CELEBRATE JOLLOF

 

I was thinking this morning..... Last Friday Celebrity chef and Guinness World Record holder, Hilda Baci, officially began her attempt to cook the world’s largest pot of Nigerian jollof rice (200 bags) at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos. Baci, who in 2023 set the record for the longest cooking marathon, hosted the “Gino Jollof Festival” in partnership with seasoning and culinary brand, Gino. According to Gino, the event was to entertain and give Nigerians an immersive experience designed to celebrate Jollof rice as a symbol of identity, resilience, and community.

That afternoon, as I stood on the queue waiting to be served lunch, I scanned the variety of dishes on display. From national to continental, nothing was appealing to me. 'What should I eat?' I wondered, as my eyes moved from one chafing dish to another. When I couldn't make up my mind, I decided to play safe and asked for jollof rice because I learnt years ago that you can't go wrong with jollof. As I sat down to eat, the Hilda Baci’s event was being featured on the large TV screen in front of me.

As I quietly ate my jollof rice, watching the World Jollof Festival, the words of the organisers that Jollof rice is a symbol of resilience, continued to play in my head, pulling me into deep introspection. While a number of persons were there to support Hilda Baci, others were there for the entertainment. Yet thousands of others were there for the free food. Whatever the motivation was, it takes resilience to stay awake all night just to eat jollof rice. Celebrate Jollof.

I doubt if there is any group of people in the world as resilient as Nigerians. Fela called it 'suffering and smiling', but oyibo man calls it resilience. You only need to consider what people go through daily to survive in this country. What about what some couples go through in marriage? Nothing defines resilience more than 'we die here' attitude of Nigerians. If jollof rice is truly a symbol of resilience, then we must celebrate Jollof.

As you go worship God today, be encouraged by 1st Cor 15:58 that says, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." And if you can, settle with a bowl of jollof for lunch and simply celebrate Jollof.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey

WHAT'S YOUR MESSAGE?

 

I was thinking this morning..... A few days ago, I attended a media training at Lagos Continental Hotel. It was a dynamic and highly practical workshop on how to effectively engage external stakeholders, especially the media. My initial response upon being invited for the training was 'Na today?.' My thinking was that since I have been blogging since 2015, I can say I am pretty much okay with engaging the media.

Just a few minutes into the practical session where I sat in front of the camera and was interviewed by a senior correspondent from one of the major TV stations, my eye clear. Suddenly, the chair was uncomfortable, I stuttered as I spoke and could no longer articulate my thoughts. I quickly realised that no be the eye wey dem dey take chop eba dem take dey share meat.

The facilitator spoke about having a clear message and applying the bridging technique. As she did, I remembered Uche, a trader at Ibo market in Warri, who had recently concluded the burial rites of his mother. A journalist covering the commissioning of the newly constructed road in front of his house had met him to ask for his opinion. "How will this new road help the residents of this street?" He asked on live television. With little hesitation, Uche said, "Oh very helpful indeed. And I want to use this opportunity to thank all those who came for my mother's burial and all my customers who have been patronising me these many years. I thank all of them."

Sharp guy, you would say. Uche may not have had media training, but he had a clear message and knew how to use the bridging technique. With social media everyone has become a content creator, throwing out obscenities and spewing rubbish to the world daily. Lots of talk, but zero message. Before you post your next message or video, ask yourself what the message is because after you click the send button, "otilo." Like we say in Warri, water wey dem take make eba no fit return.

Na wetin you dey yarn? Colossians 4:6 says, 'Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.'

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey

THE WEY OF YESTERDAY

 

I was thinking this morning.... When I saw the photo of me below, I gushed. As I stared at the photo, thrilling memories of yesteryears rushed through my mind, with every gaze taking me back to Warri.

My first reaction was all smiles as I agreed that of a truth, I was an FBNP-SLDD. How can I not reach that conclusion? After all, 'mouth wey chop pepperfruit no dey hide.' The smiles, the gaze, the mustache, and the 'baffs' all defined class. By the way, FBNP-SLDD means 'Fine Boy No Pimples - Simple Looking Double Dimple.' Okay. You can argue that the dimple is imaginary but can not argue that this Warri boy knew early in life that 'na as goat stand for market dem dey take price am.'

Just then, my gaze shifted to the cap (fila). It was very fitting and adjusted to show that power was shifting to the west. As I scanned the design, I sighed and concluded that long before the infinity symbol was made popular by Emilokan, we had rocked our fila with the 'fast forward' symbol. While I can't remember where we were fast-forwarding to, one thing I knew was that my destiny was in God's hands because 'Person wey hold snuff for palm no dey look time.'

