The phone rings
"Yes", she answered
"It's me sweetie." He began
"Look, I have been thinking hard"
"Oooh, about what ?" She probed
"About your words last night."
"I guess there is something deep in there"
"I promise I will make it up, okay?"
"Okaaaay" she intoned warming with delight
"Henceforth you will be loved like you cannot believe it"
"Today, I will be home on time"
"See you later"
Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
What About Love?
She says,
"I want love"
He replies
"I am always there for you in and out"
"I do my best to ensure that our needs are met"
"You go to sleep with a smile on your face"
"What then do you, woman, mean by 'What about love?'? "
"I want love"
He replies
"I am always there for you in and out"
"I do my best to ensure that our needs are met"
"You go to sleep with a smile on your face"
"What then do you, woman, mean by 'What about love?'? "
Friday, October 23, 2009
Africa: One Billion & Counting
Some time before the end of this year, somewhere on the mother continent, the billionth African will be born.
It is remarkable in itself that the population of Africa has breached the critical 1 000 000 000 mark. In spite of the chillingly brutal history of slavery, colonialism, racism and the other atrocities of mass destruction that have been unleashed upon Africans for centuries, we have not only survived in our own continent but continue to show extraordinary resilience even in the most challenging and culturally inhospitable regions of the globe.
The dynamics of Africa’s population growth suggest that her portion of the global population will continue to increase going forward.
It is estimated that by 2050, the population of Africa would have surpassed those of India and China.
Such an expectation is bound to present a number of interesting scenarios.
First scenario
1) Economic growth across the continent continues to gain momentum. The quality of infrastructure, education, health care and other leading indicators continue to improve across many parts of the continent. Democracy, political stability and the rule of law are entrenched. Africa’s share of global trade and investments begin to accelerate lifting millions of Africans out of poverty. Africa at peace with itself and with the global village. A sustainable trajectory of prosperity is established.
The growing population and prosperity leads to a formidable African market.
More FDIs and businesses set up in Africa leading to more prosperity across Africa.
Africa finally at her best.
Second scenario
2) Majority of African countries keeps to the status quo. The rate of economic growth and development across the continent is virtually at par with the rate of growth of the population leading to stagnation in human development and standard of living. Education and health care and other social services are at best mediocre for the growing population. A cycle of under-performance becomes the order of the day.
Africa barely surviving.
Third scenario
3) Economic and political mismanagement worsens across Africa. Economic growth and development falls drastically below the rate of growth of the population. Poverty, unemployment, instability and conflicts worsen. Infrastructure, education, health care and other essential services in total disarray. Africa’s share of trade and investment declines further throwing millions of Africans into debilitating poverty. Unemployment, lack of essential skills, instability and conflicts worsen.
Capital flight, brain drain, unfavourable climatic pattern intensify worsening agriculture leading to dire economic and social situation in many places.
Africa on the ropes.
The way forward
Let African countries as a matter of urgency relax the unfriendly laws and regulations that hinder intra-African trade and investment and quicken integration within the various regional economic blocs. The fragmented markets as they pertain today will never on their own unlock the tremendous synergies available that could be realised in a market with a 1000 000 000 consumers.
May the birth of the billionth African bring a billion answers to Africa’s developmental challenges.
Long Live the African dream!
Long Live Africa!
It is remarkable in itself that the population of Africa has breached the critical 1 000 000 000 mark. In spite of the chillingly brutal history of slavery, colonialism, racism and the other atrocities of mass destruction that have been unleashed upon Africans for centuries, we have not only survived in our own continent but continue to show extraordinary resilience even in the most challenging and culturally inhospitable regions of the globe.
The dynamics of Africa’s population growth suggest that her portion of the global population will continue to increase going forward.
It is estimated that by 2050, the population of Africa would have surpassed those of India and China.
Such an expectation is bound to present a number of interesting scenarios.
First scenario
1) Economic growth across the continent continues to gain momentum. The quality of infrastructure, education, health care and other leading indicators continue to improve across many parts of the continent. Democracy, political stability and the rule of law are entrenched. Africa’s share of global trade and investments begin to accelerate lifting millions of Africans out of poverty. Africa at peace with itself and with the global village. A sustainable trajectory of prosperity is established.
The growing population and prosperity leads to a formidable African market.
More FDIs and businesses set up in Africa leading to more prosperity across Africa.
Africa finally at her best.
Second scenario
2) Majority of African countries keeps to the status quo. The rate of economic growth and development across the continent is virtually at par with the rate of growth of the population leading to stagnation in human development and standard of living. Education and health care and other social services are at best mediocre for the growing population. A cycle of under-performance becomes the order of the day.
