I haven’t written a blog post since January 😳, that’s unbecoming, but the past 9 months have been amazing filled with different experiences.
Laughter, happiness, sadness, regrets filled, adventurous, educating, exciting, almost every feeling.
From not going anywhere from December to February to touring Nigeria. Love it though my account bleeds😅
Anyway, how have you been?
I’m sorry for the long break in transmission, NYSC and adulting have been after my life.
For my foreign readers, NYSC is the acronym for National Youth Service Corps, a program organised by the Nigerian government to enable the youths of Nigeria to serve their fatherland for a year. You are moved from your home to live in another state in Nigeria.
This program I feel is necessary but should be modified, but in the usual Nigerian method changes are never made with the times, we like to be stuck in the past and change only the things that benefit the government.
Is NYSC necessary to you?
Shout out to having my parents, siblings and friends as the best support system throughout this process, 4 more months to go and I’m quite elated!
I’m going to talk about my life divided into some areas.
1. Business:
The Readers Hut has been prosperous this year and that is thanks to you. Thank you for your support, the store will be clocking one on the 30th of October. I will be running an anniversary sale so do well to use this opportunity! 🤗
I had a major sale from Simi, the musician, and it boosted my sales. Just so you know Influencer marketing is crazy. Simi tagged me on Instagram after receiving her books and over 200 persons followed the business account overnight and about 10 persons bought books.
😍💕
This is me who had been running giveaways to gain followers and patronage and few Nigerians reached out. One of my favourite highlights for the year.
2. NYSC:
Such a frustrating scheme, everything was wrong from the beginning but I have made amazing friends. I also travelled to places I never saw myself going to, definitely an amazing experience. I travelled to Abuja, Gombe and Delta for the first time.
Video recap! 💕
3. Life:
I thought males and females hated each other, how come everyone is getting married every day? 😂😂 I attended the highest number of weddings in the first half of the year. Beautiful experiences and I wish everyone love and light but no more weddings for me till I get a proper job. 👍
I have had a year mixed with exciting times, and sad times, lost my aunt who was sort of my foster mum, and I have had depressing times while serving in delta state. I am also adjusting gradually to this place but I can’t wait to be done.
Brings me to the current issue in my head, What next after Nysc? If you have been in this situation, how did you navigate it? I would love to read your thoughts and advice.
I have had quite an exciting reading year, I will put a blog post of my favourite reads of the year soon.
I was sent a review copy of ‘I was a teen rockstar ‘by A. H. Mohammed. The author of The last days at forcados high, I enjoyed this book and put up a blog post, it gained so much traction. I hope you all love his newest book.
Shout out to the Nigerian music industry, you guys are doing the work! I may put up a review of my favourite songs and albums for the year on the blog or on my podcast. If you haven’t listened to Bants with Naza podcast, you need to fix up! 😊
Till next time guys! Thank you for reading, do share! 💕
Thank you to everyone who kept telling me to read this book, I love you all!
I haven’t spent a whole day reading and laying about in a while, I missed that feeling. Adulting is the ghetto.
I did this today and this book made it way worth it.
This is the most beautiful story I have read this year, my whole heart!🥺 This book broke me, I cried, as usual, I don’t know how to completely express how I feel, just need you to get a copy and read it.
My favourite feature of this story was its premise in Rivers State, my state of origin. We see most books from Lagos so this was a welcomed change, I loved that I could relax into the pages and feel like I’m home. I honestly thought this story was a product of a real-life experience.
This book was filled with humour, love, friendship and its loss, family, politics, militancy, kidnapping, freedom fighters, bad governance, godfatherism and any other themes. A sad, haunting and thrilling read.
I loved a lot of names used in this book. After Yoruba names, Rivers names have always been so awesome to me; Doye Koko😊, I loved this man, Damiete, Kaniye, Dise, such beautiful names.
This book is a story of four friends born into different circumstances; Doye Koko ‘the most intelligent with a deadbeat dad’, Kaniye ‘the bastard son of Sir James’, Tubo ‘the orphan’ and Amaibi ‘the catechists son’ born in the town of Asiama, Rivers State.
These four grow up, become different persons and have to decide what life they want to live. Ideologies change, life happens and everyone reaps a bit of reward for the life they choose. They realise the easy camaraderie and brotherhood they share has been mauled by life.
The characters were relatable, I loved all the major characters except Tubo, such a greedy wuss, I wondered how he was still friends with Amaibi and Kaniye, I would have kicked him out of my life a long time ago. He reminds me of some of the ‘Port-Harcourt boys I have met/encountered, always so loud but when the chips are down they would never act, so irritating.
