Heal yourself

Momma used to tell me: maybe before you go about healing others, you should check if you're in good health yourself. She'll say: pretending to be the healthiest of a sickly bunch doesn't necessarily make you healthy.

So I do this all the time, even after she left for paradise. I try to listen to my conscience before doing anything, and even before writing the things I write on here, because I hate not only to be carried away, but to be rebuked to shame.

But that's a thing of 'Jom' - that's a Wolof word, similar in meaning to self-esteem or self-honour.

Professionals in diapers...

I feel thoroughly confused that grown arse adults in corporate circles can behave like jealous high school bitches, or like toddlers to gifts. You know, when buying candy for a group of toddlers, you must make sure that even the wrappings are the same to avoid protest, but that's because toddlers aren't fully formed to overstand the concept of equity and equality.

Here, I have seen people who call themselves professionals, being in a constant state of competition with everyone at work, including those that their line of work has no relationship of rivalry with. I have seen them lose remembrance of their own benefits and advantages the moment it is someone else's turn to benefit. Like enemies of progress, they'll not perform well, but ever ready to raise objections about performance based raises of deserving colleagues, rather than being happy for them, or being inspired to work on improving their own appraisal points. Folks cannot see their mates flourish without putting a degrading name to their success. If you're a lady and you're beautiful, you're automatically a victim, because they'll disregard your hardwork and accuse you of using what you have to get what you want. But never mind, because unless they repent, they'll all die and go to hell. So screw 'em.

The stagnant ones will team up with the philosophers of pessimism to create cliques within the workplace, and to talk trash, or to tell lies about progressive colleagues. They'll tell you, "let's tolerate each other and make work fun," but their way of making work fun is to prevent others from having fun. All their salaries are Haram because rather than going to work to work, they go to work to get others worked up. They'll invariably see others being caused to reap the evils they sow, but no twist of event is a wake-up call for them, because they're stupid like that.

And despite all these counterproductive nonsense, come Eid or Friday, they'll pray as follows: "yalna jaama yaaga" (may peace be lengthened in time). Mtcheew! Jaama my skinny arse. You don't expect me to fake an Amen, because I'm not. Wickedly ungrateful souls! 

Age of decadence...

After the demise of intelligent civilisation comes the age of decadence, when lies will cut in, and falsehood so established that truth will no longer be afforded the power of speech. Emotional aversion to realness will be manifested throughout. True heros and heroines will be vilified whilst fuckery, jerks, jackasses and their jackassery celebrated. Wrongs will be relative, depending on the likeability of the doer. Peoole will hate the people they attempt to equal or be the same as. Physically, morally and mentally 'fugly' people will act all gutsy by calling other people ugly, or criticising them for things that they themselves do.

Those that are intolerantly devoted to their prejudices will call others bigots, but will still go about passing judgment on people without sufficient examination of the facts. Generally recognised hypocrites will claim to be victims of hypocrisy. People will willfully wrong others and then blame it on the devil. Ill-gotten gains will be frowned upon, but only by those that are denied access to it.

If you think I'm making a statement of what will happen in the future and not what is in existence, I strongly recommend that you start paying attention to your immediate setting, notice things, watch events as they unfold, listen and attend closely to every detail and read this piece again. If you don't see all these happening around you, call me an idiot, but if you call me an idiot just for the heck of it, know that I have a wide diction of pejorative nouns and adjectives for you.

GLOSSARY - Fugly is slang for extremely ugly. Jackassery is that foolish behaviour of a jackass, and fuckery is nonsense, or any unfair or morally wrong action.

Know when to mind your business...

Tolerating contrary opinions, new ideas and alternative ways of doing things is a virtuous thing to do. So if you ask me, even if you don't have what it takes to keep up, keep on your cool, or just keep the fuck off. Don't let your personal assessment of people's motivation for doing a thing be based on how that thing would've affected your behaviour if you were in their shoes; people are different.

If a thing is none of your business, keep out, or keep to yourself. Butting in to provide more heat than light will naturally push someone else's buttons, get you dissed and fuck your feelings. If you can't take the pressure of a certain situation, then you need to seperate yourself from that situation. Excuse the 'eff' word. I'm not so euphemistic.

Note to self...

