No Stopping

The barriers will give-
No one, not even you can stop it
Utmost desire will produce results,
Just stay there, whatever happens.

The worlds respond to the stimuli of purpose.
Dreams are the motion pictures of the heart
Passion coupled with pain=pleasure to treasure!
Even on a death-bed, life is a possibility.

So now, rather than later, know it- the barriers will give
Visions will become missions
Thoughts will become tangible
Love will find you
God will remain God

All flesh shall glory:
In the redemption of their souls
In pursuits of purpose
In being what we were made to be
In finding we for real!

RANDOM PRECISE THOTS!

I am sure, as insecure as sure itself can be.

What has propelled me this far beyond the shores of reason, logical warnings and even the concern of a love so strong. What? Purpose is breathing down my neck. I thought all these while, I’m still on this journey in the process of self-discovery…the pursuit of me!

How did I become so cock-sure? Juxtaposing a path so secure (based on the report of the multitude that have trod that path) and the navigation of a path not so secure but potentially more rewarding in the intangibility of its fulfillment. How did I come this far in so long? What kept me so sure in this quest for the mother of all matter? Why don’t I just go ahead and get me a demo? Why not just a spot on one of them dance shows serenading on our TV screens? When did popularity become all of a sudden so unattractive to a young-blood like me?

Who shall believe my report? Who will see beyond the shackles of my process? Who will calm the sea or ocean of opposition? Why would you love me too much to stop me from the possibility of the greatest shift in history?

Who said I had to be so sure about this journey? Why do you think I should know where I’m going before stepping out, when I do not know what tomorrow will bring? Who told you I seek for fame? You should have known by now that I seek a civilization without foundations, I seek tangible thoughts, I seek sight without eyes, I seek voice without tongue, I seek life without death, I seek love without cause, I seek heights immeasurable, understanding without words, I seek love without language…


We will have to elevate to a point of consciousness where the unexplainable becomes plain through the communication of our minds, soul and spirit. The English language is short of vocabulary to describe the intricacies that the universe is made up of; science falls short, far short; art is defined within the boundaries of an individual’s creativity.

We are all components of this universe but more importantly, the most important component. All others exist for our purpose!

How do you get into this kind of flow? How do you hurry to conclude on a man with this kind of mission? How do you advise this one? How do you dissuade such a one from a path only his spirit can explain? You have to be where I am at to tell me different; I guarantee that having tasted the endless possibilities you will, with the brokenness of passion and purpose, trudge on hand-in-hand with me…


Never write off a man of passion!

Well Done

I found a reason to die: I discovered life
I encountered the nature of my being: I started giving
I found a ray of hope, the way of faith: I started rising
I found the need for others: I started loving
I found the sync between art and science: I started learning
I found a seed: I started a forest
I found a way to agree: I stopped a war
I found the key to my heart: I fell in love
I found more to Zeus and science: it led me to Jesus

What grave causes abound in our stratosphere…
Great paths, stalked by inexperienced men, awaiting discovery and navigation!

Run, run it’s your day for judgment
Whether guilty or innocent, run you must,
Either from damnation or to glory!

MY LIFE

I want to go where fighting is just enough,
Mountain high, valley low life may be,
But preferably plain smooth.
Where rivers meet without causing a scene,
The coldest of hot situations,
Can life still retain its essence without the fight?

So much beauty, so much pain!

Drawn by its beautiful complexities
I find its idiosyncrasies a hard pill to swallow-
Contesting its ways seem logical but futile upon introspection
Navigating its manifold maze is the good fight of faith!

What do you believe?
What have you received?

Take me high, where eagles fly,
Where sons of God make hay and thrive
In that colony divine,
My feet on solid rock I stand

Don’t take off man, I’m not there yet

I will gaze at the stars not from these climes
But as one of them stuck in the sky
So when you want to school me,
Get drunk with the concept
For truly in all truth, truly…

What do you believe?
What have you received?

OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FACE OF INSECURITIES

I have often imagined what life would be like if our dreams, visions and goals just materialized without our lifting a finger... I think what makes life worth living are the many little battles we triumph at daily on the way to winning the war of fulfillment. The sense of victory, even of completing the service year is one that revitalizes and energizes one to take on other life challenges.

Among young people, there is a sense of adventure and hope as we step into the world to find our place and taking the decisions on; who to marry, where to settle down, how to get the best job possible, how to make enough money, furthering your studies, starting a business etc.

The peculiarity of Nigeria as a country with a huge youth population (at least 50%) yet bedeviled with a lot of socio-political problems that has created a hard ceiling to crack for those that intend to move up or make progress in their lives. Yes, it is clear that the youths of this nation didn’t bargain for this situation in the same breath we find ourselves inextricably attached to this status quo. Since we without a doubt want to be successful, we are also without doubt the beacon of hope for that better tomorrow.

Every generation takes responsibility for the successes that are recorded in their timeline and few people are the shining light, those who are not the called but the chosen. The chosen because they make the sacrifice that makes them the hinge upon which the door of prosperity opens for that generation. I believe our generation craves for those few and what better platform to begin than having gotten the requisite training of the National Youth Service Corp.

There is a popular rhetoric: “what you see is what you get”, the future you see is what will energize and engender hard work, character and a sense of purpose all geared towards creating a life and a nation flowing with milk and honey. The sky is where eagles reside; the ground is often crowded with chickens, what you see, is what you get! So what do you see?

Only men of understanding, purpose and deep introspection see the message in their mess and rise above settling for less...

The mess of Ghana/Africa was the opportunity of Kwame Nkurumah.
The mess of computing was the opportunity of Philip Emeagwali and Bill Gates.
The mess of darkness was the opportunity of Thomas Edison.
The mess of Apartheid was the opportunity of Nelson Mandela.
The mess of first world dictatorship was the opportunity of Barack Obama.
The mess of racial inequality was the opportunity of Martin Luther King (Jnr.).
The mess of a dark blur on Arab world was the opportunity Dubai.
The mess of violent opposition was the opportunity of Ghandi.
The mess of Nigerian music was the opportunity of Tuface Idibia.
The mess of politics was the opportunity of Donald Duke...

The roll call goes on and on; there comes a time in the life of a nation, a person or an organization or an idea when a window of opportunity for good or evil presents itself, now is the time of opportunity for us to exploit Nigeria’s mess. So, what do you see?

As we set sail on defining our path in this world, make no mistake-there’s space for everyone. We all have an opportunity to exert our weight and be all we were born to be. There’s too much to do no time to waste. Prime yourself and belt-up for the ride of destiny, the world has seen nothing yet.
Go and succeed!

Let loose by me

When you talk like you think, young people around call you - too serious.

When you talk like everybody else, peace reigns.

When you find a new cause to believe in, you loose your crew’s loyalty.

When did greatness call for company? They that decide to be uncommon have chosen the company of themselves alone!

When you find no extra in your life to live for, family and friends find peace with you because they can control you.

Get up, stand up and be different, you might loose your girl friend, even your parents might set you down.

Let the pain propel you...Joseph had to leave his father's house.

Comfort has never and will never produce greatness...

I found what i could die for and that's when i began to live.

It opened mine eyes to the fact that we have in the majority, dead-men walking...

BEYOND DR. ABATS

I’m a young, proud, patriotic, hip, unconventional and law-abiding Nigerian, born in B-side, brought up in the three towns of Abk, Wafi and Safi schooled in PH city now just relocated to Lasgidi…I love Naija 4laif!

Few years ago at the BET hip hop honors, Rev. Al Shrapton came out to acknowledge the rise and dominance of the hip hop movement as expressed through music and entrepreneurship. He and others had for years before fought the rise of the movement, elaborating the evils to the detriment of the abundant good it offered. But like everything designed to outlast its visionaries, it has thrived on; they say history is often overlooked and regarded as uncommon occurrence because we do not give it detailed introspection.

