him to expect a baby girl. It was as if he had everything going well for him… his career was blossoming… he was financially ok…just bought a new house… he had a happy home, what else can a nigga ask for?
He had a meeting in Lagos, so flew down on a Monday and was meant to come back on Wednesday. When they got to Lagos, he gave me a shout on phone and we chatted for a while thanking God for journey mercies (cos you need a lot of it when you are traveling by air… in Naija), he told me to please keep an eye on his wife since she was all alone with the housemaid, just to keep her company later in the day. I went there after work and spent sometime with her , he even called his wife while I was still there and she let me speak to him on phone again…I was a part of that family. He used to tease me that when I finally decide to settle down, that our wives and kids would all be hanging out, that one of his children should marry one of mine…he always told me of the importance of family, that it was never too early to settle down and start a family. He said he would be coming back on Wednesday; I teased him that we couldn’t wait to have him back, that I don’t want any Lagos girl to “steal” him, he laughed so hard and the wife just smiled.
On that fateful day, he boarded that plane like everybody else, with hopes, dreams and aspirations, looking forward to seeing his pregnant wife, his friends… to get back to work after accomplishing the mission for which he was sent, and that was the last we heard of him. They took off and the plane crash-landed in a swamp just 15 minutes after take off, 115 passengers and crew members all lost their lives in that unfortunate plane crash.
Nobody knows when the end will come, but it sure will… anytime I get on a plane, I ask my self… many people got on a plane just like am doing right now, and that was their last, many people traveled by bus… and they never came back, many people left their homes this morning, kissing their wives goodbye, promising to buy gifts or biscuits for their children on their way back from work in the evening, and that was the last time they ever saw their family... some have died in their sleep.
Just a second… (to get a hanky)… these tears…. should stop rolling…. down my cheeks… (Damn! I can barely see what am typing)
Anytime am about to do something risky, a lot of shit goes through my mind, not because am afraid, but because am just trying to be real, today could be the last… yes… if not for me… for someone else… cos people die everyday… you are reading this because by His grace, its not you yet…. And I am still writing this because by His grace… am still here. Just make sure you put things in order at all times no matter what… if you owe… try to pay up, if you are cheating on your wife… please stop for your own good. If you are stealing from your boss… he might not be seeing you now, but God is watching you… please stop. If you have not been honest in your dealings, all in the bid to make money… stop. If you have hurt someone in the past… kindly go and make up with that person if possible, be at peace with all men… if you have not put your ways right with God, that is even the most important of all… do it right now when you still can …put your house and life in order… cos like the Bible says “only the living can praise the Lord”. I want you to live your life knowing that the Master can call you up at anytime that pleases Him, even while you are asleep, no one can question Him.
I lost 2 friends in an inferno here in Abuja just 3 months ago; some of you read it in the papers. PHCN (a.k.a NEPA) took the electricity as usual, so they told their security guard to switch on the generator, because they wanted watch Barak Obama’s campaign. Their mum had traveled (a day before) to inspect their new estate at Ile-Ife, which was near completion. Their Father went for a party of good friend who had just turn 60, told them he was coming back late. After the Obama speech, they went to bed. They had slept upstairs, in different rooms that night leaving their friends to sleep in the spare rooms downstairs.
When NEPA brought back the electricity, they were fast asleep, the security guard, switched off the generator and went to his room, along the line, there was power surge because the electricity was fluctuating, above the normal voltage, and the wires started melting, the next thing they knew was that the whole house was on fire, especially the upper part of the house. These two brothers from the same parents died of suffocation from the thick smoke, before the fire service operatives could get there, it was already too late. They were the only sons of their parents…. Ade was 25 and Yinka was 27, both were very successful in their chosen endeavors… the pride of their parents, wonderful friends… up till this moment, the parents have not gotten over the shock of their death. So, what are we talking about? They died in their own house. Yinka was meant to go back to school the next day.
Life is like a bus carrying us all on a jolly ride through the journey of time, some times the journey is smooth and sometimes its rough but whenever it gets to a bus stop, it stops for people to get in (given birth to) and also to get off (die), and the ride continues… all am saying is… how do you know that the next bus stop is not your last?
I read of the death of ace actor/comedian Bernie Mac in the newspapers….. I was so sad, I was one of his fans…that dude was so funny and I loved his movies… he was exceptional in the Ocean’s series (11, 12 and 13), but I loved him more in “5 kings of comedy”, who knows the next person that will be called to the upper room? Could be you … could be me.
Today is his birthday (I mean my friend Jide), and I just thought I should share this with you all. Happy Birthday my Friend, Happy Birthday Amigo. Still can’t find the words to describe how much I miss you. Your wife is doing fine… and your son looks so much like you…very handsome, Am still not married though, ha ha ha (that na tori for another day)…, but I believe you are in a better place… I hope to see you someday… one sweet day. Adieu.
This goes out to all those who have lost their loved ones, husband, wife, children, brother, sister…or a good friend. It’s such a painful experience… but God knows the best. As children of God, situations like this would can dampen our faith, but be encouraged in your spirit (Philippians 1:20-25) …because we know that they have gone to be with Him…and His plans for us are for our own good, for us to get to an expected end(Jeremiah 29:11), (Romans 8:28).
We shall all meet again on that day… that sweet day, till then… I remain Velli.
Thursday 7 August 2008
UNDER-RATED UNDERDOG
Wud up people? It’s still your boy- velli… how are y’all doing? Still here, doing what I do … staying alive. A lot’s been happening lately, but in all things, we give thanks to God. I have not been so regular in my writing these days… really sorry about that.
There is a popular saying that says that “pride goes before a fall”… I mean before a great fall… came across it here and there and it kinda caught my attention. I wonder what will give another man like myself the right to feel better or superior to my humble self for any reason under the earth. Does he not breathe the same air… like me? Does he not depend on food to survive… like me? Does he not go to bed… not knowing what tomorrow might bring? Does he not live… not knowing when the end might come… just like me? Does he not go to the toilet… and do justice (shit) when nature calls… just like me? What will make you feel so big, so proud and so arrogant? Is it the little change you have stashed in some account?
I went to submit some forms at the Ministry of Works some days back, after searching for about 30 minutes, I finally found the office, the receptionist kept me waiting for almost 2 hours before allowing me to see the man… so this man has been in the office all this time and didn’t feel like seeing anybody? A lot of things went thru my small mind while waiting…. Well, knocked and walked in, I saw a young man seated, face down, busy with a celebrity gossip magazine, I walked to his table and greeted politely, he raised his face looked at me and just continued doing what he was doing… (doing justice to that magazine) I greeted again assuming he did not hear the first greeting…. But he didn’t even respond… he was very busy indeed… I just stood there… for about 30 minutes…. Then finally he said…Can I help you?
So because God was merciful to you to put you in a position of authority, now you want play God? (Just a thought). I submitted the forms… and left his office feeling cool, as usual. What can I do... but to do what I came to do. I was only surprised that at this age and time, people can still be this ignorant; I don’t envy them at all. (Proverbs 3:27-32)
When people start looking down on fellow human beings, their downfall is near. The only thing higher than man is God, not even the angels, so why should a fellow man look down on you because he is well placed or richer or stronger than you.
The Super Eagles (Nigerian National Football Team) used to look down on other teams from smaller countries until when we learnt the bitter way, Gabon beat us by a lone goal to hinder us from going to the world cup some years back…. It was so painful. We also did the same with Angola, and we paid direly by missing the Germany 2006 world cup, serves us right. In the spirit of competition, if you win, thank God for giving you the grace, don’t feel like some big shot, with your shoulders touching the sky… it’s by God’s grace.(Proverbs 3:5-7) in my short life, I have seen champions defeated on the day of reckoning simply because they under estimated their opponents, I have seen very intelligent students fail exams, not because they did not study hard or knew the right answers, it was simply over-confidence. “I am better than everyone else, I can beat you with my eyes closed, I am the best there is, I can beat you silly, even on a bad day”… Who told you that?
Brazil underrated the Nigerian Olympic team at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, they still can’t say what happened to them, but their fall in that competition would best be described as “humpty-dumpty”, as written in the history books.
Never under estimate the power of God in any situation, don’t get carried away by your achievements and success…”If not for me, this would have happened, if not for my expertise…that would have happened, if not for my being clever and smart…. We would have lost that deal….” Who the hell are you? .... What can you do on your own?
Some people can’t just say two sentences without giving themselves all the glory and honour that should be given to God. “I did this at age 17… I achieved that at age 22… I made my millions at before age 25… if not for my hard work and determination…I won’t be where I am today…bla bla bla.”
Mike Tyson under estimated James Buster Douglas before their boxing bout in Japan in the early nineties, and that was the beginning of his fall; he never recovered from that defeat…. He was never the same again… let’s just say, that was the last he saw of the world boxing title.
If you think you are a giant like Goliath, then wait for the underrated underdog called David to put you in your right place, it will shock you. If someone had told Goliath not to go to that war, he would probably call you insane and cut off your head for insulting him…because the pride, arrogance and over-confidence wouldn’t let him listen to you. Some people are so full of themselves that there is hardly any space for the spirit of God to come into their lives, yet they call themselves Christians… am so sorry for them because they are just fooling themselves. The greatest virtue of Christ was humility… that guy was humble to a fault… and I love him for that… I wish I could be that humble, it’s not easy but I am still trying. The only way to be lifted up is to be down to earth, the way up the ladder of life is down, the way to heaven is six feet underground, (ha ha ha… just joking).
My father once told me that “sometimes a man has to be big enough to see how small he is”. Even after David was anointed the King of Israel, he was humble enough to still flee from Saul, respect him and had no hand in his death.
Some people just can’t help oppressing people around them in order to stay relevant, to flex some muscles to scare their subordinates. I have heard of women going as far as brutalizing their housemaids, just to show who is the boss in the house, what for? In some homes, when the children hear daddy’s car coming, they scamper for safety like rats, why? Which is why when they go to homes where there is true love of God, where parents care, they refuse to go home. Some men are natural monsters… they specialize in killing the joy of people around them, their wives, children, workers in the office, any where they go…. Listen Goliath, repent before you meet a David that will put you in your right place and that’s gonna be shameful. Why must your workers flee like mice when they see you coming around?
Lest I forget, when Peter gave in to hardship and decided to go back to his fishing business after working for 3 years with Christ, he convinced other disciples to go with him…. This was after they witnessed all the miracles, ate with the master, watched him die and resurrect. Listen, am not preaching, but you and I know that Peter fucked up big time… this time he blew it. How could you forsake your Master after all you’ve been thru with Him… well he did. When the Master came or appeared, I want you to observe what transpired… Jesus did not start by scolding him…men, am disappointed in you, Peter, you fucked up big time… Pete, you are fired… am so disappointed in you… am gonna do this… am gonna do that… you ingrate…after all I did for you… after all I taught you…how could you disgrace me like this… you are a huge disappointment… bla bla bla… (John 21:1-25).
Observe how Jesus reprimands him…. In a gentle and polite manner, talking to his conscience (Do you love me?) and Brother Peter felt sorry for his mistake…that’s what it’s meant to be.
If you truly love God, why will treat another people like a piece of trash? It was because of the love that Jesus had for mind kind that made Him to die for us, while we were yet sinners, even when we were unwilling to repent… some of us still haven’t. If you truly love the Lord, why not love the way He loved, care the way He cared, have compassion the way He did, and feel for your brothers instead of acting like some modern day Robocop.
In a situation where you are the underdog, stay focused cos you might bring a giant down soon, its only servants that can be promoted to leaders, and leaders either remain leaders or get demoted. So there is nothing bad in being the underdog…. And nothing bad in being the giant, it’s our ideologies that matters, our perception of life that makes the difference. If you see your fellow man in need like a brother in need, and you are touched by his condition and moved to help, in any small way possible according to your ability, then you are on the right path. Both Christianity and Islam preaches about humility, so when I see people misbehave because of the elevated platform that God has put them, I feel like weeping, cos if you can’t be a good leader that God wants you to be, then you have failed Him (and failed yourself too).
During the Monica Lewinsky case, Bill Clinton said “at any point you find yourself, life will always find a way to humble you, just to keep you in check and this is the case now, being the president of the most powerful country in world puts me in a very sensitive position, but God has used this situation to teach me a thing or two about life”
In conclusion, your position as an underrated underdog does not hinder you from achieving your dreams in life; it is just a temporary platform. A lot of successful businessmen started out as underdogs, drop outs, write offs, never-do-wells (whatever that means)… if God cannot forsake you, or look down on you, and then you should not bother about what people say or do to you now, pray they live to see what you become in future and then they will glorify God for your life.
They killed Jesus thinking that they would stop his mission, they only helped him fulfill it… ha ha ha, they planned against Daniel so as to make him compromise his faith and that resulted to his being thrown into the lion’s den. God just used that situation to promote him. They threw the three Hebrew children into the burning furnace, hoping to destroy their destiny… they ended up making them celebrities. Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery thinking that they were pushing him down the success ladder… they were actually doing the opposite… ha ha ha, (they sent him to Egypt to go and fulfill his destiny without knowing it), what makes you think that your wicked boss is not doing the same?
I would like to close on this note, got to go now cos its getting late, wanna say thanks to all of you, for dropping by, sending me mails and making comments, am really grateful, thanks for your time and please do drop by again…so long… still your boy… velli.
There is a popular saying that says that “pride goes before a fall”… I mean before a great fall… came across it here and there and it kinda caught my attention. I wonder what will give another man like myself the right to feel better or superior to my humble self for any reason under the earth. Does he not breathe the same air… like me? Does he not depend on food to survive… like me? Does he not go to bed… not knowing what tomorrow might bring? Does he not live… not knowing when the end might come… just like me? Does he not go to the toilet… and do justice (shit) when nature calls… just like me? What will make you feel so big, so proud and so arrogant? Is it the little change you have stashed in some account?
I went to submit some forms at the Ministry of Works some days back, after searching for about 30 minutes, I finally found the office, the receptionist kept me waiting for almost 2 hours before allowing me to see the man… so this man has been in the office all this time and didn’t feel like seeing anybody? A lot of things went thru my small mind while waiting…. Well, knocked and walked in, I saw a young man seated, face down, busy with a celebrity gossip magazine, I walked to his table and greeted politely, he raised his face looked at me and just continued doing what he was doing… (doing justice to that magazine) I greeted again assuming he did not hear the first greeting…. But he didn’t even respond… he was very busy indeed… I just stood there… for about 30 minutes…. Then finally he said…Can I help you?
So because God was merciful to you to put you in a position of authority, now you want play God? (Just a thought). I submitted the forms… and left his office feeling cool, as usual. What can I do... but to do what I came to do. I was only surprised that at this age and time, people can still be this ignorant; I don’t envy them at all. (Proverbs 3:27-32)
When people start looking down on fellow human beings, their downfall is near. The only thing higher than man is God, not even the angels, so why should a fellow man look down on you because he is well placed or richer or stronger than you.
The Super Eagles (Nigerian National Football Team) used to look down on other teams from smaller countries until when we learnt the bitter way, Gabon beat us by a lone goal to hinder us from going to the world cup some years back…. It was so painful. We also did the same with Angola, and we paid direly by missing the Germany 2006 world cup, serves us right. In the spirit of competition, if you win, thank God for giving you the grace, don’t feel like some big shot, with your shoulders touching the sky… it’s by God’s grace.(Proverbs 3:5-7) in my short life, I have seen champions defeated on the day of reckoning simply because they under estimated their opponents, I have seen very intelligent students fail exams, not because they did not study hard or knew the right answers, it was simply over-confidence. “I am better than everyone else, I can beat you with my eyes closed, I am the best there is, I can beat you silly, even on a bad day”… Who told you that?
Brazil underrated the Nigerian Olympic team at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, they still can’t say what happened to them, but their fall in that competition would best be described as “humpty-dumpty”, as written in the history books.
