My Nowadays...

Hello people!

Sorry I’ve been out of touch for a bit. I recently took a plunge into the deep. Figuratively speaking only, and, regrettably, not radically so. (Regrettably, because when you consider people like Zora Neale Hurston and Iman [forgive the contrast], this is nothing new). I quit my job and moved 5 states away from home to take a course in Performing Arts! It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but till now, I’d neither the courage nor chance to do it.

A year ago, I’d the opportunity to do a stage performance with two pillars in the movie industry. Both of them were good to me and strengthened my confidence in my abilities, so I did my bit to keep in touch. On one of these occasions, the lady one tells me that her school is open and in a week, I was in the excellent city of Lagos. I quit my dead end job, left my monotonous lifestyle and my wonderfully beautiful home for the hustle and bustle of Lagos. I’m currently in the guest room at my cousin’s children friendly home and constantly striving to get to Lekki/Ajah before 9.pm from my P.A. job in Ikoyi where the staff is so territorial, it’s a shame. I now know places like Obalende and Igbu-Efon, buses that rip your clothes, bus conductors that “wu-tang” and cabs that cost an arm. I’ve experienced traffic that keeps you out longer than a trip to Warri and sights that could make you weep for our nation! I’m tired in the evenings and long for more sleep in the mornings, but nothing beats my Saturdays!

I wake up tired as usual, because we start in the morning, but I get to “school” revived from the 20-minute “okada” ride, 40-minute bus ride or 30-minute cab ride (all depending on a combination of the state of my hurry, wellbeing and buoyancy). Two hours of dance and Movements, where I’ve learned mimetic movements, salsa, bata and the electric slide, are followed by a break and another two hours of speech and voice trainings. The second break introduces acting for stage, where this “petite piece of pepper” displays so many so many facial expressions and gestures, you wonder when you’ll get there. I spend the whole day there, but hardly notice it. I’m neither hungry nor tired and I want to continue… but I’ll have to wait wait another week to get my “high”. It’s a combination of my passion, the people who feed it and what they have to offer.

Sunday: I have to wake up at 5.am (earlier than a weekday) to get to church before 7.am if I wish to attend the first service and avoid the overflow halls. The message is so uplifting that I plan to stay for the second, but by the second service, I'm fighting sleep like a maniac from hell! Leaving the place, I wonder why, but know, deep down that those very Sundays are my best days of the week. (Not the part where I have to iron for the week ahead!!)

Nothing extraordinary happens in my life now; my dreams aren’t coming true in a radical way, but I’m on the path and I’m in a happy place in my life. I miss my parents, my boo and my room, but I’m doing just fine.

Love, Diva…

Leading Ladies

I call it a small miracle when a man gets to see himself grow. I was informed by my previous blog hosts that they'd be shutting down, so I quickly extracted the few articles or write-ups (or whatever these are called) from the site. I decided it'd be nice to put them up here, but a few of them had to go, cause they didn't sound like something you'd be interested in reading.

Now, it wasn't my tone or style of writing, but what I chose to blog about. Some may at this point refer to "Head vs. Heart" as too personal, but the real message is not in the storytelling... Nevertheless,

Hello People,

How've you been. I received a message a short time ago concerning a very popular and prominent female leader in the Gospel community. It was reported that she had been beaten by her husband, another prominent man of God, a third generation bishop in fact (his father and grandfather before him had been bishops). The police had to get involved because the assault took place in public- outside a mall.

According to the article, this televangelist, popularly addressed as Prophetess, had been beaten black and blue by her own husband, with welts and bruises on her body. She has been, for a long time, a pillar of hope and a source of strength to many women all around the world through life changing books, messages, crusades, seminars and workshops.

Few days later I heard about another televangelist as successful and popular as the first. She and her husband announced that they were getting a divorce, but would remain in their respective leadership roles; she, her television ministry and he, the church.

I'm not passionately hung up on pastors and ministers except they're my local or senior pastors, whom I have had the chance to know personally, so I wasn't shattered by this news. However, knowing that there would be many people who'd be dissapointed and want answers to their questions, I decided to write this to encourage everyone who might feel bad or think differently about the kingdom of God on hearing such news.