Listen! What if that guy whose name has now become an idiot-anthem is better than what they say about him? Couldn't that supposedly shameless lady be a complete opposite of what you think of her? What if there are things that you do not know about them? Wouldn't you be sorry if you come to realise that they aren't as terrible as you think they are? What if it is you that is not as perfect as you think you are?

But if you think you you're perfect and you're going to maintain that state, completely devoid of fault and mistake, then go ahead and pass judgment. As for intelligent civilisation, the goal is to work on becoming a better person. And part of being a better person is to be able to refuse the urge to form opinions without just cause.

Some problems shouldn't be shared....

"A problem shared is a problem halved." That's the claim, but I don't think it is a general rule, because not everyone is a problem-solver. Sometimes a problem shared is a problem worsened.

However, if it will make you feel better, be my guest and talk about it, but really, talking about your problems when you can be initiative is an all wrong, for half the people you'll talk to may not give a rat's behind, or they may even be happy that you're in deep shit.

There's a Wolof saying that not every supposed willingness to help you put down the load on your head is out of sincere desire to help. Sometimes the helper just wants to see what is in the thing that you're carrying.

"Jappal ma enni la, du sawar la enni, laygo layg buga xam la nga enu la."

Knowledge is no one's monopoly...

It is baffling to see 21st century folks tending towards that arrogant mentality of ancient Rome. Where you're not expected to make sense if you have no noble or scholarly title attached to your name, where wisdom was monopolised, and commoners were supposed to be seen but not heard. So they dare not speak even if they had something great to say, lest they'll be foolishly asked about their credentials or with what authority do they speak.

But this was because they didn't want to accept the fact that you don't have to be an academic or a noble to be an intellectual, that like Leonardo Da Vinci or Kothie Barma Faal, some people don't need to be tutored in the classroom to be knowledgeable.

Unlike ancient Rome, we need to stop limiting the scope of knowledge to what we think we know, and come to terms with the fact that autodidacts and naturally clever people do exist. As brother Ebrima Sarr puts it, "most knowledge is information, it's how you process this information that qualifies you as an intellectual or just a reader."

Avoid three things....

You cannot call yourself humane or even human unless you avoid three:

1 - Avoid the characteristic of a vulture, for vultures are not only scavenging, but also kown for their attempt to profit from the suffering of others.

2 - Avoid being a wolf, or else you'll be consumed by your selfish desires...and as bad as it is being a wolf, it is even more terrible to be one in sheep's clothing.

3 - Do not be a rat, because a person that resembles a rat in betrayal will collaborate with even his own enemy, and may attain but despicable honour.

But if you need to be like one, I'll suggest you take after the dolphin. You'll not only be intelligent, you'll be famed for your approachability and willingness to approach humans.

Let me rant....

"Hehe! Boy today you've come to socialise?" No, I have come to honour a book launch/signing invitation and to get a copy. But bloody hell, must I keep convincing people that I'm not antisocial?

Granted, I'm not so outgoing, but that doesn't mean I'm not concerned with public affairs. I'm naturally disinclined to certain ceremonies and that's not my fault. But why must someone go to events to see who's present and who's not?

See, from when I was a kid, I had no problems with identity. So I don't do things for the identity thereof. I don't even like that stupid "mister (Mr)" beside my name. I roll with the same set of broke buddies from way back, except those who voluntarily cut themselves off along the way.

I don't discriminate when it comes to the company I keep, and I sure won't condone nonsense from a prince but be overly rude to a peasant, because I know I'll be sorry if that peasant someday gets to be the prince. But then that requires conscience.

When the mood is no longer a mood....

If you think someone's always grumpy, like my Idren Mr. NH (Never Happy) from way back, always in a bad mood, then you cannot call that mood a "mood." I don't know if that makes any sense but what I mean is, a mood that lasts for an indefinitely long time is no longer a mood, it's the person's personality.

If a friend is who this person is to you, it may be difficult and unfortunate for you and I'm truly sorry, but you gotta learn to come to terms with it. That's what friends do, and that's why they hardly resent because they accept each other's inadequacies.

My deen is complete, I'm not...

I believe the religion I follow is doctrinally complete, but I'm not complete. In fact no single adherent is, no matter what you wear or how you look, for you may have the looks of a priest but the heart of a demon. We must overstand that the set of deeds that each individual follows is what he knows to be followed, but that's not all there's to be known and followed.

