I Have Done a Terrible Thing...

...Thoughtless, Selfish and Yes it is as bad as you think!

May God forgive me!

How DOES She Do it?!

- July 21, 2007

- Forbes 100 Richest Celebrities on E! Channel

- What I spent my Sunday evening doing

How are the three things above connected?

Well... the picture on the left is a dead give away. They all have to do with the boy wizard who has taken the world (Muggle and non-Muggle worlds alike) by storm!

More importantly, they have to do with the creator of Harry Potter. Madame Rowling. First off, regardless of whatever theory I postulate below, I think she is a real witch. And a powerful one to boot! And who has bewitched us all into buying into a story that is in all likelihood true!

Is it very obvious I am a fan of Harry Potter?

On July 21, 2007 the seventh and final book in the series will be released world-wide and I hear it's already broken all kinds of records already. It will be the culmination of a journey (at least for readers) that started some 10-odd years ago.

Yesterday, I watched the run down of the 100 richest celebrities on the E! Entertainment channel. More than Madonna; more than Martha Stewart; more than Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Anniston AND Angelina Joline put together and surpassed only by God (otherwise known as Oprah) J.K Rowling is worth US$1 billion, give or take a few million. That is not a lot of money...

...THAT IS AN INSANE AMOUNT OF MONEY!

And all from writing six books? But much more than the money here... how and why have her books captured the imagination so much? According to wikipedia, the books themselves have sold about 325 million copies. Five of the seven books have been turned into blockbuster movies and the attendant merchandising doesnt hurt in the slightest.

I spent my Sunday evening watching the lastest installment of the movie franchise. Like the previous 4 films before it, it only gets a 4/10 from me. Not because it wasnt good but because they left so many cool parts out. A bit harsh but there you go!

Again moving away from the financial aspect of things (its not easy) what would make a children's book so special and compelling as to have adults and children scrambling to get their hands on it? Now this is a fundamental question for me as I hope to someday create a story that will someday be on the shelves of Borders Bookshops. (A million copies is all I ask for)

I think Ms Rowling has taken a highly implausible world and made it shockingly simple to relate to. A world residing behind the normal world we know and employing fantastic means (Magic!!!) to everyday stuff. We know magic doesnt really exist but Oh. My. God. If it did, it would probably be exactly as Jo has described it.

Stupefy, Expecto Patronus, Experlliamus, spells to make you fall in love, transform yourself into some kind of animal, wash the dishes, clean your room, magical creatures at your beck and call, other ones that would sooner swat you aside... and you need to go to this centuries old castle to learn how to control all that magic. Amazing!

I was a (serious) fan of only one other fantasy book series. The Wheel of Time Series by Robert Jordan. He also employs similar tricks used by J.K Rowling. Leaving clues in book 2, the significance of which you wouldnt realize until Book 6. Crafting together scenes and narrative action that make you actually see yourself performing these feats. The main characters have developed a life of their own that makes it impossible for you NOT to care what happens to them!

Fair warning though if you want to look for Robert Jordan... the Wheel of Time stretches across 11 novels and 1 pre-quel and it is STILL NOT done! If you ask me, Jordan has lost the plot! But the first 3... 4... 5 books were so damned good that Jordan decided to make as much money off of us and extend the run until he tied himself into knots. And contracted a rare life-threatening disease on the way! He has promised to complete the story in Book 12 even if it means 2000 pages!

I have also fallen for another series now. The Codex Alera series by Jim Butcher. It is very similar to the Wheel of Time, employing characters that wield enormous magical power through the elements and characters imbued with so much life and reality, they move the story along all by themselves. Jim Butcher goes a step further by constantly making you re-evaluate the intentions and leanings of each character viz-a-viz "which side are you on?'. Someone you would have labelled 'evil' turns out to be good or a 'good' character turns out to have an ugly side to him. Fascinating stuff.

He also promised a trilogy at the beginning but now we are waiting for Book 4!

Anyway... I have pre-ordered my copy of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" and like Pierre, I will also be unavailable right after I pick up my copy. I should be done by Saturday evening. And if you are a fan... dont read the next line... Hermione dies in the seventh book.

Go on then... hate me!

Mulling over Mortality...

A friend of mine died on Sunday.

The finality of the above statement makes goosebumps break out all over my body. Mary Fatima Abu nee Taidi was a friend, big sister, sometime boss and travel companion, lovable personality and now she is gone. Just like that.

I met Mary eight years ago in the ancient city of Kano in northern Nigeria, where she was the President of the local AIESEC chapter. We were there for a conference and we, who hadnt met her had heard stories of the 'Iron Lady' of Kano. The reality turned out to be much more pleasant.

Smart, beautiful, warm and out-going just begin to describe her. She had a sharp tongue and a sharper wit that could be deployed to leave her listeners in gales of laughter or reduce a deliberately obtuse individual to wondering why his/her clothes AND skin were not in tatters on the floor! She never suffered fools gladly but did not deliberately set out to hurt anyone.