Never under estimate the power of God in any situation, don’t get carried away by your achievements and success…”If not for me, this would have happened, if not for my expertise…that would have happened, if not for my being clever and smart…. We would have lost that deal….” Who the hell are you? .... What can you do on your own?
Some people can’t just say two sentences without giving themselves all the glory and honour that should be given to God. “I did this at age 17… I achieved that at age 22… I made my millions at before age 25… if not for my hard work and determination…I won’t be where I am today…bla bla bla.”
Mike Tyson under estimated James Buster Douglas before their boxing bout in Japan in the early nineties, and that was the beginning of his fall; he never recovered from that defeat…. He was never the same again… let’s just say, that was the last he saw of the world boxing title.
If you think you are a giant like Goliath, then wait for the underrated underdog called David to put you in your right place, it will shock you. If someone had told Goliath not to go to that war, he would probably call you insane and cut off your head for insulting him…because the pride, arrogance and over-confidence wouldn’t let him listen to you. Some people are so full of themselves that there is hardly any space for the spirit of God to come into their lives, yet they call themselves Christians… am so sorry for them because they are just fooling themselves. The greatest virtue of Christ was humility… that guy was humble to a fault… and I love him for that… I wish I could be that humble, it’s not easy but I am still trying. The only way to be lifted up is to be down to earth, the way up the ladder of life is down, the way to heaven is six feet underground, (ha ha ha… just joking).
My father once told me that “sometimes a man has to be big enough to see how small he is”. Even after David was anointed the King of Israel, he was humble enough to still flee from Saul, respect him and had no hand in his death.
Some people just can’t help oppressing people around them in order to stay relevant, to flex some muscles to scare their subordinates. I have heard of women going as far as brutalizing their housemaids, just to show who is the boss in the house, what for? In some homes, when the children hear daddy’s car coming, they scamper for safety like rats, why? Which is why when they go to homes where there is true love of God, where parents care, they refuse to go home. Some men are natural monsters… they specialize in killing the joy of people around them, their wives, children, workers in the office, any where they go…. Listen Goliath, repent before you meet a David that will put you in your right place and that’s gonna be shameful. Why must your workers flee like mice when they see you coming around?
Lest I forget, when Peter gave in to hardship and decided to go back to his fishing business after working for 3 years with Christ, he convinced other disciples to go with him…. This was after they witnessed all the miracles, ate with the master, watched him die and resurrect. Listen, am not preaching, but you and I know that Peter fucked up big time… this time he blew it. How could you forsake your Master after all you’ve been thru with Him… well he did. When the Master came or appeared, I want you to observe what transpired… Jesus did not start by scolding him…men, am disappointed in you, Peter, you fucked up big time… Pete, you are fired… am so disappointed in you… am gonna do this… am gonna do that… you ingrate…after all I did for you… after all I taught you…how could you disgrace me like this… you are a huge disappointment… bla bla bla… (John 21:1-25).
Observe how Jesus reprimands him…. In a gentle and polite manner, talking to his conscience (Do you love me?) and Brother Peter felt sorry for his mistake…that’s what it’s meant to be.
If you truly love God, why will treat another people like a piece of trash? It was because of the love that Jesus had for mind kind that made Him to die for us, while we were yet sinners, even when we were unwilling to repent… some of us still haven’t. If you truly love the Lord, why not love the way He loved, care the way He cared, have compassion the way He did, and feel for your brothers instead of acting like some modern day Robocop.
In a situation where you are the underdog, stay focused cos you might bring a giant down soon, its only servants that can be promoted to leaders, and leaders either remain leaders or get demoted. So there is nothing bad in being the underdog…. And nothing bad in being the giant, it’s our ideologies that matters, our perception of life that makes the difference. If you see your fellow man in need like a brother in need, and you are touched by his condition and moved to help, in any small way possible according to your ability, then you are on the right path. Both Christianity and Islam preaches about humility, so when I see people misbehave because of the elevated platform that God has put them, I feel like weeping, cos if you can’t be a good leader that God wants you to be, then you have failed Him (and failed yourself too).
During the Monica Lewinsky case, Bill Clinton said “at any point you find yourself, life will always find a way to humble you, just to keep you in check and this is the case now, being the president of the most powerful country in world puts me in a very sensitive position, but God has used this situation to teach me a thing or two about life”
In conclusion, your position as an underrated underdog does not hinder you from achieving your dreams in life; it is just a temporary platform. A lot of successful businessmen started out as underdogs, drop outs, write offs, never-do-wells (whatever that means)… if God cannot forsake you, or look down on you, and then you should not bother about what people say or do to you now, pray they live to see what you become in future and then they will glorify God for your life.
They killed Jesus thinking that they would stop his mission, they only helped him fulfill it… ha ha ha, they planned against Daniel so as to make him compromise his faith and that resulted to his being thrown into the lion’s den. God just used that situation to promote him. They threw the three Hebrew children into the burning furnace, hoping to destroy their destiny… they ended up making them celebrities. Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery thinking that they were pushing him down the success ladder… they were actually doing the opposite… ha ha ha, (they sent him to Egypt to go and fulfill his destiny without knowing it), what makes you think that your wicked boss is not doing the same?
I would like to close on this note, got to go now cos its getting late, wanna say thanks to all of you, for dropping by, sending me mails and making comments, am really grateful, thanks for your time and please do drop by again…so long… still your boy… velli.
Thursday 10 July 2008
SMALL GOAT MENTALITY
Hey everyone, how is it going, today was eventful… traveled for almost six hours to a near by town – Lokoja, I just thank God for journey mercies cos I saw some ghastly auto mishaps on my way back that scared the crap outta me… kept wondering if this was the same road I plied few hours earlier. Today, got to the bus park a little late which led to my missing the 7:30am bus, damn! I had to wait for the 9:00am bus… men it was a long wait. Well, I bought a mag to feed my eyes… what can a brother do?
As I was trying to keep my soul busy with the glossy pics, and juicy celebrity gossips… I couldn’t help overhearing two ladies sitting close to me gisting, well it was not that I was eavesdropping, I was minding my bizness when their conversation interrupted my line of thots… madam, sorry if you get to read this… I can’t stand anyone suing me for publicizing her issues… ha ha ha. Well, this lady in her mid thirties, well dressed kept complaining to the other lady how husband was begging to have her back… how the man had been cheating on her … sleeping around… how she was never gonna forgive him….
How she was going to punish him… how she was gonna make him regret the day he was born….wow, well am trying to be polite a bit cos the type of adjectives she used to qualify the poor man showed that she was really bitter and hurt, and if I use the exact words… you might have to classify this blogg as an 18 and above article. The cut was so deep that the poor lady could kill her husband… I felt so sorry, but what can I do? I could get a percentage of the man’s punishments if I don’t mind my bizness.
I couldn’t help thinking about the pain she would have been thru in her marriage, but I know men who have done worse, ask my aunt… some men are worthless, some sons are useless… some wives are whores…yes so what? God knew we were all these and still sent Christ to die for you and me… if God tabled all our sins… meeen! I should be a dead nigga by now but for His love and Grace. Why can’t we learn to totally forgive one another?
Some people just don’t forgive…and that is unchristian-like. Forgiveness is the only balm that can heal a bleeding heart. It comes from within… without it, you become a prisoner of conscience. You have to forgive and let go if you must be free other wise… you could stay miserable all your life for no just course. If people like Nelson Mandela could forgive those who had locked up for 27 years unjustly… who am I? Mind you, Mandela still lives in South Africa, not some dude written of in some history book.
The parable of the prodigal son is one of my favorites parables cos it tells a tale of a son who offended his father and family big time, his father sees him and immediately forgives and accepts him, restoring him to his original place, but his brother who doesn’t own the wealth becomes angry saying “all these years I have served you, you have never given me a small goat to go and make merry with my friends, but my younger brother…… and “ (Luke 15:28 -30), I thot somebody talked about seventy times seven somewhere… how can you harbour such grudge against someone… forgiveness has no substitute. I wish that lady would read this cos I wrote my blog site on a piece of paper and handed it over to her when we got to our destination, am sure she was shocked and surprised, that was all I could do.
Forgiveness is the key to genuine repentance…you have to forgive yourself to move on with life, but you must forgive those who trespass against you too, if I say it’s easy, then I must be lying, cos it’s not easy at all. It takes the grace of God but that is the bitter pill to swallow as a child of God.
Madam, If you are reading this, please forgive your husband and take him back… for the sake of the kids…pleeease. Don’t feel offended I put you biz on the streets, this goes out to all the women who have been hurt by their man, please forgive… and for all you cheating men, it takes a real man to stay committed to your spouse… a real man is a man of his words…and I must confess… the grass seems greener on the other side but it still tastes the same…it seems greener simply because of the reflection of the sun, a reflection is not the real image but representation of the image, reflections could be distorted or deceiving at times. You better stop cheating on your woman before you get yourself into some real deep shit… that might leave a sour taste on your mouth for the rest of your life.
My child hood friend Jamila is an orphan now because her mum got infected with the HIV virus from her dad… who was cheating with Jamila’s friend. It was so disgusting because the poor woman died first (she was anemic), the man committed suicide because he could not take the shame or face his children. Well, jamila’s friend traveled to the UK after her real boyfriend in school was hospitalized and diagnosed to be HIV positive. Jamila and her younger sister now live with an uncle in the city of Jos, who has been abusing them and refused to send them to school. All other relatives won’t take them in because they think jamila and her sister are jinxed. The last time I saw her, I could barely recognize her… looking so haggard and unkempt… I felt so sad.
This is what happens when you don’t let sleeping dogs lie.
On a sad note, I have to take my leave for today, stay hooked, don’t change the dial, and catch you soon….. So long…velli.
As I was trying to keep my soul busy with the glossy pics, and juicy celebrity gossips… I couldn’t help overhearing two ladies sitting close to me gisting, well it was not that I was eavesdropping, I was minding my bizness when their conversation interrupted my line of thots… madam, sorry if you get to read this… I can’t stand anyone suing me for publicizing her issues… ha ha ha. Well, this lady in her mid thirties, well dressed kept complaining to the other lady how husband was begging to have her back… how the man had been cheating on her … sleeping around… how she was never gonna forgive him….
How she was going to punish him… how she was gonna make him regret the day he was born….wow, well am trying to be polite a bit cos the type of adjectives she used to qualify the poor man showed that she was really bitter and hurt, and if I use the exact words… you might have to classify this blogg as an 18 and above article. The cut was so deep that the poor lady could kill her husband… I felt so sorry, but what can I do? I could get a percentage of the man’s punishments if I don’t mind my bizness.
I couldn’t help thinking about the pain she would have been thru in her marriage, but I know men who have done worse, ask my aunt… some men are worthless, some sons are useless… some wives are whores…yes so what? God knew we were all these and still sent Christ to die for you and me… if God tabled all our sins… meeen! I should be a dead nigga by now but for His love and Grace. Why can’t we learn to totally forgive one another?
Some people just don’t forgive…and that is unchristian-like. Forgiveness is the only balm that can heal a bleeding heart. It comes from within… without it, you become a prisoner of conscience. You have to forgive and let go if you must be free other wise… you could stay miserable all your life for no just course. If people like Nelson Mandela could forgive those who had locked up for 27 years unjustly… who am I? Mind you, Mandela still lives in South Africa, not some dude written of in some history book.
The parable of the prodigal son is one of my favorites parables cos it tells a tale of a son who offended his father and family big time, his father sees him and immediately forgives and accepts him, restoring him to his original place, but his brother who doesn’t own the wealth becomes angry saying “all these years I have served you, you have never given me a small goat to go and make merry with my friends, but my younger brother…… and “ (Luke 15:28 -30), I thot somebody talked about seventy times seven somewhere… how can you harbour such grudge against someone… forgiveness has no substitute. I wish that lady would read this cos I wrote my blog site on a piece of paper and handed it over to her when we got to our destination, am sure she was shocked and surprised, that was all I could do.
Forgiveness is the key to genuine repentance…you have to forgive yourself to move on with life, but you must forgive those who trespass against you too, if I say it’s easy, then I must be lying, cos it’s not easy at all. It takes the grace of God but that is the bitter pill to swallow as a child of God.
Madam, If you are reading this, please forgive your husband and take him back… for the sake of the kids…pleeease. Don’t feel offended I put you biz on the streets, this goes out to all the women who have been hurt by their man, please forgive… and for all you cheating men, it takes a real man to stay committed to your spouse… a real man is a man of his words…and I must confess… the grass seems greener on the other side but it still tastes the same…it seems greener simply because of the reflection of the sun, a reflection is not the real image but representation of the image, reflections could be distorted or deceiving at times. You better stop cheating on your woman before you get yourself into some real deep shit… that might leave a sour taste on your mouth for the rest of your life.
My child hood friend Jamila is an orphan now because her mum got infected with the HIV virus from her dad… who was cheating with Jamila’s friend. It was so disgusting because the poor woman died first (she was anemic), the man committed suicide because he could not take the shame or face his children. Well, jamila’s friend traveled to the UK after her real boyfriend in school was hospitalized and diagnosed to be HIV positive. Jamila and her younger sister now live with an uncle in the city of Jos, who has been abusing them and refused to send them to school. All other relatives won’t take them in because they think jamila and her sister are jinxed. The last time I saw her, I could barely recognize her… looking so haggard and unkempt… I felt so sad.
This is what happens when you don’t let sleeping dogs lie.
On a sad note, I have to take my leave for today, stay hooked, don’t change the dial, and catch you soon….. So long…velli.
WHAT IS YOUR ISAAC?
Hey, my people, hi ya’ll doing? Am good o. well it’s been a while, sorry for the long break, being crazy busy, please forgive uchevelli.
This evening, while coming back from work, at the bustop waiting for a bus ( As I never buy motor), all of a sudden, this new Honda Accord (2008 model) came to my rescue, stopped not far from me, with the driver blaring the horn like someone who knows me, well I stroll towards the “wonder on wheels”, and take a peep, its Mike, an old friend, wow, I just opened the door and jumped in, its been like a year since I saw him last. The fella was looking good… I must confess, but I started by saying “bro, nobody sees you these days, not even in church on Sundays, guy whats happening? He was like” my brother, it’s my job, I work in a bank now, and I am meant to be at work even on Sundays. He kept on explaining how his job has taken over his life. Well, all I could say was “God has really blessed you” he dropped me at my place and promised to keep in touch.
I had already gone to bed but the more I thot of mike, I wondered what had become of this fella… a slave of blessings. What kind of job will make you live in virtual incarceration, a millionaire in a crate (or perhaps living in bondage)? This was a brother who would come to my place to invite me for church programmes, weekly bible study, etc but now the nigga has no time for himself, not to talk about social and religious activities.
The problem that most people are facing today is that they are enslaved to their own blessing or success, the blessing becomes a limitation of some sort thereby hindering your ability to have faith in God, giving you a comfort zone or false sense of rest. What people seem to forget is that the only true rest is found in God, not in your job or your bank account or lousy investments… no disrespect to your investments, but it takes a hurricane from nowhere to blow away your estate, or someone one in an office who makes the wrong choice in policy to have your stocks dropping or probably the price of gas to make cruising your SUV a burden. Anything that occupies the greater percentage of your thots, your time or mind, controls you, anything that controls you is your master, only God should be your master, nothing else.
I have seen married women praying for the fruit of the womb for years, fasted, waited upon God, and immediately they are blessed with a child, they vanish from the source of the blessing (God) with the resource they have received. When you ask them the reason for their absence, they reply that “it’s this child that God gave me, am so busy…. So the blessing is now a hinderance. To some people, it’s their spouse, to some its money, to some, it’s their car or their house, to people like Mike, it’s their job (no disrespect).
When your blessing becomes a hindrance between you and God, it becomes a sin. Nothing should occupy all your time but God. If your job doesn’t allow you to live your life, then you must be “living dead”.
The scriptures talks about Abram praying to God for a heir, when it wasn’t forth coming, he started seeking for alternatives- Ishmael, after God forgave him of that sin, God finally gave him his actual blessing, the covenant child, what happened, Isaac now took the place of God in his (Abraham’s) life, which was why God wanted to see if he (Abraham) would choose his son-Isaac over God, by telling him to sacrifice Isaac on the mount.
