Thursday 27 November 2014

'OSHIOMOLE POLICE' IS NOT YOUR FRIEND

Day: Monday November 24, 2014

Time: 1:30pm

Location: Iyaro junction, Benin City

The sun rays spat at my skin through the windscreen. The passengers of the bus beside my car were most likely dozing off because of my music. Someone once said my kind of songs are burial songs, slow, melancholic and sleep inducing. I didn't care what they'll be dreaming about, I sang along to Young and Beautiful by Lana Dey Rey as my eyes hid safely behind my dark stunning shades. 

I looked from the side window trying to get a glimpse of the traffic light. The wait was seemingly becoming unending. Horns blared and cars began to move. Thankfully, I changed gear from park to drive.

The cars in front were moving like snails. The traffic light was counting down to red quickly. I pressed the horn button hard at the bus in my front. Several things I needed to do on time lest I get home at night.

Finally I was at the junction where the traffic light was positioned. I looked up, the count was on 1 and still green. Safe to drive past quickly. I sped on, crossed the road on time. I saw two uniform traffic officers, popularly referred to as Oshiomole police motioning for me to slow down. What could have gone wrong? I looked into the rear mirror. Nothing odd was happening behind me.

Why was I being asked to slowdown? It clicked! The 'touts' were going to tell me I beat the light. I locked my doors and rolled up my windscreen. I had already slowed down, thinking maybe I had hit something or my tire was flat.

I sped past them but a car came from no where. I rammed into his bumper. Damn it! My escape just got foiled. If not for that car I wouldn't have come out. Little did I know the private car was theirs, 'cus at the end of the day no one said anything about me fixing the bumper.

I came down to apologize to the vehicle owner. He was on plain clothes and seemed really concerned about his bumper.
That's when the guys came over, accusing me of running a red light. What red light?! I maintained my stand that I did no such thing the several minutes we were at it.

I parked by the road side and they kept on talking, asking I settled them before I settled the driver whose bumper I ran into. I held my ground. When they realized I wasn't going to bulge they entered my car and said we should go to their station. I remembered a colleague once said it's never a good thing to go to their station. 

But something in me just got ticked off. I mean, I wasn't wrong. If I was maybe I would have mellowed and begged them, probably settled them. But this was damn wrong and plain injustice. I told them we should go to their station. Enroute the station they asked how much I had on me to settle them, I said I had just a thousand naira. They said that wouldn't go anywhere that I should have say ten thousand and then some more to fix the guy's bumper. (The guy was left behind). 

I looked at them, 'na me dis ones wan use chop mugu abi'? I told them we should go to the station, that I didn't have that amount of money to give them. I called my boss at the office. He was well connected and knew people. I narrated every thing to him. He said he would meet me at their office. 

If eyes could kill, they would have burnt to ashes. I called another contact in a top government office. He said when I get to the office I should call him and hand the phone over to their boss. What I knew for sure was they were not getting a dime from me and I was going to walk out of the station with my head held high. 

I didn't beg them or any of sorts. They said I was strong headed and shii. I told them we must get to their station since that's what they had in their mind to do. 

We got to the station and I was handed over to their boss. He asked what happened. I started narrating what happened, then they interrupted me. They said I beat the traffic light. Their boss declared I was guilty and my fine was twenty thousand naira. Just like that, I didn't get to finish my statement. Another nincompoop. I didn't waste any saliva explaining any further. If we were in a society where things actually work, a cctv would have been played to check if truly I beat the light but alas! We were in Nigeria need I not forget.

My boss called and said he was close by.

I chilled.

My contact at the government office called and spoke to the man. He mellowed after the call. Said to be very sure my contact was who he was, he should tell his direct boss to call him to release my car. I stood looking at him. 

I waited some minutes and my boss came. Now it was my turn to show power. See, my boss was my hero that day. Not only did he come, he came with a surprise. 

He came with a well armed Mopol seated at the front of the car. At first they didn't want to open the gate but by the time the Mopol with his gun alighted from the vehicle, the gates were flung opened.

My head began to swell, boy did it swell!

The car drove into the station. I greeted my boss and he said I should take him straight to the man. You should have seen the way the other officers looked at us. Like mehn, this meat wey we go catch today big pass us o.

The shitty man who was forming stone cold for me all of a sudden became friendly. I felt like spitting in his face. In a minute I was free to go and not a dime was collected. 
My contact from the government office called same minute and mehn, you should have seen the new look on the man's face. 

That's how I was allowed to go and no mention was made of the guy whom I ran into his bumper. Obviously he was one of them whose role is to use his vehicle to block cars who try to escape them. One day he just mght get crushed to death.

Some day they'll deal with a trouble maker who would go all the way to make sure the riff-raff are severely dealt with. 

I drove out of the station as a don with my boss' car following. The Mopol totally legitimized our street credibility. Hehehe...before I form superstar I won't pretend I didn't say a prayer or two to God to get me out of the mess while I awaited the arrival of my boss. 

Then again, special thanks to my boss who actually left the office to come rescue me even when I was on leave and out of office. Shows how amazing a boss I have. Not many bosses would do that, I would know 'cus I have worked under others before in the same organization.

Not everyone has pleasant story to say about the infamous 'Oshiomole police' men and not a few have parted with their hard earned money even when they were innocent. So I'm thankful that wasn't my lot.

Moral of the story: if you don't have connection in Nigeria, 'O.Y.O' is your case.