The irony is that she was the first to reply to a wedding announcement by a mutual friend on an email list I belong to. This was on Friday. On Sunday she was dead! Expecting her first child; having gotten married last year, I dont want to imagine the pain and grief her husband is going through right now!

A friend wrote this in a tribute to her, "Like every one of us, Mary was in her prime, building a career and a family for herself. Her hopes, aspirations and ambitions could not have been much different from ours, individually and collectively"

The only difference now is that her aspirations have been cut short. It could have been anyone one of us. It could have been me. More than my own near miss incident in December last year, in a way I cannot fully explain, Mary's death has made me more aware of my mortality. It has made me realize that we REALLY NEED to live life to the fullest and do those things that really matter.

From the deluge of memorials, tributes and moving eulogies that Mary's death has invoked literally from all around the world, Mary obviously lived her tragically cut-short life to the fullest!

O Death, Where is Thy Sting? (here in our wrenching hearts, DAMN YOU!)

Sleep Well Mary Fatima Taidi-Abu!

Presenting the New Couple in all their Glory...

Okay Okay Okay... I hope this is not a case of over-kill here.

But I DID travel 30,000 miles for the principal reason of attending this wedding and it was such a wonderful and successful one... can any of you really blame me. Besides this is an opportunity for me to share a bit of my culture with you all.

Presenting the lovely couple... Mr & Mrs Segun and Dupe AJAYI....

With this Ring I Thee Wed... Part II

Where were we now?

Ah yes... the bride's family was receiving the official letter of intent from the groom's family. I have understandably simplified the whole process here. There are countless songs, ceremony and specific forms that go back and forth between the families.

These can be called the preliminaries and depending on how long-winded the family representatives are... can last anywhere between an hour and a half and 3 hours!

Anyway... once intent has been signalled and received, it's time to get the potential suitor himself. All through the prelim activities, the groom is stationed outside and is not allowed in until this point. SO when the bride's family rep calls out, "So where is the young man seeking our daughter's hand in marriage?" (or something to that effect) the drummers, praise singers and young women of his family go and collect him.

Now it is not just a matter of leading him in by the nose, the whole event is taking place in a hall that has a long entrance hall. The bride's family has "sentries" and "toll-collectors" lined all along the route of the entrance hall. And the groom is expected to pay his 'dues' to all the vampires along the route here. This is sometimes in the form of gifts but more usually cash!

Which is why the groom usually assembles a posse behind him for this crucial aspect of the ceremony......now while every "groom's posse" that I have witnessed at wedding ceremonies has tried to intimidate the "toll-collectors and try to get away without paying too much, none of them has been very successful! My brother's wasnt either. We paid through the nose I can tell you!

And it wasnt restricted to the entrance hallway either. When we got to the front where the action was taking place. We found the bride's family representative feigning sleep. And we were informed that only a huge gift would be able to wake her up. Seeing as she was the only one able to introduce the groom to the bride's family, we had to again dispense with cash gifts! The rep tries to draw this out as long as possible in order to get the groom and his posse to drop as much as possible.
When it seemed we had dropped enough to buy a brand new car and she still wasnt 'waking up' one of my brother's friends whispered in my ear that perhaps if one of us delivered a well-placed smack to her face, that would do the trick!!!

Eventually she did 'wake up' and she made the very flowery introductions of the young man who had come seeking the hand of the beautiful damsel. And then we (my brother and his 'posse') were required to greet the elders of the bride's family in the traditional manner. In Yoruba culture, young men greet a much older person by prostrating on the floor... that is...lying on the floor and touching your head to the ground. Age is venerated in Yoruba culture and old age usually equates wisdom. Or at least is supposed to. Women kneel down on both knees.

So we were required to do this three times. Dont ask me why. I just know we had to do it three times...

Here we are preparing to go to ground!

And here we are giving homage to the elders of the bride's family in true Yoruba fashion!

Eventually my brother is left all alone on the floor as he is the principal 'plaintiff'! He is asked a series of trick questions which are all designed to ensure that he is made of the right stuff and will treat his bride with love, honor and respect! As you can see from the pic below, my brother doesnt mind all the questions in the least or even his proximity to the floor. He's going home with a beautiful bride at the end of it afterall!

Eventually the bride's family elders pronounce themselves satisfied and the groom is asked to pose with both sets of parents.

And now it's half-time in the proceedings!

No... No... a break is not given although drinks, refreshments and food will have been flowing all through the assembled guests, family members and friends.

The most important person in all these proceedings is now introduced into the fray. Once the groom has safely gotten approval and gotten all the trick questions correct. The bride's family representative calls out for the young lady in question. And who all the fuss is made about!

The bride is now ushered in as well with the expected fanfare. Drumming, dancing and singing. But with one added twist... she comes in veiled.

Now I am told that if things were being done strictly according to the book (which it wasnt in this case), the bride would come out with a group of other girls all similarly veiled and the prospective groom would have to pick out his sweetheart from among the veiled maidens!