We are told that we must keep seeking in order achieve knowledge and clarity of perception, and that's perhaps the reason why Jihad is encouraged. But "Jihad" as in personal spiritual struggle for self-improvement, and not passing judgments or being oppressive.

We cannot be intolerant of those who differ and still want to make them overstand the truth or validity of what we believe in, but we can pull them towards us without forcing them. It's a thing of behaviour and in knowing that we can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

Bring back our continental glory...

About our continent, it's true that we have a very sad history of being taken advantage of, through slavery, colonisation, and now by our own created institutions. But if you ask me, looking for sympathy is not the way forward, because even though it takes courage to complain, it cannot without action undo past transgressions.

If I heard right, even mighty America suffered injustices of colonisation, and I was told Europe was almost ruined by the World War, but look who's laughing now? Do you think ours is a consequence of our past conditions, or rather the decisions we make? Is it a thing of resources or rather a matter of will?

History tells us that before oppressed people we were blessed people, that ours was the birthplace of art and civilisation, then you wonder how such a wonderful people became the standard by which primitive behaviour, weird diseases, genocide, tribal conflicts and lack of cooperation are measured; is it real or imaginary?

Do you know what I think? I think every continent on planet earth is as messed up as ours. The only difference is that of attitude and mentality. Instead of going about expressing feelings of pain, dissatisfaction and resentment, other places take initiatives that'll change things, then they create means and institutions to market such initiatives, and to arouse desire to be associated with them.

The other day I was watching a documentary about "Brand America," and I was wowed by the forward looking involvement of almost everyone in the creation of an "American image" to be proud of. The display felt somewhat decorative, or maybe I was just being jealous, because there's never a rose without the prick.

Okay, I was using sms composer to do this piece and I am told I have reached the message size limit. So I will conclude by quoting Randy Pausch: "If you took one-tenth the energy you put into complaining and applied it to solving the problem, you'd be surprised by how well things can work out. Complaining does not work as a strategy. We all have finite time and energy. Any time we spend whining is unlikely to help us achieve our goals. And it won't make us happier."

Lessons from failure...

In one endeavour, I was afforded at least seven second chances and I screwed up big-time. But perhaps not entirely ungainly, because one lesson I learned is that if you're striving to excel in any noble cause, do it not with a people without principles, and if they appear to be principled, be sure that theirs is one that transcends purely selfish ends.

Be free to make mistakes, but learn from them. Let unquestioning acceptance and total belief in the reliability of man be a skill you'll never master. Don't take promises as an inducement to fuckery.  Never, ever stop believing in the power of prayer, and in the availability of a solution to every problem. Give Thanks!

Maybe someday...

Maybe someday, our gatherings will be such that we'd rather talk about issues that are related and important to progress, than personal and private businesses of those that are not in attendance, especially in a way that will spread such information.

Maybe someday we'll stop deciding our retaliations and next moves based on unfounded opinions, and on stories that others are accused of saying about us,

Maybe someday we'll realise that there are amongst us people who enjoy tension and strife, and we wouldn't want them to cause us to 'simaykou' (remove our shirts) in anticipation of fights that have not reached us yet.

When hate becomes a performance indicator...

If you're that nigga that raggedy-ass niggas feel displeasure or hatred towards, and just for the heck of hating, or saying you think you're relevant because you're relevant, be delighted in knowing that you're everything they say you're not.

If you're that lady that non-quality bitches keep hating for no apparent reason, saying you think you're smart or cute, know that you're beyond just cute. Perhaps your only crime is that you didn't give them permission to affect, control or manipulate you into raggedy-assery.

And because their spirits evoke nothing but a feeling of hatred, their remarks even though untrue, cannot be harmful to your reputation. It is but a disinclined validation of what they really think of you; a performance indicator if you like.

There are still good people.

Just because you cannot be regardful of anyone but yourself doesn't mean all acts of kindness and philanthropic enterprises are intended to deceive or defraud others

Good people exist; people who are completely the opposite of egoism and selfishness; people whose only motivation is to see an increase in the well-being of humankind.

