A Poem By Emmanuel Douglas Mulomole

_________”GENUINE SMILE”___________

I see a genuine smile without bickerings
Gleaming the true vision in future rings
Whispering the nice stories so beauteous
Creating the wonderful days so hilarious

Genuine smile has great hope in its story
Blessing every line of life with nice glory
Chasing all the pillared spirits of antipathy
Bringing the verisimilar actions in sympathy

Genuine smile is a strength of the victory
Winning the battle of sadness in pristine holy
Enrapturing the flawless thoughts of bliss
Giving the power in the heart of friendliness

Genuine smile can create calm in the storm
Securing all the lorn hearts from pure harm
And quelling all fearful voices in evil wisdom
Building the smiling pillar in sinless kingdom.

©®#EDM

Emmanuel Douglas Mulomole

POETIC JUSTICE 180 – By Mshinaram Warigon Ahrey

BELLE OF THE MISTY GORGE

The good, genteel belle
From the gentle Appalachian lustre
Fair in dark, she isn’t pale
Like her bohemian Bostonian sister

Like Scarlett of yore she could cook a storm
In a pot filled with potpurri of elegance and panache
Many a time her wild ways lifted the legs of her home
And landed her in trouble from the tolerant and the harsh

Little or big wonder in rude awakening
She had no friend and didn’t give a hoot
To only a rake she baked a lovely morning
And adorn his thoughts with her youth

The town turned red in the serene face
When they eloped from the winesome place
To the famed Parisian Pantaloon
To sing for entire rakish platoon

One night she woke up alone
In a quiet room,dark and forlorn
The rake bit the dust and scampered off
Like an old dowager in search of Smirnoff

Time for regrets has long passed
Smug of face and hard of heart with zest
She made up her face, unharassed
She went to find a keeper in new conquest

©William Warigon2019

Chad’s Chat

BENNY HINN AND THE GOSPEL OF PROSPERITY: THIS TRUTH MUST BE SWEET“I’m sorry to say that prosperity has gone a little crazy and I’m correcting my own theology and you need to all know it. Because when I read the Bible now, I don’t see the Bible in the same eyes I saw 20 years ago”.
– Pastor Benny Hinn. September, 2019 -I grew up listening to pastor Benny Hinn. You see, my father, mother and siblings were members of the Methodist church before we all left and became members of what Nigerians now call “Pentecostal church”. This was in 1992 – and back then, it was uncommon to see pastors and reverends (now called papas and mamas by their members) asking members to SOW seeds of blessings (usually with money) – ‘seeds’ that would open the doors of heaven to them and their families.But in many of today’s Pentecostal churches (and boy, there are so many: one in every Nigerian street) sowing of seeds at every church service is now a common feature. Although I believe in seed sowing, because it is scriptural (can be found in the Bible) I am yet to understand how members of these churches would walk down to the pulpit, while the pastor is still preaching, to go drop money in the believe that they are KEYING INTO THE WORD! I’ve always asked and wondered: what is wrong in keying into the word with a simple “Amen”? Eh? Today’s pastors would be preaching and like athletes, you’d see members outrunning themselves to the pulpit with money to go KEY INTO THE WORD, with their “Amen” in tow.As I see this happen in almost all Pentecostal churches (some Orthodox churches with young leaders have also joined the moving caravan) in Nigeria, I wonder if God is no longer in the business of answering the prayers of those who do not have the money to KEY INTO THE WORD of their pastors and reverends. I wonder if one has to give God money before He can bless us with good health, good jobs, good marriages, money and children. To my natural (because ‘diehard’ pentecostals would say i am not in the spirit, and i agree) mind, it seemed like one has to BRIBE GOD with money before He can release His blessings and answer our prayers.It was then soothing to see that Pastor Benny Hinn, an Israeli based in the USA and one of the most respected Pentecostal pastors in the world, has come out to “pour sand sand in the garri” of Nigerian pastors; those who are specialists in always asking their members to sow into the Kingdom, mainly through money and financial pledges/commitments. In the video pastor Benny Hinn released (meanwhile he has made millions of dollars from preaching prosperity), he said: “I think it’s an offense to the Lord, it’s an offense to say give $1,000. I think it’s an offense to the Holy Spirit to place a price on the Gospel. I’m done with it. I will never again ask you to give $1,000 or whatever amount, because I think the Holy Ghost is just fed up with it”.Pastors, the fed up with this is not only the Holy Spirit but also the poor and longsuffering masses of Nigeria who give their last bucks to churches that build schools their children/wards cannot attend and buy jets they can never fly in. The fed up include members of churches who feel pressured to KEY INTO THE WORD with their last N1000 and then walk home after service while their young sweet talking pastor/reverend, his wife and children drive home in the latest SUV. Who remembered what Fela Kuti said in a song; “pastor house na him dey fine pass!” Indeed, these prosperity pastors, including Pastor Benny Hinn, live in houses and mansions their members can only live in when they die and make heaven.There are pastors in Nigeria who still preach about the old rugged cross and those ones are usually not as flamboyant and rich as their prosperity counterparts because the salvation gospel is never a best seller with Nigerians, while prosperity gospel is! The average Nigerian would readily sow and key into the Word with money so that he or she would breakthrough “on all sides” but would not surrender his/her life to Christ. Pastor Benny Hinn’s message is apt and timely – and we hope that gullible Christians, particularly pentecostals, would learn to depend on God for blessings and not the words of men who often want to chop their money. I commend Pastor Benny Hinn for this bold move but I implore him to also give back some of the millions he has gathered over the years from this deceit to those he got them from; many of whom needs it badly. This way, his repentance and deliverance shall be complete – in Jesus name.© Chad Otsapa

‘Hollywood Ripper’ found guilty of murder — fox5sandiego.com

LOS ANGELES — A California jury found Michael Gargiulo, aka the “Hollywood Ripper,” guilty Thursday of the murders of two women and the attempted murder of another. The verdict came after months of testimony and evidence and four days of deliberation. The sentencing phase is set to begin Tuesday. Gargiulo faces a maximum sentence of…

via ‘Hollywood Ripper’ found guilty of murder — fox5sandiego.com

POETIC JUSTICE 170 By Mshinaram Warigon Ahrey

WHERE TRUTH LIES

Truth, where do you lie?
Lie, where is your truth?
Repeatedly, the truth turns to dust
By the lies retold over and over again
The forbidden territory
Has been desecrated by the thorned tongue
That spews venom
Worse than the black mouthed mamba

Rhetoric so sweet
Like the Savannah’s sugar
Reality is chased to take a flight
Good reason lured to the barn
Of chicanery and charades
Facaded faces fanciful in fakery fair find
Repose in the cloisters of deception
Heroes of hell in angelic mien

Their paws gnash at harmony
But their tongues preach peace
They sing the best love songs
But their daggers are bloodied
Like the paraphernalia of war
Wherever they set their feet
Sweet dirges pervades the air
They bathe in sorrowful tears

They have perfected the art
Of pure, holy deception
Trust them at your peril
My ears are grassed by the manure
Of their potent lies
No more would my eyes be wooled
I have seen the light
No more would I be a doormat

Copyright©William Warigon™2019

Goodbye Toni Morrison

By Margalit Fox

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Toni Morrison, the 1993 Nobel laureate in literature, whose acclaimed, best-selling work explored black identity in America and in particular the experience of black women, died on Monday in the Bronx. She was 88.

Her death, at Montefiore Medical Center, was announced by her publisher, Alfred A. Knopf. A spokeswoman said the cause was complications of pneumonia. Ms. Morrison lived in Grand View-on-Hudson, N.Y.

The first African-American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, Ms. Morrison was the author of 11 novels as well as children’s books and essay collections. Among them were celebrated works like “Song of Solomon,” which received the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1977, and “Beloved,” which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1988.

Ms. Morrison was one of the rare American authors whose books were both critical and commercial successes. Her novels appeared regularly on The New York Times best-seller list, were featured multiple times on Oprah Winfrey’s television book club and were the subject of myriad critical studies. A longtime faculty member at Princeton, Ms. Morrison lectured widely and was seen often on television.
In awarding her the Nobel, the Swedish Academy cited her “novels characterized by visionary force and poetic import,” through which she “gives life to an essential aspect of American reality.”

Ms. Morrison animated that reality in a style resembling that of no other writer in English. Her prose, often luminous and incantatory, rings with the cadences of black oral tradition. Her plots are dreamlike and nonlinear, spooling backward and forward in time as though characters bring the entire weight of history to bear on their every act.

Her narratives mingle the voices of men, women, children and even ghosts in layered polyphony. Myth, magic and superstition are inextricably intertwined with everyday verities, a technique that caused Ms. Morrison’s novels to be likened often to those of Latin American magic realist writers like Gabriel García Márquez.

In “Sula,” a woman blithely lets a train run over her leg for the insurance money it will give her family. In “Song of Solomon,” a baby girl is named Pilate by her father, who “had thumbed through the Bible, and since he could not read a word, chose a group of letters that seemed to him strong and handsome.” In “Beloved,” the specter of a murdered child takes up residence in the house of her murderer.

Throughout Ms. Morrison’s work, elements like these coalesce around her abiding concern with slavery and its legacy. In her fiction, the past is often manifest in a harrowing present — a world of alcoholism, rape, incest and murder, recounted in unflinching detail.

It is a world, Ms. Morrison writes in “Beloved” (the novel is set in the 19th century but stands as a metaphor for the 20th), in which “anybody white could take your whole self for anything that came to mind.”

“Not just work, kill or maim you, but dirty you,” she goes on. “Dirty you so bad you couldn’t like yourself anymore. Dirty you so bad you forgot who you were and couldn’t think it up.”

But as Ms. Morrison’s writing also makes clear, the past is just as strongly manifest in the bonds of family, community and race — bonds that let culture, identity and a sense of belonging be transmitted from parents to children to grandchildren. These generational links, her work unfailingly suggests, form the only salutary chains in human experience.

“She is a friend of my mind,” a character in “Beloved,” a former slave, thinks about the woman he loves. “She gather me, man. The pieces I am, she gather them and give them back to me in all the right order. It’s good, you know, when you got a woman who is a friend of your mind.”

A First Doomed Heroine

Ms. Morrison’s singular approach to narrative is evident in her first novel, “The Bluest Eye,” written in stolen moments between her day job as a book editor and her life as the single mother of two young sons. Published in 1970, it is narrated by Claudia McTeer, a black girl in Ohio, who with her sister, Frieda, is the product of a strict but loving home.

The novel’s doomed heroine is their friend Pecola Breedlove, who at 11, growing up in an America inundated with images of Shirley Temple and Dick and Jane, believes she is ugly and prays for the one thing she is sure will save her: blue eyes.

[Toni Morrison left behind a powerful literary legacy. These are her most essential books.]

In a drunken, savagely misguided attempt to show Pecola she is desirable, her father rapes her, leaving her pregnant. Now an outcast both in the community and within her own fractured family, Pecola descends into madness, believing herself possessed of blue eyes at last.