Luckily for my brother, he was spared this particular test. And besides I am reliably informed that most brides dont want to share this moment with a whole bunch of wide-eyed maidens and risk her heart-throb pick the wrong woman!!!

SO my new sister-in-law danced in surrounded by her friends all singing and proclaiming her virtues and beauty for the whole world to hear. The veil shrouding her in mystery...

At this point, emotions run over and there are plenty of tears to go around. Especially as realization sets in that their daughter is actually going to start a brand new life with her husband.

The Groom's parents have the honor of unveiling the bride (or is it the groom?) and there are countless songs and dances that are performed at this stage!

Eventually, the bride's family rep performs the tying together ceremony which is kind of similar to what the priests in church do.

By this time, the guests are getting restless and invariably well-fed and just want to get on to the most interesting part of the whole day. At least according to some of them. The dancing part. After the forms have been met and the ceremony is done, there now comes much dancing and dancing and even more dancing and then some more dancing...

This dancing is the perfect culmination to the day as both sides having sat apart the whole day now come together and if the couple have chosen their colors properly, the whole venue is a wash of color and elegant outfits! Not to mention scintillating dance moves!

With this Ring I Thee Wed... Part I

Of course if you have lived in or being influenced by Western Culture, the title of this post should be very familiar to you.

It is the culmination of a process wherein

- boy meets girl,

- girl likes boy,

- boy runs scared that girl might actually like him enough to want to spend the rest of her life with him,

- girl convinces him this is not such a bad thing and

- boy suddenly finds he cannot live without girl,

- he puts a diamond ring on her finger to let other boys know she is no longer available and

- if parents, friends or a drop-dead gorgeous man-killer of a woman do not interfere,

- he eventually puts a wedding band on her finger in front of man, God and the church uttering the words above at some point...

Of course a lot of couples are dispensing with the last three steps above and just jumping straight to the next step of having children together and sharing everything from their bank accounts to the gym membership at the local spa.

But I digress...

Being from the Yoruba ethnic group of South western Nigeria and having being baptized as a Christian AND being influenced a whole lot by Western culture (all those American movies), deciding to spend the rest of your life with someone is a little bit more complicated than the process enumerated above!

At some point when you start meeting and dating members of the opposite sex, your parents start hinting that although a marriage is majorly about the two individuals, its also a lot about bringing two families together! Now since Nigeria is made up of at least 19 distinct different ethnic groups, with different languages, culture and history, you begin to read between the lines and get an idea of what your parents are alluding to!

Of course the younger generation (my generation) are a bit more cosmopolitan and global-minded and it doesnt raise eyebrows as much these days if as a Yoruba girl you marry an Ibo boy! Not too many eyebrows... well... a bit silly... but there you go!

Anyway... my big brother obviously took all those hints from my dad to heart and his bride is a nice Yoruba girl, who is also a Lawyer to boot! And since they are both Yoruba, we would be having an explosion of Yoruba culture and an excuse to party until we dropped!

First off... the wedding ideally takes place over 2-3 days. Like I said, since we are Christian, there was a fusion of the Western and the traditional. There are Yorubas who are muslim but no matter what religion, you are obliged to have the Engagement/Traditional ceremony.

The traditonal ceremony is a formal all day event that involves members of the groom's family coming with a huge delegation to ask for the hand of the girl in marriage. The bride's family of course is the 'host' and ideally should be seated when the groom's family arrives.

And when the groom's family arrives, it is no mere matter of strolling into the place. They are met by singers, drummers and praise singers. When we say that this is a day of joy and merriment, we mean it is a day of partying!
Now each family has a representative that handles all the 'negotiations' and ensures that all the forms are kept. The roles are usually taken by women and one could call them the custodians of tradition who ensure that everything is done according to laid down customs.

The picture on the left shows my parents at the far left (in green). The lady in the middle dressed in brown is the "Alaga-iduro" or groom's family rep.

Another interesting part of the whole thing are the outfits worn by each family. There is a color scheme, which in this case was Gold for the groom's family and Blue for the bride's family. Friends, family and associates of each family dress in head-ties and outfits that reflect the color.

There are smiles aplenty... afterall its not everyday you go to ask for the hand of a lovely damsel for your first son and heir!

And the charge is led by the parents of the groom who have place of honor at the head of the procession that will include friends, family members and loved ones.

There is an official letter written by the groom's family that is read by a young lady from the bride's family. The letter is on expensive paper and should be poetic as it is clear and direct. The damsel who reads the letter is usually the younger sister/cousin of the bride and she should read the letter in a clear, melodious and articulate tone.

The letter is wrapped in fancy paper and ribbons. Here you see my parents presenting it to the reps! (or "Alaga")

TO BE CONTINUED...

An acute case of Jet Lag...

And boy was it bad or what?

Wikipedia tells me that travelling west to east is supposedly worse and that you need one day of good rest for every time zone crossed.

Well I crossed 10 timezones (and lost a day to boot!) so I will be recovering for the next fortnight or so...

Why does New Zealand have to be so far...?

