This is the gist.
My siblings(some) and i attended Mayflower School.
Often times, we get into discussion and we dwell on a number of issues....
here are a few things (in no particular order) that sends shivers down my spine and leaves my body filled with goose pimple each time i remember the good old days............
1.)Last Light Out: Only God knows who invented this practice.Regardless, its an occasion you dont wanna miss out on save you are low on cash.Indomine is often the delicacy for the night.
its not unconnected with the joy that comes with leaving school for home.hhmnn
2.)4-4-2: I still enjoy the formation save that i perhaps consume five times the ratio now.Chilled water going down with garri(4) groundnut(4) and sugar(2), it was a marvellous experience.Turned sour when my 'hommies' were expelled for visiting 442 arena
3)Community gathering: aww! Enjoyed it when baky makes beautiful speeches and when our Merry mayflower is not been inspected.when i get destracted, its either am looking at the female section or the squirrels playing on the tall tree in front of the female sitting arena
4)Dispensary: ayama! i recall with ease the not so clean water, the miserable cup and the drugs without diagnosis festival that takes place in the dispensary upon resumption. A good number of us were smart not to swallow them drugs sha.Talk about the long queue, na die. no clearance, no entry.
5)Morning Drill: Very interestin! retrospectively though. Never had fun been rudely woken up and been chased down like cows to Junior school field.Breath in, in and out.I never led the session.Recall accusations of boiz getting naughty during the session among other things
5)Candle Night:i can only rememnber having one outing.Memorable.
6)Water scarcity and locking of buckets under the bed.Wasnt a common experience but life was hellish during those times.Imagine fetching water all the way from uren river to the hostel.
7)'Ghana': with an unusual manner of pronouncing the name, 'Ghana' provided a good substitute for some of our meals, though at the risk of suspension.Even girls sef, dem dey show face for that yard. i remember the black nylon and the pepper.Still recall the smell.Inviting(then)
8)Morning Lesson: dont exactly know why but i enjoyed this part.Perhaps the oppurtuinty of coming close to the girls hostel.Really cant say why.If not for anything, we were exempted from morning drill
9)Interhouse sport:i can go on and on talking about interhouse sport. i was in ibadan house and i remember the dedicated service of mojeed melemuku.kaduna, green and abuja are some others i can remember.i particularly love the abuja(pink) vest.High moment is the d-day where we get to buy all sort of food items.Dont make the mistake of washing ur vest though, else some olojukokoro will keep it for u.
10)Social Night: this is where you get to see the Potential P-Squares.Interestingly, we can only boast of a music star in Gbenro-GT the guitar man.But mehn, i remember there were lots of swagger back then.from the OJ crazy to...........Baky often cancelled some nights for reading.
11)Election: This is the part i love most and will never forget in a hurry.I look back and appreciate the electoral syste we had.Students will campaign as if their life depended on it.the most interesting post is the Social prefect where the contestants will have to ginger their swagger.Mehn, i love this part about mayflower.
12)Speech Making: i didnt get to make one but it was fun to see my people get on the stage and see them consumed by the teeming crowd.Not much of experience here for me
13)Saturday inspection: the scrubbing, bed sheet contest and the result of the neatest/dirtiest hostel.Interesting
14)Suppi/Dubble: We had experts in the game of dubble.Eat and que to eat again.They were victims in aiyedun's hand though. Suppy? wasnt my calling.
15)Self reliance: Story plenty here o.Imagine, it got to a point guys will contribute and buy live chiken when wer were supposed to kill bush rabbit and all...I love this part too.Spending days outta the hostel in the farm/bush.
Just so much to talk about.whats your experience and what do u particularly miss the most?
Thursday, July 22, 2010
DEATH 101
Call it your most dreaded course in the ‘University of Life’ and be sure you have a plethora of course mates who share your sentiment. In fact, they (course mates) would rather it were an elective. Wait a minute…. why do I say ‘they’? It includes me!
Death 101 is a compulsory course we all registered for the moment we gained admission into the University of Life. The moment we are born, we unconsciously fill a course form where death is a compulsory course.
Who is the lecturer? When is the lecture? Where is the lecture venue? When is the exam holding? What do you have to score to make a pass in the enigmatic course called Death 101? Some might even ask how May I fail? Hoping that failure would mean immortality. These are perhaps few of the several questions running through your mind. Guess I am obliged to provide answers.
The lecturer is Mr Death. You may do away with the title ‘Mr’ to register your hatred for his guts like we do back in the days. We call unpopular lecturer by their first names. You often hear of Adeyemi, Mr Akerele, Olowe, Mr Ige, Onabule, Mr Cracker amongst students. If you had ever wondered what makes the difference, wonder no more.
