Patterns of the Stereotype

I once saw them at a distant
I cringed as they performed their rituals
They made sounds that had a rhythm I couldn’t understand
And a melody that held no resonances with music I was familiar with
But all that was at the beginning of their rhythm
Cos at the tail end, I led the chorus of the song

I once saw them as a primitive people with strange idiosyncrasies
All caught up in doing things that had no bearing to what really matter
Till I sensed it
That moment when it all crystallized
My purpose, my essence and how I had been positioned to make known what is within me

All journeys like this one starts out with us having obvious differences,
It always starts out with us trying to mix like oil in cold water,
But with time and the pressures of living, our differences become less apparent

It was here I found my calling
It was here that that I began to engage my senses and began to blossom from within
And as I continued in purpose, outsiders found it harder to know where I start, and where they begin,
Cos in our harmony, we spoke with one voice

I had become familiar with their ways and what they stood for
I had began to appreciate the intelligence in their gatherings and the logic behind their chaos
I began to know that it is in their mist I can matter
I now see how I can become their anchor
How strangers would soon begin to refer me as the incumbent; the one that defines the pattern in their stereotype

Avatar

Within your depth, I am led to an experience
An experience both strange and familiar to me
Strange in daily manifestation; familiar in it usual rituals
But filled with interactions that renew my soul

It is from this interaction that your words emerged within me taking a personality of its own in my sub-conscious,
A personality I am in constant conversation with even during your absence

It is this personality that stays with me, as I go about in daily chores
It is this personality that provide words to help me understand the times and how to navigate my way towards a preferred future, or rise about circumstances that stand against me
It is with these words I am able in hold on to the unseen with hope, believing that in life’s daily routines, I am enriched with the strength I need to actualize the tomorrow I crave

Our continual conversation has forged a union ordained by the Divine
A union that provides the conviction that you will always be there
Cos during physical encounters I become aware of one truth,
We are one spirit expressing one idea, in our different forms

Me

It is not uncommon for me to secretly lust after his achievements
And be green with envy as he talks about his accomplishments
In our gatherings, he is the man about town
Controlling the atmosphere and pulling everyone to his presences
There is just something about him that I want to be

As my mind races about looking at what I am not
I sometimes overlook this simple truth;
there is something that is essentially me
And the world would be empty without

There would be one less aspiring poet
working to convey thoughts on everything in words
laced with wisdom of the simple,
I won’t be here to question ritual behind traditions
and review our presence in the time and space
There would be no me to rank everything in a mathematical order
and quantify every emotion
Or approach topics with a childlike nature that yearns for the logic behind everything there is
I would be trying to be someone else

The essence of who I am must have been coined up by the divine in His desire to fulfill a purpose And in this desire, he decided that I must come,
Experience life as this being,
Battle with personal weaknesses
And appreciate my mortality as a steward on a mission to fulfill that directive set before me
The content of all will be revealed at an appointed time
It is only in with this realization that who I am is someone unique,
can I achieve fulfillment and be satisfied in the work of my hand

My soul beamed when I realized this truth,
I no longer see the need to ascribe his winnings to luck
Or join as the crowd in mocking the source of his wealth
Nor do I develop methods to measure our individual achievements and grade them (on that selfish quest to test the fairness of life)
This revelation became clearer when I explored his source and discovered
he is a man who built his life on one simple principle:
“All that is beautiful lies in being me”

Random Thought

English is spoken using 26 alphabets to construct words
These words have meaning and are structured to convey ideas
We convey our ideas through conversation with one another
As it is with this method that we can truly connect who we are with one another

Our Ideas emerge from observing the world around us
And what we observe helps in forging an impression
Multiple impressions create a thought processes which gives everyone of us a perspective of what is and what should be

Individual thought processes are one-sided, because we are only able to focus on what we sense as important
And also because what sense, is within the boundaries of rationality and limited by what we observe and what we can conclude

What if all our conversations could be merged into one long dialogue,
Fused into one big book?
We would have a speech of everything there is to say
A document containing every idea that there ever has been,
As every idea will be unified to form one logical point
And it will be clear to see that misunderstandings in today’s world result from different perspective as human’s stray from the Divine order

Humanity’s last hope lies in that book
Because the essence of what it contains, would be all that is Human

Expressions of Care

I believe the foundation of a marriage rest on a life that you share
The strength of that life is holding to God,
He along gives us with the challenges we can bear

From these challenge emerge pleasures of one another,
perfected when both partners stay near
When they are willing to hear
And still remain sincere.

It is important to accept that your responsibilities are to shield one another from individual fears

And build homes that are sanctuaries, with each member being there
But all this happens when your home is love,

and love becomes possible with expressions of care

I speak for Nigeria

Acts 4:11- “This is the stone which was set at the nought of you builders which become the head of the corner”


I speak for Nigeria.
The Settlers around the Niger
Those whose essence hasn’t been captured by written literature
Yet their presences will produce the reality of the global economy we shall live in
Our history is one where the Hausa & Kanem-Bornu Empires reigned in the Northern Caliphate While the kingdoms of Benin/Yoruba dominated the Southern territories,
The Central regions lay claim to Bantu/Nok ancestries,
At a time when the Igbo were mystified with folklore originating from the ideals of Nri & Aguleri

I speak for the middle class Nigerian
Those that travel daily along 1-3rd Mainland, Apapa or the Lekki Express,
Or the people found in the road rage of Trans-Amadi
And those Kubwa residence, in that rat race that sends then daily to Asokoro
All in a struggle to protect that semblance of life and how they conceptualize it to be
Even as the environment stands against them and all they believe
I speak for those in that 4 hours daily commute
Whose every increase has to be fought for and protected against quacks and thieving ruler Leaders
who exchange their natural heritage for instant pleasures
And create wealth for themselves in foreign lands at the expense of the people who trust in their wisdom
I speak for a people whose survival depends on how much they understand of every discipline that affect their life
Having to apply that understanding under the sun that they know, in the management of mundane task
Who have to burn candle at both ends to please the ones they love,
make proud their parents and provide for their offspring
Or those forced to make that tireless search for quality in everything they require

Your time will soon appear
When it come, your people will marvel as it is unveiled who you really are
What you have developed in the chaos will be displayed by kings
And you will be made proud by the creation of your strength
Your strength lies in being who you were made to be
Being patient and caring not cunning and crafty
Being fair and loving not greedy and deceitful
And realizing that what you can become will be evident when you realize who you are

As this enlightenment sips into our national consciousness,
Reorientation emerges challenging all thinking lined with mediocrity
Before you know, the environment will embrace the new Nigeria
And the cursed amongst us will be relegated to the back
To enable those capable of being themselves allow
Nigeria become the Giant of Africa
Till we birth that vision,
I will proclaim what I am proud of:

Middle class Nigeria - the stone that was cast away by the builder, getting set to become the corner stone.