May we not get to the stage where God would tell us to choose between some stupid shit and Himself, God forbid….not my job, not my car, not my bank account, not my stocks, not my spouse (when I finally get married), not even my parents, not even my life, not even my health, not even my girlfriend, whatever… so quit giving excuses, its my job, its my wife, its my career, its my baby, it’s the rising price of gas ….watch it ,it is becoming your Isaac, its taking the place of God.
To some people, it’s their car… don’t sit on it, you will scratch it, please don’t touch that, not this car…please don’t park too close, dust your shoes before you come in, don’t litter my interior…can’t you see its leather. To some ladies, their world is built around their husbands, so if anything happens to the man (God Forbid), their world comes tumbling. God should be the author and finisher of your faith, God should be your all in all…not your husband and definitely not your (first class) degree certificate in Harvard, it doesn’t guarantee anything, other wise people like Bill Gates would not be what they are today.
How can you have your life built around your job… which is why if you loose that job because you have a lousy boss, your life ends at that point… that is wrong, life must go on. Some people are living with HIV, they are living a good life, happier than ever, some people are jobless, they are living, some are homeless, some are less fortunate than yourself, but are they not still living. It may shock you to know that the disease with the highest killing rate in Nigeria is not HIV AIDS, no, it’s Malaria. Even plane crashes and autocrashes kill more people that HIV AIDS.
“Some people may be dressed in mean clothing yet they live a merrier life than those clad in silk and velvet.”
The fear of God should be the beginning of wisdom, the measure of the fear of God in a man’s life is paramount in our bid to reverence God and make heaven. It’s only when you don’t fear Him that you disregard His commandments. Am not saying that we don’t make mistakes, but its your attitude of repentance that makes the difference… your ability to retrace your steps back to the Master makes you a better person, makes you experienced like the prodigal son.
I made some lousy mistakes lately, very lousy indeed, and it made me feel so bad, so ashamed, I had to take responsibility and accept that it was my fault, even though I didn’t do the it alone… even though it felt good initially, but I felt so filthy afterwards… can’t tell you how sorry I am for making such a blunder, but I have since gotten over it and promised myself that its not gonna happen again. There are some things we can avoid, or do with moderation. If you have a tasking job, find time for God, squeeze out time for yourself, find time for your family, find time for your spouse, find time for your kids, find time for your friends… its very necessary for you to maintain a balance if you want to live a happy life. Even Bill Gates makes time on a daily basis to reverence God, handle some personal things and be human.
Some marriages are in shreds simply because either one or both partners are too busy for one another. It’s a big problem when both parties lack communication. This is the excuse most men give when their careers start taking the centre stage… am tired, I have been working all day… honey, cant talk now… cant it wait till tomorrow. I have bills to pay…. I have an early meeting tomorrow. You are making so much money with no time to spend it right…. That’s what I call “a rich fool”
Well, you are not the only banker in town, you don’t make the top ten wealthiest men on the planet, and you don’t live in the “white house on 10 downing street”, so how busy can you be… that you can’t create time to have fun, worship God, have a good time with friends, watch the movies with your family, drink with a couple of friends…. You have no excuse, it’s a problem and it’s an Isaac … What is your Isaac?
Till I come your way again, still your boy… velli.
This evening, while coming back from work, at the bustop waiting for a bus ( As I never buy motor), all of a sudden, this new Honda Accord (2008 model) came to my rescue, stopped not far from me, with the driver blaring the horn like someone who knows me, well I stroll towards the “wonder on wheels”, and take a peep, its Mike, an old friend, wow, I just opened the door and jumped in, its been like a year since I saw him last. The fella was looking good… I must confess, but I started by saying “bro, nobody sees you these days, not even in church on Sundays, guy whats happening? He was like” my brother, it’s my job, I work in a bank now, and I am meant to be at work even on Sundays. He kept on explaining how his job has taken over his life. Well, all I could say was “God has really blessed you” he dropped me at my place and promised to keep in touch.
I had already gone to bed but the more I thot of mike, I wondered what had become of this fella… a slave of blessings. What kind of job will make you live in virtual incarceration, a millionaire in a crate (or perhaps living in bondage)? This was a brother who would come to my place to invite me for church programmes, weekly bible study, etc but now the nigga has no time for himself, not to talk about social and religious activities.
The problem that most people are facing today is that they are enslaved to their own blessing or success, the blessing becomes a limitation of some sort thereby hindering your ability to have faith in God, giving you a comfort zone or false sense of rest. What people seem to forget is that the only true rest is found in God, not in your job or your bank account or lousy investments… no disrespect to your investments, but it takes a hurricane from nowhere to blow away your estate, or someone one in an office who makes the wrong choice in policy to have your stocks dropping or probably the price of gas to make cruising your SUV a burden. Anything that occupies the greater percentage of your thots, your time or mind, controls you, anything that controls you is your master, only God should be your master, nothing else.
I have seen married women praying for the fruit of the womb for years, fasted, waited upon God, and immediately they are blessed with a child, they vanish from the source of the blessing (God) with the resource they have received. When you ask them the reason for their absence, they reply that “it’s this child that God gave me, am so busy…. So the blessing is now a hinderance. To some people, it’s their spouse, to some its money, to some, it’s their car or their house, to people like Mike, it’s their job (no disrespect).
When your blessing becomes a hindrance between you and God, it becomes a sin. Nothing should occupy all your time but God. If your job doesn’t allow you to live your life, then you must be “living dead”.
The scriptures talks about Abram praying to God for a heir, when it wasn’t forth coming, he started seeking for alternatives- Ishmael, after God forgave him of that sin, God finally gave him his actual blessing, the covenant child, what happened, Isaac now took the place of God in his (Abraham’s) life, which was why God wanted to see if he (Abraham) would choose his son-Isaac over God, by telling him to sacrifice Isaac on the mount.
May we not get to the stage where God would tell us to choose between some stupid shit and Himself, God forbid….not my job, not my car, not my bank account, not my stocks, not my spouse (when I finally get married), not even my parents, not even my life, not even my health, not even my girlfriend, whatever… so quit giving excuses, its my job, its my wife, its my career, its my baby, it’s the rising price of gas ….watch it ,it is becoming your Isaac, its taking the place of God.
To some people, it’s their car… don’t sit on it, you will scratch it, please don’t touch that, not this car…please don’t park too close, dust your shoes before you come in, don’t litter my interior…can’t you see its leather. To some ladies, their world is built around their husbands, so if anything happens to the man (God Forbid), their world comes tumbling. God should be the author and finisher of your faith, God should be your all in all…not your husband and definitely not your (first class) degree certificate in Harvard, it doesn’t guarantee anything, other wise people like Bill Gates would not be what they are today.
How can you have your life built around your job… which is why if you loose that job because you have a lousy boss, your life ends at that point… that is wrong, life must go on. Some people are living with HIV, they are living a good life, happier than ever, some people are jobless, they are living, some are homeless, some are less fortunate than yourself, but are they not still living. It may shock you to know that the disease with the highest killing rate in Nigeria is not HIV AIDS, no, it’s Malaria. Even plane crashes and autocrashes kill more people that HIV AIDS.
“Some people may be dressed in mean clothing yet they live a merrier life than those clad in silk and velvet.”
The fear of God should be the beginning of wisdom, the measure of the fear of God in a man’s life is paramount in our bid to reverence God and make heaven. It’s only when you don’t fear Him that you disregard His commandments. Am not saying that we don’t make mistakes, but its your attitude of repentance that makes the difference… your ability to retrace your steps back to the Master makes you a better person, makes you experienced like the prodigal son.
I made some lousy mistakes lately, very lousy indeed, and it made me feel so bad, so ashamed, I had to take responsibility and accept that it was my fault, even though I didn’t do the it alone… even though it felt good initially, but I felt so filthy afterwards… can’t tell you how sorry I am for making such a blunder, but I have since gotten over it and promised myself that its not gonna happen again. There are some things we can avoid, or do with moderation. If you have a tasking job, find time for God, squeeze out time for yourself, find time for your family, find time for your spouse, find time for your kids, find time for your friends… its very necessary for you to maintain a balance if you want to live a happy life. Even Bill Gates makes time on a daily basis to reverence God, handle some personal things and be human.
Some marriages are in shreds simply because either one or both partners are too busy for one another. It’s a big problem when both parties lack communication. This is the excuse most men give when their careers start taking the centre stage… am tired, I have been working all day… honey, cant talk now… cant it wait till tomorrow. I have bills to pay…. I have an early meeting tomorrow. You are making so much money with no time to spend it right…. That’s what I call “a rich fool”
Well, you are not the only banker in town, you don’t make the top ten wealthiest men on the planet, and you don’t live in the “white house on 10 downing street”, so how busy can you be… that you can’t create time to have fun, worship God, have a good time with friends, watch the movies with your family, drink with a couple of friends…. You have no excuse, it’s a problem and it’s an Isaac … What is your Isaac?
Till I come your way again, still your boy… velli.
Friday 20 June 2008
CHANT DOWN BABYLON
Hey people, how are u all doin? It’s still your boy velli, how is it going? Well, last week was quite hectic for me, had a lot to do… which was partly the reason why I could not upload any new gist… sorry about that but thanks for dropping by anyway, much love.
I was listening to a radio programme last week when something they were discussing tickled my fancy. They were discussing about Babylon, the meaning, what it represents, what it stands for and what it stands to achieve in the near future. Well, after the radio programme, I couldn’t get the stuff off my mind cos it kind of cut me deep, am talking real deep. I decided to find out more about the concepts and principles behind BABYLON.
Babylon is used to describe the plot by the kingdom of darkness to use the church, use whatever is right to do wrong, to use what is good to do evil in a manipulative manner. Babylon is used to depict a corrupt political system which is covered with doctrines of the church. They are trying to bring another dimension to being a Christian, dishing out sermons that will make a child of God to comprise here and there to make heaven.
There is a great difference between fake doctrine and adulterated doctrine, fake doctrine is a doctrine which has no element of truth in it, it’s all lies which can be easily discerned if you are sensitive.
Adulterated doctrine is even worse because it is a mixture to the fake doctrine with some element of the truth, thereby making it more complex and confusing. Adulterated doctrines are more dangerous because it is brewed in a manner that makes it look like the truth on the surface, having something else incognito. The problem is that the Babylonian political power has gone into the church and polluted the body of Christ in such a manner that these days you don’t know who is actually talking, having Christ on one side and the Devil dressed like Christ, speaking like him so as to deceive people.
The Devil has seen that if he continues fighting from outside, he would loose easily because he will be easily identified, but fighting from within with a new identity will create confusion among Christians. Christianity mix with anything is no longer Christianity, no matter how you mould it, package it or present it.
The Babylonian political system is modern way of depicting a wolf covered in sheep clothing today. You attend church services, and gain nothing… some sleep all the way, others are busy checking what others wore to church. No she didn’t make her hair, she did? But the styles look the same, he wore a Gucci belt last week, is that the only belt he has… all these are going thru the minds of many and the man of God is shouting himself to stupor on the pulpit.
The essence of the Babylonian system will not hinder people from praying or seeking to know the truth, rather it is all about feeding them with the wrong information, seeking fo the wrong things the right way…its like planting evil seeds into the lives of many, which will germinate and bear weeds in due season. People will pray amiss, worship God wrongly, be misguided and be led to hell without even knowing it. (Isaiah 5:13-30)
Today, many still believe that they are serving God, yet nothing about them has changed, a pastor told me… come to the Lord as you are, He needs you… so what, does that mean that I should continue fornicating, lying easily, womanizing….etc. no men, you have to drop all that rubbish outside, before the Lord can come in. mind you, I said lying easily…. cos it’s not as if I don’t lie anymore, but even when you make mistakes, you try to adjust and correct yourself, that is called learning from experience or walking with the Lord. Its not the same with some one who tells a lie and is like… well, the Lord understands, or says in his heart… how is it possible to live without committing sin?, or I told a small lie, a white lie…if there is anything like that.
The sermons we are fed with in most churches rather than tell us the whole truth, they adulterate it to suit us, they encourage us to compromise with sin instead of shunning it totally, along the way, it leaves our faith in doubt and in a shaky state which the enemy capitalizes on. Some people have been working in the church for over 20 years, and they are still asking in their heart of hearts is there really a God somewhere? That is what I call 20 years of toiling like Nicodemus (John 3:1-21). Toiling brings forth little fruit after much effort. Why? Because it is not organized and well channeled. The opposite of toiling is labouring. When you labour, you exert little effort and bear much fruit, why? Because labouring is organized and well channeled .Becoming a disciple is an organized venture. True salvation doesn’t just fall from vanilla skies…No, you have to work out your salvation, carry your cross and follow your Master daily, in case you have been following an impostor since, for the past 2 or 3 years, its never too late to turn around and start afresh.
After just a week, I should be able to categorically say, see what the Lord has done in my life in the past 7 days and am deeply grateful, if that’s not happening, examine yourself to see where you went wrong. But when you keep moving, then that means that you are walking on the smooth and broad way that leads to Hell. Anyone who walks on the narrow path will from time to time experience hitches and stumbling blocks that will help to tutor you, keep you attentive, these stumbling blocks are the building blocks of life.
As children of God, we are expected to seek for the truth and pray without ceasing, this is to help us to figure out certain things for ourselves, having someone spoon-feed you could be doom; you must work out your own salvation, every man for him self, carry your cross daily and follow him. We must go on our knees and CHANT DOWN BABYLON with our prayers from genuine hearts. This is the only way thru which we can stand for Christ. (Like the Berea Christians Acts 17:10-13)
The rate at which we celebrate evil these days is quite alarming, this verse from Isaiah 5:13 had me thinking about a lot of things about the adjustments I have to make to be on the right track, I think you should do the same, a personal re-assessment of some sort, the number of men of God claiming to know the way is also disturbing, too many churches springing up, yet no impact on the society, no Pentecostal fire, we have to be very careful about the churches we go to. I don’t need a church where the sermon titles sound like “7 steps to prosperity”, “10 ways to reach the promised land”, “ how to recover all”, “how to get your future partner”, “ how to access open heavens”, “ showers of blessings”, “ how to tap in the abundance of heaven”, “ over night blessing”, “ how to overtake your enemy”, “how to attain manifold supernatural blessing”…. Am asking when are we gonna talk about the man who died on the cross that we may have life… about living a holy life thru righteousness, etc? (The honorable men in Isaiah 5:13 stands for the Men of God, the Pastors who should know better… yet they don’t know the truth… men who we honor), that’s all folks…thanks for dropping by, so long.
I was listening to a radio programme last week when something they were discussing tickled my fancy. They were discussing about Babylon, the meaning, what it represents, what it stands for and what it stands to achieve in the near future. Well, after the radio programme, I couldn’t get the stuff off my mind cos it kind of cut me deep, am talking real deep. I decided to find out more about the concepts and principles behind BABYLON.
Babylon is used to describe the plot by the kingdom of darkness to use the church, use whatever is right to do wrong, to use what is good to do evil in a manipulative manner. Babylon is used to depict a corrupt political system which is covered with doctrines of the church. They are trying to bring another dimension to being a Christian, dishing out sermons that will make a child of God to comprise here and there to make heaven.
There is a great difference between fake doctrine and adulterated doctrine, fake doctrine is a doctrine which has no element of truth in it, it’s all lies which can be easily discerned if you are sensitive.
Adulterated doctrine is even worse because it is a mixture to the fake doctrine with some element of the truth, thereby making it more complex and confusing. Adulterated doctrines are more dangerous because it is brewed in a manner that makes it look like the truth on the surface, having something else incognito. The problem is that the Babylonian political power has gone into the church and polluted the body of Christ in such a manner that these days you don’t know who is actually talking, having Christ on one side and the Devil dressed like Christ, speaking like him so as to deceive people.
