Blissful Doom

“Mommy…Fone…mooommmy…fone”. I quickly wiped my hands with the napkin then made for the living room. My 4year old baby had managed to draw my attention to the ringing phone although I heard it ringing. I kissed him on the forehead “Thanks babe”. He smiled showing his white milk teeth which made him look more adorable.
“Hello, how are…”
“P-p-lease… you have to start coming…I-I-I-I…think… He’s…He’s…c-cooo-ming…he’s coming...”
“Hold on what are you saying, you are making no sense…”
“I’m scared-d-d-d-d-d…” she broke off crying. The line went dead. Ok …that wasn’t cool and I don’t understand a thing. I can’t just pick my car keys and drive off  to her house, to start with I’m cooking and I have to think of where to drop my son , I can’t take him along. She sounded so scared and I worry for her. I paced across the living room for a while, then I picked my phone and dialled my husband’s line, I told him everything. He told me to drop the baby at his sister’s then go over as soon as possible, it could be more serious than she sounded on the phone.
“…and go there as soon as possible, I will meet you there. I’m leaving office right away.” he said as he dropped the call.

I just couldn’t wait for the lecturer to get out of class. She had a bruise on her lower lip, discoloration on her cheek and a black eye. I came to realise that if we were in our third or final year in the university I would have the liver to ask her about it while the lecturer was still in class but well it was our first year so we were still new in the system and no one wants to get into the “black book” of the lecturers.
“… so, see you next class” I was so happy to hear those words. Immediately the lecturer walked out of the class I blurted out “Is he beating you again?”
“I hit my head against the wall… you know naija NEPA na , I was returning from the kitchen and they just took the light. I wasn’t holding my phone neither was I holding my lamp, so I guess I headed for the wall…”

I didn’t believe her that day but I wasn’t in a mood to argue so I decided to shrug it off. I knew he had beaten her again, that discolouration, and the swollen eye all came from something more of flesh and blood. I remember the first time she came back to the room crying with a bruised lip, she almost cried her eyes out, he had just introduced her to SMS 101 (Special Maximum Shishi)…yeah your guess is good shishi means beating. “I can’t believe he slapped me… I was just greeting the class rep… ” I was as surprised myself, I mean! He didn’t look it; he looks too cute and has this heavenly charm and so much charisma one could die for. She was devastated. The following morning, he came bearing gifts, sweet scenting flowers, cake, chocolates, and cookies, name it! He begged for her forgiveness on both knees weeping profusely, promising never to lay his hands on her again. That moment was cute…you know…that moment when you want to fall in love. They kissed… they made up…of course who wouldn’t? It was the first time and he promised it won’t happen again and gush! This moment is captivating.
But he never stopped hitting her, he never stopped begging, he never stopped bearing gifts, she never stopped loving him. She had it all… if you say so… gadgets, money, love, her prince charming, her doom. He got her all of it.
I remember during our penultimate year, she came into the room grinning from ear to ear, I remember there was this glitter in her eyes…I think it is love “He asked me to move in with him!!! Isn’t it wonderful!” I felt a pang in my chest. Are you kidding me? She must be out of her mind.
“You said No, right?”
“Why? I love him. This will give us the opportunity to know each other’s differences, understand it better and reach a consensus”
“You can’t be serious right now. He hits you, he is violent…he keeps promising to stop but let me tell you the truth he is never going to stop... ”
“…but he loves me and I love him. I know he has anger issues but he is really sweet and you know that! At least he keeps trying to change and he is faithful…no side chick…how many guys can do that? Stay faithful…”

Of course she moved in with him. She was in love. And yes he didn’t stop beating her, and yes she didn’t stop running to me for a shoulder to cry on, and yes he didn’t stop bearing gifts, and again yes she didn’t stop running back to him.
I remember few years after school when she called. “Guess what? He asked me to marry him?”  She was so ecstatic. I knew better at this point. “Really? You said yes?” of course she did. I remember asking her whether that was really what she wanted. Hell yeah she was sure that was what she wanted. I remember I was the chief bridesmaid.

