SEASONS CHANGE - HOLD ON

 

I was thinking this morning… A few days ago, I decided to check on a few friends in Canada to find out how they were doing. My first call was to one in Ontario. After exchanging pleasantries, I asked what the weather was like, and I was told it was sunny, with temperatures around 17 degrees Celsius.

Minutes later, I called another in a different province and discovered they were still in the thick of winter, with temperatures at minus 13 degrees Celsius. Same country, different experiences.

A few moments after that, I reflected on how both locations entered the winter season around the same time. Yet months later, while one was already in spring and preparing for summer, the other was still enduring the harshness of winter. Life is in seasons. While almost everyone goes through different seasons, how long those seasons last varies from person to person.

However, one thing I have come to realize is this: when I eventually step into my summer, the sun shines so brightly that some people assume I have been basking in it all my life. The rush of favour becomes so evident that they have no idea how long I endured the winter.

It is not how long one stays in winter that determines how bright the sun will shine in summer. Some experience a much brighter sunshine than others. No wonder the pidgin proverb says, “Palmwine nor smell reach faeces, but naim fly dey rush pass.”

Easter reminds us that after winter comes spring and summer. After Good Friday comes Resurrection Sunday. As Psalm 30:5 says: “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”

So if you are in your winter right now, don’t give up. Don’t lose your faith. Don’t judge your life by the present season. Winter is not your destination—it is only a phase. Hold on. Your spring is forming. Your summer is certain. And when your morning finally breaks, the same people who saw your struggle will stand in awe of your shine.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Easter!

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

BECOMING AN FBI

 

I was thinking this morning… I grew up fully committed to being an FBI — a Full-Blooded Itsekiri. I carried the identity with pride. If you asked me where I was from, I would answer boldly. If anything touched my roots, I would defend it with passion.

But here is the irony… I hardly dressed like an Itsekiri man. I wasn’t fluent in speaking the Itsekiri language. The culture I claimed so strongly, I barely lived out.

Yet in recent months, something has been shifting inside me. I now find myself drawn to wearing the Itsekiri attire — not out of obligation, but out of genuine appreciation. The same outfit I once overlooked now feels like a badge of honour. And it made me pause and ask: Why did it take me this long?

As I reflected, an African proverb came to mind: “Cow wey dey in a hurry to go Europe go come back as corned beef.” In simple terms — when you rush away from your roots chasing what looks more attractive, you may lose your essence in the process.

Identity is deeper than declaration. It’s one thing to claim who you are; it’s another thing to live it. Culture is not just in the mouth — it is in your lifestyle, your expression, your daily choices. Many of us are proud of where we come from, but we have not taken time to experience it.

Today, wearing the Itsekiri attire feels different. It is no longer just clothing — it is connection. It is not just fashion — it is identity expressed. And maybe, just maybe, the journey was necessary… Because sometimes, you have to grow away a little — to truly appreciate where you come from.

Jeremiah 6:16 (NIV) says “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

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

Na Thief! Na Thief!

 

I was thinking this morning… Last week, I set out for an hour of early-morning brisk walking around my old Warri neighbourhood ahead of a busy day preparing for my dad’s funeral.

I breezed past Okere Road, Robert Road, Okandeji Street, Igbi Street and connected Ometan Street towards Bazunu Road. As I got to the junction between Ometan and Bazunu, I took a left turn into Lower Erejuwa Road and headed towards Upper Erejuwa. Just a few steps in, I saw people running across the road, shouting “Ole! Ole!” as they dashed into a narrow street. A woman taking her son to school, who had been walking away from the direction of the scene suddenly made an about-turn on hearing the shout of “ole,” and they both ran to join the growing crowd of onlookers and beaters.

“Warri!” exclaimed another woman walking beside me. “Instead of mama and pikin to go school, dem dey run go look thief,” she concluded. As I smiled and continued my walk past the scene, where the crowd had already descended on a young man, I remembered a near-miss incident from years ago.

An ijesha/Ijebu lady spotted an old friend at a popular market in Warri after many years apart. In excitement, she began shouting and pointing, “Nateef! Nateef!” calling out to her friend Lateef. But everyone around thought they heard “Na thief! Na thief!” In seconds, the atmosphere changed. People grabbed planks and rods and began running toward poor Lateef. When the woman realised what was happening, she screamed at the top of her voice: “No be thief o! Na Nateef!” Thankfully, the misunderstanding was quickly clarified before the situation escalated.

The story, though humorous in hindsight, is also a sobering reminder of how easily people can become victims of mistaken identity or wrong labelling. Lateef could easily have been beaten to death simply because someone heard Nateef as “Na thief” in a volatile neighbourhood. And that is not just a Warri street reality; it is also a life lesson.