The Devil has seen that if he continues fighting from outside, he would loose easily because he will be easily identified, but fighting from within with a new identity will create confusion among Christians. Christianity mix with anything is no longer Christianity, no matter how you mould it, package it or present it.
The Babylonian political system is modern way of depicting a wolf covered in sheep clothing today. You attend church services, and gain nothing… some sleep all the way, others are busy checking what others wore to church. No she didn’t make her hair, she did? But the styles look the same, he wore a Gucci belt last week, is that the only belt he has… all these are going thru the minds of many and the man of God is shouting himself to stupor on the pulpit.
The essence of the Babylonian system will not hinder people from praying or seeking to know the truth, rather it is all about feeding them with the wrong information, seeking fo the wrong things the right way…its like planting evil seeds into the lives of many, which will germinate and bear weeds in due season. People will pray amiss, worship God wrongly, be misguided and be led to hell without even knowing it. (Isaiah 5:13-30)
Today, many still believe that they are serving God, yet nothing about them has changed, a pastor told me… come to the Lord as you are, He needs you… so what, does that mean that I should continue fornicating, lying easily, womanizing….etc. no men, you have to drop all that rubbish outside, before the Lord can come in. mind you, I said lying easily…. cos it’s not as if I don’t lie anymore, but even when you make mistakes, you try to adjust and correct yourself, that is called learning from experience or walking with the Lord. Its not the same with some one who tells a lie and is like… well, the Lord understands, or says in his heart… how is it possible to live without committing sin?, or I told a small lie, a white lie…if there is anything like that.
The sermons we are fed with in most churches rather than tell us the whole truth, they adulterate it to suit us, they encourage us to compromise with sin instead of shunning it totally, along the way, it leaves our faith in doubt and in a shaky state which the enemy capitalizes on. Some people have been working in the church for over 20 years, and they are still asking in their heart of hearts is there really a God somewhere? That is what I call 20 years of toiling like Nicodemus (John 3:1-21). Toiling brings forth little fruit after much effort. Why? Because it is not organized and well channeled. The opposite of toiling is labouring. When you labour, you exert little effort and bear much fruit, why? Because labouring is organized and well channeled .Becoming a disciple is an organized venture. True salvation doesn’t just fall from vanilla skies…No, you have to work out your salvation, carry your cross and follow your Master daily, in case you have been following an impostor since, for the past 2 or 3 years, its never too late to turn around and start afresh.
After just a week, I should be able to categorically say, see what the Lord has done in my life in the past 7 days and am deeply grateful, if that’s not happening, examine yourself to see where you went wrong. But when you keep moving, then that means that you are walking on the smooth and broad way that leads to Hell. Anyone who walks on the narrow path will from time to time experience hitches and stumbling blocks that will help to tutor you, keep you attentive, these stumbling blocks are the building blocks of life.
As children of God, we are expected to seek for the truth and pray without ceasing, this is to help us to figure out certain things for ourselves, having someone spoon-feed you could be doom; you must work out your own salvation, every man for him self, carry your cross daily and follow him. We must go on our knees and CHANT DOWN BABYLON with our prayers from genuine hearts. This is the only way thru which we can stand for Christ. (Like the Berea Christians Acts 17:10-13)
The rate at which we celebrate evil these days is quite alarming, this verse from Isaiah 5:13 had me thinking about a lot of things about the adjustments I have to make to be on the right track, I think you should do the same, a personal re-assessment of some sort, the number of men of God claiming to know the way is also disturbing, too many churches springing up, yet no impact on the society, no Pentecostal fire, we have to be very careful about the churches we go to. I don’t need a church where the sermon titles sound like “7 steps to prosperity”, “10 ways to reach the promised land”, “ how to recover all”, “how to get your future partner”, “ how to access open heavens”, “ showers of blessings”, “ how to tap in the abundance of heaven”, “ over night blessing”, “ how to overtake your enemy”, “how to attain manifold supernatural blessing”…. Am asking when are we gonna talk about the man who died on the cross that we may have life… about living a holy life thru righteousness, etc? (The honorable men in Isaiah 5:13 stands for the Men of God, the Pastors who should know better… yet they don’t know the truth… men who we honor), that’s all folks…thanks for dropping by, so long.
Friday 16 May 2008
CHILLIN IN THE BELLY OF THE BEAST
Wud’up people, how are you all? Am good. Well, today was wonderful, a lot of things happened, had a lot to do, did the best I could and closed for the day. An old friend frank, called me earlier in the day to check on him… claimed that we had a lot to discuss. Not seen him in a while. Well, on my way home, gave him a call, and he suggested we meet somewhere cozy after the day’s Kung-fu hustle.
Not a bad idea… so he says lets meet at Ibiza, somewhere in Area 11, Garki…not my favorite joint in Abuja, but a nice place no doubt. I pick a cab and am off… not very far from my office in wuse...like 20 minutes drive. I arrive there, not filled but a significant bunch… staring, drinking and having a gud time, I step in, saw my nigga frank, chillin with cold bottle of beer… we embrace, shake hands, I sit down and after all the pleasantries, we get down to business, cos I was kinda curious what this dude wanted to discuss with me. I order for a bottle of malt … reasons are best to moi, well they get me a cold bottle and we start discussing. I don’t want to bore you with the details but a quick run down of the whole scenario: He had been working with his cousin for 2 years now (who in my view is treating him well and paying well) after graduating from school, and now wants to start his own construction business and was looking for partners… probably get a few contracts and hit the millions, buy a car, get married… the dreams of any young man (yea..yea…Pinky and the Brain).
Well, am not against dreaming big but how do you intend to do this I asked? You don’t have any capital, you don’t have any experience, and you are this ambitious? Are you kidding me? Instead of staying with your cousin, gather more experience and wait for your time to shine, you want to gate-crash into the hall of fame. Well, after our discussion, I told him that am gonna think about it and give him a feed back later.
Am on my way home with a lot of thots swimming thru my mind, why is it that the youths of today are never patient? They are always in a hurry to make it big, to get married, to get famous, what happened to the “patient dog that gets the fattest bone”? These days its like the patient dog get no bone at all but I don’t share that view. What is the rush about? You make these millions and then what? This is the reason for the high crime rate in our country today. If you can’t get a car in a legit way, you seek alternative means, you can’t get admission into school, you seek fraudulent means as if someone is chasing you.
I waited for four gud years before I could gain admission into the university…even though my father was in the system, did I die?, did I not still graduate… in the course of my choice…ha? This craze for wealth and success baffles me because I don’t know what they want to use it for… what many don’t know is that success comes with a price tag. I just read in the papers that the former president was embezzling N51 Billion Nigerian Naira (about $440 million US Dollars) from the Petroleum industry (NNPC) on a monthly basis for the eight years he was in office… and you still call Bill Gates the richest man in the world? Better have a rethink.
Deep down in my heart, I knew that I was not gonna call frank again cos I wasn’t interested in that type of shit and trying to convince him to rethink his resolve was even a more herculean task, so am gonna let sleeping dogs lie. No success is built over night, not even in the bible; miracles do happen but ….in rare cases… besides miracles are not the full package, its just a temporary measure cos its doesn’t solve all the problems, its solves the currently pressing problem for now, that doesn’t mean that other more pressing issues are not going to come up, miracles are waivers not the solution. Big business enterprises did not just spring up from the blues; it took time of hard work, patience and dedication, ask Bill Gates… like the Americans would say shit ain’t easy. You have to be nurtured and groomed to be a good entrepreneur but it starts by being a good apprentice. Even Hollywood stars did not fall from vanilla skies; they started from small roles, worked hard and waited patiently for their time. Homie, WAIT FOR YOUR TIME.
I have been working with a firm for almost a year, I have learned a lot, but I still have a lot to learn, why not stick around to learn the tricks of the trade…complexity transforms to simplicity with time, it’s just a matter of time. Even if I step out now, do I have the experience to sustain that success? If you come too fast, you expose yourself to a lot of danger and risks. Getting a degree in a university takes about 4 years (depending on the discipline), most of the vital things you would learn about life while you are in school are outside the classroom, and you will have to figure out things for yourself. My father would say that “a degree is never earned by anybody; it is awarded to those who meet certain requirements and criteria”. Its not just having good grades, what about morals, discipline, exposure, patience, punctuality and regular attendance… etc. when you meet all these requirements, you would have to graduate, not by yourself but by the system where you find yourself…the system would vomit you out, you either pass out or fall out, it depends on you. If a pregnancy is due, a baby has to be born (in normal conditions), it is not a decision of the mother or the child, but by the forces that be…at the appointed time. There is time for everything under the sun, why do you want to preempt things?
Even God operates in a sequential and systematic manner, today am like what is wrong in chilling for the right time to explode? In the scriptures… when David was always chilling in the forest with his father’s flock, taking care of his father’s bizness, others were either at home or the army camp. They thot that there was something wrong with him, it’s not as if they had no servants but he was trying to learn, and you learn with a humble heart. Even after he was anointed King of Israel, he still went to serve in the house of Saul; I didn’t hear him going around showing off like some top shot. You have to chill in the belly of the beast, wait for your time… when I say “chillin”, I mean relax in the belly of the beast, even if you are in a mess, chill in the belly of the beast called problem, it is only in a relaxed state of mind that you can think straight on what next to do… even if your marriage is not working out or that things are not working out bizness wise… allow God to make a way in desert. A patient apprentice is always ends up like his master (depending on who your master is – they call my master “The Great Physician”, you might know Him… ha ha ha) (Luke 6:40)…there is no problem that does not have a solution, even a HIV positive status, you don’t have to allow you circumstance to weigh you down, No… you have to sit down and think … what does God want me to learn from this situation? (Hebrew.12:5-11) …If you catch the drift, then that problem is solved, then you move to the next level. The great commission in the scriptures talks about “making disciples of all men” a disciple is an apprentice who is learning the way of the Lord, how He talks, how He behaves, what He does in His spare time , how He prays, when He prays…. We should be good disciples. How can you be a good apprentice if you don’t wait long enough to understand the keys to the mysteries surrounding your present circumstance? If you understand the hidden keys, you can unlock life’s challenges on your own without having to call your mum anytime you have a problem with your spouse, or blame your boss anytime you get a query in the office, or call your dad anytime you are in a mess… these are things that meant to make you that independent person you will turn out to be in the near future.
Well in conclusion, there is nothing like I have been wasting my time, says who? There is nothing like waste of time in life, its all experience and it all counts, sometimes, most of the situations we call problems are God-sent so as to bring us back when we have gone astray, so lets always look at issues with a positive mindset. Circumstances give you a story to tell (a testimony), well I gotta go, no matter what you do or where you find yourself, just know that God is aware of your case and keep chilling in the belly of the beast until the time of your sending forth comes, I hope that when the angel of blessing comes to knock on the door of your life, someone else will not open the door and say “sorry he moved out last week, but I can take the message”, keep chilling in God’s purpose for your life, its still your boy, Uchevelli, am out.
Not a bad idea… so he says lets meet at Ibiza, somewhere in Area 11, Garki…not my favorite joint in Abuja, but a nice place no doubt. I pick a cab and am off… not very far from my office in wuse...like 20 minutes drive. I arrive there, not filled but a significant bunch… staring, drinking and having a gud time, I step in, saw my nigga frank, chillin with cold bottle of beer… we embrace, shake hands, I sit down and after all the pleasantries, we get down to business, cos I was kinda curious what this dude wanted to discuss with me. I order for a bottle of malt … reasons are best to moi, well they get me a cold bottle and we start discussing. I don’t want to bore you with the details but a quick run down of the whole scenario: He had been working with his cousin for 2 years now (who in my view is treating him well and paying well) after graduating from school, and now wants to start his own construction business and was looking for partners… probably get a few contracts and hit the millions, buy a car, get married… the dreams of any young man (yea..yea…Pinky and the Brain).
Well, am not against dreaming big but how do you intend to do this I asked? You don’t have any capital, you don’t have any experience, and you are this ambitious? Are you kidding me? Instead of staying with your cousin, gather more experience and wait for your time to shine, you want to gate-crash into the hall of fame. Well, after our discussion, I told him that am gonna think about it and give him a feed back later.
Am on my way home with a lot of thots swimming thru my mind, why is it that the youths of today are never patient? They are always in a hurry to make it big, to get married, to get famous, what happened to the “patient dog that gets the fattest bone”? These days its like the patient dog get no bone at all but I don’t share that view. What is the rush about? You make these millions and then what? This is the reason for the high crime rate in our country today. If you can’t get a car in a legit way, you seek alternative means, you can’t get admission into school, you seek fraudulent means as if someone is chasing you.
I waited for four gud years before I could gain admission into the university…even though my father was in the system, did I die?, did I not still graduate… in the course of my choice…ha? This craze for wealth and success baffles me because I don’t know what they want to use it for… what many don’t know is that success comes with a price tag. I just read in the papers that the former president was embezzling N51 Billion Nigerian Naira (about $440 million US Dollars) from the Petroleum industry (NNPC) on a monthly basis for the eight years he was in office… and you still call Bill Gates the richest man in the world? Better have a rethink.
Deep down in my heart, I knew that I was not gonna call frank again cos I wasn’t interested in that type of shit and trying to convince him to rethink his resolve was even a more herculean task, so am gonna let sleeping dogs lie. No success is built over night, not even in the bible; miracles do happen but ….in rare cases… besides miracles are not the full package, its just a temporary measure cos its doesn’t solve all the problems, its solves the currently pressing problem for now, that doesn’t mean that other more pressing issues are not going to come up, miracles are waivers not the solution. Big business enterprises did not just spring up from the blues; it took time of hard work, patience and dedication, ask Bill Gates… like the Americans would say shit ain’t easy. You have to be nurtured and groomed to be a good entrepreneur but it starts by being a good apprentice. Even Hollywood stars did not fall from vanilla skies; they started from small roles, worked hard and waited patiently for their time. Homie, WAIT FOR YOUR TIME.
I have been working with a firm for almost a year, I have learned a lot, but I still have a lot to learn, why not stick around to learn the tricks of the trade…complexity transforms to simplicity with time, it’s just a matter of time. Even if I step out now, do I have the experience to sustain that success? If you come too fast, you expose yourself to a lot of danger and risks. Getting a degree in a university takes about 4 years (depending on the discipline), most of the vital things you would learn about life while you are in school are outside the classroom, and you will have to figure out things for yourself. My father would say that “a degree is never earned by anybody; it is awarded to those who meet certain requirements and criteria”. Its not just having good grades, what about morals, discipline, exposure, patience, punctuality and regular attendance… etc. when you meet all these requirements, you would have to graduate, not by yourself but by the system where you find yourself…the system would vomit you out, you either pass out or fall out, it depends on you. If a pregnancy is due, a baby has to be born (in normal conditions), it is not a decision of the mother or the child, but by the forces that be…at the appointed time. There is time for everything under the sun, why do you want to preempt things?
Even God operates in a sequential and systematic manner, today am like what is wrong in chilling for the right time to explode? In the scriptures… when David was always chilling in the forest with his father’s flock, taking care of his father’s bizness, others were either at home or the army camp. They thot that there was something wrong with him, it’s not as if they had no servants but he was trying to learn, and you learn with a humble heart. Even after he was anointed King of Israel, he still went to serve in the house of Saul; I didn’t hear him going around showing off like some top shot. You have to chill in the belly of the beast, wait for your time… when I say “chillin”, I mean relax in the belly of the beast, even if you are in a mess, chill in the belly of the beast called problem, it is only in a relaxed state of mind that you can think straight on what next to do… even if your marriage is not working out or that things are not working out bizness wise… allow God to make a way in desert. A patient apprentice is always ends up like his master (depending on who your master is – they call my master “The Great Physician”, you might know Him… ha ha ha) (Luke 6:40)…there is no problem that does not have a solution, even a HIV positive status, you don’t have to allow you circumstance to weigh you down, No… you have to sit down and think … what does God want me to learn from this situation? (Hebrew.12:5-11) …If you catch the drift, then that problem is solved, then you move to the next level. The great commission in the scriptures talks about “making disciples of all men” a disciple is an apprentice who is learning the way of the Lord, how He talks, how He behaves, what He does in His spare time , how He prays, when He prays…. We should be good disciples. How can you be a good apprentice if you don’t wait long enough to understand the keys to the mysteries surrounding your present circumstance? If you understand the hidden keys, you can unlock life’s challenges on your own without having to call your mum anytime you have a problem with your spouse, or blame your boss anytime you get a query in the office, or call your dad anytime you are in a mess… these are things that meant to make you that independent person you will turn out to be in the near future.