Next, the neck chain caught my attention. I couldn't even remember that I rocked neck chain at a point in life. I zoomed in to look closely at the gold necklace and cross locket. I have no memory of how I was able to afford the gold chain and locket at the time. Was it a long period of saving of pocket money or weeks of begging and cajoling my parents for it? Whatever the modus operandi was, what I know was that 'hand wey stay long for pocket, know say nothing de that pocket.'

The crease on the brocade showed clearly it was starched. I won't even be surprised if my shoe was also starched because in those days starching your clothes was the in-thing. I rocked starched clothes until I was beaten by rain, one faithful day. Despite my becoming a gum-man, I continued my starching adventure because I had learnt that 'person wey don faint before no be stranger to death.'

All in all, the photo reminded me about how our wants change with seasons. Your ways of yesterday will be different from your ways tomorrow. Stealing or borrowing to show off is a mental illness. Please don't, because tomorrow you won't even remember what the hell you wore to that event. Be content and happy about you and about life. If you must borrow, borrow sense from Matthew 6:30.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey

GOATS, PERIWINKLE AND FRUITS BASKET

 

I was thinking this morning.... I was at Lagos Business School (LBS) this past week for training. The resource person, while talking to us about business models, highlighted the challenges faced by small businesses and what many poor Nigerians do to survive. He talked about some persons who now go to butchery to collect bare bones, saw them, and use them for cooking just to have the taste and flavour of cow meat in their soup.

We were still reflecting soberly and 'jejely' when one of the participants jumped in to tell us of his experience. He said he once observed a man washing the beards of a goat. He was curious and asked the man why he was doing so, and the response by the man was that he wanted to use the water to cook okro soup. That since he can't afford to buy goat meat, at least he can smell goat in the okro soup.

While the class erupted in laughter and some said it was a classic cock and bull story, the message was not lost on us. Having mentally taken us to the shanties of society's poorest and humblest, it was time for a site visit to the playground of the rich and famous, Lekki.

We got a first glimpse of money as we drove in our bus towards Lekki. As we slowed down at an intersection, we observed some area boys run to this luxury vehicle ahead of us. The person inside brought down the side glass and threw out a bunch of crisp dollar notes to area boys. Omo. See levels!

We were still discussing the contradiction as we got into Lekki. We drove through Periwinkle Empire, touted to be the destination of billionaires, and finally entered through a gate and another till we got to a waterfront piece of real estate. From that location, we were shown 5-Cowries island, Banana island, Orange Island and if you wish, throw in Coconut Island. All locations being limited pieces of real estate with plots selling from one billion naira. The cool breeze swaying the royal palm trees in different direction gave the estate a luxury steez that reminded me of Beverly Hills in California.

Chai! I imagined the difference between the man washing the beards of a goat to cook okro soup and the man eating periwinkle and fruits on an island, and recalled a wise man said that life is not a result of circumstances, but a product of decisions. Your circumstances don't make you. Your decisions make you. Proverbs 13:15.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey

THE JOLLOF RICE PRINCIPLE

I was thinking this morning.... About 10 years ago, I was in charge of inducting all new staff and visitors at my organisation's head office. The implication was that, for years, I knew everyone around. Those years, when I walked into the staff canteen, everyone greeted me like I was Davido entering into the reception hall in Miami.

Years later, I moved higher and completely left the induction to a younger member of my team. Despite that, I can still boast of recognising over 90% of people at the location. Then came the COVID-19 lockdown years that birthed the new age of virtual working. I had not been in the staff canteen for years and decided to do so one afternoon. As I stepped into the expansive hall with at least a hundred people already having lunch, I was expecting to make my usual rockstar entrance. That day, I got the shock of my life. Every face was strange. Not one person recognised who I was. I collected my food and sat down like a prodigal son.

As I ate, I wondered what had happened. Am I in the wrong location? How is it possible that no one recognised me? Who are all these people? When did they join this organisation? There were so many questions on my mind. But then, it occurred to me that it wasn't a sudden change. The organisation had been employing new persons while others were leaving one person at a time.

It is the same principle in life and is called the Jollof rice principle, derived from the pidgin English proverb that says, "Jollof rice wey dey bottom pot today go dey on top cooler tomorrow." Everyday, someone is dying, while another is born. It's only a matter of time before every face would be new. The new or young colleague at the bottom of the food chain today could be the king of the jungle tomorrow. Life changes, one person at a time.

