THOUGHTS FOR FOOD

A Food Pyramid

''Give us this day our daily bread'', most people's favourite line in the Lord's prayer. But isn't that the reason we wake up every morning and go to work? Think about it. The reason people take that extra job, work extra hours, to get that extra money... Isn't it the reason for corruption? Why do people try to steal money? (hehehe) Food! Food! Food! Food! All living things can't do without it.

KILL AND GET KILLED: Should he who live by the sword die by the sword or get locked?

(Image Credit: EU)

We will never forget those gruesome images; their broken head with the whitish insides of their heads spilling out mixed with blood; their pleas for help silenced by the roaring mob. The tyres on their necks and the fire... Ouch, the fire is the painful part as the mob watched four--not yet proved guilty—young men burn in Aluu (RIP #ALUU4). But how many people have been convicted for that jungle justice since then? One? Two? None? Well, that's just to show the weak justice system we have, but let's imagine some people actually get convicted, what will you say should be their punishment? Considering what they did; Firing squad, electric chair, or death by hanging?

INDEPENDENCE OR STILL IN DEPENDENCE?

Happy anniversary Nigeria! 53 years is not 53 days or even 53 weeks, we've truly come a long way. Nigeria is my country, Nigeria is my land; I'm truly proud of the unique green white green, and I'm not ashamed to flaunt it wherever I go. But let's analyze our journey so far, are we really proud to be 53? Considering the current state of our nation?

WELCOME TO NIGERIA

(Image Credit: UN multimedia)

Hello there, welcome to Nigeria. I'm Milliscent your tour guide So where do you want us to start? North, east, west, south? (hehe)

First of all, I'd like you to know that today is World Tourism Day. A day set aside by the United Nations to acknowledge the contribution of tourism to the development of the world; economically, culturally, socially, etc. Back to our tour! Well, Nigeria has 36 beautiful states and a federal capital territory, Abuja.

SO MANY SCHOOLS; NO EDUCATION

(Image credit: istockphoto.com/ Emrah Turdu)

It's funny how International Literacy day coincides with the resumption period of schools here in Nigeria. In few weeks kids with school uniforms and lunchboxes will flood the streets; embarking on their quest to acquire knowledge, and educate their young minds. But at the end of the day, how many of them really get educated?

CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME

It's the first ever International Day of Charity; a day set aside to honour benevolence, love, and willful contribution to the earth and its people. The average Nigerian will ask; How much do I have for me to start thinking of giving out for charity? Have I finished feeding my kids before I consider the kid on the street? Is my house big enough for me before I start thinking of housing some abandoned kids? The average person feels you need to have so much before you can become charitable. But how true is this? We'd study the life of one of the most benevolent person that has ever lived, and in the end I guess we'd be able to answer this question.

NUCLEAR POWER: THE BOMB!

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Man has developed a great deal; from striking stones together to get fire to twisting a knob on the gas cooker; from walking many miles to using camels and donkeys for transportation; from riding bicycles to flying airplanes. Innovation and creativity has pushed the frontiers of knowledge and technology. But I just hope this great gift of curiosity wouldn't cause our untimely exit from planet earth--I pray it doesn't.

RURAL-URBAN-INTERNET MIGRATION

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The internet has totally changed the way we do things. It has accelerated the speed of the jet age; fast banking, fast shopping, fast communication, fast marriages... It has just generally increased the speed at which the earth rotates around its axis.

Although this same speed hasn't been without its hiccups. The NSA scandal, Wikileaks revelation, and multiple attacks from hackers have made us rethink our stands on this great invention. An invention that has really com a long way, and has been developed by so many minds.

LEFTHANDERS RIGHTS!

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Did you ever get scolded or beaten because you gave something to your elder with your left hand? Or even wrote with your left hand? Well, if you didn't experience it I did. Many people seemed to grow up with that feeling; that being left-handed is a curse., and I think our culture is to blame here.

SPARE THE ROD OR GO TO JAIL.

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 A proposed legislation by the South African government raised a heated conversation today on the midday dialogue. The proposed legislation is ''any parent who spanks his/her child above 5 years old, will be sent to jail''. Sounds like a joke right? Well it's not! And though the legislation has not yet been passed, I think it's something we should discuss.

YOUNG, STRONG, AND UNEMPLOYED

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The recent protests by some Rivers youths at the Chevron and Shell facilities have brought many questions to my mind. Questions that need answers because, these answers will determine our future; our posterity.

THAT EXTRA BOTTLE...

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Ask them they'd tell you; ask the drunkard lying in that gutter; ask that club girl who is having a kidney problem or the guy that can't pay his children's school fees today, when only last night he had his pocket filled with his salary just before he entered that bar. Ask them and they'd all tell you the same thing; it's that extra bottle that took everything away.

SYRIAN WAR: ANY LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL?

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When the war broke out in Syria we all thought it would end soon, but here we are many many months after and still counting with no end in sight. Searching my archive, I found this conversation I had with Prof. Akin Oyebode (Dept. of International Law & Jurisprudence, University of Lagos)

Quite insightful... Take a Listen!

BLACK, WHITE, MANDELA

In the Studio with my copy of 'A Long Walk To Freedom'

There are only a few people that get the kind of honour Mr. Nelson Mandela is getting today. Having his birthday recognized by the United Nations--over 190 nations--and if you look at his life closely you'd realize he truly deserves it.

Rolihlahla was the tribal name given to Nelson at his birth. His father was a respected chief of Tembu, a black African group in south Africa. He attended the University college at Fort Hare--one of the few colleges that accepted black students at the time--and during his third year, his passion for justice was shown when he stood up against the school authority because they took away all powers from the Students Representative council for no reason. Well, he was later suspended because of his protest! But this was the earliest sign of his equality/anti-apartheid activism that later became his life goal.

DR. ELECHI AMADI AND I

I interviewed Dr. Elechi Amadi for this year's writers day, and it was a pleasure and honour.

Dr. Elechi Amadi is one of the most versatile human beings you'd ever meet. He's an educator, he has served in the military, the civil service, and has written so many bestsellers that many people couldn't even pick a favourite that day on the show (Midday Dialogue).

We talked about issues related to writing, writers, and his own unique writing process. It was fun, I'm looking forward to talking with him sometime again 

MILLISCENT'S TWO-CHILD POLICY

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I see her every morning; holding two little girls; one girl in her left and the other one in her right hand; screaming for three other girls trying to cross the road in front of her, and she has another three month old girl tied to her back. She's always sweating as she struggles with this battalion of six girls to her small roadside shop everyday. Ooops! I forgot to tell you, she has baby bump! Yeap, she's pregnant again

I know you are furious right now, but hold on. . .before you shoot her with an AK-47, let me share her predicament with you. She got married 9 years ago, and right now she has six girls and is pregnant with one extra--which might eventually be a girl. Why has she been reduced to a baby making factory you might ask? Well, her husband and mother in-law needs a boy! One that'll be strong and fit to inherit the father's property and keep the family name.

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY; HOME OF BOXERS

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These are the guys we should have taken to the Olympics! Seriously we'd have gotten all the gold medals  I was doing the Midday dialogue on Tuesday when news broke of the 'free for all' fight that happened at the Rivers state house of assembly.

Nigeria Info Fm is known for bringing first-hand information, so in cause of the show we contacted the two sides involved in the clash, and I interviewed them Live on air for the audience to hear for themselves what these factions had to say, and I'd like to say I was really disappointed with how events turned out. 'Pro Amaechi vs Anti Amaechi Law makers (Lol). Funny factions I must say!

COMING SOON TO BOOKSTORES NEAR YOU

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Hey guys! I'm writing a book  i'm actually writing books, but there's a particular one that is already at the final stages of its writing process. But before I tell you more about it, let's talk a bit about writing and writers.

I love reading a lot; I love the intellectual challenge it gives, and that is why I've been doing it since childhood. Some of my favourite authors are; Amanda Quick, Michael ferns, John Grisham, Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, Elechi Amadi . . .just to name a few. I also love Chimamanda Adichie! 

GREEN PASSPORT VS BLUE PASSPORT

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Image Credit: wikipedia

Yesterday was America's birthday, Ahh! Lots of fireworks and celebration. Well, America is 237 years old, really old if you ask me. . .but she's still healthy and strong to care for her 50 states, and even breast feed a host of other nations abroad. Someone even said, after mother earth, mother America is the next big mama we have (lol), No wonder many people want to go there to live the American dream.

IS IT YOUR BUSINESS?

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I really envy them you know? And Forbes magazine doesn't help matters either, they keep telling us of their billion dollar homes, brand new yacht, and charity organizations. Sometimes you even wish you were their child or relative(hahaha) hey, don't get me wrong, I love my parents  But the aura that follows business success and all these big billionaires is really cool, and it's something everyone wants to be part of.

DEAR BISHOP

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I still can't understand what I heard about you, and it was even harder to understand the explanation you gave. You're supposed to be behind the pulpit not behind bars, and you should be facing your congregation not the press? So what happened? Please I really want to know.

Because, hearing about you reminded me of the dirty scandals rocking the Anglican and catholic churches in Europe. Ugly stories of a bishop/priest molesting a child just has a way of spoiling one's day. Considering the fact that we all(most of us,that is) run to the church for refuge and repentance. So where do we run to now? Do you think parents will still be comfortable sending their children to church for choir practice? Huh?

THE LOW POINTS OF GETTING 'HIGH'

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Everybody abuses drugs here in Nigeria; we are our own doctors! A friend complains to his other friend that his head aches and the other friend who has no medical knowledge whatsoever starts prescribing for him, ''emmmm. . .take 2 paracetamol tablets,and emmm. . .vitamin . . .'' hahaha. I've been guilty of this a couple of times too, but recently I'm trying to change.

ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BOAT

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''Row, row, row your boat gently down the sea, merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily. . .'' hehehe. You guys remember that nursery rhyme right? Today on the International Observance is, the Day of the Seafarer recognized by the United Nations and the IMO (International Maritime Organization)

It is a day set aside to honour seamen; the captains and the ship crew, the navy and all those that put their lives on the line to transport goods/people by sea from country to country, continent to continent. And they do a lot to help our economy you know?

MY PLAYLIST (WORLD MUSIC DAY 2013)

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Music is the food for the soul, they say...and just like it is with real food, everybody got their own favourite!!! Well, I've got mine too, and since today is World Music Day, I've decided to let you guys know the Top 10 Songs on my Playlist for now. I'm saying for now because, it could change before the next World Music Day, someone can just record a new song tomorrow that'd sweep me off my feet (hahaha). But for now these are the songs that I listen to regularly because when they sing, I think, reflect, relax, singalong,etc.
Here's the Playlist of artistes I listen to;

REFUGEES? . . .OR TOURISTS

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It came as a shock to me, when the UN news center recently revealed that ''about 6000 Nigerian Refugees are now in Niger Republic seeking refuge from the violence in their home state''. I just wonder, What violence exactly are they fleeing?
It even gets more hilarious, when you hear people say the State of Emergency Should be called off. Because of these 'refugees'. Personally I think it should not be called off until they have flushed out all and every potential BH suspect. I think it was very sluggish in the beginning, But since this is where we are, we can only work with the FG and ensure we take back our land. This should primarily be the work of indigenes who know the strangers in their midst.

THE POLITICAL CRISIS IN RIVERS STATE.

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The lack of a true political ideology, political will and the baseless economic mindset of Political office holders and Elites alike continues to be the bane of Nigeria. The Nigeria National mindset of our turn to get a taste of power, and the habit of primitive accumulation, where collecting from the sovereign wealth of the nation mythically referred to as “national cake”, continues inhibit the holistic and sustainable development of Nigeria. The Political crisis within the PDP and the ACN, in Rivers State is a direct reflecti9on of this dearth of party ideology guiding the actions and inactions of members of the party. The inability, and or lack of internal party mechanisms in conflict resolutions within the Party between politicians comprising the respective party beg the question of true democracy in Nigeria. This inability of the PDP and ACN to adequately put into practice what can be seen merely as the theoretical ideology of the party upon which platform they are elected, into actual practice, contributes to the cause of the political crisis rocking Rivers State.

THE BLOOD, THE BANK AND THE BLOODBANK

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I got a little bit under the weather early this week and I had to visit that place many people dread(apart from Prison that is). . .The Hospital!! Arrrgh! So many people wearing white, looking sad and the thick smell of tablets almost choking the life out of you (Lol). Even though most of the things that happen there are for our own good, It's an obvious sad truth that most of us may never outgrow our childhood resentment for hospitals 

BIG BASINS ON LITTLE HEADS

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I see them everyday. 6 year olds who can barely cross the busy highway racing each other for a sell with big basins of satchette water, gala, or maybe bread. Boys and girls meant to be in school to be trained as 'change agents' in the society. Are left roaming the streets looking for change to give customers.