_____________________________________________________

And on an unrelated issue...

HOW YOUR MOUSE ARROW WORKS


This is true….
Very informative. Don't be put off by the Japanese writing, just wait for the picture to load.

Have you ever wondered how the small arrow on your PC monitor works when you move the mouse?
Through the aid of a magnifying lens the mechanism becomes easily understood. Click on the link below and when the image appears, slowly move your mouse over the light grey circle to see how mouse/cursor technology works.

http://www.1-click.jp/

According to Plan...

I will let the pictures do most of the talking here...


Traveling from New Zealand to Nigeria for 5 weeks to attend my brother's wedding; see Temitope; reunite with members of my family after an absence of two years was ALWAYS going to be a major project. Especially if you factor in my financial situation, health and peculiar circumstances.


Like any other project, it involved planning, forecasting, implementation, and review. Meticulous planning, robust and enthusiastic implementation and finally a nostalgic review has seen the project get a pronouncement of:



RESOUNDING SUCCESS!



An absolute fantastic, colorful, fun-filled and successful wedding ceremony




Being at my big brother's right hand (literally and figuratively) before, during and after the ceremony

Looking really 'fly' and debonair doing it too...

Possibly resolving one of the single most important decisions I might have to take as an individual. EVER! (more on this later...)

Spending time with Family... immediate and extended

...And with friends



...I absolutely loved the hanging out with friends part!

But here I am back in my room in my cosy little apartment in Auckland. Thousands and thousands of miles traveled halfway across the world, (and then back) loved ones seen again, good food, nostalgia, decisions made and confirmed... and I am very thankful!

Watch out for the narrative(s) and loads and loads more pictures from the trip...

Still here...

This is a very very quick post!

It is 4am and I am browsing on my brother's laptop in his ultra-cool apartment which is on the outskirts of the bustling metropolis (mega-polis?) that is Lagos.

I have had the most wonderful time in the last three and a half weeks and I will do a proper round-up in due course. I just wanted to share the picture above of my siblings and I during my brother's wedding.

More importantly, I have spent almost all my waking moments with my jewel of inestimable value, Tope. My long suffering, sweetheart has endured a lot since I started my sojourn abroad and I will be the first to admit that the last two and half years has not been the easiest. Which is why I am savouring every single one with her now. She has agreed in principle to move to New Zealand. But since as Nigerians, its not a cut and dried case we now have to start the logistics. Ah Well!

Loads and loads more pictures to come of course!!!

So Finally I get to "do" Dubai properly

If there was any doubt that I work for a first-rate company, it was dispelled by some excellent news I got last week.

I will be visiting the Fonterra Sales Office in Dubai in order to meet the Sales team which sells product to customers all across the Middle East and Africa. Account Managers and Executives.

It's a great opportunity to see things in 'the field' for myself and it will be a pleasure to finally meet all the people I have been talking to over the phone and email for the last ten months.

To be honest, it wasnt really on the cards, but my flight home to Nigeria is booked on Emirates and I will be stopping over in Dubai twice. So I suggested to my boss that why dont I use the opportunity to visit the office? i wouldnt have been surprised if she had said, 'Nice try Ladi' but she didnt. She thought it was a great idea, spoke to the Dubai office who also thought it was a great idea!

No, they will not be paying for my flight back home to Nigeria but I am booked to stay in the classy Le Royal Meridien Hotel with meals and transport thrown in! Yes it would have been nice if my ticket could have been fully covered but lets not get ahead of ourselves!

The picture above of the 'Seven Star Hotel' I got off the internet. In 6 weeks, I will post a picture of the hotel taken from MY camera!

I LEAVE FOR LAGOS TOMORROW!!!!!

(and I still havent packed! Heck! I havent finished my shopping!)

Its being a soul enhancing experience... but I am glad it is over!

For the last 4 months, I have worked two jobs.

From 1300, I am a Customer Service Executive moving and ensuring that tons and tons of dairy produce reaches my designated list of customers with as little fuss as possible. I am in the center of an elaborate yet startling simple process that takes the milk from the Cow and delivers it to the customers all around the world!

I do this from 1300 to 2200.

And for 4 nights a week, I stroll some 60 meters to The Quadrant Hotel where I am a concierge. The first point of contact for guests arriving to the hotel. A warm smile, a helping hand with the luggage and ensuring the first impression of the hotel is one of warmth and professionalism. I am also on hand for their every request and try my best to ensure it is granted. This I do from 2230 till 0630 the next morning.

It's been fun while it lasted... no thats not true... it hasnt been fun. It has been extremely hard! I have hated the fact that I stay up those nights and I'm invariably tired after sleeping only 5 hours a day 4 days in a row! I hate the fact that in the last 4 months I have not been giving the 110% that I want to give to Fonterra. But it WAS necessary. Paying off my hospital bill AND being able to afford my trip to Nigeria for my brother's wedding wasnt going to happen with me sitting on my ass.

Has it been worth it?

