"GEN-VERSY"

I had to give it that funny title so you would want to read it, but it's not really funny, and that is the funny thing about it.

Gender equality right? That is, equal rights for both genders, hmmmmmmm, okay, let me take it bit by bit, I would consider the arguments put forward by the women advocating for this, and the men opposing it.

These women say that because there is no gender equality, they get treated less importantly, they get sidelined, they are denied inheritance, and a couple other issues;
they have listed culture, lack of political will, and insecurity on the men's side as part of the reasons we don't have gender equality.
Let us talk about the problems, I mean it's true that some people get treated less importantly because they are women but, can I name like over a thousand Nigerian women that are respected and celebrated today? Yes I could, so, maybe it's not "being a woman" that is the problem, maybe it's just people been taken as important as they really are judging by what they have achieved. Right???
Let's us talk about getting sidelined, this they have said is mostly visible in political appointments, and truly, women hardly get political appointments in Nigeria but, have women been given political appointments before? Yes, just a few times though. Here's the thing, world over, and Nigeria in particular, political appointments are mostly given to the friends of the political office holder, those that worked hard to ensure victory in the polls for the politician; this politician will not leave these people and start looking for women to appoint, there are no sentiments in this, if "merit' mattered so much here, maybe, but it doesn't, so, maybe women need to get involved more in politics and be part of these people, and they would definitely get more political appointments. Right???
I think I have established a point the problem might just be women not doing enough, if something is holding them back, it should have held all the women that have excelled back too.
I have seen fathers from the parts of the country and cultures with the harshest provisions for women in inheritance will all they have to their daughters, since when did culture stop a father from giving the daughter an inheritance he wants to? Our country laws recognises "a will" and that law is supreme.

Let's talk about the men.
These men say Gender equality will lead to women disrespecting them, really? Does anyone really think women respect men because our culture said so? No! That is ridiculous, women respect men because they have earned it, respect is nobody's right, it's can only be earned.
Make all the laws you want, a man that does not deserve respect will not be respected by any woman, so, maybe all men need to do to keep their respect intact is be respectable men, not intimidating men. Right???
These men say gender equality will distract women from the natural duty of "building a home" because it will keep them busy trying to be at the same pace as a man in every field of life, I disagree, nobody can get distracted from doing what they really want to do, that is why people set priorities, most of the very successful women we know were all able to build great homes too, and we have seen significantly less busy women that could not build one; building a good home is a decision, not something that comes from not being busy enough, so, maybe these men need to be big enough to allow women be queens in their homes and in the society too, and not prune their sprouts because of impractical reasons.
I think I have established a point here that women have never been held to their responsibilities by anything, it is something they have done because they accepted it, and they only respond to the stimuli they receive.

This is just another classic case of fighting the wrong battle on the side of both parties, gender equality will not guarantee anything more for women, and it would not take anything away from men.
Also, the way both parties have gone about this have made it look more like a battle for supremacy, and it is going to continue for while sadly.

I have so much more to say but I have said a lot already.

Women! You want anything, go for it, there is absolutely nothing stopping you.
Men! Women don't deserve anything less than you do, give a woman wings, she won't fly away, she would fly around and for you.

I don't want to stop but, well, I don't have to, I will be posting the second part of this article soon, this part will contain my entire thoughts "uncensored" on this issue.

Warm Regards.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.

HASHTAG WARRIORS

I have come to notice something about us,,,
No! Not our skin colour!
And definitely not our kinky hair!
I mean our willingness to fight slightly irrelevant symptoms,
either in our bid to escape the reality of dealing with the disease as the only sure way of curing it,
Or our very generous hope on these attacks on the 'slightly irrelevant' symptoms to cure the disease,
Or, so that at least we could tell ourselves that we tried.
I think it's called "hypocrisy".

I was on twitter minutes ago, and the trending hashtag was " #KeepGrowingTheNaira ",
Okay, there is nothing wrong with that hashtag really, but let's face it, I know we all think that we're at least doing something but are we?
My concern is the attitude people bring to these "fights" like I would call them, as if "GrowingTheNaira" will suddenly fix every economic problem we (Nigeria) have, this is the same attitude we have given to every other of such "fights", some of which we have won very well but are still in the problem.

Why did the naira fall? We like foreign products better and use their currencies more to purchase them. Who caused it? We did. So, there you go,
how exactly do we think the " #KeepGrowingTheNaira" " hashtag is helping us? Honestly,
How many nigerians have that hashtag made to buy more nigerian products? Apart from the normal "hypocrisy for the press",
How has the hashtag changed the nigerian products we have refused to buy?
Or made us produce the ones we don't before?
Sorry, will that hashtag create a better environment for our entrepreneurs to produce here (in nigeria) and favourably compete with the foreign products? No! and No!
I doubt this hashtag will see to an improvement in our power situation,
Or make funds available for the private sector?
These are few of the real economic problems we have, and they have been known to us since a thousand years before christ, so awareness has never been an issue.
Even the senators championing "this cause" took a delivery of foreign cars days ago worth billions, while we assemble vehicles here.
God willing, we win this fight and the naira goes back up to 180naira to 1dollar which I don't see happening soon because hashtags can only do as much,
what would we have achieved?
pure water selling for N10 instead of the hiked price of N20 caused by the fall of the naira?
Or, bread selling for their old prices instead of the additional N10 - N50 due to the fall of the naira?
Are these the great things we hope to achieve?
Is this the economic stability or growth we really need?
Is it really worth it?
So, we're not really doing anything other than convincing ourselves that we are doing something thereby not doing anything.

Few weeks backs, it was all about "The Budget", like a budget has ever meant anything in this country, it has always just been a formality, do you want me to mention the regular "APC and PDP" episodes, or the "Blame GEJ" series, or the so-called "Fight against Corruption" documentaries, or the "Change is Here" seasonal film, or the "BBOG" drama?

We have been so found of picking the wrong fights, and failing to win the battle even after the many times we have conquered, these people (politicians) will keep dragging us into these mess to make us feel like they're doing something, but nothing is been done if the core problems are not addressed.

You wanna grow the naira? Fix our industries and put forward policies that will make it considerably easier to produce world standard products here. Not by "#KeepGrowingTheNaira" hashtag.
You wanna fight terrorism, enlighten the vulnerable youths in the villages and keep them busy with jobs so they won't be used to cause violence. Not by "#StandWithOurArmy" hashtag.
You wanna support the government in these tasks, be a good citizen by at least not being part of the problem if you're not helping solve them. Not by "#Change" hashtag.

Lastly, I have always maintained, no country grows without a bunch of patriotic citizens, we need to start seeing Nigeria as truly our country, and start treating it like we would our country, and not like we would kids as nannies when their parents are around and watching.

Thanks, warm regards.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.

THE GAME AT THE SALOON

So, I was about to get my hair cut the other day, well, not exactly cut, styled actually, I'm a huge fan of hairstyles, but I'm not talking about hairstyles, I want to talk about something that happened in the saloon.

There's this game we all like to play,
No! It's not PES,
and No! It's not GTA Lol.
 Do u remember "If I give you 1billion naira now, what will you do with it"?
Oh, I know u do, that's the game, it's fun and quite "dreamy" and we all seem to always have great answers to it, I once said I'll buy _____ wait! I don't have to tell you that, it wasn't embarrassing then though, hehehe.

At the saloon, it was a more realistic version of the game, the question was....... "If you were married with kids and got offered a job that will pay you 1million naira monthly but you have to travel out of the country for the job and at that moment without getting a chance to say goodbye to your wife and kids, will you take it"? ........Well, don't answer that, or you can, please do, some guys in there said they'd turn it down, they were considered as.... What's the word I'm looking for here, well, let's use "words", they were considered as "being too weak to pursue goals", while those that said they'd take the jobs were quickly called the "brave" ones and were considered as those likely to "make it" big in life.

I had my thoughts, I always do, but I couldn't share it there, they were having so much fun and I didn't want to ruin it.
A job that pays you 1million naira monthly? That's great, and it's totally okay to want that, but, what is the right question to ask?
Is it if we would take the job if offered us with those difficult "terms and conditions"?
or why we would even be offered such jobs?

 I want that too, actually, way more than that, but, it's not about being "brave" enough to leave "things" behind for it, it's about being "good" enough for it. There is a very simple way to get that,,, You just have to have a value you can offer that will be worth someone paying you 1million naira monthly for. Yes! It's that easy. So, let's get back to your answer if you answered, I'm guessing you screamed "YESSS", I'll take the job and that is okay, but honestly, what exactly do you think you would be offering "this person" "firm" that will be worth them paying you 1million naira monthly for???
Let me tell you this, the moment you can answer this question, you can have that job, seriously (if na lie, make I eat eba with my hand Lol).

We all seem to know that money is an exchange for value but do we really believe that? I mean, do we really? I can't quote the exact year we (humans) started printing and using money, but I can tell you for sure, there has never been a time that we have stopped printing money, and there has never been a time these moneys were gathered and destroyed, these moneys are all out there, not laying in the streets, not hanging on trees, but with people, the wealthy people.
I'm sorry to inform you that the world is no longer as nice as I we were told it once was, so, these wealthy people aint giving out no moneys, but, they spend their moneys, they buy things, what do they buy? They buys values! And that's how these moneys go round, if you're not stealing it, you'll never have money, unless you're in the chain of offering and buying values or significantly between it.
If you want 1million naira from aliko dangote, just offer him a value (product or service) he can pay you 1million for, if u're great at painting, offer him a piece he likes and collect the money you want, but here's a twist, he might not pay you 1million naira for a piece of your work if he's not a fan, but maybe bill gates will if he is a fan.