Well in conclusion, there is nothing like I have been wasting my time, says who? There is nothing like waste of time in life, its all experience and it all counts, sometimes, most of the situations we call problems are God-sent so as to bring us back when we have gone astray, so lets always look at issues with a positive mindset. Circumstances give you a story to tell (a testimony), well I gotta go, no matter what you do or where you find yourself, just know that God is aware of your case and keep chilling in the belly of the beast until the time of your sending forth comes, I hope that when the angel of blessing comes to knock on the door of your life, someone else will not open the door and say “sorry he moved out last week, but I can take the message”, keep chilling in God’s purpose for your life, its still your boy, Uchevelli, am out.
Wednesday 23 April 2008
IN THE DEPTHS OF SOLITUDE
An original poem written by 2PAC as recited by Ludacris in his Release Therapy Album. I just wanted to share it with you all.
I exist in the depths of solitude
Pondering my true goal
Trying to find peace of mind
And still preserve my soul
Constantly, yearning to be accepted
And from all, receive respect
Never comprising but sometimes risky
And that is my only regret
How can there be peace?
A young heart with an old soul
How can I be in the depths of solitude,
When there two inside of me?
This duo within me causes the perfect opportunity
To learn and live twice as fast.
As those who accept simplicity.
LUDACRIS:
Yes, if you read in between the lines,
You can understand exactly what my man 2PAC SHAKUR was talking about
You see, in or outside the music industry,
Everyone’s expression is already lonely on top
Well, you know PAC was on top,
it was only natural that he existed in the depths of solitude
Of course, he was a young heart with an old soul
An individual that was way ahead of his time
And sometimes, when you are ahead of your time,
You do wonder what your true goal in life is.
When u get so highly criticized and put down for teaching what you’ve learned to others,
And doing what you feel is the right thing to do
So with that, PAC like all soldiers fought to be accepted,
Especially by those who rejected him the most.
And even if you didn’t like him, you had to respect him.
You see, nobody is perfect, and of course, everyone makes mistakes,
But experience is the best teacher if you ask me.
So it is important to learn from each mistake,
And try hard not to make the same one twice.
His only regret was making the mistake of being too over-demanding a times.
But it’s the wild outrageous PAC, mixed with the sensitive loving PAC,
That made him almost a perfect person,
Also made him learn and live twice as fast,
And am sure he would rather walk thru life with these multi-dimensional personalities than to accept being one-sided and simplistic any day.
So being in the depths of solitude if you ask me
Is where the true heroes of our time stay.
TUPAC SHAKUR, in our hearts, in our minds forever,
Rest in Peace, Live in Harmony.
This is Luda, signing out, PEACE.
UCHEVELLI:
I hope that as you pondered thru the words of that poem,
taking moments to allow these words to digest into your soul,
Guiding your understanding step by step like a staircase
Allowing the words to germinate and bear the right fruits
Giving life to the words to beat on your conscience like a talking drum,
Yet leave you pondering … in the depths of solitude
Wondering what life is actually meant to be… peaceful.
I believe that Luda’s interpretation gave a lot of light to the deep paths of this flawless poem, and made more meaning to many,
Making the truths hidden thereof crystal clear,
At this point, am short of words,
Far in a soul sojourn of some sort
A trip of self rediscovery perhaps
What more can I say?
Stay true to what you believe in
And never give up your dreams no matter the odds.
Your boy, Uchevelli signing out… PEACE.
I exist in the depths of solitude
Pondering my true goal
Trying to find peace of mind
And still preserve my soul
Constantly, yearning to be accepted
And from all, receive respect
Never comprising but sometimes risky
And that is my only regret
How can there be peace?
A young heart with an old soul
How can I be in the depths of solitude,
When there two inside of me?
This duo within me causes the perfect opportunity
To learn and live twice as fast.
As those who accept simplicity.
LUDACRIS:
Yes, if you read in between the lines,
You can understand exactly what my man 2PAC SHAKUR was talking about
You see, in or outside the music industry,
Everyone’s expression is already lonely on top
Well, you know PAC was on top,
it was only natural that he existed in the depths of solitude
Of course, he was a young heart with an old soul
An individual that was way ahead of his time
And sometimes, when you are ahead of your time,
You do wonder what your true goal in life is.
When u get so highly criticized and put down for teaching what you’ve learned to others,
And doing what you feel is the right thing to do
So with that, PAC like all soldiers fought to be accepted,
Especially by those who rejected him the most.
And even if you didn’t like him, you had to respect him.
You see, nobody is perfect, and of course, everyone makes mistakes,
But experience is the best teacher if you ask me.
So it is important to learn from each mistake,
And try hard not to make the same one twice.
His only regret was making the mistake of being too over-demanding a times.
But it’s the wild outrageous PAC, mixed with the sensitive loving PAC,
That made him almost a perfect person,
Also made him learn and live twice as fast,
And am sure he would rather walk thru life with these multi-dimensional personalities than to accept being one-sided and simplistic any day.
So being in the depths of solitude if you ask me
Is where the true heroes of our time stay.
TUPAC SHAKUR, in our hearts, in our minds forever,
Rest in Peace, Live in Harmony.
This is Luda, signing out, PEACE.
UCHEVELLI:
I hope that as you pondered thru the words of that poem,
taking moments to allow these words to digest into your soul,
Guiding your understanding step by step like a staircase
Allowing the words to germinate and bear the right fruits
Giving life to the words to beat on your conscience like a talking drum,
Yet leave you pondering … in the depths of solitude
Wondering what life is actually meant to be… peaceful.
I believe that Luda’s interpretation gave a lot of light to the deep paths of this flawless poem, and made more meaning to many,
Making the truths hidden thereof crystal clear,
At this point, am short of words,
Far in a soul sojourn of some sort
A trip of self rediscovery perhaps
What more can I say?
Stay true to what you believe in
And never give up your dreams no matter the odds.
Your boy, Uchevelli signing out… PEACE.
Monday 21 April 2008
WASH YOUR FACE
Hi, everyone, how are you all doing? These past few days were not so easy for Uchevelli, but what can a Nigga do? I just got a tooth extracted from my mouth 3 days ago, this was my first time of do such a thing and I pray it’s my last cos that is not it at all. This was one of the most painful shit I have ever gone thru in my short life on earth, Gaddamn! I have been dodging this extraction process for almost six months, I started by filling, but when the pain was unbearable, I had no choice………I couldn’t sleep at night, I couldn’t drink cold water, no more eating of suya……….omo, I couldn’t stand spending the rest of my life in detention of not having a good time, I removed the Goddamned tooth and my life is gradually returning back to normal, thank God.
Well, the “koko” for the day is a funny one, taking a cue from Dbanj – (“koko” is a Nigerian slang for the current issue or the issue at hand invented by the artist called D’banj). I went to the bank today to get a piece of the stipends I have been gathering, usually anytime am approaching anyone early in the morning, I tend to observe first to see the countenance of the individual am approaching, if its not positively encouraging, I move to the next person cos I don’t want to get a dose of your bad luck or yesterday’s sorrow, thereby spoiling my good day. Even when you want to woo a lady, her countenance and response prompts your level of commitment. If she is nice and friendly, why not? But some will just roar at you, at customers and sometimes at their bosses… and in most cases, it’s not usually pleasant.
Why allow past sorrow to deny you of today’s joy? Like I was saying, am stepping into the bank, am looking for the smiley face on the counter, if that face is not smiling, am moving the next person. Don’t get me wrong, but am all about positivity. How can you be a successful entrepreneur if you can t handle your emotions? How can you be a celebrity when you can’t move on after a bad experience? I don’t wanna know what you’ve been thru, not because I don’t care but because I got my own shit too. Keep it to yourself, its yours! I don’t want to look at your face and see that you just had a quarrel with your spouse last night or this morning, no… keep all that shit at home.
Unforgiveness helps to stall the progress of some people, they find it hard to move on which is not a very good thing. You have to be emotional prostitutes… if you catch my drift. Yes, you just went thru a divorce… sorry, but girl you have to move on. You can’t keep on crying your life out because of some daft punk who didn’t know your worth, wash your face and move on, till you meet that guy who has been searching for a lady like you. If you are walking round feeling moody and angry at yourself, how will the new guy come and say hi, you might scare him off. Wash your face.
You just lost your job? ... sorry, wash your face and move on, don’t stay there licking your wounds, nobody wants to hear your sorry story, no, no, no, they want to know how you got up and turned that situation around to make history. So don’t give up trying… wash your face of the past sorrows, past disappointments, past betrayals, etc.
You just caught your man cheating on you? Wash your face, learn from your mistakes and move on... don’t start hating all men because one fool who is less than a real man dumped you for his secretary, can’t you see that he wasn’t meant for you in the first place? But if that fool is your husband… well that’s some real shit, wash your face. Do what you think is best and move on, just do something, don’t stay there looking confused, acting confused to the extent that everyone that looks at you knows what you are passing thru. Look at them Hollywood stars, they just keep smiling no matter what they are passing thru, be like that, don’t come to work looking like you just had a fight, even if you did, wash that face, freshen up and come to work looking like a beauty queen that you are. Don’t let some fool steal your joy.
If your lecturer has a nagging wife, and he had a bad night… why are you wondering why almost the whole class failed his course? I don’t want to talk about the same scenario in the case of a policeman… have you heard of anything like accidental discharge? Or a doctor … or dentist… or even a mechanic, he could forget to fix the brakes or not tighten one or two nuts somewhere in the engine because he couldn’t get over his emotions, imagine the havoc that could cause. Nigga, wash your face and move on.
When am talking about being an emotional prostitute, am talking about having your emotions in check. A prostitute always has her money as the top priority, even if she had the best time, hope you are paying? No matter how much a whore loves you, digs your lovemaking, your style or efizi, hope you got her money intact, otherwise… whether the transaction is pleasant or not, the whore is moving on, adding that episode to her experiences, life must go on.
You as an individual should not tie your heart to a failed relationship, or a past betrayal, you caught your wife with another man, you pick a gun, to do what now? Kill the other man and go to jail to spend the rest of your miserable life? Will it stop the whore you have for a wife from enjoying herself (spending your money)? Nigga wash your face and move on. If you can forgive, forgive her, if not, cheat on her too… with her best friend, if that will make you feel better, then wash your face… ha ha ha (just joking).
You got to luv yourself first before you can love any other person, don’t carry a moody face because you have a drunk for a husband, look for ways to solve the problem but keep that bright and shiny face, I don’t want to see your weepy face, that doesn’t mean he should turn you to a punching bag. Do something, but while you are still at it, keep your head up, don’t give in to the pressure, don’t compromise because others are saying yes, fuck ‘em all.
You think your situation is worse, wait till you hear what manner of problems people have, and then you will thank God for your problems. Some people have ship loads of problems but they are still grateful to God… even to be alive. Would you prefer to be rich, no problems and then die in a plan crash? Like my grand mother would say “a live goat is better than a dead lion, no matter how you look at it”, and that is true. I don’t envy rich men cos (like Biggy said) more money, more problems. Tell me what good $1 Billion dollars would do me if I have a defective heart or a terrible cancer? Don’t envy other people’s wealth and leave their problems, if you wanna envy, envy the whole package, I mean their HIV status too… ha ha ha.
Life has taught me that problems are a part of life and that they are temporary in nature. Why should I spend the rest of my days crying over spilled milk when that was the problem of yesterday, today, more milk will still get spilled, so what the heck? Yesterday’s problem is only a distraction, a self inflicted one at that, wash your face, wash the stains of yesterday’s milk and move on with your life. It is people with carry-over issues that commit suicide, shoot someone else because of a failed marriage or a bad relationship… bla…bla…bla.
The ability to heal from your past wounds, and step up to the coming challenges is what makes you matured, you have to stand up for what you believe ignoring what the odds are or what people are saying. Some people specialize in studying your life, they know when you have new clothes, when you are happy, when you are broke, they just live their lives by watching you and talking rubbish, well its because am something that why am your topic of discussion, why am I not talking about you, sorry, its because you irrelevant, I just live my life doing the best I can, I can’t tell you the shit they say about me, so what? They are really gonna have a lot to talk about because am just getting started.
Well, try to have fun, enjoy yourself, if you love booze, drink moderately, if you love ladies, go for them, enjoy life, don’t endure life. Don’t save forever, only to die and have people like us spend it for you, take yourself out sometimes, give yourself a treat sometimes, meet people, have fun. If you love movies, go to the cinema, if you love porno… well… You know what to do, if you love good food, do Chinese sometimes... If you can afford it, go shopping; buy yourself some expensive shit, do something crazy, go on trips sometimes…once its something you enjoy, do it… don’t do drugs o. Even when you have problems… wash your face. It’s still your boy… Uchevelli, take care.
Well, the “koko” for the day is a funny one, taking a cue from Dbanj – (“koko” is a Nigerian slang for the current issue or the issue at hand invented by the artist called D’banj). I went to the bank today to get a piece of the stipends I have been gathering, usually anytime am approaching anyone early in the morning, I tend to observe first to see the countenance of the individual am approaching, if its not positively encouraging, I move to the next person cos I don’t want to get a dose of your bad luck or yesterday’s sorrow, thereby spoiling my good day. Even when you want to woo a lady, her countenance and response prompts your level of commitment. If she is nice and friendly, why not? But some will just roar at you, at customers and sometimes at their bosses… and in most cases, it’s not usually pleasant.
Why allow past sorrow to deny you of today’s joy? Like I was saying, am stepping into the bank, am looking for the smiley face on the counter, if that face is not smiling, am moving the next person. Don’t get me wrong, but am all about positivity. How can you be a successful entrepreneur if you can t handle your emotions? How can you be a celebrity when you can’t move on after a bad experience? I don’t wanna know what you’ve been thru, not because I don’t care but because I got my own shit too. Keep it to yourself, its yours! I don’t want to look at your face and see that you just had a quarrel with your spouse last night or this morning, no… keep all that shit at home.
Unforgiveness helps to stall the progress of some people, they find it hard to move on which is not a very good thing. You have to be emotional prostitutes… if you catch my drift. Yes, you just went thru a divorce… sorry, but girl you have to move on. You can’t keep on crying your life out because of some daft punk who didn’t know your worth, wash your face and move on, till you meet that guy who has been searching for a lady like you. If you are walking round feeling moody and angry at yourself, how will the new guy come and say hi, you might scare him off. Wash your face.
You just lost your job? ... sorry, wash your face and move on, don’t stay there licking your wounds, nobody wants to hear your sorry story, no, no, no, they want to know how you got up and turned that situation around to make history. So don’t give up trying… wash your face of the past sorrows, past disappointments, past betrayals, etc.
You just caught your man cheating on you? Wash your face, learn from your mistakes and move on... don’t start hating all men because one fool who is less than a real man dumped you for his secretary, can’t you see that he wasn’t meant for you in the first place? But if that fool is your husband… well that’s some real shit, wash your face. Do what you think is best and move on, just do something, don’t stay there looking confused, acting confused to the extent that everyone that looks at you knows what you are passing thru. Look at them Hollywood stars, they just keep smiling no matter what they are passing thru, be like that, don’t come to work looking like you just had a fight, even if you did, wash that face, freshen up and come to work looking like a beauty queen that you are. Don’t let some fool steal your joy.
