Vacancy: Aje Institute of Technology
About Us Our Vision To provide education that will help bridge the gap between the developed countries and African countries. Enhance Research cooperation between Western institutions’ students and our students. Encourage and challenge minds in research for the next generations. Produce graduates in areas of science and technology that are in high demand. Emphasize the place of science, technology and education in our growing society. Encourage entrepreneurship in our graduates. Uphold the values which make a society whole through cooperation and understanding. We encourage everyone (Faculty, employees and students) to achieve their personal and professional goals, dreams and aspirations. We are hiring qualified individuals in every department in our institution, including our Administrative Offices, Ajetech Medical Center, The Children’s Hospital and The Manny Cancer Institute! Job seekers should send their CV to; ajeinstitutetech.hr@gmail.com or visit our website at www.ajeinstitutetech.com, to download our Employment Application from the “Jobs” page. Complete and scan it to the email on the Form, along with your credentials.
Career Opportunities at Ajetech Broadcasting Media
Ajetech Broadcasting Media (ABM) – We are a top notch media firm focusing on African culture and sports. We provide a wide range of programs geared at showcasing Africa to the world. We are recruiting to fill the position below: Radio/TV Anchors (3 positions) Job Type: Full Time Qualification: BA/BSc/HND Experience: 0-2 years Location: Lagos Job Field: Media / Advertising / Branding Criteria 1. Must have a charming personality and great interpersonal skills 2. Must be able to communicate eloquently 3. Must be hardworking, dedicated, focused and a team player 4. Must be able to work under pressure, learn new skills and meet set target 5. Must have a degree and finished NYSC 6. Must be resident in Lagos or has plans for accommodation if not. Radio/TV Sport Caster (2 positions) Job Type: Full Time Qualification: BA/BSc/HND Experience: 0-2 years Location: Lagos Job Field: Media / Advertising / Branding Criteria 1. Must have a charming personality and great interpersonal skills 2. Must be able to communicate eloquently 3. Must be hardworking, dedicated, focused and a team player 4. Can work under pressure, learn new skills and meet set target 5. Must have a degree and finished NYSC 6. Must be resident in Lagos or has plans for accommodation if not. Qualifications Candidates for this position must have good news judgment, able to produce and present news bulletins and should have multi-tasking abilities. Radio/TV Producers (3 positions) Job Type: Full Time Qualification: BA/BSc/HND Experience: 2-5 years Location: Lagos Job Field: Media / Advertising / Branding Criteria 1. Must have a charming personality and great interpersonal skills 2. Must be creative and innovative 3. Must be able to communicate eloquently 4. Must be hardworking, dedicated, focused and a team player 5. Can work under pressure, learn new skills and meet set target 6. Must have a degree and finished NYSC 7. Must be resident in Lagos or has plans for accommodation if not. Qualifications Candidates for this position must have good news judgment, able to produce and generate fresh content and should have multi-tasking abilities. Method of Application Interested and qualified candidate should send their CV’s to ajeinstitutetech.hr@gmail.com or go to our website at www.ajeinstitutetech.com to download our Employment Application Form from the “Jobs” page on the main MENU. Complete it and scan back to us along with copies of your credentials. Also submit to us, email addresses of three (3) Referees.