Africa barely surviving.
Third scenario
3) Economic and political mismanagement worsens across Africa. Economic growth and development falls drastically below the rate of growth of the population. Poverty, unemployment, instability and conflicts worsen. Infrastructure, education, health care and other essential services in total disarray. Africa’s share of trade and investment declines further throwing millions of Africans into debilitating poverty. Unemployment, lack of essential skills, instability and conflicts worsen.
Capital flight, brain drain, unfavourable climatic pattern intensify worsening agriculture leading to dire economic and social situation in many places.
Africa on the ropes.
The way forward
Let African countries as a matter of urgency relax the unfriendly laws and regulations that hinder intra-African trade and investment and quicken integration within the various regional economic blocs. The fragmented markets as they pertain today will never on their own unlock the tremendous synergies available that could be realised in a market with a 1000 000 000 consumers.
May the birth of the billionth African bring a billion answers to Africa’s developmental challenges.
Long Live the African dream!
Long Live Africa!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
A Strange Equation
Driving by a park yesterday
A grungy midgeted dude
Wholeheartedly frolicking a gorgeous dame
His caricatured hands all over the pivotal bits
Her dainty appearance spelt a chequered extraction
The nakedness of self-underestimation discernible
In the feasting eyes of the uninvited
A grungy midgeted dude
Wholeheartedly frolicking a gorgeous dame
His caricatured hands all over the pivotal bits
Her dainty appearance spelt a chequered extraction
The nakedness of self-underestimation discernible
In the feasting eyes of the uninvited
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
The Little hero
In front of me
On a zebra crossing
A little girl
On her way to school
Her little frame hidden
Behind the monstrous bag at her back
Her strident determination
Pure
Infectious
Joyful
Purposeful
With an iron will
She trudges
Forward
Forcefully
Her angelic eyes
Adorned with
The rarest of smiles
Waves of inspiration
In her dogged steps
With copious delight she waves
It is her way of saying
Wish me luck
Today's fleeting encounter
Has left me with
This wondering thought
About this believer
My psychedelic hero
With an effortless passion for life
I can't stop asking myself
From where is this loaded conviction?
Is it spiritual?
Is it genetic?
Is it nurture?
To this nameless scholar
My sincere gratitude
On a zebra crossing
A little girl
On her way to school
Her little frame hidden
Behind the monstrous bag at her back
Her strident determination
Pure
Infectious
Joyful
Purposeful
With an iron will
She trudges
Forward
Forcefully
Her angelic eyes
Adorned with
The rarest of smiles
Waves of inspiration
In her dogged steps
With copious delight she waves
It is her way of saying
Wish me luck
Today's fleeting encounter
Has left me with
This wondering thought
About this believer
My psychedelic hero
With an effortless passion for life
I can't stop asking myself
From where is this loaded conviction?
Is it spiritual?
Is it genetic?
Is it nurture?
To this nameless scholar
My sincere gratitude
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Would You Accede?
She is 35+
Pretty faced
Good body plumage
Excellent aesthetics
A very serious professional disposition
A clinician
Unmarried
Childless
She broached the idea of making a baby with a family friend
All she wants is for the dude to do her and get her pregnant
She does not expect his involvement in future of child
Friend is seriously married with children
And willing to help by donating sperm but hesitant to do her
Like a lioness on heat she insists to be done
My take is keep away and sing to wife if she keeps pushing
Should he do a 'good Samaritan'?
Pretty faced
Good body plumage
Excellent aesthetics
A very serious professional disposition
A clinician
Unmarried
Childless
She broached the idea of making a baby with a family friend
All she wants is for the dude to do her and get her pregnant
She does not expect his involvement in future of child
Friend is seriously married with children
And willing to help by donating sperm but hesitant to do her
Like a lioness on heat she insists to be done
My take is keep away and sing to wife if she keeps pushing
Should he do a 'good Samaritan'?
Saturday, October 10, 2009
By Luck Or Design Long Life Is In Her Degrees
Dude listen. And listen real well.
Research conducted by the Swedish Institute for Social Research in Stockholm point to the fact that an educated wife is the best thing any man can wish for. Lol.
The gist of this clever research is this simple: If you want to enjoy a long happy life, marry a highly educated woman. In other words go for the ones with the highest academic titles: the doctorates as in PhDs, DScs, LLDs etc. I suggest you keep a printed copy of this research for your own good. As you are aware, the sisters with strings of letters after their names will, as expected, question your audacity for even trying to ask them out. All you would have to do henceforth is shut up and hand her a copy of the research findings.