I was honking like crazy. No sign of the gateman/ security man trying to open the gate. I bolted out of my car and banged the gate as much as my strength could permit me. At last the gateman opened the gate.
“Where the hell have you been!” I snapped angrily at him
“Madam no vex…na my oga talk say make I come pack things for house” he held out of a list of things.
“For what?”
“We carry madam go hospital…”
I just had to cut in “… which madam? Which hospital? In fact start taking me there right now”. He tried to argue with me claiming he has to do what his oga sent him… let’s just say I got him to get me to the hospital, the rest is history. I texted my husband the address of the hospital.
I remember marriage didn’t change him. I remember wondering why she thought marriage would change him. I know she doesn’t enjoy the beating but she kept hoping the man she loved would just change. I remember the day she called me to give me the good news “I’m pregnant!” I was happy for her, I truly was. I had tons of plans for baby shower; I was ready to surprise the hell out of her. I remember how glad I was on one of the numerous visits to her place when she asked me to be the god mother. Oh yeah that is so not African, god mother ke? But I was happy, happy for her, happy she was happy, happy she was patiently expecting. My happiness, her happiness was shattered when he boxed the pregnancy out of her few weeks later. I was sad, she was devastated. He pleaded, he accepted his fault, called himself a monster, said he will never make a good dad, said he needs redemption and he will never get the redemption without her. She mourned, she forgave him. Life goes on.

But he never stopped, he kept beating her, she kept losing her babies…oh yeah pregnancies, pregnancy one, pregnancy two, three, four…he kept apologizing, she kept forgiving. Parents wants her to stay… after all, our society frowns at divorce, friends envy her “Mrs” title after all, marriages are supposed to be heavenly, religious leaders counselled her to stay after all what God has joined together let no man put asunder. It beats me.
It’s been some months now. I and my husband and other well-wishers have been coming to the hospital hoping and praying for her quick recovery. Today I’m happy and excited to see her again, I haven’t been to the hospital for two days…well that’s because I have a job and a life too. I have been told she’s recovering and I can’t wait to talk to her. I went straight to the doctor’s office; we exchanged pleasantries and led me to her ward. My heart leapt with joy seeing her sit on the bed, I ran towards her and gave her the hug of her life.
“How are you feeling now…I’m so glad you are fine now….I brought some fruits…” I went on and on, I was happy.
“I’m fine, thank you” she replied
“Do you want the fruits now?” I asked as I made for my bag grinning from ear to ear but I stopped and my smile varnished when she spoke “I’m sorry, please who are you?” she searched for the doctor’s face and asked him “Who is she?”
 That became the worst moment of my life, that moment when I was told that my best friend has amnesia. I wished it was a dream, I wished it was a nightmare, I wished she was just being silly, I wished she was just playing a prank on me, I wished she will just open her mouth and scream “April Fool!!!”, I wished… but she never did, it wasn’t a dream, it wasn’t a nightmare, she wasn’t being silly, she wasn’t playing a prank on me, she never screamed “April Fool!!!”…

Even now I still remember the doctor’s voice, crystal clear in my head… “I’m sorry madam… amnesia is usually associated with some form of brain damage probably through physical injury or as a result of shock, but it may also be caused by severe psychological trauma…”
“Moommmyy…poo poo… mooommmyy… poo poo” my son’s voice jotted me back to reality and as I hurried back inside the question on my mind remains “What Next?” I fear for her, she has no idea what he has done, she is vulnerable, she will probably go back to him.


By Adeosun Adepeju Answer
@Answer_Rubby 

Broda Jide

                                           
My late grandfather was a ladies man, he had a number of wives and about sixteen children this makes his last child my age mate (I am 21), as my grandfather grew older some of the children were given out to older children to be cared for. My dad got the second to the last child, Jide who came from the village when he was about thirteen years.

I have three sisters so, it was a little different having a boy around. Jide was not like us, he definitely had many fascinating stories and experiences to share, he used words like “awe” (my friend)  a lot, and when we went to fetch water, he says mo n lo odo (I am going to the river), and those moments were really amusing, he could barely read or write (though the best in his school back in the village), he was put in school, we grew up together we introduced him to everyone as our brother, we all slept together in the parlor, my mom treated him like her own, and everything seemed fine. Nobody foresaw any evil.

One morning my elder sister complained about happenings in the midnight, my brother crawling up the cushion touching her, and she felt his penis right on her thigh, who knows his real intentions were, she shrugged him off but couldn’t sleep till morning. My dad, a disciplinarian flogged him thoroughly. My mummy made so much noise about it, we thought it would stop, and that would be the end.

But I promise you, it was the beginning, you just couldn’t sleep off somewhere. One of us would feel a hand in our privates, felt his hand on our breast, and you woke up and can’t sleep again, you feel so disgusted with yourself and him anyway. There is this fear of the unknown, it could happen anytime.

The most painful thing is my brother denied most of it, a particular case he begged us not to tell our mom, promising that would be the last, we didn’t, we believed and we felt what is the point, telling hasn’t really helped anyone, he has been flogged, reported to persons and no change, but that wasn’t the end, it was like he was possessed. One person would complain about hands or penis somewhere on one part of their body even neighbors sometimes.