Vlog and Podcast Launch
Hi. I am Ramatu Ada Ochekliye. I am a writer and a freelance radio and television presenter. In addition, I am an aspiring actor and director. I grew up in a family that struggled to stay together. In the end, the struggle was pointless; my parents divorced and the family split when I was 11. It was hard coming from that background. I was ashamed of my history. I felt like my family issue was isolated until I met many people who shared similar stories. When I met these people, I realized that every family had their own forms of dysfunction and my story was not isolated. In fact, I learned that many of my friends and neighbors had it worse than I did. I wasn’t even 7 when I started to realize what made me tick. I got angry at the forms of dysfunction I was seeing in the society; though I didn’t know the word at that time. As I was introduced to society, I couldn’t help but notice that girls were expected to act differently from boys. We weren’t expected to do too well in school and even if we did, we had to remember that no matter how much we achieved, we were nothing if we didn’t marry. It seemed that society wanted to stifle us and keep us grounded and it also seemed like society felt ONLY men had the ability to do that for us. This pushed me to want to do what men did. I went into sciences because ‘sciences are for boys’. I played football in secondary school, even though it was a ‘man’s sport’. I had only male friends because ‘girls are dumb. All they do is gossip. They have fish brains. They don’t think. They are materialistic. yadi yadi yada’. In fact, I was an honorary boy. I didn’t wear make-up, I never primped my hair, I always wore trousers, I laughed at girls who cried because I didn’t cry and best of all, I walked like a boy! I had that bounce that said, ‘come get me’. Society couldn’t understand me and so emissaries were sent to tell me to be more like a girl if I was ever to be married; to stop talking down to men or get beaten; to stop having only male friends or be labelled a prostitute and my all-time favorite, to stop being ambitious as I was going to end up in a man’s kitchen. I realized that I was boyish because society only put premium on men. I played football so I wouldn’t be categorized among the ‘feeble’ sex, I studied sciences to show ‘those girls’ and I let my mouth be so potty, I definitely couldn’t be termed a ‘girl’. In spite of all that, society refused to see anything but my gender and I got fed up. Each turn I took was another placard of ingrained ideology telling me to conform or be booted out. In another instance, I kept reading of an Africa I didn’t see around me; an Africa where there was only poverty, hunger, illiteracy, disease, famine, war and white dependency. Yes there were elements of these in my communities but those were not all I saw. I saw wealth, satiation, education, health, abundance, peace and communal dependence. Why then did most media, especially white media stations, only project the negatives of our beautiful continent? And why was our society so willing to accept the white man’s view of our essence, our worth and our collective importance?! These prevailing issues bugged me so much that I kicked against society. I decided to own my femininity, to be a ‘girl’ and to rock at it! I was no longer going to be ashamed of being a girl. I decided that girls could be as sensible and intelligent as boys; and in some cases, more! I realized that my worth was not in my last name, marital status or a tiny ring on my left finger. My worth is in me! In my ability to harness my capabilities to be the best person I can be; in my ability to be athletic and still feminine; in my ability to love my natural hair and not seek to straighten it to make it less ‘kinky’, ‘nappy’, ‘bushy’ and ‘local’. I realized that I didn’t have to wear tons of make up or bleach my skin. I am okay with BEING ME! I am a fat, black girl with thick lips, natural hair and an awesome personality and if you don’t like ANY of my physical attributes, I don’t see how that is my problem. When I came to this realization, I wanted to share it with as many people as I could. I wanted to be accepting of people, yet inspiring enough to get them to love themselves. I started a blog called ‘SHADES OF BROWN’ to talk about such issues. I chose the name because the black race is the most diverse of all the races as can be seen in our skin tones. From Mariah Carey to Alec Wek, our skin tones are as glorious as we are beautiful. I use fiction and non-fiction to communicate to my racial family. The opportunity to share my view on what happens to us and around us has been very satisfying and fulfilling. The reviews have been great and I have had personal messages about how I have inspired many people. THAT is why I write! I am a long winded writer and I know many people hate to read long articles. While I know there are many people who would read my blog no matter how long, I know there are still many who wouldn’t. So I decided to branch out and increase my sphere of influence. Some people love to listen to people talk and some people like to watch others do their thing. Knowing this, I am starting my podcast which is also called SHADES OF BROWN on
My 27th Birthday: To Celebrate or Not to Celebrate?
Hi guys. Today, January 9, 2015, is the start of my new year. I am older today. So, happy birthday me! I am 27 years old today! Wow! I cannot imagine I am putting that out for the world to see but then again, I guess the time is ripe. I am going to say this again; I AM 27 YEARS OLD TODAY! I am not big on celebrations; birthdays, New Year etc. For me, my birthday is a time to reflect on how I have done so far. Many of you who know me know I wrote out my life plan when I was 9. As I grew older, some of those plans changed. I went from wanting to be a Doctor to realizing that I would suck at being one. Oh! I would have had compassion and all but I would have been mediocre at my job and I DON’T do mediocre! Eventually, I would have hated what I did and felt trapped in life. Opening myself to that train of thought was one of the most insightful times of my life. You see, rather than focus and build on my strengths, I kept pushing at sciences. Until I got to the university and was totally unserious about school, I was exceptionally good at science. I loved to research and find out why things happened. Even today, I still read researches, follow what is happening in the world of science and technology and my desire to find a cure for cancer is ever fresh. But as much as I love the sciences, it is not my core strength. It wasn’t until I was in 400 level studying Biochemistry that I came to the realization that I would not pursue science further as a career path. I am naturally better at the arts. As clichéd as it may sound, I can boast of being able to act from the womb! Hey! Don’t hate! I really can! When you give me a script, I can translate it almost to perfection; what with being a perfectionist and all. I am also good at imagining stories, following the sequence, putting images to words and writing. I have probably written a hundred books in my mind and directed a thousand documentaries, movies, talk shows and stage performances in my head. Problem is, they have mostly been in my head. I so wanted to excel at science that I was strangling the essence of who I am. It wasn’t until I got to Yola, Adamawa that I started doing what I really loved. I did church theatre, ran my radio shows and eventually got on television. I also started my blog where I write about the issues affecting Africans and people of African descent. I can tell you that there were days when I was poorer than a church rat but happier than a well-loved dog. This was because I was doing what I knew defined me! My acting took another blow when I had to work with certain people who didn’t want to be professional because it was church. I stopped acting almost totally because I just couldn’t find a place to fit in. Oh! I kept my radio shows going and my blog updated but I knew something was missing. The moment I stopped acting, I stopped being great at it. I used to boast that I could wake up from sleep, take a script and translate it to perfection. I got a rude awakening when I went for an audition for a soap and didn’t make the cut. I fell into depression for, quite literally, months! One thought keep nagging at the far recesses of my mind; if I couldn’t act, what then do I have? I am sure you would wonder why I became depressed over missing out in an audition. It sounds simple and a bit trivial. In truth, you are right. But that ‘simple’ and ‘trivial’ thing is one of the major ways I am gifted and is an outlet to influence my world. Why is this important? Let me explain. Right from when I was a kid, I had this burning desire to tell the stories of dysfunction in families and society. I wanted to bring out the cases of spousal abuse, rape, incest, child abuse and labor, gender discrimination, poverty, hunger, illiteracy, trafficking in persons, forced labor, prostitution, after effects of wars and crisis and other such societal dysfunctions. I was always very vocal about these issues; vocal enough to get some people hot and bothered. I remember when a gang of boys came to beat me for daring to get my friend out of an abusive relationship; and this was in secondary school! I wanted to act to show some of these problems to people who are ignorant of their existence or to give hope to those who share similar problems. I wanted to direct movies, documentaries and talk shows to shine light on these problems and proffer solutions that are viable and simple. I wanted to write scripts that weren’t jaded, weren’t seen through rose colored glasses or misogynistic; scripts that didn’t attempt to only sexualize women, scripts that didn’t require that we sell sex to sell, scripts that showed an Africa that the rest of the world refused to acknowledge or accept and scripts that showed a broken people rising out of the fire like a phoenix. I also wanted to do documentaries on astounding Africans, the love and respect for family, the pros and cons of tradition and religion as it relates to us, survival stories of dysfunction and the comparative analysis of rural and cosmopolitan Africa. So far in my life, I have been putting that off because I felt like I had no money, I had no equipment, yada yada yada. Well, I want to use today to admit that fear has been my biggest opposition. I was plagued by fear-fueled questions: Would I do well? Would I be
Getting Schooled on a Keke
Muhammad Bala, a keke rider in Yola, Adamawa State.Image: Ramatu Ada Ochekliye I had just come out of the Jimeta Modern Market in Yols, Adamawa State, when this Keke (tricycle) rider asked where I was going. I didn’t answer. As I crossed the road, he also took a U-turn and parked just in front of me. He asked again where I was going. I told him my house address and he told me ₦100, which was ₦30 more than I normally pay. My arms were hurting from lugging my purchases so I sighed and got into the Keke. As we were about to move, a woman flagged him down and mentioned a location en route my house. The rider told her to come in. She had lots of things and took some time stuffing them in the space behind. When she was settled in, we set off. No one spoke until we got to the woman’s destination. She dropped in front of a Buka (local restaurant) and her kids came running. As they teased her about coming home early from the market, they offloaded her stuff from the Keke. One of her daughters said in Hausa, ‘Thank GOD you are back because all the food is finished and you need to start cooking.’ The Keke rider and I looked on at the drama until they were done getting her things off the vehicle. I really can’t remember what one of her sons said but it got all of us laughing; well, I was tired, so I just smiled. When we set off, he started a conversation. Now, this happened in Hausa and though my spoken Hausa is stilted, I think this is an almost perfect replica of the conversation we had. He started with, ‘See how her children are helping her? That is how it is supposed to be.’ I responded with a ‘Mhmmm.’ and he continued. ‘You know that food business never goes out of style. You can always make money with a food business.’ I nodded and knowing he wouldn’t see my response, added ‘That is true. No matter what type of restaurant you run, people will always come to you. But the amount of money you make is dependent on the location of your restaurant.’ ‘And the fact that her children are helping her means that she will not have to spend so much money on help and food. The children can eat from what she cooks for her customers and that way, she is able to save a lot’, he finished. I don’t know why but I decided to have a full conversation with him. I even went personal! ‘You are right. My mother owns her own restaurant and when we are around, we help her out. And just like you said, we eat from what she cooks so that sometimes, we don’t need to have food at home’, I said with excitement. ‘Is your mother’s restaurant in this town?’ he asked and I told him no, it is in Abuja. He went further to say that because of the state of the economy, it was important for people to have some of these businesses so they can make money. He then went on to say that many people were waiting for jobs that may or may not come instead of looking for how to earn something based on the basic needs of people. By this time, we were passing in front of Adamawa State Polytechnic, Yola, or SPY as it is popularly called. There was this lady in front who flagged him down. He stopped in front of her but it turned out that she was not going our way. I didn’t notice the bound project she was holding, but he did. As we set off again, he asked if that was her final year project or something. I looked out of the Keke and tried to get a glimpse at what she holding but as he pulled away, I knew I wouldn’t see anything. I pulled my head back in and said it could probably be her project. That was when the discussion got really interesting. ‘You know that graduates are the problems in this country. They are very lazy and always want that ₦150,000 job. Instead of doing the businesses they consider petty, they will rather waste away at home doing nothing. That is why graduates are not the richest in this country.’ My antenna went up pretty fast! Did this man just diss me and all graduates in Nigeria? I felt like I had to say or DO something to redeem our collective image. ‘It is graduates that have no sense that waste away. Many sensible graduates even work two jobs and manage their own businesses but….’ And he interrupted me. ‘They are very few and in between! Most graduates are waiting for government jobs that will pay them ₦30,000. What is ₦30, 000?! They have to feed, clothe, pay rent and still send money to their family with that money. How can they save with that? How much will they even save?!’ I knew he was right but before I could formulate an appropriate response, he continued. ‘Let me tell you a story. I graduated from that SPY that we passed. I waited for two years trying to get a job. The job was not coming. People would promise you all kinds of things but they would fail. One day, a friend came to me and said we should go to Calabar to find work. I had nothing in Yola so it was not hard to agree. I packed my stuff and we went to Calabar. ‘For two whole months, I didn’t make up to ₦5000. In fact, we both didn’t make up to ₦5000; collectively! My friend was tired and said he would return to Yola. Somehow, I convinced him and we stayed a couple more months. When he couldn’t stand it anymore, he returned to Yola. I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t return to Yola a failure. So I stayed back, got a