You bet it has! I went shopping this morning Monday before I resumed at work and I have a slight indication of how this activity could actually be a panacea for certain individuals who do it so compulsively. There is an euphoria of acquiring new stuff and it is made doubly so for me that I am able to acquire these things from MY hard-earned money. ("hard-earned" takes on a whole new meaning for me) I have been able to afford my not-so-inexpensive ticket (return) to Lagos, I have been able to get small token gifts for my friends and loved ones and I have some spending money to take with me to Lagos.

There was a time I thought I wouldnt make it but now I have. I did this for four short months. There are people who do this kind of stuff with no end in sight. And they do it for 'nobler' reasons than mine. Single mothers all over the world. Low income families... 'Nuff respect to them!

I am standing behind the desk now in the hotel lobby now, writing this post. It is my absolute last night here. At least as a member of staff. There is funky music playing on the lobby speakers, the street outside is deserted as it is 02:40am. The phone hasnt rang in the last hour and I am thinking, "Would I do this all over again?"

An academic exercise perhaps... but I HAVE done it. It adds a richness and scope to my personal book of life.

But I am glad it is over.

Lagos here I come in 6 days!

Savouring the Moment...

Talk about ending the season on a high!

To neutrals it might have been a forgettable game but thank you very much... by winning the sixth trophy for Chelsea, Jose Mourinho has made a clean sweep of all domestic trophies on offer in England! And history can be very kind to winners I can tell you.

After the heartbreak of the Champions League semi-final to Liverlesspool ( I will NEVER forgive them!) and lending out the Premiership title to Manchester United, the sweetness and euphoria of winning the oldest football cup competition in the world was the perfect panacea to the events of the last month.


And apart from the cagey cautious game played by both teams, one other sight that warmed my heart was the impressive showing of the talented young Nigerian in the Chelsea midlfield. John Mikel Obi. The young giant saw so much of the ball and completely outclassed Carrick in the battle of the midfield. This portends well for my other football love, the under-achieving Super Eagles of Nigeria. I can only hope that our German coach Berti Vogts was watching the game.

And Mikel was the one that supplied the pass to Drogba who played a one-two with Frank Lampard (who played it back on the first touch to Drogba; a lesser striker would have let the goalkeeper get to the ball first. A poke at the ball, and the ball was in the net! Very fitting that Drogba be the one to score the winning goal to take the FA cup. His 33rd goal of the season too!

I just bought two Football jerseys from a colleague in the office (who happens to be a Liverlesspool fan...yes its true) and one of them is a medium sized Long sleeved shirt with "Drogba" and Number 11 printed on the back. Needless to say I will be wearing the jersey for every subsequent Chelsea game! The other one is a short sleeved medium sized one with "Lampard" on the back and is going to one of my best friends as a gift.

But now the football season is over (at least for the moment) in England. I can prepare to watch Milan show a thing or two to Liverlesspool in a couple of days in the final of the Champions League. And the title race is yet to be decided in La Liga in Spain and is indeed still winnable by four different teams. And this is just with three games to go!

I had the most interesting weekend this last weekend. Visited a Maori home, went shopping, celebrated my flatmate's birthday, attended a tenth year wedding anniversary and met the most beautiful woman called Penny! And then I did even more shopping! Guess where I will be next weekend?

To Change The World...

I was surprised to learn that a couple of people who I had always thought were open-minded and liberal minded individuals held intensely deep prejudices and dare I say it... outright bigoted views!

And how did I come to know this? For one of them, it was an innocuous statement that left me slack-jawed and staring in disbelief. I managed to recover in time and this person didnt realize how much they had shocked me. I initiated another conversation a few days later and sadly managed to confirm my worst fears. To this person, a certain group of people were automatically tagged with a certain label and other groups with other labels.

Twas very similar for the other person as well. A seemingly innocent statement was made and there was an obvious preconception and a snap judgement was made. For the second person, I was able to confront them a bit more directly and say, "What the hell do you think you mean by that?" I was unable to make them understand why I felt so strongly about preconceived notions that categorized people. Categorized them in the worst possible way.

The worst part of the whole situation is that these individuals did not see ANYTHING wrong or unfair in their views. I realized quite quickly that it would be banging my head against a brick wall to attempt to change their minds or attitudes. Which brings me to the story of the man who wanted to change the world. He tried so hard all his life and on his death bed he realized that he should have started with changing himself.

This disturbing experience has made me realize that one has to continually question oneself and strive to improve everyday. And hope that by doing this, you set an example to others around you and MAYBE get them to reflect some of the values you hold very dear to you heart.

I apologize for the lack of details, the post was deliberately written that way for obvious reasons.

I leave for Nigeria in 8 days by the way and get there in 9! I absolutely cannot wait! Final round of shopping this weekend. I hope! And next week Saturday, Las Gidi (Lagos) Here I Come!

Well What Do You Know...Auckland IS a Big City!

