Tough decision
*The image was designed by me on Canva.*
"Oh my goodness what have I done to myself?" I was lost in thought when my friend Jessy came in.
I was moving from one end of my room to the other and her question brought me back to life.
"Dara what is the problem, you kept pacing around and you didn't even know when I got into the house", Jessy said.
"Jessy, I am finished, what am I supposed to do now that everything is going to crash right in front of me? All my dreams are going to end automatically", I replied.
"I still don't get all that you are trying to say", Jessy replied.
I turned to her side and then said, "Jessy I am pregnant" Jessy shouted "Omg what? How? Why this babe? Who is responsible for it?" I replied to her, "It is James".
She gave me this bad look and then replied, "That thing did this to you? You know I warned you about that guy but you wouldn't listen. Now, he has put you in trouble so what is the way forward?"
I faced the wall while tears roll down my cheek then I said in a low voice, "I am finished, I never loved this guy and all I wanted was his money. How am I going to explain to my boyfriend when he comes back from abroad?" Jessy's reaction was as if she should slap me but then she wouldn't let me deal with all the trouble alone.
Then Jessy said, "The only option now is to terminate this pregnancy"
I shouted, "What? No, I am not risking my life for that ugly guy" Jessy replied again, "oh really? Then give birth and explain to your boyfriend that is coming home next month that Mariah is now on earth and not in the Bible anymore" I was confused but then I love my boyfriend so I have no choice but to take Jessy's advice.
The next day we both went to the hospital to terminate the baby so that I can have my life back but then when I got into the lab the doctor check the condition of the pregnancy and then said, "Ma'am I am sorry you can't terminate this pregnancy. If you do, you might lose your life in the process".
"Ha, I am finished, how did I get here? What have I done to myself" I started talking to myself while the doctor stopped talking and focus on what I was saying then he tapped my shoulder and said, "Childbearing is not the end of the world, lady". I didn't even reply to him and just stood from the lab bed and went outside as if no one was talking to me.
Jessy saw me coming and she stood and came to me. She asked, "How far? The doctor is so fast oh so he has removed it now?" I looked at her and burst into tears and I kept saying, "I am finished" but then Jessy keep asking, "What is it again? Didn't the doctor terminate it yet?".
I replied, "he said I can't that if I did, I will die" While I don't mind if people are looking at me I just let the tears out more. Jessy grabbed my hand and we head out of the hospital. I don't have a choice but to call the person responsible for the pregnancy and he agreed to take care of the baby he made me understand that he's not ready to settle down yet but he will take full responsibility for the baby.
When my boyfriend came back from abroad I couldn't hide it because I was still in a stage where I am sick so I opened up to him and that was how we broke up then I became a single mother.
Note: everything in this article is fiction
Reflection
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I always thought I know myself until someone made me see the true picture of who I was. I have a full-size mirror in my room that shows how I look on the outside, it shows how beautiful I look when I dress up but it doesn't show what the inside of me looks like.
I was ignorant of the real me until someone made me see the reflection of my inner self.
This happened some years back when I was in school. I was working to support myself and things were so hard for me to the extent that I always had the intention to steal if I had the opportunity to do so.
I met this girl in my former apartment, she was a student also but she never liked having anyone around except her boyfriend. She doesn't interact with anyone and we barely say hi to each other.
On a particular day, I was washing a plate outside when she came out to pour dirty water away and on her way returning inside, she fell. I rushed down to where she was to help her because she couldn't stand by herself.
I helped her to the room and when I got inside, I was surprised to see how beautiful the room was. No one would have believed there was a room as beautiful as that in that building.
I fell in love with what I saw inside her room and after that day, she came to thank me and that was how we became a little bit close.
Some months later, she invited me to a party. I have no idea it was her birthday so I followed her and on getting there, I didn't see any lady or girl inside the building, there were only guys which happens to be her boyfriend's friends.
I was scared for some minutes but later some ladies came so I felt relieved.
She took me to her boyfriend's room and asked me to seat that she will be back and I saw a lot of money on the bed with lots of wine, cakes, biscuits, and chocolates, I could tell they got everything for the party.
Staring at the stacked money got me thinking about different things. "Should I take one bundle for my school fee? Don't, you are not a thief" I said to myself.
So before the evil side of me do something stupid, I went out of the room to seat on the couch in the parlor but those guys in the parlor were giving me some look that I wasn't comfortable with so I went outside to look for the girl.
I met her and her boyfriend outside so I said to her, "Shade, I have to go now because I am still going to a night shift at work today".
She replied to me, "Oh really I thought today was your off day, no problem let me give you something". She ran inside to take some money and a pack of chocolate for me.
When she gave me all that, I couldn't bring myself to collect those things from her because I am not comfortable taking things from someone I don't really know so I told her, "I won't be needing all that".
She felt bad about rejecting the gift but I don't mind because that's just me.
I never stood in front of her to look into her eyes before I saw myself through her, and that day I realized that even if I don't have, I can never take what doesn't belongs to me. I have thought of stealing before when I couldn't pay my school fee on time but when I finally have the chance to steal as much as I could, I couldn't do it.
Thanks to her for the great reflection of myself she showed me, if not I might still have the mindset that if I can get a hold of some money I will carry it and run away but that day I couldn't think of taking a single piece of the money and even what she brought I couldn't take that as well.
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Perfect connection
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Anita's mother was known to be a very good trader and her fruits are always fresh.
Meanwhile Mr. Ben used to be a very good customer of hers who loves to buy dates from her.
Mr Ben loves to make juice with dates and that is why he loves buying it specifically from Anita's mother. Meanwhile, every time Mr. Ben went to buy fruit from Anita's mother he always makes jokes about his son marrying Anita as a wife but Anita's mother always laughs it off.
It was a joke to her but Mr. Ben has always told his wife at home about Anita and his wife can't wait to meet the girl. Somehow, she hasn't met Anita because whenever Mr Ben and his wife went there together Anita won't be around.
So one Anita was still sleeping when the sound of the tray that fell from Anita's mom was so loud to the extent that Anita could hear it from her sleep.
She jumped off the bed and quickly took a broom next to her bed as if she was holding a gun, her mom came in and saw her daughter holding a broom. She asked, "Why are you holding a broom? Is anything the matter?"
Then Anita sighed and replied to her mother, "It was a dream, I was dreaming of some thief that came into our house and I wanted to defend myself but I didn't realize that it was a broom I took when I woke up".
Anita's mother laughed at her as she narrated her dream and then replied, "So you want to fight them with this tiny broom?". Anita stood from the bed sluggishly and head to the bathroom.
She hastened her to do quickly in the bathroom.
A few minutes later, Anita's mother was done packing all the fruit inside basket. She was ready but she could still hear water running in the bathroom. "How many hours will it take you to bath Anita? Don't you know that we need to get to the market early today?" Anita could hear her mother shouting on top of her voice but she didn't answer her.
Anita finished bathing and dressed up after that she and her mom headed to the market.
On their way, Anita asked, "But mom why are you always in a hurry to the market, are we not going to stay there all day?
Anita's mother answered, "You don't know anything, you see this fruit that we sell must not stay too long with us because it might spoil especially these dates".
She continues talking...
"Don't you know why most people buy fruit from me? It is because my fruit is always fresh and it doesn't stay long before I sell everything"
Anita's mother bends the basket on her head to bring out a date, the basket made a little cracking sound as if it was going to tear apart as Anita's mother stretches her hand into the basket by force.
Anita asked again, "But how can we preserve a fresh fruit like this?".
Her mother only gave her a terrible look without a response.
They got to the market and began to display their fruits when a woman came and said, "Hello, good morning".
Anita turned back to reply to the person greeting, "Good morning Ma".
The woman looks beautiful and Anita couldn't take her eyes off her skin as they glow but then she managed to reply to her, "How may I help you Ma?".
The woman replied, "I was directed here by Mr. Ben to buy some dates" Oh really Anita replied as she turned to call her mother who went opposite their shop.
Anita shouted at the top of her voice, "Mummy someone is looking for you".
Before Anita turned back to the woman standing in front of her, the woman looked at Anita from head to her toe and said to herself, "She is beautiful indeed".
When she finally turned, the woman said, "I am Linda by name, and looking at you, you are a good girl so will you be my son's wife?".
Anita stammered "Ah arrr ma'am I am just 20 years old and arrr I am not planning to marry anytime soon ma".
Linda smiled and replied, "I was just joking but could you be a friend to my son?"
Before Anita could answer what Linda asked, her mother got there and greeted her, "Good morning Mrs. Ben it's been a while since I saw you last".
Linda quickly replied to Anita's mother, "Oh please call me Linda I have told you to stop calling me Mrs Ben countless times, just call me Linda that's fine by me, and is this pretty girl your daughter?".
Anita's mother answered, "Yes, so how is Mr Ben?
It's been a while since he came to buy date from me, hope he's fine?
Linda replied, "Yes he's very much ok, in fact, he directed me here because I couldn't remember your place that much but when I got here I saw something more than a fruit".
Anita's mother was looking so confused and then answered, "And what was that?" Linda replied, "Your beautiful daughter, I wouldn't mind if she can be my son's friend and if they find themselves fun, they can be together"
Anita's mother was happy but then she replied, "My daughter is just 20 years, are you sure that will work out?
Linda replied, "I just wanted some good people around my son" Anita was standing beside the basket of fruit blushing as if the guy in question is there already.
Then her mother called her, "Anita! Come here?" Anita walked sluggishly as if she doesn't like the idea but when she got closer her mother asked her, "Would you like to be Mrs Ben oh sorry Linda's son's friend?" Anita replied by shaking her head.
Linda was happy and she quickly respond, "You see, they will like each other" She bought three packs of dates and asked Anita to come to their house by the weekend, she handed over her business card to Anita's mother before she left.
It was weekend, Anita was dressed beautifully and her mother took her to Linda's house when they got there Linda's son couldn't stop staring at Anita from his window because she looks beautiful than how her father described her.
Linda quickly rush down to get the door and greet them then called her son to come greet, "Hello beautiful my name is Benson jnr the only son of Mr and Mrs Ben" Anita was blushing as she introduced herself to him.
Both mothers look at each other and smile then Benson's mom said, "You two can go out on a date" Anita wasn't sure if her mom will agree to that so she stepped back to peep at her mother's face then her mother shakes her head to say yes.
They both went out on their first date and it went smoothly, they became very close throughout their university time and some years later they got married and live happily together.
I wish I could have such power
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Having supernatural power is what many of us must have thought of before while we are growing up or when we see something we don't like that we wish to correct.
But we tend to forget that power pushes someone to do something extraordinary because when you have power that nobody has, you will feel so high over everyone around you.
invisible power is a very strong power that can do anything without anyone suspecting it's you since no one sees you while doing it
While I was growing up I don't like my mom beating me and anytime she does I always feel like having a power that I can use over her but I can only imagine, it will never come to pass.
So if I should have this great power to disappear into the air and walk among people where I will first go is CBN.
The reason why I will go there is that all the rich people in Nigeria are the only ones enjoying Nigeria currency as they like while some don't even have a penny in their account and to balance it all, some people are so poor to the extent that if they don't beg they can't eat once in a day.
I love helping people around me and the ones I met on my way when am going out but what can I do when my heart wants to help but my bag is empty?
Having this power will help me a lot to do whatever I have always wanted to do that I couldn't do.
When I get to CBN I will pack enough money and head to wherever I have seen people struggling and hide the money inside their bag so that they can sustain on that.
I do see a lot of old women hawking pure water on my way to work, if I have such power, I will definitely bless her with some of the money I took from the CBN.
My next move is the House of Assembly, you see all these old people that didn't want to leave the seat for young people to grow in Nigeria I am going to crush them all. You might be thinking that I am wicked but I am not because how can someone suffer to send him or herself to school and at the end of everything such a person won't get work?
All because those up there are protecting the position for their unborn children or the ones that haven't finished secondary school yet while adults are jobless so collapsing that building on their head will be my agenda there when I get there been invisible to all of them.
If there is still time for me to make use of this great power I will be heading to the electricity office (NEPA OFFICE). The people who hold important posts there are heartless and wicked, they will bring a huge bill and yet they won't give us the light after we have paid for the light.
My agenda at the Electricity office is to help the person in charge to resign without his or her permission and submit it before I leave because if the person in charge is not wicked, he or she will know that light is very important to people and they won't be giving us too much money for the light we don't even use.
This is how I am going to use my power if I have the chance to get one.
Success and failure
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Success and failure are two results that hand in hand, they are the outcome of our dealing and everyone always wants success. I want success as well always and failure is something I don't want to hear. It
It sounds negative because of the mindset we have about it but I have grown enough to realize that there is no success without failure. Every successful person we admire in the world today all have a failure story that many of us are not aware of.
In fact, many of them became successful after a series of failed attempts towards success.
Success is not just business terminology, it involves life generally. In life, we all have something we are chasing in life and once we can get that thing done, we call it a success but when things go the other way around, we refer to it as a failure.
The fact that we didn't succeed doesn't mean we are a failure, it only means that there is something we didn't do right and we just need to retrace our steps and try all over again before we achieve success.
On the other hand, failure doesn't mean you are weak, the fact that you are not able to achieve what you planned doesn't mean you should give up.
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At a certain time in my life, I was planning to learn handwork but I never bothered to check the work maybe I can succeed with it, I just concluded that it is catering that I want to learn since it deals with food people must surely patronize me.
When I was learning, it got to a stage where I couldn't afford to do practicals because things got so expensive and I was in the middle of everything before I realized that it was drowning me. If going forward was an option, I will have gladly chosen it but it wasn't so I had to quit.
I couldn't afford a catering instrument not to talk of the materials I will be using, then I realized that I should have done my findings on this particular work before I embark on the journey of learning work.
I wasted 1 year out of my life and I failed to find out if I could meet up with what I will need to set myself up for that particular work.
That was my failure because I skipped the process of doing the necessary findings before going into the job.
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But still, I never gave up because I turned back and started all over again but this time I made sure I did my findings very well before I learn the work. The learning was tough as well but it was successful and when I finish learning I couldn't get my shop on time but I eventually got it which means I was able to pass that stage in my life and I didn't waste my time.
Enterpreneurship
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Entrepreneurship is the habit of developing new ideas and arrangements of how to make more income from a business. It involves converting skills or ideas into money.
If someone is called an entrepreneur, he or she doesn't have to run a big company. Even a pepper seller is also an entrepreneur person in as much as the person's legit idea or work is bringing income on a daily basis.
Entrepreneurship entails a lot of things and I do be shedding more light on this post.
Risk-taking: Everything about starting up a business works with risk and a good entrepreneur must be willing to take the risk because in business it is either you gain or you lose. As an entrepreneur, there are times when it becomes difficult to decide the outcome of what we are venturing into.
An entrepreneur must be willing to take risks but they must be very reasonable ones.
Passion: For someone to become a very good entrepreneur, he or she must have passion for what she wants to do, you must have a good feeling for the business because, in everything an entrepreneur does, they must love what they do if not the growth of the business might end up being stagnant.
Visualization: Every business need to be visualized before embarking on it, not doing that might end the dream of a successful business even before its starts, and for that not to happen, you must take your time to research and project what you want to do.
Creativity: For someone to become a good entrepreneur the person must be creative with what he or she wants to sell or what you are about to produce. You must be creative in all ramifications which includes advertising and packaging of products or services because in the market now, people go for something that is well packaged so if your product is not well packaged, you might end up struggling.
Motivated: this is the part where all the idea resides and before someone thinks of producing a product, something must have motivated you because when there is no motivation, nothing can be done. Such a person can't concentrate on how to handle a business and that is not good for a starter or a business that is just growing.
Family reunion
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Shade! Shade! Shade! Tade called as he ran after Shade to stop her from leaving the family house.
He was able to catch up with her before she could enter her car.
Tade asked, "Shade why did you leave everyone just like that?"
Shade replied to him, "Why won't I? Don't you see the way Uncle is pampering Tunde because he just came back from abroad? Or is he the first person to come back from abroad?"
Tade replied with a smile, "But still it doesn't mean you should leave just like that since we are all here for a family reunion so we should make sure to let it go smoothly".
Shade wasn't confused enough but still, she agreed to do what Tade suggested. She closed her car door and followed Tade back inside.
The music was going on smoothly and everyone was having a glass of wine with them which made the evening so cool and lovely.
Tunde moved close to Shade and said, "I thought you left already" in a lower-level voice along with a smile on his face.
Shade turn with anger on her face and said, "Enjoy the cool music while it last and left for the garden.
Tables and chairs were already set in the garden by Tade because he was the one planning the family reunion just for everyone to relate with one another and to bring the connection back to the family.
Someone like Tunde has left the country for some years and it made him far away from all the family but when Tade sent an invite to him he couldn't reject it but to come.
The only person that is left as an elderly man in the family is Uncle Mark and he was so happy to see all his brothers and sister's children all in one house though it wasn't funny at first when everyone came in but later they began to relate with one another.
In the garden, there was no space to hide unlike the parlor so everyone was looking at each other at the table while sharing some life experience with a glass of wine.
Tunde turned to Shade and said, "You don't want to be here at the reunion because of me I guess". Shade replied, "No, I want to be here but the way uncle was pampering you pissed me off as if I haven't been to abroad before in my life".
Uncle Mark smile and replied to Shade, "I wasn't pampering anyone I am just happy to see Tunde flew from the UK to Nigeria because of this and that shows that he loves his family".
Shade quickly said, "Oh we don't love our family right?" Uncle Mark replied again, "Of course you do and meanwhile I see you every day unlike Tunde it's been 10 years since I saw him last so don't take it too personally Shade".
The volume of the music was increased and more wine was served on the table as the weather gets more cool setting the day to an end.
Everyone gets along with each other and the reunion was so amazing.
Children are special gift from God
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Children are gifts from God and a blessing too so that is why everyone wants them and everyone is happy to have them.
Having a child of your own is a great achievement on its own because they come with happiness to you.
I never had one before but I have so many people around me that I witnessed their pregnancy and when they gave birth.
One of my elder sisters wanted to get married and she's pregnant so my mom asked me to go stay in her house pending the time that she will be put to bed because she's almost due though we don't know when she will be put to bed and it was around December time.
I have never got so close to a pregnant woman before though I do see some in my area but I can only wonder how they feel until I got to my sister's house.
The first day at her house she was so happy to see me and I was excited that I could be of help to her as well until in the evening that her sickness began to show.
At first, I was cooking and she told me to close the kitchen door because the smell is choking her, closing the kitchen door while am inside is like roasting a chicken on the fire because the kitchen is always hot.
Some days after she was called at the ikoyi registry that her date of registry will be on the 10th of December which is like a week before her delivery day.
She didn't tell me anything about it yet she keeps walking around in the parlor worrying about the date. I asked, "sis what's wrong, why are you restless?" She replied to me, "nothing I just wanted to do small exercise".
At that time my mind was at rest because she replied to me so calmly. In the night she couldn't eat or sleep I couldn't take my eyes off her because her footsteps in the parlor were disturbing my sleep so I stood up and sat on the couch looking at her movement.
All of a sudden she shouted and everyone in the house woke up immediately, her husband ran out from his room to the parlor, and her two other children too came out from their room I was in the parlor already.
Her husband and I quickly rush her to the hospital while we are at the gate of the hospital my sister gave birth inside her husband's car while her husband rushed in to call the nurse on duty.
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I look at a newborn baby and it was like someone gave me something special because in all my life I have never been so close to a baby like that before.
I carried him up from the back seat of the car and I was looking at him with blood full over his body I didn't remember my sister needed attention as well until her husband came back with two nurses.
They collected the baby from me and took my sister to the hospital for treatment, for over 5 minutes I was lost in thought of that baby while I was smiling without realizing it, I was so emotional that day and the feeling were real.
I felt so happy that I hold a newborn baby and till now I couldn't stop thinking of that scene and the happiness in me that day.
Daydreaming my usual habit
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If someone can stay in a daydream forever I would have gladly stayed in it because ever since when I was little I have been dreaming of a lot of things which seems hard to achieve when I become an adult.
If everything we have ever dreamed is what we have in real life then life will be very beautiful and easy for everyone.
If I can have all what I have dream of when I was a kid my life will have been more beautiful than it is now but it doesn't work out as I thought of it.
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When I was little at the age of 12years, I used to have this habit of staying quiet thinking of how my life will be when I grow up. How I want to spend my youth time and what I want to do when I became an adult.
Then if my mom called me I will act as if I am far asleep because of my daydreaming, because I don't want anything to disturb what am thinking of at that moment and when am done I will wake up feeling happy that I have a dream that am pursuing.
Sometimes I wonder why everything I wanted in my daydream doesn't come through maybe because I didn't work hard enough or maybe because it was just an imagination or probably my imagination was too beautiful that is why I couldn't get it easily.
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I always have daydream of having a cute man as my husband which came to pass but every other things that imagine was just my illusion.
Another thing I always imagine when I was little is to work in an office or become a doctor that treat everyone that is sick but when I finish my secondary school I couldn't go for such course in school because my mom can't afford it.
When I became an adult I still have that same habit of daydream to have something bigger than the one I have now. Before I got a shop I have always dreamt of it and when I finally have it the dream became more big because I wanted more to make she shop standard.
The first day I paid for my shop rent I stood at the entrance and imagine to have a very beautiful salon and do some extension outside which I will employee make up artist there that will be paying me salary.
But by the time I painted the shop and get some attachment to sell I didn't have any money on me again to do the extension and every other things that I have dream of doing inside the shop.
And whenever I see another salon with all what I have dream of doing I always wish that salon belongs to be but that's not possible I can only dream of that.
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One thing about daydream is that the picture of what you wanted will be bright and beautiful when you are thinking about them.
But when you are finally awake from it then you will realized that achieving those things is not as simple as it is in your dreams.
The greatest surprise of my life
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People are in life for a reason, some are in our lives for a reason I learned my lesson when I realized that I was never her friend I was shocked when she make me understand that I was forcing her to be my friend.
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The biggest surprise of my life was when I found out that my friend had never been a friend to me. I saw her as a friend but to her, I wasn't one.
I thought I knew her like the back of my hand but I was wrong because she was never my friend for a moment.
Sometimes we think we have people around us because they play and laugh with us but behind our backs, they mock and say dirty things about us, some people are not just really who we think they are to us
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I and Sewa used to be very close friends in my head. We met at my former place of work and I love her so much, I got to the factory before her so I know all that is going on in the factory and how badly our male boss treats new workers, especially the ladies.
When my friend got to the factory new, she was so beautiful and I couldn't take my eyes off her. I was concerned she might fall for those old men's tricks so I moved close to her so that she wouldn't rubbish herself by sleeping with any of our bosses.
We became friends and I always guide her in the factory so that nothing bad will happen to her like some other girls there. I thought I know her very well because our friendship continued even after a year but I was wrong. I was surprised at her behavior after all I have told her, she started dating our production manager in the factory without my knowledge.
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I was at home and a message pop up on my phone on my WhatsApp, I took the phone to check only for me to see her picture in a romantic position with the production manager on the WhatsApp group chat at work.
I was so ashamed of being her friend because I thought that after all we did together, we were close friends and I also thought that I know what she can do and what she can't do but I was totally wrong because I was the only one looking out for her she never looked out for herself.
I quickly put a call through to her and then she picked and after telling her how disappointed I was, she said, "you are the one that wants a friend and not me" so I replied, "after a year I thought we were friends that care for each other?"
Then she surprised me with her response saying, "I never had any friends so deal with it".
I was shocked because I wasn't expecting that from her, all I was trying to tell her is to check the WhatsApp group chat so that she can at least amend the mistake she did but she shut the door at my face, then I realized that some people are literally not what we thought they are.
The good and bad side of internet interaction
*It is said that there is good and bad in everything and too much of everything is not good as well.*
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We all know that social media is a very good and dangerous place to stay too much because we don't know all our friends physically, we don't know if they are good people in real life or bad people but we do chat with them at our own risk.
Chatting on social media is a very fun thing that also everyone does daily if not making sales it will be for fun and entertainment.
Well, social media is not anyone's home but with the way, technology is moving forward so fast social media has now become some people's houses and business centers as well.
The good thing social media has done for me is that it promotes my work, as a hairstylist, I do post a lot about my work and I have a Facebook account for my business as well because sometimes if you don't show what you are doing people can't patronize you so posting my handwork on social media has helped me a lot than I ever imagined.
Social media has its good side and bad side just like every other thing in life so the bad thing chatting on social media has done to me is that I was scammed through Facebook.
Then I was still learning my handwork (hairstylist) so that day I was in my boss's shop we are not doing anything so everyone is just in the shop pressing phones and I was on Facebook chatting with my friend (an old friend from my former working place) and she told me about pay little and get big, who wouldn't want that? I asked how to do and she explained it to me.
She sent the account number to me so that I should pay #5000 there and that in the next 30 minutes, I will get the alert of #10,000 that day I was so happy that am going to make money so we continue chatting and she told me that's why she doing for a living that it was her pastor that introduced her to the business, so I rested assured when she mentioned her pastor.
I went to my bank app to make the transaction but when I got there I don't have up to that amount it was only #2000 I have there, and I felt bad so I messaged her back that I don't have that amount then she said I should do the little I have that she will complete it for me and when I see the alert I should transfer her money back to her.
That day it was like I won the lottery the way I was happy but my bank app saved me from getting scammed because the app was doing an update so I couldn't make the transaction, but the rate which she was calling because of the money makes me suspect that the account has been hacked for the person I thought I was chatting with, so I called her back only to hear what she wants to say but it was a guy that picked it.
Maybe they don't know that the call has been picked so they were just talking that: this one is gone she can't pay, they were actually talking about me. And ever since then, I don't chat with friends on Facebook again because there are lots of scanners there and I have been watchful of the friend request I accept too.
Chatting on social media is very good and fun but the bad side of it is very much more than the good side of it because life is very risky now than then that we use 2go and some other chatting apps but now people take advantage of anyone who doesn't know his or her way around social media chat.
You can also follow me on noise.app https://noise.app/invite/tzerpwvp
Funny experience of my life
Happy weekend.
Happy Sunday.
Happy new week.
It's all new today with a beautiful weather ☁️ telling me not to get out of my bed but I have to go to church so that I can thank God for another chance of seeing a beautiful day, a beautiful week like this.
Lead image https://unsplash.com/photos/EXuKQaf3Ei8
I have lots of funny experiences with my first time at a lot of things and I will blame being inexperienced instead of me taking the blame. As embarrassing as the incident was, people, laugh so hard about it when I share the story and I wish they were there to see how I felt the exact day this thing happened.
When I was little my family was very poor to the extent that even the rat in the area doesn't like coming into our apartment. I am not exaggerating, they do have to bring food for us because we the house owners can't even afford one meal per day.
I was this beautiful girl in the community while growing up and I had many admirers to date me in the area but I couldn't bring myself to like anyone of them because I felt like they are just after my body. My light skin only attracted them so I never let them get into my head.