In life, many people carry labels that were placed on them by rumours, assumptions, misunderstandings, or the loud voices of the crowd. But the truth about a person is not always found in the noise of public opinion. The Warri street reminds us that not every shout of “thief” reveals a thief, and not every label tells the truth.

James 1:19 (NIV) "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry." Because sometimes, the difference between “Nateef” and “Na thief” is simply the patience to listen carefully before we react.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

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

THE GIFT OF MEN

 

I was thinking this morning… Life has a way of reminding you that one of the greatest gifts God gives a person is not money, not position, not even opportunities… but people. Truly, the gift of men.

In the days leading to my dad’s funeral and throughout the ceremonies, I saw this gift displayed in ways that humbled me deeply. Friends travelled from far and near. Some called constantly to check in. Some quietly sent support. Others stood beside me from morning till night making sure every detail went well.

Some people showed up with their strength 💪, some with their time ⏰, some with their prayers 🙏, and some with their resources 💝. But every single one came with love.

What touched me the most was that many of these people did not wait to be asked. They simply showed up. In the middle of grief, they became pillars.

It reminded me that no matter how strong a man thinks he is, God never designed us to walk life alone. At certain moments in life, God sends people to carry you when your own strength is small.

Looking back now, I realise that the funeral ceremony of my father was not just a moment of mourning. It was also a powerful reminder of the wealth of relationships God has blessed me with. And as we say for Warri, when the time reach, na people go stand for you. ❤️

To everyone who stood with me and my family in prayers, presence, encouragement and support, I saw the gift of men through you.

This morning, my heart is simply full of gratitude. 🙏

"Two are better than one… for if they fall, one will lift up his fellow." — Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 ✨

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

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

MY FATHER'S CARS

 

I was thinking this morning… ☀️ I was in junior secondary school when my dad got his first car. It was a cream Volkswagen Beetle. That was in 1981, six years after Volkswagen started production in Nigeria. Prior to that, he was content with his bicycle. 🚲

He loved his Volkswagen Beetle and cared for it like the other valuables he had. He washed and polished it so often that I began to think he might one day ‘starch’ the car. Years later, he sold the Volkswagen Beetle and bought a Mercedes-Benz 230, this time yellow in colour. He loved his Benz just as much. 🚗✨

My dad’s cars were not simply for mobility; they were also his status signature. I saw how owning the cars made him feel and how they changed his status. Like many of his friends’ children, we joined the class of people who rode to church in our father’s car. ⛪

My grandfather didn’t have a car, but my dad understood the proverb that says a man who drives his father’s car has no authority to sit in a council of men who own bicycles. As a result, he worked hard and made sacrifices so he could own a car and sit with his peers.

As I became an adult and graduated from the university, I never had the privilege of driving my dad’s car. I waited to get a job and make my own sacrifices so I could own my own car. I understood as well that driving my father’s car wouldn’t give me a seat in the council of men who own bicycles.

In 1997, I eventually got my first car, which my cheeky friends later tagged “Kevwe.” According to them, I would always call my mechanic, Kevwe, to be on standby whenever I planned to travel out of town with the vehicle. Can you imagine? 😄

My dad is no longer with us, but I will always remember him and what his cars meant to him. Most importantly, I will never forget the lesson that everything has its time and that one should not borrow to pose. Cutting your coat according to your cloth is one way to put it, but in the context of my dad’s cars, I would say that a man who drives his father’s car has no authority to sit in the council of men who own bicycles. As Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us: “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

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

STOP BLAMING FEBRUARY

 

I was thinking this morning… Phew! February finally ended yesterday and we have majestically marched into a new month. But wait o — what has February done to deserve such a bad reputation?

I once quoted the pidgin proverb that says, “na overconfidence make February no complete.” Only a few days ago, while celebrating a friend’s birthday, I even wrote in my prayer, “Despite say your birthday na for February wey no complete, may your pocket be full like December.”

Why all the negative vibes about February being “incomplete”? To make matters worse, my beloved dad chose February to “travel.” That alone could make anyone side-eye the month. But is February truly the villain we make it out to be?

History tells us that when Numa Pompilius, the second King of Rome, restructured the Roman calendar to align with the 12 lunar cycles, the new year had 355 days. Because Romans considered even numbers unlucky, most months were assigned odd numbers — alternating between 29 and 31 days. But to make the math work, one month had to take the “unlucky” even number: 28. February was chosen.

Why February and not March, May, or January? History doesn’t give us a dramatic reason. It was simply selected. No fault. No crime. Just chosen.

