EBOBO! IT'S A SICK WORLD

 

I was thinking this morning.... News broke this past week of a Nigerian man living in the UK who was arrested for impregnating his wife, his wife's mother and his wife's sister. According to the news, suspicions arose when all three ladies started showing pregnancy symptoms at the same time. As concerns around possible manipulation and misuse of power arose, all I could do was exclaim in the voice of my mum, 'ebobo!' (Which means 'wonderful' in my native Itsekiri language).

I was still scratching my head when I read snippets of World of Statistics and came across one that left me in shock. It was about the number of years it took different products to gain 50 million users. For Airlines, it was 68 years and cars 62 years. For telephone it was 50 years, credit card - 28 years, TV - 22 years, computers - 14 years, Internet - 7 years, YouTube- 4 years, Facebook- 3 years, Twitter - 2 years. The shocker? For PornHub (a pornography site), it took just 19 days for 50 million users to subscribe. Surely, it's a sick world and in one day, I shouted my second 'ebobo!'

It was almost bedtime when I saw photos showing billionnaire owner of Twitter, Elon Musk, kissing a humanoid (robot) with the news saying he plans to release 'robot wives' for sale later this year. I was about shouting my third 'ebobo' when I received information that the photos are fake and AI generated. Phew!!!

What is this madness about sex that the perversion has degenerated from same sex marriage to sex toys and now robot wives (even though there is currently no evidence that robot wives are being produced). Truly, it's a sick world.

How can one man impregnate three members of one family? Chai! When it comes to sexual immorality, Sodom and Gomorrah dey learn work. That the world is sick does not imply you should get infected. You can be immuned to the immorality in the world. Let's start by promoting chastity. If we must shout 'ebobo!' Let it be for something positive. Remember that you are in this world but not of this world (John 17:16).

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

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

BACK THROUGH THE YEARS

 

I was thinking this morning.... Last Tuesday, we had our departmental team building away day. It was a time to get away from it all - the meetings, inspections  and long hours of looking into the computer. As part of the activities lined up to help us unwind were games and karaoke sessions.

I had never partaken in any karaoke session in the past, not only because I am not a great singer but primarily because I usually do not visit karaoke lounges. The closest to karaoke I have ever had was singing along with the church choir.

On this day, I summoned up courage and took the microphone. My colleagues were surprised, fixing their eyes on me. I loosened up even as the beats of Dolly Parton 'Coats of Many Colours' rang and the lyrics started scrolling on the screen.

'Back through the years, I go wandering once again. Back to seasons of my youth....' I sang the first line and kept singing even as my colleagues joined me on the floor. On and on I went until the very last words, '...Made just for me.' The score? 90%. As everyone clapped and gave me a hug, I felt like a child and was truly taken back to the days of my youth in Warri.

Back in days, we didn't have karaoke, but we danced ulaga (singing ulaga kiledemo) while the girls played ten-ten. We didn't have video games, so we created our version of action game, 'war-start'. We played soccerli, koto (from snail shells) sardine-key (nearest to the wall), ceeway (or suwe) and rubber seed. Every day was away day for us as kids.

The world is a different place today. It's so difficult for us to unwind these days. It seems and sometimes feels like we are carrying the whole world on our shoulders. With heightened insecurity, our children have become prisoners at home while we the parents are the prison wardens. Little wonder mental health challenges are on the rise.

Take life easy. Create time to refresh, laugh and unwind. Sing and dance with your children or with the choir. Otherwise, sing unto the Lord (Psalms 96:1).

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

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

MY FRIENDS SAY I LIKE FOOD

 

I was thinking this morning..... Last Wednesday, the 11 years old son of a colleague went for an interview for admissions into Greenspring Schools Lagos. In the presence of the mum, the young man was asked, 'what do your friends say about you?' He answered most sincerely 'My friends say I am a good goalkeeper, I am funny and that I like food.'

As the mum confirmed amidst a burst of laughter, that her son truly loves eba and egusi soup, I couldn't but ponder on the sincerity of the lad. Of all that his friends had to say about him, his love for food was important to him. The question is 'what do your friends say about you?

Before everyone else, you can be a great footballer, engineer or administrator, but what your friends think about you is more about that silent or unknown passion of yours. Is that passion a virtue or a vice? Will your friends say you are a womaniser or a debauchee. To the public, you may be perceived as great speaker, but to your friends, you just might be a fibber.

Real friendship is meant to be a mirror that reveals our true self, but that has become something of a rarity in our world today. People can no longer tell the truth to themselves talk less to their friends.

Many today thrive on falsehood about themselves rather than embrace the truth. Finding out what your friends truly think about you is the first step to discovering yourself. Little wonder Jesus asked His disciples in Matthew 16:13 'Who do people say I am?' For so many, who they are and who their friends say they are, remains a paradox.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

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

LIFE IS A GALAXY OF STARS

 

I was thinking this morning..... It is no news that yesterday, May 6, 2023, in Westminster Abbey, King Charles III, along with the Queen Consort Camilla, were officially crowned King and Queen of England. What many do not know is that the former Prince Charles became heir apparent (next in line to the throne) at the age of three in 1952, and went on to become the longest serving Prince of Wales in 2017. He waited patiently for 70 years, 214 days to be crowned King.

In a world where everyone is in a hurry, waiting for 70 years for a position 'no be beans o.' We all are stars in the galaxy of life, but not everyone is meant to be Sirius also known as the 'Dog Star' (the brightest shining star in the sky) nor Polaris, the star that never moves. Some are like a shooting star that appears briefly and burns out. Others are meant to shine in the shadows of other stars.

King Charles is a star destined to shine brightest in the twilight of his years, but nevertheless, he shone for 70 years as a Prince. You don't have to be a King or Prince to shine. You don't have to be a President, Governor or Senator to shine. You can shine right where you are. The light is in you and not in the position.

The position is like a lamp holder that helps the light shine brighter. If the light is dead, it doesn't matter the position you occupy, King or President, you will not shine. Many have fought and killed for position and quenched their light forever.

If you are meant to shine at night like the moon but forced your way to shine in the day, you will be inconsequential. Many have done despicable things to shine before their ordained time and ended up burning out like a shooting star. Shine when and where you are destined to shine.

Many believe they need titles and political power to shine, but did not realise that Aliko Dangote has neither and he is shining. Some believe they need loads of money to shine but forgot that Mother Theresa had no money but shone brightly.

Whatever level you are, let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matthew 5:16).

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

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