________________________
There was this cool guy that kept following me every time my mom sent me messages to the market. My mom loves to send me to the evening market because things were always cheap so I usually go around 4pm to get things.
I usually don't like going because the market is kind of far from my house but ever since this guy started walking me to the market, I became eager to always go.
We eventually became lovers but I can't go out to visit him and he can't come to my house to visit me. Our meeting point was always on the road to the market, he will see me off to the market holding a bucket as if he wants to fetch water so I guess he lied at home that he was going to the borehole to fetch water as well.
Along the line we summon the courage to go out on a date, I decided to bring my younger sister along because I knew I would stay longer and I didn't want my mom to suspect anything.
He also brought his kid sister too so that nobody will suspect anything from his place too, you can tell that we were both inexperienced lovers.
We got to the eatery and entered, the security guy ran after the four of us and told us to go back. At first, I was scared because that was my first date and the first day of entering inside the eatery.
The security guy wanted to make jest of us so he made us go back to the entrance and then he said, "this is your first time right?".
**I was so embarrassed and that wasn't all.**
________________________
Then he said, "tell your junior sister to put on her slippers". I and my date looked at our sisters and guess what, it was my sister that took off her slippers before entering inside the eatery.
It was a huge embarrassment for me so I asked my sister why she did that and she said, "the floor is too neat for her to step on it with dirty slippers".
I didn't believe that was coming from my sister on my first date in the presence of my boyfriend.
The guy himself couldn't hold back laughter, it was embarrassing and funny. People passing by who heard the conversation laughed at us and some even said that we probably just came to the city from the village.
Then it was a horrible experience but today it is a funny 🤣 experience to me.
Thanks for reading.
I feel good when I could help people around me
Lead image https://unsplash.com/photos/ktPKyUs3Qjs
The most romantic thing I have ever done is give people something without them asking for it.
Sometimes being romantic shouldn't be for just a relationship alone you could be romantic to your neighbor without any strings attached to it.
I have done such before and I was misunderstood for giving without them asking meanwhile I was only been kind towards them because they always complain about what to eat every morning which always disturb my hearing from my room.
In this kind of era that we are now, people take things personally and misunderstand someone's intention towards them and that was what happened to me when I try to help some certain people in my compound.
________________________
When I was living with my sister I use to work in a factory and we always receive a monthly product from the factory it was just me and my sister that lives so those products were too much for us to consume so we both decided to share part of it.
In our house, there was a room that it is only guys that live there and sometimes I overheard them contemplating on what to eat so I just choose to be giving them part of my product every month.
The first month all of them were so happy about it because our production is very expensive and quality in the market so getting it for free means a lot to them.
The second month they are grateful since I gave them last month and the third month one of them thought I was actually looking for a way to date out of them I overheard them talking about it from our room window because our room is very close to their own.
________________________
*And that is why in my country it is very dangerous to be romantic by giving someone something without them asking.*
The fourth month I talked to them before giving them the product because I don't like it when people misunderstand my intention and my kindness for something else.
Because to me giving means kindness, love, and care so when I give I don't like people mixing it up with something else like those guys did and ever since then they realized that am just being kind to them and nothing else is attached to whatever I give them.
Later we became friends and they all asked me why I love giving and I explained to them that giving means a lot to me because I feel good when I could help people around me.
________________________
Helping people is what should be everyone's priority because you have today you might not have tomorrow and the ones you have helped might be the ones to lift you from where you fall so helping people shouldn't make us feel less or bad.
Though some people will take you for granted for being kind to them and some will take you for a fool because they believe they know better than you but they forgot that whatever you do to people is what you wl take back which is called karma so we must overlook those people that thinks you don't know what you are doing.
Even the Bible says: **give and it shall be given unto you.**
So why hold up to something you are supposed to give out? I always believe that God gave me so that I can help some people and that is what some rich people don't understand they thought that the money they have is for them and their family alone which is not so.
It was given to them so that people around them can benefit from what they had.
Thanks for reading.
All the signs was there
Lead image https://unsplash.com/photos/C2zhShTnl5I
Lola was in her office getting ready for close at work. She went to the cafeteria to get a cup of coffee before her friend arrived to pick her up and while handling the mug carefully, it slipped.
The coffee poured and the mug broke. "Wasn't I careful enough", she asked herself while packing the broken mug.
She mopped the floor by herself before returning to have another cup. While heading to the coffee machine, she slipped and it was then she returned that some part of the floor wasn't dry.
**She dry it and lost interest in the coffee.**
"What is wrong with you today, Lola? ", She asked herself before putting a call through to her friend Kemi.
Hello, Kemi where are you?", She asked.
Kemi replied, "I am on my way to your office to pick you up".
"I am waiting, please come and get me out of here" Lola replied.
Kemi noticed how unstable Lola was on the phone so before she hang up she ask, "Lola are you okay?"
Lola replied, "Yes, I am good. Any problem?".
"No, not at all am just asking" replied kemi then she hang up.
Lola wasn't feeling good about everything that happened to her in the last 20 minutes but she couldn't place a finger on what went wrong but she knew that day isn't going well for her.
Kemi was stuck in traffic on her way to Lola's office and Lola was outside her office waiting already.
While Lola was seating, she fell asleep.
"Hey you!", a young man called Lola. She looked up and the man was too tall that Lola couldn't see his face.
The man raised his hand to grab Lola and she stood immediately and ran away the man ran after her, she was running as fast as possible and she fell.
**She hit the ground badly and one of her teeth jumped out.**
"Aww, my teeth", Lola cried as she was looking for something to clean the blood that wouldn't stop coming out from her gum.
Lola! Lola! Lola... Kemi shouted into her ear where she was sleeping.
Lola jumped up and began to check her teeth, "Thank God it was all a dream".
"What dream?" Kemi replied to her.
Lola stood and went straight to her friend's car.
"Two strange things happened today", Lola said while approaching the vehicle
"What were that strange things?", Kemi asked.
Lola is not the type that easily talks about her problem so she replied, "it's nothing, I probably was just making a big deal out of it".
Kemi replied, "since you have chosen not to share it then stop blabbing about it".
They got home and Lola went to the kitchen to make dinner while Kemi was relaxing on the couch in the parlor.
"Lola your phone is ringing", Kemi called from the parlor with a loud voice.
Lola was reluctant to come and pick up the call because she wasn't expecting any call from anyone so she told Kemi, " please help me to pick it up".
But instead of Kemi picking it, she took it to her in the kitchen and said, "I don't like poke nosing into people's matter".
The phone rang again before Kemi left the kitchen, she helped her to pick up and put it on a loudspeaker because Lola's hands were dirty.
"Hello sister Lola", the caller said.
Lola replied, "hello, who's this?"
"It's Bella your grandma's maid",
Lola replied, "oh okay, how is she doing?"
Bella replied, "grandma died about an hour ago".
**Kemi quickly grabbed the phone and removed it from the loudspeaker.**
"You don't break such news like that", she whispers to the caller.
Bella replied, "Aunty, I am so sorry. I just can't hold it back".
Lola was wailing in the kitchen while she was moving from one angle to another.
"I knew something was off today but I just can't figure out what it is," Lola said to herself while crying.
Kemi came back into the kitchen and gave her a warm hug just to calm her down then told her, "Lola calm down grandma is old already so be thankful for that".
You are not here to compete with anyone
Life is not all about competition
In this world we live in, everyone has their lives to live so taking life as a competition is a complete waste of time.
This is not the school of thought applicable to an apprentice that wants to learn a skill. In my boss's shop, we are about 15 apprentices and I am the last person that came to learn. You can imagine how tough it was for me to learn and as well get attention from people that have already learned and are ready to graduate.
When I first got there, I tried to see how they relate with one another and from there I could get closer to some of my seniors in the shop not for anything but to make them teach me what they have learned so far in the shop.
If I had depended on my boss to teach me personally, it would only mean that I am not ready to learn the work quickly. I moved closer to those that I believe knew what they were doing in the shop and there are these two of my seniors that my boss always sends to make hair for customers outside which means they know the work perfectly.
I relate with them too and I was able to grab some knowledge out of what they have learned.
After two months that have been trying my best how to make hair, I was able to grab some hairstyles because plaiting is not hard for me to know but styling hair in a different style is what I find hard.
The thing about hairstyles is that once you miss one style then you are heading to another style entirely, I was calm so that those girls can teach me what I need to know about how to make some hairstyles.
The day I first plaited hair for one of my seniors in the shop, my boss got surprised because I was just 3months old in the shop and I could plait hair already so she called me and asked if I had learned from somewhere before I came to her shop and I said no that it was my seniors that thought me all the style and I worked on it.
Ever since then my boss knew I was serious about learning so she always pushes me to the front anytime there is plenty of work in the shop this made all my seniors to jealous and want to compete with me but because I wasn't doing it for a competition I was able to get what I want easily which is learning all that I wanted when I wanted it.
How I overcome the competition
I was determined to learn the work so this helped me not to look at who was competing with me in the shop. I knew such a thing would happen because people don't like anyone who is focused and determined but I never looked at their side, all I keep doing is what I know best.
Till now my boss love that about me because I know people will compete with me but I never let it get to me, their competition with me gives me the energy to keep learning more and more.
