Forcible Right Words

Dad came back home with a bag of goodies in his hands and his usual smile on his mouth. "I've got news"  he said Ears leaned in, expecting some general news. Dad sat down, silent, still wearing his sanguine, always optimistic smile. "Talk na" said my now anxious ma. He looked at ma intently before spewing in her face like vomit 'Papa Ella is dead! Papa Ella is dead! Papa Ella is dead!' My eyes and mouth widened as my brain froze. Ma didn't know when she sent what she had in her hand flying across the room. Even my sister had now heard and burst out of her room, with hands on head or something like that. I can't quite remember but one of those body gestures that suggests grievance, I was too frozen to notice. Daddy Ella, (I never knew his name) our very nice, peaceful and helpful former neighbour had died in a stroke leaving his young wife and two girls under 8 years old behind. I let the news sink in and there was just this one...

You know the feeling don't you? When the force of nature descends upon you and potty sausage holds your bowels hostage in a public place. Fewer things can make the human body break out sweat like this siege. And you are inches away from running mad. All fades away, all. Food, chit-chat, whatever. There is but one goal in your mind: Make this shit history! You enter the first rest room you can find and by intuition you can tell if someone is in a cubicle or not. Rats and tatters! You perceive someone is in there, yet driven by a frenzy that you cannot control, you approach the cubicle and still knock. Stop. Why?  Why do we still knock? Even if the person said 'Yes?', It would never mean for us to come in. But we still knock anyway. Hoping against hope. And we would knock on every cubicle until we see that empty, inviting closet and finally answer the call of nature. And you know the best part.... When you shed those tears of joy. Pure joy.  When the creator made us, the firs...

I first met her at a vigil - a teenager's vigil. It was not the typical vigil where we prayed for Holy Ghost to fall on us for the power to fulfill destiny or for the Host of Heaven to deliver us from every battle of witchcraft or something. It was more like a 'teens nite out' where we discussed issues that were prevalent among the adolescents - self esteem, relationships and sexual purity. The church was packed full with teenagers and youths. Many of them had invited someone. I knew my teens by heart and I could tell the ones that were first timers. The program was lively and they were very participative in the various sessions we had. I shook my head at some point, wondering if the teenagers would last this long awake if it was a typical prayer vigil. At 3 am, because of 'love talk,' their eyes were still bright like torches with charged batteries... Teenagers. I couldn't judge them, I was no exemption myself, my spiritual life fluctuated badly when I...

His eyes, I didn't like the way his widened eyes was staring at me, pouring out surprise? suspicion? disappointment? I let Nneka go. To protect my reputation I would have loved to explain myself but that would be hanging myself in the long run. The fact that he didn't say anything made my mental torment worse. "Well here goes my reputation," I thought as I walked past the head usher, Mr Toba. Nneka stood there still, stroking her wrist because of the pressure I had placed on it. I heard Mr Toba say something I couldn't pick out to her, it must have annoyed her enough for her to hiss at him and walk out on him, walking past me as well towards the church's compound exit. Outside the church premises, I took my phone and dialed Laide's number one more time, never to go through. I stopped at a loss of what to do. My brain was jammed. I could not think for myself. I wanted to lift my eyes to heaven to ask for direction when guilt pulled my gaze ...

If you missed part 1, click  here Service was over, People were leaving the church in droves, people were patronizing the mobile yoghurt sellers, snacks and zobo sellers. Others had meetings as church executives. Been an executive myself I ought to be attending one but that was far from my mind right now. I was still seating, dialing Laide's number only to hear the midi 'not available' tone for the hundredth time. I scanned the church and sighted Nneka  moving towards the old children's church. I had been eyeing her like a secret agent through service, looking for every opportunity to confront her alone. I stood up to trail her with stealth. I perceived the old building was empty so I hastened my steps to unleash my anger on unruly human being. She was unaware of anyone following her until I yanked her arm, but with quick reflex, she pulled her arm from my grip. My left hand shot out almost immediately securing Nneka between shoulder and elbow joint, shook her and sh...

