Octave

Life as an almajiri in Kano was very tough. I could still remember how we went about in tens begging for alms and food. It’s really not a life anyone should live. I lived it years ago and could still tell exactly how it hurts; the memory of it and the hellish experiences we had  to bear. Almajiri life isn’t a life. It’s like being dead alive. I lived that life. I was ten when I decided to remove the cloak of destitution and face life squarely. It still remains the turning point in my life and the wisest decision I’d ever taken. I could still remember vividly what led me to take such a decision one afternoon. It was at Sabon Titi Kano. We were nine in number. We had trekked all the way from Bida Road. Ali, my best friend was saying something about how very unfair it was that girls were not allowed to  wander about begging as boys did. He said something about girls being lucky and fortunate because they were not subjected to the demeaning life that we lived. “But you don’t have ...

nigerianthem is there to let you know....

" Charity  is an act of kindness where a person who has more than enough of what he or she needs contributes a part of his or her surplus income for the fulfilment of the needs of those who are less capable."  - Kirti Daga It is against the "surplus income" described by Kirti Daga , that Step Up Foundation took to the streets on Valentines day; Feb 14, 2019 to donate foods, clothings and other relief materials to destitutes, Orphans, Motherless and less privileged in four States (Osun, Kwara, Lagos and Rivers) across Nigeria. Mostly constituted by students and fresh graduates, Step Up Foundations is a non Governmental Organization  with the sole aim of empowering women, supporting the less privilege and promoting youth participation in Nation building with basic educational tools (SDG 4 – Quality Education) . This year edition tagged Project-VAL (Voluntary Alms for the Less Privileged) was made successful by  members donating money, gently used clothes, mosquit...

#evridayTori 3 I have been in a team of players or sometimes working as an umpire in tough, soft, hard, light and sometimes deadly matches; but I loved it most when recently I had the opportunity to sit back, relax and watch from the seat of a VIP spectator. Players in the team have been well united for over a decade now. It is a large squad; so I may not be able to mention the number of players in the team. I wasn't prepared to play a super sub; so I won't have to get either my shirt or kits, or sit among the reserve players this time. It is a time to relax for me though, but you will soon get to know that I wrote this piece because of some rich lessons inferred from the unpredictable incidents that happened within that short period. Let me first of all briefly talk about the qualities of the team. From my observation, I realized each player  possess the ability to adapt at different positions without taking instructions from a particular coach - meaning, it is a team wit...

#everidayTori Mr. Babs kicked our ass out of the house; making it mandatory for us to attend the first Sunday service of the new year-2019. It looks like an orthodox practice to me; remembering those days when my Dad will drive us (his children) out of the house; even if soap is still married to your face(that one no konsain him). Sunday school class conducted before the main church service is a must for siblings and nibblings under his watch back then. So, I decided to attend his(Mr. Babs) church as my Cesar Paciotti shoe👞 will accommodate my tuxedo suit. My love for short sleeve shirts👔 still remains undying like that of aboki for Goro. Because I am still to attend another friends' church later in the day, I had to ask him; "What time will the service end?" Before 10:00am he retorted assuredly. With the speed of light, I  pressed my rumpled attire with iron but then, save for the preference of warm water to bathe, I wouldn't have spent up to 20 minutes between t...

everidayTori Kettle calling pot black. Since I won't be going out with my car, I decided  to board a taxi instead of taking a bike that will add more mucus to my catarrh; but it wasn't easy trekking about 5 minutes to the main express...5 minutes is not too much though; but the exposure of my second layer head-skin to this hot sun is like daring the temperature of hell fire. The guy that got my hair cut less that 12 hours ago didn't apply 'eye of mercy' at all; he must be a brother to an "ex" (tongue out😜). Trying to avoid being given an embarrassing look by korope drivers as the denomination I had on me was #1,000 note, I had to force myself to buy #100 airtime from a wholesale shop very close to the express. Then, I saw this woman that used to add 10naira to cardi onihundred naira (she sells #110 for us in the street)  spiral-walked to the desk of the attendant...chai!🙉 Her secret don land my hand today; she will hear her surname when next she ask...

It was Yuletide season in 2001, plans were being made for Christmas as it has always been and that would not have been. Go exceptional for the then number one lawyer of Nigeria. But little did he know that the cold hand of man-made death was lurking around to deprive him of the year’s Christmas celebration and every subsequent one. Nigeria This Week In History takes a look at the circumstances that led to the murder of Chief Bola Ige and the mystery that surrounds the unresolved case. On 23 December, 2001, the 71-year-old then Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the federation, Chief James Ajibola Ige, was with his son and some other members of his family in his house in Ibadun, Oyo state, when some assailants invaded the house, walked the family members of the legal luminary to a room where they were locked in and shot dead the septuagenarian. The whole nation was thrown into shock as the news broke. Many questions were asked; some rhetorical, some demanded answer. Unfortu...