They both works together
*What works for you? Talent or handwork even though they both works together.*
Lead image https://unsplash.com/photos/w46tRF64qNc
Talent is what you can do even without learning how to do it from someone, it is an ability we develop naturally.
I believe everyone has talent in them because as a human there must be something we can do without learning from someone which is talent but some people might not take it as talent and that is why they don't believe they have talent in them.
I have seen so many people doing things without learning it somewhere, I saw a post on Facebook about a boy who constructed a train with a baby food container and that's what is called talent.
I also read a post about a lady who constructed a chair and table with a used tire that is also called a talent because I don't believe they learned that from anyone but because the talent is in them and that is why they were able to create something meaningful from the waste product.
Mine is both talent and handwork, when I was living with my sister I do plait her hair before I started learning work at all and the one I plait for her sometimes is better than the one she used her money to plait and that is the main reason she supported me when I told her I was going to learn how to make hair because she knew that I have the talent in me already all I needed is just that perfection of the work.
Handwork is what I love most because right from when I became an adult I have passion for handwork but because I was earning a salary I couldn't bring myself down to learn since I know I won't collect payment for the period am going to learn and it's going to be a very hard moment for me.
But with determination and focus I was able to stand on my feet while learning, come to think of it everyone can't work in the office some people have to be in the market, while some have to be in the shop just like me.
________________________
There are things you should have before you decide to learn a handwork and they are:
**Determination**: if you do not determine you can't learn handwork because there is a lot to learn and not just to learn and if you can't overlook some things you can't learn work as well.
**Focus**: a doubting mind can't learn handwork because once you lose focus on the work you can't know what you are learning
**Talent**: sometimes people that learn handwork have the talent if not they won't know what they are learning just like one girl I met in my boss's shop she was the second person that came to learn right after my boss opened her shop and still she can't comb hair smoothly.
I believe she doesn't have the talent to learn the work and talent and passion work together once you don't have you can't know the work no matter home long you learn it.
**Passion**: once you have passion for the work you are good to go because passion will help you focus on whatever you want to learn
**Support**: this is the most important thing when someone wants to learn handwork because it is not easy to stay somewhere working so hard without getting paid for your stress and sweat but when you have good support you won't see all the stress as something important at that moment.
________________________
****What works for me****?
Both talent and hardwork work for me because I have the talent of making hair even before I choose to learn it and the passion I have for handwork keeps me going.
Here is one of my handwork
Present world or past
Lead image https://unsplash.com/photos/KRELIShKxTM
It was said that the world was better during our forefather's time but we love the world we are in now because our generation is used to such a world.
But if I were to choose, I will choose our forefather's time because back then there was no stress though there was corruption and it wasn't as much as the one we are battling with in this world we are living in now.
There is something about our forefather's time that has to do with farming, there was nothing like a refrigerator to preserve food so it made everything they consume then fresh food from the farm.
But now, everything we eat is been preserved because farming is not what most people want to do, some even prefer to import food from abroad instead of getting it from a very fresh source.
When I was about to enter the SS class where I will choose whether to choose the science or commercial class. I wasn't serious about it so my mom took me and my siblings to the village to spend our holiday there because the holiday is a very long one and we keep disturbing the whole environment in the city. When we got to the village, grandma was very happy because she knows that we will follow her to the farm to cultivate crops.
The next day Grandma took us to the farm as planned and that was when I saw how the crop is been planted and how cassava is been uprooted from the ground, at first it was stressful but after some days we find it fun because it gives me more knowledge of how to farm.
I also learned how to extract red oil from palm kernels and it was a very productive holiday back then but now I don't think I can go through such stress again because am used to the world we are in now. Buying from the preserved one instead of getting it fresh from the farm is the most favored option for many people today.
Though if I have the opportunity to farm I will but I might not be the one doing all the job, I will employ people that can do it.
So let's continue the story
When we got back to the city I already had an idea of what farming looked like, when I resume back to school I choose science class because I wanted to become a doctor but there is one subject called agric which involves farming and everyone must do it because aside from English and mathematics, there are some important subjects too which agricultural science is one of them.
When I started my SS class, Agric became my best subject because I learned a lot from the village and among everyone in the class, my farm is always the best though it wasn't that easy and the fact that I know how to plant and do some other things in the farm gives me strength to love the subject.
**Which world is the best?**
Well to me I believe our forefather's world is the best because there was enough peace, enough food, and everything was so cool back then.
But the world we live in now doesn't care who is getting hurt and all everyone cares about is themselves. To be candid with me, will choose our forefather's world over the world we are in now.
Working late at night
Lead image from my gallery
Working late at night is not something I ever planned doing but when life chooses for you, you can't fight it than do whatever it takes to keep yourself moving. A lot of things happen unexpectedly in life and beating around the bush instead of taking action ends in regret.
The earlier I realized that my future was in my hands, the quicker I embrace the challenges life brought my way. Some years ago I used to be a factory worker which was something I never dreamt but life has its way of preparing you for what's ahead. I as well didn't believe then that someday or anytime I will become a boss or what I am now but life choose it better for me because I can't imagine myself still working late at night till now.
Night work is not easy and somehow I find myself discouraging people about it because of the challenges it causes our health.
When I was working in a factory that produces noodles, I don't find sleeping as anything important because it didn't take time before my body adapted to night work. In the factory then, might work pays more than working during the day.
What I do keep myself awake
Unlike many people at work then who do all sorts of things to stay awake, I only have one secret to staying up at night.
Many people do think that I drank alcohol to stay up or work hard. Some thought there is a drug that am using back then but that was a lie the only thing that keeps me awake is my HEADPHONE, we do put on a cap to prevent hair from the food so inside my cap there is always a HEADPHONE playing music from night till daybreak which people don't know because once we entered into the production floor talking, chatting, phone, etc is forbidden so the music in my cap mustn't be known.
The condition I gave myself
We have seats that we can seat on while working but it doesn't work for me that way because once I seat I will sleep so am always on my feet to make sure my eyes are open till daybreak and while standing I do a dance to the music that my headphone play with all this I won't sleep throughout the night shift.
Your take on fashion sense
Hello everyone how have you been? I hope it's not too late to greet you that happy new week because it's e here already and I am sure some are in the middle of the night already
What do I understand by fashion sense? I believe as a human, we all have a fashion sense as long as we put on clothes and we wear shoes.
Fashion sense to me is personal, it is what you are comfortable with in terms of clothing.
Some ladies prefer short while some prefer long because it depends on what you like and what you are comfortable with. In my case, as long as the clothing fits me then I am cool with it. I love short because it makes me feel sexy and smart. I remembered when I was little about the age of 13years, I use to have one beautiful short skirt which I only wear occasionally.
At first, I always keep it from my mom but the day she caught me wearing a short skirt I was surprised that she loved it on me and she said something that I never forget, she said: anything you can't do in my presence, don't do it at my back because you are a lady and must know how to dress well.
Ever since then, I never hide my clothes from her because almost half of my clothes were short then when I moved to Lagos and I enjoyed going out in my short gown.
But when I find myself in a relationship I couldn't wear it anymore because my fiance doesn't like short gowns he always says that people will address you the way you dressed though that was true but I didn't mind when I was single and when am in a relationship I have to do what will make my relationship works so I quit wearing the short dresses but I never stopped wearing big clothes as well because I love my clothes very free to move around.
Another thing I love is footwear, I love sneakers because it makes me look smart when am walking then jewelry comes in. I don't like dropping earrings because my skin is very soft and dropping earrings can cause damage to my ears so to avoid that, I love my short earrings.
There is more to fashion than just wearing clothes and footwear but as for me, I don't like too much attention on my dress and that is why I don't like flashy colors when it comes to clothes.
**What am comfortable with**
I love my dress short but not too short anymore, I keep the length moderate with both native and office wear. I love it a little bit bigger than me because am chubby so I don't like tight clothes.
**What I will never wear**
I don't like any cloth that doesn't cover up all my body because I don't like my skin to be too exposed, armless clothes are not my choices of clothes and I can never wear them outside because it's exposed my skin too much. I am very fair and exposing any part of my body attracts unnecessary attention.
**What I will love to wear**
Actually, there is no cloth am dreaming to wear but there is one I haven't put on before because it's native.
I have tried it before and I am not looking forward to it because most married women wear it. The cloth is called Iro and Buba in my language and it is just a normal native wear sew by the tailor.
I always wonder what I will look like in that kind of dress though.
A weekend as a military officer
Lead image https://unsplash.com/photos/of0Qw7hBkuw
Hello everyone how are you all doing today happy weekend to you all
If I am a military officer for this weekend what will I do? Well I have a lot to do with the uniform before the weekend ends, in my country Nigeria people do respect military officer and the fear of what military officer could do to them won't let them want to have issues with the military.
When I wanted to open my shop I gave some people money to work for me and they didn't do it meanwhile they didn't return my money so they will be the first to taste out of my military anger.
The carpenter that was supposed to do my fashion mirror for the shop collected 40k for the advance payment before he finishes the work but when I got to his shop I didn't see him and I couldn't find my mirror and chair as well, after some weeks he packed away from tht shop because he was owing shop rent but I never gave up I went to his house and his mom didn't allow me to see him because she knew that her son is owning me.