Saturday 22 November 2014

BEAUTY FROM PAIN by SUPERCHICK

The lights go out all around me
One last candle to keep out the night
And then the darkness surrounds me
I know I'm alive but I feel like I've died
And all that's left is to accept that it's over
My dreams ran like sand through the fists that I made
I try to keep warm but I just grow colder
I feel like I'm slipping away

After all this has passed, I still will remain
After I've cried my last, there'll be beauty from pain
Though it won't be today, someday I'll hope again
And there'll be beauty from pain
You will bring beauty from my pain

My whole world is the pain inside me
The best I can do is just get through the day
When life before is only a memory
I'll wonder why God lets me walk through this place
And though I can't understand why this happened
I know that I will when I look back someday
And see how you've brought beauty from ashes
And made me as gold purified through these flames

After all this has passed, I still will remain
After I've cried my last, there'll be beauty from pain
Though it won't be today, someday I'll hope again
And there'll be beauty from pain
You will bring beauty from my pain

Here I am at the end of me (at the end of me)
Tryin' to hold to what I can't see (to what I can't see)
I forgot how to hope
This night's been so long
I cling to Your promise
There will be a dawn

After all this has passed, I still will remain
After I've cried my last, there'll be beauty from pain
Though it won't be today, someday I'll hope again
And there'll be beauty from pain
You will bring beauty from my pain

Sunday 9 November 2014

ARE WE REALLY LIVING?

Some months ago, Einstein and I were having a conversation about how we don't really wanna work, just live the life and be at peace.  

Then I said let the word even come to an end quickly so someone can rest from the crazy hustling of life. Einstein responded, saying 'for that one, na only you waka come'
*sigh...after seeing someone who shared same sentiments with me I was so happy, only for him to play me like that and leave me hanging. Guess I pushed my luck too far eh? Lol

Anyway, how do I feel/see life? I believe the original plan God had for us was to be born and just enjoy the peace and beautiful things life has to offer. The ideal life condition was the kinda life Adam and Eve lived in the garden of Eden before they fell. 

I was chatting with my colleague Bright, he said he was tired of the hustle and stress that comes with the job. If only he had the courage to resign and just live peacefully even if it's teaching he'd be doing and just be happy and fulfilled. 

The word 'courage' struck me. That's exactly what most of us lack and the fear of the unknown too. We are living a life we are not happy living. We have an idea of what we want for ourselves, but the lack of courage to launch out and truly be happy living as we so desire isn't there. Where we are now my not be rosy, but we say at least I have food, the blood sucking job can pay the bills, let me just suck it up and be contended.

Let me at this junction make it known that I don't have it all figured out or have the courage either to start living the life I desire. Or maybe I do, I am just not yet equipped with the resources I need. Anyway, truly life is short. We are supposed to just be at peace, appreciating the simple things of life but no, we all have eyes wey dey shook. 

Even when we have a billion dollars we would still long for more money. Instead of us to stay and just enjoy life after reaching a milestone, we lose the point and still continue hustling for more, never really enjoying life. 

That false sense of needing so much money to have security, you keep working your butt off even sacrificing your health and happiness trying to feel safe and made. But deep down all you feel is misery and incompleteness, dead dreams and emptiness. Money is good, but it isn't everything.

After suffering and working their asses out for years, people luckily get to retire, but then it amazes me how they don't rest. They keep hustling after retirement still looking for more money, maybe they didn't save while working or maybe I really wouldn't know why till I get to that stage in life myself.

I just wanna earn up to a certain amount, invest in bonds or treasury bills and keep rolling over while using the interest to maintain myself and family. No working and hustling that I'd miss out on life or sacrifice my peace of mind and sleep. A boy can dream right?

To avoid being idle maybe I'd start up a small farm or business, not necessarily to make all the money in the world but to keep me from being idle because we all know an idle hand must always be given work to do by the devil.

Or maybe be a hippie, travel the world in groupies and just live life...hahaha...I think I'd go with the more sane former plan.

But seriously, when do we really live? 'Cus life's cycle is fast turning into be born, go to school, graduate, get a job, marry and give birth to kids...work even more and then die.

Someone once tweeted this - "Blessed is he who is unambitious. He shall have joy like a flowing river. If you really want to be happy in this life, kill ambition...it's the only way." In a twisted way, there's actually lot of sense in it.

But I love to say blessed are those who live their dreams, and those whose talents are the source of their livelihood. I mean they are having fun making money. Just think about that! They are really blessed!. 

I just want a simple happy life...void of hustling and shii...just be at peace and avoid greed or the want to have all the millions in world and even after having it I won't have the sense to chill and enjoy life peacefully but yet I'd keep working and hustling to make more millions. Then drop dead one day and sadly that's when I'd realize life has passed me by.

Feel like I should just take 6 months or 1 year off, and just do all the things I have always wanted to do...maybe finally complete the four novels I have abandoned, see places I have interest in, read books I have piled, just live and experience life... Just one year for me, on my terms but that lingering fear of the unknown...*sigh. Life shouldn't be this difficult. I need clarity, I need fulfillment. I need to stop trying to figure my life out but just get courage and a lil faith and just do, go with it and live and be happy.

That moment of truth you realize this is not the life you envisaged for yourself and you have been blinded by the ideas society expects from you...but deep down you know you are on the wrong track and you forgot this is your life and you may have been pleasing society but truth is all this while you have been sad and miserable...the courage to follow our hearts and be happy because in truth this life is short and we get to live it just once, so I ask are you happy with yourself?

Death is just a breath away...breathe carefully

Well, what do I know? ...I am but just a kid