And that is where this reflection truly rests. There are many people like February — individuals who, through no fault of theirs, seem to carry the shorter end of the stick. The blame. The stigma. The hardship. The loss.

I once read a painful story of a struggling single mother of seven in Warri who, out of sheer desperation, abandoned one of her sons at Igbudu Market while pretending to fetch money for garri. The boy cried and wondered, “of the seven of us, why me?” There was no special reason. No unique offence. He was simply the one chosen in that desperate moment.

Life sometimes works that way. Some families carry burdens no one sees. Some employees take blame for systemic failures. Some children grow up under labels they never earned. Some months get mocked for being “incomplete.” But being shorter does not mean being lesser.

So to every “February” out there — those who feel unfairly singled out or were chosen without explanation — you are not defective. You are not unlucky. You are simply part of a bigger design you may not yet understand. Let’s stop using February as a bad example. Because sometimes, what we call incomplete is simply unique.

Psalm 139:14 (NIV) says “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Like everything in nature, nothing is a mistake.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy New Month!

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

LOOK OUT OF THE WINDOW

I was thinking this morning… I returned from a trip to Abuja late on Friday, completely scorched and dehydrated by the city’s harsh weather. Honestly, the heat is no joke—anyone who works outdoors there deserves serious respect. I got home eagerly looking forward to the comfort of my air-conditioning.

A few minutes after settling in, the power went out. You know how it is—NEPA took light. My inverter kicked in immediately, but the AC wasn’t connected to it. I wasn’t too bothered; power outages in my area rarely last more than an hour unless there’s a major fault.

One hour passed. Then two. Then three… and four.

Eventually, I resigned myself to a long, uncomfortable night. The fan wasn’t delivering the relief I had hoped for. As I lay there, it struck me that something felt off—I wasn’t hearing the familiar hum of generators from neighbouring houses. Curious, I looked out of the window. To my surprise, everywhere else had light. It turned out the problem wasn’t a general power outage at all—I had simply run out of electricity units. All that while, I had assumed everyone else was experiencing the same discomfort I was.

That moment taught me a powerful lesson: not everything happening to you is happening to everyone. Some challenges are personal, not general.

Yes, things can be hard—but that doesn’t automatically mean everyone is struggling in the same way you are. If I hadn’t looked out of the window, I would have continued blaming the wrong cause and stayed stuck in darkness and discomfort.

So, are you dealing with a disappointment, or you are in darkness? Look out of the window. Take steps to restore your light. And if you observe your neighbour is in darkness out of ignorance, help him to see the way to regain his light. Like a candle, you lose nothing by helping to light another candle.

Matthew 5:16 says "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Sometimes, clarity begins with simply looking out of the window.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

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

Killing A Killer

 

I was thinking this morning.... The rate of evil in the world is increasing. Stealing, scamming and ritual killing have assumed a frightening dimension. While some vices are carried out under the influence of illicit drugs, which by the way has become an epidemic, others na with their korokoro eyes.

When a killer kills again and again, do you kill the killer to reduce the number of killers in the world? When you kill a killer, the number of killers in the world remains the same. Pause and think about that statement. Killing a killer will protect his next victim, but it doesn't reduce the number of killers in the world.

When you show love to someone and that person repays you with hate or evil, do you stop loving? As the world celebrated St Valentine's day yesterday, I wondered why evil is increasing rather than love. Be reminded of the words of Matthew 5:44, "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Let love rule. Kill a killer with true love.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

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

STRENGTH IS KNOWING WHEN TO WALK AWAY

 

I was thinking this morning… We grew up in the Ogboru area of Warri at the time. Our neighbourhood had its fair share of jaguda and boma boys—ruffians who thrived on intimidation and violence.

As young boys, we mostly minded our business, but there were moments when these boys bullied and oppressed us. On one such occasion, my dad tried to intervene, and to my shock, these uncouth boys dared to insult him.

As a young boy, I expected my dad to respond with force—to smack them and defend his honour. Instead, he calmly pulled us into the house and warned us to stay away from the jagudas and focus on our studies. I felt disappointed then. It seemed to me that he had chosen weakness over strength by not giving violence for violence.

Many years later, after we had all graduated from the university, those same area bullies were mostly dropouts who had made little of their lives. Looking back, it became clear how easy it would have been for my dad to react in anger. But that reaction would likely have drawn more violence toward us—his prized jewels. He understood that it was better to remove us from danger and break the cycle of violence than to protect his pride or ego.