So if I were to be a military officer for the weekend meh he will so regret collecting my money and not do my work for me because he will sleep in tht baracks until he pay back my money or give me my chair and mirrors.
Second person to deal with is a guy I sold phone for because I needed money to complete my shop rent, we both agree on one price and I trusted him so I gave him the phone only for him to bring half of the payment and ran away with that rest of the money.
You see how people can test someone's patient in this country I don't like taking revenge but I just want to teach them lesson that you can't stand on other people's progress and expect to be successful with yours.
Source https://unsplash.com/photos/of0Qw7hBkuw
I remember when I was living with my sister in a student area in our house there are lost of boys there and they are always in group walk so one day those guy had issues with a military officer's junior brother in school so because of that non of them can home that day because they knew what will fall on them for trespassing laws.
I was inside our room when I heard noise outside of the house and I went outside to check what was wrong only to see 3 soldier men standing in front of the house saying that all the boys in tht house should come outside or else they will lock the whole house up.
I don't know how those guys escaped but there were no single guy at home that day because all of them have ran away so we ladies now stated begging those soldier and one of them said we should provide that guy that beat his brother up that he will only cut of his left hand and everything wl be fine in tht house.
When we heard that nobody could wait again we all ran outside that we don't know they guy, later in tht evening we heard that he was caught and punish severally, I believe he will never mess with military officer again and anything that has to do with military because people are fund of taking advantage of someone when they noticed that you are too cool.
So if am chance to be a military officer for the weekend I will deal with people that have taken me for granted and collect my money from everyone that is owing me because if not for uniform they won't answer me if I asked them.
Going to Africa...
Lead image https://unsplash.com/photos/iEL92mg-wrg
Clara kept murmuring while preparing dinner and Segun, her husband didn't feel comfortable about it.
He left the football match he had glued his eyes to for about an hour and went to the kitchen.
Clara put a smile upon sighting him but Segun wasn't convinced that nothing was wrong.
Segun walked up to her side and asked if anything happened while he was at work. Clara said it was nothing serious happened but somehow he was interested in what was bothering her and insisted that she told him about it.
Clara promised to share it with him in the bedroom because she needed to be quick with the cooking since their kids were hungry.
After dinner, Clara asked Segun if he believed in spirits and he wore this scared look a ghost was in the room.
She briefed him how some of her friends talked about it while chatting and her opinion was that spirits do not exist.
Segun smiled and told her not to let things like that bother her. He held her head to his chest and whispered, "spirits do not exist".
They both smiled and the discussion went on from the spirit thing to how Christmas would be celebrated.
The couple has been married for over five years, and they are blessed with kids but Clara hasn't met her in-laws because they reside in some part of Africa while they stay in Europe.
Segun promised to take the family to Africa but he hasn't fulfilled the promise.
He tried avoiding the discussion about Christmas but Clara pressed further on it. Segun didn't want the going to Africa for the holiday talk but Clara was very serious about it.
Segun promised they will go but Clara didn't believe and she reminded him every morning until a few weeks before Christmas. She got it for herself and the kids Nigeria visa.
Segun persuaded her claiming it wasn't time for Clara to meet his family but everything fell on deaf ears.
The next morning, Clara was packed and Segun had no choice but to follow his wife and kids because they haven't been to Africa before.
Segun was restless throughout the trip and Clara wouldn't even give him a chance to talk to her.
She had made it clear that she has nothing to do with him until she meet his family in Africa.
They arrived in Molunbu, a small country in Africa. It was a beautiful place rich in culture and Clara was wondering why Segun has be hesitant all this while.
Clara suggested that he called the family to pick them up but Segun called a taxi instead. They all got in and they were taken to a small community in the capital of Molunbu.
As they approached a mansion sitting alone on a huge plot of land, Segun told the driver to stop. He told the driver to take them to the mansion and Clara didn't agree to that.
She insisted that they all go together but Segun said he wants to get a particular drink for his dad because it was his family tradition.
Clara agree to go ahead of her husband because it was hot and she didn't want her kids to roam in the sun searching for a traditional drink.
The vehicle arrived at the mansion gate and the driver helped them remove their luggage from the boot.
Clara knocked and an aged man opened the gate. He had a striking resemblance with Segun, Clara guessed she was at the right place and greeted the old man.
She introduced herself as Segun's wife and the old man was shocked. He called unto his wife and she looked surprised as well.
They allowed them in first and Segun's parents demanded more explanation because of her claims. Clara was confused because it looked like she was been interrogated.
It was taking time for Segun's arrival and she started feeling insecure. She shared her location online and hoped she wasn't in danger.
The aged coupled agreed to be Segun's parents which was a relief but the fact that Segun own the kids was something they didn't believe.
Clara told them to be patient for Segun's arrival so that he will clear things up. They decided to show her something and she followed them to the back of the house. Segun's father pointed to a grave and told Clara that Segun was buried there about 6 years ago after he died due to a long-time illness.
The old man told her that he was their only son and they haven't recovered from his death.
Clara didn't believe her ears, she waited and waited for Segun to show up but he didn't. She cried while waiting for a whole day and didn't believe all that they said.
Segun's parents invited people who could testify to his death and they went to the hospital for proof as well.
Clara spent a few days in Molunbu and returned to Europe. She got home and opened Segun safe.
There were lots of money and a note in it. She read the note and discovered that Segun was really a spirit. She cried her eyes out while thinking about her journey with him. While sobbing, she heard Segun calling out to her but when she turned around, she found herself on her matrimonial bed.
Clara was shocked to see Segun, she moved back quickly and begged him not to hurt her.
Segun was surprised because he was carrying a gift, Clara looked around and realized she was dreaming.
She held Segun tightly and was sure he is a human, she started crying again and hugged him tightly. She thought the argument about going to Africa created the dream because she was angry when Segun said it wasn't still time before she went to sleep.
Their wedding anniversary didn't go to plan that day because Clara couldn't take her mind off the horrible nightmare she had and she refused to share it with Segun.
The dumbest thing I have done as a child
Lead image https://unsplash.com/photos/NHcrcEWTIXc
*Hello, my beautiful people all over the world how was your weekend? Mine was great and fun and I hope to have smooth weekdays as well, so let's continue with today's article* "**the dumbest thing I have done as a child**"
We all must have done something meaningless as a child because children don't think before they act they just want to enjoy the moment and when they grow up they see it as child's play.
Children are funny to the extent that they don't think before they act and even if you tell them not to do that thing, they won't listen knowing fully well that there might a repercussions. The thing might hurt them or might not have any meaning but still, they just want to satisfy themselves by doing it.
The funniest part is that some things have no repercussions, no gain, no pain, and yet kids will go on doing it. It is just the dumbest thing but still, they want to have the experience of that thing just like me and my siblings when we were little.
My mom used to be a traditional nurse that deal with herbs. All of a sudden government doesn't want such unless you have a medical backup so my mom had no choice but to go through the learning as an auxiliary nurse. She did that so that she won't be disturbed by the government and this made her travel during the week and come back home on weekends.
Being a strict mom she's not happy about that because she has to leave us at home all by ourselves but being stubborn children and playful kids it made us happy because nobody will beat us for anything that we do. During the day, we play anyhow we want because mom is not there to restrict us but during the weekend we are gentle kids and my mom knew we were just pretending because she knows the kind of children she gave birth to.
We use to go to the stream to swim and sometimes we will go to people's farms to pluck their fruits like cashews, mango, apple, etc and those people will pursue us but they won't be able to catch us because we were kids and we can run more than them, those things were fun to us back then but now when we have a family meeting and we talked about it, we all will laugh that we were dumb for doing such things.
One day, there are no fruit to pluck so we decided to go for another thing which is getting honey from that tree where the bee lives. You must be laughing at us right because we are dumb kids yeah of course we are if not we should have known better before we proceed with our plans.
It wasn't only me and my siblings that was behaving this way but almost all the kids in the environment so we all went there to get the bees home, I can't climb so one of our neighbor's child climbed and carried it immediately those bees noticed some movement, they rush out and boom, the marathon race began for everyone but we are not lucky that day because every one of us was bitten by the bees.
And if you are bitten by a bee your head will get swollen up but we didn't know we all just ran away on getting home we met our mom, it was on Wednesday so we are not expecting her until Friday but because she wanted to know what we are up to she decided to come home on Wednesday afternoon.
She asked where we are coming from and all of us lied without knowing that our mouths, legs, heads, and some part of our bodies have swollen due to the bees sting she went in to bring a mirror, and when we all looked at ourselves from the mirror we couldn't say anything again and she smiles and went back inside.
That day I thought we will die because I knew my mom will beat us but to my surprise she didn't, she told us to come inside but we were scared but we later did and she said: the reason why I didn't beat you is that you all are dumb if not you won't be doing this to yourself.
I wonder what always inspired us to do those back then but now I realized that we were just catching fun as children.
Happiness is free
Lead image https://unsplash.com/photos/X1GZqv-F7Tw
People keep saying happiness is by choice but come to think of it, who doesn't like to be happy?