Photo Credit: livewire.com I watched a Mount Zion Movie series recently - HOUSE ON FIRE. (You should see it. Really awesome) And I had a nostalgic feeling about some of the old movie series they used to produce. Particularly one, 'Agbara nla' (Ultimate Power) released in 1992 but I got to watch much later. For many people, the movie was scary. Damn scary. Apart from the good storyline and top notch acting that could rival any Nollywood movie at that time, I could dare say the terrifying scenes were the movies' selling point. You just need to play 'Agbara nla' for your stubborn kids or backsliding spouse and they will at least for next 24 hours, adjust themselves. (24 hours guaranteed) The Outfit, Mount Zion Film Productions was one of the First Christian Drama groups to go on Television (if not the first) and depict that warfare aspect of the Christian faith especially in the African climate that is host to many, many territorial deities, ancestral spirits a...

Sorry guys. Took a really long break. I can't apologize enough. So I'm gonna give you a story I wrote today. Enjoy. I got in just at the nick of time. Sunday school was just about to start. Despite the cold weather, My forehead and armpits area was already wet with sweat as I had run to church. I scanned for her among the people who were seated but she was absent. I did not know whether that was a good or a bad thing. I shoved that thought at the back of my mind.  "Praise the Lord." "Halleluyah!" "Let us pray. Father Lord we..." Nneka let out a shrill cry or was it laughter... Everyone turned and looked at her. Even people from other Sunday school classes turned to look at her. I looked into her eyes, my eyeballs trying holds hers in questioning. I was not Alagbada ina who had eyes of fire. But I have earned enough respect from my teenagers to demand compliance from them, even with my facial features. But today Nneka stared right back... With no s...

  Hi there, ardent reader. I apologize for the absence. Had health challenges (which I might share someday) but we are back from the dead and looking forward to better things this month. Hope you are excited about the month of May. I don't know about you but I personally Thank God for this Friday.. Forcible Right Words is two months old today. Today, I did not really have an article. So I decided to pull one out of the archives. I wrote this piece or will I call it story 3 years ago while I was doing my mandatory National Youth Service. This is very personal to me and would serve a moral lesson or two to whoever reads this piece with a open mind, most especially the warm blooded youth who is not careful with expressing feelings or should I say often shows lack of self control. Now the term Wild Beast is not a derogatory term for such persons but for a term for that unruly organ we all have... Which organ? Lol. Ain't telling you. If you want to know, read. WILD BEAST I can't...

Pheew. Made it before the close of the day. How's the weekend going guys? So straight to the chase Creativity Hack: I went to a vigil organised for youths some years back. A video was played about two friends who wanted to make a living for themselves by solving their little village's problem of lack of water The two friends resolved to carry two buckets of water across their shoulders using a pole, going back and forth a spring that was some distance away. People paid them handsomely for the water because they needed it but couldn't go back and forth like the two strong, young men. Those who could not afford their services went to the spring by themselves. 'Ben' was saving his money and was going to use his money a cottage and a cow for milk production Bob too had the same dreams. But after a while, he noticed his health was diminishing due to the heavy load and long, continuous trek. He proposed to Ben that they should find an easier way of solving...

Photo Credit: techpoint.ng Hi guys, How's your day? 'Arrgh Mondays!' Like I usually say, Fine or not, in all give thanks. It could be worse. Your lips must give glory to God. I was wondering what to write about when a memory dropped into heart, triggered by a phrase I bumped into last week, "Speed is good but Direction is better" 'Hmm... Nice.' I thought. I thought and dwelt on it and somehow my mind went back to 16th, February, this year. I was in a communications super store where digital gadgets such as phones laptop and associated accessories were sold. After many months of indecision, I had finally made up my mind to join the android family, because I wanted to get serious with blogging and my laptop was acting up. Much earlier, I had gone round stores for a while asking for Blackberry products but all of the stores I went to were telling me the same thing, 'There is no Blackberry product in the market right now'. I used...

