Siji - Morenike on Music Monday

Some cool, sublime soul from Siji, taken from the album 'Adesiji'

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

Of Political Swine Flu or MPs Expenses Scandal

The image is by Gussyb24

This headline caught my attention a few seconds ago - MP quits over non-existent mortgage. Mr Elliot Morley is an ex-labour minister who according to the news report, claimed £16,800 for interest on an already paid-off mortgage!

At this point in this whole brouhaha, I am supposed to have come to that stage where nothing should surprise me about these guys anymore, but to be honest with you I am still left dumbfounded and shocked at the level to which these guys degenerated over the years.

For me, ‘stupid’ or ‘irresponsible’ are not enough words to describe such callous and utter disregard for the taxpayer who slaves day-in-day-out for this money that these guys decided to squander on such frivolities.

Thinking about it a times, I just want to laugh. Why should I not? Who wouldn’t laugh over news of expenses being claimed for x-rated ‘porno’ dvds, or for second home expenses? Parents reading this would be smiling as it calls to mind the shenanigans of wayward children thinking they are smart, when in fact they portray stupidity like pages from an open book! Even the BNP is not any less guilty. They have all being dipping into the pie all this while, even the Conservatives, apparently dog food and a lawn mower are among items being mentioned! The Conservatives! Politicians! Pah!

Who loses out in all this? The taxpayer of course! The long-suffering taxpayer! I wonder if a taxpayer was caught in a situation like this what would happen? Face prosecution, perhaps some jail time? Hopefully, the reforms being bandied about will work out a way so that elected officials who are supposed to uphold the ‘moral fibre’ of society would not be allowed to get away with stuff like this.

Fluid

Pictures are from http://equality.ws

Technorati Tags: cars,fluid,fluidity,motion,beauty

Change

Video is from www.youtube.com

change

On May 28, 2009 © Stani. All rights reserved

much longed for, life's true constant
oftentime like a whirlwind blowing our way
with rythyms of innovation or backwardness
for it could be for the best or for worse.

born today imbibed with a need to grow
into tomorrow's adult looking for
a better tomorrow in a world full of strife
bitterness, fear, revolution.

make this change go away
fly away, 'tis not what mama said it would be
too dreary, too lonesome
upheavals economic, political, environment gone crazy.

life's ture constant change
make the most of today for tomorrow may not be
as planned just like some whole bit valley
changing into tomorrow's mountain or anthill.

Yar A'Duas Midterm Score Card

Found this at http://www.saharareporters.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2824:yaraduas-midterm-report-card-saharareporters&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=18. It's really very funny and reflects a feeling prevalent in naija today, indeed, also amongst naija people in the Diaspora.



Found this at http://www.saharareporters.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2824:yaraduas-midterm-report-card-saharareporters&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=18. It's really very funny and reflects a feeling prevalent in naija today, indeed, also amongst naija people in the Diaspora.

Broken promises

Source: http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/cartoons/cart01//indexn2_html?pdate=220509&ptitle=Report%20Card

Of Witchcraft and other prevalent issues - Stani

Something about what I just learnt the past couple of days has really got me thinking. It is this issue of witchcraft and how people go about it. Just the other day, some people said they learnt that some girls staying with them are witches and are responsible for the ills that have befallen them. Yes O! One guy's wife lost her job and the issue was blamed on these three witches (I wonder if it is significant that that are three?). Well, they also failed to mention that for the woman who lost her job, about 300 people in the same office were affected - maybe these three witches caused it all?

What has really got me riled up is the fact that some false unscrupulous pastors have found this as a means of getting money off these people. No, really, the issue that has me even more flabbergasted is the fact that these accusers are very well enlightened, in my opinion they should probably be above issues like this, but i don't know. So the girls were taken for a 'deliverance' ceremony where some hocus pocus was performed and now they have to fast for 3 days or so - not just a normal fast, mind you, the 'dry' one during which you can't eat or drink anything! i wouldn't be so worried about this, but for the fact that the oldest of these children is perhaps 20 and the youngest -- drumbeats, wait for it--- is just 4 year old! 4 years old! A four year old child being forced to dry fast for 3 days! This is not deliverance, it is just plain wickedness, plain evil! It is nothing short of demonic!

