PROGRESS OBERIKO BLOG

Naso I carry myself go Lagos o, invited for an occasion and boom Lagos here I come. Tired, famished and burned out from the crazy journey yet I was saddled with the yoke of dragging my baggage along my shoulder. Switching the load from one shoulder to another. The bag heavy eh! Girls with load! Ask me watin I carry sef? Only my makeup kit took like half of the bag before you talk of clothes and shoes and towel and all the other hodgepodge. I was literally dragging my own luggage as if I was carrying the sins of the whole wide world on my poor shoulders. Pity me! So I moved with the text description of the venue on my phone which I showed to the taxi driver since It was an unfamiliar address. He then dropped me at a particular junction and pointed eastwards advising me to cross over and take a stroll down since my destination was just a stone’s throw. I heeded and walked down the road but discovered that I've still not gotten there. I stopped to ask someone else and he to...

“I live all alone in a two bedroom apartment so instead of paying a hotel, you can simply pass the night at my place”. So he said. Nice guy. But when I got there the story Kon change!  Me: Shey you have two rooms, oya lemme go to the other room, responded with a lame excuse and said the room was packed full with stuff and there’s so much dust in there blah blah blah...hence it’ll be better I stayed in the same room with him. Hmmm 🤦🏼‍♀️ Where’s this going? I said to myself. Issokae we go see the end.  Like brisket bone my body broke from the long journey and needed a refreshing bath to relax so I told him I wanna shower. I thought I was hearing with the wrong ear when he responded -Let’s bath together na!   Shuuuuuu! Be like say I nor hear am well, so I asked again “huh what did you say “? And with an inviting smile he repeated -We could have a warm bath together -Me:  Shuuuuuu! Since when this one start? Make quarrel for nor dey, I played ...

We organized a Christmas party to celebrate their recovery and liberation as well as thank God for his blessings. The party was organised by the hospital team and also supported by the 'Help Wihtout Boundaries' Foundation. The event took place on the 22nd December 2018, at the Federal Neuro Psychiatric hospital in Calabar, graced by the head of clinical operations Dr Ekpe, the consultant psychiatrist in charge of their case Dr Oluntoki, Oberiko Progress other doctors, nurses, social workers, guests and other patients in the hospital. You can imagine the feeling of extreme joy Ben and his family had as they celebrated Christmas. To every normal child Christmas is special, it is a season where they look forward to new clothes, an outing and unlimited fun but to these kids Joy, Ebenezer and Joshua who had no idea what Christmas means, nor looked forward to any new clothes, it was an extraordinary occasion and an amazing feeling as they had the opportunity to wear new clo...

Like play like play this is another year again o! Approaching 40 and still not married. When am I going to meet my futre partner?...Another year! I’m not growing any younger, Since I finished NYSC, Mom’s latest chorus has been Marriage Marriage Marriage🎶...Another year! Since I broke up with my ex I’ve been so devastated, where can I find true love?...Another year! All my mates are getting married even the ones wey worwor are flaunting engagement rings 💍 in the air, when will mine be? ...Another year! Mom wants grand children already and Dad has started to juxtapose me and my friend who recently bought his father a car ..Another year! See my younger sister, she’s planning marriage already, and mine is yet to come...Another year! We’re 5yrs into this marriage no kids, my mother in-law is a bone in my throat...Another year! See my husband, when is he gonna stop cheating?...Another year! I can’t tolerate Mom’s nagging anymore, I need to move out of this house, My s...

E don tay wey we dey hear the story, so I decided to have my share of the whole paparazzi experience. My Christmas celebration was kinda different this year away from fam but fun all the same. Didn’t plan on spending it  differently until an impromptu call for my presence came from the Federal Neuro Psychiatric hospital in Calabar as they planned a celebration for the #ONEBIGFAMILY and needed me to be part of it. Next morning headed straight to AKTC park and after a long hectic 7hrs journey, gbam! I landed in Calabar. Oh lawd! You can imagine the journey in this festive season when ills and accidents are recorded, lemme not just bore u with my encounter with the driver whose plan was to make me run my innocent battery down with music banging in my earpiece as he blasted us with so so ibo songs back to back  Long story cut short I landed Cally (Calabar) safe and sound, no scratch. The story Kon worwor as

#ONE_BIG_FAMILY It’s been over two months since their story shook the internet. A family of five that was known for their bizarre lifestyle and affliction. Ben, his wife and three kids for over seven years roamed the hinterlands of Bekwarra-Ogoja, Cross River State in search of nothing in particular. Adorned in their customary rags and spotting dreadlocks, which is typical of insane people in Nigeria, they found a home sleeping in open fields and in the cold. Two months after

We all have read or seen the movie about the British passenger liner carrying an estimated 2,224 passengers and crew abroad that sank in the North Atlantic Ocean in the early hours of 15 April 1912 after colliding with an iceberg thereby triggering the death of over 1500 people including her architect Thomas Andrews who designed the ship,🚢  making it one of the deadliest commercial peacetime maritime disasters in modern history. It was beyond the fondest imagination of the ship’s builders Harland and Wolff that the ship which was 882ft long, 175ft tall and 64ft deep would somehow be incapacitated and end up a wreck. They tagged it ‘FLAWLESS’ it was second to none; UNSINKABLE! ‘Not even God can cause this ship to sink’ so they said forgetting that even God’s foolishness is wiser than man’s wisdom. Titanic didn’t immediately sink, the helmsman, captain or sailor actually got the warning signals before the ship sank but they were too sure and convinced beyond doubt about ...