See, "njorta" (gut feeling) is sometimes a preventive mechanism against harmful and stressful situations. But perpetual "nyow-njorta" is hostile to your progress, and it is arguably a sin.

P.S - NYOW NJORTA is that negative feeling or reaction you have towards everyone and everything without any logical rationale.

About haram...

About "haram," what's more forbidden than diluting your palm oil with vegetable oil, just to augement it and make more profit? What's more unlawful than adding cooking oil to the chocolate bread-spread you sell, in order to increase the volume, but on the pretext of making it more spreadable?

What's more sinful than creating a dent under your measuring cup, in order to cunningly decrease the volume of what's being measured for sale? What's more deceitful than selling beverage that is 25% sorrel and 75% synthetic, but you still call it "natural wonjo" juice?

What's more wicked than pricing your goods higher than what they're really worth, and simply because people have no other option, or to undercut weaker vendors just to see them out of business? How can you condone all these, but condemn others to hell for the clothes they wear or where they hangout?

Poverty...

Poverty will not be eradicated if almost every hand is open to receive and closed to give. It cannot be reduced if beggars become choosers, or if begging becomes a profession, and if folks that aren't charity worthy keep cooking up stories to blackmail emotions and to collect alms, because there'll be giver fatigue, and genuine beggars are going to be denied.

Poverty cannot be curbed if each household has only one or maximum two income-earners, and everyone sits like some derelict vehicle waiting to be fixed by these people. The odds are, they'll be excessively burdened, or may even die before their death, and the entire household is going to go back to square one.

Poverty cannot be history if unwillingness to do work is translated as inability or lack of opportunity, and if folks can leave their faulty valuables to be wasted in utter neglect than to make an effort in salvaging them. Eventually, meagre resources that could've been used on other needs will be used in getting replacements, and the cycle continues.

Poverty will continue to be a menace for as long as folks can be deeply in debt but still find it okay to be ostentatious. Like me acting so competitive about material possessions, and always on social media showing how furnished I'm with the latest and best things. But forgetting I still live in my shack in Wellingara - still owing the 'Mburo Pompitere' I took from Momodou the shopkeeper for breakfast.

You're just reminding not judging...

Morally corrupt people don't want to hear about their dutty ways. And that's why they hate moral reminders. They will accuse you of making a show of being morally better than them, just because you said "God and Nabi said." But that shouldn't dissuade you from doing your thing.

In fact, the advice you give is a reminder to you, as much as it is to the one being advised, because through it, you're challenging yourself to do better, or to show that you could actually do better.

And that's what's up! We need to be able to do what we say other people should do, otherwise, knowingly or unknowingly, we'll be hypocrites (munafiqs). And that's both a sickness and a crime, ask any Mufti.

Until we refuel...

My fuel gauge is hardly above reserve, even though I know it's not good for the pump. So I know, that if you run out of fuel, you can crank the engine until the cows come home, but 'chukuchuku-ing' won't make it start; you must refuel.

Same way, until we refuel our spirit of sincerity and draw a line that'll seperate theoretical and speculative knowledge from true overstanding, and until ancestral traditions are seperated from true doctrine, division and confusion will remain until the afterlife.

Until mistaken beliefs and deceitful ideas are murdered, and truth is resuscitated, we'll keep preaching and teaching one-sided and uncritical ideologies until everyone's blue in the face, but it wouldn't change a thing, just an orderly disorder.

And until then, let me and my kind do what we think is right, and you do what you think is best for you, and we'll see who's plentiful on the day of harvest. 'Wye hamna am na nyui beytou!'

Plan B...

You can put all your eggs of progress in one basket; say in going abroad and being a "been-to" for instance, it's entirely your call. I have been there, done just that. In fact, you can ask me and my guidance to go to hell, because your business is none of my business.

BUT, don't you think you're risking too much on a single dream which, like eggs breaking, could go wrong? Won't you consider spreading the risk, by getting a fall-back position in case your primary dream goes bad, because you can never tell?

See, once upon a time, I was not just good at basketball, I was great. But by God my dreams flopped, and today I am here wondering how things would've been if I had put all my hopes in becoming a professional athlete. It's not as if I have recorded suceess in my alternative plan, but I see the basketball version of me as one of those losers that one gets in the process of making progress. But that's because as much as I hate to resort to it, my Plan B came in handy.