It is sad really, because in harsh economic times, people will always look for somebody to blame for their present reality. Which is why, in Ireland, the people have started blaming immigrants for the present sad economic problem which is affecting not just Ireland, but the world as a whole. i watched a television program he other day on Prime time presented on RTE 1, and it was really a sad eye opener that a country such as Ireland still has people who think like this, even in government. To quote one of the people interviewed on the streets, 'if they weren't here, there would be more jobs for Irish people.' Wow! the immigrants make up just a tiny percent of the population and they were not in Ireland, jobs would be falling from the sky! Hallelujah! A government minister justifies it by saying it is an EU problem, it is widely prevalent in the EU. That makes it alright then. Taxi drivers are there, making a mockery of the market system, advocating for taxi licenses not to be issued anymore, mainly because immigrants are being issued licenses. One taxi driver said, the government should try and stop issuing licenses to immigrants or it would soon lead to violence! Illiterates! You might as well say, people should stop opening up shops because there are too many shops around! It is really so hilarious when you consider the Taxi Union in Cork which does not and will not take immigrant taxi drivers in because 'our constitution at this time does not allow us to have Non-Nationals as members.' God! I am dying of laughter here, somebody save me! It beggars belief that people still think like this, like animals.

A report out the other day that made the rounds round the world also referred to Ireland. According to a BBC news report, the results of an inquiry into the Church in Ireland says Church leaders knew that 'abuse was endemic in boys institutions.' The story of this abuse by Irish priests is something which will be with us for a very long time. Imagine this, a lot of these priests who had this problem were the ones who according to anecdotes, were sent to Africa to spread the 'Gospel'. Now in recent years I have been thinking about this. If these guys had this problem, sending them to Africa, certainly did not cure them. So how did they get their kicks then? It is highly unlikely that they did not end up molesting young African boys, surely, they must have done this? I don't know, but I think it would be stupid to think that these perverts who called themselves priests did not do anything untoward or evil to young black boys who were only allowed at that time to serve as altar boys. I doubt if the truth about my thoughts will ever come out, Africans have a way of sweeping things under the carpet, so to say. I mean, no family would like this to come about about their kids, it would kill their 'standing' in society. I just think it is a shame to allow such things to stay hidden.

Scandal upon scandal everyday in Naijaland. Today you will hear of people in charge of Electrification Committees allegedly siphoning 6.2billion naira for their own personal gain. Tomorrow you will hear about bombardment of the Niger-Delta by government forces. Sad, sad, sad. The speaker of the House of Assembly is also alleged to be involved in the shenanigans. So it is still business as usual back there. The Niger-Delta issue is doubly sad because all parties involved are going about resolution in the wrong manner (in my opinion anyway!). The Ijaw boys somewhere along the line, got derailed from their objective of liberating the region and started the business of kidnapping, which has turned out to be a lucrative business in the land today. The government on the other hand, does not take due care in fighting these boys and instead rains down fire on innocent men, women and children, even aged people, There should be a better way of addressing these issues. these Niger-Deltans have a right to demand for fairness in the way the resources of their land is being used, but kidnapping innocent people and holding them for ransom is not the way to go about it. they should weed out the kidnappers and criminals in their midst. The government on its part should try and listen and implement plans which would be agreeable to all parties involved.

Back to the witchcraft issue. I wonder how that little 4 year old girl would be feeling today, the second day of the 'dry fast'. I have never tried a dry fast, only the normal one, where i would not eat till 6.00pm, it was and has never being easy. It takes a lot strength, determination, great resolve and strong intentions. that pastor who has advocated 3 days dry fast for a little 4 year old, has no right to be a pastor. In fact, most of the pastors and priests I see around today have no right to be in their profession. It is all about money now and enriching themselves. Lots of evil happening around them, and all they can do is take and take and take from gullible people who feel that belief in Christianity is the way out of abject poverty and suffering inflicted upon them by their leaders. they are so blind, they cannot even see that the power to turn things around lies in their hands! Makes me want to scream all day long, but I will leave the scream for another day.

nostalgic moments

Video is from www.youtube.com

Music is by Paul Mauriat.

nostalgic moments

On May 21, 2009 © Stani. All rights reserved

story of one forgotten
remember how it all started
we could not get enough of ourselves
holding hands gaily everyday.

now, here i sit, everyday
lonesome, yearning for what once was
love, joy all encompassing
happiness thrown to the wind in a moment of madness.

so near, yet so far away
the face i see in the mirror
the fleeting smells that remind me of you
wherever i am, what ever i do, you i see.

my love, my heart
come hold me once again
come to me as i my heart lies bleeding in my hands
hold me, tell me it will be okay.

the soft whisperings of the ocean waves
the wispy freshness of the morning dew
one i touched the other day thing it was you
disappointment, just a semblance.

won't be long now, my love, mi amore,
soon, we shall be reunited in that amazing deed
in love's sweet embrace, looking upon the past
never to have such pain again, yes, soon my love.