If you see a guy working in a restaurant Or a guy who makes hair A guy who works in a bakery A guy who fixes eyelashes for ladies A guy who does manicure and pedicure A guy who does “Michai” A guy who sells clothes A guy who is a photographer A guy who works in a bakery A guy who is an artist A guy who is a vulcanizer A guy who is a welder A guy who is a cab man A guy who drives keke Even the one wey Dey carry “Konkray” Give him a hug, in fact pay him more if you can, Tell him Bro, you’re the real dude Encourage him You know why? Because they’re the real “HUSTLERS” At least they’re not ROBBERS They’re not RITUALIST *Whispering*...(They are not “G-BOYS) Patronize them and tell them their time is nigh, because the patient dog no longer feeds on bones, na STEW-RICE and TURKEY dem dey chop now. Be consistent because what seems demeaning might turn out be your “MAGA”. Hope you get the message and stop looking at my nails Instagram @diaryofafemale9jakop...

They could not afford the cost of education for the child back in the village so they allowed you carry her to the “City” with the promise that you’ll fend for her and send her to school. She got to your home and at once plans changed! She wakes up by 4am to make sure that hot water is ready on fire for your children who are old enough to birth her. She dares not leave the water boiling, she has to standby and watch it. She’s made to go to the market and buy items for cooking And when she comes back she does all manner of cooking, she’ll pound the “banga”, and grind the much pepper with the local stone. Breakfast is 8am but hers is always brunch. She’s not permitted to sit on the chairs in the sitting room. Are there chairs in her father’s house in the village? After a ceremony in the house where lots of visitors finish eating, she’s meant to do all the dishes, as numerous as they are, even if it’ll take her till midnight to finish, she’ll remain there while your c...

#HAMPER As teens running around the neighborhood, we paid respect to this man and his family. When they drove past in their cars, it is only respect-worthy that we greet with an exciting "MIGWOR" which triggers a corresponding response "VRENDO". We shared the same neighborhood and whenever it was Christmas season, he'd go bulk shopping, buy groceries, wines, provisions and hampers of various sizes. Loyal kids are the ones who obediently run errands for their elders and we were seen as such. So having done his shopping, he’ll be needing these 'Loyal kids' to come do some work for him, hence he calls us over, leaving his 'Àjeh' children totally out of the job. No wahala sha! What exactly does he need us for? Package gifts in hampers. So we start by picking different collections of item ranging from bottles of luxury wines, packs of cornflakes, sugar, spaghetti, cans of milk & sardines, souvenirs etc..  and arranging them in diff...

#No_Greater_Love First a lady, Pretty, Posh and Elegant She’s neat and stainless Presses every attire she puts on, *whispers* Even her pant She loves herself 💯 She can’t even stand the “Poo” and “Puke” of a baby. She’s easily irritated 😤 She can’t even bear to carry her weavon for two weeks 🤷🏼‍♀️ She changes her hair, nails and wardrobe as soon as necessary Her selfies are well captured and even enhanced with beauty plus She’s a regular poster on social media She slays! Little did she know that this phase of life will soon be robbed her She found love ❤️ Got married and had a child A baby girl, subsequently a boy too. And that was where she lost it She lost herself, her feminine vulnerability No longer did she have time for those long hours of makeup 💄 Baby needs to be fed 🍼 and closely watched even while she’s asleep She forfeited her attention for her child She gave up herself like the crucified on the cross No more jeans 👖nor neatly pressed cl...

...“Your own na to dey press so so computer from morning till night”! “Since you dey press this your computer so, watin you don achieve”?  “Abi u nor dey see your friend Victor? See the kain cars wey he dey drive, he don even buy house for he papa,  Nor be the same computer wey you Dey press nai he dey press too? “But your own nor fit produce anything. Nonsense!  “Dis my house nor go contain you and that your useless computer o, do make you comot! (The above was a father’s harangue to his son who just graduated from the Uni, for the main, he used his laptop to undertake projects for students and gathered lil cash from it) Without knowing what really is being done with the so called “Computer” 💻 he admonishes his son to do what his mates are doing. That is how he will push the poor boy and in the end, he will be the lamb of sacrifice for the money rituals. ...”Bring your father’s head”. SMH Taking a critical look at this whole thing beginning...