If your lecturer has a nagging wife, and he had a bad night… why are you wondering why almost the whole class failed his course? I don’t want to talk about the same scenario in the case of a policeman… have you heard of anything like accidental discharge? Or a doctor … or dentist… or even a mechanic, he could forget to fix the brakes or not tighten one or two nuts somewhere in the engine because he couldn’t get over his emotions, imagine the havoc that could cause. Nigga, wash your face and move on.
When am talking about being an emotional prostitute, am talking about having your emotions in check. A prostitute always has her money as the top priority, even if she had the best time, hope you are paying? No matter how much a whore loves you, digs your lovemaking, your style or efizi, hope you got her money intact, otherwise… whether the transaction is pleasant or not, the whore is moving on, adding that episode to her experiences, life must go on.
You as an individual should not tie your heart to a failed relationship, or a past betrayal, you caught your wife with another man, you pick a gun, to do what now? Kill the other man and go to jail to spend the rest of your miserable life? Will it stop the whore you have for a wife from enjoying herself (spending your money)? Nigga wash your face and move on. If you can forgive, forgive her, if not, cheat on her too… with her best friend, if that will make you feel better, then wash your face… ha ha ha (just joking).
You got to luv yourself first before you can love any other person, don’t carry a moody face because you have a drunk for a husband, look for ways to solve the problem but keep that bright and shiny face, I don’t want to see your weepy face, that doesn’t mean he should turn you to a punching bag. Do something, but while you are still at it, keep your head up, don’t give in to the pressure, don’t compromise because others are saying yes, fuck ‘em all.
You think your situation is worse, wait till you hear what manner of problems people have, and then you will thank God for your problems. Some people have ship loads of problems but they are still grateful to God… even to be alive. Would you prefer to be rich, no problems and then die in a plan crash? Like my grand mother would say “a live goat is better than a dead lion, no matter how you look at it”, and that is true. I don’t envy rich men cos (like Biggy said) more money, more problems. Tell me what good $1 Billion dollars would do me if I have a defective heart or a terrible cancer? Don’t envy other people’s wealth and leave their problems, if you wanna envy, envy the whole package, I mean their HIV status too… ha ha ha.
Life has taught me that problems are a part of life and that they are temporary in nature. Why should I spend the rest of my days crying over spilled milk when that was the problem of yesterday, today, more milk will still get spilled, so what the heck? Yesterday’s problem is only a distraction, a self inflicted one at that, wash your face, wash the stains of yesterday’s milk and move on with your life. It is people with carry-over issues that commit suicide, shoot someone else because of a failed marriage or a bad relationship… bla…bla…bla.
The ability to heal from your past wounds, and step up to the coming challenges is what makes you matured, you have to stand up for what you believe ignoring what the odds are or what people are saying. Some people specialize in studying your life, they know when you have new clothes, when you are happy, when you are broke, they just live their lives by watching you and talking rubbish, well its because am something that why am your topic of discussion, why am I not talking about you, sorry, its because you irrelevant, I just live my life doing the best I can, I can’t tell you the shit they say about me, so what? They are really gonna have a lot to talk about because am just getting started.
Well, try to have fun, enjoy yourself, if you love booze, drink moderately, if you love ladies, go for them, enjoy life, don’t endure life. Don’t save forever, only to die and have people like us spend it for you, take yourself out sometimes, give yourself a treat sometimes, meet people, have fun. If you love movies, go to the cinema, if you love porno… well… You know what to do, if you love good food, do Chinese sometimes... If you can afford it, go shopping; buy yourself some expensive shit, do something crazy, go on trips sometimes…once its something you enjoy, do it… don’t do drugs o. Even when you have problems… wash your face. It’s still your boy… Uchevelli, take care.
Thursday 10 April 2008
I WONDER IF HEAVEN GOT A GHETTO?
Wud up people? Hi y’all doin? Even heaven knows dat am nice as hell (I took that from mode 9 ‘s contradiction), hope life is good with y’all? Well, it’s about 2 a.m right now and I cant sleep, not that am suffering from any form of insomnia, naa, but there is this issue that’s heavy on my mind and am like how can a nigga sleep with this ship load of shit in my mind? How about pouring it out and being free?
The Bible says “seek ye first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness and all other things will be added unto you”. No, am not preaching o, but why is it that reverse is the case? People seek the other things first and after they are thru , they now seek the Kingdom of God in a bid to buy out the man of God, buy God’s favor, build God a church, sponsor the pastor and buy business class tickets to Heaven, ha ha ha ha funny ha?
Nigga pleeease, the love of money and the bid to acquire it (loads of it) is of paramount importance in the society we find ourselves 2day, including those in the church working for God (or themselves), now… that’s the shit that got me mad. What the 4uck is a pastor doing with a fucking Bullet-proof Jeep? Sorry about the F word, but I use it more frequently when am stressed up or better still, when am pissed off, it saves me a lot of explaining, if you know what I mean. Tell me what a man of God would be doing with personal body guards? Tell me what kinda sermon is a man of God preaching by blaring sirens from a convoy of tinted glass jeeps breaking traffic laws like he is the governor or the president? God damn!
The Bible says that to be carnally minded is death and to be spiritually minded is life, that a carnal mind can never please God, that it is always hostile to God (Romans chapter 8, verses….. I have forgotten the verse sha), what is a man of God doing with 23 cars of various brands in his garage? Let me ask cos am confused here - Did Jesus have like 20 horses while He was on earth? Did He have body guards protecting him? Did He take advantage of the most beautiful chics in the church? Most of these men of God of our time are anti-Christ, yea nigga with no regret, put me on the national TV and am saying it in a less polite manner ( with a lot of curse words men). What is a pastor doing bidding for a contract in the ministry of works? What kind of pastor will be sleeping with the beautiful sisters in the choir? Aha………sound familiar? The Hearts of men (another 2PAC joint) is desperately wicked.
What is this world turning into? The pastors, who should help guide flock back to God, are the ones creating so much confusion today. The pastors who should be the ones who should be custodians of the truth have their tongues swimming in lies; no wonder the church bizness is the most lucrative in Nigeria. We are the most religious country in the planet, with millions of churches, yet one of the most corrupt countries in the globe, isn’t that contradictory, a joke perhaps. How come that it’s the church folk that do most of the duping today? Am not taking it easy with them fake Pastors, cos they should know better.
How can a pastor go to the devil to get magical powers to perform miracles, in order to deceive the public into believing that they (the pastors) are anointed? It serves all you miracle seekers right cos it was neva written any where in the scriptures that miracles will take you to heaven, I wonder why you are going around looking for some punk to perform some “abracadabra” shit for your ass and at the end you be like, men that pastor is really hot, this one is not, leaving God, the actual author and finisher of your faith? Is it some form of entertainment? Now people don’t pray to God, naa, they pray to their pastors without knowing it. On Sunday, you go to church to admire his new Pierre Cardin suit and Mauri shoes, dripping of miyake – the nigga come up to the pulpit looking like brad Pitt, okay nigga, you are really in Christ or are you the christ haa? Some pastors don’t carry their bibles anymore, they have people whose job title is to carry pastor’s bible, some auction their old suits in the church - eBay, and tell you to buy and get pastor’s extra anointing. What fucking anointing or special blessing am I gonna get from the dirty coat you wore in high school, ha? Dummy, this is idolatry, making your pastor some sort of demigod in your life, ha?
What the fuck is he thinking taking off his coat on the pulpit, showing off his fine ass shirt with colorful suspenders? Nigga hold your coat, and if u won’t be needing it, drop it on your seat your damn self or you would have left it in your car or office, don’t call some dude from the congregation or the ushers to come and take your lousy coat while you are preaching. Other wise, very soon you will feel too big and powerful that we would have to come and carry your punk ass to the pulpit to do your job (preach), you better watch it men, cos all eyes on u-(another 2pac’s classic).
I bet u don’t know that your fine boy pastor just received head (a BJ) from that fine sister in the choir who has been raising melodious choruses , what a sanctified way to receive motivation before coming to the pulpit to preach….to say the mind of God. Am not saying that there are no genuine men of God, naa, am like 90% of them are just enriching their asses, fooling their followers and taking advantage of the public. NEWS FLASH……… PASTORS’ CRIBS ON MTV BASE…………COMING SOON…it might get to that.
Am not saying that am the holy one, no, far from that, atleast you don’t see my ass on TV or on the pulpit preaching. I visited this pastor friend of mine in Lagos, I stepped into his compound, for a moment I thot I was in a Toyota show room, the cars were so many, in different colors and of various sizes, JESUS! Wat are u doing with all these? I asked, he only said “the Lord’s work”. “They were mostly gifts from brethren”, he added. Why not give some out I asked, and he was like.... “its all for the Lord’s use!” You don see mugu abi? Na me you dey deceive? It’s for the Lord’s use like say Jesus dey drive the cars.
These men of God are so carnal; their love for money is something else. His house was something else, furnished tastefully, for a second I wanted to assume that I was in the reception of some 5-star hotel in Dubai. He is still not married but young ladies troop in and out for deliverance and special prayers in his personal house at odd hours. Okay, enough said…. Na who u dey fool sef? Wat kind of deliverance would be taking place in your house with these young ladies who are dressed like they are going to a strip club at 11pm? Your guess is as good as mine. You better keep not just your eyes open but your nose and mouth when you go to such churches otherwise you would be caught napping.
I stopped attending nite vigils after I saw what happened in one church in Lagos. While some people are busy praying their souls out, others were outside getting laid in the dark, I thot it was all rumours until I saw with my own eyes men, I couldn’t believe it.
When I moved to Abuja and attended this church very close to where I stay. Men, we gave offering like 12 times, all the money I had on me wasn’t enough, the alter calls were endless.
If you are looking for a life partner, come out for special prayers, don’t come to the Lord empty handed…
Are you looking for the fruit of the womb? … What are you waiting for come out.
If u are looking for a better job… come out (who no want better job?), I commot now.
If u want God’s favor in all you do this year…… run out (wetin I go do, everybody dey go out, abi na only me go tanda dey look?),
If u need manifold supernatural blessings……don’t be ashamed….. jump out…… I jump out now.
If you need the outstanding overwhelming blessing…. come out….
If you require open heavens in your life and that of your family…. come out…
I said to myself… no more… I don tire, I no dey go again, the pastor now changed the format…
…come and sow and rebuke the devourer from your finances… the devil might be telling you not to give… don’t listen to the Devil… come out and sow… and… see what the Lord will do for you this week.
Omo the whole church comot, I had no choice, I came out too. I thot it would end there… for where?
Are you a banker, a doctor, a lawyer or an Engineer, come out….special alter call for professionals.
All business men and women run out for special fruitful offerings.
Are you in the oil industry?..... come out for more manifold blessings.
Students, if you want to be the head and not the tail… come out for the anointing of excellent spirit, be like the Daniel of our time, come out.
Are you in the military, The Lord has been good to you, come out for thanksgiving……….
Are you a Politician, come out… … if you want to win the next election. I even receive calls from Hilary Clinton and Obama, am their spiritual consultant, they are both consulting me…. To pray for them. I have already told them who will win… but I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag because of the press men amongst you, just wait for the election and see (Ole, thief), let which cat out of which bag, there is not cat in that bag you hear?
When I had no more dough… I went home… broke as hell... regretting … wondering what the fuck I was thinking going to that church in the first place?
Come to think of it, what kind of pastor will be sleeping with the honeys in the church, right there in his office all in the name of deliverance? Strange things are happening these days.
All these political robbers will embezzle our money, still they come to church and donate for this new church building project… sponsor the harvest… throw money around. The pastor, knowing that he got the money thru foul means will accept the cash and tell the congregation to pray for this wonderful vessel that the Lord has used to bless the church.
Okay o, is it because his tithe alone is more than what the entire church can put together? Well, the offering of a sinner is an abomination unto God, and God is so holy that His eyes cannot behold iniquity... (I know its written somewhere in the scriptures – just cant lay my finger on it right now). So I don’t know what the fuck you are talking about, me with all my sins, know that the man’s money is not clean, but you pastor don’t know? What kind of anointing did you say you have? Toronto anointing or china anointing, abi na Taiwan – (fake anointing)?
The shit that pisses me off the most is that a pastor (so called) has more titles than a Traditional ruler; I wonder where they buy this their fake doctorate degrees from? The shit is in vogue now; every pastor of any mushroom church in a car garage in a street corner has a PhD in philosophy or theology, from where now?
I heard of a church that has its own bank, Jesus Christ! What in God’s name is a church doing owning its own bank? – Accounting for its offering, tithes and watching over their investments? These days all the churches want to build their own universities, yes the Lord gave some men of God the vision to embark on such missions, and provided the funds of accomplishing such, but how come every church now has the same vision simply because it is now a lucrative bizness? Why are such schools not affordable to the common man, rather they are built to cater for only the rich (mostly the same politicians) who have robbed this country in the past.
Very soon now, Nigerian churches will be enlisted into the stock exchange for the public to invest by buying shares………ha aha ha ha ha very funny ha aha hahahahaha.
The painful thing is that, during a special festivities (like Christmas), when a Man of God is invited to come and preach in a congregation where you have these politicians and the leaders around, instead of taking advantage of the occasion to tell them the truth, tell them to stop punishing their people, stop stealing public funds, rather they preach cosmetic sermons of praise, extolling the virtues of the tyrants in power probably for the fear of their lives or as a result of the brown envelopes (or “Ghana must go” bags) they would receive after the sermon (sorry.. I meant praise sermon).
Today we will be talking about Joshua… you know that our president’s middle name is also Joshua, there even look alike… our president will take us to the Promised Land… say Amen. Yes with a Swiss bank account of like $12 billion dollars (US dollars not Canadian), owns an oil company, a bank, Mobile telecom company, a shipping line, owns the sea port, the wharf, a University and not to forget a big farm. One day, the man might start printing his own money!… while he is still alive (like Hakeem in coming to America)…. Who knows, he might even rename the country to bear his name, after all he owns the entire country.
For you guys in Europe or America, if you think Bill Gates is the richest man in the world, then you must be kidding… come down to Nigeria and you will be amazed how much money some people have… am talking of Billions of pounds sterling, yes Billions of British pounds stacked in vaults… in their houses. Some have enough cash to buy a small African country like Ghana and still tell them to keep the change!
Sorry for the digression, yes back to today’s topic:
How can you liken the former president to Joshua who would take us to the Promised Land when you know that he embezzled a large chunk of the public funds in his disposal for his selfish and personal use ( he even slept with his son’s wife…I read that somewhere….).
One pastor or reverend even announced that the Lord told him that he was going to win the last presidential elections, he crashed woefully (after the second attempt), who told you that you would win? Are u blind nigga? Even my 7 year old nephew could guess who would win that election and still guess right, let’s face it, it was a fixed match and everybody knew that the Power was to the People... who is fooling who?
The way this pastors are chasing and hustling for wealth, like 2PAC asked the question in one of his songs – “ I wonda if heaven got a ghetto, a place where they need to go and buy some houses, flashy cars and carrying on enjoying themselves, as if, if u die tonite (another 2pac song), you would take your cheque book along to the grave, or drive your bullet proof SUV to Heaven, is that what God told you to do, was that how Jesus was wining souls?
(Meen, what is it with me and 2PAC today)
To all the fake ass pastors, all them bling-bling pastors, fuck em all.
To all the true pastors doing God’s work with all their hearts, God bless you all, you know yourselves, the good Lord will never let you down, keep on doin wat you are doin, He will lift you up and enrich you in his own way. We appreciate all your efforts and am sure the “Lord knows” – (yet another 2PAC song).
Wow, yeah, my mind is free now, I can now go to bed…….until I come your way again , guide your faith jealously, don’t let no punk fool you around, signing out as usual is your boy- uchevelli.
The Bible says “seek ye first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness and all other things will be added unto you”. No, am not preaching o, but why is it that reverse is the case? People seek the other things first and after they are thru , they now seek the Kingdom of God in a bid to buy out the man of God, buy God’s favor, build God a church, sponsor the pastor and buy business class tickets to Heaven, ha ha ha ha funny ha?