Downtrodden

 

Video is from www.youtube.com

Artist is the immensely talented and inspirational Earl Klugh

Downtrodden

On May 21, 2009 © Stani. All rights reserved

drifting by aimlessly
heart torn to shreds day in day out
what is tearing me up
what is the source this angst?

still drifting aimlessly
turn to some sensi to make
meaning out of this went on
a journey to lala land.

open my eyes, look inwards
find answers buried deep within
clutch at straws, hold on to nothing
just a silhouette that is what I am to you.

what's that i see up ahead?
fiery lights,  fire show?
is it merriment over there?
flight of fancy, fantasy.

bombardment on my people
poor harmless souls no one
to fight for them, stand for them
dying in droves, like cattle.

send more men in, kill as many as you can
kill, kill, kill, be happy
this is what you know how to do best
maiming, destroying, terrorizing.

the light went out of our eyes ages ago
mirth, joyousness now up for sale
only the elite, the privileged few
can attain the lofty heights of fulfillment.

Music Monday - Fela (Authority Stealing)

Quintessential Fela!

 

 

[Chorus]
Authority stealing!
You be thief (I no be thief)
You be rogue (I no be rogue)
You dey steal (I no dey steal)
You be robber (I no be robber)
You be armed robber (No be armed robber)
I no be thief (You be thief)
I no be rogue (You be rogue)
I no dey steal (You dey steal)
I no be robber (You be robber)
I no be armed robber (You be armed robber)
[Chorus]
Argument, argument!
Argument, argument, argue
Them argue
Everbody dem argue
Them dem dem argue
Up and down them argue
Everbody dem argue
Them dem dem dem argue
Yes yes, them argue
Everbody dem argue
Argument about stealing
Somebody don take something
Wey belong to another person
Then you go hear:
You be thief (I no be thief)...
On top of the road, on the side
People dey waka
Office workers, labourer workers, workers' workers
Them go dey waka
Inside bus them go dey
Motorcycle them dey ride
Plenty, plenty crowd
Inside this crowd
Sometimes for one corner
Sometimes for one street
You go dey hear: ha ha!
[Chorus]
Thief, thief, thief!
Rogue, rogue, rogue!
Robber, robber!
Catch am, catch am! Thief, thief, thief!
Catch am, catch am! Rogue, rogue, rogue!
Catch am, catch am! Robber, robber!
Catch am
Pull am
Get am
Keep am
Ole...
[Chorus]
Catch am, catch am!
Looking go start
Watching go start
Chasing go start
Somebody go dey
Wey them go grab
Them go beat am well-well
Them go lynch am well-well
Police go come well-well
Them go carry am go court
Them go put am for jail
Them fit put am six months
(Them go put am for one year)
Them fit put am two years
(Them go put am for five years)
Them fit put am seven years
(Them go put am for ten years)
If not them go shoot am well
Them go shoot am for armed robbery
On top of the road, on the side
People dey waka
Office workers, labourer workers, workers' workers
Them go dey try
To try to make ends meet
Them go dey hustle
To try to make ends meet
Them go put hands for back
To try to make ends meet
Them go dey beg oga
To try to make ends meet
Them go be slaves for them town
To try to make ends meet
I say turn your face small
To the right wing
Oga patapata dey for there
Authority people dey for there
Instead of workers
We have officials
Instead of buses
Them dey ride motor-car
Instead of motorcycle
Na helicopter
Instead of them waka
Na worker go waka for them
Authority people them go dey steal
Public contribute plenty money
Na authority people dey steal
Authority man no dey pickpocket
Na petty cash him go dey pick
Armed robber him need gun
Authority man him need pen
Authority man in charge of money
Him no need gun, him need pen
Pen got power gun no get
If gun steal eighty thousand naira
Pen go steal two billion naira
[Chorus]
Thief, thief thief!
Rogue, rogue, rogue!
Robber, robber!
You no go hear them shout
You no go hear them shout at all
You no go hear them say
You no go hear them say response at all
Na different way be them way
Na civilize style be them style
[Chorus]
Yes, yes, yes, yes!
"Oh yes, of course, contract, have some money back in hand, ha ha"
Hear the words them dey take deceive the people:
Misappropriation
Maladministration
Nepotism
Mitigation
Make I remember another one wey them dey use
Defraudment
Forgerylization
Embezzlement
Vilification
Mismanagement
Public inquiry
Authority stealing pass armed robbery
We Africans we must do something about this nonsense
We say we must do something about this nonsense
I repeat, we Africans we must do something about this nonsense
Because now authority stealing pass armed robbery
Authority man him go dey steal
Public contribute plenty money...
[Chorus]
Authority stealing!

