To The Real Heroes Of 2016

For the past fifty-two weeks they have been away from family and friends

for the past twelve months they have been manning check points and patrolling street ends

for every day you have enjoyed the split unit of your home, they have been under the burning sun, keeping the enemies away

for every night you have savored the warmth of your bed, they have laid in the freezing trenches providing you solace

for every moment you have hugged a friend, kissed a loved one, grabbed a beer, dribbled a ball, they have been holding on to their rifles and their breath, defending all.

''Arise O'come patriot'' and they rose to answered the call, in distant land and at home

wearing the identity of our country, serving our father land with love and strength and faith

they are flesh and blood whose love for their country has, to the hopeless, restored hope and strengthen the spine of the weak

it is for the love of our country that they have left family and comfort to go into the desert field.

it is for the love of our country and not the hate of the enemy that they have put on their boots of courage and helmet of bravery

matching onwards to enclaves of the enemy and displaying gallantry

they stand between the peace and happiness that there is and the sorrow and affliction that could become

they have felt all emotions, from the pain of leaving loved ones behind to the joy of returning to a warm hug after an accomplished task

from the anguish of losing a battle to the euphoria of winning a war

it is to preserve our sovereignty that they have sacrificed their today, tomorrow and their eternity.

To The Nigerian Army, Air Force, Navy, Police Force, Civil Defense, Civilian JTF and all those who have kept us safe for this past year!

What if...by O.b.i

What if our ancestors never spoke, and the gong was never heard

What if we never listened at the dying bed of the dead

What if the pages never turn and the pen never bled

What if they never spoke the truth for fear of losing their head

How will we ever know, about all we are and all we have been

How will we ever know, that blood was spilled for us to live and not to exist

How will we ever know, that we don’t need that approval to feel right

How will we ever know, that we don’t need permission to be what we are

what we have been

It does not matter if we do not win, we don’t play to win, we do not even play

It’s not a game

It is our name, it is our culture, it is our tradition!

...Stories That We Tell.

It was a bright and sunny morning…no, scratch that, some days are just foggy and the sun don’t shine but the smiles we share over here is just enough to keep us warm and light up our days…because it is the smile that we trust and not the season so when the sun goes we are happy and when the rains don’t come we still share this laughter.

It was a dark and scary night…scratch that too, the night is not always dark, we have a generous moon on this side, and the people here are loving to a fault…love will keep us and we know that, so at night when we commune under the moon, it is for love and not for the moon because everyone have a moon above his roof…

It was a rainy and stormy afternoon; the wind was fierce and ferocious but we were calm and collected, we watched the trees planted by our ancestors battle the wind to a standstill, and that was one more prove that although we put them in the ground they still watched over us from the sky.