Truth is, whatever happens doesn't change the fact that these people are human and subject to the same challenges we face; maybe more because they lead complicated lives. So, we owe them our prayers for all the benefits we enjoy through their ministry.

Secondly, if our focus is more on them as our source of inspiration, rather than God, then we're bound for heartbreak. Many women are probably wondering: "If these high profile women of God are failing in their marriages, what hope do we learning ladies have?" Well, they may be role models, but they're never perfect. Everything you hope for should only be in God; only He can supply you with virtues you need for a successful marriage and the kind of husband that's just right for you and is committed to you in all manners of speaking.

And if you find yourself, for whatever reason, in such a predicament, dont just sit there. Stand up, dust yourself up and get moving! Your life consists of much more than you see. Keep doing the right thing and in time, you'll experience the changes you desire. You're no better than any other lady, but something makes you different. Find out what makes you stand out and build it uo. It may be a gift, your children, a job... Once you keep up the positive attitude you derive from your areas of strength and appropriate it to all other areas, your whole life will begin to radiate the joy and strength within you...

Well, ladies, pray for the best and strive to be the best in all you do. But!... a scripture in the Bible I once read comes to mind "...I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy..." I just hope in my case it's me He has mercy on, and that all the sacrifices made and seeds sown dont go to waste for these and other remarkable women like you and me who face challenges.

Diva.

Michael Jackson: "Osondi Owendi"

"Osondi, Owendi"That's all I can say right now. It's a phrase I learnt this morning, the chorus of a popular Nigerian south-south song that means "some will be celebrating and others will not". A sarcastic meaning meant only for those celebrating, but now...

It's funny how one person could attract so much criticism and controversy. It reminds me of a Bible passage: "to whom much is given, much is expected". Few people were willing to accept Michael Jackson for the good he did; rather they chose to re-count and number his crimes. Now, with all the rumors flying around (some of them made up by the Jackson team, no doubt, to shield him from the scathing eyes, venom and claws of strangers who really didn’t care), no one knows what really were the issues with him. Did he really have vitiligo? how many plastic surgeries did he have? did he really molest those boys? did he really have a ‘black-white’ complex? his father-did he really abuse him verbally, sexually and physically? I wasn’t there and neither were you. I don’t have the answers to these questions, but what I do know and everyone will attest to is: MICHAEL JACKSON IS THE GREATEST SINGER, ENTERTAINER EVER!!! He is much more than just the King Of Pop.

Let the stats help you do the math:

- He debuted on the professional music scene at the age of 11 and till date, five of his solo studio albums are still some of the world's best-selling records: Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995).

- Thriller has remained the biggest selling album of all time with reported sales of 109 million and a Recording Industry Association of America certification of 28 million units.

- He became one of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice.

- Other achievements include 13 Guinness World Records—including one for "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time"

- 19 Grammy Awards,

- 22 American Music Awards,

- 15 World Music Awards and the sale of over 750 million units worldwide.

- Michael Jackson also won numerous awards for his humanitarian endeavors, was honoured by two Presidents of the United States.

- He was also named as the artist of "the Decade", "Generation", "Century" and "Millennium" and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002.

Now, against what do we compare all these: “In 2005, Jackson was tried and acquitted of child sex abuse charges brought against him in 2003 following the Living with Michael Jackson TV interview. This was the second time allegations were brought against him, the first being in 1993. However, the first set of charges had been dropped following an out-of-court settlement between Jackson and the accusers”. = http://wikibin.org/articles/michael-jackson-controversies.html

Would anyone say there’s a reasonable comparison for criticizing the man? I say NOT. I do not approve of the wrongs that he did, but I’d be the last to condemn him for I am no better than he. Heck! Nobody knows us, much less our secrets and weaknesses. So who’d publish the story of the uncle who rapes his niece; or the father, his daughter? Who’d broadcast the scandals that seep out of our lives each day and expose the murder of last night? Who’d please, help us expose and brand these people for the world to see? But here’s frail ol’ “Wacko Jacko” whose life is conversation for all and sundry at every boring hang-out or stale dining room. In all the controversy surrounding his life, did one line of his lyrics ever mention his travails or victories? Did he ever tell you “don’t bring your girlfriends home ‘cause I’m a flirt”? did “Whacky-Jack” ever cuss his mama out or wish his father dead like li’l Em? But we endorse these people everyday, applauding them for being honest and forthright. I call it downright rude and cocky.

