ARSENAL HAPPENS TO US ALL

 

I was thinking this morning.... The last  four weeks have been terrible for true Arsenal fans. Arsenal FC last won the Premier League in 2003/2004 season. There was so much expectation of them winning something this season, but like in recent years, they faltered in the last mile. First, they gave up the fight with Liverpool for the Premier League, and then their only chance of winning a trophy after 5 years, the Champions League, evaporated after losing to PSG home and away. Since then, the Gunners and Gooners have been the butts of jokes.

Memes and AI generated photos were shared widely on social media with the most striking being a video of a young man approaching a young lady and said, 'Since Arsenal hasn't won a trophy this season, every Arsenal fan will want a girl like you because you are a walking trophy.' Chai! O enter gan. Another that got me thinking was the AI generated image of Arsenal players atop an open roof double-decker bus in the streets of London with the inscription 'We Tried FC.'

Despite Arsenal holding the record for the highest number of FA Cup wins, having claimed the trophy 14 times, most recently in 2020, it didn't stop the trolls focusing on the one thing we've failed at, the Champions League. But then, aren't we all part of 'We Tried FC'? I doubt if there is anyone who has never tried and failed in one way or another. Arsenal happens to us all.

It's the way of the world. First they force you to focus on your failures rather than your success. Next, they will laugh at you for putting in your best and not succeeding. How has putting in your best and not succeeding become a sin? You've studied hard and attempted an exam multiple times and not succeeded, and haters call you 'We Tried FC.' Haba!

Sadly, not everyone can manage failure well, particularly when teased or laughed at. The 19-year-old female student from Ikorodu that committed suicide because she scored 146 in the last JAMB UTME exam, lower then her 190 score for last year, probably did so because she felt disappointed and was afraid of being seen as part of 'We Tried FC.' It was Winston Churchill who said, 'Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.' Isaac Newton, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison and many other great men all failed spectacularly before they succeeded. Proverbs 24:16 says, 'Though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again'. Arsenal happens to us all and it is not a curse.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey

WHO IS YOUR SAMARITAN?

 

I was thinking this morning.... a couple of weeks ago, we got the sad news of the death of an elder in church. He was about 70 years old. While his passing was shocking, the manner he died was heart-wrenching. He retired from active service not too long ago and started living alone not long after, having separated from his wife of so many years. The children are all grown up and living on their own.

On the fateful Monday morning, he collapsed while washing clothes. Because he lived alone, there was no one to help. For the next 4 days, he laid dead in his flat. No one who came to look for him got alarmed enough by his absence to break into his flat. By the weekend, the offensive smell and swarm of flies by his window had attracted the attention of his neighbours, who later broke in and discovered his decomposing corpse. 

In my shock, my mind wondered. How is it possible that for the 5 days he was dead in his flat, no one loved him enough to be alarmed by his being incommunicado to go look for him? Where were his children? What was his relationship with his neighbours? Should a 70 year old man even be living alone? There are so many unanswered questions.

Of all the questions, there was one that I couldn't shake off my mind for a long time. For 30 years or more, this man gave the best part of his life bringing up his children. How is it possible that for 5 days, none of the children called their father, who they know live alone, to the point of becoming alarmed when there was no response after 48 hrs? 

I still don't have all the answers and probably never would, but it is important for every man to plan for their retirement years after the kids are long gone. Be intentional about maintaining harmony with your spouse. Aside from death, it is a terrible loss to be separated from your spouse at old age when you both should provide each other succour. Building a strong relationship with your neighbours is another must. 

We all need a Samaritan in life (Luke 10:36), who will care enough to go out of his/her way to ensure you are okay. The Samaritan could be your spouse, child, neighbour, or brother in the Lord. Who is your Samaritan?

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey

THE TRAGEDY OF AKPAN'S TOOTHPICK

I was thinking this morning.... Last Tuesday, I joined a few friends and colleagues for dinner at a nice restaurant at Zone 4, Abuja. When we were done devouring the content laid before us, it was time to gist while picking our teeth. We were still on it when one of us told the story of Akpan and his boss, which made us laugh so hard.

Akpan was a house boy who loved picking his teeth after eating and drinking. You can argue that Akpan would pick his teeth after drinking water. His oga got angry one day, called him and said, "Akpan, how can this new pack of toothpick be almost empty?Why is it that you are always using so many toothpicks and throwing them in the bin? Don't ever do that again," he concluded.

For the next few weeks, the quantity of toothpicks in the pack did not drop, and Oga was happy Akpan got the message. Weeks later, madam observed Akpan pick his teeth and put the used toothpick back in the pack. "Akpan, what the heck are you doing?" She yelled. Akpan responded, "My oga say I dey finish the toothpick because I dey use the toothpick and throw am. Na im I say make I put am back after I use am, make e for no finish." Madam almost fainted.