If you are unable to land any of those with the highest academic letters, at least take an aim at those with MAs, MScs,MPhils,LLMs,MEngs. Do you copy?
The second inference from the research is that you have a reasonable scientific excuse or even responsibility to ditch your current one with only a BA, BSc, BCom as soon as you land that beautiful professor.
If your current does not have anything higher than a HND, I suggest you cease talking to her altogether. You will be dead before you could say 'honey'. Unless of course you want to be placed on the endangered species list. Do you still copy?
Men in African societies, especially those of us with academic insufficiency( ie without a PhD), are socially primed to tie the knot only with women with a string of degrees or qualifications inferior to ours. This patriarchal dispensation has ensured that many of the sisters who have obtained higher degrees are ostracised and punished for being book long.
Now the floodgates have finally been opened. So hunters go for the big fish. Yeeeeeehaaaaaa!
Not only must we encourage our wives, mothers, sisters and daughters to go for the highest degrees available, we must also push them to upgrade their academic arsenals as often as is possible. Otherwise no sane man will hang around them any longer. Get that?
As for me, I am going to literally drag my sweetheart to go for that degree she has been dreaming of all this while. My reasons for opposing that pursuit are no longer valid.
After all 100 years is my minimum expectation henceforth.
Research conducted by the Swedish Institute for Social Research in Stockholm point to the fact that an educated wife is the best thing any man can wish for. Lol.
The gist of this clever research is this simple: If you want to enjoy a long happy life, marry a highly educated woman. In other words go for the ones with the highest academic titles: the doctorates as in PhDs, DScs, LLDs etc. I suggest you keep a printed copy of this research for your own good. As you are aware, the sisters with strings of letters after their names will, as expected, question your audacity for even trying to ask them out. All you would have to do henceforth is shut up and hand her a copy of the research findings.
If you are unable to land any of those with the highest academic letters, at least take an aim at those with MAs, MScs,MPhils,LLMs,MEngs. Do you copy?
The second inference from the research is that you have a reasonable scientific excuse or even responsibility to ditch your current one with only a BA, BSc, BCom as soon as you land that beautiful professor.
If your current does not have anything higher than a HND, I suggest you cease talking to her altogether. You will be dead before you could say 'honey'. Unless of course you want to be placed on the endangered species list. Do you still copy?
Men in African societies, especially those of us with academic insufficiency( ie without a PhD), are socially primed to tie the knot only with women with a string of degrees or qualifications inferior to ours. This patriarchal dispensation has ensured that many of the sisters who have obtained higher degrees are ostracised and punished for being book long.
Now the floodgates have finally been opened. So hunters go for the big fish. Yeeeeeehaaaaaa!
Not only must we encourage our wives, mothers, sisters and daughters to go for the highest degrees available, we must also push them to upgrade their academic arsenals as often as is possible. Otherwise no sane man will hang around them any longer. Get that?
As for me, I am going to literally drag my sweetheart to go for that degree she has been dreaming of all this while. My reasons for opposing that pursuit are no longer valid.
After all 100 years is my minimum expectation henceforth.
Friday, October 9, 2009
I Am Trying To Understand
Life . . .
Bundles of memories
Ours
Yours
Mine
Like sparks dancing in thin air
Each one
Weighed
Measured
Dispatched
Somewhere
Somewhat
Somehow
Formula one seeds
Created to race
In the moment of passion
Desires whispered
Invitations in our hearts
We make our ways
Paths to weave
Here
There
There
So we move along
Leaving behind us
The others
The wannabees
From one chamber
Into another we make our way
Into a new world we are summoned
Two breasts on the plate
We feast
We watch
We master
Then we move along
Leaving behind us
The shared moments
Parts of ourselves
Strewn across the fields
And so we continue
Our cravings
Our pursuits
Somebody
Something
Beckoning
Over the distant horizons
The blessings we seek
The fairly land of our dreams
Wealth
Health
Fashion
Passion
So we move along
Never knowing
The destination
The reason
The Agenda
And yet we continue
Again
And again
Hoping that one day we will
Know
And understand
Then one moment we stop
And look back
And consider
How far we have wandered
And yet we have still not arrived
So many memories
So much undone
So much to share
We ask ourselves
Is that all?
Was it worth it?
This experiment
This journey
This journey
Life is ...
Bundles of memories
Spread yours
Share yours
Enjoy yours
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