THE FETUS IS INNOCENT

 

I was thinking this morning..... Last week, a 24 years old pregnant Florida woman, charged with murdering mom-of-three in an Uber ride says she should be released from jail because her fetus is innocent. Natalia Harrell was six weeks pregnant when she was arrested in July and charged with shooting dead Gladys Borcela. She argued that by putting her in jail, they are also jailing her innocent unborn child. She had said 'My fetus is innocent.'

As I stood in the queue yesterday, waiting for my turn to vote, I recognised that whatever decision we took, was not just going to affect us the adults older than 18 years of age but also millions of Nigerians who couldn't vote because they are below 18 years of age. We are like parents carrying the young and unborn in our wombs.

Those that sold their votes or knowingly made a bad choice based on ethnic or other selfish reasons are not just potentially putting themselves in jail for 4 years, they will also be putting their innocent young children. Synonymous with jailing the fetus while in the womb.

As the results start trickling in, I really do hope that we have made the right choice of who will steer the ship of this nation for the next 4 years. Truly, our wrong decisions should not affect our unborn children. The fetus is innocent. I take solace in the words of Ezekiel 18:20 'The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity'.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

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

STANDING IN MY HEART

 

I was thinking this morning.... A few Sundays ago, I was sitting at the Ministers corner in Church in a figure four crossed leg position. This is a position I have been used to all my life because it serves as a flat surface for my writing note and Bible. I was doing my thing when a minister in front turned around, smiled at me and tapped my crossed leg, telling me to drop it.

I smiled and reluctantly dropped my leg but as I did so, I recalled the story of the little boy that went with the mum to church. For some reason, the little boy kept standing up when everyone was seated. When the boy stands up, the mum will pull him to sit. This happened a number of times until the mother could take it no more. At which point, she threatened him with serious beating if he stood up one more time. At this point, the little boy sat down smiling.

A worshipper sitting close by and observing the drama wondered why the little boy was smiling after being threatened, and decided to find out. The little boy whispered in response, 'My mother doesn't know that even though I am sitting down physically, in my mind, I am standing up.' Defiance, you will say.

Physical posture may give an indication but heart posture matters the most. The truth is that, there are many who may be sitting and eating with you on the same table, but in their heart they are actually standing and fighting against you. They smile with you but in their heart, they celebrate at your misfortune. These people honor you with their lips, but their hearts are far from you (Matthew15:8).

Never fret over such persons because God will not give you as prey to their teeth. Just be true to yourself. Don't be like that little boy that was sitting physically but standing in his heart. Let your physical posture match your heart posture, otherwise, you are a pretender.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

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

OYIBO NIGERIA

 

I was thinking this morning...... While growing up in Warri, there were many things we became used to as native to the locality. Occasionally, we came across species or variety that are DIFFERENT FROM.... no, not Bala blu, but from the local ones and we simply prefixed the name with 'oyibo' which means white man but could also be translated to mean foreign.

That was what played in my head as I drove into Warri days ago and saw a variety of coconut (Cocos nucifera) tree different from the variety that grew every where. The tree of this variety had fruits that were softer on the inside and we called this variety of coconut, 'Oyibo coconut'.

If you grew up in the village anywhere in the south of Nigeria, then rabbit hunting would've been your game. The rabbit we knew were like giant rats but with longer tail. Suddenly, someone brought a white animal in a cage and told us it was rabbit. 'How can that be?' We wondered. Not in a position to argue, we called the white animal 'Oyibo rabbit.'

The list continues. We were used to Cabin biscuit and when we eventually tasted cookies or shortbread biscuit, we called it 'Oyibo biscuit.' Our waste bins were infested with rotten foods with nothing to scavenge for. And when some kids found broken toys and comic books in the waste bins in GRAs, they called the bins 'oyibo dirty.'

As I mused, I remembered this song from my childhood days 'Oh my home, o my home; when shall I see my home; when shall I see my native land; I will never forget my home!'

Oh God, when will our native land Nigeria become 'Oyibo Nigeria' where there is constant electricity, potable water, good roads and security? I never knew a day will come when Nigerians will queue at ATMs for Naira.

While I am not a believer of 'everything oyibo is good,' but with regards to the basic amenities of life, we have a chance to have an 'oyibo Nigeria' if only we make the right choice in the coming elections.

John 1:46 - Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Please, don't be a Nathanael. We have a chance to make Nigeria like the oyibo land people are japa'ing to today. Go out and vote wisely. Nigeria can be better than what it is today. Oyibo Nigeria is possible.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

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

THE CAR PUSHER

 

I was thinking this morning..... On my way to Warri two days ago, I observed two okadas (motorbikes) ahead along the expressway, riding very closely behind a black SUV. Immediately, my safety instinct kicked in, as I imagined how they can easily crash into the vehicle should the driver step on his brakes.

However, as I got closer, what I saw surprised me. The two okada riders each had one of their legs on the right and left back side of the SUV. They were not tailgating the car, rather, they were pushing the vehicle on. Warri!!! I have seen okada push okada and even okada push keke (tricycle) but not okada push an SUV.

In Nigeria, what okada cannot do does not exist. In addition to being the rescue means of transport when traffic 'tie wrapper,' we have seen Okada being used to transport almost anything including a large cow.

Nigeria is at a major intersection with very reckless drivers behind the wheels. We are stuck and can't move forward. Some will even say that the engine running Nigeria has knocked and the vehicle should be scrapped. My experience last weekend gave me hope about Nigeria. If two small motorbikes can push a dead SUV down the road, then we can join hands to make Nigeria work. You can either jump out of the car (japa) or like the two okada riders, help push Nigeria forward.

