Embracing change: is there a better way?

President Andrew Jackson



Andrew Van Buren

In 1829, Martin Van Buren, Governor of New York, wrote to President Andrew Jackson cautioning him about the future: 'President Jackson, the canal system of this country is being threatened by the spread of railroads. We must preserve the canals for the following reasons: 1) If canal boats are supplanted by railroads, serious unemployment will result. Captains, cooks, repairmen and lock tenders will be left without jobs, not to mention farmers now employed in growing hay for horses 2) Boat builders would suffer, whip and harness makers would be left destitute 3) Canal boats are absolutely essential to the defence of the United States. In the event of the expected trouble with England, the Erie Canal would be the only means by which we could ever move the supplies so vital to waging modern war. As you may well know, Mr. President, railroad carriages are pulled at the enormous speed of 15 mph by engines, which, in addition to endangering life and limb, snort their way through the countryside belching out smoke, setting fire to crops, scaring the livestock and frightening women and children. Surely the Almighty never intended people should travel at such breakneck speed.'

 Poor Martin - what would he think if he knew we were flying 33,000 feet high, at 500 mph sipping coffee and typing on a notebook computer?

Mama Africa

Mama Africa
Look down and see the fates
Of your beautiful virgin daughters
See what has become of chastity
Thrown to the four winds

Mama Africa

The Whiteman brought us civilization
But civilization has its price
Morality is confined to history books
Practiced only by prudes

Oh Mama Africa

Weep for your daughters
Who have become breadwinners
For their fathers
And sell themselves for dollars

Mama Africa

Our hands are stained with blood
Your land is filled with blood
The blood of your daughters
But they erect mansions

Mama oh Mama

Will Africa ever be clean again?
Free from this hunger
This corruption
That makes your daughters forget their shame.

FOR TARI

You stole away at midnight
When non watched
We are bereft who loved you
Only memories comfort us now

Memories of you are a gold yarn
Linking together all who loved you
Our memories weave a living tapestry
Of how you were amongst us

So we know you will never be forgotten
Because we carry you with us
In our laughter and in our tears
We see you reflected back to us

That face that was so welcoming
Those hands so ready to soothe
The hug that always made better
That heart that never tired of helping

We will miss you sweetheart
And indeed we do already
But your voice will live on in our thoughts
And your laughter will echo forever in our hearts.

For Ebitari Tekenah

I have tried to write something for you my friend. I think is perhaps more for me than you.

I know how much you would appreciate the love i have tried to convey if only again you could read it. I remember how you exclaimed over my blog, how proud you were of me. How you called chidi to say eseosa now has a blog, you must read it.

Hey Tari, how did this happen? How did you leave us your friends so early and with no warning whatsoever? You who held our circle of friendship together.  You who always had news of everyone and who so willingly shared all our joys and hurdles. How could you go so soon?

Tari, i sit in my living room, it is gone past midnight and i keep replaying all the tokens of our friendship. Our shared laughter, our long conversations, me and you dancing, us walking down the streets singing songs from long ago. Though now in retrospect i feel i did not share enough of me with you. If only i could turn the hand of time.

I see on facebook condolences are already mounting on your wall. I cannot bring myself to write on there, no, that would make it too real. I still feel it is a bad nightmare and i might yet wake up.

Ebitari, you had so much heart and I am going to miss you very much.

Adieu.

Another Royal Wedding

Williams, Prince of Wales married his Catherine today, almost thirty years after his parents embarked on what proved to be a disastrous union. I have heard a lot of comments from people afraid of history repeating itself. They talk of the fairytale wedding, the media hype, the glare of public scrutiny, all factors that helped in destroying what was themed the wedding of the century in 1981.

However, they forget some things that are essentially different about these two couples. First their ages, Charles was thirteen years older than Diana, by the time he married her, he had seen and done almost everything while she was a mere nineteen, naive and romantic. Their relationship had been likened to the romantic novels her step grand mother Barbara Cartland wrote, virginal girl, mysterious and handsome older man except for them, there was no happy ending. William and Kate on the other hand are agemates, they are from the same generation, they have common interests, they went to school together, infact, i would daresay they speak the same language.

Also, Princess Diana famously said they were three people in her marriage, with William and Kate, it has almost always been the two of them. They have known each other for a decade and have been a couple for almost nine out of the ten years. I would not be wrong when I say these two grew up together. These newlyweds paint a perfect picture and I do not see the ghosts of past lovers haunting this marriage.

Media hype and public scrutiny are issues Kate has had a long time to adjust to, she knows what is expected of her and has done admirably well so far. And also she can depend on the support of William who has shielded her through their difficult moments. This wedding might had looked like a fairytale but  the two people intimately involved looked totally comfortable together as was evident from their frequent whispers of reassurance to each other during the ceremony.

Finally, British royalty is definitely more relaxed now than it was in 1981, protocols are not so strict as seen today from the various breaks in tradition. The one that amused me most was the Dukes and Duchesses in coaches!  And the romantic in me was moved by William driving Kate back to Clarence house in his father's  open top Aston Martin. The family as Prince William calls it has embraced modernity and has become more fun.

Here is to wishing Kate and Wills a blissful life.

Try your Luck

I got infected with the lottery buying bug recently. I woke up one morning with the thought that the fastest and easiest way to get the kind of money I desire was to hit the Euromillion jackpot. No doubt, I was influenced by the number of lottery winners popping champagne featured in the local papers recently.

The first thing I did was to select my lucky numbers, then I registered online on the national lottery website. Knowing what lottery to play was a nightmare, I was spoilt for choice, Lotto, Euromillions, Thunderball, Gold riches and even retro riches. I at last settled for the Euromillion. Then I started to count the days till friday when the winning numbers are selected. Friday night finally dawned and I excitedly checked my account, alas, no win. £6 down the drain! But then, I have always said I wanted to try everything at least once in my life so why not?

If only I had stopped then, but you know how it came be with addictions. I fixated on the idea of the scratchcard. Hassle free lottery. You walk into a shop, hand in your money and you get a card. So I stopped of at a store on my way to work one day to purchase a ticket. Unfortunately, my first foray into the world of scratch cards was unproductive.

After spending £12 in all buying lottery tickets, i only won once and it was a meagre £2. However, I might try it again, who knows? I may just be the one in the papers popping champagne with a cheshire grin on my face.

A short story

Anytime Sade looked at her arms, she saw the legacy her father bequeathed her, scars. Other fathers left their children sweet memories of advice, laughter, fun and courage. All Sade had were her tears and anguish both physical and emotional.

Every once in a while, she woke up from a nightmare, tears streaming down her face. She had just had one of those. In her dream, she was 10 years old again, her father was screaming for her
Folasade!
Come out right now because when I find you, it would be the worse for you!

Sade shivered where she was cowering behind the sofa tears running down her face. A shadow fell over her and she raised her fear striken face as the whip began its descent. She opened her month to scream and woke up still screaming.