Technorati Tags: fela,kuti,authority,stealing,u,be,thief,afro,jazz

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

Funny signs

From equality.ws:

 

Technorati Tags: crap,stone,middle,fart,accident,crotch,crescent,funny,signs

Technorati Tags: no,sex,69,gay,paradise

Acrostic for Mother's day

The image is titled Beginning and is taken from the wonderful works of Daniel F Gerhartz



The beginning is quite an apt title for this painting, afterall, what better theme to have for Mother's Day? I decided to write an acrostic with this one. If you are reading this right now, why not try it out and write your own little acrostic? Otherwise, just enjoy!

Acrostic for Mother's day

The Beginning

On May 11, 2009 © Stani. All rights reserved

hope rekindled from memories of yester years
all the sacrifices made to nurture me
please remain on the straight path
platitudes, cajoling, gently molding me
yielding no ground, steadfast.

merry, light-hearted, always
over-joyed around you
times swift passage no dampner of sweet recall
humorous, optimistic in times of distress
encouraging me never to give up, remain
relentless in pursuit of happiness
satisfaction guaranteed in perseverance.

delighted you are the one who brought me here
aglow with the blessings bestowed upon me by you
yes, today is all about you, my inspiration.

Music Mondays - Toni Braxton(Spanish Guitar)

One of my all-time favourites, Spanish Guitar, for me represents  the true essential spirit I always admired in Toni B. Enjoy!

 

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be DELETED without prejudice.

The Pacman- Hatton fight

 

I ran across this over at Tom Trader's Blog For those of you boxing fans, you will find this a very great fight, if you have not seen it before. Enjoy and thanks to bigdaddyrichard for this:

Technorati Tags: hatton,pacman,pacquiao,boxing,pound,for

echoes of despair

image by la-cour

echoes of despair

On May 4, 2009 © Stani. All rights reserved

another day another memory
sitting here feelings of intense anger
betrayed yet again, bitterness my middle name
bound up, enthralled, in a state of catatonia

excited, yet dejected, all i want to do
remain in my cell this cesspool, foul, mephitic
screaming, choking, listen to the echoes
clawing, clutching at straws slippery

crimson tide come take me away
stop my decline, descent into despair
emptiness all around me, corrections failing
systemic failures seismic in nature

left here with no escape in sight
frustration at betrayal piercing my soul as if a lance
suffocation from dank, foul thoughts
no surrender to toxic, twisted plans

smiling at your hollow vengeance
victorious in mine own way
sinking listening to hallucinatory whispers
lips curled up in a smile of final triumph.

Music Mondays - Faze (Tatoo Girls)

For Music Mondays, here is a great rnb track from Faze! Please follow with the lyrics below. Ladies and gentlemen, i give you, Mr Originality - Faze



Artiste(s): Faze
Title: Tattoo Girls
Album: Independent
Genre: RnB
Year Realeased: 2006

Where them dey?

Something about you
Where are my tattoo girls
I gbadu your tattoo
Where them dey

VERSE 1
Baby girl, there's something about you
The first thing is that I gbadun your tattoo
You smell well when you get this perfume
Can I get to know you
Your belly ring, girl, I am liking that one too
And the way you swing it, come let me hold you
All these things that I like about you
Most especially your tattoo, girl

CHORUS
Girl [where dem dey]
la la la la la
I like your tattoo, girl,
oh girl, oh girl, oh girl

VERSE 2
Baby girl, you can call me daddy
Shey you no mind if I call you mami
The way you swing, you fit pai somebody
cos your body is calling me
Excuse me if I sound so nasty
Can I touch the belly ring on your flat tummy
Draw nearer, baby girl, I wanna see your tattoo
The way you shake that thing on me makes me wanna go crazy
Girl, while you shake it, take it slow
I wanna see your tattoo clearly
Shey na cross [cross]
abi na heart [heart]
with an arrow piercing from the top [top]
Abi na rose or butterfly
All I wanna see is my tattoo girl, girl

REPEAT CHORUS
[lyrics from www.niglyrics.com]