Slavery

Kunta Kinteh was not a slave, the people that facilitated, enabled or allowed his capture were the slaves, and Bilal Ibn Rabah was not a slave either. Just like many others, they were all victims of extralegal fuckery.

In fact, that social practice of owning human beings as property was not slavery as so named, and that's why there's still slavery even after the 13th Amendment; that's why anyone can be a slave. It doesn't matter if you're black, white, brown, orange or purple, and whether you're from Swaziland or Switzerland.

Slavery is a thing of dignity, will and of course the mind. But that's why according to me, anyone who slavishly surrenders his God-given freewill to someone or something, even against your own sincere but radical beliefs, thoughts and desires, and for whatever reasons, you're a slave. Call it psychological, mental or philosophical, it is still slavery. This definition includes servile flattery, servile obedience, or being a doormat for anything or anyone of renown.

Happy Muslim New Year

Wishing y'all a gainful Muharram (Muslim New Year), and I have the following to say:

I may not know more than what the streets taught me, but one thing I know is that if you want to make progress, you need to emancipate yourself from the bondages of negativity, and that will require you to show those jerks and jackasses around you that you don't deal with jackassery.

You need to know that just because they enjoy being miserable doesn't mean you must also wallow in misery. Just because theirs ain't working doesn't have to prevent you from having it your way. Just because they're in consistent denial doesn't mean you cannot be confidently affirmative. Just because they're slavishly devoted to everything shoved down their throats doesn’t mean you cannot withhold assent. Just because they became what they're thanks to talebearing doesn't mean you should also be a blabbermouth.

If they come with issues that are beyond the scope of your business, or complicating simple things, tell them it's none of your business. Sometimes offense is your best defense. Teach them about the good in appreciating the good in their lives, hoping that that way, they'll learn to appreciate rather than hate the good in the lives of others.

God, I pray...

Dear God, I seek refuge from the anguish of having to be caused to explain the powers of modern science and technology to primitive men. I seek refuge from the company of the hypocritically pious, and from their show of being morally better than everyone that is not like them. I also seek refuge from the disappointment in trying to have an intelligent conversation with an intellectual moron, especially one who's regardful of nothing but what he knows, even with evidence to refute it.

Good God, I know this may be a disservice, but since school cannot afford some people the capacity to develop beyond the mental age of a preschool kid, I believe the healthiest thing to do for me is to allow me to mind my business and to let them wallow in their false sense of grace and happiness. So help me God.

Today's cool...

According what I observe, today's definition of "cool" is being perverted to mean:

Be very good at blaming everyone but yourself, and for the error(s) and negligence of everyone (including yourself). Go on and hate anyone with an opinion, or anyone who beats you to an idea. And don't forget to criticise anyone who doesn't want to be defined by what you think of him.

I don't know if that's a good thing, but I'm pretty sure it is one reason why society is gradually advancing in decadence.

Ask and you shall know...

If you're a curious person, not as in 'fass-farraw' (prying) or being nosey, but tending to ask questions because you're genuinely eager to acquire knowledge, by God you'll someday be knowledgeable, for it is through asking that you'll find out what the answer is.

For those who pretend to know it all, and are inclined to make inference based on inconclusive evidence, and to pass judgment based on such evidence, they shall at best be offhand, and at worst be totally ignorant.

In China, it is said that "he who asks a question remains a fool for five minutes. He who does not ask remains a fool forever." Here we say: "Gaache ak xamadi, laajul ako indi" (failing to ask brings shame and ignorance).

If you ask me, put on your asking caps and seperate yourself from forming opinions without any just cause, and from holding on to shameful misconceptions. Things are sometimes not what they seem, and sometimes you may think you're near when you are SO, so far.

Typified indiscipline...

If you want to see typified indiscipline, come ayard. Come and see folks wanting to be served, but never willing to serve. They want to be treated like royalty but keep treating others like trash. They want to be heard, but do not want to listen to anyone. They want to criticise everyone and everything, but do not appreciate criticisms. And because everyone wants to be the first to know, see and tell it all, false information has become rampant.