I kinda saw Doye’s reasons for all he did, a warped thought process but it’s a cutthroat world out there and look what happened to him and his family. He became too proud though I knew something was coming.
Kaniye and Sir James had the weirdest family bond, I had a growing fondness for Sir James despite everything and I loved how Kaniye always tried to rile him up.
The love story between Kaniye and Deola was so sweet and natural. I could relate to Deola a lot. The struggle to find a spouse amid family and personal preferences can be so stressful. I loved how Chimeka described her as a devout Christian but defying societal/nigerian norms of how a Christian woman should be.
Amaibi’s life and reverence to his dad reminds me of my Dad and I, although Amaibi was quite an extremist. Dise! So strong, such a beautiful character!
‘God’ was such a strong presence in this book, still valid to say that Nigerians are so extra about Christianity but commit the worst sins.
This story was about the people of Asiama and their struggle to survive in the presence of oil companies, greedy politicians and chiefs and the oil boom in the Niger Delta from oil spills to bunkering. It points out all the flaws in our country, the role of the Niger Deltans during the era of militancy, the fight for support and livelihood of oil company host communities and finally the presence of godfatherism and corruption in Nigeria.
I got pissed a lot in the course of reading and it’s so sad to see that yes militancy has stopped but things are still bad and we are in 2021. Armies still shoot civilians carelessly, oil bunkering is still there, we in Port-Harcourt are slowly dying, the air is polluted. Nigerian government always frustrating those who ask them to do their jobs, everything is still the same.
This may have been fiction but it is still our reality.
Finally, this was book was all shades of amazingness, you can pick it up at the rate of 3,000 to 3,500 in Nigeria from Bookmarket NG and other book stores.
Favourite parts of the book:
Anyone still eating this combo, I’m yet to understand why you like suffering?
See why I love Sir James😂😂
Reminds me of #ENDSARS, written in 2005, still valid in 2021
What then? It’s already drying up
😂😂 Women 💞
That’s it, thanks for reading! Bye till my next post😍
This is a warning don’t say I didn’t do anything for you this year 🙂, not doing that is a recipe for having a bad day.
Nigerian bus drivers are always angry😩…
On a beautiful Tuesday morning, this half-bougie babe left home with 550 naira notes in her bag.
How did she forget the number one rule when using Nigerian buses?
Balancing like a queen in the front seat, the bus conductor asked, “Front seat your money?” then it dawned on her that she had messed up big time. To crown it all, a lot of persons in the bus were with larger currencies and she didn’t tell the conductor before entering that this was what she had as the last person who entered the bus.
She decided there was nothing much she could do, she gave the comductor her 550 naira and told him to give her 400 naira change. The audacity! 😂😂
This man gave her this look like “you go dey form fine babe wetin be this? I go commot your teeth juss now“😒😒
The conductor was pissed, ” O girl, give me 200 naira oh, me I no hold change“
Pretends to search bag, ” Sir, I no hold any money, sorry sir…. abeg manage help me find change” and returned back to using her phone, thinking she was being polite. 😏😂
That was the stroke that broke the camels back, the conductor goes off ” I tell you say I no get change, you go dey press phone“
The man was infuriated! 😩
What is it with older people and seeing younger persons using their phone when they are conversing with them?
An honest question really, I felt I was polite, but he didn’t think so.
In conclusion, he got change for me🤗😅, but I wouldn’t lie that I wasn’t a bit rattled, I always avoid leaving my house without change.
I hear in places like Lagos, they would take your money and that will be it, except you can be ready to display some form of crazy😂😂, that place ain’t for me.
That’s it for today, let’s hope the new week is as interesting as the last one!
Ever had issues with bus drivers? Let’s talk, how did you handle it.
This was my review submission for the review challenge and fam this is the longest review I have ever written 😩😩please I’m putting it here for you all to read.
This was my first ever pre-ordered copy and I’m proud of myself my library is gradually being built 😁😁.
I was attracted by the name, book cover and the competition, I felt it would be a win-win situation for me. This year the goal is to read across different genres and this was a lovely addition.
Vaults of Secrets is a compilation of ten stories based on secrets as the name implies. This was a really great read albeit filled with sad stories, funny too and filled with sarcasm.
Books come to you at different times and most times they fit your current situation, that was my experience reading Vaults of Secrets.
Olukorede released this book on First of October, 2020, Nigeria’s Independence Day and the significance is glaring.