VERSE 3
Show me the place where you place that tattoo
E go sexy if e dey your chest and your back too
How many you get, she na one or na two
Can I see your tattoo
Girl, I like it, when you flaunt it, flaunt it
Can I touch it, while you flaunt it, flaunt it
So sexy, makes me want it, want it
Touch it, bring it, busta style
The way you whip that thing on me makes me wanna go crazy
Girl, while you shake it, take it slow
I wanna see your tattoo clearly
Shey na Capricorn, Sagittarius
Abi your guy name na im dey on top
Show me your zodiac, or another sign
Whether Indian, Japanese, I love them tattoo girls, girl

REPEAT CHORUS

VERSE 4
I like it, whats written behind
I like it, tell me who do this design
I like it, girl, it's so fine
and I don't mind that

REPEAT VERSE 1 (till fade)

[African girls, American girls, UK girls, where them dey
Brazilian girls, Asian girls, European girls, ...
Jamaican girls, Puerto Rican girls, Korean girls, Ghana girls, Italian girls
My Senegalese girls, where them dey
Russian girls, Chinese girls, my Nigerian girls, where una dey]

Something about you
I gbadun your tattoo

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

kaleidoscopic thoughts

The picture is the prompt. I found this over at equality.ws and it is the property of Roman Kaderia.

I don’t have link to his works but they are lovely!

kaleidoscope

On May 3, 2009 © Stani. All rights reserved

eyelashes flash clash 
cacophonic sounds like a metronome
hearts thumping thump thump
blood rush to the brain splash dash

wave upon wave of ecstatic emotions
awaiting symbiosis eat me eat you yummy
bucolic rustic i wish upon a star oh no
insatiable love's barathrum abyss of doom?

 

riding high so high helium in my brain drain
ethereal surreal take deep breaths still high nigh
eat fufu no toto hmmm dripping sweet juicy mushy
exonerate me bless me smile at me hold me moi

 

here now almost gone evanescent wispy
stay awhile please touch my koko needs a tutu tattoo
imbue me totally with naughty moans purr mellifluously
moiety same whole yet halves waltzing away

 

crisis as if a brushfire, not at sea yet seasick impossible
glassy-eyed Vitreous hoarse grunts feel the brunt rut tut
oh! what's that? palpitations here not here who is
reach out to me am falling rising don't stop

 

my heavy load take it dehydrate drain me so to say take it all
i am a riparian on your bank taking you to heights 
pickle peckered twin towers koko in between deep
where i want to be there nowhere everywhere
lilting falsetto baritone fall as one down to earth

What would you do?

The image is by CarlosBravo

On May 3, 2009 © Stani. All rights reserved

what if you woke up in the morning
and the tables where turned
you became me and i you?
what would you do?

what would you feel
if you had to experience what i feel?
would you be able to carry the heavy load
that i toil under for you everyday?

what if you woke up and because of the colour of your skin
you had rocks thrown at you?
what if you were told you could never fit in
what would you do?

what would you do if i were your father and you my child
what would you do if i did to you all you do to me everyday?
would you understand then the need for me to end it all?
would you want to end it all?

what would you do if i were the one who took all you had
all your money, your belongings, everything?
what would you do if you woke up and suddenly
your wife was mine, your kids were mine, everything you owned?

what would you do if you had nothing?
what would you do if all you had were questions?
would you look for answers or would you just
fold your hands and wait for manna?

what would you do if you were me and i was you
and i told you i had to fuck you just to help you?
would you understand then that my life is not one of roses
but of misery and pain and heartaches?

it is a harsh, cold world we live in
remember the joys of today could be a harbinger
of the sorrows of tomorrow
the one you spat at today could well be your saviour tomorrow.

Oppression

 

 

The video is the prompt - from www.youtube.com

On May 1, 2009 © Stani, All rights reserved

can't but imagine the absolute hopelessness I see around
organized religion, wallowing in disorganization
those not organized simply struggling to survive obscurity
preaching love but not able to act in love
they come with stories, stories of a better place
while all around them, it is the hell they seek to save us from.

organized religion? more like organized dysfunctionality
the aim and purpose of it all forgotten
where once it was all for the collective, now it is for the few
the selective few who blind us with dogma, doctrines, words
while we remain brainwashed, hoping for a better day.

'give unto me your alms, give all you can
He who we serve is not a poor One'
so we give and give and steal to give
bleeding already dried pockets drier
'amen! You are blessed!'

organized misinformation, fueling delusions of betterment
look around, suffering, lies, systemic failures
the way it has always been and the way it will remain
for organized religion, organized business,organized governments
all are one and the same with one objective - global oppression