...’Hmmm I don stop to Dey wear pant o, I nor dey even wear pant go my guy place again because these days, we nor know who we go trust again o’. The above statement was made by a lady sitting beside me in a taxi. It is no longer rumor that the least recognized outfit of a woman has in recent times become a ‘TREASURED GOOD’, a ‘SCARCE COMMODITY’ a ‘HOT CAKE’...PANT! Girls give up their pants on Gunpoint. So instead of having a stolen pant, Girls have Kukuma stopped wearing pants when going out. E don reach like that? There have been records of MISSING PANTS from hostels, after a friend’s visit, people’s bathroom etc... All for the MONEY They gat the girls covering their PANTS with the blood of JESUS! Innocent girls have lost their lives over a car lift, shoprite, ice cream, birthday, night clubs,hangout, visits, and even on a casual evening strollling . From mere #ShopRite to “SHOPLEFT” now they’re SIXFEET Oh! what an unfortunate way to die. Who would have thought...

As soon as I left camp and arrived the town I was posted to, I went straight to my PPA (place of primary assignment). It's a secondary school. Mhen! If you see this school eh! Chai! You wee pity me.  Located down down, almost at the extreme of a street whose untared mud road is sloppy and pot-holed, surrounded by huge trees and unsolicited bushes. The school jus perch for one corner of the bush. Made of only three dilapidated buildings, with their rickety and rusted zinc roofs, waiting to be blown away by one 'skelewu' breeze.  They just carved windows on the buildings without actually putting "windows". Lol.  Enter the staff room and coman see cobwebs and leaking roofs. Chai! NYSC wee nor kee me o!  I was in my NYSC uniform, so as I stood there observing the place, one man dressed in shorts and dirty shirts, with a machete in his hands, looking like one who just finished weeding a farm, walked up to me the asked; "Are you one of the kopas posted h...

Naso o for Obubra camp, dem worry me taya. Dats how on my first day in camp, one soldier just saw me as I was struggling to carry my bag into the camp ground, he nor pity me o, started by asking which state I'm from, and who I was talking to on the phone, I nor understand, (so somebody canor make call again ni?) so I responded "it's my mom sir", he said eerrh, 'Oya drop da call now and run inside the camp with your bags on your head'!  His command was sharp. I den flashed back to the testimonies of people about how soldiers flogged them, naso I silently concur and ran inside with my plenty luggage, one on my head and two in my both hands.  The female soldiers dey trip me I swear. They're so gallant and agile in their uniforms. Their ginger is dope .  I can imagine their husbands dare not raise a finger  e lse he'll be taught the lesson of his manhood. Their voice alone fit make person piss for body .  I kon enta wahala o, there was this part...

You can't jst stop reading : Talking about this short girl Judith. The girl don follow me taya. From being coursemates in school to waffi, soté we enta motor together from waffi kon land for Obubra camp. She can worry sha! She's got ginger in everything. When we arrived camp she secured two bottom-bunks for us and we lay opposite each other. We shared almost everything together. She can be very annoying in the morning when she wakes me up by 4am even before the sound of the bugle. That time wen you only wanna be left with your bed and continue sleeping till further notice. I can vex eh. I'll be like "O God, wen will dis nonsense stop? "Mthcheew! Which kain life be dis one sef? We'll wake up and go and fetch water. (Nor be like all those big babes wen go dey pay money to "Water-to-fetch dealers".) We'll bath together in one bathroom and end up dragging soap or arguing about her loud mess "PRAAAR"! We'll go to the meditat...

Do you know NYSC has taken blood and water from me, anyways I will gist you as you follow me on this diary. After mobilization from NYSC, I needed to register sharply to get either Lag or Abuja for flexing. If you know you know. As I had been in Wafi (Warri) from birth and needed to be in some more happening places.  My people, my heart dropped to my heavy butt behind me as I

                                            # ONE_BIG_FAMILY   CALLS FOR HELP Still under the protective care of the hospital, Mr Ben Ogar and his family #ONE_BIG_FAMILY is recovering in leaps and bounds. With gratitude to the entire hospital team, social workers, doctors and Nurses. More grace to the director of “Help Without Boundaries Initiatives” Sir Godfrey Ohuabunwa and his team “Christian Missionary Television” CMTV who have actually been immensely helpful in terms of support to the family, providing medications, food, and other items of comfort for the family. God bless you Sir

Some people's reactions to compliments is rather awkward. Tell some people; "Your hair is fine o" and they be like "this my cheap weavon so, am just managing it jare " Your shoe is beautiful : "This my shoe wey don reach 10yrs so" Your makeup looks good; Hmm, am stee learning o, am not perfect yet. Your dress is fine o; T his my dress wey don old so, Abegy Was helping a lady undo her weavon and I said to her "Babe your weavon is fine o" and she was like "Dis my weavon Don reach 5yrs o". And they end up making you look silly for giving them such a compliment probably cos they want your compliments to be reiterated or be stressed upon. Such pessimistic response to compliments doesn't make you appear humble rather it shows how much you don't believe in yourself, it depicts inferiority and classlessness. It means you don't even love yourself. See, even if na "Okrika" you wear, wear it with p...