The very first decision God made on your behalf is that you should be born a Nigerian. Jumping ship and denying Nigeria is you saying God made a mistake.

Yes, it could be frustrating seeing the Nigerians you are fighting for, support the rotten candidates of the lot. Like a friend said, it is like setting yourself on fire to light a path for a blind man.

We must not give up on Nigeria. Jeremiah 33:7 says 'I will restore the fortunes of Nigeria and will rebuild them as they were at first. Be like the okada riders that is helping push the vehicle down the road. Join hands to make Nigeria great. Vote wisely to restore Nigeria.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

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

CARRY A TOWEL LIKE AN IBIBIO CHIEF

 

I was thinking this morning..... I attended the burial ceremony of the mother of a colleague last Friday. The venue was packed and looking like a political rally. Because it was humid, it didn't take long before we started sweating.

While some of us brought out our handkerchiefs to dry our sweat, I observed a chief sitting closeby had a large white bath towel, the size used for drying your whole body after a bath or shower, on his shoulder on top his traditional attire. I was amazed and asked my colleague if the chief came to the burial to have his bath? Surprisingly, I was told that it is the practice of Ibibio chiefs to have a large towel on one shoulder when they go out. Wow!

It was an aha moment for me because unlike most people that underestimate the efforts associated with an activity, Ibibio chiefs take no chances. They are ready for any volume of sweat, even if it pours like shower.

Some ladies before marriage, see red flags concerning the man they are to marry. Yet, they not only continue with the relationship, they get into the marriage with handkerchief. Error! Be like the Ibibio chiefs and come with a big towel in readiness to clean any volume of sweat the man may cause you.

Similarly, as we get into the final days of this election season, the work of rescuing Nigeria is not one that requires handkerchiefs. We need large towels. Go out to vote on February 25th and do not to go out with an handkerchief, go with a large towel, because we do not want a candidate whose votes have gone low low low to suddenly buga up.

As we enter February in a few days, are you ready for the work ahead? Life is warfare, so do not take things for granted. Just like you don't go to a gun fight with a knife, you also don't go to the bathroom with handkerchief. This year, there is real work to be done, so come with a large towel like an Ibibio chief. Proverbs 24:27 says 'Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house.'

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

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

IT'S TIME TO BE AN ENUGU MAN

 

I was thinking this morning..... I left my house last Friday for a little errand that should have lasted 15mins at most. As I drove out, I noticed very long fuel queues at most of the Fuel stations. A journey that was to last 15mins took almost an hour.

As we crawled along, I turned on the radio and heard the news of a Nigerian man in Enugu State that angrily took a lady to court after she collected N3k to visit him but she didn't show up. The court reportedly held that the lady's action was deceitful and directed her to pay him N150k in damages for going against an agreement.

It was a funny story to me, because I couldn't understand what damages the lady caused the man and was to pay for. But as I thought about it in the middle of criminal fuel queues causing severe traffic, It dawned on me that it's time for Nigerians to sue. Walk with me.

If only we knew earlier that we could sue for damages for being deceived, many would've been rich. Remember, being told as a child that if you swallow the seed of an orange, an orange tree will grow on your head? What about 'read your book o, so that you will have an easy life?' What about the gist that, 'if rain dey fall and sun dey shine means elephant dey born.' Chai! We grew up to know that all na bobo. If only I knew that I could've sued the purveyors of such lies, I sure would've been a billionaire.

On a national level, we have multiple grounds to sue. In 2015, Nigerians were promised uninterrupted electricity within 6 months, cheap and available fuel, security for all and naira equaling the value of the dollar amongst others. Seven plus years down the line, nothing has changed, rather it's become worse. It's time to sue. We must sue these politicians for damages like the Enugu man. Enough of this deceit.

It's another election cycle and the politicians are making promises again. If you sell your vote, you have been paid and have no grounds to sue if they don't deliver. Bank their promises and wait. If they fail, then it's time to be an Enugu man. It's time to sue. Matthew 5:37 'But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.'

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

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

HAVE YOUR SPOON IN YOUR POCKET

 

I was thinking this morning...... I recently attended a funeral ceremony that took a lot of time. By the time we got to the reception, everyone was famished. It took another hour before the food started going round. When our table was eventually served, the food came without cutlery. My God! The annoyance on the faces of those around the table was obvious.

As we waited in hunger, I recalled the story of a man that went for a funeral service reception uninvited. When asked why he was there, he said he was there for nothing else but to mourn the dead. But as soon as food was served, even before cutlery arrived, he brought out a spoon from his pocket and dug into the steaming jollof rice. Talk about being prepared? Boy Scout!

You can accuse the man of everything but one thing you can't accuse him of is not being prepared. He came to mourn but when the opportunity to munch presented itself, he took it with dispatch.

There are many that are hungry and praying for food. When the food is served, they will be asking and wasting time waiting for the servers to bring cutlery. In this year and the days we are in, only the smart and prepared will survive. Please don't be like me and the others on my table that, despite our hunger, were waiting to be given cutlery before we can eat. If you must enjoy the jollof rice while it is hot, please carry a spoon in your pocket/bag.

You are a job seeker telling everyone you need a job. You went for a wedding or Church service and was introduced to a potential employer who asked for your CV. Instead of reaching into your bag or pocket and hand him a copy of your CV, you responded 'Please, can I send it to you tomorrow?' Like seriously? If you must enjoy the jollof rice while it is hot, please carry a spoon in your pocket.

Same with those looking for a business opportunity or a spouse. Do you have a spoon in your pocket? If the jollof rice is served now without cutlery, will you be able to eat it? Your blessings can come in unexpected places, so you must be prepared to take it. 1st Peter 3:15 says 'be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.'

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

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