No one wants to queue or wait for their turn at service centres. Everyone wants a preferential seating, be it at the Masjid, on the ferry, or in public vehicles, and even if they come in late. No one wants to give way in traffic, and those given way act as if they alone paid road tax. Anyone can park in the middle of the road to drop someone or tell off another driver. Customer care personnel act like they're doing their customers a favour. Any pedestrian can assume traffic police duties and can yell at every driver like: "driver dor def ndanka; hanna ya mujay am motor; yow ku stupid nga, hanna amulo horn; dor signal; yorballeh nyu y; soma lalleh" - that's Wolof, and I don't have time to translate.

Folks can't even ask for favours without sounding so arrogant and authoritative. Saying courtesies like thanks, please, excuse me, etc. is as hard as trying to convince a typical Muslim on the crucifixion of Jesus. They'll disregard established protocols to show who they are, or who they know rather than what they know. The ones that choose to be philosophers of pessimism don't want others to be happy, because they're happy being miserable

Stupid parents use their stupid children's arrogance to get to other parents. Even genuine reminders are said to be judgemental. A wrong becomes a wrong only when it is done by those that are not in our good books. People will neglect things they could fix simply because it's not their job, or it doesn't affect them directly. Like that neighbour that barricades almost half the road just to prevent drivers from avoiding the ditch by his compound gate, and ironically, he calls himself a Muslim that believes in Sadaqa Jariyah (ceaseless charity).

If it needs to be said, say it...

If you have something to say to someone, or if you need to unburden your chest of a certain issue, say it now, because by itself, and given time, the fact of the matter will emerge and it may not always out well.

And boy, if love is what it is, keeping that to yourself until it loses its impact is a heartbreaker. Sometimes you wouldn't know how worthy a shot it is unless you take the shot.

Growing up and losing loved ones made realise that life's too short, and harbouring pains makes it so torturous. So get it off your chest and enjoy an unfettered lease of life. Don't let it be better never than late.

It takes two to tango...

A case of the pot calling the kettle black is when ladies that are indiscriminate in their choice of men claim to be disgusted by cheating married men. Such women have no right to blame these men for cheating on their wives if they're too into dating and having a fling with such men.

If you ask me, in as much as I want to blame men like that for their unbecoming lack of good taste, the ladies too cannot be exonerated. In fact, they should be declared 'threats to matrimonial security'

Whether the lady's the principal doer, the seducer, or just an enticed accessory, the fact that she could've exercised restraint and say: "Hell no! I don't do married men," makes her a participator. Didn't they say it takes two to tango⁉

Gratefulness is great-fullness...

Gratefulness is to show appreciation for what's been done for you, even though there may be other things inadvertently done to you. For it is sometimes unavoidable to hurt feelings, to cause displeasure, and to make others angry, of course depending on the doer not making it a habit; because that becomes abusive or perhaps oppressive.

It should be overstood that our purpose as human beings is not to have a supernatural addition to our human nature, but to be as selflessly human as we possibly can.

The goal is not to be free of flaws and imperfections, but to be as upright as we humanly can, and to have that feeling of regret or remorse each time we commit a wrong, for guilt and remorse are high up amongst the standards by which faithfulness is measured.

The call is entirely yours...

So you foolishly allow bigoted people to make you feel so insecure and vulnerable, simply because the one you intend to spend your life with is comparatively more educated or well off? You think it's true because someone said you're up for the risk of becoming endangered in the near future?

Do you know that person's covert intent? In fact, is that person himself happily married? Or do you think he's speaking by divine inspiration? What happened to accepting everything about the person you love? Is it not us that say love and overstanding overlooks faults and conquers all? Now what makes this one a different ball game?

See, I'm not saying be a lazy-ass jackass, and certainly not asking you to cultivate a relationship for the sole purpose of attaining affluence, but tell you this; if Coumba Gawlo asks for my hand in marriage, and I love her, I'll be on my way to Senegal 6 O'clock tomorrow morning; 'ma dem sayii'... I mean I'll accept her residence as our abode if that's what's more practicable.

Imagine....

Imagine how prevailing Islam would've been if every so named Muslim could stop the seemingly promising but empty talks, and stop giving words that are absent of real actions and genuine intentions. If the preacher that preaches honesty and modesty is honestly living modestly.

Imagine how attractive this great faith would've been if every adherent conducts himself purely on the loving and caring teachings of Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the Qur'an, rather than following delusions of religious-looking loons.