The lecture holds everyday and everywhere in the globe. Each passing day we hear of the passing away of a soul, a lecture is taking place. The news of the death of a friend, neighbour, colleague, course mate is nothing but a lecture delivered! It provides a platform to re-affirm our priorities in the University of Life.
There is a great lesson in death but its message is simple! Death acquaints us with the evanescent disposition of life. Life of this world is but temporary. A place of illusion. It’s so easy and convenient to think life is a going concern concept, but it isn’t. Is it?
Often times you look at the problem of this world and you realise that quite a number of people are skipping Death 101 class. How so? When they live life as though there is no tomorrow. When all they ever care about is the life of this world.
One is propelled to name names of people who lived recklessly as though life of this world is permanent but I choose to exercise restraint else it be taken that I make jest of them. Abundant examples abound in the Nigerian Political industry of warlords. Alas, they didn’t win the war against Mr Death!
Here is a clarion call… let that man who would stop at nothing to get to power know that one day he shall go six feet under. Remind that man who imports fake drug about a day when all the ill gotten wealth of his will be useless. Tell that man who is in the business of kidnapping and ritual (for Nigerian readers only) to remember that he shall breath his last someday, perhaps soon.
Tell that man who is in the business of oppression, who thinketh that all men are not created equal know that we shall all be equal sometimes later, When the ‘common denominator’ comes calling .Trust me; the £1m pound gold casket makes no difference.
If only we could show some bravery, let us picture ourselves when we become ‘inactive’ and make an attempt to juxtapose our excessiveness in journey of life with the reality to come someday.
When we all realise that life is transient, perhaps we may learn to live in harmony with our neighbour. Perhaps we may begin to take life the easy way. Perhaps we may learn to shrug off certain wrong done to us. I particularly recall the story of a naval officer who ordered a fellow man to open his mouth and fed him with bullets for bashing his car. Ask me what model….Benz 190. The fear of God is drying up everywhere.
The remembrance of God in human lives is on the verge of extinction while some do not even believe in him, needless ask that he be feared! I choose not to talk about judgement day for earlier stated reason so that we can be on the same page with our atheist brothers and sisters.
We hate Mr Death. He is ugly. He shatters dreams.
You could hate Mr Death all you want. Be sure to remember there is a lesson in his course. You could hate Mr Death with every fibre of your strength; your hatred will not stop you from meeting him someday. His course is compulsory. He is an uninvited guest who would come at the appointed time.
Come to think of it, death is the reason we treasure life. It is the reason we strive to make meaning out of life. You often hear people say ‘life has no duplicate; life comes but once, make the most of it’. It is the reason we have some good people who ‘fear’ the day they cease to exist.
I guess I can’t make a case for Mr Death. He has probably snatched a friend, a colleague, spouse etc but I can make a case for his lectures.
Let all men acknowledge that a day will come when they shall be no more!
Death 101 is a compulsory course we all registered for the moment we gained admission into the University of Life. The moment we are born, we unconsciously fill a course form where death is a compulsory course.
Who is the lecturer? When is the lecture? Where is the lecture venue? When is the exam holding? What do you have to score to make a pass in the enigmatic course called Death 101? Some might even ask how May I fail? Hoping that failure would mean immortality. These are perhaps few of the several questions running through your mind. Guess I am obliged to provide answers.
The lecturer is Mr Death. You may do away with the title ‘Mr’ to register your hatred for his guts like we do back in the days. We call unpopular lecturer by their first names. You often hear of Adeyemi, Mr Akerele, Olowe, Mr Ige, Onabule, Mr Cracker amongst students. If you had ever wondered what makes the difference, wonder no more.
The lecture holds everyday and everywhere in the globe. Each passing day we hear of the passing away of a soul, a lecture is taking place. The news of the death of a friend, neighbour, colleague, course mate is nothing but a lecture delivered! It provides a platform to re-affirm our priorities in the University of Life.
There is a great lesson in death but its message is simple! Death acquaints us with the evanescent disposition of life. Life of this world is but temporary. A place of illusion. It’s so easy and convenient to think life is a going concern concept, but it isn’t. Is it?
Often times you look at the problem of this world and you realise that quite a number of people are skipping Death 101 class. How so? When they live life as though there is no tomorrow. When all they ever care about is the life of this world.
One is propelled to name names of people who lived recklessly as though life of this world is permanent but I choose to exercise restraint else it be taken that I make jest of them. Abundant examples abound in the Nigerian Political industry of warlords. Alas, they didn’t win the war against Mr Death!
Here is a clarion call… let that man who would stop at nothing to get to power know that one day he shall go six feet under. Remind that man who imports fake drug about a day when all the ill gotten wealth of his will be useless. Tell that man who is in the business of kidnapping and ritual (for Nigerian readers only) to remember that he shall breath his last someday, perhaps soon.