Well... at least it seems to have the attributes of one if not quite the population! (1 million is a decent number though)

So I had been bandying around the suggestion with my flatmates that while I was away for 5 weeks in Nigeria, I would rent out my room. The fact that I would still have to pay the rent even though I wasnt living there wasnt making my wallet or bank account very happy.

But I was very sceptical about actually finding someone who would want to stay for only 5 weeks. What sort of circumstances would prompt someone to rent a place for only 5 weeks. I mean... this isnt London or Stockholm where there is a 3 year waiting list to rent an apartment right?

Anyway... yesterday on my night shift at the Quadrant Hotel. I decided to post an advert for fun on TradeMe. This is just the kiwi equivalent of E-bay. I posted the ad at about 10:30pm and lo and behold by the time I checked again at 5am in the morning, there were 5 messages waiting for me asking if it was still available!!!

Holy Crap! I just might be on to something here, I thought to myself. By the time I was preparing to go to work in Fonterra at 1pm on Wednesday afternoon, I had in excess of 25 messages in my email box and 12 text messages. My phone didnt stop ringing or beeping with the sound of arriving text messages ALL day!

So even in Auckland, there are such circumstances that will make people want to rent a room for just 5 weeks! Amazing!

Some samples of the messages I got: (I hope this is not illegal?)

"...hi! I just saw your ad and it sounds perfect for me. I'm staying in Auckland and working at Brotown til roughly the end of June (I'm flexible). 5 weeks is about exactly how long I'll be here.. if you're still looking for someone give me a txt..."

"...hello, I'm a 23 years old french student and I will come to auckland from the 27of may to the 20 august....I like met straign people, travel,sport and fiesta. If it's good for you or if you have some question you can answer me..."

"...Hi - I am interested in this, I am a female working professional and I am looking for temporary accomodation over this period, in Auckland close to where I work in Symmonds Street - .....I am friendly, tidy and work long hours..."

Amazing aint it? I hope it works out. Since I have left it so late... Its going to be a bitch to make sure I find someone suitable that my flatmates are comfortable with. Mialy and Cris are such darlings to agree to this. They could have very easily said no. Thanks guys!

What could be better than "Friends"?

And obviously I am not referring to the 'friends' that make you realize exactly how lucky you are!

No. I am refering to that eccentric group of six individuals who for 10 years made us laugh and model our apartment sharing behaviour on them.

What could be better than the Friends TV Show?

A compilation of their numerous mistakes while filming the TV series of course. I havent laughed this hard in a long time! Above is a brief one. You can get all the rest on Youtube. Just search for "Friends Bloopers"

Tell Everbody I am on my way... Home!

Yes yes yes! I am on my way home to my country of birth and nationality. After 2 years.

I was underestimating how long 2 years is, to be away from the ones you love and cherish. And while there can be no doubt that I have had the most amazing of experiences in this 2 year period, it really (as in REALLY) feels good to be going to Lagos again!

To be honest, I dont so much miss the hustle and bustle... ok... I take that back... not the hustle and bustle... the MADNESS that is Lagos! After living in Stockholm and now Auckland I would be a stress junkie (or clinically insane) to miss the chaos and never-ending-madness that is the city of Lagos. But I am however looking forward with intense excitement to the experience of living there again for a whole month! Does that make sense? I dont miss it but I am looking forward to it?

And I am going for a wedding. And not just any wedding but for my big brother's wedding. Now, weddings are a BIG deal in Nigeria especially the part of it that I come from. My morning suit is ready and waiting for me, ticket is booked and exactly 12 days from now, I will board an Auckland-Dubai-Lagos plane. And to prove to you that I really do live at the (nice) end of the world, I wont get there for another day! It's going to be a 27 hour flight. Bugger!

One thing I have found is that the more money you have, the more you enjoy shopping! Here I always thought I didnt enjoy shopping. But who would if all you did was simply look at the stuff and force yourself to walk out of the store before you spend next month's rent!!! Oh yes... as my disposable income increases, I could certainly enjoy this shopping phenomenom of a thing!

As a big Disney song lover, I would like to share the Phil Collins song from "Brother Bear" title of which is also the title of this post...

Tell everybody i'm on my way
New friends and new places to see
With blue skies ahead, yes i'm on my way
And theres no where else i'd rather be

Tell everybody i'm on my way
And i'm loving every step i take
With the sun beating down, yes i'm on my way
And i can't keep this smile off my face

Cause theres nothing like, seeing each other again
No matter what the distance between
And the stories we tell, will make you smile
Or really lifts my heart

So tell'em i'm on my way
New friends and new places to see
And to sleep under the stars and could ask for more
With the moon keeping watch over me

Not the snow nor the rain, can change my mind
The sun will come out, wait and see
And the feeling of the wind
In your face can lift your heart

Oh... theres no where i'd rather be
Cause i'm on my way now Well and true
I'm my way thereI'm on my way now(x3)

Tell everybody i'm on my way
I just can't wait to be there
With blue skies ahead, yes I'm on my way
And nothing but good times to share

So tell everybody I'm on my way
And I just can't wait to be home
With the sun beating down yes I'm on my way
And nothing but good times to show

I'm on my way
Yes, I'm on my way

Guilty until proven innocent

I have lived in Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. My current country of residence is New Zealand. I have visited, traveled through and transited through about 30 different countries in Africa, Europe and Asia. And for the first time ever, I have been refused a visa!