It is only God that can make someone happy fully without a pinch of sadness and even the mad people on the street want to be happy because that's all that matter to them at the moment. When you give them food, they will laugh and it means they are happy.
No one wants sadness but in life every day can not be celebrated as Christmas and even the Bible says that: **there is time for everything, time to be born, time to be sick, time to be happy and time to die.**
When someone is unhappy we shouldn't count them as someone who wants to stay sad because no matter how happy you make yourself one day or someday you will feel sad because it has been written that there is time for everything.
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Source https://unsplash.com/photos/X1GZqv-F7Tw
**What makes me happy?**
My life general, my relationship gives me happiness because I love who the fact that he is a good listener even though what I say sometimes might not have meaning but he loves listening to me, my family gives me happiness because I didn't receive any bad news on them what more could make me happy than to see people I love doing well in life. My work makes me happy like there is more to life.
**How do I find happiness?**
I find happiness in my work because I believe when I work and earn, I will do whatever I want with my money and when am sad or feeling down even after making money, if my mood is still not good then I should probably find my man because he is the only one that can change that mood for good. Once he makes me smile, my bad mood is gone.
Though sometimes it doesn't work for me but I just have to smile to make that bad mood go away because he is a human too and might have something he's battling at the moment. I want him too so I don't make it a habit since he needs to be happy too.
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**A short story....**
A man that was going through something in his life was told by his friends to drink alcohol just to forget and be happy which he did. For that moment, he forgot everything but when the alcohol faded away he remembered everything so that means drinking can't take your sadness away no matter how much you consume it and it will only add to your problem.
Things happen in life and the only way to get over them is to let them go and move on. Thinking about some certain things can make you happy in life even your so-called friends can't make you happy because they are human and humans can disappoint you at any time. I don't find happiness in people always, all I do is to make sure am not sad or depressed.
Just like a man who was looking for a job and on his way back from one of his numerous interviews he met his old friend and that his friend promised to help him get a job which gave him rest of mind because they are long time friends.
On the day they were supposed to meet the person that promised someone had an accident and he died immediately, that was how he disappointed his long time friend, though it wasn't his fault I guess his time is up on earth and there is nothing anyone can do about it.
Some are even alive and yet they will disappoint you at every given time so the only thing that can make you happy in life is you and how can you make yourself happy?
It is very simple, first in anything you want to do put yourself first. Do what makes you happy and not what makes people happy about you because you can't prove yourself to be a good person by making people happy always. No matter how hard you try, some people can never accept you for the person you are so just stay happy for yourself.
Life is full of ups and downs and no matter how hard it is for you try to stay happy because there is no one in life without one or two things they are going through, everyone is just living the best way they can.
To put a smile on your face so you should make yourself happy, don't depend on anything to make you happy because nothing is certain in this world that we are now.
Happy new month to you all my beautiful people and thanks for reading.
Our hangout was fun
Lead image https://unsplash.com/photos/Hli3R6LKibo
When I was in secondary school I am a very cool girl from the start because my mom always warns me never to let anything happen to my school uniform but as time goes on I began to receive an unnecessary beatings from my seniors in the school and this brought out the beast in me.
By the time I got to SS1, I became a notorious girl in my class because of what I went through in my junior class so because am wicked and I can beat anyone nobody wants to be my friend which is cool since my twin sister is always there for me I don't need anyone.
Time passes and we graduated from school after that I couldn't enter the university straight up as I finish secondary school so I had to work and go to part-time school because I needed the certificate at my working place.
After five years I got a message from an unknown number on my WhatsApp that our reunion will hold, I was surprised because back in the days of secondary school I didn't have a phone and I don't have a phone number as well so who is this and why did they text me?
Source https://unsplash.com/photos/Hli3R6LKibo
At first, I thought it was a scam so I ignored it but 3days after one of my classmates called and said they got my on Facebook and I was added to the old-school WhatsApp chat group.
I totally forgot that someone can actually find me on Facebook so I went back to the group chat and say hi so that they will know that am added there already.
On that reunion day, I keep wondering what my classmates will look like because so many things have happened and some must have left the country but the ones that are still here that can make it to the reunion did and it was so fun.
But I felt bad when one of my classmates that I have beaten up before because of a chair shows up and she asked me if am still that wicked and violent in nature then I laughed and told her that was in the past, I am an adult now and I have a lot to think than fighting someone.
Source https://unsplash.com/photos/Hli3R6LKibo
We played a truth and dare game which make some say the truth about how they feel for each other, the thing is it is good to have such a gathering because it brings back some old memories. Then I thought being wicked and violent is the best way to survive but when we all meet again I realized that I was just been childish so I apologize to everyone that I might have offended during the school days because then it was so embarrassing to them which was fun to me then but now it looks like a child's play.
What makes you who you are?
Lead image from my gallery
Sometimes I don't think I have what it takes for someone to see me as their role model. Because I don't do much in life than normal, I don't live a flashy life and I don't flaunt whatever I have all I do is live my life on a low key because I don't like being noticed but there is actually a lot of people can emulate from me as a role model but I will only talk about one of it which is my strength to work and how diligent I am when it comes to my work.
In my country Nigeria, if you are not living a flashy lifestyle or flaunting what you have for people to see no one will want to take you are their role model. What most people choose to emulate about people is their lavish lifestyle, expensive phones, dresses, and others. This is the case because of poor mentality and people choosing the wrong thing as priorities. Having a role model should be about emulating a good lifestyle and things that can make us better people.
The things I know people have ever envied and also emulated from me are my energy to work and always pressing forward in life.
I remember when I was working in a factory some years ago. I usually don't get tired at work because I don't like rough work and am always willing to do my part of the job to perfection.
The company produces food so they expect everyone one of us to be neat with whatever we are doing there and in that aspect I don't like dirty which some noticed about me and that makes them want to work with me.
Some are lazy and when they see another person doing his or her own work diligently they will start rumors about it that's what happened to me people in the factory. They started talking about me that I don't get tired at work because I use to drink alcohol before production started meanwhile I don't even drink and I don't like it at all.
During a night shift, I was working as usual and someone came to my machine to call me that shift the manager wants to see me. I went to his office and he stood up from his seat, he came to me and started to sniff my body. At first, I thought he wanted to ask me out and he said, "but you don't smell alcohol so why are people saying bad things about you?"
I smile and said it's because I love my work that's why I don't get tired when am working. When I got to my machine everyone there said they want to be like me and they want me to be their role model because they love the fact that I don't joke with my work and this make me get promoted at work as an HSE (health and safety executive) officer in the factory so since then people emulated the way I do my work diligently.
When I started my shop, someone came to my shop and said, "sister I love the way you work without getting tired and I would love to learn that from you".
I just smiled because that strength of mine makes people think am extraordinarily made and want me to be their role model, meanwhile, there is more in me that I never flash for people to see, It's not until you flash your achievement so that people can see you as their role model but there is always something in you that people will love to take after or learn from you.
physical fitness
Lead image https://unsplash.com/photos/r951FqxHTao
Staying fit to me is not only when you gym or do exercise every day though doing all that is part of staying fit but if we are talking about staying fit that should start from how we take care of our health because someone that doesn't have good health can't stay fit completely they can only try to but they are not fit.
This makes me remember when I wanted to work in a factory some years back I was told to do a physical fitness checkup and I should bring the test results, I didn't understand what that means then so I went home then start doing some exercise every day just to keep fit and stay strong.
When I got back to the factory the supervisor told me that it was a medical checkup to see if there is anything wrong with my body system because the factory produces food and anyone that will work there must be physically and medically fit.
Before I use to think that if I want to stay fit I must go to the gym and do some exercise with it but then I realized that taking care of our health is also fitness, so what did I do to take care of my health?
* I stay away from depression because of its negative impact on mental and physical fitness,
I have been through it a lot of times in the past and it made everything about my fitness deteriorate really quickly.
You can't be depressed and be fit because staying depressed can be draining, it consumes energy and leaves us unmotivated to do anything.
* I rest very well as well now to stay fit because every human body needs it and I wish I knew earlier.
When I was working, resting is not my thing. I work overtime just because of money but little did I know that the money was useless. After some time, I started falling sick and even drugs didn't work for me until doctors insist that all I needed was rest.
Today, I am a boss of my own and I don't allow anything to interfere with my rest time because I can't be fit if I don't have proper rest.
* I eat healthy food because even if you are fit and you keep eating unhealthy food it can affect your fitness.
* I don't do exercise because am too lazy about it so instead of that I make use of my house chores to exercise by doing it until I sweat to burn some calories out of my body, my work as a hairstylist is another exercise entirely because am always on my fit from morning till night and by the time I get back home all I do is boil warm water deep my leg in it then massage it for like 5minutes so that my body will be fit for another day work.
I don't do much to keep fit but I try my best to make sure my health is fit to have physical fitness.
The beauty of sunset
Lead image
Photography is one of the best things that makes me want a good phone with a very sharp camera since I can't afford a camera so I should get a phone that can capture beautifully which I did I don't know if you remember me posting the new phone that I bought because of the hive and another reason for it is to capture the beauty of pictures.