As I began to raise my own children, I often remembered that incident and taught them that not every violent situation in life deserves a violent response. I didn’t fully grasp the depth of that lesson until recently, when I came across a Senegalese proverb that says:

“The day a mosquito lands on your testicles is the day you will know there is a better way of resolving issues without using violence.”

My dad was a man of peace—one who walked away from trouble whenever he could. In the winter seasons of my life, I always remember the many lessons he taught me, keeping me warm till summer comes. I remember my dad again today in a happy way.

As the Scriptures say in Proverbs 10:7: “The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot.”

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

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

PERSON WEY DEY PURGE (PT 2)

 

I was thinking this morning… Sometime last year, I was craving bole and fish and decided to patronise one of the shops at the Elakahia bole and fish market in Port Harcourt. Being my first time there, I was spoiled for choice, as every shop had a salesperson trying to convince me to patronise them.

After selecting from the bole and fish on display, they placed them on the open-air charcoal grill while I waited. Thereafter, they cut the bole and fish into a large bowl, added palm oil pepper sauce, and sliced utazi leaves to enhance the flavour of the dish.

On getting home at about 4pm, I rolled up my sleeves and, layer by layer, levelled the bowl, washing it down with a chilled bottle of malt drink. I went to bed at about 9pm that night feeling heavy and bloated. By 1am, I was woken up by a grumbling stomach and a strong urge to use the toilet. Between 1am and 3am, I visited the toilet 13 times and almost passed out from dehydration. The purging no get part 2.

I never knew the five metres distance between my bed and the toilet seat was so long until that night. However, I was never tired of walking the distance, because person wey dey purge no dey tire to waka.

Some have suffered love purge, while others have experienced financial purge that made them walk distances they never imagined they could make.

Life has a way of pushing us beyond our comfort zones when pressure comes—whether from sickness, fear, love, finances, or uncertainty. In those moments, we discover strengths we never knew we had. Truly, when urgency shows up, excuses disappear. May we learn to channel that same energy we display during our “purge moments” into pursuing our dreams, solving our problems, and building better lives—before pressure forces our hands.

As the Bible reminds us: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13).

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

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

PERSON WEY DEY PURGE

 

I was thinking this morning… Sometimes, I really don’t understand how little attention we pay to our choice of words. A guy came to me some time ago asking for financial assistance. I understood his challenge and was willing to support him. When I asked how much he needed, his response deflated my spirit. He said, “Only ten thousand naira.”

Really? Only ten thousand naira? If ten thousand naira was only, why didn’t he have it? I wondered. Could our habit of qualifying a sum of money as “only” have come from the days of writing cheques, where we ended every amount in words with “only”? Na wa o!

As I reflected, I recalled the Nigerian proverb that says, “Person wey dey purge no dey select toilet.”

Ehn! Have you ever travelled on a road trip and had the misfortune of developing a running stomach? God help you. After shouting, “Driver, stop, stop!” you dash out of the vehicle to the nearest—and probably only—available toilet. On getting there, you discover it is dirty, maybe just a hole in the ground that you have never used in your life. Do you walk out and ask for another one? Never! You ignore the dirt and immediately squat to relieve yourself. You know why? Person wey dey purge no dey select toilet.

It was this picture I had in mind when my boss told me about a young lady who had done her NYSC with us some time back. After searching unsuccessfully for a job, she approached my boss for help. “Sir, I really need your help with a job o, even if it is a contract job.”

Like, seriously? “Even if?” Person wey dey purge dey select toilet? At this point, she was purging and should not be selective—or definitely not in any position to give conditions.

Sometimes, life puts you in a position where you have no choice but to accept what is available, not what is desirable. At such times, you have to be mindful of how you present your request, because using words like only and even if gives the impression that you still have options.

The oyibo man says a beggar has no choice, but I would rather say: person wey dey purge no dey select toilet. Proverbs 21:23 admonished us to watch our words.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

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

LIFE IS A DIFFERENTIATOR

I was thinking this morning… Late last year, I had reason to visit an old classmate, and I rode with another classmate for the trip. As we sat in his SUV catching up, my mind drifted back to our school days.

We were three close friends—hardworking, studious, and intentional. We attended lectures together, studied together, and usually sat in the top quartile of the class. We all had big dreams of excelling and making our mark in our chosen careers. Interestingly, we earned the same first degree and M.Sc., and our drive looked very similar.

But life had different scripts for each of us. Two started strong. One joined a multinational as a management trainee. Another began a promising career in a major bank. The third started more modestly as contract staff in an oil company. Then life began unveiling its package. Decades later, our outcomes are very different.