Oga thought to save some money by ordering Akpan not to use toothpick. Now Akpan is using the toothpick and putting it back for Oga to use. Chai! It's a tragedy. How you treat those working for you could determine if you would experience the tragedy of Akpan's toothpick. We've read stories of unhappy domestic staff using oga and madam toothbrush to wash the toilet bowl and put it back for them to use to brush their teeth. It can be akin to the tragedy of Akpan's toothpick.

You employ people to work in your shop or office, and you treat them like slaves. They may not talk back at you, but they sabotage you in various ways. That also can be likened to the tragedy of Akpan's toothpick. Is your subordinate and employee getting under your skin? Discipline them but do so with love to avoid experiencing the tragedy of Akpan's toothpick. Colossians 4:1: "And masters, treat your servants considerately. Be fair with them. Don't forget for a minute that you, too, serve a Master — God in heaven.”

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey

 

Eating Your Life Away

I was thinking this morning.... It was the beginning of the long Easter weekend, and I arrived at the offstation location with the first flight of the day. I checked into the guesthouse and went straight for breakfast. Seeing the array of options on display, I fete myself with as much as I desired.

I usually would take my hot chocolate in the morning, snack mid day, and have a good scrumptious meal for dinner. That has been my routine for years except when I travel out of town like this occasion. However, this was different. For some strange reasons, I decided to eat 3 well-rounded meals. I ate like I was celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus. Even me, I tire for myself, as I ate and stuffed myself with starch like a teenager. To make matters worse, I was too busy on my computer to go for my daily exercise.

By the second night, I couldn't sleep soundly. I was constipated, and the next morning, I felt bloated and heavy like bread soaked in water. My whole system was making tu-tu-tu-tu like Hussey College ewa. It was then I understood again that my body was reminding me that I was eating myself to death. I immediately put my body under subjection by going on intermittent fast to detox the starchy poisons from my body while also exercising.

I have long learnt that our bodies are like children. You can not say you love your child so much and feed him or give him everything he asks for. There are some things your child asks for, and you say 'No. This is not good for you.' Don't eat your life away with junks. You can't love your 10 year old child so much, and you give him your car to drive on the highway. In the same vein, don’t drive your body beyond its limit. Moderation is the key.

While it is true that genetics have a part to play with how healthy you are at old age, there are a lot you can do now to remain healthy later in life. If you don't care for your body now, it would betray you at old age. One of the most heartbreaking thoughts about old age is your body not obeying you, and you having to depend on people to feed and walk.

Material things would mean nothing when your health fails. Eat right, exercise more, and stress less. The rate at which people slump and die has become alarming. Be intentional about what you eat and how you live. There is death in the pot (2nd Kings 4:40).

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey

THE BURDEN OF LONELINESS

 

I was thinking this morning...... A week ago, I put a call through to a friend I hadn't spoken to in days who had travelled to his village for vacation. He informed me he wasn't feeling okay and was going to visit the hospital. Knowing that he was alone because his family now resides abroad, I decided to call back after a couple of days. After confirming he saw the doctor and was okay, we exchanged pleasantries, and I dropped the call. A few minutes later, I received a message from him expressing his heartfelt appreciation for calling him that morning. It didn't seem like a normal 'thank you for calling' message, and it made me think about the burden of loneliness when one is retired and aged.

Every time I travelled abroad and drove or walked past a retirement home or nursing home for the elderly, I always wondered why we do not have old people's homes in Nigeria. I always felt the retirement home was a good idea because the aged would be well cared for and won't be lonely. How ignorant I was.

Loneliness, I have come to realise, is not the absence of people around you. Rather, it is the absence of connection between you and your loved ones. Loneliness is more emotional than physical. For many, at old age, the biggest challenge is not physical but emotional struggle that comes from loneliness. When you get old, how certain are you that a loved one will visit you?

What sort of relationships are you building with your children? When they all grow up and travel out of the country, would they look forward to visiting you back home with their kids? How often you take time out to be with your children will determine how often they would take time out to visit you when you are aged and alone.

Remember that neighbours, sunday-sunday church members, and domestic staff can't replace the warmth of family and friends (including classmates and colleagues) built over the years. Invest in building strong relationships now. Spend less time chasing money and material things, and give more time to making meaningful connections. Five real friends are better than 5,000 social media friends and followers who will never visit you. The most important connection you can make today is to stay connected to the Vine (John 15:5).

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Easter!

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey

CONTINUE WITH YOUR WORK O

 

I was thinking this morning.... Days ago, I stepped out to take a walk within the estate. Two streets away, I observed a teenage boy locked in conversation with a young girl in front of her house. As I got closer, I looked at the girl straight in her eyes and she immediately said with a shaky voice 'gu gu good morning sir,' like someone caught with her hand in the cookie jar. I immediately knew what was going on.