In October 2020,the youths of Nigeria decided to say no to one vice of the government, despite its numerous vices, the penchant of killing of unarmed youths by men of a unit, The Special Anti-Robbery Squad, and this was when I read this book, it couldn’t have come at a better time showing me that for the past Sixty years Nigeria hasn’t established any growth. The vices eating deep have been there since forever.
This is supposed to be a bland review because to be frank the stories were sad but they were extremely realistic.
I would describe this book as a satirical political book, the undertones of politics and the state of Nigeria were present. The stories are based on secrets and it cuts across different themes. This book has its premise on Nigeria although most of the issues seen here are seen in almost every country. I would also say this stories here strongly represent Nigeria and its citizens. The lies, the secrets and all its repercussions.
Photo Credit: Me😁😁!!
Vaults of Secrets makes you reflect on secrets, makes us ask why we even keep them and if you are such a plain book do you have a right to criticise another’s secrets?
The first story, ‘Till We Meet To Part No More’ showed me that everyone lies, everyone has secrets. There is this saying that ‘Na who dem catch we go talk about’, goes to show that we are in no place to judge people’s decisions or mistakes, what will we find when we check your secret chambers?
Let’s use the example of the Big Brother Naija show which concluded recently, imagine if your life was as open as the show, what would we see in your closet? One of the housemates was bashed because her true nature was seen, but I wondered, so many persons act the way she did except most times they can hide it in public.
‘This Special Gift’ was hilarious, how can one have a gift of finding out people’s secrets unconsciously, like it’s her gift. I wouldn’t want that gift it’s too burdensome.
A major theme here was religion, in Nigeria we have taken religion to extreme heights. We discriminate, we hate each other. Christians do not support other Christians if they aren’t from the same church, while for those in the same church, we still see those who form cliques, gossip, backbite and hate on one another, refuting the essence of God bidding us to seek his face. The Muslims too have their issues. How would one seek God if when you attend church service you are judged?
I didn’t like that a man committed a crime, was caught and what he was more conscious of was his standing in church, what church members would say. What about God, your wife, kids? Misplaced priorities has always been a common problem.
Culture came in to play too, male children being the ideal gifts from God while females are just extras. It’s funny because without women how would you bear your beloved sons? And how does a woman having sons for you justify you cheating on one who doesn’t and is your legal wife? So hilarious. Then we see the devil blamed in every situation. I’m a Christian but let’s check this, God gave. us the power to choose, before you make a decision you are allowed to choose from two different outcomes, so why do we not make the right choice? The devil is who we all blame when we do something wrong. It’s actually very funny but sad.
‘My Mother’s Father is my Father’ was a bit sad. That feeling of wanting questions answered can make one think and make weird deductions.
‘Letters from the Basement’ made me ponder on terrorism. Nelson in the story was arrested for terrorism but for him he was helping his country. When we see the wrongs in our country do we keep quiet or challenge the government to do better? Let’s look at the #EndSARS protest, a front liner during the protests has been prevented from travelling and her international passport seized on the grounds of investigations to be conducted. It doesn’t make any sense. Different scenarios but seeking the same outcome, a better country, is it so much to ask?
We see the religious fanatics in this story, “pay this amount to get your problem solved.” No dear, God doesn’t need you to pay special fees to his anointed for your problems to be solved. This has been in existence over time and people still haven’t learnt, funny but sad.
My best story was ‘This Thing Called Love’, in a weird way. Keeping secrets brought about a good reward for the secret keeper compared to the other stories. It still begs the question: Keeping some secrets make one lie, should we do this then? Should we actually keep secrets?
This story is a depiction of Nigeria and its citizens, keeping a secret today can grant you a reward later in life but what’s to say it won’t bite you later? Questions, questions, questions.
‘Better than the devil’ , a very catchy name, which definitely describes the young man in this story. It was the audacity for me, how one can justify killing with, ‘God said we should obey’ , when he knew the killing was for a wrong cause.
It made me ask, what would happen to all government officials and law enforcement officers who are given orders to kill both in just and unjust cases? This story spoke to me a lot because I read it during the #EndSARS campaign. The current President of Nigeria, Buhari was given a spot in this book where he was fighting for the country but now a lot of persons want to be saved from him, an interesting turn of events.
‘Otapiapia’ was sad because it’s all fun and games, excuses too, when we decide to live life recklessly, the repercussions may be too much to bear. Society too doesn’t support persons and a lot of persons are stuck on what society perceives about them, which is a leading cause of depression, suicide and so many linking issues.
‘When truth dies’ was a bit bland, sad too, and as the stories have been, talked extensively on election issues in Nigeria and how the Nigerian system has been a failure.