Reviewing the novel in The New York Times, John Leonard commended Ms. Morrison for telling the story “with a prose so precise, so faithful to speech and so charged with pain and wonder that the novel becomes poetry.”

The novel prefigures much of Ms. Morrison’s later work in its preoccupation with history — often painful — as seen through the lens of an individual life; with characters’ quests, tragic or successful, for their place in the world; with the redemptive power of community; and with the role women play in the survival of such communities.

 

READ MORE IN TNYT

SOURCE:The New York Times

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN By Joseph Aboagye

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

image.jpeg

Dear head,
The winner of the country’s bread
I am a seed of Africa; a denounced street child
The manifestation of my vanguard’s greed

Blessed with the beauty of Nature
Where rests the beauty of Africa?

Dear Minister,
Her beauty is sacred to be wrapped in extortion
Why threaten her with your gross corruption?
The chronic disease; reciprocal to generation

I wonder if your seat is clean
For no man seated leaves a record clean!

Dear retinue,
When is the resurrection of Africa due?
Keep the toil of our forefathers a divine clue
The wrong steps by the leaders must warn you

Oh my motherland, you never can be accursed!
Patriotic black child, heal Africa; heal the world!

Copyright Aboagye Joseph © 2019

POETIC JUSTICE 169 -ByMshinaram Warigon Ahrey

WHEN MY FACE TELLS TALES

image.jpeg

Just look without prejudice
I am a product of injustice
I have walked on hard roads with misery
And swum in the deep blue sea of poverty
Each mark deeply etched is a tale
That has the chord choired in hell

I have a map on my face
That directs the unknowing eyes to my inherited roots
I come from a dark place
Where wolves like werewolves wrest wills to the woods
Bereft of light, I walk with sightless sigh
Dazed in my troubles that make me high

I am the cynosure of deriding eyes
Children scurry away from my face
They think a tiger tore my face
Songs sung by many, telling a million lies
About my face, a reflection of my race
What is marked in permanence never dies

In every foreign land
Their stares were bland
They thought I was a mere charity case
Because my tribe was marked on my face
A Boniface, bearing burned face
Mine are always the darkest days

If only I could turn back the tide
And cripple the hands of time
Miracled time can take back ride
And restore what was mine
But alas a wishful thinking
Is just precious time wasting
Copyright©William Warigon™ 2019

POETIC JUSTICE 168 – By Mshinaram Warigon Ahrey

TEXTUAL HEALING

 

These books around me
Smelling fresh giving new lease of life
They are knowledge’s sea
Their depth educates for needed drive
The words embedded therein are food
To the soul and the spirit
Give me a gift of a book, that is good
Powerfully, I’ll soar with a lilt

Books have healed my broken heart
And hushed my harsh loneliness
Reading has become a loved up art
It rains down on me happiness
The book at hand
Is more worthy than money.My own friend,
If you do understand
Grab a book, be better, knowledge won’t end

Navigate through the jungle of ignorance
Taste the tanginess in the books’ breath
Be immersed in their wisdomic parlance
To your brain activity, add to its strength

The books I read have nobility
Each with its flair and smooth style
To fit my moods and activity
Keeping my intellectual field fertile
They are treasured beyond measure
Some may abhor
Others do adore

Love them, keep them like a treasure

Copyright©William Warigon™2019
(Happy Book Reading Day!👍👍💕😁)

POETIC JUSTICE 167-By Mshinaram Warigon Ahrey

SITUATIONSHIP

A situationship
Is a relationship
That can be found in vacation
Or created during a vocation
It might be an infatuation
From a very quick situation

A situationship
Is a friendship
Or a meet-and-greet in the ship
Some don’t take it as real kinship
It might be for friends with benefits
It is good for the fits and the misfits

It is never a one sided way relationship
Consensual it has to be
To make it comfortable companionship
Both parties are happy
When they ignite their fantasies
They swim in oceans of ecstasies

So, diligently evaluate your relationship
Don’t get caught up in infatuation
Being in-love-with-love is a brief situation
That is based on temporary passion
It is never an old fashion
To be balmed in loving lotion

Copyright©William Warigon™2019
Pix:Powertolove.com,Bellanaija

POETIC JUSTICE 166 – By Mshinaram Warigon Ahrey

MURMURATION

I was a lone lark
Wondering how the sun set
I always got a flack
From mickey I took from garnet

Then came along a beautiful bird
Sweet Samantha is the savvy sparrow
Fantastic prowessed poetic Byrd
That sings into the heart of tomorrow

We quickly clicked, we became besties
Together we wove our words wonderfully
Laughed with glee as we ate blue berries
I thought we’d be together till eternity

But when the murmuration of swans
Came as the summer ended without warning
She fluffed her feathers, gave a last dance
She flew with the flock, leaving me mourning

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(Dedicated to Samantha Beardon)

Copyright©William Warigon 2019

SexZeeNation- By Zee Adamu-O’Shaugnessy

 

HOW DO I TALK TO MY PARTNER ABOUT SEX?

Talking  to your partner about your likes and dislikes and your boundaries helps you build a healthy relationship and have a satisfying sex life.

How do I tell my partner what I like sexually?

Sometimes you expect a new partner to know what to do sexually…then end up being disappointed when things just don’t feel that good. Luckily, there’s a pretty simple way to turn sex that’s just okay into a great experience: communication.

Everyone is different, so no matter how experienced your partner is, they may have no idea what makes you excited. You have to let your partner know what you like and what feels good. And it’s good to keep the lines of communication open even if you’ve been together awhile, because what feels good or what you’re interested in doing may change over time.

Some people figure out what they like by having sex with someone, and others get to know their bodies by masturbating. Learning how to have orgasms on your own can make it easier to have one with someone else.

Where do you want to be touched? How much pressure feels good? How fast or slow? You can show your partner what you like by masturbating in front of them or by guiding their hand, mouth, or other body part. Or you can tell them what feels good (or what doesn’t).

Talking about sex might feel a little scary or awkward, but it can also be a big turn-on. And your partner might really appreciate you for bringing it up. If you’re nervous, you can always start by asking them what feels good or what type of sexual activities they’re interested in. Then you can talk about what feels good to you. It’s also a good opportunity to let them know what your boundaries are and what types of sex you’re NOT interested in.

How do I talk to my partner about safer sex?

Protecting each other from unintended pregnancy and/or STDs shows you care, and it can even make your relationship better. It’s totally normal to feel embarrassed to bring it up, but you’ll feel better once you start talking. And your partner will probably be glad you brought it up. The best time to talk about safer sex is BEFORE you start having sex.

A good way to start is by telling your partner that you care about them and want to do everything you can to make sure you’re protecting them and your relationship. You can also talk about your own safer sex history first, which might make your partner feel more comfortable opening up. It’s also a great idea to suggest that you get tested together, so you can support each other.

Some good questions to ask someone before you have sex include:

Which birth control method makes sense for us?

When was the last time you were tested for STDs?

Which STDs were you tested for?

Do you usually use condoms and/or dental dams?

Have you ever shared needles with someone for tattoos, piercings, or drugs? (You can get some STDs like HIV this way, and then they can be passed during sex.)

Have you had any STDs before? Which ones? Did you get them treated?

If your partner won’t get tested or use protection, it may be a sign that your relationship isn’t healthy. When someone refuses to have safer sex when you want to, it means your health isn’t important to them — so they might not be the best person to have a relationship with or to have sex with. You deserve to be safe, healthy, and happy.

How do I say no to sex?

You have the right to say no to any kind of sexual activity. Don’t depend on body language or hope they get the hint that you’re not interested. If you don’t want to do something, say no. It doesn’t matter if you’ve had sex with them before, or what your reason is for not wanting to do it — no means no.

You also have the right to change your mind during sex. Maybe you started having sex and then decided you’re not comfortable doing it or it doesn’t feel right. You can stop any time you want, and your partner shouldn’t make you feel bad or guilty about it. If they do, it’s probably a sign that your relationship is unhealthy.

Sexual consent means saying “yes” — and meaning it. Without that “yes,” there’s no consent. If your partner forces you have sex, it’s rape. If you’re forced to do something else sexually, it’s sexual assault. And being raped or sexually assaulted is never your fault.

Source:Plannedparenthood.org

POETIC JUSTICE 164-By Mshinaram Warigon Ahrey

image.jpegELDER, WATCH YOUR TONGUE

Old age is Wisdom’s bestie
They walk hand in hand
In an atmosphere friendly
In each other, they understand

Elder, rise above prurient pettiness
Show maturity you wear like a crown
Exuberance, leave it to youthfulness
Lead the youth with righteous frown

Your words ought douse embers of discord
Your deed is the needed guiding light
You are a sage, a formidable moral warlord
So, why descent to capricious cesspit?

When you blow your trumpet
Let impertinence be humbled at once
And repentance find the strumpet
Your moral compass must be a force

Age has crowned you an admired leader,
Lead, let all afflutering followers follow
You’re arch of the patriarch, an astute adviser
Seen as pasture not ground that’s fallow

As the light on top a hill
You remain a beacon, be shinning
Your reputation is a windmill
Beneficial to all. Be right in leading

📌Copyright©William Warigon 2019

POETIC JUSTICE 165-By Mshinaram Warigon Ahrey

ELDER, WATCH YOUR TONGUE

Old age is Wisdom’s bestie
They walk hand in hand
In an atmosphere friendly
In each other, they understand

Elder, rise above prurient pettiness
Show maturity you wear like a crown
Exuberance, leave it to youthfulness
Lead the youth with righteous frown

Your words ought douse embers of discord
Your deed is the needed guiding light
You are a sage, a formidable moral warlord
So, why descent to capricious cesspit?

When you blow your trumpet
Let impertinence be humbled at once
And repentance find the strumpet
Your moral compass must be a force

Age has crowned you an admired leader,
Lead, let all afflutering followers follow
You’re arch of the patriarch, an astute adviser
Seen as pasture not ground that’s fallow

As the light on top a hill
You remain a beacon, be shinning
Your reputation is a windmill
Beneficial to all. Be right in leading

📌Copyright©William Warigon 2019

POETIC JUSTICE 163 -By Mshinaram Warigon Ahrey

KNOW YE NOT?

Don’t you know that you are special?
The evidence is as clear as the blue sky.
The nature reveres your special disposition
That is why she holds you in great esteem.

You own qualities natural and spiritual.
The sun, moon and stars situate high,
Shine for you despite your earthly position.
You can also shine and not be a wimp.

The tides come to shore to kiss your feet.
It doesn’t matter if the feet have warts and all.
The free winds are eager to put their hands,
Through the strands of your lush hair.

Fire shines your gold with its free heat
Warming you with coziness to have life’s ball.
The seasons change batons in your lands
To give you choices suiting your flair.

Be then thankful.
You are wonderful.
Known as beautiful.
To you be useful.

Your Precious — Ricardo Sexton

“Everything” you have, ‘all’ you guard Doesn’t belong to you. Or will ever do “Everything” you keep safe and warm Belongs to time, soon it will transform Everything you didn’t ever perceived Everything you didn’t never believed It is like the time, you missed pass by Embarrass [the prime] to send a reply Everything you […]

via Your Precious — Ricardo Sexton

SexZeeNation – By Zee Adamu O’shaugnessy: Better Sex as You Age

In some cultures in Africa, it is unheard of that Senior citizens still enjoy the natural joys of sex. It is even a taboo to hear that couples in their sixties still indulge in sexual activities. However, with more enlightenment, this trend is fast changing as older couples get more aware that their pleasures should not be denied in any way.

below is an article I found educating and enriching and I hope it will go a long way in changing such impressions and making older couples comfortable with their sex lives.

-Zee

Tips for Enjoying a Healthy Sex Life as You Get Older

Older couple dancingSex can be a powerful emotional experience and a great tool for protecting or improving health, and it’s certainly not only for the young. Sex over the age of 50 can present challenges, and you may feel discouraged by issues connected with the aging process, but these problems are not insurmountable. With better understanding and an open mind, you can continue to enjoy a physically and emotionally fulfilling sex life—it’s not a question of age, but of desire.

Good sex at any age

The need for intimacy is ageless. And studies now confirm that no matter what your gender, you can enjoy sex for as long as you wish. Naturally, sex at 70 or 80 may not be like it is at 20 or 30—but in some ways it can be better. As an older adult, you may feel wiser than you were in your earlier years, and know what works best for you when it comes to your sex life. Older people often have a great deal more self-confidence and self-awareness, and feel released from the unrealistic ideals of youth and prejudices of others. And with children grown and work less demanding, couples are better able to relax and enjoy one another without the old distractions.

For a number of reasons, though, many adults worry about sex in their later years, and end up turning away from sexual encounters. Some older adults feel embarrassed, either by their aging bodies or by their “performance,” while others are affected by illness or loss of a partner. Without accurate information and an open mind, a temporary situation can turn into a permanent one. You can avoid letting this happen by being proactive. Whether you’re seeking to restart or improve your sex life, it’s important to be ready to try new things, and to ask for professional help if necessary. There is much you can do to compensate for the normal changes that come with aging. With proper information and support, your later years can be an exciting time to explore both the emotional and sensual aspects of your sexuality.

Benefits of sex as you age

As an older adult, the two things that may have brought the greatest joy—children and career—may no longer be as prevalent in your everyday life. Personal relationships often take on a greater significance, and sex can be an important way of connecting. Sex has the power to:

  • Improve mental and physical health. Sex can burn fat, cause the brain to release endorphins, and drastically reduce anxiety.
  • Increase lifespan. Through its health-improving benefits, a good sex life can add years to your life.
  • Solidify relationships. Sex is a chance to express the closeness of your deepest relationship.
  • Give refuge. Sex gives you a chance to escape from the sometimes harsh realities of the world.

Accept and celebrate who you are

Sex in later life may not be the same as it was in your youth—but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. In fact, sex can be more enjoyable than ever. As you find yourself embracing your older identity, you can:

Reap the benefits of experience. The independence and self-confidence that comes with age can be very attractive to your spouse or potential partners. No matter your gender, you may feel better about your body at 62 or 72 than you did at 22. And it is likely that you now know more about yourself and what makes you excited and happy. Your experience and self-possession can make your sex life exciting for you and your partner.

Look ahead. As you age, try to let go of expectations for your sex life. Do your best to avoid dwelling on how things are different. If you enjoyed an active sex life in your younger years, there’s no reason to slow down with age, unless you want to. A positive attitude and open mind can go a long way toward improving your sex life as you age.

Love and appreciate your older self. Naturally, your body is going through changes as you age. You look and feel differently than you did when you were younger. But if you can accept these changes as natural and hold your head up high, you’ll not only feel better, you’ll also be more attractive to others. Confidence and honesty garner the respect of others—and can be sexy and appealing.

Good sex as you age is safe sex as you age

As an older adult, you need to be just as careful as younger people when having sex with a new partner. You may not be able to get pregnant, but you’re still susceptible to sexually transmitted diseases. Talk to your partner, and protect yourself.

Communicate with your partner

As bodies and feelings change as you grow older, it’s more important than ever to communicate your thoughts, fears, and desires with your partner. Encourage your partner to communicate fully with you, too. Speaking openly about sex may not come easily to you, but improving your communication will help both of you feel closer, and can make sex more pleasurable.

Broaching the subject of sex can be difficult for some people, but it should get easier once you begin. And as an added bonus, you may find that just talking about sex can make you feel sexy. Try the following strategies as you begin the conversation.

Be playful. Being playful can make communication about sex a lot easier. Use humor, gentle teasing, and even tickling to lighten the mood.

Be honest. Honesty fosters trust and relaxes both partners—and can be very attractive. Let your partner know how you are feeling and what you hope for in a sex life.

Discuss new ideas. If you want to try something new, discuss it with your partner, and be open to his or her ideas, too. The senior years—with more time and fewer distractions—can be a time of creativity and passion.

Modernize. You may belong to a generation in which sex was a taboo subject. But talking openly about your needs, desires, and concerns with your partner can make you closer—and help you both enjoy sex and intimacy.

Focus on intimacy and physical touch

A good sex life—at any age—involves a lot more than just sex. It’s also about intimacy and touch, things anyone can benefit from. Even if you have health problems or physical disabilities, you can engage in intimate acts and benefit from closeness with another person. Take the pressure off by putting aside your old ideas of what sex “should be.” Focus instead on the importance of tenderness and contact.

Taking your time

Without pressing workloads or young children to worry about, many older adults have far more time to devote to pleasure and intimacy. Use your time to become more intimate.

Stretch your experience. Start with a romantic dinner—or breakfast—before lovemaking. Share romantic or erotic literature and poetry. Having an experience together, sexual or not, is a powerful way of connecting intimately.

Don’t be shy. Hold hands and touch your partner often, and encourage them to touch you. Tell your partner what you love about them, and share your ideas about new sexual experiences you might have together.

Relax. Find something that relaxes both partners, perhaps trying massage or baths together. Relaxation fosters confidence and comfort, and can help both erectile and dryness problems.

Expanding your definition of sex

Sexuality necessarily takes on a broader definition as we age. Try to open up to the idea that sex can mean many things, and that closeness with a partner can be expressed in many ways.

It’s not just about intercourse. Sex can also be about emotional pleasure, sensory pleasure, and relationship pleasure. Intercourse is only one way to have fulfilling sex. Touching, kissing, and other intimate sexual contact can be just as rewarding for both you and your partner.

Natural changes. As you age, it’s normal for you and your partner to have different sexual abilities and needs. Find new ways to enjoy sexual contact and intimacy. You may have intercourse less often than you used to, but the closeness and love you feel will remain.

Find what works for you

You might not be as comfortable with some sexual positions as you once were, but that doesn’t mean you need to give up an activity that is pleasurable for you—and miss out on feeling close to your partner. Keep in mind that it’s not all about intercourse or recreating the way things were when you were younger. The key to a great sex life is finding out what works for you now. Sex as you age may call for some creativity. Use the following ideas as inspiration, but don’t be afraid to come up with your own.

Experiment. Try sexual positions that you both find comfortable and pleasurable, taking changes into account. For men, if erectile dysfunction is an issue, try sex with the woman on top, as hardness is less important. For women, using lubrication can help.

Expand what sex means. Holding each other, gentle touching, kissing, and sensual massage are all ways to share passionate feelings. Try oral sex or masturbation as fulfilling substitutes to intercourse.

Change your routine. Simple, creative changes can improve your sex life. Change the time of day when you have sex to a time when you have more energy. For example, try being intimate in the morning rather than at the end of a long day.

Foreplay. Because it might take longer for you or your partner to become aroused, take more time to set the stage for romance, such as a romantic dinner or an evening of dancing. Or try connecting first by extensive touching or kissing.

Playfulness. Being playful with your partner is important for a good sex life at any age, but can be especially helpful as you age. Tease or tickle your partner—whatever it takes to have fun. With the issues you may be facing physically or emotionally, play may be the ticket to help you both relax.

Restarting a stalled sex drive

Some older adults give up having a sex life due to emotional or medical challenges. But the vast majority of these issues do not have to be permanent. You can restart a stalled sex drive—and get your sex life back in motion. Remember that maintaining a sex life into your senior years is a matter of good health. Try thinking of sex as something that can keep you in shape, both physically and mentally.

The path to satisfying sex as you age is not always smooth. Understanding the problems can be an effective first step to finding solutions.

Emotional obstacles. Stress, anxiety, and depression can affect your interest in sex and your ability to become aroused. Psychological changes may even interfere with your ability to connect emotionally with your partner.

Body image. As you notice more wrinkles or gray hair, or become aware of love handles or cellulite, you may feel less attractive to your partner. These feelings can make sex less appealing, and can cause you to become less interested in sex.

Low self-esteem. Changes at work, retirement, or other major life changes may leave you feeling temporarily uncertain about your sense of purpose. This can undermine your self-esteem and make you feel less attractive to others.

Worry over “performance.” Worrying about how you will perform, or whether you are worthy of sexual attention from your partner, can lead to impotence in men and lack of arousal or orgasm in women. This may be a problem you have never before had to face. Sex drives can be naturally stalled as you face the realities of aging, but it is possible to overcome these bumps in the road.

Communicate. Talk to your partner, or to a friend or counselor, about your issues, whether they’re physical or emotional. Explain the anxieties you are feeling, ask for and accept reassurance, and continue the conversation as things come up.

Just “do it.” Sex is just as healthy and necessary as exercise and, just like exercise, it may surprise you with pleasure and satisfaction—even if you weren’t “in the mood.” So get back into practice. Once you’re back in the habit, you’ll start to feel better and your sex drive should naturally increase.

Increase your activity level. Bumping up your general level of activity will benefit your sex drive by increasing your energy and sense of well-being.

Let it go. As much as you can, use your age and experience to be wise and candid with yourself. Let go of your feelings of inadequacy and let yourself enjoy sex as you age.

Know when to seek help

No matter what your age, losing your desire for intimacy and touch altogether isn’t normal. In fact, loss of interest or function may be signs of a medical problem—one that may be best addressed by a doctor. If something is getting in the way of your desire or ability to have a good sex life, don’t let embarrassment keep you from asking your doctor for help. Working with a professional, there is much you can do to improve your sex life.

Keep in mind that anything that affects your general health and well-being can also affect your sexual function. Sexual health can be affected by:

Medical conditions. Illnesses that involve the cardiovascular system, high blood pressure, diabetes, hormonal problems, depression, or anxiety can affect sex drive and function. You can talk to your doctor about strategies to combat these issues.

Medications. Certain medications can inhibit your sexual response, including your desire for sex, your ability to become aroused and your orgasmic function. You can talk to your doctor about switching to a different medication with fewer sexual side effects.

Sex after a heart attack

Many older adults with heart disease—or who’ve suffered a past heart attack—are less sexually active than they used to be or even stop having sex completely, often fearing that sex may trigger another heart attack. However, for most people it is still possible to enjoy an active sex life with heart disease.

