Edima Usoro

Why on Earth will William do this to me? Today of all days, this time of all times, this road of all roads…

‘Hello William. Baba you no try, you no try! Dis ting you do me, I no fit do you baba!’. ‘Ifiok abeg no vex, you’re my man na, no vex. Just go easy, you go come reach’. I sighed as I hung up.

I might get home today by 10pm just because I couldn’t say no. Today is my off day and my friend William needed to pick up a parcel that was mistakenly sent to Nyanya Motor Park. He begged me to help him pick it and here I am one hour later still stuck in Nyanya traffic.

I’ve heard so much about Nyanya traffic but I never believed such traffic exists in Abuja. Another reason I accepted was because since Nyanya Motor Park re-opened after the Boko Haram bombing in 2014 that claimed about 88 lives, I haven’t been there. Now, my good deed is costing me time and fuel including sleep.

Half an hour after driving bumper to bumper, I sighted a beautiful lady from a distance. She was having a hard time getting a taxi. ‘Hello, where are you going? Come in’. ‘Thank you sir, thank you. I have been standing there for 15 minutes and can’t find a vehicle to Wuse 2’. ‘Eya, sorry’. ‘No sir, I thank you again’.

Wow! What a beauty! This lady is beautiful! I bet this one eats only Indomie and egg. It definitely can’t be Akpu. ‘So, what’s your name? Mine is Ifiok’. ‘Mine is Victory’. ‘That’s a nice name. So, what do you do Victory?’. ‘I’m into business. I sell jewelries and cosmetics so I went to Nyanya market to buy some things’. ‘That’s good, very good’…

I’m lying on my bed unable to sleep only wondering why women are very wicked! 11pm and I still can’t sleep and I need to be at work in the morning. I mean how can I sleep? Tell me how!!!

Victory indeed was victorious. I bet this is what she does to men. After taking her to Wuse 2 when my route was Apo, giving her N20,000 to support her business, she said: ‘Ifiok, I’m engaged’, and alighted from my car just like that! Sitting in my car all the way from Nyanya and collecting my money, she didn’t know she was engaged abi! God will judge her. He will judge. In fact, that money will not amount to anything!

• Wuse 2, Nyanya and Apo are places in Abuja
• Akpu is a local food made with cassava.

Image Credit: Raageceelle.com

Have you ever seen lightning in a rainbow? Me neither, but I’ve often imagined it. A white flash in the midst of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. That would certainly be a sight. Then again, I cast my mind to ‘Opal’, the birthstone of October.

It was believed centuries ago that Opal brought light energy to the body; soothing, clearing and boosting the will to live. When I think of it, I think rejuvenation, illumination and hope.

Light up October however you choose to. Let the days sparkle and the weeks glow. Let light pierce through darkness leaving a gaping hole, large enough to accommodate others.

Believe in the seemingly impossible and walk on thin sheet of water…then again, you are not Jesus, you are you and in you, cast fear aside.

Don’t light a lamp and put it under a basket. Light it up and let the world see you.

References

New Living Translation

Crystal Vaults

Image Credit: The Spruce Crafts

I haven’t been this excited since the last time I was excited. Lately, I have been feeling unappreciated, underrated and underestimated. I have been let down, sad and emotionally drained; then, my phone rang.

‘Dear Henrietta, you have been selected to give a talk on public speaking in Lagos’. Wow! Me of all people! Me that people looked down on! Me that someone said I will not amount to anything… called to Lagos!

It is not as if I have never been to Lagos, it is that feeling of importance; being recognized as someone who can impact lives.

The week to the trip, I could barely sleep. Days to the trip, you can imagine how I was.

I made my way to the airport and went through all the process; even smiling at the ever hostile airport workers because I cared not for them that day.

The flight was scheduled for 2:30pm. 1:45pm, still excited. 1:50pm, couldn’t keep calm so I started pacing. 2:00pm, expecting a boarding call. 2:15pm…nothing. 2:20pm…NOTHING. 2:30pm…NOTHING!!! 3:00pm, a lady announces the cancellation of the flight. My heart fell to my toes; I took a seat, unable to speak.

