NERO WRITES

Love is in the air. Everybody loooves love and so we are all, at least most of us (especially the lovers) are anxious for February 14 to just come already. I understand that this is a period particularly for lovers. But somehow, it's making me think of love in its very many aspects. After all someone once sang that love is a many splendored thing. Currently I am thinking of the love between parent and child, and how it affects all the other loves. Someone once defined being loved as being greatly valued by another person: and I totally agree. It's because I agree with this definition that I hiss whenever I hear people debating whether they prefer to be loved or they prefer to be respected. So we can say that one great characteristic of love is that you respect and treasure the object of your love. You do not love or greatly value someone and put them down. Love and reproach don't work together. The love a parent shows his or her child will go a long way n shaping t

Hmm.. Belated. Bhet why belated na? And why exactly are those quotation marks there? You may be wondering.. Suffry dey wonder o. Before you turn to wonderer. (Femi Kuti, you no say I be semi-fan). I will answer you soon.. But first, let me say a Happy New Year to you all. This my blog e don gather cobwebs, I know. But I am clearing the cobwebs as I write. Hope you missed me? Well, back to the subject of this post. As I believe we all know, last Saturday was Teachers Day. As it was a very busy weekend for me ,it was when I was finally free, at night, that I remembered and thought about the profession we were celebrating that day. This post is my tribute to this most noble of professions. I can picture somebody's mouth opening somewhere now. Teaching? Profession? Most noble ke? How can I mention Teacher and profession and most noble in the same sentence? Well, as a typical Nigerian, the one thing I will tell you right now is 'no be your fault'. Naturally we decide

On Sunday, at about 5pm, Patience and Onome arrived at the Conference hall for the 'Women of Excellence' programme. The cherishes were already singing in the hall but some women were outside the hall, chatting with friends, making phone calls, while more women trooped into the conference hall. Patience stopped to greet Mama Franca who like herself, worked as a cleaner in the Government Primary School in their area. Patience's daughter, Onome, left her mother after greeting Mama Franca and walked into the conference hall to join Njideka, her friend. 'Mama Onome, I hope you have paid your dues o'. Mama Franca asked as they talked. 'Which of them? Is it the one for Pastor's wife's birthday gift or contribution for Deacon Mary's mother's burial or for the wrapper we will sew to welcome the District Pastor's wife next month, or which other one abeg? The dues plenty Jare. The one I could pay is what I have paid'. Patience replied. '

I am lying down in my room. On my deathbed. Yes, I am waiting for the day I will be escorted out of this world to be with Christ. That day is getting nearer and nearer. I know it. It's been a long road to this point. A long and sometimes painful road. Battling with breastcancer hasn't been easy. At a point, it appeared I had won. But much later, cancer showed up again in the second breast (left breast) to remind me that it wasn't an easy enemy to just shake off like that. And then quickly spread to other parts of my body. Now I am nearing my end. It's obvious to anyone who can see me now. My doctor has informed me that I have less than two months to live. Of late, I have been having so many visitors. Almost everyday. My Pastor left not too long ago with his wife after chatting with me for a while: sometimes cracking jokes, then talking about my active days, how members of my unit (Ushering) miss my smile and hectoring ways. And then ultimately, they prayed for

Tolu grew up in a Christian home,and so she got exposed to the Bible early. She had learned about the creation, how our first parents sinned and it brought sin, how the world inherited the sin problem,and man's need of a Saviour. She knew about how Jesus came to repair the damage and how by believing in Him, we become God's kids and friends. She learnt about God's future plan for a new heaven and new earth populated by his kids. She knew about living a life pleasing to Father God. And so she had learnt to be a good kid. She was the kind of child parents pray for: obedient, respectful, studious, washed the plates when she should, without being told twice, etc. At the age of 9, she formally confessed her belief in Jesus Christ and what he had done for her on the cross. And she became born again. She had always been the model child even before she got born again, so being a good Christian wasn't difficult for her. If anything, she studied her Bible with increasing e

Dear diary, It's a brand new day and I feel good. Feeling good is one of the easiest things in the world for me, being what I am. Of course, once in a while, it's not so easy, thanks to the people who think I am Mr. Casanova. Flirt. Player. Manipulator, among other names. My brethren (fellow males) for the most part are jealous of this 'girl friend thief' (as I am most certain I am called behind my back). A few of the ladies are scared of 'this notorious player and heartbreaker'. Well, I have decided to ignore this ignoramuses. I can't allow people who don't know me at all, who do not understand me rob me of my zest for life. I am a happy man and that is not going to change. My happiness is perpetual. Why won't it be when I make people (especially the ladies) happy? Even the Bible says he that watereth shall be watered. And again, that we should give and it will be given to us. I give joy and so I never lack joy. No be my fault o, my grouchy br