Nigga pleeease, the love of money and the bid to acquire it (loads of it) is of paramount importance in the society we find ourselves 2day, including those in the church working for God (or themselves), now… that’s the shit that got me mad. What the 4uck is a pastor doing with a fucking Bullet-proof Jeep? Sorry about the F word, but I use it more frequently when am stressed up or better still, when am pissed off, it saves me a lot of explaining, if you know what I mean. Tell me what a man of God would be doing with personal body guards? Tell me what kinda sermon is a man of God preaching by blaring sirens from a convoy of tinted glass jeeps breaking traffic laws like he is the governor or the president? God damn!
The Bible says that to be carnally minded is death and to be spiritually minded is life, that a carnal mind can never please God, that it is always hostile to God (Romans chapter 8, verses….. I have forgotten the verse sha), what is a man of God doing with 23 cars of various brands in his garage? Let me ask cos am confused here - Did Jesus have like 20 horses while He was on earth? Did He have body guards protecting him? Did He take advantage of the most beautiful chics in the church? Most of these men of God of our time are anti-Christ, yea nigga with no regret, put me on the national TV and am saying it in a less polite manner ( with a lot of curse words men). What is a pastor doing bidding for a contract in the ministry of works? What kind of pastor will be sleeping with the beautiful sisters in the choir? Aha………sound familiar? The Hearts of men (another 2PAC joint) is desperately wicked.
What is this world turning into? The pastors, who should help guide flock back to God, are the ones creating so much confusion today. The pastors who should be the ones who should be custodians of the truth have their tongues swimming in lies; no wonder the church bizness is the most lucrative in Nigeria. We are the most religious country in the planet, with millions of churches, yet one of the most corrupt countries in the globe, isn’t that contradictory, a joke perhaps. How come that it’s the church folk that do most of the duping today? Am not taking it easy with them fake Pastors, cos they should know better.
How can a pastor go to the devil to get magical powers to perform miracles, in order to deceive the public into believing that they (the pastors) are anointed? It serves all you miracle seekers right cos it was neva written any where in the scriptures that miracles will take you to heaven, I wonder why you are going around looking for some punk to perform some “abracadabra” shit for your ass and at the end you be like, men that pastor is really hot, this one is not, leaving God, the actual author and finisher of your faith? Is it some form of entertainment? Now people don’t pray to God, naa, they pray to their pastors without knowing it. On Sunday, you go to church to admire his new Pierre Cardin suit and Mauri shoes, dripping of miyake – the nigga come up to the pulpit looking like brad Pitt, okay nigga, you are really in Christ or are you the christ haa? Some pastors don’t carry their bibles anymore, they have people whose job title is to carry pastor’s bible, some auction their old suits in the church - eBay, and tell you to buy and get pastor’s extra anointing. What fucking anointing or special blessing am I gonna get from the dirty coat you wore in high school, ha? Dummy, this is idolatry, making your pastor some sort of demigod in your life, ha?
What the fuck is he thinking taking off his coat on the pulpit, showing off his fine ass shirt with colorful suspenders? Nigga hold your coat, and if u won’t be needing it, drop it on your seat your damn self or you would have left it in your car or office, don’t call some dude from the congregation or the ushers to come and take your lousy coat while you are preaching. Other wise, very soon you will feel too big and powerful that we would have to come and carry your punk ass to the pulpit to do your job (preach), you better watch it men, cos all eyes on u-(another 2pac’s classic).
I bet u don’t know that your fine boy pastor just received head (a BJ) from that fine sister in the choir who has been raising melodious choruses , what a sanctified way to receive motivation before coming to the pulpit to preach….to say the mind of God. Am not saying that there are no genuine men of God, naa, am like 90% of them are just enriching their asses, fooling their followers and taking advantage of the public. NEWS FLASH……… PASTORS’ CRIBS ON MTV BASE…………COMING SOON…it might get to that.
Am not saying that am the holy one, no, far from that, atleast you don’t see my ass on TV or on the pulpit preaching. I visited this pastor friend of mine in Lagos, I stepped into his compound, for a moment I thot I was in a Toyota show room, the cars were so many, in different colors and of various sizes, JESUS! Wat are u doing with all these? I asked, he only said “the Lord’s work”. “They were mostly gifts from brethren”, he added. Why not give some out I asked, and he was like.... “its all for the Lord’s use!” You don see mugu abi? Na me you dey deceive? It’s for the Lord’s use like say Jesus dey drive the cars.
These men of God are so carnal; their love for money is something else. His house was something else, furnished tastefully, for a second I wanted to assume that I was in the reception of some 5-star hotel in Dubai. He is still not married but young ladies troop in and out for deliverance and special prayers in his personal house at odd hours. Okay, enough said…. Na who u dey fool sef? Wat kind of deliverance would be taking place in your house with these young ladies who are dressed like they are going to a strip club at 11pm? Your guess is as good as mine. You better keep not just your eyes open but your nose and mouth when you go to such churches otherwise you would be caught napping.
I stopped attending nite vigils after I saw what happened in one church in Lagos. While some people are busy praying their souls out, others were outside getting laid in the dark, I thot it was all rumours until I saw with my own eyes men, I couldn’t believe it.
When I moved to Abuja and attended this church very close to where I stay. Men, we gave offering like 12 times, all the money I had on me wasn’t enough, the alter calls were endless.
If you are looking for a life partner, come out for special prayers, don’t come to the Lord empty handed…
Are you looking for the fruit of the womb? … What are you waiting for come out.
If u are looking for a better job… come out (who no want better job?), I commot now.
If u want God’s favor in all you do this year…… run out (wetin I go do, everybody dey go out, abi na only me go tanda dey look?),
If u need manifold supernatural blessings……don’t be ashamed….. jump out…… I jump out now.
If you need the outstanding overwhelming blessing…. come out….
If you require open heavens in your life and that of your family…. come out…
I said to myself… no more… I don tire, I no dey go again, the pastor now changed the format…
…come and sow and rebuke the devourer from your finances… the devil might be telling you not to give… don’t listen to the Devil… come out and sow… and… see what the Lord will do for you this week.
Omo the whole church comot, I had no choice, I came out too. I thot it would end there… for where?
Are you a banker, a doctor, a lawyer or an Engineer, come out….special alter call for professionals.
All business men and women run out for special fruitful offerings.
Are you in the oil industry?..... come out for more manifold blessings.
Students, if you want to be the head and not the tail… come out for the anointing of excellent spirit, be like the Daniel of our time, come out.
Are you in the military, The Lord has been good to you, come out for thanksgiving……….
Are you a Politician, come out… … if you want to win the next election. I even receive calls from Hilary Clinton and Obama, am their spiritual consultant, they are both consulting me…. To pray for them. I have already told them who will win… but I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag because of the press men amongst you, just wait for the election and see (Ole, thief), let which cat out of which bag, there is not cat in that bag you hear?
When I had no more dough… I went home… broke as hell... regretting … wondering what the fuck I was thinking going to that church in the first place?
Come to think of it, what kind of pastor will be sleeping with the honeys in the church, right there in his office all in the name of deliverance? Strange things are happening these days.
All these political robbers will embezzle our money, still they come to church and donate for this new church building project… sponsor the harvest… throw money around. The pastor, knowing that he got the money thru foul means will accept the cash and tell the congregation to pray for this wonderful vessel that the Lord has used to bless the church.
Okay o, is it because his tithe alone is more than what the entire church can put together? Well, the offering of a sinner is an abomination unto God, and God is so holy that His eyes cannot behold iniquity... (I know its written somewhere in the scriptures – just cant lay my finger on it right now). So I don’t know what the fuck you are talking about, me with all my sins, know that the man’s money is not clean, but you pastor don’t know? What kind of anointing did you say you have? Toronto anointing or china anointing, abi na Taiwan – (fake anointing)?
The shit that pisses me off the most is that a pastor (so called) has more titles than a Traditional ruler; I wonder where they buy this their fake doctorate degrees from? The shit is in vogue now; every pastor of any mushroom church in a car garage in a street corner has a PhD in philosophy or theology, from where now?
I heard of a church that has its own bank, Jesus Christ! What in God’s name is a church doing owning its own bank? – Accounting for its offering, tithes and watching over their investments? These days all the churches want to build their own universities, yes the Lord gave some men of God the vision to embark on such missions, and provided the funds of accomplishing such, but how come every church now has the same vision simply because it is now a lucrative bizness? Why are such schools not affordable to the common man, rather they are built to cater for only the rich (mostly the same politicians) who have robbed this country in the past.
Very soon now, Nigerian churches will be enlisted into the stock exchange for the public to invest by buying shares………ha aha ha ha ha very funny ha aha hahahahaha.
The painful thing is that, during a special festivities (like Christmas), when a Man of God is invited to come and preach in a congregation where you have these politicians and the leaders around, instead of taking advantage of the occasion to tell them the truth, tell them to stop punishing their people, stop stealing public funds, rather they preach cosmetic sermons of praise, extolling the virtues of the tyrants in power probably for the fear of their lives or as a result of the brown envelopes (or “Ghana must go” bags) they would receive after the sermon (sorry.. I meant praise sermon).
Today we will be talking about Joshua… you know that our president’s middle name is also Joshua, there even look alike… our president will take us to the Promised Land… say Amen. Yes with a Swiss bank account of like $12 billion dollars (US dollars not Canadian), owns an oil company, a bank, Mobile telecom company, a shipping line, owns the sea port, the wharf, a University and not to forget a big farm. One day, the man might start printing his own money!… while he is still alive (like Hakeem in coming to America)…. Who knows, he might even rename the country to bear his name, after all he owns the entire country.
For you guys in Europe or America, if you think Bill Gates is the richest man in the world, then you must be kidding… come down to Nigeria and you will be amazed how much money some people have… am talking of Billions of pounds sterling, yes Billions of British pounds stacked in vaults… in their houses. Some have enough cash to buy a small African country like Ghana and still tell them to keep the change!
Sorry for the digression, yes back to today’s topic:
How can you liken the former president to Joshua who would take us to the Promised Land when you know that he embezzled a large chunk of the public funds in his disposal for his selfish and personal use ( he even slept with his son’s wife…I read that somewhere….).
One pastor or reverend even announced that the Lord told him that he was going to win the last presidential elections, he crashed woefully (after the second attempt), who told you that you would win? Are u blind nigga? Even my 7 year old nephew could guess who would win that election and still guess right, let’s face it, it was a fixed match and everybody knew that the Power was to the People... who is fooling who?
The way this pastors are chasing and hustling for wealth, like 2PAC asked the question in one of his songs – “ I wonda if heaven got a ghetto, a place where they need to go and buy some houses, flashy cars and carrying on enjoying themselves, as if, if u die tonite (another 2pac song), you would take your cheque book along to the grave, or drive your bullet proof SUV to Heaven, is that what God told you to do, was that how Jesus was wining souls?
(Meen, what is it with me and 2PAC today)
To all the fake ass pastors, all them bling-bling pastors, fuck em all.
To all the true pastors doing God’s work with all their hearts, God bless you all, you know yourselves, the good Lord will never let you down, keep on doin wat you are doin, He will lift you up and enrich you in his own way. We appreciate all your efforts and am sure the “Lord knows” – (yet another 2PAC song).
Wow, yeah, my mind is free now, I can now go to bed…….until I come your way again , guide your faith jealously, don’t let no punk fool you around, signing out as usual is your boy- uchevelli.
Monday 7 April 2008
ARE YOU ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS?
The scriptures tell us that the earth was created by God, and given to our forefathers to tend and keep. How are we doing just that? Can we say that the human race is doing a good job? I don’t think so.
Whatever we are experiencing today on earth whether desertification, pollution of all sorts, tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanic eruption, etc. They are all as a result of man-made activities all in the name of technological advancements and civilization.
The painful thing about the whole issue is that we have been so caught in this technological development craze that we have been blinded from the imminent dangers that loom in the near future as a result of man’s technological conquest.
The environment we live in is suffering and this explains the reason for intensive heat from the sun, excess rainfall, unstable climatic conditions, flooding, more diseases like chronic malaria and typhoid, regular hurricanes, plane crashes, wild fires, etc, the list is endless.
We must start taking care of our environment, otherwise in ten years; the place we call home will be all gone. The desert is approaching at a slow but steady rate, turning fertile farmlands into deserts and 11 states of northern Nigeria are in great danger.
These 11 states are known as the shelterbelt states, where most of the agricultural produce are gotten from namely groundnuts, millet, maize, beans, cotton, tomatoes, various vegetables, cattle, dairy products, etc. what will happen when all this products that are predominantly from the north are no longer produced as a result of sufficient fertile farmlands. Will we be importing food too? There will be shortage of food and unemployment for farmers and cattle rearers. This will increase the rate of poverty in our land.
These days, the sun is so hot that it can melt a candle or even light up a cigarette, wells, rivers are drying up while dams are silting up. This is a big problem for agricultural development and the general well being of the people who dwell in the north of Nigeria.
The people in the south are not safe either. Constant flooding and soil erosion has hindered a lot of progress in the south-eastern region of Nigeria. Places like Nnanka, Obosi in Anambra state have death traps called roads as a result of the damage caused by erosion and flooding. This hinders agriculture, social development and also breeds a lot of diseases for the inhabitants like chronic malaria and typhoid.
The Government should make policies that will not just encourage its citizenry but also force them to care for the environment. I must confess that industrialization came with a lot of benefits but it has its price too.
In developed countries, water bottles, plastic cans, metallic objects, paper, etc are recycled and re-used to create wealth, thereby cutting the cost of production by 50%. Wastes are well managed and used to create wealth and employment, but in Lagos for example, I still see “refuse skyscrapers” at road sides which is not just dangerous but toxic to people living around such places. People living in the coastal areas (Lagos, Niger-delta, etc) should watch and pray that the Atlantic Ocean doesn’t overflow its banks and wreck havoc in the near future……………these are facts!
The irregular and unreliable source of electricity has not helped matters. The cost of doing business in Nigeria is 25% higher compared to other developing countries because of the cost of using an alternative power source. 90% of all businesses depend directly or indirectly on electricity, so if electricity is not regular, you can imagine how the economy is affected negatively. This makes it almost impossible for SMEs to survive. The issue of seeing an alternative power source is not the issue but the rate of CO2 and other dangerous gases being emitted into the atmosphere on a daily basis as a result of the generators we use. These generators emit gases that are toxic to people and still we don’t seem to care all in the name of money making, “why make money destroying your health and later spend that money to regain it?”
I was at a shopping mall in Abuja recently, which had over 250 shops and offices. Whenever the NEPA (sorry PHCN) goes off, everybody brings out gen-sets of various sizes and capacities, switches it on and business continues. The noise pollution is unbearable, the smoke emission is horrible but my fear is that one day that building might collapse as a result of the thunderous vibrations of over 50 generators on each floor of the building, screaming for attention.
The environment should be of paramount importance to each and every one of us so that we can have a better tomorrow for the generations yet unborn. If we continue at this rate… I don’t know what the future might hold.
The issue of Global warming as a result of the depletion of the ozone layer scares me like hell. The last ten years have been the hottest so far in terms of temperature, and it is predicted by Al-Gore (former vice president of the United States of America) that next year would be hotter that this year, and this trend will continue until …
When CO2 and other gases being produced in the process of burning fossil fuels and deforestation is not controlled, then the ozone layer will keep on widening, allowing more ultra-violet radiation to heat up the earth’s surface.
These consequences will emanate:
• Increase in more violent hurricanes around the world
• Diseases will spread easily and more rapidly to many places
• Increase in death-rate of man and animals alike.
• Sea levels will increase by more than 20 feet thereby wrecking havoc on the coastal areas.
• Heat waves will be more intense and frequent
• Drought and wild-fires will occur more often
• Millions of species of animals will be driven to extinction.
• Arctic Ocean could be ice free by the summer of 2050, meaning more water taking over land.
Some cars need to be banned because they are just “nuclear bombs on wheels” poisoning us slowly as a result of the kind of thick smoke they emit.