I think it was Tom Gara who commented on one of the posts on the nomadlife home page that Nigerians must have it the worst when it comes to passport and visa issues. Boy, dont I know it! Although having never been refused a visa up till now, I have had to endure lengthy question and answer sessions at immigration checkpoints around the world. Even with a valid visa.

One that jumps straight to mind was on my way back to Sweden from India in the summer of 2005. I was traveling with three Swedes and we were flying on Austrian Air. My three traveling companions breezed through immigration in Vienna, going through the "EU citizens" gate. I went to "other" gate, got stamped through but then was stopped by another official. He flipped through my passport at least 50 times over and over again without saying a word. I asked him if there was a problem and he said 'No'. And then he flipped through another fifty times. He must have been trying to figure out how a Nigerian passport held a Swedish work and residence permit! He eventually handed me my passport and asked me to have a nice day. Although the expression on his face wished me anything but!

But which embassy has seen fit to deny me a request for a visa? Ladies and Gentlemen, please give it up to the country that has broken this nomad's record... AUSTRALIA!!! Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie!!! And it wasnt even an entry visa... I was denied a TRANSIT VISA!

According to the refusal letter... "My bonafides didnt match up". Whatever the hell that means. I guessed it meant that I couldnt prove that I had gainful employment in NZ to return to and might decide to slip into Australia and claim assylum. The interesting thing is that the letter acknowledged that, "... you have been granted a single entry transit visa by our London office... and you have numerous European visas...". It probably looked like I had been keeping one step ahead of the law in all those countries and was planning to get lost finally in Melbourne or Sydney after my first attempt to do so was unsuccessful.

I eventually had to re-send the application with a copy of my contract with Fonterra and lo and behold... my manager actually got a call from them asking if I really worked there and how long I had been working/would be working! It seems they assume the worst and you then need to disprove the assumptions.

I am still expecting my passport back now. I guess there is still a chance they might think I gave a set of fake numbers and hired people to answer the phone. All in a bid to fight my way across the immigration checkpoint in Melbourne, having wasted money buying a round-trip ticket to Nigeria from Auckland!

Caro from Switzerland is on a round-the-world trip right now. New York, Indonesia and Colombia have welcomed her so far. I daydreamed for a fraction of a second of doing the same some day but quickly abandoned that train of thought when I reminded myself of the potential visa stress! I mean, to go to Thailand from Auckland, I have to travel to the Thai embassy in London IN PERSON to apply for the visa! I could go on and on...

Dont I just love being a Nigerian?

Take a United Bow!

Edwin Van De Sar keeping out the possibility of an extension to Chelsea's grip on the title challenge

And what Deserving Champions They Are Too!

It would have taken a really special performance by a really special team managed by a really special manager to wrest the title from Chelsea FC.
Manchester United, the most successful English club in the last two decades has proved what it takes to be champions this season. Week in, week out…
They have proved it with classy attacking style of play, a never-say-die attitude and more than a hint of class.

The deserving team has ALWAYS been crowned Premiership Champions. And although there is very little between Manure and Chelsea, at the end of the day the Red Devils have more points than we do. Fergie's team has upped it's play and performance (the only team to do so) and not only match Chelsea but do enough to pip the title from us. Well done!

Chelsea FC have no cause to be ashamed of our performance and can take pride in the fact that we pushed the Red Devils as hard as we did. Despite Everything.
Ryan Giggs, Edwin Van der Sa, Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gary Neville and the rest of the team, Well Done and Congratulations.
Sir Alex Ferguson. Form is temporary, style and class are eternal. Guess which ones you have?

Now we can wait for the humiliation of Liverlesspool on the biggest stage of all! A stage Liverlesspool has absolutely no business being on! hyuk hyuk!!

PS
I sincerely hope Manure does not expect us to roll over and play dead on Wednesday?! And there is still the FA Cup to play for on the 19th!

My Brother... My Friend

I have a lot of brothers. From all around the world. Individuals who only need to call (on Skype, MSN or the more conventional phone) and I will do all in my power to answer their call. Brothers I have shared experiences with, gotten in trouble with and chased women with. (apologies)

However, I have only the ONE brother who was actually an occupant of my biological mother's womb. As a matter of fact, he was the immediate past occupant of said womb.

There is a saying I once heard, 'There is no feud more bitter than a feud between blood kin..". And I have met a lot of siblings who - to put it delicately - dont get along at all.