Hip hop is a life style, that finds expression in the way we sing, dance, talk, write, dress, dream, ‘toast’ and even get married. It’s business, it’s love, it’s hustle, it’s recognition, it’s glory, it’s pain, it’s loyalty, it’s beef, its struggle, it’s loyalty, it’s patriotism, it’s ego, it’s true, it’s pure; it’s in church, it’s in school, it’s in the banks, it’s in the parks, it’s in Naija, it’s in Africa, it’s world-wide, it’s God-made!

I’ve always had a problem with adults, from my growing up years even up until this day; and it is that, THEY ARE ALWAYS RIGHT! They presume their times were the best (golden generation as some would call it), they conclude without logical conclusions that we are “too excited” when we show zeal; to them, your energy has set you on a self-destruct lane; when you become aware of your path in life they criticize and try to force you into their template for your own success.

I can’t believe he is 44 – so disconnected from the generation following his, there’s real trouble! Why would I prefer that the name of my country was crafted in one moment of an explosive sexually-fulfilling encounter and that by a colonial master? This fire brigade approach has not ceased to be operated by the “golden generation”.

Lest we forget, the mindset in these climes when trying to score a cheap number is to run from the issues and attack personalities. It’s what runs our polity/politics. Despite his age, as soon as Obama became president (even before), he was already tapping Bush’s back, talking issues with him not as a man 12 years or so younger but as a smart intelligent, energetic young man with sound judgment not “a young disrespectful young man the elders nay godfathers demand absolute obeisance from in spite of his own convictions”.

There is a huge disconnect between the elders and the youth of this country. Great nations have tapped into the energy, innovation and expressive abilities of their youth population. We remain redundant in Nigeria pursuing agendas that do no future good, but what do we expect? They are old-heads, “planning a future they will not be a part of” (Toyosi Akerele). Of course they will plan for the present!

Let’s we forget, young people gave us the first black most powerful man in the world; majority of the profound ingenious inventions, revolutions and societal regeneration (like we are beginning to see in Naija), have been by some of the world’s prominent people when they were young.

While it would be foolhardy for me to insist on the “too gbasky-ness” of every member of this generation, the so-called "golden generation" cannot claim they haven’t been a colossal shame. But we have not relapsed into the dreariness that their generation created because we do not expect them to glorify our negatives. It is instructive to note that despite the shortage of role models and laid down structures, we have stepped the game up and created movements, businesses, NGO’s, an entertainment industry (no matter how crippled it may still be) etc and we are making sense by the day.

Troubles only comes to make us strong, it would seem that someone was sent to inspire passion among Naija youths for their present and future that is how id wish to see this issue. For the grossly uninformed, the hip hop movement/music industry in Naija has been on a mission to sanitize itself. Research will reveal that artistes themselves have begun campaigns at various levels to sanitize, professionalize and give structure the industry. A few weeks ago, African China on a popular radio breakfast show said he was going on tour soon to promote his new work and was going to play live, challenging every other artiste coming on the tour to play live also; this was also followed by an appeal to artistes both established and upcoming to think about the society when blurting out lyrics…this has also been the case for a lot of industry heads/practitioners voicing their opinions in papers, TV shows, blog-sphere etc for a review of our standards.

As a nation, we have always been eclectic when it comes to our taste for a whole range of things. Princess the comedienne at a show recently at the National Theater said that in Africa, it is only in Nigeria that you can have the same audience listening to performances by artistes in various genres and still get applause, love and support from them. We don’t care the style you do - just make sense; like 9ice and Dare sang “style na style”. Let’s enjoy our diversity and believe it or not, 20-30 years from now, we will still be rocking to hip hop, soul, folk, fuji, hip-life, hi-life, Afro beat, classical etc albeit on a whole new digital platform and shame unto this generation now and then, if we begrudge them.

Only those who appreciate the strength of the youth can positively impact them with knowledge, grace and vitality.

Basically, issues, issues, issues should be issues…ROOFTOP MCs? Lagimo? It is scary to see that someone I grew up on, reading his stuff will get it sooooo wrong. What is the next big blunder? Which mentor or leader will get it wrong next? I hope not mine. Let he that thinks he stands take heed...falling isn't far.

