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I am a big fan of movies, specifically African movies. I am not a big fan of Hollywood movies – it was not until a few years ago that I was introduced to movies and series such as ‘Power’, ‘Greenleaf’, ‘How to Get Away with Murder’, ‘Orange is the New Black‘ – which I LOVED! I still do watch some of their flicks every now and then.

Growing up in the late 90s and early 2000’s, I watched mostly Ghanaian movies and Nigerian movies sometimes. There were great Ghanaian content on TV such as ‘Cantata’, ‘By the Fireside’, ‘Kwasasa’, Kyekyekule’, ‘Smart Kids’, ‘Obra’, ‘Akan Drama’, ‘SunCity’, ‘Things We Do For Love’, ‘Tentacles’, ‘Taxi Driver’, ‘Dada Boat’ among others. What a time to be a child! There was always something to look forward to on TV especially during the weekends! On the Nigerian content side, we had ‘Super Story’, ‘This Life’, ‘Clinic Matters’, ‘Everyday People’, ‘Family Circle’ – these are the popular ones I can remember.

When it comes to Ghanaian classics, I think of ‘A Stab in the Dark’, ‘Okukuseku’, ‘That Day’, ‘Matters of the Heart’, ‘Asoreba’, ‘Who Killed Nancy’, ‘Babina’, ‘Diabolo’, ‘Kae Dabi’, ‘Kumasi Y)nko)’ among others. These movies had great storylines coupled with GREAT ACTING and directing. With the limited resources they had (primarily money and the technology in that era), we had great films. Fast forward to mid 2000s, the Venus Productions gang came along and they gave us some ‘near classics’ such as ‘Beyonce, the President’s Daughter’, ‘Princess Tyra’, ‘The Game’, ‘4 Play’, ‘Who Loves Me’, ‘Girls’ Connection’, ‘ The Heart of Men’, ‘Crime to Christ’ among others. These movies gave the Ghana Movie Industry or like some prefer to call it ‘Ghollywood’ a firm standing in Africa and beyond. It also introduced to us a new crop of actors such as ‘Yvonne Nelson’, ‘Yvonne Okoro’, ‘Jackie Appiah’, ‘John Dumelo’, ‘Majid Michel’, ‘Van Vicker’, ‘Nadia Buari’ among others.

The emphasis won’t be on their acting (as most of them were and are still subpar) but rather how they sold Ghana or like others will say, they put Ghana on the map. This was between 2005/6 to around 2012/13. Most of them went ahead to act in Nollywood (The Nigerian Movie Industry) and beyond. They got the fame, money and solidified their celebrity status.

I’d daresay that for the past decade, our movie industry (that’s if we can still call it one) has been non-existent – which is very sad! So what happened?

I have watched most of the prominent actors go for interviews and asked the same question over and over again about how we can revive our movie industry and always the answers evolve around the lack of structure and investment within the industry. So I ask, why wait on the government? Because most of them end on the note by calling the government and the Ministry of Creative Arts (I wonder what they actually do for the industry) to come to their aid. But does it look like they have heard or even care? Does that mean the industry dies? Because it is DEAD. I always ask myself, why can’t the actors themselves come together, put their resources together, use their fame and star power to call for investors to invest in the industry. I believe it is possible! But I guess that is asking for too much because another thing is I believe there is no unity within the industry which sucks. You can’t want something so bad when it is just one person putting in the effort – it takes more than one person’s effort. I must commend the efforts of producers such as Yvonne Nelson, Shirley Frimpong Manso (who has also held the industry down with some great films such as ‘A Sting in the Tale’, ‘The Perfect Picture’, ‘Adams Apples’) and the likes who still produce some movies often – but this isn’t enough! We need more people on board and most importantly INVESTMENT.

When I look at Nollywood, I am so PROUD! Like they have evolved and now have partnerships with Netflix and Prime Video. Netflix and Prime Video have been financing some Nollywood movies over the past years. This did not come by chance. They put in the work. Film makers, individuals and private organizations invested in quality movies and today they are reaping the results! Clearly, they deserve all the wins! So why can’t Ghana do the same? Our movies were once up there. We have the talent, just not the resources but we can do better by investing in script writing, training actors and directors, building film villages, film studios, cinemas – private organizations and individuals can do this – waiting on this current government or the next is a WASTE of TIME and we know this.

