Forcible Right Words

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...