The CJ Factor

I am holding my head in my hand. I have been doing that a lot lately. When I was younger, older people would rebuke you for doing that. “What is a child like you thinking about that you need to hold your head in your hands” they would say. I did not understand it then but today it makes perfect sense. What in the world could worry a child to the point that he holds his head in his hands? Has he felt the joy of success in relation to the ignominy that comes with failure? Or has he experienced love in relation to the crushing pain of betrayal? The answer to most adults is probably ‘of course not’. But think again. In their own ‘little’ world, children feel these emotions in the same way that adults do. Consider this. The big problems to a 20 year old would come off as ridiculous to a 50 year old, in the same way that the troubles of a 5 year old would seem laughable to a 15 year old. The point is that the struggle begins from the day we are forced to draw our first breath of this cruel

I was just on Twitter minding my own business and airing my views on a recently trending topic. Yes, you guessed right - the 'Transfiguration' of Bruce Jenner. I said that it is a disgrace to men and women alike. I also said that his action after more than 5 decades of being alive, is a perfect example of what emasculation can result to. I stand by my words because I believe that what he did is unnatural.  Some people disagree. They are of the opinion that there is nothing unnatural about a sex change. Someone even went as far as to compare the situation to barrenness. All I can say is that barrenness like many natural defects is something that should be solved because it is natural to procreate. Barrenness is a a challenge that causes families sadness and disappointment. A sex change is a whole other thing. It is a person being u satisfied with the way they are born and taking the matter into their surgeon's hand so that they can wear a bra instead of boxers or boxers inst

I woke up to a cold and breezy morning, a wave of fresh air greeted the Nigerian airways as news of Change dominated the conversations. As I drove out I could feel it in the general mood in the streets which used to feel so tensed. It is peace. I mean a genuine sense of accord with the national direction, more than I have ever felt in the last five years. I have never been this optimistic and proud of our Nigeria! Understanding has finally come through in our time. When the news broke that President Jonathan called the president elect, I thought that it was a turning point in the history of our democracy. One of those phone calls you can make a movie about. Huge step for our politics. It shows that we have woken from our slumber as citizens. I can only pray that we have what it takes to stay awake as we embark on this journey toward redemption.  Leaders come and go but the state is a permanent entity whose sovereignty belongs to the people. It is high time we as Nigerians exert our pow

I wrote this article in June last year. I don't know why I never bothered to share it publicly but I feel that this is as good a time as any for the young Nigerian to read this. Enjoy!  2015 is almost upon us, the year when the future of the greatest black nation on the planet will be decided for better or for the much dreaded worst, which most major players on the nation's political scene don't seem too eager to avert. Today on the streets of Nigeria, the common notion is that this is a country either on the brink of war or a great divide. This is despite the thin, very thin efforts of the current administration to alleviate these fears at a time like this. Most educated Nigerians, especially the youth harbour a great deal of fear over what the next year or so holds for the 100 year old entity, Nigeria. I think the current circumstances couldn't come at a worse time because a centenary is an appropriate time for a nation that was united to form one household

Let me start by saying that I am at a point in my life as a citizen, actor and critic of the Nigerian Case where I cannot help but feel pity for some of us who have allowed themselves to be the voice of disunity, irrationality, violence, fanaticism, hate and downright stupidity. At a time when Nigeria needs as many reasonable men as she can manage, a  lot of us have failed her. Today started off with a protest following a rumor which of course turned out to be true. While I cannot stick my neck out in defense of anybody, I have to say that the sheer lack of reasoning that greeted the announcement of the postponement of elections, is a clear indication of all that is wrong with the country today. It is that stubborn refusal to entertain any view contrary to the ones we hold. But It is impossible for any group of people to move forward or even stick together if they absolutely refuse to UNDERSTAND one another. The reactions from some people in both camps makes one who is not conversant

The illusion of happiness is a costly one to sustain. In fact, the longer you are trapped in that illusion, the more costly it becomes. Pain is the surest way to come out of that illusion, to appreciate life for the cluster fuck it is most of the time and to rebuild ourselves on the foundation of a perhaps stronger illusion until we muster enough pain to shatter it. It's a vicious cycle you see. You can spend a phenomenal amount of time trying to sustain your illusion of happiness, to make it real. In the end there's one outcome that you can almost always expect. Pain. So what does it profit anyone to submit themselves to such a betraying cycle of life? The thrill of living in a moment that feels for the while it lasts, like true, genuine happiness. To share a moment with another person, to share in who they are and to relish in their illusion as well. It could last days, years even. It could be the most comforting feeling but be warned, it is only an illusion. Those who unders