Call it what you want but…

…last month was surreal.

Nov 01, 2023

Let’s start with how I cringed at the “happy” Independence Day messages that I received. “Pray for Nigeria”. Does it look like we need just prayers? Everytime we say, “God is in control” or “leave it for God”. Lmao, “leave it for God” is the problem of Nigeria. “Today we celebrate the Giant of Africa”. No be small “giant”. Let me stop there. The 1st day of the month did not just interest me in any way.

My TL went wild on the 2nd because of the “hating your girlfriend” thread. I saw alot of “takes” on Elon Musk’s X and people’s relationships came to an end because of that thread. There was a lady who clapped back with the “when you start hating your boyfriend” thread. I read a lot of things that made me laugh and even got me irritated. That thread screamed just one thing to me, “love yourself” whether you’re a man or a woman. If men truly loved themselves like they claim, there’s a lot they won’t have to do.

But how do people not notice a “shift” in someone’s energy? We might talk about it someday, or not.

I woke up the next day to the news that Chicago University disowned Tinubu’s certificate which he submitted to INEC. I wasn’t even surprised.

This is what a Chicago State University degree certificate looked like in 1979.⬆️

Here is what a Chicago State University degree certificate awarded 1998/1999 looks like. ⬆️

Now, Here's what Chicago State submitted under subpoena last year as "Bola Tinubu's degree certificate awarded in 1979."⬇️

The logo in the photo above was not adopted by the University in 2003, NOT 1979.

Pablo should be locked up for committing the crime of forgery amongst others but what do I know?

While following up this case, I came across this post on X.

Apparently, there was this thread where people were posting a picture of them and their “art”. Someone posted this under the thread. It made me laugh but why are Nigerians used to catching cruise even with the most serious things?

That day ended with a mail from HerTechTrail Academy. I was given what I’d call a life-threatening assignment AKA the Capstone Project for the Product Management class I had signed up for on the 3rd of July this year. That assignment stole my happiness and my sleep. Half the time, it felt like I didn’t know what I was doing. I had cried and even sat on the floor asking myself who send me? When I started talking to myself, I thought, “okay, this has to end.” I really was tempted to give up but as they say, na who give up fuck up. I learnt yet again that working under pressure is not for me.

On the 9th, there was a video of a girl trending just before I went to bed that night. Apparently, she had asked her parents for an iPhone 8 for her birthday and they lashed out on her, saying really hurtful things. I watched the video several times and went ahead to read on the opinions of other people on the girl’s action and her parents’ reaction to her request. This girl’s action reminded me of this video of Chimamanda Adichie I watched on YouTube sometime ago. She spoke on the Danger of a Single Story. You might want to watch it, there’s alot to unpack in it.

As a law student, the principles of natural justice amongst many others, are principles that I try to apply in my everyday existence. The principles of natural justice are audi alterem partem and nemo judex in causa sua. They are Latin maxims.

Nemo judex in causa sua means “no man shall be a judge in his own cause.”

Audi alterem partem means “no man should be condemned unheard.”

It is important to note that NONE of us were given a manual when we were born. None of us have done this life thing before; not me, not you, not the girl or even her parents.

It was World Mental Health Day on the 10th. I contributed my quota to spread the gospel of mental health importance under the umbrella of Space For Growth.

For better understanding, Space For Growth is a non-governmental organization that centered on improving mental health awareness in Africa through counseling, psychotherapy support programs. On the 20th of January, I was accepted as a volunteer to work in line with the vision of the organization.

The very next day was the International Day of the Girl Child. I had read some posts and poems dedicated to the girl child on different platforms, I think I felt butterflies in my tummy at some point.

Soon after, I couldn’t help but notice how the value of naira suddenly seemed to enjoy the waterslide. I always thought I was a broque girl but seeing the exchange rate, I don’t even think I have net-worth. I’m a poor church rat.

While I was trying to make sense of this naira wahala, I started seeing these “rich man pikin” memes. Most of them were really funny but nahh, I took two of them really personal.

I saw this and wondered when I became an animal. Life is so unfair, guys.

This one broke my heart. Shattered it into pieces.

Yesterday, I had analyzed my schoolwork for the semester and came to the realization that final year is indeed alot of work and I really hope I finish school with my sanity intact.

They say “give honor to whom honor is due”, please don’t ask me “who is they?” Thanks to Jada Pinkett Smith, October was quite eventful. She woke up one day and decided to tell whoever cared to listen that she and Smith have been separated and have lived "completely separate lives" since 2016, nearly 20 years after they married in 1997. “It wasn’t a divorce on paper but it was a divorce”, she said.

I also saw posts about her past relationship with TuPac. Everything I know about Jada and her relationship with her supposed husband, I know against my will.

Subsequently, there was a viral video of J. Cole omitting the “that Jada and that Will love” line during a live performance of No Role Modelz. Lmaoooo, but that song is beautiful though.

I’ve always had a problem with people who “forget” that WE are the society. Justina’s body was chopped up for ritual purposes and the first thing we do is look for who to blame? Blame her, blame the butcher, blame her family, blame her friends, and even blame the economy?! Really??

Alot of things happened last month but I just acted like I didn’t notice BUA Cement and Dangote Cement struggling for first position. I acted like I didn’t watch that clip where BBN 2022 winner, Phyna claimed that every girl has had an abortion one or two times. I acted like I didn’t see speculations of Rema selling his soul to the devil. I acted like I didn’t see where Ilebaye suggested that her fans should convert their gifts to cash. I acted like I didn’t know that Messi won the Ballon d’Or. I know you just thought of Rema’s performance at the ceremony. I might have acted like I didn’t rinse Odumodublvck’s album clean but I definitely didn’t act like I didn’t see Blaqbonez for the first time in real life. Big ups, TraceNaija!

Seeing Blaqbonez in my school? Crazyyy! I was starstruck, mehn! Watching Falz sing Soldier felt like I had strawberry ice cream with gummy bears. Heaven!

Sometime last month, I had a misunderstanding with a friend and it got me emotionally stressed. I tried talking it out but it seemed useless, so I kept mute, withdrew and decided to “forget” that it happened coupled with the fact that I have a lot of very important things to deal with. You see, some people can only listen for so long and there will come a time when they will dust their feet and walk away because they can’t do it anymore. This misunderstanding taught me that communication is not a miraculous fix to conflicts and it can indeed be very toxic. So I walked away with my slippers in my hands.