THE ‘EASTERN REPORT’

                          Church thingz

What an exciting caption with a James bond feel to it, aay? 😀

So my eastern report starts a few days to Christmas when ‘we'( mia familia)- italian for  my family and I threw a few things in a bag and off we went to the east, Nsukka,  Enugu specifically. Prior to this I wasn’t really feeling the Christmas vibe, I only remembered it was Christmas when I saw decorations hung up or read one of the countless promos on offer on the internet and in newspapers.
So we headed to the east with my brother who would give race car driver Louis Hamilton a good run for his money at the wheel.
It was an interesting journey to the east

         Them don jam our car but God win!

We got hit twice from behind – nothing too serious, thank God. We made good progress (we were at Asaba before noon) till we got to Onitsha bridge and the head bridge where we encountered a little traffic. Finally got to the village in one piece.
Bright and early the next day, relatives and friends start coming by to welcome us and offer us all manner of eastern delicacies.
It was great seeing loved ones we hadn’t seen in years.
In the course of our trip we ate all sorts of food like okpa – a moi moi like meal favored by nsukka people made from groundpea , otipi (ntipe)-a meal made of grinded corn and vegetables, echicha – another local delicacy made of round tiny beans and dried cocoyam pounded into bits, ayaraya – a meal of round beans with chopped up pieces of yam, abacha- I bet you are familiar with this one, strips of dried cassava cooked with palm oil, vegetables, agidi jollof (maize meal like agidi) dried fish and tiny bits of ‘kpomo’, utara okpa (a fufu-like swallow made of groundpea seed), plenty of fufu and egusi soup with bitterleaf. I cannot begin to tell you how delicious all these dishes were- yum, yum.

Brother : The junk (foodstuff) is too much, It can ruin the shock absorber.
Mum : junk? but you will eat when I cook them!

                             Fufu thingz

We had to bring home fufu,  round black beans, breadfruit, ogiri, gallons of palm oil,  abacha, cocoyam, ukwa, ijiriji (breadfruit) etc. Oh, and I drank delicious PALMWINE, my uncle went to get it the very next day after we arrived.
My brother grumbled endlessly about the load especially the fufu and my mum promptly replied “but you will eat when it’s cooked” :-D. Hahaha!

We visited UNN, the university of Nigeria Nsukka which is very close to my house, attended an uncle’s burial, visited lots of relatives, were supposed to go to shoprite Enugu but plans changed

I don dance reach abeg, Oya, where the money, leg dey pain me!

I also saw loads of masquerades especially child masquerades dancing for you so you’d give them money, one morning a group of four little boys passed by my house with one in a masquerade costume while his pals played the musical instruments – they couldn’t have been older than five, I admired their hustle:-D.

You no wan drop money? You dey look me, one stroke for your back…LOADING…

We attended mass at a Catholic seminary school close to our house where it is said the seminarians drawn from every part of the country are famous for singing  like angels but they had gone home for the holidays. Attended crossover vigil, i cooked up a storm of rice and Chicken stew on Christmas day while my mum cooked egusi soup with bitterleaf with plenty of goatmeat and beef, yum! I drank countless bottles of fanta and malt and lay in bed watching nikita and welcoming guests from time to time.

That was how I spent Christmas day my people – morning mass, cooking, eating and drinking, watching nikita and chatting with guests.

Make I ‘chook’ dis dash money for pocket abeg before my guys sight am, make story nor go change!

New year eve I attended cross over vigil and I  declare that they throw way more fireworks (bangers & knockout) in the village (mine anyway) than they do in my area of Lagos, the very colorful ones, the ones that sound like dynamites or huge bombs and almost shake the foundation of your house – they do not joke in the East o, hian! I slept and in the morning fried plantain while my sister handled the main cooking of jollof with fish and chicken, I lay in bed for a while watching arrow and drinking malt then we spent the rest of the day visiting relatives.