Finally, if you want to Osondi at his death, no one will stop you; but remember, none of us is without a flaw. And for those who are right now “Owendi”-ing, it will get better. Remember he left such a great legacy, it will outlive not just him, but even the youngest of us… I guess that’s what we should all be talking about… how to leave a lasting legacy and how to live life so that every moment counts because no one knows who’s next or when... and you gotta be sure where you're going. Michael Jackson, you left a mark and though 50yrs may seem short, may people achieve much less in a lifetime. You were favored, blessed and definitely loved by God.

Love,

Omoye Uzamere.


Updated 7 minutes ago · Comment · LikeUnlike

Head Vs. Heart

The real date is May 7th, 2009 and this is my first entry on BlogSpot. I worried for a long time what I'd put on. Would I try hard to impress, thereby appearing desperate? Or would I write about something happening in my life, baring all to the world... and squeezing out sympathy? Would I write of a secret past-time and in the process offend a dear friend? It's a tough choice to make, but I figured I'd be better off penning down my thoughts as they come, so I'm not typing on "WORD" and copy/paste-ing a pre-arranged composition. Rather, I'll talk about my day:

Right now, I'm supposed to be rounding off a report that's due today, but I really do not feel like it ‘cause I don’t really enjoy my job. What's my excuse- it's boring, unchallenging and, to cap it off, "eeek!!" Because I work closely with the boss, I find myself bored and un-utilized when he's away. On the other hand, when he's in town I spend a whole week prying information from him for one project or report or another, because he's never in one place. It's from one phone call to another, one visitor to anor. My job becomes that of a PA who spends her time "trying" to channel you in the right direction.

Sometimes, we develop an idea for the business, which is tailored to suit our unique needs, some celeb mentions in passing that she's not impressed with it and he begins to question the whole project. Or, I take a decision and he overthrows it, only to revert to me the following day, having sought the opinion of a more experienced friend.

Now, I enjoy the fact that I work in a capacity where I'm able to make changes to move the business forward. Unlike my previous job, I do not merely implement or carry out directives given me. I also value the “learnings” I gain under his tutelage. A civil engineer with no formal training in business has built one of the biggest fashion "strongholds" in Port Harcourt today; with an interest in the Petroleum and Furniture industries and a franchise for a European pool company to boot. I have more than enough to keep me busy as an Administrator whose job is to monitor the activities of each arm and ensure productivity. I even double as MD’s secretary and HR. But I suddenly realize that I'd never be satisfied working with my head and not my heart.

My head is in this and I'm real good at what I do [plus the pay is almost ok, (bearing in mind my qualifications], so I have little reason to protest, but...

My heart is on a script, with a camera, microphone. My heart is in a studio, wearing jeans and brainstorming ideas to sell Viju Milk (yuck!) to Vivian Fowler students. (Lol!!) My heart is with teenagers, teaching them to build virtues that'll last them through many tough decisions as adults; teaching the girls to be disciplined, focused and virtuous, and the boys to be firm, focused and build integrity. My heart is with field missionaries, encouraging them in their calling of sacrificing their life and dreams to take God's word to the un-reached, praying for them and giving to help promote the gospel of the kingdom and its spread throughout the world. My heart is with little homeless children growing up in the streets, feeding them when they're hungry, telling them not to be like their environment, but to seek the good in others, to begin to nurture a dream for their future- it will build optimism in them- and being the one they can confide their fears to. My heart is with my lover, tending to his every need, listening to him, honoring him, bringing out the best in him and becoming... one with him and The Lover of my soul. My heart is on the streets, talking to strangers and mad men; finding out their stories and telling it to the world, just so that someone out there knows... that life doesn't begin and end in our own world.

But today, I'm living in my head and I shouldn't complain. When I have had my fill, all I have to do is unlock the door, step out of the cage and walk out to my heart. Then I will be much happier than I am right now... and I reckon I would make even more people happy.

For now, though, I gotta live up to my 100% recommendation and make my boss happy by finishing that report.

Twas real nice talking…

Me(Diva)OnLife