You can’t imagine the contempt that rises up within me, the bitterness, sometimes I feel like having those moments again and having the opportunity to throw a blow or cause serious injury. You are just mad even though after few days everything goes back to normal, we talked normally again. You never really get over it.

You know none of my sisters mentioned anything about him going all the way down, but I tell he could have done it. Tears form in my eye as I recall the helplessness, the lies, the abuses. Those are memories that don’t go away in a long time.

It took a moment of soul cleansing and God for me to forgive and really take the bitterness away. I don’t know how my sisters feel about the situation, we all never talk about it.
One thing I am certain about though is that no girl deserves to be abused like that, it’s humiliating.

The Crackdown of the BBOG

Call it the most uncouth official statement of the year, the recent pronouncement of the Inspector General of Police Mr Idris Ibrahim saying "enough is enough" that the Bring Back Our Girls Campaign Group was now constituting a threat to peace and its activities was now against public order and decorum.

One might begin to wonder if Mr Idris who was just yesterday confirmed by the Council of State possessed the deserved orientation in leading the Nigeria Police force. Can the attention of the Inspector General of Police be surreptiously  be brought to the extant and active laws of this nation. Every Nigerian has a right to freedom of expression guaranteed in the constitution and its only a travesty to the rule of law to which Mr Idris despite is IGP rank is bound   be obeyed. I wonder if the march to Aso Rock and the numerous display of emotions by the group affects the well being of Mr Idris and its force, its feasible to everyone that the group has conducted itself as civil and shun violence despite the emotional and very touchy issue it is pushing its cause. If Mr Idris daughters were lost in sambisa forest and in the monstrous gulag of the Boko Haram group he won't dare come before crushed and devastated as the parents and the rest of the world citing the activities of the group as inappropriate  for public peace.

It will befuddle Nigerians out there that a flashback into 2015 the ruling All Progressive Party promised to rescue these girls within three months if it is elected and this was one of the numerous PRs the "Change" President Buhari promise will begin with. Am completely disillusionalized on the too many failures of this administration.  This is Nigeria notorious for policy somersault and political indifference to the people's plight. Thank God for the doggedness and temerity of persons like Dr Oby Ezekwesili who have kept the pursuit on the eventual rescue of the girls.  Ms Hadiza Bello is now the chairman Nigeria Port Authority today because of her perceived zest and enthused energy she invested when the campaign began. Its all political shenanigan to decapitate the group and lure its pioneer leaders away with juicy political appointment so it will loose its steam and forte before long, kill the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered. Maybe the ruling administration doesn't even believe that any girls are lost and maybe its just cheap blackmail.

The Bring Back Our Girls Group will never be an societal antagonist at least to the Nigerian People if its now smoking nuisance to the President Mohammadu Buhari administration where before its darling and favourite partner on the cruise to power. Even if you won't rescue them, don't strip them of the inalienable right to demonstrate their devastation and sorrows so they won't die of despondency and hopelessness. We know one day someone with a heart of God will see their pain and save them from the nefarious pawns of the Boko Haram captors. IGP please leave BBOG for us abeg sir.

Respect the rule of law, this is no banana republic where lip service is just thrusted to the tenets and principle that govern a democratic process.  Mr president should not make us believe the allegations against him on disdain for opposition and crackdown on perceived antagonist is his personae and is dictatorial antecedents are coming to the fore again. Remember the man who named his dog Buhari and his fate and how we all ran to Mr President's side downplaying any political crackdown on dissents.

By:Amos Isaac Tasheyon

Jidenna and the Buy Naija Campaign

                           Jidenna and the Buy Naija Campaign.

Its quite easy disassociating oneself from a country like Nigeria considering the notoriousity of the country's numerous challenges, call it overwhelming. Plethora of Nigerians are ready to renounce their patriotism and ancestral background for visas or probably a means of checking out for greener pastures in a country battered by the evil stings of bad leadership for majority of the whole of its existence.

Nigeria is a great country with great people passionately gifted with every natural resources and human capability, it’s just preposterous when such a country rated as the 10th most endowed country in the world is now entangle in an economic crisis and worst in "technical recession" it is never because that was its fate but rather the path in creativity by her leaders has dragged her into. The prevailing economic crisis has triggered some sudden prodigal economic policies the "Buy Naija" policy.

For a nation exporting crude as its major trading exchange, the recent global crude oil crash market has compelled its worst economic days. No ninety percent import dependent country could ever thrive economically. With depleted forex market to import and huge financial deficit, a paradigm shift in trading system from an import reliant economy to an exporting country was indispensable to survive, then came "the buy naija campaign" The Nigerian citizen herself have become irredeemably beaten into to import dependent way of life, the preference of locally made goods is all time abysmally low and seen as inferior, detaching this mentality is now the cliché the government whose lip-service campaign is not even worth emulating considering the contrasting life political leaders demonstrate towards this campaign.