Why has the rate of sickness like high blood pressure, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke and other cardio-vascular related diseases been on the increase in recent times especially in youths?
Is this as a result of poor environmental conditions? Your guess is as good as mine.
These are steps that can help to remedy the situation at hand
• Don’t litter the streets with pure water sachet bags or bottles.
• Bio-technology should be encouraged in Nigeria to seek ways of reducing fossil fuel pollutions.
• Government should encourage afforestation and reforestation
• Cars that are not road worthy should be taken off the road
• The private sector should seize the viable opportunities in waste management in conjunction with state governments to not only dispose wastes but also create wealth and employment.
• Major roads should have proper and flowing drainage system
• Service your cars and gen-sets regularly
• Petrol should be blended with ethanol (E-10) to reduce pollution from cars (NNPC take note)
In conclusion, why not start by making a difference today, not just for any one but for your own good? Let’s do thing s the right way, be environmentally conscious, tell the vision, spread the news, “if Aids is real, then Global warming is a reality”.
Till I come your way again, am still and always will be your boy – Uchevelli, Keep it Real!
Whatever we are experiencing today on earth whether desertification, pollution of all sorts, tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanic eruption, etc. They are all as a result of man-made activities all in the name of technological advancements and civilization.
The painful thing about the whole issue is that we have been so caught in this technological development craze that we have been blinded from the imminent dangers that loom in the near future as a result of man’s technological conquest.
The environment we live in is suffering and this explains the reason for intensive heat from the sun, excess rainfall, unstable climatic conditions, flooding, more diseases like chronic malaria and typhoid, regular hurricanes, plane crashes, wild fires, etc, the list is endless.
We must start taking care of our environment, otherwise in ten years; the place we call home will be all gone. The desert is approaching at a slow but steady rate, turning fertile farmlands into deserts and 11 states of northern Nigeria are in great danger.
These 11 states are known as the shelterbelt states, where most of the agricultural produce are gotten from namely groundnuts, millet, maize, beans, cotton, tomatoes, various vegetables, cattle, dairy products, etc. what will happen when all this products that are predominantly from the north are no longer produced as a result of sufficient fertile farmlands. Will we be importing food too? There will be shortage of food and unemployment for farmers and cattle rearers. This will increase the rate of poverty in our land.
These days, the sun is so hot that it can melt a candle or even light up a cigarette, wells, rivers are drying up while dams are silting up. This is a big problem for agricultural development and the general well being of the people who dwell in the north of Nigeria.
The people in the south are not safe either. Constant flooding and soil erosion has hindered a lot of progress in the south-eastern region of Nigeria. Places like Nnanka, Obosi in Anambra state have death traps called roads as a result of the damage caused by erosion and flooding. This hinders agriculture, social development and also breeds a lot of diseases for the inhabitants like chronic malaria and typhoid.
The Government should make policies that will not just encourage its citizenry but also force them to care for the environment. I must confess that industrialization came with a lot of benefits but it has its price too.
In developed countries, water bottles, plastic cans, metallic objects, paper, etc are recycled and re-used to create wealth, thereby cutting the cost of production by 50%. Wastes are well managed and used to create wealth and employment, but in Lagos for example, I still see “refuse skyscrapers” at road sides which is not just dangerous but toxic to people living around such places. People living in the coastal areas (Lagos, Niger-delta, etc) should watch and pray that the Atlantic Ocean doesn’t overflow its banks and wreck havoc in the near future……………these are facts!
The irregular and unreliable source of electricity has not helped matters. The cost of doing business in Nigeria is 25% higher compared to other developing countries because of the cost of using an alternative power source. 90% of all businesses depend directly or indirectly on electricity, so if electricity is not regular, you can imagine how the economy is affected negatively. This makes it almost impossible for SMEs to survive. The issue of seeing an alternative power source is not the issue but the rate of CO2 and other dangerous gases being emitted into the atmosphere on a daily basis as a result of the generators we use. These generators emit gases that are toxic to people and still we don’t seem to care all in the name of money making, “why make money destroying your health and later spend that money to regain it?”
I was at a shopping mall in Abuja recently, which had over 250 shops and offices. Whenever the NEPA (sorry PHCN) goes off, everybody brings out gen-sets of various sizes and capacities, switches it on and business continues. The noise pollution is unbearable, the smoke emission is horrible but my fear is that one day that building might collapse as a result of the thunderous vibrations of over 50 generators on each floor of the building, screaming for attention.
The environment should be of paramount importance to each and every one of us so that we can have a better tomorrow for the generations yet unborn. If we continue at this rate… I don’t know what the future might hold.
The issue of Global warming as a result of the depletion of the ozone layer scares me like hell. The last ten years have been the hottest so far in terms of temperature, and it is predicted by Al-Gore (former vice president of the United States of America) that next year would be hotter that this year, and this trend will continue until …
When CO2 and other gases being produced in the process of burning fossil fuels and deforestation is not controlled, then the ozone layer will keep on widening, allowing more ultra-violet radiation to heat up the earth’s surface.
These consequences will emanate:
• Increase in more violent hurricanes around the world
• Diseases will spread easily and more rapidly to many places
• Increase in death-rate of man and animals alike.
• Sea levels will increase by more than 20 feet thereby wrecking havoc on the coastal areas.
• Heat waves will be more intense and frequent
• Drought and wild-fires will occur more often
• Millions of species of animals will be driven to extinction.
• Arctic Ocean could be ice free by the summer of 2050, meaning more water taking over land.
Some cars need to be banned because they are just “nuclear bombs on wheels” poisoning us slowly as a result of the kind of thick smoke they emit.
Why has the rate of sickness like high blood pressure, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke and other cardio-vascular related diseases been on the increase in recent times especially in youths?
Is this as a result of poor environmental conditions? Your guess is as good as mine.
These are steps that can help to remedy the situation at hand
• Don’t litter the streets with pure water sachet bags or bottles.
• Bio-technology should be encouraged in Nigeria to seek ways of reducing fossil fuel pollutions.
• Government should encourage afforestation and reforestation
• Cars that are not road worthy should be taken off the road
• The private sector should seize the viable opportunities in waste management in conjunction with state governments to not only dispose wastes but also create wealth and employment.
• Major roads should have proper and flowing drainage system
• Service your cars and gen-sets regularly
• Petrol should be blended with ethanol (E-10) to reduce pollution from cars (NNPC take note)
In conclusion, why not start by making a difference today, not just for any one but for your own good? Let’s do thing s the right way, be environmentally conscious, tell the vision, spread the news, “if Aids is real, then Global warming is a reality”.
Till I come your way again, am still and always will be your boy – Uchevelli, Keep it Real!
Thursday 3 April 2008
LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP
This is an experience of a very good friend of mine; I wanted to share his experience with all of y’all.
Being a successful entrepreneur has always been my life long dream and in my earlier days, I have exhibited prospective signs, given advices to many and these inputs have been instrumental to either solving their predicaments at that given time or boosted their ventures. These and many other occurrences were the things that helped to build my self-confidence in the business circle.
I was nursing this ambition inside of me until last year when an opportunity came my way, dangling like a carrot - very attractive and viable. A friend introduced me to her uncle who was into the Estate development business, who was assisting family and friends to acquire landed properties at give-away prices. I couldn’t resist this temptation because I have always dreamt of owning my own house. I told her that I would love to meet this uncle and in a few days, we visited his office at Maitama, a highbrow area of Abuja. This office building was an entire duplex, very beautiful, very modern and intimidating. We got into the building to behold the beauty and splendor which was truly heavenly. I have never seen an office so tastefully furnished, it looked like the reception of a five-star hotel in town, it was a sight to behold indeed. We were ushered by a lovely lady who told us to go upstairs which we did and there he was very handsome, well dressed - formally, a nice suit, a lovely sky-blue shirt and a blue silk tie to go with it. I was already impressed before he even uttered a word. He greeted us warmly and we sat down and started discussing, he spoke with a British accent and sounded very confident.
He told us of a scheme which he had introduced to the Government t help more people acquire their own houses by paying installmentally. All you have to do was just to pay 50% and the rest will be spread across 5 years. This idea sounded like a nice one. He said that he would arrange a mortgage loan for the first fifty interested clients and I said I was interested. I was told that it was on a first come, first served based basis, so I had to get money fast.
I emptied my bank account but it wasn’t sufficient, so I borrowed from some friends and even asked my mum to add for the money to be complete. My mum was a little uneasy with the entire venture, she told me that it was too good to be true, but I was just too excited to listen. Her parting words were “Son, Look, look and look before you leap other wise….” I can’t forget the look she gave me, a look of pity. Well, I was taken to a plot of land of about 20 hectares of land where the estate would be built, I was shown the model and building plans of the estate, I was shown every single document that suggested that the venture was legal, so I went on to pay the money, Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N 500,000) about $US 4,273. I was given some FCDA forms to fill which I did and that was it.
I even introduced the idea to some friends, which was a well accepted one and almost all my friends were interested, so they also invested. The advert was always on TV and Newspapers, so there was no reason to doubt the efficacy of the scheme.
A few months later, a friend called me to inform me that the construction of the estate had started, and that I should find out if there were still slots for more people because the colleagues at the office were really interested.
So, I decided to call this man, his mobile phone was switched off, I call the office phone, but it wasn’t going. So I decided to go there myself since it was far away from my office. I got to the building only to fine out that the place wasn’t there – I mean the building was different, renovated, refurbished – only God knows because the building I was used to seeing was not the one before me. I got in and found out that the building was sold two weeks earlier. I call the friend, who introduced me to the man, and she told me that her so called uncle had left the country; I was shaking all over, what? I screamed. She told me to come over to her house, I rushed there immediately and I could not believe my ears.
She revealed how her uncle was repatriated from the UK after going to prison for internet fraud, how he used the contract given to another genuine company to deceive innocent people including his relations. She said that the estate was being constructed, but not by his so called company, he only used their name and identity. She concluded that the man flew to Canada a few weeks earlier to start a new life. She told me that she just made these discoveries an hour earlier, before my call. I was sweating profusely, shaking all over – it was like the day of Pentecost.
We went to the company that truly advertised the scheme only to find out that there was nobody like that in their staff list and that they never had an office at maitama, neither did they collect a dime from anyone, they only collect money after the estate have been completed and that they have a mortgage firm that deals with that aspect. It became clear that I had just been duped, not just me alone, but my friends and their friends… the list was endless.
We reported to the Police only to find out that there like fifty complaints about the same guy, when I heard that, I past out in the police station. I woke up to find myself in a hospital. How could I explain the scenario that I found myself or that I had put myself into? It took me years to save that money, what would I tell my friends? How can start all over? How about all the money I borrowed from people? I couldn’t look at my mother on the face because she warned me earlier, I was a total disgrace and in a huge mess. It was discovered that the man eloped with almost N 120 million Naira (about $US 1 Million Dollars).
It’s been a year and a few months and there has been no sign of the man or our money. The Police is still investigating; I must confess that I have not fully recovered from that leap I took so I don’t see myself taking any leaps in a very long time to come but like popular saying – “when there is life, there is hope”. The accommodation issue in Abuja has created an avenue for fraudsters to defraud people under the pretense of arranging mortgage loans and other financial facilities. It is a pitiable situation and I truly hope that something could be done to remedy the problem. An advice I give anyone I come across, especially to young entrepreneurs is “Look, look, look before you leap, just like my mama said”
Being a successful entrepreneur has always been my life long dream and in my earlier days, I have exhibited prospective signs, given advices to many and these inputs have been instrumental to either solving their predicaments at that given time or boosted their ventures. These and many other occurrences were the things that helped to build my self-confidence in the business circle.
I was nursing this ambition inside of me until last year when an opportunity came my way, dangling like a carrot - very attractive and viable. A friend introduced me to her uncle who was into the Estate development business, who was assisting family and friends to acquire landed properties at give-away prices. I couldn’t resist this temptation because I have always dreamt of owning my own house. I told her that I would love to meet this uncle and in a few days, we visited his office at Maitama, a highbrow area of Abuja. This office building was an entire duplex, very beautiful, very modern and intimidating. We got into the building to behold the beauty and splendor which was truly heavenly. I have never seen an office so tastefully furnished, it looked like the reception of a five-star hotel in town, it was a sight to behold indeed. We were ushered by a lovely lady who told us to go upstairs which we did and there he was very handsome, well dressed - formally, a nice suit, a lovely sky-blue shirt and a blue silk tie to go with it. I was already impressed before he even uttered a word. He greeted us warmly and we sat down and started discussing, he spoke with a British accent and sounded very confident.
He told us of a scheme which he had introduced to the Government t help more people acquire their own houses by paying installmentally. All you have to do was just to pay 50% and the rest will be spread across 5 years. This idea sounded like a nice one. He said that he would arrange a mortgage loan for the first fifty interested clients and I said I was interested. I was told that it was on a first come, first served based basis, so I had to get money fast.
I emptied my bank account but it wasn’t sufficient, so I borrowed from some friends and even asked my mum to add for the money to be complete. My mum was a little uneasy with the entire venture, she told me that it was too good to be true, but I was just too excited to listen. Her parting words were “Son, Look, look and look before you leap other wise….” I can’t forget the look she gave me, a look of pity. Well, I was taken to a plot of land of about 20 hectares of land where the estate would be built, I was shown the model and building plans of the estate, I was shown every single document that suggested that the venture was legal, so I went on to pay the money, Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N 500,000) about $US 4,273. I was given some FCDA forms to fill which I did and that was it.
I even introduced the idea to some friends, which was a well accepted one and almost all my friends were interested, so they also invested. The advert was always on TV and Newspapers, so there was no reason to doubt the efficacy of the scheme.
A few months later, a friend called me to inform me that the construction of the estate had started, and that I should find out if there were still slots for more people because the colleagues at the office were really interested.
So, I decided to call this man, his mobile phone was switched off, I call the office phone, but it wasn’t going. So I decided to go there myself since it was far away from my office. I got to the building only to fine out that the place wasn’t there – I mean the building was different, renovated, refurbished – only God knows because the building I was used to seeing was not the one before me. I got in and found out that the building was sold two weeks earlier. I call the friend, who introduced me to the man, and she told me that her so called uncle had left the country; I was shaking all over, what? I screamed. She told me to come over to her house, I rushed there immediately and I could not believe my ears.
She revealed how her uncle was repatriated from the UK after going to prison for internet fraud, how he used the contract given to another genuine company to deceive innocent people including his relations. She said that the estate was being constructed, but not by his so called company, he only used their name and identity. She concluded that the man flew to Canada a few weeks earlier to start a new life. She told me that she just made these discoveries an hour earlier, before my call. I was sweating profusely, shaking all over – it was like the day of Pentecost.
We went to the company that truly advertised the scheme only to find out that there was nobody like that in their staff list and that they never had an office at maitama, neither did they collect a dime from anyone, they only collect money after the estate have been completed and that they have a mortgage firm that deals with that aspect. It became clear that I had just been duped, not just me alone, but my friends and their friends… the list was endless.
We reported to the Police only to find out that there like fifty complaints about the same guy, when I heard that, I past out in the police station. I woke up to find myself in a hospital. How could I explain the scenario that I found myself or that I had put myself into? It took me years to save that money, what would I tell my friends? How can start all over? How about all the money I borrowed from people? I couldn’t look at my mother on the face because she warned me earlier, I was a total disgrace and in a huge mess. It was discovered that the man eloped with almost N 120 million Naira (about $US 1 Million Dollars).
It’s been a year and a few months and there has been no sign of the man or our money. The Police is still investigating; I must confess that I have not fully recovered from that leap I took so I don’t see myself taking any leaps in a very long time to come but like popular saying – “when there is life, there is hope”. The accommodation issue in Abuja has created an avenue for fraudsters to defraud people under the pretense of arranging mortgage loans and other financial facilities. It is a pitiable situation and I truly hope that something could be done to remedy the problem. An advice I give anyone I come across, especially to young entrepreneurs is “Look, look, look before you leap, just like my mama said”
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