As I walked away, I remembered my days as a teenager in the late 80s. I was at the age where boys were boys and were testing their girls' toasting skills. In one of our evening girls scouting rendezvous, one of us approached a young lady and was delivering his lines with all diligence, while the rest of us stood aside. Suddenly, the girl sighted her dad walking towards them and ducked. The young man immediately took dressing, bent down, and pretended to be doing something meaningful. 

As the girl's father came close, he looked straight at the young man and said, in a very rich yoruba accent, "Dooh. Continue with your work oo. Continue with your work." Before the young man could respond to what he thought was an appreciation and encouragement from an ignorant man, the next statement shocked him. The girl's father concluded, "Continue with your work. Be chasing my daughter." Our guy froze while the rest of us laughed out loud.

That day, I learnt a lesson not to second guess people. Wait for them to land before you assume you know what they have in mind. Many times, we think we know what people want to say even before they say it. We might even believe we have the gift of mind reading. Meanwhile, na over sabi dey worry us. No wonder Warri man says, 'Na over sabi make husband call im wife mummy.'

As I became a father, I understood the folly of children and teenagers thinking they are playing an adult, not realising the adult can see right through their acts long before they even started. That they didn't say anything does not imply they are ignorant. After all, no be eye wey dem take chop eba dem take dey share meat. There are things you handle with wisdom. The bible in Proverbs 3:5-6 cautioned against being overconfident or presumptuous. Be wise.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey

THE NIGHT TRAFFIC TAUGHT ME A LESSON

 

I was thinking this morning.... Lagos, in South West Nigeria, is notorious for its traffic, but the traffic jam of last Wednesday was unprecedented. It had rained heavily that morning before I set out from Lekki to VI. Due to the anticipated flood and closure of Independence Bridge, I decided on what I thought was best, rely on Google Maps. Halfway into the trip, the heavens opened, and the rains poured again. Traffic had built up, and Google Maps diverted me towards Bar beach. I drove on partially flooded roads besides Section 1 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway still under construction.

After driving to where I thought was the end, I noticed the connection back to the main road had been fenced off, but Google Maps was not aware. As I made a U-turn back to where I started, I understood the proverb that says, "Pastor wey dey pray for mad person no dey close eye." I should have known that too few cars on that back road was a red flag. I eventually got to VI after 3 hours, and I thought my nightmare was over. I was so wrong.

Having completed by business at VI, I thought about by return trip. Before I set out back home at about 7 p.m., I decided to give Google Maps a second chance. Instead of turning left towards Eko Hotel, Google Maps directed me to turn right towards Bonny Camp, with the traffic indicating blue all the way to Lekki. I had not driven 100m when I ran into a traffic jam like I had never before experienced. Every junction was a mad house. The two-lane road had become four. Military personnel were driving in the opposite direction. In the end, we were all stuck and going nowhere. As I wondered how we got here, I recalled the proverb, "Do you know who I am? Do you know who I am?..Na so hold up take dey start."

After about 5 hours, I had covered a modest distance of 1km. I brought out my phone and checked on Google Maps one more time. The roads were still blue. It was then it dawned on me that Google Maps did not anticipate a zero movement traffic, so it interpreted it as the roads being free of traffic. Chai! Google Maps had put me in one chance twice in one day. This time, I was not too angry because "Person wey don faint before no be stranger to death."

Though the traffic was gruelling, I kept hoping it would clear up, and I would zoom all the way home. When it was past midnight, I estimated that if I continued in that path, I won't get home till 5 am. Accepting that I had made the wrong move, again, I decided to make a u-turn. I had literally lived the proverb, "E go beta, e go beta, na im make camel still dey carry load."

After making a u-turn again, against the direction of Google Maps, I made a left turn and was expecting a clear path. Alas, a reckless driver had left his lane and was driving against the oncoming vehicles. He drove to where I was with nowhere to go. Before I could scream at his madness, I saw a military man walk to him and commanded him to reverse back immediately. Without argument, he reversed. I realised the driver had learnt the lesson that, "You no need fork and knife to chop slap."

I eventually got home by 1.30 am, thanks to my decision to turn back. I later understood that those who continued on the path Google Maps recommended did not get out of the traffic till about 4.30 am. Despite the loads of lessons I learnt from that experience, I knew it was just a bad day for me. Like they say, "Cockroach wey jam fowl, jam bad luck."

Many have wondered why people still live in Lagos after such terrible experiences with traffic. I thought about it myself, and the only answer I could come up with is, "Pikin wey wan chop party rice, no dey fear dance." Psalms 34:19 comes to mind.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey