All posts filed under: Uncategorized

5 Ways You Can Make Your Home Safer Today

Published by Osemhen

We hardly ever think about these things except to say, “It’s not my portion.” But events can blind side us on any given Tuesday and emergencies don’t discriminate between creeds or beliefs. The difference between an accident and a fatality is often the emergency response. Don’t even dull. 1. Buy a fire extinguisher/fire blanket. For N5000, you can get a decent fire blanket from your nearest fire station, hardware store (Game, for instance) or online. A fire blanket can be thrown over a small fire or wrapped around a burning person to starve the fire of air. You know those kitchen fires that start with a burning pot of oil? You need a fire blanket. Any old blanket won’t work; fire blankets are specially made with fire-retardant material so they won’t burn. In this country where fire fighters are practically unicorns (non-existent), you also need a fire extinguisher for those bigger fires that you can’t throw a blanket over. There are different types of fire extinguishers but industry experts recommend dry powder extinguishers for homes. …

5 TedTalks Every Young Professional Should Watch

Published by Osemhen

TedTalks are my second favourite podcast series to listen to, after The New Yorker Fiction Series. I think I get just a little bit smarter every time I hear one. Sadly, however I find myself with less time to listen. Going to fix that, I promise. In the mean time, I thought I’d share my faves with you this fine Monday morning. Kickstart the work-week with these inspirational TedTalks that make you want to give yourself a rousing pep-talk in the bathroom mirror. You can do this! You’re winning! You’ve got this! You’ll make it! Let’s Go! Meg Jay’s provocative message on reclaiming the most defining decade of your life: Why 30 is not the new 20. [ted id=1741] Sheryl Sandberg’s insightful talk that kind of summarises her book, Lean In (a.k.a. The Feminist Manifesto): Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders. [ted id=1040] Shawn Achor’s utterly funny talk on how happiness actually leads to success, and not the other way round: The Happy Secret to Better Work.  [ted id=1344] Nigel Marsh’s inspirational argument on how to …

I Did A Life Audit Instead Of Just Making Resolutions…I Think It Worked

Published by Osemhen

I know, I know. In the last post, more readers voted for the Zeus and Amadioha piece. But as I started writing it, I realized that the pictures I wanted to use were in my camera and it’s hundreds of kilometers away. I’ll have it by next week, though. So I promise that piece then. Forgiven? Thanks! 🙂 I stumbled across the idea of a Life Audit on FastCompany. The concept is simple enough. You lock yourself in a room with a pen and a stack of blank Post-it notes and a bottle of water (because the process makes you thirsty, apparently). If you need to, you put a “Do Not Disturb” sign outside.  Then you start to write your goals. Every single one of them, no matter how outlandish or silly. No matter how big. One goal per Post-It. This process can take anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours. I actually did this over a 3-day period; I couldn’t find the time to do it at once. When you’re spent (or you run …

Why Are You Angry About Stella Oduah's Armoured Cars?

Published by Osemhen

So today, Nigerians are outraged over the purchase of two armoured vehicles for Stella Oduah’s  safety. Said vehicles cost over 250 million naira (About 1.6 million dollars). See Sahara’s report here. I understand the outrage, and I would share it if I knew: What is the annual budget of the “cash-strapped” Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority? How do we know they’re cash-strapped? Was this purchase included in the budget for 2013? Was the budget approved by the Senate? Did the Senate know she was going to buy the cars with the NCAA’s budget? Knowing this, did they approve? If they neither knew nor approved of the cars’ purchase, what was this money earmarked for originally? Has that activity been done? Is it pending? Money cannot buy air safety, can it? Someone please explain to me how this money increases the risk of me boarding a plane that will crash? I’m sincerely curious about these things. This is not an attempt to ridicule anyone. I just need to know why I should care. So I can join …

To Be or Not To Be

Published by Osemhen

One of the most popular mantras these days is about being yourself and doing what makes you happy. The focus is on self-satisfaction. And finding your peace in being secure only in what you think of yourself, and at best, indifferent to what people think of you. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=NG&hl=en-GB&v=dyihQtBes1I] And there’s nothing wrong with it. There’s nothing wrong with running my race my way and not living for public opinion. Many people have been ruined because they were trying too hard to live up to an image. But what we often forget is that the “Image” is a reflection of what we have portrayed. We choose the image in the first place, the expectations that society holds us to. And that’s why it’s important to portray a true image. But this is not a lesson on personal integrity. What inspired this post? Earlier today, I sent an assignment to a course instructor I met in person earlier in the year. During our face to face interaction, I deliberately put my bestest (sic) foot forward with him. …

I'm Sorry…

Published by Osemhen

I can’t help it, the pictures are everywhere. The Aluu4. And from the first time I saw the bloody pictures, all I could say was, “I’m sorry.” I don’t know why I apologize. To Tekena, and Ugonna. To Llyod and Chidiaka. I didn’t try to watch the video; the pictures gave me goosebumps and made me cry and I figured the least I could do was respect the boys by not watching their death. And all I can say is, I’m sorry, so sorry, so sorry, so very sorry. And I don’t care what they did, or didn’t do. Because I have brothers, I have cousins, I have friends. And I think I can imagine how hard it is to be a guy in this country, and stopped by policemen for no reason other than gender. And no one deserves to die on suspicion. No one deserves to not have a second chance. I’m sorry Nigeria is the way she is. I’m sorry we’re grooming a people who think nothing of killing another. I’m sorry we …

A Rather Lengthy Post on The Anthem

Published by Osemhen

Hola! Been a bit, how’ve you been? Okay, so I wrote this a couple of years ago for a magazine. I was a bit more idealistic, so forgive me if I come off a bit strong. 🙂 Arise O Compatriots Nigeria’s Call Obey To serve our fatherland With love and strength and faith The labour of our Heroes past Shall never be in vain To serve with heart and might One nation bound in freedom, peace and unity Humour me. If you’re under 25, try singing the 1st stanza of the national anthem without peeping at the page. Chances are, if you’re not in the uniformed forces (Police, Army etc.) or a school teacher, you won’t remember all the words. If you do, congratulate yourself. You are among the minority of Nigerian adults who remember the words that were drilled into them all those years ago in secondary school. A lot of theories have been propounded about why Nigeria is in the state she’s in. And here’s another for the debate. A popular adage says …