I could go on and on because a single blog post cannot capture all I want to say. I would like to go into film making one day as an executive producer probably because I love movies. Given the resources, I would also like to invest in the Ghanaian movie industry because even if the present and previous governments keep on messing the country, our entertainment as Ghanaians cannot be taken for granted. Our movie industry NEEDS to be saved at all costs. We (and I mean any Ghanaian out there with an interest in the creative arts) need to invest and help our industry rise again. I BELIEVE we can.

Thank you for reading today’s post. Do share your thoughts in the comments section. Also share with your friends and loved ones. Stay tuned for more :).

A lot of thoughts go through my head mostly…sometimes I talk to myself, other times, I have conversations with friends, then once in a while I write a blog post (this is actually the reason why I started this blog).

Upon turning 30, I have learned some hard lessons related to career, grief, family, friendship, love, spirituality and life in general. I do not regret the lessons but I do regret some of the experiences I had to go through to learn those lessons.

In my opinion, growing up is a blessing but not filled with good experiences alone – sometimes blessings come in the form of the bad experiences we have to go through. When I was younger, I had less problems, worries and B.S to deal with. All I cared about was going to school and learning hard to get good grades. Being an adult now comes with lots of freedom (something I did not have much growing up) but way more responsibilities and life LASHING you left, right, front, back (style biaa bi) and still not stopping – you have to keep going, they say!

So, what is the point of life? A life none of us asked for. We were just born onto this earth to live life, deal with all sorts and then die at a certain age (for some during childhood, others in adolescence, others as adults and some fortunate enough to die in their old age). Death, is a very uncomfortable subject for me – in fact, I do not like going for funerals. It always leaves me in a certain state I do not want to be in.

I have lost friends and acquaintances within the neighbourhood I grew up in, in the last couple of years – they were too young to die but they died. Sometimes, when their names pop up in my head, I cast my mind back to years back when I was much younger. When we were all teenagers growing up. Just like myself, they had dreams and goals to accomplish in life. But they died without achieving some or all of these goals (I am certain) and life still goes on. Reflecting on these situations always leaves me with one conclusion that; ‘Death can happen to anyone at anytime, if there is something you have to do or want to do, do it as soon as you can or are able to because the next minute, hour or day is not promised’. I lost my grandma in December 2021, three days after I had seen her. It was one of the biggest shocks of my life. She raised me and growing up, she was like a mother to me. Losing her was tough but I was glad I got to see her before she passed on. She was quite old, but I still wish she lived a bit more so I could do more for her like I promised….but God knows best (so they say).

I have learned to take life not too seriously..like for what! None of us are getting out here alive. This is not to say I still don’t have my goals to pursue but then even if my plans fail or things don’t go according to as I planned, I do not let it get to me that much (this wasn’t me before – but thank GOD for growth!), because after all WHAT? (Like one of my French teachers in Gey Hey used to say). I am only HUMAN. I can only try, do my best. If it works fine, if it doesn’t WE MOVE! In reality, it can be tough sometimes but once you mature into that kind of person, you learn to take it easy on yourself.

One thing I have learned over the years is sometimes COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS. Yes! I may not have this (yet) but I have this (now). It is very easy to focus on the things you don’t have yet because we live in a society where it is all about getting 6 figure income jobs, winning awards, getting invited to high profile events and then broadcasting them on social media to get likes, comments and shares. Personally, I have only gotten into the habit of sharing personal wins on social media not too long ago. I only used to share with a few people and that’s that or update my LinkedIn if is career related…But for the most part, I have a limit to things I share on social media (I am not looking for a large number of following or likes or whatever…)

In all the hustle and life’s uncertainties, it is important to have your own tribe. I cannot stress the importance of having people who you can trust (to an extent), have deep conversations and be vulnerable to. No matter how private you are, you can’t carry the burdens of life alone. You are human and part of that is having relationships which are mutually beneficial. I have been blessed with such relationships and they form part of the ‘little’ blessings in life – knowing that someone has your back no matter what and you have theirs too.

I would end here. Could do this once in a while…just REMINISCE.

My birth month has also come to an end. I am grateful for 30 and looking forward to see all that it brings in this decade. Cheers! Have a fantastic NOVEMBER.

So I turned 30 – precisely on the 4th October. A 1993 born.

It still hasn’t really sunk in yet – personally, it takes some time after I turn a new age to get used to the age. Especially when I turn a ‘big age’. Yes, 30 IS A BIG AGE.

My auntie asked me on the day I turned 30 – how does it feel to be on the 3rd floor? I was like ‘Uhmm, auntie, I literally just got here and I do not even know! Let’s give it a couple of months and then we can discuss (LOL!)’

But seriously, I am not too age conscious – the older I grow, I realise that it is unhealthy and unecessary to be so stuck on one’s age – you start acting ‘old’ or take life so seriously and forget that it is really not that deep! Life is meant to enjoyed and lived every single day (easier said than done but it is what it is) – turning a certain age doesn’t mean you all of a sudden become this person to fit into some societal standards or whatever.

Growing up, I am sure most of us – including myself, had certain things we wanted to achieve by a certain age and oh the disappointment that comes with not actually achieving those things by the said age. This is why it is dangerous to follow societal standards and get mad that things did not quite go the way you wanted. I have had so many of those disappointing moments (I bet I am not the only one) hence, I freed myself of the bondage of societal standards and expectations to be able to live freely!

When I turned 25 five years ago, I wrote about lessons I had learned as I turned the big age of 25. On this occasion, I am not going to do that but rather be thankful for how much I have grown since then and especially in the past decade. For me, my 20s has been my biggest growth period and to be very honest, I do not know what other experience I am yet to learn from because I feel I have ‘kind of’ seen it all. I do not say this to sound like all grown up (even though I feel kind of old now) but BRO! the things my eyes have seen and what I have been through – it feels I am double my age.

But one constant thing for me has been GOD. To be honest, God has kept me. I say this with all honesty that I would not have lived to see 30 if not for Him (I may share this story soon – I am ready to tell it all). I would not have travelled to all the places I have been to and still want to go, I would not have met all the amazing people I have met since then, I would not have graduated from University of Leeds not to talk of pursuing a Masters Degree at Leiden University. I would not have attended those conferences and programs, won those awards, got invited for GoalKeepers by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation! I would literally have missed out on so many beautiful things life has to offer – but GOD DID.

I had a lovely birthday getaway (like I usually do) and of course I could not slack as it was my 30th! I am officially in my DIRTY 30s season y’all! I have not even scratched the surface yet because I have told God that I have put in the work and done my bit in the last decade – from now onwards, if it isn’t ENJOYMENT, I do not want it! He knows my heart desires, so I pray He fulfills in this new decade and I know He will!

Happy Birthday to ME! I am officially in my FLOURISHING/RICH AUNTIE/BABY GIRL season! If it isn’t SOFT LIFE, I do not want it!

Here are a few photos from my 30th Birthday celebration!

See you soon with another interesting piece! Stay safe and God bless you!

Sometime in May, I received an email that I had been invited to the #GoalKeepers2023 event by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation! I was excited (Of course!). This was not just an invitation but a fully funded opportunity! What made this more anticipating for me was that I was meant to attend in 2022 but I couldn’t due to some miscommunication and unforeseen circumstances.

Tick tock, tick tock…18th September finally arrived and it was time to go to New York! I did the needful, parked on time, got to the airport on time only to be disappointed by AER LINGUS – a horrible experience all round I would not want to narrate. But, I have cancelled them in my books!

The next morning, I joined other participants on a boat cruise/breakfast/networking session around New York. It was an opportunity to see some sights around New York; notable among them is The Statue of Liberty. On this cruise, I saw a number of celebrities (Nigerian) and it was an opportunity to interact with them. Some of them include; Rahama Sadau, M.I. Abaga, Aproko Doctor, Chude Jideonwo among others.

The GoalKeepers Awards later in the evening, saw individuals who were working towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) win awards including the Progress Award won by fellow ONE Activist, Eden Tadesse and the inaugural Voice Award won by the founder of ONE, Bono. It was an evening of celebration and also reminiscing on how far we have come towards achieving the SDGs and the work that needs to be done to ensure that we are on track towards achieving them. The evening ended with a performance by the Queen of Afrobeats, Tiwa Savage. What a delight!

The next day was the the GoalKeepers 2023 main event which started at about 7:30am. This was where we got to hear from Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates, President of Kenya, William Ruto among other healthcare officers, midwives and health specialists working towards reducing maternal mortality rates in developing countries. The statistics are shocking and it is something that should be given much attention to than it is currently especially in Africa and even globally. Of course, there was time for networking and for me, that is mostly the highlight of attending these events. I met a fellow Ghanaian who works with the Gates Foundation in South Africa and we connected! I also connected with a lady who works with the UN (ECOSOC to be precise) – lovely lady, among other connections and conversations. I also met and took a picture with Ebuka, the host of Big Brother Naija – I don’t watch the show but I had to get a selfie with him :).

I also got another opportunity to meet with the President of ONE, Tom Hart, alongside my fellow ONE activists where we had a lovely discussion on what motivated us to join ONE and the campaigns ONE will be running in the nearest future among others.

I took lots of pictures! Especially on the 2nd day :). After the event, I went to my hotel room to rest and then went round Times Square (second time there) and also found something to eat. I was so tired! What a long day!

The next day, which was my last day (21st), I decided to use my free time to go to the 9/11 Memorial and also the Empire State Building! It was worth going to both places despite the crowd especially at the Empire State Building…I mean, it makes sense.

Well! That was the end of my stay in NY! My inbound journey was smoother than my outbound journey as there were no delays whatsoever. If only! I arrived in the UK tired and only wanting to sleep because I deserved one and oh overall, #GoalKeepers2023 was an amazing experience and I am certain I will experience again :). Below are some pictures from the event :). Enjoy!

See you soon with another blogpost (Becoming 30! 😍)

Have you ever benefited from connection? Or better put, have you ever gotten a job or opportunity because you had a good relationship with the person in charge or a relative, family member or friend knew someone who put in a good word for you? That is the connection I am referring to. In fact these days, most people pray for connections when it comes to job applications because it smoothens the process and makes things easier. Instead of submitting a CV and Cover Letter that may probably never be read, why not talk to an uncle who knows the CEO of the company you want to work for? Getting the job this way is almost 100% guaranteed.

Corruption is part of human nature. We are all naturally corrupt and will mostly use the most dishonest form or abuse of power when given, for our selfish gains. Take for instance most African leaders and politicians – the looting, stealing and misusing of state funds for their personal gains almost always goes unpunished. NO ACCOUNTABILITY whatsoever and oh! They will still win elections despite their high levels of corruption. Another example is a man of God using church funds for his personal gains whilst church members wallow in poverty. Corruption in the house of God in my opinion has got to be the worst but we see this play right in front of our eyes every now and then. 

The bitter truth is that our systems (political, societal, religion, educational) are so corrupt that it is almost impossible to uproot corruption. I mean how can we when it benefits certain people. When a politician loots state funds, he builds a solid legacy for his children and generations who are able to go to the best schools, get the best jobs, travel the world and have lots of money secured for life…so tell me, why will the child of the said politician want corruption to stop? If it does, they lose that ‘soft life‘ they are used to – but at the same time, there is equitable distribution of resources so that the poor can have a taste of good life but we all know that is never going to happen. Our world today operates on the basis where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer – there is nothing you and I can do about this. 

You see, LIFE IS HARD – I don’t think it was programmed to be easy. Therefore, can you blame people who get things done through the easier route? I mean, where is the prize for going through the long and painful route? I have had my own experience of painful years of job hunting – something most people can relate to. I highly doubt if I knew someone in an organization (I am very much interested in working for) who could recommend me or put in a good word for me to get a job, I do not think I would have rejected it. In fact, most people won’t because job hunting for years and getting NOs over and over again is something I will not wish on anyone. But here is the case where most young people, given the current job market and crisis, pray they find someone to ‘connect‘ them. That is someone’s prayer point, so this should tell you how bad things are.

