JENNIE IFEATU

I wish I could tell you that the what fascinates me most is your new haircut, your sleek phone or even  Burj Al Arab  but that will make me a liar. The first thing that entices me about people is their mindset. I actually don't say this all the time. We all have choices, I just shared a secret with you. The human mind is the most powerful tool ever. This is why humans are capable of anything, all you need to do is set your mind to it. This is the same reason why we hold to our convictions, faith and believe like the biblical Jacob held on to his brother, Esau's ankle. The fascinating thing about the mind is that it is closely related to a fallow ground. Add fertilizer, you get a good yield of crops, deprive it of fertilizer and await a harvest of ill-nourished crops. The mind works with just about the same mechanism. Feed it with knowledge and your heart will be merry. Withdraw knowledge from it and it will be like a deserted land. To k...

I watched Fisayo click away on his camera between flashes of light. It was at an event about promoting Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's). I checked some boxes after our interaction. He is industrious, a supporter of social good and very efficient. Call me a stalker of amazing young people and you won't be far from the truth. Olufisayo Giwa popularly known as African Jaguar and Shot On Target is currently an elite footballer at The Future Academy in Lagos and also a photographer. He is the Creative Director and creative mind behind Shot On Target Pictures.  He practically takes shots on the field and off the field as a photographer. He identifies as an ardent lover of God with a knack for providing solutions and creating a support system towards developing our country, Nigeria. "As a kid, one of my favourite toys was a round plastic ball, I grew up having passion for football,.I played it everywhere and was nicknamed after football legend 'Jay-Jay Ok...

Between choking laughter, nibbling on groundnut and bananas, we talked calmly. "Why did you offer me bananas?" "I see. So, I can't be nice anymore?" My eyebrows carving an arc in curiosity. "Mother Theresa, you don't give people bananas," He insisted. I chuckled. I was caught red-handed, I do not offer anyone those precious yellow darlings. We talked about a whole lot of things till he said something about people who accompanied others to the world. That struck a chord in my mind. A conversation could teach you a lifelong lesson. In his word, "Some people came to this world for a mission while the others just accompanied them." In split seconds, I imagined politicians alighting from cars while their armed aides jostled to secure their lives. I wondered how they felt after that. It's their job and I understand. I had a sleepless night that day pondering on if I had a mission to fulfil or I was just here to add to the sta...

A dark-skinned young man, father of two and a baker. That was my first attraction, there has to be more. I delved in a little more and found out that there was indeed more.  He had taken to baking and cake designing better than a woman would. The African Patriarchy system would label it 'the woman's job' but to him, it was 'his' job. It was the gold mine that fed his wife and children.  He asked the question that I always expect when I am interviewing someone for the #TheNextBigThing. "Why are you doing this." Over time, I have realised that 80% of world failures are not the ones that folded their hands and decided not to do anything rather it was those who were on the process of climbing mountains, slipped, sprawled on the cold concrete and never got to see anyone beckoning on them to get up. People need more encouragement that you can ever imagine to see past who they are, where they are to get to where they should be.  Whether you a...

Alexander Graham Bell is quoted to have said: " When one door closes, another opens, but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us."  Uzor Gabriel happens to be one who has eyes for open doors even in the midst of closed doors.  When he lost his job some years back, he decided to learn cake designing instead of staying idle. This led to the establishment of his business, Gabby Treasure. A startup actively involved in baking and designing mouth-watering cakes.  The father of two who resides in Kaduna reveals "I never took the vocation seriously, I was called back to work again after some months but I lost the job again, then I decided it was time to take the bold step even if it was challenging, that is how I became who I am today by God's grace. Was it just a normal occurrence or an unfolding of a divine order? Uzor is still on the journey of unravelling this. The Cak...

I was told that time heals every wound But these sores are fresh through decades Of the thrust of spears of these filial attachments With which I shared umbilical cords With fangs and claws, they charge at me And I am nothing but defenceless The earth has refused me refuge I run to the mountains But they have refused me from climbing their backs Monster Mountains sapping the earth’s nutrients Sole Harvesters of my father’s good Till their bags be completely full I was told We are one family Peace and happiness is all I seek I have cast my life in a box It has to undergo balloting to ascertain it’s worth It is worth nothing; so it is cast to the dogs That sink their teeth in my health They thump around and make death traps on the road Then make plans for tomorrow in flowing gowns and matching caps Laughing at the wounds that will never heal Laughing at my face of death At another stage rehearsal of casting my life in a box