My friend who went into banking suffered a terrible motor accident a few years into his career. That single event changed his life forever—his career was cut short, his marriage didn’t survive it, and he never fully regained his physical fitness. My second friend rose quickly through the ranks, became a senior manager, but was forced to retire before age 50. He later went into business and is doing fairly well today. The third friend remained a contract staff for 10 years before securing a permanent role—where he still works today.

All three gave their best. All three worked hard. But life was the differentiator. And every time I speak with the friend who received the toughest blows, I do so with deep admiration. Life showed him pepper—and he made pepper soup from it. Despite the setbacks, he embraced resilience, reinvented himself repeatedly, and survived. Today, he has set up a consultancy to help others—drawing from what I can only describe as a rainbow of life experiences. He may not be the most financially buoyant among us, but he is truly living.

As I look into 2026, one lesson stands out: How you start may not be how you end. If you’re starting slow, keep building. If you’re starting strong, stay grounded and maintain momentum. Because what happens to you matters—but how you respond matters even more. Romans 9:16 says: “So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.”

Stay hopeful. God’s got our back.

Happy Sunday.

…Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey

WHEN LITTLE EFFORTS MATTER

 

I was thinking this morning… I recently flew between two local airports and something small I noticed on the tarmac has stayed with me.

We had boarded, the doors were shut, and the aircraft was pulling away from the gate. Sitting by the window, I watched the ground movement outside. Not far from the gate, I noticed a crushed plastic water bottle lying on the airside—probably flattened by the wheels of a luggage cart. It was insignificant. Honestly, I didn’t think it could cause any harm.

Then I saw something that made me pause. The aircraft marshaller walking ahead of the aircraft noticed the bottle. He stopped, picked it up, slipped it into his pocket, and continued on his way, likely to dispose of it properly later. Keeping the airside clean wasn’t his job. But he clearly understood something deeper—that one person’s neglect, however small, can affect everyone. That moment stayed with me.

I recalled how similar scenarios occur all the time back at the office. Chairs left out in walkways, blocking clear paths in the open office. Sometimes, as I walk past, I push them back under the desks. Other times, I just walk on, and do nothing.

And that’s when it hits me. Leadership isn’t really about titles or what we do when people are watching. It shows up in the small, quiet choices we make—especially when no one is paying attention. A good leader does what’s expected within their role. A great leader goes a step further and serves the team in ways that don’t come with recognition or applause.

As we continue to unveil 2026, I’m reminding myself of this: don’t wait for a position before you act. Don’t wait to be asked before you serve. Just do the right thing, even when it seems small. As the Nigerian proverb says, “Pikin wey go strong go strong… no be until dem name am Samson.” Don’t wait to be called a leader. Be a leader. Strength shows up long before the title does. SOS 2:15 comes to mind.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

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

SHOWING UP BEFORE YOU FEEL READY

 

I was thinking this morning.... A little over a year ago, I stepped into a new role with expectations that felt both exciting and intimidating. As 2025 began, I wrestled with a familiar tension many leaders know well. If I dove in fully, my shortcomings might be exposed. If I slowed down to learn the ropes, it might look like I wasn’t ready. So I chose a third option—I showed up. Fully. Consistently. Relentlessly.

I brought energy into every room. I attended every meeting. I responded to every email. I leaned into leadership for my team. One colleague summed it up in classic Nigerian parlance: “Oga, your ginger dey ginger our ginger.” And when I found myself in conversations where I knew very little? I stayed present. I listened intently and nodded vigorously, not to pretend I knew it all, but to signal commitment, curiosity, and ownership.

Something interesting happened a few months in. I stopped playing the role and started living it. The work no longer felt foreign. The expectations no longer felt overwhelming. By the close of 2025, the results spoke clearly: targets surpassed, milestones achieved, confidence earned.

As I reflect and look ahead to 2026, one lesson stands out. Just as it is said that in order to fall asleep, you have to first pretend to be asleep, sometimes, growth begins with behaviour before belief. The Gen-Zs will rather say, you fake it till you make it. This isn’t about empty posturing. It’s about disciplined action. Showing up as the person you aspire to be. Doing the work the way it should be done.

Visualization matters. Affirmations help. But progress in 2026 will demand movement. Don’t just speak about who you want to become, prepare for it. Act like it. Work towards it. Build the capacity to receive the opportunity when it comes.

There’s also a cautionary wisdom from home: “E go land, e go land, na im make butterfly take carry person enter bush.” Hope without preparation can be dangerous. Show up. Do the work. Stay grounded. That’s how you grow into the future you’re aiming for. Proverbs 14:23 highlights that hard work leads to profit, while talk alone results in poverty.

Thanks to everyone that made 2025 phenomenal and this is wishing all my beautiful colleagues and friends a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

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