But like I said, in the end – we all benefit from a failed and corrupt system in one way or the other. Maybe not direct beneficiaries but indirectly. But the truth is whether it is direct or indirect, we still benefit from it in one way or the other. But you cannot blame anyone – there are certain things in life you cannot change, no matter how much one tries. One of such is a corrupt society. The only thing that may set one apart is having morals and a strong set of values which prevents one from indulging in certain acts which go against those values. Unfortunately not everyone has those values, so here we all are today. 

Thank you for reading today’s blog post! Let me know your thoughts in the comments section. I will see you soon with another one. Stay safe and God bless you!

This is something I am certain everyone has had an experience with….well, if you haven’t yet, you may at some point in your lifetime (this is not a curse; it is a part of LIFE).

I am sure you have heard the saying, ‘20 friends cannot play for 20 years‘…this is just basically trying to say that at different levels or stages in one’s life, you will meet different people and have to let go of those you call friends. It is not because you fought with them or had a messy fall out (which may be the case on certain occasions) but sometimes it is a matter of distance, growth, or people wanting different things or not being on the same page or the purpose of that friend being in your life has been fulfilled and it is time for them to leave. AND THAT IS FINE!

The thing about friendship breakups is, it is part of life but sometimes and mostly, how they happen is what matters and sometimes, they HURT.

Growing up, I have had people I called friends that when I look back, they were NOT my friends. They were more like playmates, classmates, acquaintances or school mates hence it is of little wonder that after some years when they either moved out of the neighbourhood or changed schools or for whatever reason distance separated us, I never heard of them again till date. However, there were some of these classmates or school mates who became friends and later became family which is and was a GREAT THING.

But life has a way of happening! Sometimes it is not anyone’s fault…sometimes it is…but the most important thing is, you learn the lessons and move on. What hurts mostly is you thinking maybe you should have done this or shouldn’t have, said this or shouldn’t have or whatever but all those should haves and could haves does not matter in the moment. Because sometimes, people must act a certain way to teach you a lesson you NEED in the next phase, no matter how bad it HURTS.

In the past decade (my 20s), I have lost certain friends…in fact I could have sworn that these people were going to be ‘Friends for Life‘ but that was just me being optimistic and not factoring in the twists and turns of life. Some of these ‘breakups’ were painful, in fact some of them still hurt when I think about it..but we MOVE! Someone might say, maybe reach out and try to fix the relationship but one thing I have come to realise is; it is not every relationship that can remain the same even if it is fixed. Sometimes, you do NOTHING. Just let it go! It was a phase. You both enjoyed it while it lasted. It is time to apply the lessons learned and open yourself up to other meaningful relationships and ensure you do not repeat mistakes you made in that friendship (if you made any).

On the other hand, I know of occasions where people are able to fix broken friendships…GOOD FOR THEM! Most of the time, it is just ego that kills a lot of friendships so if you feel like you were at fault or by all means you do not want to lose a friend, do your part and reach out but also understand that it takes two to tango and that you are not solely responsible for saving whatever is left of that friendship. If the other party is not responding, just MOVE ON!

In the end, life is a journey filled with memories; both good and bad and either of these people contribute to making them. Our human nature makes us entitled to keep people who give us the greatest memories but unfortunately, it does not always work that way because they may leave us at a point and other people may come in and give us the good or even bad ones and may stay forever or also leave at a point. Whichever way, we need to be open minded to the fact that the only permanent person in your life is YOURSELF! (Let that sink in). Regardless of what may or may not happen, enjoy your friendships as long as they last and when they do come to an end (for whatever reason), make peace with it and move on! 🙂

Have you lost a friend recently or before? How did you deal with it? And how are you faring now after it ended?

Thank you so much for reading. It means a lot to me. See you soon with another blog post :). Stay safe and take care!

For almost two weeks now, the Ghanaian entertainment space and social media have been buzzing with the explosive content of renowned Ghanaian actress Yvonne Nelson‘s memoir, ‘I Am Not Yvonne Nelson‘. I am certain she expected this when she first thought of writing this book…and I bet she was not surprised at all..with the mixed reactions she got.

As a person who does not engage in social media banter, I decided not to rely on the pages and sections of the book that were trending due to its revealing content for instance the revelation that she aborted a baby fathered by celebrated Ghanaian rapper, Michael Owusu Addo known as Sarkodie. Thus, I decided to order a copy of the book and in about 4 days, I had it. I could not wait to read this book for myself and draw my own conclusions irrespective of the takes I had already seen on social media.