WE CAN HELP MAKE HIS POINT THOUGH, THE 'WEAK' LINKS IN THE INDUSTRY NEED TO STAND UP!

I think this generation has got to rise up on every side and look above for inspiration…the earth has been eroded of prophets or maybe the real ones need to speak up louder…




YOMA

is it...or was it!

There's a young married woman not taking her hubby too seriously

There's a girl who's twenty-two and never been asked out

There's a guy dying to tell his neighbor she's all he wants

There is a father too scared to re-marry because of his daughters

There's too much girls in my life

There's a colleague who married too early

There's two friends too close to marry themselves, yet too close to have others yet they foolishly remain close

There's a girl admired by the choicest guy but too scared to give in..

There’s a guy scoffing at a pregnant friend because he didn't carry his own pregnancy...it was his after all - his.

Should you get married because he got you pregnant?

What God did not call marriage why do we claim He joined?

Is love enough? Will it ever be enough?

Am i here because i feel safer pointing my fingers?

There are too many people thought to be living other people's dream lives...

What is the motivation for love? Why did it exist if it was so complicated?

Do i really even understand why am here? In your face?

There’s a girl id love if only i can guarantee am not dreaming...and on a wild goose chase!

Delta state....

I just came back to the "big heart" for the first time since relocating to Lagos in late March.
While on the journey, we had people chatting on a variety of issues. But you know as far as Nigeria is concerned, no politics or government gist, then basically the gist hadn’t begun...

In the course of time, I realized to my amazement, that at this time in our life as a nation, people still define development in terms of good roads (that were actually overlaid), decoration of roundabouts and painting of schools etc

How does a place that needs a port which will attract allied businesses, promote a culture of entrepreneurship and attract foreign investors claim that building a few roads is development?

I believe sincerely that we attract the leaders we deserve. When we start to demand more? We will get more. So let the road overlaying continue...

WE NEED TO WAKE UP?

If being in love means loosing your senses...

If being Hip Hop means you can not have symphony in your beat...

If being a Christian means you can not have a life…

If being a guy means you can not cry...

If being hip means you have to be a drunk...

If being poor means you can not be neat...

If being a pastor means you can not be fly...

If being on Top means you are out of touch...

If being truthful means you are a traitor...

If being, suggests loosing your meaning?

Then being isn’t worth it!


If being truthful means you are a traitor...

If...

NIGERIA POLICE AGAIN ?? Uzoma Okere...now a busload of women and children...when shall we grow up?

As a young concerned youth growing up in this country, it is perplexing to see the status quo just remaining the status quo in spite of the fact that we know we are so messed up, because we still do not grasp what it will take to be successful, pretty much, we don’t care. Some people have told me to just look for something to be happy about and stop trying to change the world; hmm…what if changing the world is what makes me happy?

It is painful that despite the efforts of the government (though I don’t believe there’s been much effort there) but more importantly, in spite of the complaints of the populace, the NIGERIAN POLICE FORCE has remained a leprous thumb in the corruption-ravished psyche of the Nigerian state.

Why do you have to be a VIP in a cute car not to get harassed by the police (most times)? Why do you have to be 35 years old before the police would believe you own the car? Why do the police not get it that all young men aren’t criminals? Why should a policeman be with a gun and four empty bottles of beer on duty? Why do I have to be treated like a criminal just because I’m young, hip and happy? If you are in need, you ask. You don’t have to harass people because all you want is scare them into being afraid and then getting to drop something. It’s crass!

TBS on Sunday 31st May, 2009 would be forever etched on my psyche as I saw the symbol of our nation’s security and the standard for discipline slide to the slum of barbarism, words will fail me in describing everything I saw because it happened too…fast…

With the incidence of Uzoma Okere still on the national front burner, we would expect the security agencies in Nigeria to pretend for now to be a disciplined apparatus but it’s unlikely.

