Some years ago, a friend called me from Lagos.
"Harry, I'll be coming to Abuja for a project I will be supervising (he's a Building Engineer). I'll be around for about 6 months. Can I stay with you, please?"

I was living alone in a 3 bedroom flat, it wasn't a problem for me... So I agreed.
He came over a few days later & I gave him a room to stay.
He'd leave the house early in the morning to the site & return around 8pm.

After a month, he told me his wife would want to come over for a weekend.
Is it ok?
No problem, Bro: she's welcome to visit you...

This reminds me of a situation some years ago.
After Service, some folks wanted to see the Pastor for counselling.
He then asked a few of them to see me so the load on him would reduce.
So, I became an "Emergency Counsellor" that Sunday morning.

The 1st guy sat in front of me...

https://twitter.com/JudahMaiye/status/1851159216725037085

"What is the problem, Sir?"
He told me his story.

When he was done, I told him: "your problem is not a big deal, Sir. I'll give you a simple solution..."
He sat up, eager to hear the solution.
I told him, "Go read the Book of Galatians & let's talk on Wednesday!"

He was MIFFED!

"The lack of CRITICAL THINKING among citizens is scary..."

The average Nigerian is more about EMOTIONS than LOGIC.
We are wired to REACT first and THINK later.

Some days ago I asked a young lady: imagine you are newly married (no kids yet) just you & your husband at home...

https://twitter.com/trafels/status/1849458250149708152

And one Saturday morning, he tells you, "Babe, I want to go watch Arsenal play Chelsea by 4pm in my friend's house".

What will you do?
She replied, "I will be VERY ANGRY with him!"
I asked why.

Why should ANGER be an option?
He just voiced a desire: why should that bring ANGER?

"Imagine all Nigerians relocate to the US & all Americans relocate to Nigeria... What do you think will happen in 10 years?"

Rev'd Sam Adeyemi @sam_adeyemi asked this rhetorical question in Church, @DaystarNG over 20 years ago.

There were several responses to the question... And all agree on ONE thing:
In 10 years, Nigeria would have become a much better place where things work, America would have become a worse place where things don't work anymore.

Rev'd Sam then said: "that tells you that THE MAN MAKES THE PLACE, THE PLACE DOESN'T MAKE THE MAN!"

Social Media is a funny place.
It exposes the GULLIBILITY of the average Nigerian.

Anyone could invent a story, post it on Social Media & people would simply BELIEVE it!

No EVIDENCE.
No PROOF.
NO DATA!
Just mere WORDS.
And people (who you'd deem INTELLIGENT) would BELIEVE... I remember when I was in the University, a classmate had a knack for telling us stories about happenings in the AFRC (Armed Forces Ruling Council, for the younger generation) Meetings.
He'd tell us, "As Babangida enter the Meeting, Abacha ask am, "Where you go yesterday?"...

Once upon a time, there was a Kingdom on this Planet with very interesting citizens.
ALL of them had ONE EYE: it was a genetic disorder.

At some point, they decided to crown themselves a King.
They went through a rigorous process & shortlisted 4 men for the throne... After a keenly contested battle, 1 was picked.
He was crowned King in a very Grand Ceremony.

As soon as he took over the reins of the Kingdom, he appointed his team of Chiefs, Captains & Leaders to help him rule over the people.

But with time, the people got disgruntled...

Nigeria is a Country where the average Citizen IS lawless.
He jumps red lights.
He drives against traffic.
He goes to work LATE.
He will NOT go to work if he can help it: but expects full salary on pay day.
He cheats his workplace of TIME & MONEY.

But he's very RELIGIOUS... He's a Deacon or Elder in a Church.
He prays 5 times a day & strongly advocates for the implementation of Sharia Law all over the Country.
He goes on Holy Pilgrimage to Mecca & Jerusalem.

But that's where his religiousity ends:
He lies & swears like Satan Iscariot...

Kingsley Moghalu was a Deputy Governor of the Central Bank.
He later went into Politics & ran for the Office of the President.

He campaigned and did all he could.
Then his Party (ADC) held a Presidential Primaries Election to pick their Presidential Candidate... To the shock of everybody, a certain Dumebi Kachikwu won!
He defeated Kingsley Moghalu to become the Presidential Candidate of ADC.
Everybody was surprised!

Dumebi WHO???
Who is he?
What's his pedigree?
What are his antecedents?

But that is POLITICS, folks...

In 1994, I had a mentor.
I looked up to him as a Life Guide.
He was a Reverend Gentleman, married with 2 kids.

His wife worked in an Oil Servicing Company, he was a Minister of the Gospel.

Now, his wife saw an opening in SHELL Company and she sent in her application... She didn't want her office to be aware she was job hunting, so she used her husband's address for her correspondences.

After 2 weeks, she got an invitation letter for an interview.
She attended and aced it.

After a week, she was sent an employment letter with conditions...

A friend traveled abroad, leaving his kids at home.
I was in the house with the kids yesterday & they said, "Mr Harry! Please, call Daddy! We want to talk to Daddy!"

So I put a call across to my friend.
"My guy, how far?"
"Harry!"
"I dey your house, your kids wan talk to you..." So I gave the phone to his 12 year old daughter.
"Daddy! How are you?" She laughed, she screamed, she was very excited talking to her Father!
"Daddy, when are you coming back? Daddy, I want you to buy me some things! I will send them through Mr Harry's phone..."

"Calm down! CALM DOWN!"
She was talking too fast, I couldn't understand her.
But I knew she was hurt.
And ANGRY!