Now, for the purpose of this blog, I cannot go into details of everything in the book but I would refer to the things that stood out for me and what my take aways are;

Firstly, I applaud Yvonne for doing this, something that is hardly done in Ghana; nobody wants people to know about the skeletons in their cupboards or dirty little secrets. We all parade ourselves as though we are saints most of the time which we aren’t. She bore it all (or I will say almost all in the book). A lot of people are crucifying her that they did not need to know all these and that it is in the past or she should have died with these secrets instead of broadcasting them…but what you forget is she may be doing this as part of her healing process..something we all do differently. So, I stand with her for telling her story and speaking her own truth, despite the backlash, which is expected anyways.

Towards the end of the book, one thing that stood out for me is, this woman is broken and she is seeking for answers and until she finds it, she may never be at peace. I honestly pray she finds these answers, the biggest being, knowing who her father is. I have seen different takes on the issue and it is quite interesting. Some are blaming her for disgracing her mother and not being appreciative of her ability to take care of her despite her absentee father, others are calling her ungrateful, others are saying they have had it worse and that she should be thankful. Whilst these comments may be valid, her reason for putting this out there is also valid. Besides, I am positive that if her mum had not lied to her on two different occasions concerning the identity of her father, this book may have never happened. I am still trying to understand why her mother towed this path of hiding her father from her for almost 4 decades. Whatever her reasons are, has done more harm than good!

We live in a society where childhood trauma and neglect is not regarded as much as it should be. Yvonne has definitely suffered both and it is not surprising that this has played out in some of the decisions she made when it comes to her relationships. I am nobody to judge her for who she dated or decides to date but it appears that if she had a father figure or fatherly love, she would have made better choices in men and what she does in those relationships therein. One thing that also stood out for me is the similarity in her mum’s story and hers. Her mum only got to know her father years later after he had passed away and as such bore a wrong surname almost all her life, her mum was not on good terms with her mum (Yvonne’s grandmother), her mum almost aborted her (Yvonne) at 6 months. The only reason she did not was because the doctor declined to proceed with the abortion. Fast forward Nelson is not Yvonne’s ‘real’ surname as Mr Okoe Nelson is not her biological father, she is currently not on good terms with her mum due to her unwillingness to reveal the identity of her dad, she had an abortion because she and Sarkodie at the time were both not ready to raise a child although the latter has come out to say he wanted her to keep it…

Furthermore, Yvonne also suffered in terms of education which saw her resit some papers after secondary school before gaining admission to university three years after secondary school.She mentioned she was studying a course she did not like and she did not even like the secondary school she attended (Aggrey Memorial School) in the first instance. It was more like a tradition in the family as her older siblings also attended that school. She was not regarded and respected at home because of her ‘unsatisfactory’ grades hence music was her getaway from the school and the course she hated. This is something most people growing up can relate to. As much as grades are important, that is not all there is to education and the bigger picture; life. Instead of using demeaning words to encourage or force children to study certain courses or attend certain schools, why not support them to see where their other strengths lie and then tap into it? A lot of African parents are guilty of this and need to do better! She mentions that she only started getting respect when she found fame through movies and money started coming in but was viewed unserious when she used to rap in school and was heavily influenced by the 90s hip hop culture. Sigh! Money and fame it is!

She also mentions her dealings in the movie industry (her ban, sexual exploitation of some movie producers/directors, her encounters in Nigeria) among others which is something other actors have spoken about countless times. It is a crazy industry and even crazier world especially when you want to take the steps and have your dignity intact instead of taking the elevator and giving in to certain demands one may regret later. It is a COLD world out there.

I have taken a thing or two from this book. The most important being that we are all fallible, we should treat each other with kindness and that the celebrity lifestyle/bubble is just for ‘show’ (no wonder it is called showbiz). Behind the glitz and glamour are humans who go through the issues you and I face on a daily basis…hence do not always wish to be like them because you have no idea what they deal with behind cameras. Yvonne stated that this is part of the reason she wrote the book and I guess she may have succeeded to an extent, as there others who still insist the book and revelations were unecessary.