‘Lydia’s World’ was a mess, showing the deplorable state of the Nigerian health sector. Reminded me of a story my mum told me some weeks back, how babies were stolen from the maternity ward when she gave birth to me and how some nurses mixed up babies. That is really an issue.
This was a long review but in its entirety, Vaults of Secrets is really a great book and you should read it.
You can get yours by sending a message to me or get it from Amazon or any book shops around you!
Dont forget to share this blog with a friend! I would love to hear your thoughts on Nigeria.
What are your thoughts about Nigeria and its economy? Do you think this Nation can get better? Till next time!
“Bekere looked about her and called for help, some gossipy women, sitting at a veranda across the street, who had earlier seen Alice come out of the clinic and knew what she had just done, looked at Bekere in scorn and ignored her.
In situations like this, the woman was regarded by society as the stupid one. No one points fingers at the man; no one talked about the man. All everyone was interested in saying was, “See that stupid girl, she got pregnant out of wedlock, now she has done abortion, shior!””
Red Lines, I’m having mixed feelings here you know😏, when I started reading this book, I was like alright, let’s keep an open mind and read this book and I wasn’t disappointed. I’m in love with this book which is the first installment in a series and I can’t wait to read the rest.
As a Nigerian female and a romance addict😂😊, this book depicts how I picture any Nigerian love story to play out.
Timi Waters is a budding female Nigerian writer and I am proud of this work, it’s engaging, the beginning was a bit slow but along the line you just want to know what will happen next, there were some cliche moments but that is expected too. I have high hopes for Timi in the literary world.
Red Lines tells the story of Bekere, a beautiful, simple, preschool teacher who meets Folu, the CEO of Bade Inc. and their intense love story begins.
I fell in love with these characters so much, Timi introduces us to them separately so I got to love them individually and was rooting for them till the end.
I love Folu’s intensity, he gives off pure manly vibes.
““I’ll find you, Bekere, whether you tell me ways to meet you again or not, I’ll find you.””
-Folu
Did you read that?!
Moving on, Folu has a Twin Fola, who is quite the playboy and there exists a strong sibling rivalry. Fola wants payback for all the wrongs Folu has supposedly committed against him and decides to steal his woman by every tactic including exposing all Folu’s secrets. Things get crazy and I’m left on a cliffhanger.
I really don’t like book series but I will have to be patient😏.
Red Lines was an intriguing story, easy to read. I love books where I get to learn new words. I also love that it is infused with Nigerian traits such as how any female still single at 27 years is seen as an issue, how we aren’t allowed to be selective of our spouse at that age because hello, your maternal clock is ticking, how it’s not good to leave your father’s home as a single woman, although that’s gradually changing in some homes. She also shed light on the bad health care system in Nigeria, Nigerians infatuation with God even when they aren’t doing the right things, how some courses in school are seen as the ideal course while others are ” I read it so it will be said that I have a degree” course😂.
Nigeria is such an interesting country, believe me! It was fun reading this book, can’t wait to read more on Bekere and Folu’s story and how it would end.
The major themes and lessons expressed in this book were:
1.Children upbringing; parents should always monitor and observe their children closely, learn to not pick favorites, love your children equally.
2.Rape: Although this was quite subtle, with everything happening in our society I had to butress on this point. A lot of men are raped at young ages, let’s learn to be sensitive to our young ones, let love lead people!
3. Gender issues in Nigeria.
Alright, off with you, you can read this first installment on Bambooks.io or Okadabooks.com app or website for a little token, have fun, till the next review!
Don’t forget to share and follow this fun blog.
Whatareyourthoughts oncommitting abortion?
I would love to read your thoughts on the question and themes/traits from this review brought up in Red Lines in the comment section!
The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Adichie was one beautiful read albeit it took me a long time to finish, I just wasn’t serious with reading it.
In spite of that, I love Anything Chimamanda Adichie and yes I’m a bit late to reading this book but sue me😂!
This is a collection of short stories taking us through Nigeria to be specific and its different social beliefs on; Marriage, Childbirth, Women, School, Career, Foreign Lifestyle, Religion and so on.
I loved it because I could relate to almost all stories, it’s a thought provoking read, She as always has a way of presenting the History of Nigeria in her books which makes one read with a wistful sigh thinking of all we had and lost as Nigerians.
I graduated from The University of Nigeria so every time I read a story centred on it makes me smile😊, the last story was a bit weird though 🤔, in all it was an excellent read! 💖💖❤️❤️
Have you read Chimamanda’s books? What do you love about here works? “
I would certainly recommend this book to everyone!
The Readers Hut 