              An interesting signboard I saw

The famous eastern harmattan – the day before we travelled my cousin called and ‘ordered’ us to pack socks, headwarmers, thick sweaters and trousers for she heard (from her house right here in Lagos):-D that the harmattan was not a laughing matter but the first few days were not even as cold as the Lagos harmattan but it steadily increased.
In all, it was a trip I enjoyed immensely and I would not mind travelling to the East every single December henceforth. 🙂 you are all invited!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE

Yes, yes, it’s coming a little late but still…
So how did your Christmas and new year celebrations go? I bet you had plenty of fun, I know I did.
I will post my ‘eastern report’ with gist about my trip to the east, I wish I had more pictures to show but, oh well.
My year has started of well so far and I know it will only get better for us all. What a great year 2016 is going to be, a year of divine elevation and endless testimonies to the glory of God, Halleluyah! 🙂

Do you feel it? Can you tell that this is going to be a great year? I can and I am excited!

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT CHRISTMAS

Hello good people, Tis Christmas again and I am sooo excited, here’s why;

You know how people mischievously joke every year that Lagos becomes nearly deserted when the igbos travel to their villages in December? Yeah, I know.

1. Travelling: I get to visit the east/my village (Nsukka, Enugu state) and the experience is always plenty of fun. There’s so much to see along the way on the long trip from Lagos to the east,  In the village you see relatives you haven’t seen in ages and they spoil you with all manner of delicacies and fruits, yum, yum!
There’s just this general good cheer and all round excitement and  you might get to see a masquerade or two.

2. The Christmas carols

Catholic carols are legendary the world over for how captivating and enchanting they are, I have a friend who has been asking me for a week when the Christmas carol is holding at my church, he really wants to come- same as last year. It’s like listening to a choir of angels serenading you if you’ve got a ‘tight’ choir in your church.

3. The FOOD! : Need I explain? You get to eat till your belly sticks out a mile. From fufu to pounded yam, Okpa, abacha, ukwa, otipi, achicha, ugba, roasted yam, corn and the likes, to fruits,  food just keeps coming from every direction like a tap that cannot be turned off, Nom, nom!

4. Lounging express: It’s the norm to assist my mum when she is cooking up a storm at home but in the village I will not be expected to even boil water, hehehe, did somebody say easy street? I agree.:-)

5. Cross over vigil mass: Once you get past the sleepiness, vigil mass is great, Just starting your year in God’s house is something I enjoy and look forward to and the church is always packed to overflowing. There’s people standing in every corner like they came out of the woodwork and you wonder where they have been all year.

6. The promise of a new year, a fresh start and endless possibilities for great new adventures and achievements is another thing to look forward to. The new year is a fresh opportunity to reconnect with God, rededicate yourself to him and to just live your best life. It’s a time to take charge of our lives anew and march forth boldly to achieve new heights. Hallelujah!!!

What are the things you love about the season?

HAPPY NEW MONTH EVERYONE.

Happy new month everyone! Christmas is  here again, I still remember quite clearly everything I did on Christmas day in 2014 like it was yesterday, I remember that I had to do all the cooking for Christmas and new year because half my family was away on holiday and it was just my brother and I at home so I played mum and cooked up a storm, you know I nailed it B-). Maybe I should audition for top chef next year, haha.

So how did your year go? If you got everything you wanted I say congratulations, and if you didn’t, don’t lose hope because the good Lord is working it out!
John 5 vs 17
“My father is always at His work to this very day, and I, too, am working”.
Hallelujah!

It was quite a year for me, the challenges made me stronger and I have grown in more ways than one especially in my relationship with God. What were the high points of your year? How did you get past the challenges? Please share, I am all ears eyes. 😀

Welcome December, we love you, So please be kind. ❤

MOST EMBARRASSING DAY EVERRRR! (2)

Almost as embarrassing were the times I fell in the gutter twice in primary school.
One evening I followed my aunt to a house four houses away from mine and while she was standing outside talking to whoever she came to see, I decided to occupy myself with spinning around and around. Remember that game where you spin yourself around till you get dizzy – yes, that one. Genius that I was, I chose a spot by the very dirty gutter to do my spinning, My aunt warned me to stop o, that I would fall in the gutter but what did she know? Make she park well jare! B-)