According to a recent study, for every 10,000 people who have sex once a week, only two or three will experience another heart attack, and their risk of dying during sex is extremely low.

  • Check with your doctor before resuming sexual activity.
  • Participate in a cardiac rehabilitation program to improve your fitness.
  • If you can exercise hard enough to work up a light sweat without triggering symptoms, you should be safe to have sex.
  • Wait to have sex if you have advanced heart failure, severe valve disease, uncontrolled arrhythmia, unstable angina, unstable or severe heart disease.
  • Once your condition is under control, ask your doctor when it’s safe to resume sexual activity.

SourceHarvard Medical School

Until Death Do Us Apart — It Is What It Is

Originally posted on My Good Time Stories: Photo by Emma Bauso on Pexels.com “Until death do us part.” This sentence is usually included when two people make their vows to each other on their wedding day. It symbolizes a sense of an unconditional kind of commitment, that, regardless of what may happen during the duration…

via Until Death Do Us Apart — It Is What It Is

POETIC JUSTICE 162-By Mshinaram Warigon Ahrey

DAWN AGAIN:”HAVE A HEART, “SHE WHINED

She shooed us with a shoe
To be as quiet as a needle
Me and a grey cat, Jimshoo
We could not muster a giggle

So, she went to get us a pepperoni pizza
Or so she screwed our minds to believe
Disgruntled Dad came like a puff geezer
We told him so, he shook in utter disbelief

In a huff,he hurried to the next door
Banged the door open and there she was
Playing with Mr. Prizza’s ivory piano
Dad gasped, showed how furious he was

He broke the piano to pieces
And sent its owner out of our hometown
As for her, she broke into pieces
No more piano lesson for my sister Dawn

She begged our livid dad
To have but a heart
He just sang:”Felicidad!”
And moved us to Perth

 

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🌼Copyright©William Warigon2019

SexZeeNation- By Zee Adamu O’Shaugnessy

How to talk about sex without alienating your Teen

Oftentimes, your teen may seem unapproachable or extremely uncomfortable when talking to you about personal issues such as sex and sexuality. Here is a list of advice you may want to consider that can help prevent estranging your teen in the process:

Be clear about your values.values
Before you speak with your child about sexuality, think about what your values are. What do you believe? What does your faith tradition say? It is important to give your children factual information – and to be very specific about how your beliefs either agree with or differ from science.

Talk about facts vs. beliefs.factVSbelief
Sometimes, factual information can challenge a personal belief or what a faith community believes. This can provide an opportunity to make sure that your child both has accurate information and hears what your values are relating to it. It also provides an opportunity to explain that there are different beliefs in the community, that people are allowed to disagree with each other, and that differing views should be respected – as long as those views are based on ethics, responsibility, justice, equality, and nonviolence.

Practice what you preach…practice
Young people often find it confusing when parents talk about a value regarding sexuality and then act in a way that does not support that value. Some common values about sexuality and relationships that most people support include honesty, equality, responsibility, and respect for differences. Acting on your values and being a good role model are powerful messages for your children. On the other hand, your beliefs will not seem very important or valuable to your children if they don’t see you respect and abide by them yourself.

… But don’t preach.preach
Have a conversation with your children – don’t talk at them. Find out what they think and how they feel about sexuality and relationships. Then you will be able to share information and respond to questions in ways that will resonate with the belief system they are developing for themselves.

Encourage a sense of pride.pride
All children deserve to be wanted and loved, and parents can reinforce this message. Let them know you are interested in what they think and how they feel about any topic, whether it is sexuality, school, religion, the future, or whatever. When your children share feelings with you, praise them for it. Correct misinformation gently, and reinforce your values whenever possible.

Keep the conversation going.conversation
Too often, parents think they need to wait until they collect enough information and energy to be prepared to have “THE TALK” with their children. However, sexuality is a part of every person’s life from the moment he or she is born. It is important, therefore, to start the conversation early, and to make it clear to your children that you are always willing to talk about sexuality – whenever questions come up for them, or when a “teachable moment” occurs.

Keep your sense of humor!humor
Sexuality, in most of its aspects, can be a joyful topic for discussion in the family. Remember to keep your sense of humor throughout conversations with your child – the conversation doesn’t have to be tense and uncomfortable unless you make it that way.
Things to Remember and Other Tips

Things to Remember and Other Tips

Here is an additional list of some important things to remember throughout your interactions with your teen regarding the topic of sex. This list includes some additional tips and advice not covered in the previous sections.

  1. Teens need accurate information and decision-making skills to help protect them from: the pressure to have sex, unintended pregnancy, and contracting sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS.
  2. If talking with your teen about sex is difficult for you, admit it.
  3. Don’t make the conversation tense; keep your sense of humor.
  4. Use the media (example: TV, movies, magazines, and articles) as well as real-life situations (example: a friend’s pregnancy) to begin talking about sex.
  5. Share your values regarding sex, but accept that your teen may choose to have sex despite these values.
  6. Asking questions about sex does not automatically mean that your teen is thinking about having sex. Don’t make assumptions.
  7. Ask your teen what they want to know about sex. If you don’t know the answer, admit it. Find the answers together.
  8. Talk with your teen about reasons to wait to have sex. Remind your teen that they can choose to wait (abstain) even if they have had sex before.
  9. Reassure your teen that not everyone is having sex, and that it is okay to be a virgin. The decision to become sexually active is too important to be based on what other people think or do.
  10. Talk with your teen about ways to handle pressure from others to have sex.
  11. To feel comfortable talking openly with you, your teen needs to know that you will not punish him or her for being honest.
  12. Leave age-appropriate articles or books about teenage sexuality around your home. Teens will pick them up on their own to read them (See the Additional Resources Section).
  13. Your first talk with your teen regarding sex should not be your last! Talk with your teen about sex on an ongoing basis. Let your teen know that you are always open and willing to talk about any questions or concerns they may have about sex.

Source:

Parenting Teens and Preteens

POETIC JUSTICE 160 – By Mshinaram Warigon Ahrey

THE RURAL DWELLERS RULE!

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The city slickers arrived our village
With Pomp and pageantry like royalty 
We welcomed them to our village 
With variety of food fit for royalty
We stretched to the limit our arms
To welcome them with warmth wholly pure
That could melt glaciers.Our farms
That very day we abandoned for sure

We closed our eyes
When they looked down their bleached noses
At our water without ice
And sniggered at dinner spread with no roses 
They declined the calabash of our local brew 
They came with can beers and the brandy 
In awe we watched them eat canned rice stew
Humbled, but our kids clamoured their candy

Yet, I remembered my journey to their city 
Where the air was conditioned with soots
My ears sandpapered by noises so unpretty 
People racing against time with fancy boots 
Hearts cold, cantankerous co-exchanges over mere money
Pitted rich neighbour against another rich, sad neighbour
I saw pain, despair written on tenants’ faces. Rich kids lonely 
Have phones only, poor ones unschooled, kept in child labour

I’d rather stay in my village with my spring water 
The air is fresh like morning dew
The people are laughter with no bone of a hater
Our piece of peace daily is new
A helping hand avails from every corner
Health and vitality are our co-travelers 
No ritualists as mood killers and thunder
Is kind with sounds of music for revelers

🔴Copyright©William Warigon 2019.All Rights Reserved.Pix by pixabay.com.Inspired by Philip Mainge

CHAD’S CHAT

BURATAI’S STATEMENT AND THE WAR AGAINST INSURGENCY IN NIGERIA

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Some years ago, I was one of 20 young men from Benue State shortlisted to join the Nigerian army’s short service course. While in the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna, I witnessed firsthand the many shenanigans that happens within the Nigerian military as an institution. Admit it or not, the typical Nigerian culture of “man know man” is prevalent in the military as it concerns recruitment/enlistment, postings and promotions. I immediately realized the Nigerian military is not for an ‘activist’ like me and any motivation I had to fight for Nigeria died.

Two days ago, the Nigerian Army Chief; Tukur Buratai blamed Nigerian soldiers for setbacks in the fight against the Boko Haram sect in Nigeria’s Northeast. He said army commanders and soldiers are not disciplined and lacked commitment towards the battle against Boko Haram. Although many Nigerians are bashing Buratai for this statement, I’d say he is right and spot on! Why so? Because many of Nigeria’s army officers and men were enlisted, posted and promoted without due process due to interference by elites, both political, traditional and military. Again, many of today’s army officers and men are on the job for the salaries – and not to fight. An army man that doesn’t want to fight, is that one an army man?

In one week, the ‘technically-defeated’ Boko Haram terrorist group overran FOUR Nigerian army military bases killing many of our dear soldiers and destroying/or carting away hardwares/equipments. Another reason (apart from the indiscipline of soldiers) responsible for the setback in the fight against Boko Haram is the lack of equipment. The Defence Industries Corporation (DICON) in Kaduna was established to produce weapons and ammunitions for the Nigerian army but today, the DICON produces only furnitues and stationeries – and Nigeria has to constantly buy from other countries who may decide not to sell to us. The fight against insurgency is not Sumo wrestling and Nigerian soldiers cannot fight it with their bare hands. Compare the arms, weapons and ammunitions the Boko Haram uses with Nigerian soldiers and you won’t be surprise why our soldiers run away from battles against Boko Haram. Yes, run!

Bad leadership, both civilian and military, is ultimately responsible for the setbacks. Teeming Buharideens who have the ears of President Muhammadu Buhari must stop lying to Mr. President that Boko Haram only now attacks soft targets (markets, churches, mosques, etc) because army bases are hard targets. A sect that frequently attacks army bases, kill tens of our dear soldiers and destroys and/or carts away Nigerian military hardwares/equipment cannot be wished away or be said to have been technically defeated. One of the reasons Nigerians voted Gen. Muhammadu Buhari as president in 2015 was because we believed that as a retired army general, he would successfully overrun the Boko Haram. But daily, it is proving difficult.

Lieutenant Colonel Ibrahim Sakaba, Commander of the 157 Task Force Battalion in Melete, Borno State was killed along with many of his men by Boko Haram when the sect attacked their base. Before his death, he consistently complained about poor military hardware and acute shortage of welfare supplies to his men but nothing was done. Clearly, our leaders are not serious about defeating Boko Haram, particularly as we are not putting in the money needed to prosecute this non-conventional war. Add to this the fact that there are not enough troops on ground in the Northeast to combat Boko Haram. As at December 2018, there are only 38,000 soldiers in the Northeast and this number is not enough. Sideeq Shehu, a retired Airfore officer, suggests that Nigeria needs at least 200,000 troops on ground in the Northeast. This means that more Nigerians, in an exercise free from influences by elites, must be recruited into the army immediately because the battle of the soul of Nigeria rages on.

© Chad Otsapa

Liver transplant from HIV+ living donor to negative recipient: key ethical issues — Dr Harriet Etheredge

About a year ago we made a tough call of our own: we could save a child’s life by giving the child a liver transplant – but risked infecting the child with HIV in the process. The donor was the child’s mother, who is HIV positive and the child was HIV negative. The procedure came with a risk of transmitting HIV to the child.

via Liver transplant from HIV+ living donor to negative recipient: key ethical issues — Dr Harriet Etheredge

SexZeeNation By Zee Adamu-O’shaugnessy This STD Is As Common As Chlamydia And You’ve Probably Never Heard Of It

A sexually transmitted disease that was only discovered in the 1980s is rapidly turning into an antibiotic-resistant superbug and infecting more people.

Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) is on the rise globally and is showing increased prevalence in Australia, particularly within the gay community.

There is also mounting evidence to show that MG has damaging long-term effects on the sexual health of women.

MG is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that causes urethritis in men (an infection of the urethra that results in a burning sensation and discharge from the penis).

New studies have also suggested that MG is capable of causing long-term problems with women’s sexual health, with one meta-analysis claiming that the bacteria can increase two-fold the risk of pre-term delivery, spontaneous abortion, and cervicitis (inflammation of the cervix).

MG is also associated with pelvic inflammatory disease – a painful condition with multiple complications such as abnormal uterine bleeding, fever, vomiting, and scarring of the fallopian tubes – in women.

Associate professor Catriona Bradshaw, a researcher at Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MSHC), has been studying MG since 2003 and told BuzzFeed News that while it is not a particularly aggressive sexually-transmitted disease (unlike gonorrhoea), its effects on women’s reproductive tracts are cause for concern.

“As usual, the burden of disease and problems lie in women – who have more complicated reproductive systems,” she said.

Siphotography / Getty Images

While MG has not yet been found to have a statistically-significant link with infertility, Bradshaw says “there are warning signs there”.

The study of MG’s effect on women’s sexual health is relatively new, with researchers calling for more long-term studies to understand how it could be linked to infertility.

One paper from 2017 said public policy needed to be informed by studies showing how often MG causes pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, or adverse pregnancy outcomes: “[We] currently lack the prospective studies that are necessary to determine this.”

Bradshaw and a team of researchers at MSHC are currently conducting a long-term study of women called “OMG” to better understand the MG symptoms.

Bradshaw said there was clarity around the symptoms MG causes in men, but that female studies were uncommon.

The prevalence of MG is increasing worldwide and it is now as common as chlamydia infections (1-2% of the population).

However, it is far more common in certain populations, such as men who engage in gay sex – one recent study from Western Sydney found that 13.4% of men that have sex with men and who visited a sexual health clinic tested positive for MG.

MG was first described in 1981, making it a relatively newly-recognised STI (gonorrhoea was first described in 1879, and chlamydia in 1907).

It has since become a thorn in the side of STI clinicians, who are concerned both by its growing prevalence as well as its increasing antibiotic-resistance.

Bradshaw has been researching MG since 2003 and has witnessed its rapid development of resistance to Azithromycin, a common antibiotic used for bacterial infections. MG is now showing resistance to antibiotics in other classes that have been used as a second-line defence.

The Western Sydney study found that 80% of the MG found was resistant to the class of drugs that Azithromycin belongs to.

“That first class which has Azithromycin in it, we’re losing, [and have] almost effectively have lost, to be frank, and the second class, which are more costly, we’re starting to lose as well,” said Bradshaw. “So we are in between a rock and a hard place with this bug.”

This antibiotic-resistance is in part due to the fact that Azithromycin is often used as a “treat first, ask diagnostic questions later” drug, where patients showing symptoms of chlamydia or MG are given a course before pathology results come back.

It is also due to the structure of MG bacteria and how they multiply. MG has the smallest-known genome of any free-living bacteria and does not have a cell wall, meaning that antibiotics designed to kill by attacking a cell wall do not work (including penicillins).

MG is also known to have a high error rate when multiplying, giving it a high mutation rate that can outpace antibiotics.

The British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) released new treatment guidelines last week to stop the growth of the MG superbug.

One British sexual health consultant for BASHH described trying to treat MG as “trying to hit a moving target”.

MSHC’s OMG study currently has data from 750 women and will begin analysis once it reaches its target of 1,000.

Source: Elfy Scott ([email protected].)

Read This If You Are Afraid Of Healing — Thought Catalog

Healing is ugly. Healing is painful. There’s no other way to put it. Healing means confronting a heartbreak, head on, and feeling the pain and the agony all over again. It means reliving a heartbreak, essentially pouring vinegar in the wounds. It means actually acknowledging the hurt and feeling the hurt, rather than pushing it away…

via Read This If You Are Afraid Of Healing — Thought Catalog

CHAD’S CHAT

MINISTERIAL APPOINTMENTS: PATIENT NIGERIA PAINFULLY WAITING FOR DOCTOR MUHAMMADU BUHARI

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Today, it is TWENTY DAYS after President Muhammadu Buhari was sworn-in for a second term as president of Nigeria but he is yet to appoint Ministers. In a country in need of development and growth and one with 23% unemployment rate, 11% inflation, millions of out of school children, continuing general insecurity, and the poverty capital of the world, this delay is proving very costly as investors and I-NGOs are kept waiting. But as usual, the Presidency and clueless Buharideens would not see anything wrong with this.

Appointing Ministers in the early days of an administration is key because they are the copilots (with the President being the main pilot) of the aeroplane of government. Presidents cannot be everywhere nor are they generalists (and/or specialists) in all matters of State. This is why immediately after they win elections, they appoint men and women to manage (for him and the country) the different departments of the country. After been sworn-in as president in 2015, it took President Buhari more than 3 months to appoint Ministers. We excused him at the time and argued that he is familiarising himself with the whole gamut of democratic governance, been a former military leader. But after four years and upon winning a second term over three months ago and twenty days after the commencement of his second term, he is yet to form his cabinet.

Would thunder strike twice? Or perhaps Mr. President is taking his time this time (which is really not an excuse) because he wants to appoint round pegs into round ministerial positions – unlike during his first tenure when electoral politics forced him into appointing many who have no business been Ministers of the country? Apart from a few, most of his Ministers during his first term (2015 – 2019) were quiet as we rarely see nor heard from them or felt their headship of ministries (if their excuse is that they’d rather work than talk/be seen).

Nigeria is a victim of a fatal road crash and whilst she laid down bleeding and unconscious by the side of the road, many came, not to help but to steal her money and then rape her without mercy nor the fear of God. Today, she is in a coma in the ICU (intensive care unit) and doctor Muhammadu Buhari must, sooner rather than later, form a strong team of specialists who would join him in operating and resuscitating patient Nigeria – as each day that passes further destroys and dampens the chances of her survival.

© Chad Otsapa

Pakistani Police Target Traffickers Buying Christian Girls and Selling Them as Brides and Sex Slaves in China — BCNN1 WP

At first, in her desperate calls home to her mother in Pakistan, Natasha Masih couldn’t bring herself to say what they were doing to her.

via Pakistani Police Target Traffickers Buying Christian Girls and Selling Them as Brides and Sex Slaves in China — BCNN1 WP

In Historic Shift, Vatican to Consider Ordaining Married Priests and Allowing Female Ministers for Amazon Region Where Clergy Are Scarce — BCNN1 WP

A Vatican document on Monday said the Church should consider ordaining older married men as priests in remote areas of the Amazon, a historic shift which some say could pave the way for their use in other areas where clergy are scarce.

via In Historic Shift, Vatican to Consider Ordaining Married Priests and Allowing Female Ministers for Amazon Region Where Clergy Are Scarce — BCNN1 WP

Maggots found under patient’s bandage at facility where incapacitated woman sexually assaulted, impregnated — WQAD.com

Who is in charge at Hacienda HealthCare? It’s the question on many people’s mind after the healthcare facility is back in the spotlight after a new disturbing incident involving a patient. A report that several maggots were found around the surgical incision of a 28-year-old male resident has sparked a new investigation and swift action…

via Maggots found under patient’s bandage at facility where incapacitated woman sexually assaulted, impregnated — WQAD.com

CHAD’S CHAT

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INQUIRY INTO GORILLA’S ‘SWALLOWING’ OF N6.8 MILLION IN KANO STATE: A CLEAR CASE OF “ALI YA GAN ALI”

Nigeria is a very interesting and strange country where anything and everything can happen. In Nigeria, NEPA office dey use generators every day. In Nigeria, it is commonplace to see criminals join an angry crowd to stone a petty thief who was caught stealing a phone from someone’s handbag. Here, it is commonplace to see individuals publicly shaming others for stuffs they also indulge in, even if they have been accused of the same thing in the past.

Since Nigeria was created, it is no news that human beings have consistently stolen public (and private) monies/funds. What is now news is that since last year, ‘animals’ have joined human beings in the looting of public (and private funds) in the country. Recall that in February 2018, one Philomona Chieshe ‘accused’ a snake of swallowing N36million from the sales of scratch cards in JAMB office in Benue State – and three days ago, it was reported that a gorilla in a zoo in Kano State, ‘swallowed’ N6.8million. According to the Finance Officer of the Kano Zoological Gardens, the gorilla “sneaked into their office” and carted away the money BEFORE SWALLOWING IT. Choi!!!

Let me help you paint the scene that day: I imagine that the adult gorrila, obviously hungry and looking for food to eat, sneaked into their Cash Office, sped off with the bag/container of money and mistaking it for food, swallowed it in one fell swoop and drank water for digestion. For eating a ‘meal’ that costs N6.8million in a country recognized as the international poverty capital, this gorilla is the richest VIA (very important animal) in Kano State. The amount (N6.8 million) is the zoo’s income from the recently celebrated Sallah festivities in the state. To unravel the case, 10 members of staff and the security man on duty on the day have been arrested pending investigation.

And boy, the Kano State governor; himself an accused dollar bribe collector, has called for probe/inquiry into the matter. Imagine oh! For me, this is a clear case of “Ali ya gan Ali” since it takes a thief to identify the footsteps of another thief on a rock. How can a man who still has a corruption case hanging on his neck be the umpire/conscience in a case where he has no integrity to look into? Well, maybe he has – because while he is human, the accused is an ‘animal’; a gorilla. But again, evolution scientists tell us that Africans originated from gorillas, yeah? So we may yet be dealing with the same specie of thieves in Kano State.

This case is another ready evidence that this government and Nigeria is losing the fight against corruption seeing that ‘animals’ have now joined human beings in the art and science of stealing public (and private) funds. And as with everything else, this trend/growing tradition of ‘animals’ thieving our monies would continue and then the government would set up an agency that specializes in investigating, arresting and prosecuting ‘animals’ stealing public (and private) funds, since the EFCC was not established to combat economic and financial crimes committed by animals.

Nawa for Nigeria, Nigerians and ‘animals’.

© Chad Otsapa

ORIGIN OF THE FATHER’S DAY

ORIGIN OF FATHER’S DAY

First, it is “Father’s Day” not ‘Fathers Day’.Obviously this is because celebrating a father is celebration of all fathers across the globe.

Father’s Day is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year on June 19, and it all began when a young woman wanted to honour her dad.

In May of 1909, Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Wash., sat in church listening to a Mother’s Day sermon. She decided she wanted to designate a day for her dad , William Jackson Smart. Dodd’s mother had died in childbirth, and Dodd’s father, a Civil War veteran, had taken the responsibility of singlehandedly raising the newborn and his other five children.

The following year, Dodd wanted to celebrate Father’s Day on June 5th, her father’s birthday, and petitioned for the holiday to be recognized in her city. Needing more time to arrange the festivities, Spokane’s mayor pushed the date back by two weeks, and the first Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, according to the Spokane Regional Convention and Visitor Bureau.

At the first Father’s Day celebration, young women handed out red roses to their fathers during a church service, and large baskets full of roses were passed around, with attendees encouraged to pin on a rose in honor of their fathers – red for the living and white in memory of the deceased. Dodd then brought her infant son along on a horse-drawn carriage ride through the city, bringing roses and gifts to home-bound fathers.

While Congress was quick to officially declare the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day in 1914, after it was first celebrated on May 10, 1908, it took much longer for Father’s Day to be legally recognized. But thanks to Dodd’s celebration, Father’s Day steadily gained popularity.

In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge said that he supported it, in order to establish closer relationships between fathers and their children and to impress upon fathers the full measure of their obligations, according to the Library of Congress.

And the holiday gained more traction in 1938 when a trade organization, the National Council for the Promotion of Father’s Day, which was formed by men’s clothing retailers in New York City, decided to take up the cause, according to Consumer Rites: The Buying and Selling of American Holidays (Princeton University Press, 1995).

President Lyndon Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers in 1966, but it wasn’t until 1972 that President Richard Nixon signed the public law that made it a permanent holiday. Since then, Father’s Day has become a time to recognize the many different father figures in our lives.

👴🤵Originally This article was provided by Life’s Little Mysteries , a sister site to LiveScience.
Author Bio Remy Melina, with additional inputs by William Warigon.All Rights Reserved.👳🤵

POETIC JUSTICE 156-By Mshinaram Warigon Ahrey

GOODBYE GAME OF THRONES

image

That Game of Thrones
Got me hard in my bones
Every one around me was enthralled
Addicted to this movie some trolled

An anthem of a sort that I never sang
Friends laugh at me till my head hang
It was not an act that stole my fancy
When they talked about it,I got antsy

I could not understand the plot
My illiteracy robbed me till I rot
When a wife leaves the bed of matrimony cold and empty
She returns in tears for the dead character in the movie

Our children and the friends snigger and whisper
After forbidding them from watching the picture
You wished they read books you gave with the same enthusiasm
But then, for the Millennials, this is their own era’s kind of realism

After years of seeking to see the demise of my rival
I whooped and jumped to know that the it is now final
Time has overthrown the Game of Thrones
In peace I can now nibble on my bones
🔴Copyright ©William Warigon 2019

POETIC JUSTICE 155 -By Mshinaram Warigon Ahrey

THE DANCER FROM A VOODOO NIGHT

image.jpeg,

How was I to know
That beneath the pristine agbada
Lie different shades of charms and amulets?
Adorned in sparkling white
Dancing upon sacred floors
Of the largest church in Africa
The feet that sucked on the blood
Of the one crying in the shrine
Is now mocking the altar of the Most High
In the name of Thanksgiving

How highly we sequined his praises
In awe we admired him
In obeisance multiple bows we bowed
The weird world I observe is but obverse
All is not what it seems
The dancer is an epitome of all things perverse
He is the dark shadow of the voodoo night
That sends shivers in the spines of warriors

His nocturnal ventures reek with stench
Of the innocent blood
Of missing children without a trace
Could he retrace his steps
And find forgiveness?
The allure and praise songs
Have turned his ears red to the voice of reason
Like one cursed to rot in perdition

He will stamp on the sacred ground
His flowery slangs cast spells
Magic,money motivation,macabre memony
Wool over our eyes
Soon his stamping days will be over
When I find a voice
From the muffled grumblings of the spectators
And call him to order….
©William Warigon 2019

POETIC JUSTICE 154 By Mshinaram Warigon Ahrey

image.jpeg

OTOGHILLE

Otoghille, full of mischief and mystery
You used me to rub off your misery
Not that I mind
Yours is mine
French laced tongue in display
As bright as the Sun’s red ray
Peers spear with puckered noses
Hiding in the bushes of the roses
Envious of your new fame
Calling you a plain Jane
Causing you much pain
To me that is so lame
You are not to blame
If drugs have a claim
On you.You were drugged and abused
Discarded to rot, but I am not amused
Once, you were a brainy coat
Jazzed with no brandy sort
It is never too late to return home
Where you will not be lonesome
And be baptized with love
For in you, I perceive love
Use me again
Let not in vain
This is my wayward, real admiration
With its straight forward destination
Show them that you have been reformed
A new you,that is ready now to conform

Copyright ©William Warigon 2019.All Rights Reserved

WE BUILD TO BURN By William Warigon



WE BUILD TO BURN

‎We did build the bridges
‎On their feet and fringes…
‎We have buried all our oaths
‎To burn them out of our paths.

‎From mustard seeded faith we built every plank,
‎Woods of promises splintered, nailed trust banked…
‎Upon the belly of raging, unforgiving river
‎The bridges stood, stoic on time’s cleaver. 

‎Our regrets are dancing on the waters’ skin…
‎For our mistakes made the bridges buxom, booming.
‎The winners of fraudulent jackpot spin.
‎Ghosts on charred shores have taken our hope’s rooming.

‎In pool party of confusion, why do we go adrift
‎By burning pyres and getting dreams lit?
‎We stare at smokes, that tend to widen our rift.
‎No ghost should help with our beat.

©️ William Warigon
📸 Picture Credit: WWarigon Graphics Ltd

MY DAUGHTER: SANDS OF SALVATION

‎MY DAUGHTER: SANDS OF SALVATION

‎The abductors stole through the night.
‎While I was trailing rogue hyenas,
‎The abductors captured my daughter,
‎I decided to rescue my daughter, whose smile is the spring in our home.

‎The Sahara’s dunes swallowed the sun, her flames breathing harshly,
‎My tired horse tracked the shadows of the vile abductors
‎That deign to steal my dawn, my only daughter.
‎Abductors have stolen and chained her smile, our home is bereft of joy.

‎Like scorpions, the abductors fled,
‎But the hooves of my horse were relentless.
‎Across the endless vastness of the Sahara,
‎My rifle gave me comfort of retribution.
I‎ chased them like a mad man.
‎‎From afar, I heard her cries that pulled me fast,
‎Yet, the mirage mocked with phantom’s glee.

‎In my ferocious anger, I bit the wind,
‎I wasn’t deterred by the sirroco storms that flayed my skin raw.
‎As a father’s love glints, the Sahara yielded.
‎‎No ghosts or gods could deny as I rode the beast of vengeance.

‎Sighting their campfire,
‎I became the viper that coiled unseeingly around the dunes.
‎At a vantage point,
‎I let my ricocheting bullets sing the ballads of desert hawks.
‎I shattered the head of the cowards and the rest scampered away

‎I carried my daughter…
‎Smile sparked the moon’s rune.
‎I lifted her, light as a prayer, and put her
‎On a camel’s hump that swayed mercilessly
‎As we headed home, our horse covering our backs.

‎From their hell’s hot cradle to our horizon’s healing blue,
‎My daughter rides with me—rescued, whole, renewed.
Her smile restored.

©️ William Warigon
📸 Picture Credit: WWarigon Graphics Ltd


WHEN YOURS MEETS MINE By Lilian Woo

WHEN YOURS MEETS MINE

When I know you are mine
When you know I am yours
Nothing can stand between us
No mountain we cannot climb
No river we cannot cross
No force can break our bond.

Our love will never waver, it is strong
Brave enough to weather every storm
We treasure every fleeting moment
Before time moves on
You are my romantic poet
I am your charming poetess.

The lovely verses that you write
Are engraved forever in my heart
Poetry woven from love
Like a pair of doves, we stand as one
Singing our love song
Joyful voices rising in perfect harmony.

I am your melody
You are the lyrics of my soul
Bound by a timeless chemistry
We soar with shared dreams
Toward our destined horizon
Our love forever new, forever true.

© Lilian Woo
All Copyrights Reserved
16/1/2026

CHINALISATION By  Ikwulono Mohammed Senison

CHINALISATION

The crescendo of exploitation
Hither, explodes in Africa nations
With Nigeria being the most exploited
And it’s self afflicted by the incapable !

Eras had come and gone
Arab invasion of Africa between 632-709
Metamorphosed into the luring for more
Then, came English marginalization and
Wanton taking away of our resources and slavery between 1652-1963.

Like Chameleon faeces, cleaning very impossible,
Clinging to us like the unadulterated
Effort of Mararaba beggars who make
Begging as birthright or compulsory
Obligation to the those begged,
1830-1962 ushered the uneasy to go
Principle of association for their assimilation.

Woe betide, the colonisation modernized,
Technologically robbing us of original creativity
Making us losing ourselves to embrace them
With the Chinalisation of Africa through trade partnership
And our minings only approved by the obvious aliens , Chinese.
Chinalisation,the colonialism of 21st century.

Sir Ikwulono Mohammed Senison
Nigeria.

CHINALISATION By  Ikwulono Mohammed Senison

CHINALISATION

The crescendo of exploitation
Hither, explodes in Africa nations
With Nigeria being the most exploited
And it’s self afflicted by the incapable !

Eras had come and gone
Arab invasion of Africa between 632-709
Metamorphosed into the luring for more
Then, came English marginalization and
Wanton taking away of our resources and slavery between 1652-1963.

Like Chameleon faeces, cleaning very impossible,
Clinging to us like the unadulterated
Effort of Mararaba beggars who make
Begging as birthright or compulsory
Obligation to the those begged,
1830-1962 ushered the uneasy to go
Principle of association for their assimilation.

Woe betide, the colonisation modernized,
Technologically robbing us of original creativity
Making us losing ourselves to embrace them
With the Chinalisation of Africa through trade partnership
And our minings only approved by the obvious aliens , Chinese.
Chinalisation,the colonialism of 21st century.

Sir Ikwulono Mohammed Senison
Nigeria.

IN SOLITUDE By Vavroovahana Patra

IN SOLITUDE

In solitude
I became a poet;
Penned one song
on Maa Mangala
on the river Prachi
in delight.
That was penned
when I was twenty
Mother inspired me
in bounty

A blind man
with his tabla told me
  to sing a song please
I sang the song
on Maa with Her bliss.
I enjoyed beauty of Prachi
to heart’s
contentment
In me played
waves of love merriment

Desire of Mother goes
in this way
I penned more and more
verses in gay
Her love inspired me
to be engaged in
social service
Now I live peacefully
with Her bliss

Mother is there,
Prachi is there,
my birth place
is on Mahanadi,
but I am here.
Man proposes,
God disposes,
life goes on
as a curvy busy river
Endowed with divinity,
serenity,
plight and pleasure.