As I made my way home that day, I reflected on all the events. Yes, I was disappointed but, I was still happy that someone remembered me and found me worthy to address people.

We may have setbacks on the road to success, we may not even see the road or unsure, which path to take. There could be delays and tough times but it never stays the night.

The length of night is relative and may not be counted in minutes nor days; it could be months or years BUT, it will pass.

THE SUN MUST SHINE

Image Credit: HD Wallpapers

We all have those moments when nothing seems to work. Everything you do ends up in failure. Nothing right you do, agrees to stay right.

At that point, it looks like you are surrounded by everything negative: people, bosses, friends, family, husband, wife, children. At that point, it looks like they don’t support you; they don’t care or are too occupied to reach out.

Even the universe seems to turn its back on you. You almost got hit by a car, you had a miscarriage, a still birth, lost a loved one, lost your job, house; nothing seems to work.

You begin to question yourself and wonder what you did wrong. ‘Is there something I could have done better?’, nothing seems to work. You are at a low place, the light at the end of the tunnel has gone out…STOP.

When nothing seems to work, you work. You are alive with hope and that is what has been keeping you; failure after failure, loss after loss, betrayal after betrayal. Hope, that things will get better. Hope, that next time you apply for a job, you will be employed. Hope, that the sun will shine again no matter how long and heavy the rain falls. Hope, that you will grope your way to the end of the tunnel and turn on the light.

When nothing seems to work, you work!!!

Keep Faith Alive.

Image Credit: Hemophilia News Today

I grew up to hear that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Our dear motivational speakers will stop at nothing to make us see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Preacher man tells me we live in perilous times, but as Christians, we must forge ahead for there is light at the end of the tunnel.

My teacher told me nothing good comes easy which was why we were tested and examined with the hope of passing; which is light at the end of the tunnel.

We find ourselves working jobs we don’t like and earnings we don’t deserve because we hope for the light at the end of the tunnel.

But what if, just what if, there is no light at the end of the tunnel? What if, just what if, it went out before we got to the end of the tunnel?

Will the world end? Will we sink into depression? Will we lose all the hope we had?

My father always said, “Be prepared”, an echo of the Girls Guide Motto.

So, if I get to the end of the tunnel and there is no light, I won’t panic. My backpack is loaded: A flashlight, a pack of batteries, a screw driver, a bulb and maybe a snack; ready to replace the light at the end of the tunnel or illuminate the tunnel with my flashlight.

Whatever the case may be, I won’t be caught unawares.

 

Image Credit: The Delta Statement

Be nice to yourself. Spoil yourself; pamper yourself and treat yourself to all the good things of life you can afford.

It is not a crime if you buy yourself a nice dress, the wig you’ve been eyeing on that Instagram page or the shoe you saw in Wuse Market.

You won’t get fat this one day you decide to lick ice cream, eat pizza or pounded yam and Egusi soup.

Some of us spend and dedicate our lives to the service of others that we forget or feel we can’t afford to do these things for ourselves.

We sacrifice to keep others happy while we exist for the greater good. Well done if this is what you’re about. But, remember to do you, be you, say you, act you, think you and love you.

Remember yourself.

 

• Wuse: A Market in Abuja, Nigeria.
• Egusi: An African food.

 

Image Credit: On Prayer

Every day, we are faced with a constant battle of choice. We spend each passing minute making a choice about something. What to eat, what to wear, which lipstick to apply, which tie goes with the shirt; to keep a beard or not to keep it, to go to work or call in sick, to resign from the job or keep searching for better opportunities. The list is endless.

Every day, we are faced with a constant battle of choice.  To be happy or not to be happy. To smile or frown, to express anger or bottle it in. To throw caution to the wind and fight it out or to be the bigger man and walk away.

A choice to choose is a choice not to choose but in all the choices chosen or not chosen, happiness is the desire. We all desire happiness so we try to do everything in our capacity to be happy; we either end up happy or unhappy. How then can we fix it?

It’s not that easy to fix but we can try. Keep working however best you know how to, in order to be happy. Do things that please you. Make out time for things or people that make you happy so in the end, you can be proud to say you’ve truly lived.

 

Image Credit: Walk in my Shoes