So there I was spinning and next thing I know  I was floating in the air – there was no ground under my feet, that was how I found myself in the gutter o, brethrens, they plucked me out and hosed me down and then we commenced the short journey home with my aunt berating me the whole time and every kid in my street witnessing my shame, Kai. It was a bad day nwanem! 😥

The second gutter episode was no fault of mine.
So there I was walking home after a long school day with my sister, we were just a few steps away from school, looking clean and fine with my nice uniform, school bag and all, minding my business when one son of the devil – well, he was only a kid like me, running to god-knows-where runs into my and knocks me into the gutter. The most annoying part was that the evil little monster just yelled “sorry” over his  shoulder and DIDN’T STOP!

My sister was confused and didn’t know whether to chase after the evil little devil of a boy or to help me out of the gutter. Trust kids, everyone paused their journey home to stare at me like I was an exhibit at the museum. My sister with the help of one lady cleaned me up as best they could and we continued the journey home with me in my wet uniform, wet shoes and school bag. It was terrible!:'(

If I were to run into that misfortunate boy today, I would still land him a headspinner of a slap on his insensitive face *breathing hard in anger .*:O:O

I like to think that almost everyone has a gutter story to tell (make e nor be only me, biko) So, don’t be shy, tell me everything!:-D

MOST EMBARRASSING DAY EVERRR! (1)

I just read a ‘most embarrassing moments’ post – celebrity edition, on a blog and reading their experiences made me recall the absolute most embarrassing thing that ever happened to me, but in my defence, I was just following instructions 🙂 you know I respect my elders. O:-)
So this fine day my cousin that would eat you out of house and home if you gave her a chance visited, She eats plate after plate after plate with short breaks in-between, till your pot is literally almost empty. No joke!

Seeing as there was not much in the pot that day a ‘family member’ told me to hide the pot soon after she arrived. So I  carried the pot to my room and hid it under the bed – it seemed a great hiding spot at the time.
Anyway, I felt hungry after a while and hurried to the pot with the intention of quickly eating a little, next thing I know, my door flies open and she catches me with my hand right on the pot, dragging it out from under the bed with my plate and spoon beside me, Time froze as we stared at each other for a moment, she left my room without saying a word and proceeded to my mum’s room to chat with her before leaving, I was so embarrassed I didn’t leave my room till she had gone home and then i threw a huge tantrum, warning my ‘instructor’ never to include me in any future schemes and to do her own dirty work herself. My mum was laughing her head off the whole time. I still cringe when I recall that day and I picture my cousin calling all my extended family members home and abroad to tell them my crime. I felt like throwing up that whole day and couldn’t look her in the eye for a long time. Lord!! :-!
It was terrible, nwanem.

Your turn, don’t be shy!:-)

HAPPY NEW MONTH EVERYONE!

Welcome to

Happy new month everyone, The year is fast coming to an end and I can almost smell Christmas in the air, I am excited! How has your year been so far? Great? That’s good and if it has not gone so well, that’s fine too.

It’s a little hard to hear but  progress takes time sometimes and that’s ok as long as you do not stop trying. A lot can change between now and the end of December.

May we find favour in the sight of the good Lord this November, Amen.
If you need a little-pick-me-up, here are some verses that will remind you of God’s faithfulness.

Psalm 91 vs 14
Because he loves me, “says the Lord, “i will rescue him, I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation”.

Psalm 91:  11-12
He will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways ; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike you foot against a stone.

John 16 vs 33
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

Psalm 121 vs 3
He will not let your foot slip, He who watches over you will not slumber.

John 16 vs 23
My father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

Happy new month good people!!

IT’S ENUGU DAY!

Hello fine folks, yes, yes, I have been gone for a bit, but I missed you all every single day :-), I truly did.

Sooo, Today (well yesterday, Since it’s past midnight now) was ENUGU DAY and it was celebrated at the national stadium, Surulere, and seeing as it’s quite close to where I live and I am from Enugu, I decided to tag along for the view, and boy! what a view it turned out to be!

There were dozens of colorful masquerades dancing, jumping in the air, gyrating, stamping their feet and executing all manner of fantastic ‘gymnastics’. The various age grade groups and town unions were not to be outdone and put on an equally energetic display indeed!