Here mild divine
breeze blows
so beautifully
I love my family,
friends, bards
gleefully
Divine Sunbeams
kisses me
in morning
Cool breeze kisses,
makes
me delighting

I enjoy beauty
of lovely birds,
Sunrays,
totter of leaves,
flowers
wholeheartedly;
Enjoy beauty of
distant mountains
gleefully

Mother appears
in dawn
I surrender at
Thy flowery
Feet in morn
Blesses my family
so beautifully
I sing Her Divine
songs lovingly

Tells me to live
healthy peacefully
Remain in a world
of peace humanity
lovingly
Serve humans
wholeheartedly
Live in a world
of peace divinely

Copyrights
Vavroovahana Patra , India
11:03 am, Fri 16th Jan 2026

SPAIN: A PRANK GONE BAD

A “prank” that ended in a courtroom.

In Spain, YouTuber Kanghua Ren, known online as ReSet, filmed himself giving a homeless man Oreo cookies filled with toothpaste and uploaded the man’s reaction to YouTube. The video quickly sparked outrage, with many calling it humiliating and accusing the creator of exploiting someone in a vulnerable situation.

According to court findings, the victim later suffered stomach pain and vomiting. Prosecutors also argued that Ren profited from the video, turning the incident into monetized content rather than a harmless joke.

A Spanish court agreed. Ren was sentenced to 15 months in prison and ordered to pay €20,000 in compensation to the victim. He was also banned from using social media for several years and required to delete the video.

The case went viral worldwide and became a turning point in discussions about online “pranks,” accountability, and where entertainment crosses into abuse.

📱⚖️
When does content stop being a joke — and start becoming harm?

ALONE By Tshepo Vincy

ALONE.

I’ve Been Home Today Trying To Activate My Silent Mode.
Alone Sitting All Day Long Thinking Of Something Which My Mind Wanna Express.

Red Roses Of Royalty Exposed.
Tricks To Approach.
Steps To Take Charge Alone.
Voices In My Head Arguing, Telling Me That
I’m On My Own.
But In His Hands I’m Not Alone, I’m His Own.

For, He Hold And Owns The Power Life And Death Alone
Im The Reason Behind The Transformation
Of Mass Distruction And Rebirth.
Free Enough To Work From Home.
Alone With My Thoughts.

Hope To Fill Up The Dome To Represent
My Zone.
To Capture The Untold… That’s By Travelling
To The World Knowing That I’ll Still Miss
Being Home Alone.

If You Find It Hard To Relate.
Just Leave Me Alone.
That’s How You Clean
Your Zone.
Your Time Is Precious.
I’m Deeply Concious.

Blackbraintriot🍁
#AQUATRIOT.♒

SACRED LAND By Khurshid Alam

The Sacred Land
By: Khurshid Alam
16/01/2026

O Mother! I clutch your feet,
O Mother! I am dying in grief,
To see the tears of pain in your eyes—
What can this worthless soul do!

I have given you nothing, Mother,
Only streams of blood;
By veiling your sun with dark clouds,
We have become a lost, drifting brood.

I was born upon your breast,
Yet, Mother, you sob in gasps of pain;
O Mother, by crushing your very ribs,
They laugh in pleasure, for their gain.

O Mother, by making you a slave,
They roar with mocking laughter;
Mother, if you wish, I shall hang them high—
A noose for their necks, now and after.

I rush forth, tearing through the sky,
Yet I keep looking back to see;
Under your cool, comforting veil,
Grant me a place to rest, grant it to me.

O Mother! I can take no more,
Light your flame of cataclysmic fire;
Mother, in a single blink, vanish
All the darkness, grim and dire.

O Mother, I kiss your feet,
You are my sacred land, my grace;
Mother, the bird of joy shall fly again,
When a smile returns to your face.

MERDE By Bumuh Martin

MERDE

Tell them not wise, they say they are clever_
Tell them not to take the known crooked road,
They, as usual, quote trash and say never..
Then we follow up progress on the lapse code.

Soon, they try to take short cuts, skip like toad,
Miss the way here and there and go fumbling,
With long legs, keep sweating neath a big load,
Grumbling about why skies would go rumbling.

Left smooth road with strong rails to go tumbling_
Future plans, hair, even beds, stay unmade;
Still too proud to rise and go back humbling,
They pretend that they can still get bills paid.

Toads jump from kitchen to dung heap to raid,
Fast snake soon strikes, he never says never;
Swallowed wholesale, the betrayer now betrayed,
This merde of , headlong, breaking your lever.

POWER OUT OF POWER By  Ibadin Kingsley

POWER OUT OF POWER

The pain
To be out of power
Cannot be diplomatically feigned
In the onslaught of political attacks
Against the incumbent power

By political actors
Who were the political Imprimatur
And the signature of political horror
Of political misadventures
Of governance of political pestilence
Of national destruction

Holding on to the political straw
Of survival of political relevance
They incite hate, violence and murders
Using religion, ethnicity
And cultural differences
As always,to gain political acceptance

The futility of political sentiments
Of unity of loyalty
In their comparative
Political analysis of ludicrity
Cannot change political evidence
Of national retrogression of perfidy

Under their political reign
Of political absurdities
Of a nation’s tragic political nightmare

The incumbent power
Is not POLITICALLY SENILE
It is not forgetful
Of the legitimization and liberalization
Of astrocities
In the mockery of the law
Under their reign of  heinous political silence

MERRY NATURE, MESSAGE OF LIFE By Dr. Ram Sharma

MERRY NATURE
BY DR. RAM SHARMA , MEERUT , INDIA
Showers of rain,
a bird completely wet,
dropping of drops from every leaf,
scattering of nest of the bird,
the bird is still merry,
chirping from inside,
what a great nature!
to be merry

MESSAGE OF LIFE
BY DR. RAM SHARMA, MEERUT, INDIA
Life`s rhythmic song,
The more you dip, the more it is deep,
You are yourself protecter and watchman,
Then, why don`t you don`t have ray of hope,
Take lesson from yester years,
Lost -found is fashion here,
Happiness -sadness are companions,
Don`t loose heart,
Work is worship
the message of life.

The Sleeping Lion of the Middle-Belt By Cmr.Godwin Anyebe

The Sleeping Lion of the Middle-Belt: Why the Kwararafa Spirit is Far From Extinguished

By Godwin Anyebe

As I survey the historical landscape of the Middle Belt and the broader Nigerian project, I am often struck by a profound silence, a silence that many mistake for absence. It is the silence of the Kwararafa Kingdom. To the casual observer or the modern-day revisionist, Kwararafa is a ghost of the 17th century, a footnote in a textbook. But to those of us who carry the blood of its warriors and the memory of its defiance, Kwararafa is not a ghost; it is a foundation.

Before I address the future, I must ground us in the past. The Kwararafa Confederacy was not your typical centralized monarchy; it was a sophisticated, multi-ethnic powerhouse centered primarily around the Jukun people, but it was far more than a single tribe. It was a grand alliance, a “confederacy” in the truest sense, binding together groups like the, Idoma, Igala, Ebira, Afizere, Tarok, Goemai, and even parts of the Kanuri and Nupe. 

At its zenith, Kwararafa was the only power south of the Sahara that struck terror into the hearts of the great Hausa States of the north. From our capital at Biepi (and later Wukari), our armies marched on Kano, Katsina, and Zaria. We didn’t fight for religious conversion or territorial enslavement; we fought for the preservation of our autonomy and our spiritual heritage. We were the “Empire of the Sun,” a wall of resistance that stood firm while others crumbled.

The decline of Kwararafa was not a sudden collapse but a gradual fraying of the confederate threads, punctuated by the 1804 Jihad. I find it necessary to address the descendants of the 1804 marauders who often speak as though history began and ended with their cavalry charges. There is a dangerous assumption in contemporary Nigerian politics that the “conquest” of the 19th century permanently erased the ancient boundaries of the Middle Belt.

Let me be clear: the 1804 movement may have disrupted our political structures, but it never conquered the Kwararafa soul. The marauders of that era may have planted flags, but they never uprooted the roots. If they concluded that this space, the lush valleys of the Benue and the highlands of the Plateaus, is theirs by right of ancient conquest, they have made a grave mathematical error in history. We, the descendants of the Kwararafa, are not only active; we are vigilant. We are following the trends of events in Nigeria with a keen, ancestral eye.

History is a wheel, not a straight line. To those who say a kingdom once fallen can never rise again, I point to the global stage. Consider Germany. Following the devastation of World War II, the nation was shattered, occupied, and split into East and West. Western Germany, in particular, had to rebuild from literal rubble. For decades, it was a fragmented shadow of its former potential.

Yet, look at Germany today. Through the Wirtschaftswunder (economic miracle) and a relentless commitment to identity and industry, it rose to become the engine of Europe. It proved that a people’s “statehood” is not dependent on a crown, but on their collective will.

Kwararafa shares this “Phoenix Principle.” We have seen kingdoms rise, fall, and rise again in different forms. The Jukun-led confederacy may not return as a pre-colonial military state, but it is rising today as a socio-political bloc. The shared identity of the “Kwararafa descendants” is becoming the most potent political currency in the Nigerian Middle Belt.

When I speak of the rise of Kwararafa in the 21st century, I am not calling for spears and shields. I am calling for the intellectual and economic reunification of our people. The “Confederacy” today exists in the shared grievances and the shared aspirations of the peoples of Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Kogi, Adamawa,  Niger,, and Gombe.

We are witnessing a spiritual awakening. The descendants of the Jukun,  the Idoma, and others are realizing that our ancestors’ strength lay in their diversity. Just as the original Kwararafa was a coalition of different tongues unified by a common purpose, the modern Kwararafa must be a coalition of modern professionals, politicians, and thinkers.

We are watching the “trends of events”, the shifts in security, the debates over land rights, and the restructuring of the Nigerian federation. We are no longer the “silent minority.” We are the bridge between the North and the South, and we are rediscovering that the bridge is actually the foundation.

To the skeptics, I say: do not mistake our patience for weakness. The fall of the physical walls of Biepi did not mean the end of the Kwararafa dream. We have lived through centuries of pressure, yet our languages, our cultures, and our fierce independence remain intact.

The marauders of the past and the political hegemonists of the present should take note. The space we occupy is not a vacuum waiting to be filled; it is an ancestral home being renovated. We are leaning into our history, not to live in the past, but to secure a future where the Middle Belt is the arbiter of its own destiny.

The Kwararafa Kingdom is rising again, not in the smoke of battle, but in the fire of consciousness. We are here, we are active, and we remember who we are.

Comrade Godwin Anyebe is a Journalist and a Rights Activist.

SEASON OF MY LIFE By Nazmiyah Wafa E Insaniyat

SEASONS OF MY LIFE

Dreams and days and distant hums,
Tell me when your birthday comes

January with quiet starts,
February softens guarded hearts,

March brings winds that dare to change,
April rains rearrange the range,

May learn the patient’s way,
June holds light a little longer each day,

July burns bold with a living flame,
August rests, yet stays the same,

September teaches how to let go,
October, my birth month, glowing slowly,

November bows in gentle grace,
December closes time’s embrace.

Born in the 1960s,
Raised in the 1970s,

Standing now in 2026,
Nearly six decades have lived,

Across two centuries, two millennia,
Yet not sixty years old.

Through every season I have lived,
I give thanks to the Almighty for His grace,

Living fully, loving deeply,
Hoping I have left something as my legacy before I close my eyes.🙏❤️

©️®️ Nazmiyah Wafa E Insaniyat 💚🤍❤️
01/15/26 🇵🇭

BURNING BLACK PEN

BURNING BLACK PEN

From the core,
Aspirations bore
The semblance of a never ending story.
Heritage, revered in a cloud of rich glory
Breaks barriers and paints the dark white
Into a shining black dignity throned right.


Cups of excellence erect an image
That once was a swinging adage.
Live fires are now being rained
To reign  and never be drained.
Black beautifulness, intense light
Overpowering in this radical bight.


Burn, burn more till burning
Emancipates in a sunning.
Be hot coal, burn like an angry sun.
Burning fire devours. It doesn’t run.
The burning black pen doesn’t pain or ruin.
It has surefire way to always win like a bruin…

©️ William Warigon™️
📸R/O

NOW THAT THE BATTLE IS OVER

NOW THAT THE BATTLE IS OVER

Remove your sackcloths
And make moves to rebrand the present
You’re a warrior that floats
Triumphantly on victory’s cloud pleasant

Yesterday’s heartache is now fully healed
Savour in your hard earned victory
Peal away what dark thing faith has sealed
Defeat is relegated to bin of history

A hero hailed hovers above hot hell
Never to revisit a vomit and land on zero
His sights sit on what future’ll compel
Such hero, shows strength and bravado

You have walked bare feet on live coal
Held ferocious bulls by the horns alone
You were upright, not fearing any fall
No naughty wind could have you blown

A conqueror adorned with conquests
That have left marks on your conscience
Scarred, not deterred by life’s vile tests
You walk with swag on the face of violence

Even when wounded, you licked your wound
Nothing jars your jazz or gas your mien
Time tested, deservedly you were so crowned
  It is time to eat fruits of your labour,green

©William Warigon™

THE LAUGHTER THROUGH TEARS

THE LAUGHTER THROUGH TEARS

Your laugh lines
What better shines?
Magical words that hang
On sweet humour’s fangs
Through the years of sweet bitterness
Come walk on paved laned happiness

Life thrusts on our hapless laps
Cruel news, sad brews, bad jabs
But through it all we walk with wisdom
To see the good, bad, ugly of a kingdom
Then sit on shades of the good
To laugh loud and never brood

When we lose a loved one, we cry
But through tears we are lifted high
When we remember the fondest memory
That sits secured in the hearts’ armoury
The best medicine is laughter when depressed
Now we know, we cannot let us be stressed

To sad withering weather we remain pugnacious
Like indifferent kids so rambunctious
Our appetite for laughter is ever voracious
To sadness, we will remain tritely treacherous

©William Warigon™2020

IN HOPE WE HOP By William Warigon

In HOPE We HOP

According to one of my favourites, Emily Dickinson, “hope is the thing with feathers / That perches in the soul,” symbolizing its enduring presence.
To the respected former Britain’s PM, Winston Churchill, he listed hope among life’s great virtues: “freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.”
Martin Luther King, Jr. urged, “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”
Essentially, hope is that rope that we can tie around the lungs without being suffocated. Each smile defines how hopeful we are no matter any dire circumstance. So, let’s be of good cheer. No matter what, this cup too shall pass away.

BATTLE’S WOM By Alex Mariuki

BATTLE’S WON
****************
In a season of doubt
Everything seems dark
As soon as the light shines
Life is experienced
Through the touch and watch
Through spiritual nourishment

When a seedling sprout
So is when the eyes open
The imbalance weighed
Opportunity to live a dream
Like rivers of hope stream

As the key in a padlock
Chains of lack are broken in all enclosed
Thoughts shifts in a memory drift
As nostalgia pricks the soul
Long are the days gone
Many are the battles won

I still have a chance to dance
And forget yesterday’s pain
Through these busy streets
Won’t be lost again
For the map of success
Is all drawn in the heart
As it shields all that hurt
In assured piller of protection.

©️ Alex Muriuki
Country Kenya 🇰🇪

STOP BULLETS By Anisur Rahman

Stop Bullets, Let the Children Go to School
(A Global Poem on Education, War, and Moral Responsibility)
by A. R. Joy

Languages included: English ✅ (original) Bengali / বাংলা ✅Spanish / Español ✅Portuguese / Português ✅French / Français ✅German / Deutsch ✅Russian / Русский ✅

📌 Author Note
This poem is written for **children trapped in war zones**, for **educators without classrooms**, and for **leaders who still have the power to choose books over bullets**.

### **English**

**Stop the bullets—
the blackboard is waiting.**

Backpacks lie open
in rooms without roofs.
Chalk sleeps unused,
while gunpowder learns new alphabets.

Children count distances
not in miles,
but in checkpoints,
sirens,
and shadows.

A classroom should echo
with questions,
not explosions.

Maps are redrawn nightly,
but no one redraws the fear
in a child’s sleep.

Leaders debate borders
while pencils become rare,
and textbooks grow heavier
with silence.

Stop the bullets—
they interrupt sentences
before they end,
lives before they begin.

A school bell should not sound
like an alarm.

Let the children go to school.
Let them memorize poems,
not escape routes.

Let them learn history
so they don’t inherit
its wounds.

The future is sitting
cross-legged on the floor,
waiting for a desk
that hasn’t been bombed.

Stop the bullets.
Open the schools.
This is the minimum
called civilization.

### **বাংলা (Bengali)**

**গুলি থামাও—
কালো বোর্ড অপেক্ষা করছে।**

ছাদহীন ঘরে ব্যাগগুলো খোলা পড়ে থাকে।
খড়ি অব্যবহৃত ঘুমিয়ে আছে,
আর বারুদ শিখে নিচ্ছে নতুন বর্ণমালা।

শিশুরা দূরত্ব গোনে
মাইল দিয়ে নয়,
চেকপোস্টে,
সাইরেনে,
আর ছায়ায়।

একটি শ্রেণিকক্ষে প্রতিধ্বনি হওয়া উচিত
প্রশ্নের,
বিস্ফোরণের নয়।

মানচিত্র প্রতিরাতে নতুন করে আঁকা হয়,
কিন্তু শিশুর ঘুমে জমে থাকা ভয়
কেউ মুছে দেয় না।

নেতারা সীমান্ত নিয়ে বিতর্ক করে,
পেন্সিল দুর্লভ হয়ে ওঠে,
আর বই ভারী হয়
নীরবতায়।

গুলি থামাও—
ওরা বাক্য শেষ হওয়ার আগেই থামিয়ে দেয়,
জীবন শুরু হওয়ার আগেই শেষ করে।

স্কুলের ঘণ্টা
অ্যালার্মের মতো শোনানো উচিত নয়।

শিশুদের স্কুলে যেতে দাও।
তাদের মুখস্থ করতে দাও কবিতা,
পালানোর পথ নয়।

তাদের ইতিহাস শিখতে দাও,
যাতে তারা
তার ক্ষত উত্তরাধিকার না পায়।

ভবিষ্যৎ বসে আছে
মেঝেতে পা ভাঁজ করে,
একটি ডেস্কের অপেক্ষায়
যেটি বোমায় উড়ে যায়নি।

গুলি থামাও।
স্কুল খুলে দাও।
সভ্যতা নামে
এইটুকুই ন্যূনতম দাবি।

### **Español (Spanish)**

**Detengan las balas—
la pizarra está esperando.**

Las mochilas yacen abiertas
en habitaciones sin techo.
La tiza duerme sin usarse,
mientras la pólvora aprende nuevos alfabetos.

Los niños miden distancias
no en kilómetros,
sino en controles,
sirenas
y sombras.

Un aula debería resonar
con preguntas,
no con explosiones.

Los mapas se redibujan cada noche,
pero nadie borra el miedo
en el sueño de un niño.

Detengan las balas.
Abran las escuelas.
Esto es lo mínimo
que llamamos civilización.



### **Português (Portuguese)**

**Parem as balas—
o quadro-negro está esperando.**

Mochilas abertas
em casas sem telhado.
O giz dorme esquecido,
enquanto a pólvora aprende novas letras.

Crianças contam distâncias
em postos de controle,
sirenes
e sombras.

Uma escola deve ecoar perguntas,
não explosões.

Parem as balas.
Abram as escolas.
Isto é o mínimo
que chamamos de civilização.



### **Français (French)**

**Arrêtez les balles—
le tableau attend.**

Les cartables restent ouverts
sous des toits effondrés.
La craie se tait,
la poudre apprend à parler.

Les enfants mesurent le monde
en sirènes et en peurs.

Une salle de classe doit résonner
de questions,
pas de bombes.

Arrêtez les balles.
Ouvrez les écoles.
C’est le minimum
qu’on appelle civilisation.

### **Deutsch (German)**

**Stoppt die Kugeln—
die Tafel wartet.**

Rucksäcke liegen offen
in Häusern ohne Dächer.
Die Kreide schweigt,
das Schießpulver lernt neue Buchstaben.

Kinder messen Entfernungen
in Kontrollpunkten und Sirenen.

Ein Klassenzimmer sollte Fragen hören,
keine Explosionen.

Stoppt die Kugeln.
Öffnet die Schulen.
Das ist das Minimum
namens Zivilisation.

### **Русский (Russian)**

**Остановите пули—
доска ждёт.**

Рюкзаки раскрыты
в домах без крыш.
Мел молчит,
порох учит новые буквы.

Дети считают расстояния
по сиренам и блокпостам.

Класс должен звучать вопросами,
а не взрывами.

Остановите пули.
Откройте школы.
Это минимум,
который называется цивилизацией.

## 🧭 Context Note / প্রেক্ষাপট
This poem addresses the **systematic destruction of education in war zones**, where schools become targets, children become refugees, and learning becomes an act of survival.
It speaks directly to **governments, armed groups, and international institutions**, especially the **United Nations**, urging immediate moral action.

## 🧠 Theme & Human Condition
* Education as a **fundamental human right**
* Childhood under militarization
* Moral failure of global leadership
* Civilization measured by classrooms, not arsenals

## 🔎 Symbolism & Imagery
* **Blackboard / Chalk** → knowledge, interrupted futures
* **Bullets / Sirens** → normalized violence
* **Backpacks** → displaced childhood
* **Desk not bombed** → fragile hope

## ✒️ Form & Style
* Modern free verse
* Minimalist, declarative urgency
* Parallel multilingual structure for global reach
* Designed for **policy, literature, and advocacy spaces**

## 🎯 Intended Use
* UN General Assembly / UNICEF / UNESCO platforms
* International literary & peace journals
* Global education & anti-war campaigns

### 🌍 Closing Note
**If a child cannot safely go to school, peace has already failed.**