Winner o o o o

My uncle receiving the gift on my behalf

Yes o, you heard well. I won the Nigerian Idol's 'Grab The Mic' contest and I am super duper excited. It was an amateur singing competition. I didn't quite hit some notes properly, but I think for an amateur competition, I did good. Here's a link to my feature on Nigerianidol.com http://nigerianidol.com/newsdetail.php?NewsID=252 I have to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who voted, campaigned and supported, y'all rock. By the way, a friend thinks I should try out for XFactor UK. What do you guys think?

@LoveOmoraiyewa

Contd. London girl goes to Nigeria

I'm sorry that 'bath' took a little while. lol. Sorry , I've been busy with coursework and lectures jare. Ehen, so back to the gist. That's how I now had to enter one blue and white bus that was to take me to where the BRT buses were. I bought ticket, when I entered, hmmn,I was the only different one (my 'buttiness' does not know how to hide). Honestly, I stood out (literally). I was hanging by the door, I feared I had entered 'one chance' bus. That's how one woman now shouted from the back in Yoruba, that it's like I don't like my life, that I could fall out. She now turned to the driver and said why couldn't he tell me to enter inside properly. He replied saying, are my eyes paining me, that couldn't I see where other people were standing (yeah, I forgot to mention, the standing passengers were more than the sitting ones). Anyway, I sha moved in. One babe now began famzing with me. She said, 'you seem new to the environment', I replied with a smile. I was afraid to talk back before I will disappear (anything can happen in Lagos). She wasn't ready to take my silence as she continued to show me places, felt like it was a tour, only it was really unpleasant. I finally succumbed and began to talk with her. Later, I kindly asked her to tell me the bus stop to alight at. She had not finished replying when one oversabi woman began to yell. She was so angry, that the girl was telling me the wrong place. Then both of them started to argue, aww, I felt like a celeb. In the midst of this, someone else tapped me and said I should watch out for my Blackberry, it was about to fall from my pocket. *sigh*. God bless her. The driver overheard the argument and decided to show me mercy and told me where to get off.  
BRT PLACE
*Me very confused, too many queues*
Me: Hi.Please I'm going to NTA on the Island, which queue should I join
Young man: It's the same queue. One line is the standing queue, the other is the sitting queue. I advice you join the standing queue, so you can reach on time
Me: (in my mind) yepa. E don be today
The only semblance the bus had to London buses is the card reader inside the bus. Finish. It was so rickety. The driver was very rough, pressing the brake abruptly. Oh, did I mention I was on heels?, I nearly cried. I finished my business, trying to look for a cab (as I swore I was never getting into another bus), that's how I slipped. Not only did my jeans tear, I was bruised badly. Shame no gree me look sef. I got up quickly, face front picking up the remaining pieces of my pride. lol. I also had amazing moments though. I went to the mall and it was super cool, fooling around, asking for prices and buying nothing (typical nigerian), I saw 'The Meeting' at the cinema, too funny and I got to attend a christmas party. It turned out great at the end. The rest of the holidays I spent in Kaduna, working on my coursework, and spending time with my wonderful family. I look forward to the next holiday. I hope you also had a fab time? Thanks for reading. xoxo

@LoveOmoraiyewa

London girl goes to Nigeria

My people,
    how una dey? everything ok?. The other time, I told you guys that I had moved to London. What I didn't tell you was that I came for my Masters degree program. It has not been easy, the library has become my abode. This is the reason I've been unfaithful to this blog, hopefully, things will get easier.
On the 13th of December, 2012, (I still remember the date vividly because it cost me so much to change my ticket and it is still 'paining' me), I packed my luggage, and as early as 5:30am, I was headed for the Heathrow airport. I was too excited, I missed my family and friends so much, I just wanted to be home. I couldn't sleep or concentrate on any of the movies on the plane. The mother and daughter who sat next to me made matters worse. I had to keep getting up for them to go pee, plus the girl kept trying to make conversation and she was a heavily accented Yoruba speaker. I didn't understand most of the things she was saying. I kept checking how many hours we had left, I wanted to be out, felt like I was going to explode.
'Welcome to the Murtala Mohammed Airport'. I sat up in glee. The heat that came rushing as we stepped out, *sigh* I cannot describe. This is Nigeria, where there's no functioning air conditioner in an international airport. I was sweating profusely. Believe me, I am not exaggerating, I got my luggage after 2 hours, they were probably waiting for us to bribe them to let our bags come out.  The rest of the night was beautiful, met up with my people and had a huge dinner (after 2 months of hardcore diet, it was a big deal).