There were all sorts of eastern delicacies, yum, yum!
It was such a rich and colorful display of the beautiful igbo culture unrivaled by any I had ever seen before, a rich fusion of food, dance, music and traditional attires and you could feel the deep pride the good people of Enugu take in their beautiful culture. It really was a fun event.

I heard most of the masquerades and some of their followers came all the way from the east. Such effort!

The Enugu state governor was ably represented by the commissioner for rural development.
It was fun to see ‘kinsmen’ who kept telling me “you’re now a big girl”, since they last saw me years ago.
I took plenty of pictures so I have  put up a few, forgive the quality as most of them were taken from a distance with my phone.

I will be sure to take my children to this event someday.
Ndi Enugu kwenu ooo!! E kelem unu. 🙂

IT’S HALLELUJAH TUESDAY! BIBLE VERSES TO RENEW YOUR SPIRIT.

It’s hallelujah Tuesday! The life of a Christian is really about carrying our cross and following God so struggles and  challenges along the way really are a part of life and no surprise BUT seeing as we are only human, Our feet sometimes, grow weary on the journey of life, our resolve waivers and our spirits need renewing.

What better way  to get a little pick-me-up than turning to the promises of our creator? Our strength and shield whose promises are unchanging and in whom our spirits find rest from worldly woes. In Him we find strength to persevere and carry on the journey of life.  Glory!!! 
Here are some of my favorite spirit-renewing bible verses.

John 16 vs 33
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

Psalm 121 vs 3
He will not let your foot slip, He who watches over you will not slumber.

John 16 vs 23
My father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

Psalm 91 vs 7
A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.

Psalm 91 vs 4
He will cover you with his feathers and under His wings you will find refuge, His faithfulness will be your shield and your rampart.

John 5 vs 17
“My father is always at His work to this very day, and I, too, am working”.

Psalm 91 vs 14
Because he loves me, “says the Lord, “i will rescue him, I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation”.

Psalm 91:  11-12
He will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways ; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike you foot against a stone.

Psalm 40 vs 17
Yet I am poor and needy, May the Lord think of me. You are my help and deliverer; O my God, do not delay.

I would love to read some of yours.:-)

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR COPING WITH STRESS.

Hello good friends, I hope you rocked the holidays. How do you stay positive when slammed with the challenges and ‘lows’ that are a part of life? Chip in a tip or two below please.

1.  Spend time with people that make you happy and help take your mind off worries –

Life can seem like a lot to take in sometimes, It really can get a little overwhelming. It’s times like these that you need a good friend by your side, cheering you on and encouraging you along the way. That friend that’s a laugh and a half, that can help turn any sour mood around and bring a different perspective to a seemingly bleak situation, that friend you can always turn to for a shoulder to lean on, a listening ear, some hard truths – tough love style and good advice when you need it.

2.  Do the things that cheer you up – I personally like to watch TV series (seasonal shows) and read a lot – books, magazines, newspapers, articles on the internet, blog posts – everything really. Writing is also therapeutic for me. If you’re not a voracious reader you could go see a movie at the cinema, clear your head at the beach, go clubbing , whatever works for you – just live!

3. Make a move – It is too easy to sit and brood over what could have been, Sadness is often linked to dissatisfaction with one’s life, often the feeling of disappointment lingers over shelved dreams – make an effort to achieve that dream, even if it means starting small and watch your spirit lift.

4. Stay positive – surround yourself with only friends and family members that recognize how truly awesome you are and encourage you every step of the way on the road  to maximising your potential and achieving your dreams. Do not forget to be there for them when they need you too. In life we have to give as good as we get.

5. Take it to the good Lord – Calling on God and tabling your challenges before him never gets old, hand over every issue, big and small alike to him and feel peace wash over you.

6. Live your best life – Have fun and be happy, help people when you can – the satisfaction that comes with making life a little better for someone else is great. Make an effort everyday to grow in every area of your life – grow, grow, grow! Life is too short to sit in a corner twiddling your thumbs – live, love and grow – BE HAPPY!