Yesterday at midday, a MOPOL agent assaulted a busload of women and children in the full glare of the public. While people were returning from church, he stopped the bus driver obviously to intimidate him for cash but it seemed like there was verbal exchange between him and a woman in the bus, in anger he punched the side wind shield, got his hand hurt and in anger, a shot was fired into the air. Imagine the commotion with people stooping/lying down to save their lives from stray bullets only to see the policeman that took the shot smashing all the windshields around the blue bus with the mouth of his gun with not less than eight children under four years and at least eight women inside the bus screaming and wailing in fear for their lives.

In the commotion that ensued, the women began to scamper out of the bus with the kids when a kid fell and the bus rolled over her as the bus driver tried to get off the range of the officer-Olukunle Oyewunmi.

Thank God later we realized that it was the child’s leg that was rolled over but she couldn’t walk right there. I pray for healing as she gets treated.

All I kept and keep thinking about is what if it had rolled over her head? What if?

DIVINE CONTRADICTIONS....BY BEN ATULUKU

YOU must first BE before you can DO.
Jesus went to the wilderness by the Spirit, to be tried and tested....not to fast and pray for power.
the issue at stake was His divine identity.

......IDENTITY....

a divine I.D had been pasted on Him by the prophetic word. ( that's what the prophetic word does to you.) "this is My beloved SON in whom I am well pleased!"
but His identity was locked in the voice of God..IN WHAT God said , not a manifestation....
He refused to try to prove His IDENTITY by an ACTIVITY.
He refused to turn stone to bread to prove a point...that He was the SON of God.

He was secure in His identity....and when He was proven to be SECURE IN HIS DIVINE IDENTITY WITHOUT DIVINE ACTIVITY, God released Him into Divine Activity to express (not validate) His divine Prophetic Identity.

AFTER THE PROPHETIC WORD COMES TO YOU AND YOU EMBRACE IT YOU WILL GO THRU A SEASON OF PROVING...proving of your security in your divine identity.

How secure are you in your divine I.D?

THIS IS THE REASON FOR LONG SEASONS OF BELIEVING THE PROPHETIC WORD WITHOUT SEEING ANY DIVINE ACTIVITY AS GOD PROMISED.
Abraham must live and wander on in the wilderness for long seasons (24yrs) with the new name and identity as "Father of Nations"(given by the prophetic word) without a single child to prove it.
David must live and wander seemingly "aimlessly"...(how many times has that word been used to describe you o man of destiny!)...in the wilderness for many years with the new identity as the new king (given by the prophetic word)without seeing anything like royalty...rather quite the opposite...he was a wandering vagabond!
Joseph must go on for years in shame ,reproach and contradictions to the new identity given to him by the prophetic Word and vision, through dreams without a sign of fulfilment...live in the identity...no matter what you see!

YOU MUST ENDURE EVERY CONTRADICTION TO YOUR PROPHETICALLY REVEALED IDENTITY, FOR LONG SEASONS, WITHOUT A SIGN OF FULFILMENT, BEFORE GOD RELEASES YOU!
...word to the wise...

Ben Atuluku

we here...

There are no short cuts in the long run

Saving this for later might just as well constitute procrastination which may unfortunately end in tragedy.

I hold up that view because we are all connected and not holding up our responsibilities many-a-times ends up in someone getting, ill, loosing their life....you get the picture?

Like the Nigerian govt. not appreciating and executing their responsibility in protection of lives and property? We all saw the pain in the a** that the Lagos-Benin expressway became yet a former president said there was no provision for the rehabilitation in our budget...whose budget, sef?

people were dying daily yet...

In fact, govt abdicating their responsibility is a norm in these parts, it is when the opposite happens we are taken aback!

Making.A.Difference House has come to hold up our end of the bargain in our determination to see the tangible expression of our dreams..as regards naija and this world we live in.

God has given us the mandate to tend this garden(though the world around looks like a junkyard)..but if God said garden, M.A.D House settles for nothing less..

Welcome my people to the revelation of a new breed of thot!