I was told that Lagos BRT buses are just like London buses, they both use oyster cards, et al and sadly I believed. Dressed up, wore my platforms, I was looking all 'fine girl' with all my jand freshness. hmmn, you don't want to know what happened . Lemme gaan baff, I shall continue the gist soon.

Dear Mother

Mum: Oya, go and drink your 'sugar water' and give your brother his own

Me: Mummy, why don't we take milo?

Mum: Because 'sugar water' is sweeter than milo

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boasting in school during break)

Me: What did you drink in the morning

Seun: Milo

Me: You're not enjoying o. 'sugar water' is sweeter than milo

Seun: Is a lie

Me: Is my mummy that told me. You're calling my mummy a liar. I won't play with you again

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hahaha. How gullible I was, but I was a child, I can be excused. Instead of my mother to just confess that they didn't have money to buy milo, she would pour hot water in our cups and put plenty sugar in it, and that was the ish then.lol

I don't think anyone can ever replace one's mum. The sacrifices are just innumerable, it just has to be by blood connection. We've had our ups and downs; not eaten 3 meals per day, slept in the car after being kicked out, slept in people's houses, sold her things etc. She was there for my dad and us. Our education never suffered in the midst of this, her and dad made sure of this. At some point, she had a kiosk where she sold drinks, then her and dad used to go from house to house, selling clothing materials and then still go for their lecturing jobs and money was still never enough, probably because we were in expensive schools, they never reduced the standard.

She's my mother, sister, role model, and counselor. She thinks I'm too strong willed, but then again, we have to remember who I look like....hehehe

My mum is now the founder of one of the most prestigious schools in Kaduna, Nigeria (http://redemptionschools.org/), she's a site engineer(I mean it), Events planner, Business woman (clothes, books, etc.- She can sell anything), Motivational Speaker, Pastor and has a passion for the singles and married.

We love her so so much and I miss her. I wish I could be in Nigeria now. She's gonna be 50 years old on the 13th of November.Happy birthday dear mother. Iya ni wura

Please drop your comments wishing her a happy birthday. Thanks guys

Here's another great piece by Anike Alli-Hakeem (this geh is jes too talented and intelligent) It's titled 'Hold my hand'....Enjoy. BTW, we are going to Las Vegas together.

You see, I’m a girl with too many hobbies. I love to do many things. I love to sleep, eat ice-cream and travel most of all. So, I woke up this morning and for 10 brief and hazy seconds, I was trying to ascertain what city I was in. The thing is, I live in Lagos and Abuja (don’t ask how I manage that alongside having a 9-5 job). I love both cities dearly. When I’m in one, I crave to be in the other, so I devised a plan which works for me.

When I’m in Lagos, I have to be physically at the office. On my way to work each day, I see a man selling plastic buckets in traffic just around Ojuelegba bridge. This man cannot be 25 years old. One can safely assume that he has a family he caters for. If selling plastics is all he does for a living, I really do not know how he can afford to eat two meals in a day. I had ice-cream for dinner yesterday. It was like a meal because I was full, yet, ice-cream is just dessert. Imagine that man. He must have his dreams, his hopes, his aspirations. Me, all I want is just to be able to travel and eat ice-cream and laugh and love and live. What can I possibly tell that man? *sigh*

So, this is what I will do…….. I WILL travel through the eyes of people like that man. When I see the smiles, I would appreciate it just as much as if I were walking around the arc de triomphe in France or planning a trip to Las Vegas with my friends or eating ice-cream for dinner.