She called me that evening, around 7pm.
From the background noise, I knew she was in traffic.
"Please park, let's talk", I advised.
"I'm not driving", she replied... "I'm in my car, in front of Cash & Carry".
I asked her to take a minute to calm down...

My mind went back a few months earlier when she got married to the love of her life.

When I saw her call, I had assumed she wanted to tell me she was pregnant or something...

"She said Africa is different because we are more fetish and diabolical than other continents
She said accepting Jesus and the Holy Spirit is not enough..."

I've heard this submission countless times.
And it's amazing how a lot of Christians believe this NONSENSE...

https://twitter.com/GbengaWemimo/status/1773044753606599167

There's a Nigerian Church that teaches "Sanctification" as a doctrine: when you get Born Again, you still need to be "sanctified" BEFORE you can be baptized in the Holy Spirit, they teach.

Yet, Cornelius & his household got baptized in the Holy Spirit BEFORE they got Born Again!

A couple got married.
After some years, things fell apart & the centre couldn't hold.
So they went to the Court to part ways legally.

Now, the pastor who joined them in Holy Matrimony heard & was aghast!
"No! I have NEVER joined a couple that got divorced! This won't happen!" He was more interested in his reputation as "The Pastor Who Joins Couples That Never Divorce" than the interest & feelings of the couple.

As far as he was concerned, "Stay married & keep my reputation intact!"
Even if the man was going through hell & the wife was running mad...

Many years ago, I read a book on relationships; "The Five Love Languages" by Gary Chapman.

Gary listed these Languages as:
*Quality Time.
*Acts of Service.
*Gifts.
*Words of Affirmation.
*Physical Touch.

He described each of these languages in detail.
Very interesting book... Gary explained that people would have better relationships with their spouses if they understood the language their spouses speak.

For example, if my spouse's Love Language is WORDS OF AFFIRMATION, I would be wasting my time buying her GIFTS, thinking I'm pleasing her...

Years ago when I worked in a Bank, one of the Marketers had a very hot exchange on her phone in the Office.

When she was done, one of her colleagues asked, "Who was that on the phone?"
She replied in a very loud & angry voice: "IS IT NOT THE IDIOT I MARRIED?"

Woah!!!
😳😳😳 Everybody was shocked!
She stormed out of the office & slammed the door.
That was sometime in 2006, 18 years ago.

She later reconciled with her husband & they moved on.
But as many of us as heard her call her husband an IDIOT didn't forget!

It became a joke in the office...
😊

K had an accident & was rushed to the hospital.
His friends rushed there just in time to see him wheeled into the theater for an emergency operation.

One of K's friend, B knew one of the Doctors in the hospital & he called him up.
Then they all started praying for K... The doctor went into the theater and came out after a few minutes.
He pulled B aside & shook his head.
"I'm not sure K will make it! It will take a miracle for him to survive this!"

B went to the others who were praying.
"What did the doctor say", they asked...

#1
Husband told his wife:
"Babe, I don't like you wearing jeans to Church, please."
Wife was indignant!
"Why? Can you give me ANY REASON why I shouldn't?"

Husband: I don't like it. That should be reason enough, no?

Wife: Abeg, abeg, abeg!! Don't cage me with your insecurities! 3 Sundays later, Pastor asked all Church Workers to wait behind for a meeting.
Husband was a Counsellor, Wife was an Usher.
Both attended the meeting.

Pastor: I want you Church Workers to stop wearing jeans to Church, please.

Wife stopped wearing jeans to Church.

A couple based in Ibadan had a White Garment "Apostle" they consult monthly for prayers & other spiritual matters.

After a while, the husband got transferred to Lagos, so he'd come over to Ibadan for weekends.
They still consulted the Apostle monthly as they usually do... On one of such weekend visits, the husband asked the wife they go consult the Apostle on an issue that came up at his work place.
The wife refused!

Why?
"I don't trust that man anymore", the wife responded.
Husband was curious!
What happened?
"Since you relocated to Lagos...

This story reminds me of 3 Whatsapp Groups I exited several years ago.

Group 1:
My classmates, FGC Sokoto, '79-84. One of us wanted to run for the Office of the Governor, Zamfara State.
He posted his posters on the group, asking for "support" (whatever that meant).

I posted...

https://twitter.com/GbengaWemimo/status/1723200865534685207

"Our colleague wants to be a Governor: I propose we fix a day & time to ask him to share his ideas with us.

What are his plans?
What would be the thrust of his administration?
What are his plans for the Zamfara girl child & the almajiri?
How would he increase IGR?"
Guess what?

Yesterday, I took a Bolt Ride from Arepo to Lekki
As I stood, waiting for the Car, I saw 2 young ladies hoping to get a ride to Lekki too, so I asked them to join me in the Bolt Ride.

The car pulled up a while later and we got in: they sat at the back, I sat in the front seat... We drove off.
I introduced myself: "I'm Haruna Daniels, an Architect: I'm working on a site in Arepo, going to Ajah to see my brother."

They also introduced themselves.
I told them I'm from Kebbi State: "Do you know where that is?"
No.

These ladies were in their early 20s...

Hope Uzodinma was 4th in the Gubernatorial Election in Imo State.
He went to court with DOCUMENTS to show he actually won.
After going through the DOCUMENTS, the court agreed with him.
And he was sworn in as the Governor of Imo State.

Now, where did he get these DOCUMENTS? He didn't get them from INEC.
He got them from his Party's Agents at the Polling Stations.
In every election, each Candidate is expected to have an Agent at every Polling Station.

These agents all sign on the result sheet and are given a copy, which is then posted on IREV...