There is a dude born Nigerian father and American mother, less known in a country he his passionately selling to the world. He is Jiddenna Mobisson Theodore, born in Wiscousin United states, RnB hiphop singer. Jidenna is one of the four children of a one-time Professor in Enugu state University. He got into the spotlight with his hit single EPs titled "Classic Man" nominated for the grammies as rap song of the year and his billboard hit single with Janelle Monae "Yoga". He became the American darling. But one thing that has fascinated the world his direction was his style deeply rooted in Nigeria culture and song genre. Is love for the Nigerian culture has been exhibited at every opportunity he has got known with his notorious performance with "egungun" a Nigerian cultural masquerade display. What if our own musician right here can ostensibly show off in ankara, aso ofi outfit when performing on stage and help promote the Nigerian attire as compare to the show-off with the Gucci, Nike, Dolce and Gabbanna and the rest.

What if our musicians can help publicize the multiple Nigerian culture on their music videos rather than the oversea video shooting, ostensible display in Night clubs. Display of money and nude girls, vogue lyrics and cheap display of their wealth. Our creative industry is fast catching the wave globally if we cannot define our industry modelled with our culture and values with might end up importing Nollywood again.

By: Amos Isaac Tasheyon.                

7days Infor

SPOTS WITH DAPO
Hi friends, it’s the very first edition of SPOTS WITH DAPO, and I’m super excited about this new project. The reason behind SPOTS WITH DAPO is to give more insight into major happenings during the week. Enough said, let the game begin!!!

MONDAY (29/09) – GOV. AYO FAYOSE SIGNS ANTI-GRAZING BILL INTO LAW
The governor of Ekiti state Mr. Ayodele Fayose on Monday signed a bill into law which henceforth prohibits an open grazing in Ekiti state. This means herdsmen won’t be able to wander around anyhow again in order to feed their cattle. The law prescribes six months imprisonment without an option of fine for any herdsman who violates the grazing prohibition while any herdsman found with arms will be charged with terrorism. The bill also stipulates that grazing activities must be between 7am to 6pm daily and only on marked out land for grazing by the local government authority.
It would be recalled that earlier this year, a bill in support of a National Grazing Reserves was presented to the floor of the Senate which will provide for the establishment of at least one cattle reserve in each state of the federation. Ever since this bill was presented by Senator Zainab Kure of Niger state, most Nigerians have condemned the move as most people see it has a way of exploiting and granting a particular tribe access to major properties of other tribes while also stating that cattle rearing is a private business by individuals, therefore the government needs to be considerate many things involved.

TUESDAY (30/09) - MARK ZUCKERBERG AND JIDENNA VISITED NIGERIA
It’s no news that the 6th richest man in the world with a net worth $44.6Bn (according to Forbes.com) arrived Nigeria unannounced on Tuesday. His first stop was at Co-Creation Hub (also called Naija Silicon Valley) in Yaba, Lagos state where he met with developers and partners and also talked to kids at a Summer Coding Camp.
Thereafter, the Facebook founder has been spotted in various places which includes; Eko Hotel and Suites where he interacted with tech professionals on Wednesday, visitation to AfriNolly where he met Nigerian celebrities such as; Chidinma, Rita Dominic, Kunle Afolayan, Ehiz DadaBoy, RMD, Yemi Alade, DJ Cuppy, Adebola Williams amongst others, he was also spotted jogging through Lekki-Ikoyi bridge.
Then the 32 years old atheist left Nigeria on Thursday September 1st for Kenya where he met with entrepreneurs, developers and government officials as he was pictured eating with his bare hands with Kenyan Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Information, Joe Muhcheru in Nairobi.
Zuckerberg then made a return back to Nigeria on Friday and this time around, he went to the FCT where he met President Buhari, Vice President Osibanjo and other government officials for the Aso Villa Demo Day Finale.
This is Zuckerberg first ever visit to Africa.