I may not be able to make the whole nation smile, but I can start, a city at a time. I may not be able to make the whole city smile, but I can start, a person at a time. I may not be able to do it alone. I do not have to. I have 11 people holding hands with me and all individually saying; “all I want for Christmas, is to be a blessing”.

October 4th.............Why is it so important?

It's 4th October.................guess what it is today ? Please stop rolling your eyes, yeah, it's not a public holiday. It is the bestie's birthday today. God, I love that girl to bits. She can be mightily annoying and very rude(she still doesn't' get it...I'm older than her, 8 months is no joke).

How did we meet?

I think she wrote me a 'please be my friend' letter when we were kids, but she will not agree, anyway, that's what is in my head. Anyway, we became friends, cute friends I might add. We went to the same secondary school and university. I was the timid one, she was the outgoing  one. She actually bullied me in secondary school, can you imagine that? So one day I accidentally cut this girl's sandals and she said I must pay her, I really begged her o, she refused. She now went to bring some of her wack friends and they were threatening me, on our way home that day, I refused to talk to her and I started planning bad things for her and the day came, she came to my house, entered my room and I quietly went to lock the door, I pushed her on the bed, sat on her and started beating her, oh lawd, I can never forget that moment of victory.

This chic made me understand the power of influence, quiet, gentle me, suddenly became an extrovert to the surprise of everyone, and the reason was very conspicuous, 'Jennifer Adinga' happened.

We've had great moments, days of laughter, days of tears, days of craze *we can eat corn on the road, we just don't send* I can be myself around her, I don't have to pretend. She defends me and is always there for me. She's one in a million. I'd also like to add that it's best not to get involved when we are quarrelling, for your own good. We've grown together, from the time we started dancing to 'Barney' in front of the TV, to 'Busy body'- P square...lmao, and now we are bigz gehs fixing human hair.

I'm sorry honey that I'm not around as you turn 21, but it's not like you came for mine. Two can play that game....hehehe

xoxo

I'm so sorry for the long silence, here's why.....I present to you MY LONDON EXPERIENCE

This is going to be fun. OMG this pastry is just heavenly, I lav eet.

'Announcing the arrival of BA 82, Welcome to London'

Yikes, I'm in London

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sightseeing

At Poundland

Me: Please, how much is this (holding the biggest bottle of coca cola zero)

Attendant: One pound

Me (in my mind): This is freaking cheap. The smallest bottle in 9ja is 250h

At Primark

Omo!!! see cheap things. I'll definitely be visiting

At Argos

Me: (to the attendant) Please I want to buy a duvet

Attendant: (In britico voice) Ma'am you're gonna have to write down your order from the computer

shuo, as a confirmed 9ja babe, no dulling. The way I take do the thing, u go think say I don dey do am tey tey......hehehe

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Chineke, which kind food be this)....'errrm you know what, I'll just have chips, plain chips please, don't put anything'. As in the food here is just aaaarrgh and I've not found a Nigerian/African market. I found cereals though, on getting home I discovered that I forgot to buy cutleries, so I ate my Maltesers and slept.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now I'm in this induction class and I'm bored to death. I can only see 3 dark skinned people. One is VERY VERY dark, I think he is from Burkina Faso and he's trying to make conversation, if only he knows what's in my mind. I was convinced the other chic was Nigerian, until she came to say hi and told me she was from Uganda and the third guy? well, that one was on his own. Coffee time and I was sitting alone, trying to write this piece and this guy walked up to me, he had 'Pakistan' written boldly on his ID. Mehn, I fear o, he said to me ' why aren't you speaking to anyone' and I say 'It because I can't see anyone like me, you guys are everywhere'. He picked up my black pen, coloured a portion of his hand and said 'see, don't be a racist'.....lol, funny dude. I took note of his name 'Norman Taj', I'll probably still run into him again.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Do you know that the tap in London is either burning hot or freezing cold and its freaking difficult to find a bucket?....mshew

Do you know that you don't need to look left and right to cross the road, just push a button and all cars stop for you? pretty cool huh

Na for London, papa and child go dey share cigarette for road. I never see

Gotta go now, talk to you guys later....toodles

BTW, I finally found garri and groundnut, that's the picture you see