Writing Hours

👄 Tales from the classroom; The virtues of going the other way and behavioural economics.  I was once in a policy maker departmental meeting at school when a notorious junior student in his third year came in picking on another student, shoving him and shouting in his face. I am not sure what the argument was about, but the fourth year student was suing for peace. The more he tried to pacify the other student, the more he attacked him. He was trying to emphasise that the other student was weak and that was why he wouldn’t fight him back. The president refused to call the aggressive student to order simply because the fourth year student seemed not to be popular. He was bigger and taller and was á prominent Christian Union member. Us freshmen were confused at the development.  👑👑👑 A different final year student stood up and told the aggressor that he was being rude for 1) attacking a senior student in front of his seniors and 2) for disrupting the departmental meeting ...

 This story comes from  the eighties, around the time, the junior WAEC gig was brought into our lives and we had to do it or not graduate secondary.. One afternoon, a Christian and religious question paper read,   📚“Are you he whom we’re waiting for or do we look for another?”  a)Who said this?  b)What was their reply? 📚 Á girl put her hand up and asked for an explanation because she didn’t understand the question and the teacher told her, there’s nothing wrong with the question, skip it if you don’t understand it.  I skipped it without thinking about it and that’s how someone else threw their confusion on someone else’s daughter. Years afterwards, I felt that it was my time to shine with that question but I blew it.  The quote was addressed to our Lord Jesus Christ by the followers of John the baptist in Matt 11: 3. John might have been questioning his faith after being thrown in prison. Thereby setting the stage for one of the most heinous cri...

  My son didn’t talk for the first four years of his life, he wouldn’t even do hand and foot painting that the other children enjoyed at nursery. Even I enjoyed it because sometimes, someone forgets a squiggly line of paint behind one ear or gets a little mixture of purple and blue paint caked onto an edge of their red jog pants. Evidence that they had an adventure despite their repeatedly telling you they did nothing at nursery for the day. My son thought palm and foot painting was too messy and not worth taking his leather Clark’s shoes off for. His teacher complained about it but I enjoyed watching the little dictators blossom into people via their likes and dislikes. I loved the literature and the record books. He loved the abacus and the computer though and loved using the software that typed for you as you spoke we had at home.  

  Mama Ọranụ ji obele oche nọdụ ala n'iru     ọkụ o ji esi nri ehihie. Mgbe ọ nụrụ ka a sụrụ oji n'ala iru ezi, otu onye so mmụọ ahụ turu Okwute aha, Ọ tụgharịrị, lee anya n'azụ hụ mmanwụ ahụ dị ka ọkpụkpụ agbara ọkụ ji nkata buru mmiri ahụ wee gbafue.

Training wheels.  I’m thinking about training wheels today and invite you to join me in thinking about them. These important items that helped us get through certain stages of our lives. Those cherished items we eventually outgrew. Entry level aids if you like. These are the items we’re thinking about today.  I used to work in a primary educational establishment and I can tell you that the tricycles are a popular choice at nursery class playground playtime. A young child will only agree to ride a bicycle if you agree to hold it up for them and not let go.    It was all about balance in those days.  That’s one training wheel.  Unto The King Eternal,  Unto The King Invincible - Don Moen.  I once declared a certain song as my favourite worship song but the year after, The Spirit laid it on my heart to give it away. That seems to be the beginning of my foray into worship music. I like so many and now watch out for new songs so we can sing brand new so...

  Tales.  👄 Maia’s Red roses.  Single parenthood is a situation that occurs when someone makes a decision to leave a relationship or the decision is made for them. Sometimes, it happens when someone dupes a hapless teen into having the sex they were    or weren’t prepared for. I grew up in a society where people have grown to realise that the person is a resource so when one family tosses a single, pregnant girl out for letting herself down, another family takes her in because the resource happens to be bringing another resource with her; Even better.  Of course, if it’s a man, he was just sowing his wild oats but the woman, how dare you. Why would you just go and let yourself and us down like this?  I witnessed one of these pregnant teenagers getting pimped out by her new family for change till she had to run away from there, impoverished also and leaving her children behind. We thought, what a barbaric practice! It should be abolished! But as you gr...

  👄  Tales from the pen. School’s problems.  The group of students who decide to continue the relationship after the confines of university.  “For fuck’s sake!”,    he muttered under his breath. The one person he didn’t want to see there.  “Can’t you just stay out of my life for one second!” “ J.D. don’t talk to my dad like that!” “ Your dad? Your dad!! That’s your dad?!” She nodded quietly. Pressing her lips together as she blinked.  The only thing in his hands was his mother’s father’s, his grandfather’s old army back pack so he threw that at him.  He caught it even though it weighed a ton. All three of them thought it was impressive but… you still have to storm out for expression’s sake.  “ Look son, I know our family life wasn’t perfect but sometimes, you have to show people what you’re feeling. When someone is about to leave and you don’t want them to, don’t let them. Speak, use your mouth and your hands. Look at your own son, he d...

  Jayling’s adventure.  When all was dark  And snores were free, Jayling, Jayling was naughty. Tiptoeing out of bed, He crept down the hall,  To switch on the tv And watch The tall,  Unlucky Jayling, How was he to know,  It wasn’t the day of his favourite show.  Morning came and mum made tea, but Jayling was nowhere to be seen!  Jayling, Jayling, why do you shake? What have you seen?  Is it something you heard?  I was bad last night, I watched tv. I opened the screen and saw it. The lochness monster’s deafening roar,  Jayling, Jayling, How fare thee?  I’d do well laddie,  If i had you for tea!  I saw a ghost too,  As white as a sheet,  “We’ll play hide and seek then I’ll haunt him!” I’m sorry dear mum and never again  Will I sneak off with the control when I should be in bed!”

  👄 Deo volente.  God willing. Like the word of God, this prayer comes double edged. The speaker is asking the will of God before a new hopeful activity in the near future, Deo volente. It’s also a claim on the goodness and mercy He promised will follow His children in their daily escapades.    We were taught at church that it’s not proper to make plans for time that isn’t yet yours so please practice adding this beautiful saying to your plans and watch your life change for the better. Deo volente, I hope to too. Meanwhile, I apologise for abandoning you for a while as for some reason, I was wondering if everything was coalescing. It’s a silly thought. The blog is meant to be a showcase for cute pieces of dialogue and endings from my cutting floor that were not quite to be. You have to find a use for them because you promise yourself you’ll return to them but you never do. They’re like bloopers and alternate endings from the movie industry. And I wish my readers to ...