Whatever it is your opinion of the book is, think about a young girl who is broken from childhood through to adulthood and a BIG piece of her is still missing, the man who fathered her. Whether alive or dead, fair or dark, tall or short…she does not know and the only person who has the answer to this refuses to disclose it to her. Do you know how crazy that sounds and how it could mess a person? The possibility of incest for example? No you don’t, because you aren’t in her shoes and will never be!

I hope you enjoyed my review. Have you read the book? What is your take? It is available on Amazon and Apple Books if you are interested in reading. You should. Once you start, you would not want to put it down. It took me about 5 to 6 hours to finish reading.

I will see you soon with another post. Stay blessed!

You may have heard of the word ‘karma’ far too many times…but what does it mean? Karma basically says, you suffer the consequences of what you do. So basically you reap what you sow. Since childhood, this saying has been engraved in my memory such that I am aware that if I do good, I am meant to receive a good reward and vice versa.

Growing up in a wicked and perverse world and with what I have experienced in my almost 3 decades on earth, I beg to differ. You may disagree but I have seen and still see wicked people (especially politicians) get away with the evil they do far too many times to believe that they actually get their ‘karma’. One might argue that ‘Well, you don’t know them personally, they may have gotten the punishment they deserve and you may be unaware’ or ‘their generations will suffer the consequences”…To those kind of comments, I just LOL!

I have come to the conclusion that karma is just a concept that has been coined to make ourselves feel better when someone wrongs us. We hold on to it so tight to give us some sort of consolation when someone hurts us that indeed, they will receive a double or triple portion of what they did to us. You may wait for the rest of your life wishing that on the person and it may never happen. The obvious and simple thing to do is to MOVE ON! Stop wasting your time and emotions waiting for life to pay people back for the harm they caused you, you may have also done something similar or worse to someone and probably did not get any ‘karma’ so why wish evil on someone now that you are the victim? Just LET IT GO (it is easier said that done but trust me..it is the way to go).

I watched a Nollywood movie, ‘Sista‘ a couple of weeks ago on Amazon Prime and it confirmed my thoughts about the concept of Karma. The movie tells a story of how a single mother of two, Sista (played by the phenomenal Kehinde Bankole) struggles to take care of her children after being abandoned by her baby daddy, Folarin (played by Deyemi Okanlawon) whilst she was pregnant with their second child..CRUEL! Years later, Folarin shows up, married with kids, is successful and wants to be in the lives of the children he abandoned. Now this is where the problem lies..Sista is filled with bitterness from all the trauma and hardship she had to go through in raising the two kids all by herself and does not want Folarin to have anything to do with the kids. But even though what Folarin did was evil, he LEVELLED UP, is now financially stable and can help his kids build a solid foundation for the future. Sista does not have to continue to do menial jobs anymore to see them through the rest of their schooling.

In a fair world or a typical Nollywood movie, the story would have gone this way. Folarin will turn up years later miserable, maybe married with no kids beause the tears of Sista prevented him from succeeding in life hence he needs the forgiveness of Sista to succeed. I love the fact that the writer did not take this turn and rather explored the twists & turns and uncertainties in life. In this case, the father shows up wealthy, asks for forgiveness (which may or may not be granted) but the most important thing is he can make a valued contribution to his children’s future and in some way make up for the years lost with his kids.

But the question is, ‘Will Sista find love again? What about the trauma she survived? What about her inability to further her education to get a better job to progress in her career? Who pays for the pain she went through? Only God knows or the future can answer these. The crux of the matter is, sometimes the villain wins or the bad guy wins and in that ‘win’, there is something in it for everyone. In this case, Sista may be able to concentrate on improving herself whilst her children face their studies and once they graduate and get good jobs, they can take care of their mum and enable her get a good standing in her career or financially.

On this note, I will conclude that, LIFE IS NOT FAIR and humans can be wicked. They can do you dirty and will walk away unhurt and unbothered and you may have to deal with the trauma of healing and moving on. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to change this concept. It is the way it is….

Do you believe in ‘karma’ ? Have you experienced or watched someone experience it before? Share your thoughts in the comments section. I will see you soon with another post! And you should watch ‘Sista‘, streaming on Amazon Prime, you won’t regret it!