 Everything you can do is a value, we are all different, and in a world of billions of people, there must be atleast some 10million individuals out there who are seriously in need of what u can do, package that thing as a value (product or service) and offer them that for money. If I don't want the value you're offering, it's doesn't make it any less a value, I simply don't understand or need it, all you have to do is look for those who understand and need it, and not feel bad, or quit.

 Let me end by saying, I think that game is really fun actually, so, lets change the questions a little bit to questions like, "If bill gates comes to nigeria and meets you, why will he give you 1billion naira"??? Right? Hehehe, c'mon, it's still fun, I think so. Keep dreaming, and ask the right questions, there's a way to every destination.

Thanks, Warm Regards.

OLAJUMOKE!

I'll be looking at "OLAJUMOKE" as a concept, and the story it is. I'm sure we all know her (Olajumoke), the fortunate bread seller that crashed renowned photographer and songwriter's photo shot with Nigerian international artiste tinie tempah and got picked as a model and has subsequently attracted massive attention to her person and her very young modelling career.

I love the story, I like the girl, but, I'm beginning to be a little concerned about the effects the story is having on people (youths mostly).
whenever I come across another scene or step or stage in the olajumoke story, I see possibilities, but that's not what these youths see, and that's why I'm concerned.
I have read a lot of comments on popular blogs under every "olajumoke" related post or story, over 80% of the comments say
"God, send me my ty bello"
"God, let me crash my own photo shot of glory"
"God, let my helper locate me". Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait a second, before u crucify me, I aint saying any of those comments is wrong, I'm saying that I have been nigerian and in nigeria long enough to know that if someone made any of those statements, they're probably just somewhere praying harder, or attending more church services, or sowing bigger seeds, or calling their pastors more often for prayers and prophecies, or buying anointing oil and mustard seed Lol.

Okay, look at it this way, Take "Olajumoke" away, anybody could have crashed that photo shot and I'm very sure she wasn't even the only person that crashed that particular photo shot considering our environment, so, why was she picked??? God's grace? No! God's grace is equal for every human because he is fair, God's grace is that she (Olajumoke) was alive up to that time, same as over a million other nigerian models, God's grace was providing that photo shot, these things were his (God's) grace because it was available to every one, whatever happened after these was simply "preparedness meeting opportunity", if olajumoke was fat, she would never be picked, if she was roughly dressed, she would never be picked, if she didn't look cheerful, she would never be picked, if she didn't see that as a opportunity and was sceptical or reluctant, we would never hear about her, so, she was picked simply because she was a "model" in the making, and that event was just her being discovered.

Nothing, I repeat, Nothing just happens, nobody gets offered anything they haven't atleast made an effort to deserve, pray from now to the next ten years, you'll never be the "olajumoke" in your field of interest, unless u have somewhat become that "model" that is only waiting to be discovered, do what u got to do, you don't have to see the entire stairs before u start climbing, and you u can only be lifted up if u raise your hands and call out for it. And to answer the other questions in your mind, you mean the number of brands that have gotten involved right??? you think it's God sending them to uplift her??? Lol, they are not doing her a favour, as a matter of fact, she might be doing them a favour if she's charging less than any professional model would for endorsing their brands, brands only endorsement "people" that can increase their value, and I can say that every brand that has gotten involved have seen an increase in their popularity and patronage as the said girl (olajumoke) was really just a diamond in the rough that has now been beat to glitter.

And CNN doesn't run charity stories, if she (CNN) knows people won't be interested in it, she would not run it, these are just things that happen when you become a success story, people get involved, tinie tempah was quite reluctant at first but seeing what has happened, he had to tweet her story, and gain from it.

So friends, believe me, God has given you absolutely everything you need to thrive, and every day you wake up is just another chance to use all of those potentials, it's quite selfish to want more.

Do the right work, recognise the right opportunities and take advantage of them.

Thanks, Warm Regards.

WELCOME TO MY BLOG.

Hello, my name is Elvis.
I am someone I guess you would describe as not very regular, I have grown to love and admire weirdness difference as the most beautiful thing ever, we only grow when we change and daring to be different brings about this change.
I have often had and shared weird different views on various events, some of these views have been called interesting, controversial, and a couple other names I won't try to remember ;-) , but one thing is sure, they (views) gets you thinking and show you other perspectives to everyday news and events that you might not see in a hurry or at all.
I love a slightly fair world that I believe only we (humans) could create if we considered every party and line of thought to everyday news and events as relevent yet until proven not to be by tangible reasons,
so, here I am, doing my part, saying those things that most people would rather not, and hoping someone is listening.
I love popcorn.
I love nickelodeon.
ENTREPRENEUR. PROBLEM SOLVER, READER. THINKER. CREATIVE. FUN. WITTY. FLEXIBLE. VISUAL and SOUND ENTHUSIAST.


I hope this will be fun, and that I remember to ever put up another post, lol.
follow me on twitter.

Thanks.