Good evening people. I hope your weekend is going on smooth. This is the supposed conclusion to the Bitter Leaf Soup: Roasting Stories or maybe not. If you are new here and you want to understand what the Bitter Leaf Soup series is all about, click here . To read up on the roasting stories, click here. Part 1 . Part 2 [Recap] Part 1. I have a flaw of always defending myself and coming up with excuses It made me to lock horns with my very good friend, Pheno who is very tenacious for the truth. It leads to a 'roasting' session and I see myself through my friends' eyes and my ego is fried. I identify my defects and begin to work on them. Part 2: I work with three pre-teens whose relationship was experiencing tense friction that they were sick and tired of but couldn't voice out. I propose a roasting session and they all agree. It's the Architect's turn to be roasted, she burst into tears and runs out of the library. [Back to Story] The moment ...

Good evening people! Monday How was the busiest day of the week? Fine or not, in all give thanks. It could have been worse. Tomorrow is going to be a better day. I know you are all expecting me to complete the 'roasting' story, and I will, it's just that I feel I have to pour out my prevalent thoughts at the moment. I want to talk about depression Now, why would I want to talk about depression when the beginning of my last post was centered on Joy? I should not talk about it when I have just returned from a conference that left me elated. So what's happening here? Nothing much, I just want to talk about depression... ...with my self, to myself Not necessarily to anyone. This is a note to self. (But I don't mind you reading) I'm talking about the down-in-pits feeling that grips you when you swipe through Facebook or instagram and you think your friends look glam and doing stuff with their lives and it's making you think about your own life... swiveling on one...

"The Most depressive people I've ever known are Christians..." Oral Roberts (quoting someone, can't quite remember who) in The Miracle of the Seed-Faith. I was initially shocked when I saw that phrase for the first time. But I can imagine why he said that, Because of the attitude of many Christians, people think Christianity is synonymous to suffering. Many Christians, wear their belief like a disease - translating into long faces, self-alienation, absence of life and joy. It ought not be so, that was what Pastor Bayode Oyekan, Lead pastor, Noble House Christian Center, spent his time drumming into our ears; "We are rejoicing spirits!" Say it with me, 'I'm a rejoicing spirit!'. The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of pure Joy, who will keep you afloat all the irregularities of life. You just need to know Him. After salvation many believers just stop and wait for kingdom come. This is wrong, our assignment after believing unto salvation is knowing. Salvat...

OK,  I'll cut straight to the chase I learnt so many things at the Kingdom Diplomats Gathering but I'm going to dish out the strongest points in brief. Pastor Paul, Set Man at Word Encounter Ministries, Jos, Nigeria, teaches biblical principles in form of stories and parables. I love the way he put his points side by side like a scientist/philosopher. They have a way of appealing to both spirit and soul at the same time. 1. He started one of his sessions with this very interesting question. "If you could cut God open, what would you find inside Him?" Puzzling shey (right)? The answer is 'man'. Psalm 8:4 "What is man, that You are mindful of him..." Meaning, all God thinks about is man (and His plans towards him) . That shows how much He cares for us. 2. Just as the first Adam fell into a deep sleep (a form of death) and Eve was created from his side, so also, the last Adam (Christ) died (which is actually a form of sleep) and the Chu...

Hi guys, I apologize for the absence I took the Easter break off, to be revitalized spiritually, mentally and of course physically. I trust you all had fulfilling Easter holidays. And I hope you didn't just eat Easter eggs, unleavened bread or whatever your Easter meal is, but that admist the celebrations, you also learnt something. Learning is part of life and it never ends. As Bishop David Oyedepo would say,  "If you are not building a library (of knowledge), you are building a mortuary without knowing." So I was at this awesome conference 'KINGDOM DIPLOMATS GATHERING', which held at the Watergate Church in Ogun State, Nigeria with the theme, 'Partakers of the Heavenly Calling' I would use this opportunity to share lessons I learnt during the 4-day Conference. Hold on, I feel I just have to say this... I attended last year's conference (AN EXCEEDING GREAT ARMY) and I thought it was great. So this year, I thought of inviting some fol...