A couple of years back, 2016 to be precise, I was nominated and shortlisted for the C Hub Magazine CA Awards, ‘Young Achiever of the Year‘ category. Excited much! I was fresh out of university and this was also my first award nomination outside university. However, there was something about the award I did not quite like…it was based on voting…(sad face!). You mean, I have to campaign for votes to determine whether I deserved to be awarded…is this based on merit or popularity?

To be honest, I kind of lost interest in winning the award. My excitement dwindled! Because, first of all, I do not like asking people for favours (I am not sure if it is a good or bad trait – but that is me). Secondly, I feel it is awkward to be nudging people going about with their lives, sending them links and what have you to vote for you….what if they do not want to or genuinely forget to do so…meaning the award goes to the person who is able to successfully convince their friends, loved ones, social media followers among others to vote for them…So the question is did they really deserve the award because they won it by getting the highest number of votes? I honestly do not think so!

However few days later, my face brightened when I checked my email. The award was no longer based on voting but a carefully selected panel of judges will decide on the winners in all the categories..GREAT! Alas, I do not have to bother anyone with ‘Dont forget to use this link to vote for me, deadline is so and so date..Thank God. I regained my excitement to attend the awards ceremony and to my utmost surprise, I WON! Yes!! I had not even prepared a speech because I did not think I was going to win (in all honesty). I was up against some equally amazing and high achieving young women.

After the ceremony, I pondered on the question ‘Would I have won if the awards were based on public votes?’ There is only one correct answer. NO!

I believe that any award scheme based on public votes rids the most deserving person on being awarded. This reminds me of the recently ended Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA) held in Lagos, Nigeria. In the ‘Best Actress in a Drama’ (Movie/TV Series) category, there were controversies surrounding the winner, ‘Osas Ighodaro‘ for her role in ‘Man of God‘ (streaming on Netflix) which I felt was not really all that to be nominated in the category. She was up against the likes of Ini Edo, Bimbo Ademoye and the AMAZING Nse Ikpe-Etim. In all honesty, I wish Nse won because not only is she a fantastic actress (You should watch The Visit, Journey to Self, the classic Mr and Mrs) but she also delivered in the movie she was nominated for in the category (with ‘Shanty Town‘ – streaming on Netflix) and I thought she deserved to win had it not been that the winner was determined by public votes so the person with the most fans (who voted for them) wins.

Similarly, people had some reservations about the winner for the ‘Best Actor in a Drama’ (Movie/TV Series). Former Big Brother Naija (BBN) Reality Show participant, Tobi Bakre won in this very tough category (with ‘Brotherhood‘ – streaming on Prime Video) with established and amazing actors such as the legendary Chidi Mokeme who did an amazing job in ‘Shanty Town‘ portraying ‘Scar‘, Blossom Chukwujekwu, another fantastic actor who also delivered in ‘The Trade‘ (on Prime Video if you have not seen it), Daniel Etim Effiong (a personal favourite) among others. I have watched ‘Brotherhood‘ and for a new face in the industry, Tobi did very well! So getting a nomination was not much of a surprise. Concerning winning, they all stood a chance but the question is who has most fans or can gather votes? In that category, it was Tobi. Being a BBN alumni means you have a very solid fan base (those fans don’t joke) and also Tobi took this award personal. If you check his socials, the proof is eminent; he even released a rap freestyle asking his fans to vote for him…a creative being creative! Was I surprised Tobi won? NO! Did he deserve it. YES! However, if it was not based on public votes, I am sure Blossom or Chidi may have won! (NO CAP).

After all is said and done, there are different award schemes with their rules..some based on public votes, others partly by public votes and partly by a panel deciding and others purely based on a panel deciding. It is what it is but then, what is your take? Do you think awards should be based on public votes 100% or not? For me, I am against public voting based awards…..because they are sometimes not a true reflection of who is deserving. But hey, even if awards were not based on purely public votes, there will still be comments like ‘He didn’t deserve it, she didn’t deserve it‘ among others so I guess we can’t escape the controversies surrounding award schemes after all. I believe award schemes and controversies go hand in hand….

See you soon with another one. Take care and Stay Blessed.

Love,

Gertrude.