Nature gives us so many things to cool off with and sunset is one of them looking at sunset alone gives peace and whenever am coming home in the evening the beauty of sunset always gets my attention, wanting me to capture some scene but because of my bad camera with my old phone I couldn't do much with the sunset but now I can gladly capture it anytime, knowing that the sun is setting tells everyone it's time to rest, it's time to relax and it's time to cool off all our stressful day work.
And capturing the sunset is what I love most because I love the beauty of the sunset even though I couldn't get it perfectly as I wanted but the shining gold of the sunset always captures my heart so I tried my best to get the beautiful part of the scene this evening because I needed to check if my new phone image is better than my old phone and it was far better than it, now I can even snap in the night unlike before I zoom the camera to see if it will blur like my former phone but this phone surprised me it captured it so perfectly as I wanted along with bird taking cool evening breeze.
The sky shines so bright and beautiful during the day and the sunshine so wonderful in the afternoon while it set with the golden shine in the evening can you see how nature has been so good to us? So I guess capturing it is the best thing to do because I wouldn't want that beautiful sunset to waste this evening.
Because in the morning the weather will be cool so that everyone will have a smooth day and in the afternoon the sun will shine to give vitamin c according to what we were taught in school while in the evening the sun will set to ease and cool off the heat from afternoon hotness, as you can see in the picture how beautiful the sunset looks this evening.
I love capturing sunsets whenever am coming back from work and these pictures are some of the best ones I captured, I hope I tried with the picture though I know some people here are best when it comes to photography here is my own best that I can get with my phone's camera.
Thanks for reading.
There is good in bad and bad in good
Lead image https://unsplash.com/photos/Hv9CS6KZayQ
Erika was raised by her stepmother and she went through a lot while growing up. Life was difficult for her throughout childhood and teenage but everything she went through only made her stronger.
Mr. Wale, her father wasn't aware of how she was been treated and the stepmother was good at always covering up her evil acts. He was a busy man and he is not always available but Erika doesn't understand that she believe her father is a wicked man.
She grew through the thorns and kept her head straight because she knew all the suffering would be over some days.
Despite Mr. Wale busy lifestyle, he ensured that all his children got educated. Her stepmother didn't make learning easy for but she was intelligent and coped. Erika was always topping the class but she never mentioned it to her stepmother and she doesn't even bother to ask at the end of every term.
She was ready for higher institutions at 17 while her step-siblings were struggling. Her stepmother hindered her from furthering her education just because her kids failed their final exams.
It was a huge setback for her but there was no one she could cry out to. Erika wasted a year at home and when her step-siblings could go to the university, she couldn't get admission into her preferred choice of University.
She didn't have a choice but to take it because she didn't want to spend an extra year with her stepmother. Erika took the course she was offered and left home.
She doesn't come home for holidays which didn't bother anyone. Due to her intelligence, she won a scholarship abroad in her third year at the University. Telling her father wasn't the best option because her stepmother could poison his heart and make him prevent her from going.
Erika took the scholarship and left the country with the help of some friends and lecturers at the University.
It was a whole new life of struggle for her but the hardship her stepmother made her go through made her tough enough to face all her challenges.
She was declared missing by her dad and the University told her family what they knew about the traveling, they didn't know that none of her family members wasn't aware.
At that point, Mr. Wale realized how much he has neglected her. He then realized what his wife was doing and how she has been standing as a barrier between him and his daughter.
He felt sad and there was no way he could reach his daughter, he was bitter because he failed the promises he made to Erika's mother before she died.
She graduated abroad and got a good job. Erika got married and started living a completely new life abroad.
She cried whenever she thought of her parents, she always wish her father didn't turn his back on her but she was mistaken because she didn't know what her stepmother was doing to distract him for Erika's well-being.
David, her husband got interested in and insisted they flew to Nigeria after their first kid.
She agreed just to do away with the hate she has for her father. Erika arrived in the country after 8 years and most people could barely recognize her.
She went home and discovered her dad wasn't living there anymore, one of her step-siblings sold the house. Her step-siblings have become demons, their mother's evil act affected them a lot since she was always pampering her kids while putting Erika through problems.
Erika was broken by everything that happened after she left, her father's family neglected her dad because they warned him against marrying the woman who became a thorn in his flesh, and she successfully reduced him to nothing.
Her father apologized and made it clear that he wasn't aware of the maltreating. He thought she was taking good care of her and the reason why he was always away was to make enough money for the family's needs.
The stepmother left him when there was nothing anymore, it was discovered that Mr. Wale wasn't the owner of the kids he fathered for over two decades.
It was an emotional reconciliation for the father and daughter. Mr. Wale was taken abroad because his health had deteriorated due to all the physical and emotional suffering he went through.
He got better and lived happily after, he wished he didn't remarry after Erika's mom left the world but on the other hand, he thought Erika might not be where she is if her stepmother didn't come into the picture.
On his 70th birthday, he was blessed with a house and while giving an appreciation message he said, there is good in bad and bad in good, may we not be broken by the bad before the good reveal itself.
Weekend without no phone or game
Lead image
Spending the weekend without no computer,phone or game will be a very boring weekend to me but I don't think it will be that boring because of the nature of my work as a hairstylist.
As the weekend starts from Friday so I will start my schedule from Friday, I work as a hairstylist so I believe it will be very easy for me to go for the whole weekend without a phone or game because whenever am working I don't operate the phone and I can't play games as well so here is what am going to do all through the weekend.
On Friday when I get up from my bed I will clean the whole house, unlike before when I always mob during the week this time I will do that mobbing on Friday before I set for work.
On Saturday, when I am supposed to do my laundry I will do that very early in the morning and after that, I will pack all the clothes and arrange it properly to where they should be because am always in a hurry during to week and this makes me scatter all my clothes everywhere but this weekend will allow me to arrange everything just to make myself business without no phone or game then I will go to my working place.
As a hairstylist I can't operate my phone when am working neither can I play games when am working so I believe a weekend without a phone can not be that boring to me since I don't normally operate my phone during the day and by the time am back home I will be so tired to browse all I will do is to enter the kitchen to make dinner for myself eat then sleep.
Sunday which is the last day of the weekend, Sunday always comes with stress and work so when am up I will clean as usual then my busy weekend will start from the kitchen because I love making different food on Sunday to change the taste of what I have been eating during the week so what am going to do is that I will make African food which is swallow(semovita and soup) it takes a lot of time to finish and after that, I will be off to church.
By the time am back from church it will be around 4 pm so what's next cooking if I don't have work at the shop and am sure it will be in the night before I finish my African dinner dish so I will eat and go straight to my bed.
A weekend without a phone or game can't be that bad or boring to me only that I won't be able to listen to my favorite songs and I won't be able to capture some beautiful moment for the whole weekend.
I hope it is worth the risk
After I made my introductory post two months ago on Hive, engaging on the platform became very difficult for me not because of work or time. My phone wasn't working for Hive because it's a 3G network, when I wanted to buy it I didn't check for the network I just got it and it was after 3 days that I noticed it but I never knew it would affect me that much since am using it for noisecash and readcash and it's working perfectly so I thought am good to go until I was introduced to Hive by George, I keep logging in but it keeps giving me the error message you will see in the image below.
I wasn't happy about it, so I had to use my friend's phone to sign in and post anytime she's around since my fiance said we can't use the same IP address If not I would have just typed my post and sent it to him to post for me, my friend wasn't around for quite some time and it made me disappear completely from the Hive platform.
I see a lot of things I love to engage with on the platform but it was impossible and I asked my fiance if Hive is worth getting a new phone for. His response was short and simple, he said "Hive is a home and if you are sincere with your engagement, you will love to be there always" I couldn't sleep that night all I was thinking is how to get the good phone and which brand I should buy because I don't want to fall victim of the bad phone again.
Those words meant a lot, and I trust him because he doesn't lie and won't mislead me 😁 don't mind me am not bragging about him but is just that he knows the best for me, and have always trusted his opinion. He introduced all the platforms I have been on to me so if he is speaking for Hive then he has a reason for that.
He keeps saying awesome things about the Hive platform which inspired me a lot so I decided to save some money from work and also took my earnings from other platforms like readcash and noisecash to begin my journey probably on Hive.
I eventually got a new phone yesterday which Hive is the biggest reason for it, I have other things I could do with the phone, and the difference between my old one which I haven't sold off, and the new one is the ability to engage on Hive yeah because the phone been working perfectly for me until the day I wanted to sign in to Hive then I realized that the capacity of the phone is too low to run some platform like Hive.
I have been on various platforms and I enjoy blogging a lot, meeting people who can influence me positively is something I love and I believe there are lots of people I can interact with and learn from to improve myself in various ramifications on Hive though I don't know my way around yet but I believe with time I will.
The phone cost me quite a lot of money but it is worth it because the browsing is very much faster than my old phone and I love that.
I hope to join lots of communities and engage with people from different parts of the world and I believe my time there will benefit me that I believe.
Growth doesn't come easy on any platform but I am ready to take on the world with Hive. Thanks for the support always @George_Dee so now esthery97 is on Hive fully In case you want to follow me or read my post on Hive here is the link
Thanks @Bloghound for the sponsorship renewal and thank you all my readers.
@Esthery97