Tell that man who is in the business of oppression, who thinketh that all men are not created equal know that we shall all be equal sometimes later, When the ‘common denominator’ comes calling .Trust me; the £1m pound gold casket makes no difference.
If only we could show some bravery, let us picture ourselves when we become ‘inactive’ and make an attempt to juxtapose our excessiveness in journey of life with the reality to come someday.
When we all realise that life is transient, perhaps we may learn to live in harmony with our neighbour. Perhaps we may begin to take life the easy way. Perhaps we may learn to shrug off certain wrong done to us. I particularly recall the story of a naval officer who ordered a fellow man to open his mouth and fed him with bullets for bashing his car. Ask me what model….Benz 190. The fear of God is drying up everywhere.
The remembrance of God in human lives is on the verge of extinction while some do not even believe in him, needless ask that he be feared! I choose not to talk about judgement day for earlier stated reason so that we can be on the same page with our atheist brothers and sisters.
We hate Mr Death. He is ugly. He shatters dreams.
You could hate Mr Death all you want. Be sure to remember there is a lesson in his course. You could hate Mr Death with every fibre of your strength; your hatred will not stop you from meeting him someday. His course is compulsory. He is an uninvited guest who would come at the appointed time.
Come to think of it, death is the reason we treasure life. It is the reason we strive to make meaning out of life. You often hear people say ‘life has no duplicate; life comes but once, make the most of it’. It is the reason we have some good people who ‘fear’ the day they cease to exist.
I guess I can’t make a case for Mr Death. He has probably snatched a friend, a colleague, spouse etc but I can make a case for his lectures.
Let all men acknowledge that a day will come when they shall be no more!
RE-ALIGNING WITH REALITIES
In life, there are two worlds. The dream world and the world of reality
The latter describe the world wherein we spend everyday of our lives while the former describes a world full of wishful thoughts.
In economics, similar classification can be found. Economists classify economics into two; Positive and Normative economics.
The world of reality is intriguing. There are things we can alter and there are things we cannot alter leaving us no choice than to contend with them.
Of the things we can alter are artificial inventions ranging from tangibles such as cars, houses to intangibles such as internet, software, culture, system of government etc.
However, we cannot alter nature or its law. Any attempt to do so will create an imbalance accompanied with consequences. Nature, a work of God, is balanced without imperfection. Such law covers gravitational force, the rising and setting of the sun, Rainfall, and indeed the physiological make up of man
Man (Generic name for human being) is an embodiment of natural laws. He feels the urge to sleep at night, to eat when famished, to sneeze when he comes in contact with dust or cold, sweat, excrete, to have sex etc
It is against this background that i am compelled to lay bare my mind on a topical issue else posterity convicts me of aiding and abetting.
I have exercised so much restraint not to speak on a religious matter as the catholic doctrine which exalt celibacy towards spiritual upliftment and dedicated service to God on the basis that all men have freedom to associate and worship.
It is no longer a religious issue. It is societal; hence I have changed my mind. I will speak. I am speaking.
I hope to have kids who will someday become members of the society. They shall use public facilities where they are vulnerable to inordinate activities of members of the society.
Only recently, BBC reported a case of sexual abuse involving the usual actors, a priest, co-starred by a minor.
This event probed me to conduct a further study and the outcome is shattering to say the least.
Allegations of sexual abuse by clergy have been made in many countries.
After the United States, the country with the next highest number of cases is Ireland. A significant number of cases have also been reported in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and countries in Europe, Latin America and Asia
On 11 March 2010, Christoph Schönborn, Archbishop of Vienna, said that priestly celibacy could be one of the causes of the sex abuse scandals to hit the Catholic Church.
In April, during a visit to the United States Pope Benedict, admitted that he was "deeply ashamed" of the clergy sex abuse scandal that has devastated the American church. Benedict pledged that pedophiles would not be priests in the Roman Catholic Church. Pope Benedict also said he is ashamed for child abuse scandal in Australia
here is an excerpt from BBC:
The Catholic Church is now counting the cost of the revelations of sexual abuse by priests.
The growing scandal on both sides of the Atlantic has created a crisis of trust for the church, with claims that senior clerics failed to take action for years.
In Ireland, victims of abuse by priests have called for the resignation of the Archbishop of Dublin, Cardinal Desmond Connell. The government has ordered an inquiry.
In the United States, some dioceses have already paid out millions of dollars to settle law suits brought by victims. And the abusers are now being dealt with by the criminal courts.
In New York, the church has handed prosecutors a list of priests suspected of abusing children. And in Boston, a "zero tolerance" policy is now in force.
I reckon that those who abuse innocent kids’ cuts across religious divide but the statistics emanating from the Vatican is disturbing.
I choose to speak of the priests not because i do not subscribe to their belief. Far from it.