If, therefore, life is changing, one person at a time, why are we not humble? The organisation wherein you are acting like a demigod today, come back after 10 years, you will be a stranger. A celebrity today would be unknown tomorrow. The 'Pharoah that knew Joseph' will not be on the throne forever. You know why? Life regenerates. Life changes, one person at a time. Jollof rice wey dey bottom pot today go dey on top cooler tomorrow. The one wey dey on top cooler today na im go first end up for toilet. Psalms 75:7 comes to mind. Join me to pray to stay humble.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey

KOKORO NO KAZE

 

I was thinking this morning.... Days ago, I walked into the staff canteen with a colleague. As we stood on the short queue waiting to be served, my colleague said, "Have you observed how almost everyone in this canteen is wearing a jacket? Is it that the AC has been adjusted to be extremely cold, or the recent heavy rains made it seem so?" I looked around and truly saw so many people wearing fleece and other jackets that made some look like Eskimos in the North Pole.

As I watched these colleagues walk back to their seats, tray in hand with all sorts of orishirishi, to provide food for their bodies, I got thinking. We give so much attention to providing food and avoiding cold for our bodies but do very little to prevent a cold of the soul. In Japan, a cold of the soul is described as "kokoro no kaze." While Kokoro no kaze generally refers to mild depression, I prefer the literal meaning - cold of the soul.

Too many people around the world are suffering from colds of the soul (Kokoro no kaze). Imagine the other day, I walked into a supermarket to pick a few things. Just a few items that couldn't fill a disposal plastic bag and the cashier said N32k. I looked at the queue behind me and looked at the young lady. With a confused look, I asked the young lady if she added the bill of others on the queue. She laughed and confimed it was only my bill. 'Jesu!' was the only word that came out of my mouth.

As I walked out of the supermarket, I wondered how people survive in Nigeria. Yet, we see less than 1% of the population loot our common wealth and recklessly flaunt it, while millions die from hunger. They don't even pretend that they care, and I wonder why. Now I know that they are suffering from Kokoro no kaze - cold of the soul. When parents sell their babies to survive and children use parents for money rituals, the root cause is Kokoro no kaze - cold of the soul.

It is foolish to pay attention to the food for the body and less to the food for the soul. Yes. It's okay to quickly react to external cold by covering up, but we must be urgent to stop the cold of the soul (Kokoro no kaze). It is better to have a warm soul and a cold body than a warm body and a cold soul. Do all within your power to avoid Kokoro no kaze (cold of the soul) because it is the kokoro (worm/insect) eating your life away. Matthew 24:12 says, "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold."

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey

HOW WE AVOIDED A PLANE CRASH

 

I was thinking this morning.... it was a bright, sunny day as our aircraft commenced its descent into the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. The pilot had announced that we would be landing soon and the seatbelt signs turned on. I adjusted myself and my seatbelt in preparation for landing.

As I opened the window blind to my left, I looked out the window to scan and enjoy the view of the suburbs of the Federal Capital City. As I did, I observed a black feature, just above the rocky mountains close to the Abuja airport. I initially thought it was a bird because of its size. But as we descended a lot more, this object got bigger and clearer. Yes, it was an aircraft also flying towards the Abuja airport.

I kept staring at this aircraft as we continued to descend. I got a bit curious observing that this aircraft was flying at the same speed and a fixed angle from our aircraft. I was certain that both aircrafts could not have been cleared to land at the same time on the single runway.

I kept observing, keen on seeing which of the aircrafts will land first. One kilometre from touchdown, this aircraft was still approaching, but this time getting closer to us. What does this pilot think he is doing? I hope he is sane? I wondered about the pilot of the black aircraft. Well, even if he is mad, I was sure the pilot of our aircraft was sane. Our pilot is not blind and must have seen this rogue aircraft.

500m, 200m, 100m to touchdown, and this rogue aircraft was getting precariously close to us. Why is everyone calm? Am I the only one seeing this aircraft? 50m, 30m, 10m. Oh my God! It's going to crash into our aircraft. Just when I was about to scream Jesus!!! I looked again as this rogue aircraft merged with ours at touchdown. Oops! It was our shadow, a reflecting of our aircraft, all along. Phew!!! I sunk into my chair in relief.

There are so many people who are afraid of their shadows. They always feel someone is coming for them, not realising it was their shadow. While for some, the unseen shadow truly portends demonic oppression, for others, that ominous shadow is their ignorance. Light is the solution to shadows. Position yourself rightly before the Son and all shadows shall disappear (John 8:12).

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy New Month!

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey