Mummy you must buy please

Have you ever looked at a young child hawking on the streets of Nigeria and wondered "Why exactly is he/she doing this?"

The first reason to hit our minds will most likely be "To make ends meet".

But you question the child's parents. And think "why can't the parents find other ways to provide food and basic needs? Rather than openly putting these children in harms way".

On Sunday last week, I was coming back home from church with my parents. It was a beautiful Sunday service, and we were all so excited to put what we learnt into works.

On the road, stood small boys definitely not more than 12 years hawking groundnuts. The bottled groundnuts looked quite tempting, and my mum decided she'd like to have one.

My dad unwinds the car windows and speaks to one of the boys "elo (how much is your groundnut)?" he asks the boy. The little boy immediately shoved the bottle into my dad's hands. My dad went ahead to inspect the groundnut, making sure we were getting a good product.

My dad gave the bottle to my mum, immediately, the young boy shoved another bottle into my dad's hands.

"400 naira Sir" The boy replies. Now, this is a bottle that will usually sell for less than N250. Of course my mum wasn't happy the boy tried to inflate the price, so she asked my dad to give him back his bottles of groundnuts.  "Please give him back his groundnuts" she said to my dad.

Now this is where the story begins. My dad tried to give the boy back his bottles of groundnuts, but the boy refused to collect them. He began to cry "Mummy, please, Daddy please, buy it now" "Mummy please, buy it".

Please note, we were in the car, in minor traffic, with the car slowly moving throughout this transaction. The boy continued running beside the car, begging my parents to buy the groundnuts, crying and refusing to collect the bottles of groundnuts back.

It got me thinking; why would he be so scared of going home with unsold groundnuts? Could it be a market strategy? Or was he in for an earthquake going home with unsold goods.

You know, we see stories in books and movies, where parents, even mothers threaten to beat or starve their children if they don't come home with money from the sales of their goods.

But you begin to wonder, how a mother can be so terrible to a child younger than 12.

Are we about to have another war in Nigeria?

Chinua Achebe in his book, "there was a country" about the Biafran position just before the Nigeria -Biafra war: 

"as we fled home to Eastern Nigeria to escape all manner of atrocities that were being inflicted upon us and our families in different parts of Nigeria, we saw ourselves as victims. When we noticed that the federal government of Nigeria did not respond to our call to end the pogroms, we concluded that a government that failed to safe guard the lives of its citizens has no claim to their allegiance and must be ready to accept that the victims deserve the right to seek their safety in other ways --including secession"  

Please relate this to the present happenings in Nigeria. A government that has decided to fold their hands rather than ensure security. 

>200 school girls abducted from school, over 40days ago, yet no rescue. All we have are girls escaping. 

About 50 school boys shot in a school compound while learning 

Bomblast in academic compounds 

Bomblast in bus parks 

Bombblast in market areas 

Bomblast in residential areas. 

Yet, our government is silent? Do we have to take justice into our own hands? 

Are we about to have another war in Nigeria? 

- Deborah Motilewa

Workers Attitude In Nigeria

Yes! Yes! Yes! I am about to rant. I am tired of workers' attitude in Nigeria; especially service providers. Whatever happened to taking your job seriously? Making your customers happy and satisfied? Attending to you customer/client's needs?

So yesterday, I went to The NYSC office to submit my acceptance letter... I approached one of the workers, with smiles I went, you know trying to form the whole cute girl thing...
Me: Hi, good afternoon sir *smiles* I came to submit my acceptance letter... Who do I give it to?
The man reluctantly turns to face me and sluggishly answers
Man: where did you get posted to?
Me: *still smiling* JW. Hippo, Asokoro sir
Man: okay... Go to room 5 and ask for Mrs xxxx
Me: *still smiling* Thank you
At this point, I should explain that i had this conversation with an accent. I found out in camp that having a British or an American accent gets you attention and takes you places your normal Nigerian accent may not take you... So hell yeah! I practised the accent I picked from my five years of living abroad :/
Anyway, so I went to room 5 to find Mrs xxx... However, the office was empty...
So I went back to mr Sluggish... Still with an accent and a smile
Me: There is no one in room 5 sir...
Man: Come back tomorrow.
Me: *eyes wide open* er... Tomorrow is Saturday
Man: *asks colleague* who collects letter for Asokoro?
Colleague: ehn Mrs xxx
Man: come back on Monday then..
Me: Sir, isn't there anyone else I can see?
Man: Cant you see I have a headache *still speaking in a small monotone voice oo*
How I am supposed to see he has a headache I don't understand ooo, not like he was putting his hand on his head and wailing like in all those panadol adverts o
Man: Please I don't have strength. I have a headache, there is nothing I can do for you.
Yes! He was somewhat more polite than some workers I've met in Nigeria.... But eiyysss! He has a headache so he cant attend to me? Like really???? What is he getting paid for? Why come to work if you know you wont perform your duties? Why not just call in sick?
I was really disappointed really.
I have heard of loads of experiences with lazy, non-chalant, rude workers... But heyyy! My smile and accent have worked real good for me.

How's the weekend going guys? I start work on Monday... I am actually looking forward to it... You know the first real step into adulthood... I pray and hope I gain fulfilment :)
Have a nice weekend babies *kiss kiss*

Throwback songs

LOL! If you ask me for the meaning of the title, i honestly will just fumble :D It just came to my head...

Hi everyone, how was your weekend? mine was chiiiillllleeed! no pictures tho :p But yeah it was really good, the only bad part was I couldn't study... :( But not to worry, i'm going to the library after church today :D I should be in church now, but I am blogging *sigh* I'm gonna be late:(
May the good God have mercy on me...
Anyway, enjoy these old school videos. We had it then... We really did! Talents have gone in Naij :( Now everyone has haters, and sing about haters alone... Yet they'll say they don't have imaginary friends... Nicurh! those haters are in your imagination.

I love the concept of the "walakolombo" song the best..

Have a beautiful week :*
p.s I'm going to do a photo challenge i.e I'll upload a pic everyday for the next twenty something days of the month :D Or atleast I'm going to try ..

Kisses :*
Debbie