Live band or DJ

True Life Story.

As wedding preparation began, my dad said he would handle music. I was already in the process of trying to get the number of a DJ that I had seen perform.

My father said not to worry about it. I specifically told him, 'Live band and DJ'. Weeks to the wedding, I would randomly remind him and he would say 'I don't know who disturbs most, you or your mother'. Ok o.

A day before the wedding, he went to check out the venue. When he got back, he was gisting me how the decorator had transformed the hall. I was excited and then I quickly asked, "Has the DJ set up?". He told me they would set up the next day. I even chipped in 'please tell him to play 'clean' songs' (original PK).

Day of wedding came. Beautiful day!.Then it was time for reception. Live band began. Lovely something. I now whispered to MC that DJ can start now, that Live band is okay. He now said 'but there's no DJ'. I was confused. I asked him to please go and check again. NO DJ

Fam, I wanted to cry. But I remembered hubs and I had agreed that NOTHING was going to spoil our day. So I decided to fully enjoy my liveband (see pictures). I even started spraying them money after they hailed me 😂

Appaz my father did not know the difference between DJ and LIVE BAND. Music is music 😀

Your favourite writer girl,
Love.

The Akara story

On Sunday morning, I opened my eyes at 4:45am. After I prayed, I went into the kitchen. I looked around, measured three cups of beans and started the process of akara. Totally unplanned. I was on my feet from start to finish (but trust me to take the easier road with these kind of things, I peeled the back of the beans with a blender).

Now if you know me personally, you will know that kitchen activities are not my forte, neither will I randomly pick a 'difficult' choice of home made akara (which I have not done in years) over a simple bread and tea for breakfast.

I did not know what had gotten into me. Then it occured to me that an Instagram account I follow (@foodace) had posted the previous night that she would be making akara and pap for breakfast the next day. I casually swiped past the post and had no idea it had registered in my subconscious.

That was why the first thing that came to mind as I stepped into my kitchen was to make akara. INFLUENCE. It was a great influence though as my daughter has now crowned me "Best Cook in the World". You should have seen me grinning from ear to ear. She said my akara taste better than the one we buy. I feel proud.

On a daily basis, we are all being influenced by what we see, hear and read; consciously and otherwise. We must guard our hearts especially at a time like this. Watching porn or masturbation videos on social media is never just casual. It goes to register itself in your mind and you become a slave to it. Don't do it. It's not worth it.

Use this time to read great books (and save your data), watch great movies (there's OVERCOMER on netflix), filter WhatsApp broadcasts and PRAY. Only let positive influence filter through.

If you haven't read my amazing book, #31mornings, now is a great time to get the PDF for just N1,000 (check flier attached for details). We now have all the time in the world to read.

What or who are you allowing to influence you? Guard your hearts.

Peace, love and serenity,

Your favourite writer girl,
Love.

Before I die, I'll live

"Mummy, when will we start going to church and school?", Nifemi asked me. It has probably began to get to my baby girl too.

We have never had it this bad. By we, I mean those of us in the north. We are used to curfews and general unrest. There's always one religious crisis or the other. We hide. It blows over after a few weeks. Life resumes.

For the first time, it's not about what religion we practice or who we voted. It's about survival. A fight for life. A deep seated fear that my precautions alone cannot save me. I can only hope those around me take precautions too. My life depends on it. All our lives depend on it.

I open my Instagram each day and as I scroll through, I see a celebrity face more than once and I already know- that person has contacted the virus too. My chest tightens a bit and I feel like the walls are closing in. I get up, disinfect my door handles and surfaces and force my husband and daughter to wash their hands for the umpteenth time and read more horrible news. Every gaddam day. Fear!

So today I said to fear, 'ENOUGH'. I skipped every bad news on my feed today. My papa preached a message tagged 'Supposing there's no tomorrow?' It got me thinking. There's a list of things I would love to do if there is no tomorrow. So here's what I've chosen to do:
* Pick up working out again
* Eating healthy
* Lots of dancing
* Lots of singing
* Writing my book
* Reading books
* Bonding with God
* Bonding with family
* Pray for all our health workers
* Drinking loads of water
* Watching movies
* Work on my website
* Staying safe
* Practicing social distancing
* CHILL

No more fear. I am going to live this life to the fullest and not dwell on thoughts of the virus. You attract your thoughts. We will beat corona virus and that's what I have chosen to think about. And as my new book title says, BEFORE I DIE, I'LL LIVE.

What would you do today if there was no tomorrow?

Peace, love and God's protection,

Your favourite writer girl,
Love.

Everything with God is a big deal

GOD HUMBLED ME!!!
God is the greatest. There's so much going on in the world right now that has got me really really thinking. Tonight, I can't help but think about how the lives of young school girls WITHIN the confines of their school (and the hundreds of people in that area who were also affected) ended due to the gas explosion. They were not walking on the road o!

Anyway, back to my own testimony. You know how God does something for you, you like it o, but you make it sound trivial; not a big deal. Listen, everything with God is a BIG DEAL!

I had a fever last week. It started on Wednesday afternoon and I was due to sing that same evening. I took my injections and was on stage 10 minutes later. I sang my heart out and was basically making the declarations in that song over my health (I overcame by Ada Ehi). God worked wonders, I was still able to express breastmilk for my son and I began to get better. By night, I was bent over as I sat and I noticed breastmilk had leaked all the way to the floor. It was a large quantity. I made a careless statement, "na wa o, when I'm not selling it. Abeg, all this leaking is disturbing me".

I woke up early the next morning to express as usual and I got a very little quantity. Strange! I continued by day's activities. By afternoon I got about 50ml. It is not even up to a quarter of what Raph takes. I pumped every hour and kept getting between 30-50ml. My mum and mum in love had to come over. I drank papa and kunu like my life depended on it.

By Saturday morning, it became obvious that I had to find an alternative. I was drained, weak and frustrated. By afternoon, still no bmilk so we bought a can of formula. Ha! I cried silent tears. Nothing wrong with formula but I couldn't just understand how I went from excess to nothing. My mum kept saying "You have tried your best." We gave him and after many attempts he eventually took it. I was VERY sad.

We went for choir rehearsals but my mind was unsettled so I left. I went to my room and played back everything in my mind and realized I was the cause of my own misfortune. So I prayed. I called God 'The giver and taker of breastmilk'. I asked him to have mercy and restore. Before my son woke, I tried to pump again. Ladies and gentlemen, it began to flow. That's how I jejely packed the formula away. Raph didn't have to take it a second time. Onise Iyanu did his wonders. God has completely restored us. Tonight as I expressed (all that quantity in less than an hour), I got a prompting to share this testimony.

I am reminded again never to take the blessings of God for granted. Also, words are powerful. I will never ever complain about excess milk in my life.

Also, don't forget, everything with God is BIG DEAL.

Peace, love and joy,

Your favourite writer girl,
Love.