Afrospark 2014...The Seventh Chance

Hi folks. 2014 is almost over, and we are thankful for having made it this far. At the onset we laid out so many plans. We wanted so many things. We tried. We succeeded. We didn't succeed...at least not yet. We laughed, cried, fell in love. We met phenomenal people and reached phenomenal heights. All these and a lot have coloured our 2014 on God's green earth. Then again, I'm led to be thankful for the things that I could not keep longer than I did, for those things that I was blessed to have for as little time as I did. And the several other opportunities that there are in the little time left and the interesting years that approach. I'm once more flagging the Afrospark Project, this year I'm considering the Seventh Chance. That one time when everything falls into place at last, even if its for a second. This year its not a competition, its a visit to the Nigerian Prison here in Enugu, early in December. The rationale behind this visit is to contribute as many self improvement and faith based books to the library designated for the inmates.  If you are in Enugu, lets plan towards hitting the road together.  But if not I will appreciate your prayers, books or letters to the inmates.You could send me an email on snownspring@yahoo.com. or send me a message on facebook if you are interested in donating.

Afrospark needs you, if you are available. There will always be a time for a hero, and hopefully a hero for the time.

October 1…The things he did to me

I just saw the October 1 flick by Kunle Afoloyan.

My thoughts…

First, it is only fair to say this movie is a big deal. I have not read the reviews on this movie yet. I saw it because it is Kunle’s work and it came highly recommended. Generally, I think the movie is of great quality. The costumes are spell-binding. The fact that real Nigerians were used to play the roles of the educated ones is great. The setting, the use of Nigerian languages, highlighting how language and dialect can unite a people and isolate others could not be better put. The hausa police man who had a great forensic mind…I think it was really, really beautiful.

My query however is with the story. It did not seat well within me after I saw it.

I think the greatest themes of this movie are the evils of the veil of silence, and beauty of forgiveness or the lack of it.

In this movie we see tribes saturated by globalisation and colonisation. Having to face the migration of another race and other tribes, they could not stop. They held out their arms to celebrate the years and results of this globalisation as the Nigerian Independence Day approached. However, it seemed that they did not know the half of what was being celebrated. We see a british trained Yoruba man highly held by his community, prince of the land, consumed in anger. He seemed to have gone on auto-pilot anger infused by the long-term sexual molestation meted out on him by his british tutor. We see another man, still Yoruba, partially trained, equally burning with hatred for the british for being sexually molested. Now both men filled with anger yet different in their personalities, interpretations, values and decisions. One attacks the source of molestation destroying it and isolating himself from everything that hints of that source; the other embracing the source of molestation because of its benefits, bottling up his anger, bringing it back home to his people and killing them with. We see a tribe heated against another tribe so much that it clouds their sense of judgment. We see another people patriotic, so trusting that they do not question anything outwardly. Yet they wonder to themselves why things happen when they happen. We see how the veil of silence thrown over certain issues strangles us, as a boy who has been sexually molested returns home to hide his secrets and mask his anger and vengeful heart with frustration, hatred and isolation. We see a great dynamic here as all these several interesting parts of the society carry on like nothing is happening.

It is the Nigerian story, unfortunately. This truth staring me in the face makes me feel uncomfortable; makes me think; makes me cry.

October 1^st is a must see.

One more thing, Aderopo. He was fierce in his acting. With every move of his body, every look in his eyes, every dark smile. It told me so many stories.  He reminded me of people I know, places I’ve been.

One More of this Rare Kind

With the world beneath my feet

And the heavens stretching beside me

I see vast oceans of pure clarity

Like loud sounds of deep silence

And the true embrace of a broken mind

A fierce healing of this rare kind

And it would be once more

The story of this warring heart

A heart that gasps for oxygen

Running after life

Running after love

Suddenly its like I’m here

Then its like you are here

And I’m thinking, dreaming, believing you

Perhaps, the likelihood that you’ll stay

That you won’t leave

That it won’t get complicated

That…Suddenly I won’t lose you

That we will never be sated

But in these rare depths

In this kindness

With the heavens beside me

I’m warring

I’m yielding

I’m winning

And I want yours

While yet giving you everything

That Genevieve Movie

Did you ever see that Genevieve movie

That one where she was blind?

Did you see that Genevieve movie

Where she was Sharon- one of a kind?

Did you see her fall in love?

Did you see her die?

Did you see that Genevieve movie

Where she had Ramsey Noah try?

Did you see her campus days

Where she was famous, she was queen

Did you see her RMD kiss

Did you see her strut with esteem?

Did you see that Genevieve movie

Where she wrote

In her diary, to Dear Stranger, a note?

Did you see her grow up

To Ije and to Michel?

Did you hear when Oprah did her story tell

I saw them all

I saw those Genevieve movies

They inspire my heart

They taught me yellow, mild fruity

That Little Part of My Body

There is a little part of my body

That makes me crazy

It burns down mountains

It hurts my heart

There is this little part of my body

It makes me tickle

It makes me start

That same part of my body

It’s the pathway to life

The beginning of new

It’s an inspiration

It is a tool

It’s a little part of my body

It is not my master

It is a gift

It’s not a play thing

It’s  a treat

It’s just a little part of my body

It’s nothing for which I should fret