Of a truth, I sympathize with them because their doctrine is well intentioned.
These are people who wish to be closer to God, the sovereign.
That is cheerful in the present society where vices have been substituted with virtue.
There is no denying the fact that the lack of the fear of God is the root cause of the numerous problems besetting us a society, continent and in the world at large.
It becomes immensely illogical however when an attempt to drift closer to God causes an explosive like departure away from God. Yes! That’s exactly what happens when a ‘man of God’ abuses the innocence of little children whom they are meant to teach to grow up in the way of the lord such that when they grow, they shall not depart
Regardless of the school of thought one belongs to on the theory of evolution, it is unassailable to say that all men obey the laws of nature. The creator of ‘nature’ and author of its law may however continue to be a source of debate in the study of science, philosophy and theology.
Perhaps its time we realigned with the realities of our human nature without prejudice to dedicated service to God.
The latter describe the world wherein we spend everyday of our lives while the former describes a world full of wishful thoughts.
In economics, similar classification can be found. Economists classify economics into two; Positive and Normative economics.
The world of reality is intriguing. There are things we can alter and there are things we cannot alter leaving us no choice than to contend with them.
Of the things we can alter are artificial inventions ranging from tangibles such as cars, houses to intangibles such as internet, software, culture, system of government etc.
However, we cannot alter nature or its law. Any attempt to do so will create an imbalance accompanied with consequences. Nature, a work of God, is balanced without imperfection. Such law covers gravitational force, the rising and setting of the sun, Rainfall, and indeed the physiological make up of man
Man (Generic name for human being) is an embodiment of natural laws. He feels the urge to sleep at night, to eat when famished, to sneeze when he comes in contact with dust or cold, sweat, excrete, to have sex etc
It is against this background that i am compelled to lay bare my mind on a topical issue else posterity convicts me of aiding and abetting.
I have exercised so much restraint not to speak on a religious matter as the catholic doctrine which exalt celibacy towards spiritual upliftment and dedicated service to God on the basis that all men have freedom to associate and worship.
It is no longer a religious issue. It is societal; hence I have changed my mind. I will speak. I am speaking.
I hope to have kids who will someday become members of the society. They shall use public facilities where they are vulnerable to inordinate activities of members of the society.
Only recently, BBC reported a case of sexual abuse involving the usual actors, a priest, co-starred by a minor.
This event probed me to conduct a further study and the outcome is shattering to say the least.
Allegations of sexual abuse by clergy have been made in many countries.
After the United States, the country with the next highest number of cases is Ireland. A significant number of cases have also been reported in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and countries in Europe, Latin America and Asia
On 11 March 2010, Christoph Schönborn, Archbishop of Vienna, said that priestly celibacy could be one of the causes of the sex abuse scandals to hit the Catholic Church.
In April, during a visit to the United States Pope Benedict, admitted that he was "deeply ashamed" of the clergy sex abuse scandal that has devastated the American church. Benedict pledged that pedophiles would not be priests in the Roman Catholic Church. Pope Benedict also said he is ashamed for child abuse scandal in Australia
here is an excerpt from BBC:
The Catholic Church is now counting the cost of the revelations of sexual abuse by priests.
The growing scandal on both sides of the Atlantic has created a crisis of trust for the church, with claims that senior clerics failed to take action for years.
In Ireland, victims of abuse by priests have called for the resignation of the Archbishop of Dublin, Cardinal Desmond Connell. The government has ordered an inquiry.
In the United States, some dioceses have already paid out millions of dollars to settle law suits brought by victims. And the abusers are now being dealt with by the criminal courts.
In New York, the church has handed prosecutors a list of priests suspected of abusing children. And in Boston, a "zero tolerance" policy is now in force.
I reckon that those who abuse innocent kids’ cuts across religious divide but the statistics emanating from the Vatican is disturbing.
I choose to speak of the priests not because i do not subscribe to their belief. Far from it.
Of a truth, I sympathize with them because their doctrine is well intentioned.
These are people who wish to be closer to God, the sovereign.
That is cheerful in the present society where vices have been substituted with virtue.
There is no denying the fact that the lack of the fear of God is the root cause of the numerous problems besetting us a society, continent and in the world at large.
It becomes immensely illogical however when an attempt to drift closer to God causes an explosive like departure away from God. Yes! That’s exactly what happens when a ‘man of God’ abuses the innocence of little children whom they are meant to teach to grow up in the way of the lord such that when they grow, they shall not depart
Regardless of the school of thought one belongs to on the theory of evolution, it is unassailable to say that all men obey the laws of nature. The creator of ‘nature’ and author of its law may however continue to be a source of debate in the study of science, philosophy and theology.
Perhaps its time we realigned with the realities of our human nature without prejudice to dedicated service to God.
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