Happily, this is NOT the case between my brother Oluwasegun Bankole Ajayi and I. And you can call him Segs. (sounds like 'sex' with a lisp doesnt it?) If you are Nigerian, you will probably call him "Segun" (pronounced "SHAY-gun)

Segun and I are quite different people

- We look nothing alike (as you can see from the picture above).
- He belonged to the equivalent of the "Phi Beta Kappa" society/sorority in University and always thought I was wasting my time with AIESEC;
- he has always had impeccable taste for fashion, I generally wear it if its clean;
he was a car freak and knew what the latest innovations were. I couldnt be bothered
- We were never interested in the same type of girls (although we both are charmers)

Compared to my older siblings (I have three including Segun) I came along quite late and Segun was already a bustling over-pampered four year old who thought he was going to be the 'baby' of the house forever. I knocked him off that perch.

Our first major altercation was when I was a few months old, my mum walked in on him holding me upside down in my cot. He claimed he was looking for the batteries that made me cry and move.

In those early years, we had a love-hate relationship. Many a time would Segun would sock me a really good whallop and I would run crying to my mum. Of course 5 mins after she made me sit with her, I would be itching to go hang out with my big bro again!

There were times when I really thought I hated him but these were only the times he wouldnt let me tag along with him on his numerous adventures (or so it seemed at the time) and I wished desprately I was older than I was because his favorite excuse was, "you're not old enough..." As a matter of fact

In University, although I had no interest in the "party clubs" he was a member of (I made a straight bee-line for the AIESEC office), it was ALWAYS with a sense of pride when someone refered to me as, "Segun Ajayi's brother...". I was quite happy with that title and indeed often introduced myself as such. (Hi, my name is Ladi, Segun's brother)

For almost 3 decades, my brother has been the epitome of cool for me. He made me laugh, makes me laugh and will continue to crack me up. He is the ONE person I can tell any joke to. He ALWAYS gets it. In his own way, he has looked out for me and made sure I made the right decisions for myself. Even though I like to pretend otherwise, getting the stamp of approval from my brother on ANYTHING I put my hand to is very important... (Happy was the day when he announced, "AIESEC has been good to you"

He is one of two individuals who have taught me the art of genorosity through their actions. He gives of himself and his possessions with total abandon and a genuine desire to help. However once he says no, its pretty hard to dissuade him. Extremely hard I should say. He is one of those who say they dont care what other people are saying and doing AND actually MEAN IT.

And now Segun is getting married. And I am the best man!

The sense of pride and deep emotion I felt when Segun asked me to be his best man cannot be expressed in words. To be honest, I wouldnt have been offended or slighted if he had chosen one of his close friends. But he didnt. He asked me. And what I said, about answering the call at the beginning... it certainly applies here. I am flying literally half-way across the world, paying thru the nose and even risking another blood clot issue (ok maybe not...doctor has cleared me) to be at my brother's wedding... it couldnt be any other way.

SO, 20 days from now, i will be taking a 27 hour flight to stand with pride (and a steadying hand) beside my big bruvver on potentially one of the happiest days of his life. For all the happy times, the tickling sessions as a kid, even the pummelings which sent me screaming to mum; the numerous times he has come to my aid with no questions asked; the listening ear and tough love he has shown me over the years...

Here is to a big brother who without effort lives up to the name of friend, brother, confidante, charm school instructor and sometime stand-up comedian. Your bride-to-be has absolutely no idea how lucky she is... Or maybe she does...

When I Grow Up I want to be Just Like Jose Mourinho

Liverpool broke my heart yesterday and I dont think I can ever forgive them!

Leading with a single goal from the first leg at Stamford Bridge and having dominated Liverpool FC completely. I was 100% sure we would be playing in our first Champions League Final ever.

It was not meant to be.

A well taken free-kick, an incisve shot on goal and Liverpool were tied on aggregate. They then proceeded to stifle the game. Playing our 60th game of the season against such tactics, it showed it WAS our 60th game. As one of my colleagues put it, we didnt show up for the game. But who can blame the players. There is so much the human body can take.

But within all this heartbreak... I would NEVER ever swap our positions for anybody's! Chasing four trophies this season, Chelsea FC has had a remarkable season. We dared to dream and acted on that dream. League Cup success is not going to be followed by Champions League success. Not this season at least.

Still an FA cup final to play. Oldest football competition in the world. To be played in the new Wembley stadium against the most successful club in England in the last 2 decades. At least we know what the grand finale will be for this season. As has been reported, Manchester United and Chelsea will field their strongest 11 for the FA cup having lost their places in the final of the CL

A bit of a consolation there that Man U lost as well. Having opened up a five point lead last week, it would have been galling for them to go on to Athens to the final. A bit mean of me but there you go! And as it is... I am now a fan of AC Milan IN EUROPE until May 20! Go Kaka!!!

And Tribute must go to the "Special One"! Jose Mourinho has already cemented his place in legends of yore. I just hope that crazy Russian at the top keeps him. I hate the speculation going around concerning Mourinho's job.

No one is that stupid!

I shall be supporting a Manchester based club as well this Saturday. United landed at 3:30am on Thursday and play City on Saturday. If they lose and we win at the Emirates Stadium, Title race is blown wide open again!!! This is what you call... down to the wire!!!

COME ON BLUES!!!