MUSIC STAR JIDENNA ALSO LANDED IN NIGERIA
Jidenna Theodore Mobisson is a Nigerian –American singer who became famous because for his song “Classic Man” also arrived in the country on Tuesday. Unlike Mark Zuckerberg, Jidenna’s visit was known as he had already announced that he would be in Nigeria for the promotion of his debut album titled “Long Live The Chief”.
During his 4 days visit, an initiative called “Enjoy Lagos” was launched and invited people had the opportunity of meeting Jidenna. He granted interviews left, right and centre some of which includes a visit to Cool FM where he was interviewed by Dotun and Temi, he also visited to Beat FM, interviewed by Maria, Olisa and Osi.
Jidenna had his only performance on Thursday September 1st at the Hard Rock Café in Lagos and in attendance included; Osi Suave, Nedu, DJ Spinall, Cobhams Asuquo, Tosyn Bucknor and host of others.
The 31years old singer then on Friday visited his state of origin, Enugu and went to his alma mater Justine-Thomas Kindergaten and Primary School.
The singer will be leaving the country by weekend and his next destination is South Africa, as part of his album promotional tour where he is billed to perform on Monday (he confirmed this on his twitter handle @Jidenna)

WEDNESDAY (31/08) - DILMA ROUSEFF OF BRAZIL WAS IMPEACHED
Dilma Vana Rousseff was the 36th president and the first ever female president of Brazil having assumed power on the 1st of January 2011, and sadly her reign as the president of the “land of Brazilwood” ended on Wednesday 31st of August 2016 due to removal by the senate. Out of the 81 senate members, 61 voted in support of her removal, while 20 voted against her removal.
Her ordeal started late 2015 when she was accused of re-assigning funds between budget items (not stealing or padding, or figure inflation ooooo, just re-allocation of money from one sector to another, lobatan).
Her critics said she was trying to plug deficit holes in popular social programmes to boast her chances of being re-elected for a second term in October 2014, BBC reports.
She was suspended on May 12 while her impeachment sittings and processes started afterwards and the then Vice President, 75 years old Michel Temer was made the Acting President.
Following the impeachment of Dilma’s, Michel Temer has now been sworn in as the 37th Brazilian president and he will complete Dilma’s tenure until 2018.



THURSDAY (1/9) - ANNULAR SOLAR ECLIPSE OF THE SUN: THE RING OF FIRE
According to word web dictionary, solar eclipse means “interruption of the light from the sun by the moon”. The blockage of the light then result into blackout (total or partial) in that part of the earth that the light from the sun was blocked from radiating to.
The “ring of fire” was over Africa on September 1st as the world experienced annular solar eclipse. This kind of eclipse is one in which the moon from a far distance covers the sun while in Virgo, thereby covering only the center and leaving the round edges of the sun to radiate to the earth, thus the name “ring of fire”
The eclipse lasted for 3 hours and few minutes and was visible across most Eastern and Southern African countries with best viewing points in Tanzania, Madagascar, South Africa as well as Reunion Island. This is the second and last solar eclipse for this year, the first (a total solar eclipse) occurred on March 8 through 9 which was visible in Indonesia and the Pacific Ocean region.
Another annular solar eclipse will occur in February 2017 visible in Southern Chile, Argentina and Africa while on August 21 2017, there would be a total solar eclipse with the USA to experience the darkest part.

FRIDAY (2/9) – SERGIO AGUERO BANNED FOT THREE GAMES.
Let’s talk sports!!!! Manchester City striker, Sergio Aguero has been suspended by the FA. He was found guilty of violent conduct after he elbowed West Ham united player Winston Reid during their third week EPL match on Sunday 28th August which Manchester City won 3-1.
The 28 years argentine will now miss the Manchester derby against rivals Manchester United on September 10, a league match against Bournemouth on 17th September and the EFL cup third round match against Swansea city on 21st September.
Aguero has scored 6 goals for City this season including a hat-trick against Steaua Bucharest in the Champions League qualifier.

Feel free to drop your views, comments and suggestions.
Thanks for reading and enjoy your weekend.

Oladapo Siyanbola
Twitter and I.G handle- @dapo_dmart

Spots With D

SPOTS WITH DAPO!!!!
Hi friends, how are you doing today? I really hope you are reading this text in a very good condition? This article is coming out for the very first time and I will like to give a brief introduction about what it is all about.
SPOTS WITH DAPO is an initiative by Oladapo Siyanbola where he intends to be discussing about key events that shaped each week. The article will feature major happenings from Monday to Friday and will cut across various sections; Politics, Entertainment, Sports, Lifestyle/Gossips and many more… as gathered from news and reports. Major story (ies) of each day will be picked, discussed upon and be compiled for your reading pleasure.
The aim of SPOTS WITH DAPO is to give reader more insight into major things that happened around the country, continent and world at large.
The article will be released every Saturday and the maiden edition will be released on Saturday 2nd of September 2016. Keep your fingers crossed, get your internet connected devices ready, and let us move together on this Enlightment ride.
Thanks for Reading and Happy New Month.

Oladapo Siyanbola
Twitter and I.G handle @dapo_dmart