Here Comes the Bride 3
Nollywood actor, Foluke Daramola, campaigns against domestic violence.Image: Kokolife Iniabasi look her husband wit corner eye as he dey sleep. Ukeme just dey roll up and dan like say spirit dey purshoo am. She don bone tire! Why dis her mumu husband dey snore like olden days Volkswagen? Ha ahn! One day, she go fit carry pillow press press im head make he for quiet! Ah ahn! As if Ukeme know wetin she dey tink, he turn im nyash face her come release one kine mess wey smell pass egg wey done rotten. De mess go straight go her face like say na wetin in bin dey target. She slap am wit one mind! ‘Your papa! Why you go mess for my face?! You dey mad ne?’ Ukeme wake up with vex. Dis time, she no even prepare herself before he start dey blow blow her. As he dey beat her, he follow dey bite her for her neck, for her breast, for her belle, and for her lap. After he done swell up her body well well, he tear the remaining cloth wey for dey her body come dey drag her for ground. Deir neighbors bin don tire for their fights so tey nobody even comot from their flat. Na so he drag her body for their compound till them reach outside. As people gather dey laugh, he pour spit for her face come waka dey go. Like say something push am, he turn back, waka come her place, open in trouser, comot in prick, come start dey piss for her body. All de agberos wen dey her area come dey laugh dey hail Ukeme. Na den she faint. *** Iniabasi Unwana was the first of 8 children in a family that was piss poor! Her father was a mean mechanic who spent whatever money he made on Ogogoro. He drank so much that his natural odor was the stench of stale alcohol. They lived in a one-room apartment where they literally had to sleep like sardines. Her mother seemed to give birth every 10 months, such that at Iniabasi’s 8th birthday, she had 7 siblings. Her father didn’t hit them but her mother more than made up for that. What her father did though was…nothing! He didn’t pay bills, he didn’t provide money for food, he never sent any of his kids to school and he definitely didn’t work…much. Her mother on the other hand worked enough for 10 people. She was a street cleaner between the hours of 6 and 7am and a maid for an Alhaja from 8am to 5pm. When she got home, it was to begin her business as an Akara seller at the motor park. She would do this until about 10pm before returning home. Even with what she did, she was only able to raise enough to ensure that her kids ate and wore the cheapest clothes. She paid the rent also but the bulk of her money went into treatment for her ailing mother in the village and clearing her husband’s debts at different Ogogoro joints. Anyone looking at Iniabasi’s mother would never believe that she is a young woman; she looked old, tired, angry and very bitter. Iniabasi started helping out when she was 4. Her mother would prepare Akamu and it was Iniabasi’s job to hawk them on the streets. As she grew older, it fell to her to wash the beans, take them to grind in a bucket heavier than her and then peel the yams and potatoes as she waited for her mother. She would then put all of them in a truck and push them to the spot where her mother cooked. She had to do all this while taking care of her younger ones. It was on one of such days that her father returned home early. She was washing the beans when she heard a grunt behind her. She jumped, startled, as she faced the person who had made the sound. She saw her father rubbing his penis while looking at her. She was 9 but she knew that what he was doing was wrong. ‘Papa, wetin you dey do?’ she asked as she took a step back. He approached her, swaying, still rubbing his penis, and still wearing the weird look. ‘Come here. Come and take.’ Iniabasi looked behind her. She was boxed in. Her only escape route was through her father. As she contemplated what to do, Iya Kemi came out of her room with her broom held high. Iya Kemi hit her father repeatedly, with each well placed blow punctuated with a scream. ‘Neighbors! Neighbors! Make una come see abomination! Come see wetin Unwana dey do for front of im pikin oh! Aiye ma baje! Ko ni da fun e! Olori buruku! Oloshi!’ Iniabasi ran to Iya Kemi and used all her strength to try to pull her off her father. Iya Kemi wouldn’t budge. She kept hitting her father as he tried to protect himself. Neighbors from other compounds came in and men started beating Unwana. They stripped him and continued to beat him. Someone shouted, ‘Bring tire’ and out of nowhere, a tire materialized. They had just put the tire around him when sirens of an approaching police vehicle and shots fired into the air sent the crowd running. Unwana was rushed to the hospital and someone sent for her mother. When her mother came home and asked what happened, Iniabasi trembled in response. She told her mother everything and watched her expression change from worry to extreme anger. Her mother went to the door, locked it and faced her. ‘Come here. And make devil punish you today say you shout.’ Iniabasi went to her mother for what she knew was a certainty; she was about to get the beating of her life! *** That was the beginning of her daily beatings. For the slightest misdemeanor, her mother would look at her and beat her black and blue! Sometimes the neighbors helped and other times, they didn’t. Iniabasi’s body was
Help Save Iwalewa
Iwalewa at her hospital bed I was contacted by Awoseemo Motunrayo Olunike, a legal practitioner, about a little girl – Iwalewa – who needs all the help she can get. Motunrayo has shown that she really cares about this girl, as can be seen on her Facebook page and by how much awareness she is creating to raise funds for Iwalewa. I was a bit skeptic about running a story that involved asking people to send donations, but after waiting for more than a week and talking to her, I have decided to run it. This is what she sent; I met this little girl Iwalewa sometimes in August 2015 and was astonished at her sharpness. She learns so fast and conduct her younger ones so well as if she is an adult. I particularly took interest in her as she always says she wants to become a lawyer when she grows up like me. I went visiting the area back some weeks ago and was shocked with the condition I met her. My sharp intelligent little friend has become so lean and almost without no strength. She could hardly talk and all she could do was to groan in pain. When I asked what has happened to her, I was told she was diagnosed with a heart condition and needed to undergo heart surgery. I busted into tears and began to cry when I could no longer hold the effect of her groaning in pain. The most painful part is that the family did not know where to get money for the surgery as they have to raise more than 3 million Naira to save her life. I know this family very well, they are very indigent and this little girl is one of the hopes of the family. The brother told me they already contacted Kanu heart Foundation but probably due to long waiting list have yet to get any further response. After crying for a while, I felt I wasn’t helping her. I had to leave the place and think of what I can do to help save this little girl. I decided to take her video recording and post it here for people to come to her rescue. A little child saved today may become the savior of others tomorrow. Please lets donate for the surgery of little Iwalewa and get her up from the bed of pain. She could no longer go to school, and I try to imagine how she feels seeing other kids running around in the neighborhood. You can donate to her mum’s account number given below or donate online by clicking here. Iwalewa before her illness Account Name: Adegbulehin Moyosola Olayinka Account Number: 1014657485 Bank: Skye Bank. Account Name: Awoseemo Nike Acct Number: 0037496675 Bank: GT Bank. Account Name: Olanisimi Michael Account Number: 1014155448 Bank: Skye Bank To donate by western union, by cheque or back draft, call her brother Mike on (+234)9032260723or her mother on (+234)7039277172 or you can call me on (+234) 8134016691 To donate online please follow our fundraising campaign by click the Donate link Donate Online I hope that you are touched enough to help out in whatever way you can. Thank you
She Didn’t Want…the Baby.
Maise Crow.Culled From: ‘The Abortion Ministry Of Dr. Willie Parker’.Written by: John H. Richardson Yahimba Terkembe sighed yet again. She was at her bedside desk assessing her life as she did every year on her birthday. She was 25 today. Well, her body was 25 but her mind was old! She had been through so much in her young life that she felt way older than 25. Two incidents kept tugging at her memory this year. Since she made those decisions, she locked the memories somewhere in the recesses of her mind and never looked at them. Today though, they kept flitting in and out of her subconscious, begging to be analyzed. She didn’t want to! She knew how much pain she was going to feel and she couldn’t help but remember her low threshold for pain. The more she tried to shut the thoughts out, the clearer the images became. Oh! They were jointed and out of order but they were there! Yahimba felt her chest tighten as she gently rubbed her head. She had the beginning of a headache and if she kept fighting her mind, she would be unable to do any productive work later on. She sighed again and closed her eyes. The memories flooded in. *** Yahimba’s university days were filled with more fun, parties and craziness than it was with studying, research or general school work. She was 19 and dating a guy who seemed hard on the outside but was very gentle with her. Everyone wondered why she was with Ferdinand Katung, seeing that she was a beauty and he was just there. They didn’t know that where there saw ‘just there’, she saw mystery and that pulled her in. They had a great sex life and though they were mostly careful, they hated using condoms. One year into the relationship, Yahimba had to treat an infection. Dr. Kayode Folarin, the young doctor at the community hospital near her school, ordered full blood and urine work. She waited in pains for the laboratory scientist to bring in the results. When the result was brought in, the doctor went over them and looked at her. ‘You have a urinary tract infection. I will prescribe some drugs and injections and you should be fine in no time. There is more though.’ Yahimba felt her chest clutch. What could be wrong? She opened her mouth but words wouldn’t come out. ‘Don’t look so worried. Remember when I asked about your marital status and your last period?’ Yahimba’s mind flew. She remembered the last time she had sex. Did she use protection? Did Ferdinand cum inside her? Did she take her morning-after pill? She felt sure she was anything but pregnant. ‘You are pregnant.’ Dr. Kayode announced. Her heart sank. Her worst fears just happened. ‘You are three week gone. Should I congratulate you?’ Yahimba kept shaking her head. Her parents were going to kill her…literally! Her life was over! She couldn’t bring a child to the world when she had nothing. She made her decision there and then. ‘I will not keep it. What can I do to get rid of it?’ Dr. Kayode looked at her. ‘If you are not ready for babies, why are you having sex without protection?’ She didn’t want to hear that. She kept shaking her head and whispering, ‘I cannot have this child.’ The doctor looked at her and said, ‘Okay. I can help you.’ Yahimba raised her head up so fast she heard a snap. She didn’t care that there was a sharp pain creeping up her neck. All she wanted to know was how the he could help. ‘Come back later tonight and I will help you get rid of it. This is my number.’ he pulled his card and handed it to her. ‘Bring N5000 with you when you return. Call me at about 8pm and I will tell you when to come.’ Dr. Kayode dismissed her. Even though her hostel was far from the clinic, she walked all the way. The pain from her left side no longer mattered; all she worried about was the life growing in her. She didn’t want it. She knew the family she came from. Yahimba could see the look on her mother’s face when she found out her only daughter was pregnant. She didn’t need to try too hard to imagine her father’s reaction. If her mother didn’t strangle her, her father will beat her so bad she would die. She remembered how her parents had treated Amaka – their next door neighbor’s daughter – when she got pregnant. Her mother shamed Amaka so bad that she ran away from home. Yahimba knew Amaka’s mother held so much resentment for her parents but she couldn’t say anything because her daughter had shamed her. No; she couldn’t bring a child to this world. As soon as she got into the hostel, she picked up her phone and called Ferdinand. ‘Hi. We need to talk. I will be over in about 15 minutes.’ Yahimba showered with really hot water, as if willing the baby to come out with the dirty water. She was in the bathroom long enough to get scalded but she didn’t feel anything. An emptiness crept upon her that was deafening in its silence. The smell from the next stall jolted her to reality. Someone was taking a dump and the smell was entirely rotten. Yahimba quickly exited the bathroom and rushed to her hostel. She got dressed and finally looked at her watch. She was more than 45 minutes late. Well, she couldn’t waste time any longer. *** Ferdinand didn’t want a baby but he wasn’t going to make the mistake of saying so. He watched Yahimba with his usually aloof expression as she sat fidgeting opposite him. Oh! Yahimba didn’t fidget like other girls; she didn’t wring her arms or bob her head or tap her foot. To the untrained eye, she was as calm as the waters in the
My Monologue
So, I had to do a monologue for a job I was to audition for. I had this done and have been wondering whether to post it up or not. Then I remembered that I am starting my Vlog soon. I went, ‘what the hell!’ and decided to post it up. It has a lot of my information but best of all, it welcomes you to myYouTube channel; the home of my Vlog. When it is officially launched, it will tell stories of Africa, Africans, people of African descent and the the issues that affect us! Subscribe to channel and enjoy some of my work. Launch date: 9th JANUARY, 2016! Countdown baby!
Fara James: A Tale of Living Positively With HIV
As I prepare to launch my podcast on 9th January, I have this interview I want to share with you. HIV/AIDS is a problem affecting many Africans, especially because we are unwilling to get tested or ashamed to get our medication when confirmed positive. I met FARA JAMES December 1, 2015. She was at my office to do an interview for #WorldAidsDay. She has been living with HIV for 21 years. She did not look sick; quite contrary, she looked very well and happy. She shared with me why she has maintained her happiness and how she has remained in good health. Listen by clicking the play button below. Spread the message that HIV is NOT a death sentence!If you have been tested positive, it is not a death sentence. You can live whole lives in spite of the result. If you have not been tested, then you should go and get tested! Listen to FARA JAMES and be inspired! Follow my podcast in anticipation of greater things to come. If it affects #AFRICANS and people of AFRICAN descent, then you know I will talk about it! Thank you in advance! #HIV #AIDS #LivingWithHIVAIDS
