REFLECTIONS by BiliMaffy

REFLECTIONS: Don’t let them fool you…not another Bob Marley lyrics!

If you have ever bothered to check my Facebook profile, you would have known by now (assuming you didn’t before that is) that I am a MUSLIM, and proudly so too! Let me quickly give you a hint about the family background of people from southern Nigeria. It is such that, you’re either born into a Muslim family with some cousins, aunts, nephews, nieces, neighbours, friends or even parents, yes, even parents, both or either, practicing a different faith. So it’s no surprise neither is it strange to have someone like me fall into that class. Although, both my parents are of same faith, but my step-mom is not, a Ghanaian by nationality and neither are some of my cousins with whom I share a very close bond. Do not even get me started on school mates, neighbours, friends and people I have come to know from our line of business and have shared close relations with. I happen to have attended one of the Missionary established schools in Lagos state. Although not a direct one, but an extension

I was anxious to get my results, but uncertainty has killed that. I think I graded my scores before the results were released and now,I've given up on expecting a miracle...the deed has already been done. Holidays are here again,at least a long one this time around. I almost can't believe these kids have got up to four weeks to be home (or be away). The system needs to change, it's too strainous by default and I wonder if they want these learners to learn anything besides what goes on in the classroom,in life.I don't like the SA educational system,not in the least.And I will always compare it with what's operational back home. I see no reason why one,two,three or even a fifth grader needs to learn by being in school all through the year.Yes,you'read' me right,"All through the year".Holidays always fall between two consecutive months.It's just crazy and I wonder why parents aren't complaining.I hope we'll be able to make the best use o

It's been eight torturous months of my laptop not being my 'lap top'. It was about time and am grateful hubby offered to get it fixed for me.I almost forgot what it feels like using this laptop. Well exams're very much over and all result should,as announced be released by the 12th of this month, which is less than a week away. I need to be at the Unisa service centre to sort out my mixed-up finance.Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to get my results and that also means "no registration"... Oh!By the way, did I mention that am looking forward to this holiday even though I've got no plans?Well,it just so happens that we may not go on that road trip afterall.And as usual,I do not want to set up myself for disappointment...I guess we'd just have to wait and see then.Am sleepy,but needed to do this now as am sleepy... Sweet dreams!

Don’t you just get pissed when people fail to do their jobs? Well I do. I also get furious when people argue ignorantly. I’ve had to deal with such situations, almost concurrently. But am keeping my cool, I can’t afford to lose it! I wrote my first of five exams yesterday, and I must say it wasn’t one of my best . Poor preparations has been over my shoulders since the commencement of this semester. It’s been utterly impossible to ignore the distractions---they were in my face, when I breathe, when I sleep, wake, everytime, all the time. Now I’m not going to whine, but I must be blunt and objective, I need more than just flipping through the pages of the textbooks to make this examination through. I need proper studying, focus, comprehension and assimilation. Yesterday was a trial and it confirmed my anxiety as far as this examination’s concerned. Writing the exam in this manner isn’t my style, the circumstance has resulted to me browsing through to do assignments   and it has stre

It’s been a really long while and I thought I could beat the distractions and disruptions. Well, I hope I would this time around. I may just end up making this one of my many ‘drafts’ that never gets published---I hope not! A lot has happened since last I updated my blog, I don’t even know where to start. Alright, last month was my driver’s learner and I flunked it…don’t feel sorry for me; am no longer bothered about it. Yes, I was the day I wrote the exams, maybe I failed out of negligence and over-confidence. Anyway, it’s out of my way now, and I can move on to something else for now; like my studies for instance. Now that’s a serious subject that’d probably take more space in this blog than anything else I want to write about. Since I registered with the university of south Africa, this year’s been the most hectic, and I thought my first year was. But there’s a progression- my grades are higher now than they were during the first semester in my first year. So am grateful for

REFLECTIONS: A plea... : "They make me feel like am whining. I look around and when I see my fellow country people, seemingly comfortable and almost uncaring or un..."

They make me feel like am whining. I look around and when I see my fellow country people, seemingly comfortable and almost uncaring or undisturbed; I often wonder if am the only person whining about missing home so much. But apparently, am not alone in that   thought. I have been in conversations with a few ladies and they also seem to share my feelings. Infact, not just   fellow Nigerians, but a colleague here at the office and of different national. But what seem bother me is how much others in Diaspora have completely lost touch with their roots and seem to be compensated by the comfort of the West. I strongly believe home is home, no matter the comfort. One thing is certain though, the developing nations have lost some of the best of their brains to the developed nations. An incontestable fact as it were. Right here where I am and from my angle of knowledge, there are hundreds of professionals both in the health and the educational sector, who could have contributed to the bette

IT'S A MATTER OF CHOICE -A short story about positive attitude!Enjoy and be inspired! -------------------------- Jerry is the manager of a restaurant. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would always reply, "If I were any better, I'd be twins!" Many of the waiters at his restaurant quit their jobs when he changed jobs, so they could follow him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was always there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation. Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, "I don't get it! No one can be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?" Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, I have two choices today. I can choo

I knew it was going to be a hectic weekend. But I was determined to go through with my driving lessons come what may. I had got used to ,making excuses of doing chores(which never really ends anyway).And since hubby’s away on a trip, I figured this was the right time to commence, afterall, the person that’s offered to show me the ropes volunteered and I am not paying a dime (Learners’ Examination isn’t free for your information). Finally, amidst the office’s lack of activity, while resolving issues with disgruntled clients, I decided to go to the Traffic and Licensing Office on Tuesday-I broke the jinx. I had my eye test (I think I partially flunked that! Rolling my eyes now! Never mind). And my learners’ Examination is scheduled for 29 th of August. Yes, another date, but now I know better. I shall not repeat my mistake, God help me. And am somewhat looking forward to writing the exams. I believe am ready. All I need do before the date is revise, unlike before where everything seemed

Things happen that shapes us and give us a new outlook on life. My Uncle’s death was another lesson for me. For obvious reasons, haven’t been able to picture him as weak as he had been in the last few years his sickness started. He was so full of energy, a workaholic, whom to me, also suffered from insomnia. I believe he didn’t sleep adequately and I often wondered how someone could live an almost isolated lifestyle, reclusive, as my Uncle did. To me, I actually thought someone of his unusual nature would be a ‘hermit’, no family, no association with anything social gathering and all. But no, my Uncle got married, had children, worked (he was an Architect), he was a member of the Lagos Country Club, he attended the Mass at his Catholic Church and even went shopping for food items and his needs. I can recall his smile as I type now. One would be surprised he had a smile on his unusual serious-looking face; an expression that he had become associated with, more than a smile or a “laughte

I have been struggling with timing, I have so much so that, I sometimes wish I could add more to the twenty-four hours as it seems never to be enough. I have been constantly reminded why, I wouldn’t want the kind of job that would take me away from doing some other things I love, like writing for instance (in this case “Typing”; which I happen to enjoy as well). The major thing I know is stalling my Blog update is, the fact that, I have grown somewhat lazier in writing. These days, I often wonder if I can still write legibly (eyes rolling)! Hmm, maybe am being a little exaggerative there, of cause my handwriting’s still legible. I only have to remind myself that am writing something serious in order to write better than my self-devised wobbly handwriting. Now to serious matters. I lost an Uncle last Friday. No matter how old our loved ones grow, we still want them around for as long as possible. And it is in this spirit that I mourn the late Architect Remigius Adekoya-Ajayi. I had