“When things are going great, it is only a matter of time before they go bad.” Perhaps the above thought keeps a lot of us on lockdown. “Better to be protected, right?” “Protected from what exactly?” “From getting killed. Or worse, killing myself” “Time will kill us all one day”. Consequence. A word often associated with negativity. Nobody likes it. Nobody likes termination. Repercussion. Aha! that’s another scary word. A by-product of addiction. Stigma and…

Musing. “The same reason you wake up each morning to go look for bread”. Have you ever wondered why the most powerful countries seek more power? Have you ever wondered why the rich keep making more money? The same reason you wake up each morning to go look for bread. They are hungry. Because satiety is a horrible state for anyone to be in. Satiety makes hunger pleasant. It makes hunger good. Put satiety and…

I know it’s your child. I know that I was not involved in its conception. I also know that I didn’t retch each morning with you while you went through the most difficult trimester. Yes, I know all these. But see how poorly you have raised your child. It is hurting us all. Bad parenting hurts everyone. Can’t you see the damage your complacency has caused? “you should have strived to get a plane ticket….

“Have you ever felt stifled by attention?” “Ever felt how raw and exposing it is to be surrounded by strangers who believe they know and own you?” “No, no. I have never.” “Haa. Are you shaking your head?” “Could I be the only one who has ever felt this way?” “C’mon!” “Hey, I am not trying to make you feel out of place” “don’t get me wrong,” “as for me, I love it when people…

If you are a book lover and haven’t been to this pleasantly old-fashioned bookshop, you miss the boat daily. I had visited virtually all the bookshops on the Island part of Lagos except The Jazzhole. I guess I was unconsciously saving the best for the last? I set up a meeting with a friend. He wanted to meet at The Traffic bar and restaurant Ikoyi. I suggested a first stop at The Jazzhole. Best decision…

“I want things kept this way” “the toothbrush stays here and nowhere else” “who moved my phone charger from here”.” it’s always got to be here, why don’t you get it?” “you have to suffer before you make money, things don’t just come to you” “Jane and John sitting in the tree. K-i-s-s-i-n-g. first comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes a baby in the baby carriage, sucking his thumb, wetting his pants, doing the…

The saying of last things. This is one slot a terminal illness offers you that being run over by a bus doesn’t. There is no mourning with a bus. There are no regrets. The opportunity to be candid is totally gone. You can’t set the records straight. There is no time for openness. There is no later time to redress things. When you are hit by a bus, you can’t strip away the pretense.  …

“Mama, I can’t sit here,” I said, the corners of my mouth dragging downwards. “I cannot legitimise this …” Yassmin Abdel-Magied recalls telling her mother right before she walked out of Lionel Shriver as she gave her keynote address at the Brisbane writers festival. Lionel Shriver, an unconventional writer best known for her novel, “We need to talk about Kevin” was meant to have a talk on “community and belonging” but instead deviated and spoke…

Do you remember this thing they say about Silence being loaded with answers? Scam! And then they go ahead to tell you that silence is a source of great strength. You know what? That’s another scam. Look, except you intentionally want to abuse someone by giving them the silent treatment, don’t ever close your mouth when you should be saying something. What most people do not know is that being ignored causes the same chemical…

Have you ever been in one of those shaky yellow buses, whose tyres could barely hold together, swinging like the ‘k-legs’ of this guy doing a match past? Stuck in-between the door and a male man whose legs unashamedly occupy spaces, with his ears completely deafened to your pleas of ‘oga abeg dress well’. Tiny drops of salty sweats caked in specks of dust trickling down your face, which of course you do not take…