L.I.F.E

No one knows where the future lies,

No one knows what tomorrow holds,

Nobody knows what time they will die,

But long life and prosperity, is what we all hope.

Life is a struggle, Life is a race,

From start to finish, we try to keep up pace,

Life can be merciless and or full of grace,

But where there’s a will, there’s always a way.

Fulfillment lies not in possessions but in the impact made,

The decisions taken and the legacies laid;

For behind every hero’s glory is an untold story,

Life is a teacher, we live and we learn.

The only thing we can be certain of,

The day when the music finally stops,

When our heartbeats cease and we are no more,

Our final rest… lasting forever more.

For one thing we can be sure,

Death comes but once and then, Never again.

Leave an Impact for Eternity,

Imprint your name on the sands of time.

#BringBackOurGirls

        

Well over 200 young Nigerian girls were abducted by the Boko Haram sect on the 14^th of April 2014; and still are yet to be rescued despite the ongoing efforts of the federal and state governments, the Nigerian military... with assistance from foreign countries such as the U.S, U.K, France and China already been deployed to the country.

Whilst many have chosen to remain insensitive to the seriousness of the issue at hand by cracking jokes, stereotyping the Islamic folks and pointing accusing fingers here and there, others have embarked on numerous campaigns, ranging from social media to blogs and street protests to express their discontent and or to plead with the federal government to intensify efforts to bring home our daughters and sisters safely.

THE SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN: UNDERMINING THE EFFECTIVE USE

Since the abduction, #BringBackOurGirls, #TheChibokGirls have been trending topics worldwide on Twitter, Google+ and a number of other social media, with a massive number of users expressing disgust/dissatisfaction over the slow response of the Nigerian government and calling for different kinds of aid from across the globe to speed up the rescue operation.

Celebrities and renowned individuals of society however have not failed to contribute their quota by lending a voice to the #BringBackOurGirls social media campaigns by expressing their concerns and calling for the release of our girls.

Although it is saddening that it took 14days for a majority of Nigerians to understand the severity of the situation and react to the abduction, the outcry by many has definitely sparked a global response which has in turn played a vital role in the offer of assistance by foreign countries and also the acceptance by the Nigerian government.

Truly, the whole world is singing one song: #BRINGBACKOURGIRLS.

I was listening to a local radio show sometime last week when I heard an OAP say “Tweeting BRING BACK OUR GIRLS would not get the girls back home.” He went on and on, talking about how we needed to “act” to get these girls back home.

I sincerely still do not understand what he meant by “act” (as presently in Nigeria, there are street protests in a majority of the 36 states, ongoing prayers and vigils by churches and mosques, Every television and radio station seems to be talking about the rescue of these girls… all in a bid to ensure they are brought back safely).

Sometime in 2012, a young lady who was diagnosed with cancer needed a certain amount of money to undergo an operation termed her only shot at living; with the aid of her fellow countrymen using a particular social media, she was able to acquire the required funds and today she lives amongst us. Although, the social media did not on its own provide the required funds, it however provided a platform to voice out and an audience to listen and “act.”

My point is, we cannot all march into the sambisa forest to rescue these girls (even if we were certain of their exact location), we can only express our concern over the issue and reach out to the authorities in charge through whatever means we have. However, for those who say or think that social media is useless in this situation, the question is; what efforts have you made to ensure the girls are brought home safely?

I would also like to use this medium to charge the federal government to intensify efforts to rescue our girls. I urge all officers in charge of the ongoing rescue operation to do all that they can to bring back our girls. The security and welfare of the people should be government’s utmost priority. It has been well over a month since the abduction and I can only imagine the trauma the young girls are going through and the stigma they might have to live with in the aftermath.

-          LIVE RESPONSIBLY

-          SAY NO TO CORRUPTION (Because corruption is one of the fathers of violence)

-          SAY NO TO TERRORISM

-          SAY NO TO VIOLENCE

#BRINGBACKOURGIRLS  

NOT JUST - A POEM

Not the jar, but the water in it we drink,

Not the bulb, but the filament in it that glows,

Not the TV set, but the images transmitted we watch,

Not the expensive watch, but the time it tells we need.

Not the number of bank accounts, but the amount of money in them,

Not the bodywork of a car, but the performance of its engine,

Not the caliber of mobile phone, but the SIM card that enables it function,

Not the level of education, but the level of impact made.

 Not the outward appearance, not just the physical sight,

Not how pretty, but what you carry on the inside,

Not the number of fans but your ability to reach out,

Not the hurdles, but your zeal to get to the finish line.

Not where you were born, but whose son you truly are,

Not where you started from, but where your destination lies,

Not the diversity of talent, but how well they are utilized,

Not a poem, just sharing a few thoughts of mine.

Not you/me/him/her or they, but US,

Not I alone, but WE.