Imagine how consistent with reality this world would've been if man's behaviour does not belie his claimed beliefs, standards and virtues, and if he does not engage in the same behaviour or activity that he criticises the next man for. Can you imagine the bliss thereof, or is it impossible?

I wasn't so keen at Dara, so I'm not gonna pretend knowledge beyond Ikhlas, Falaq and Nas, but I know that looks don't mean a thing if conduct is not fitted to excite admiration, if actions cannot speak louder than words, and if every barely reformed believer wants to make it his or her prerogative to be judge, jury and executioner. Peace!

If you can't help, let others help.

I have seen people who are not like us, mobilise funds from overseas, or come from abroad with the intention of increasing the well-being of poor families like us, or set up charities to help needy kids like ours. And they do it out of nothing but kindness and generosity.

Here unfortunately, people are not only unable/unwilling to help, but go all out to be pestilents in the lives of those offering help. Even if you achieve what you own by your own efforts, they'll try to stain and tarnish your name with dishonour. And I was told ours is a population of 95% Muslims.

But to those who think they can spoil those who made them, and to those who think they can betray those who trusted them, or those who think they can be ungrateful to those who stood by them, without consequences and penalties, hear what the good book says:

"When thou hast ceased to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled" - meaning when you are done destroying every bomboclaat thing there is, you will be destroyed. When you are done betraying everyone you deal with, you will be betrayed. For a day will come when virtue will be rewarded and vice will be punished, because our deeds are governed by a higher force that causes one to reap what one sows.

There's no if or but about that, it's only a question of when. So if you ask me, you probably have all the time to seek forgiveness, make amends, and cease to be a jackass. Put love into practice mann!!!

Skin is great but behaviour is greater...

Hypocrisy aside, I think showing off some skin is appealing. In fact, if not for its inviolability, I would have moved that the rule regarding what a lady can or cannot wear in front of non-related adult males be amended, and I know a lot of brothers that'll overtly second the motion.

But that's just me thinking. Now the other thinking that society thinks I'm thinking is that you can be attractive and appealing even without being bare as you dare. But I think that's a matter of truth. I think an alluring beauty that is marked by proper behaviour is like no other.

University of Life

Life itself is a University, and you got to be a double major. Your first major is to challenge yourself to be something, just anything honourable, because society has no regard for insignificant people. So work hard to be a success story at whatever you do, and I emphasise, AT WHATEVER YOU DO. But don't lose sight of the fact that life's too damn short to not be silly when you need to.

Second major is; you need to work on being rid of decadence, by constantly working on your manners, morals and integrity, for the more successful you become, the more your pride in yourself, and often with contempt for others. But that's mostly thanks to those hypocrites and sycophants that you're likely to listen to. And perhaps part of the second major is knowing that one day you'll meet your Maker, and you wouldn't want to be damned on moral grounds.

The worst of losers is the one whose attachment to the fantasies of this world lures him into betraying his beliefs. And the wisest is the one who can contain his urge to transgress; the one who is not blinded by greed, knowing that having enough is when what you have is sufficient to keep body, mind and soul together.

To an unnamed kid...

Dear kid, this life is nothing but a freaking test. If you ask me, your mistakes are your test papers, and you're your own bloody tutor. So it's up to you to learn by experiencing the consequences of your mistakes, but especially the mistakes of others, or blind your own eyes pretending not to realise that failure is painful.

Being an enthusiast or fan of those useless adults that have given their lives to that wilful and intractable deviation from decent conduct will only lead you astray. But you wouldn't know it until you grow old and start to be sorry about the opportunities you've lost, or the shameful things you did.

Truth is, as a kid, there's this weird desire to be like that neighbourhood gangsta that goes about marketing his ways, or that violence-prone junkie who has had run-ins with the police. But like Satan's ways to mislead humankind into sin, these wasted adults are just deceiving you by telling you lies or otherwise giving a false impression of their regretful lives. If you're foolish enough to buy it, know that you're buying nothing but poison.

Sincere ones like myself will warn you, but the majority are only looking for partners, so they wouldn't wallow alone in failure. I'm saying this because I have personally done things that I'm not proud of, and you may not be too lucky a survivor like me. So to be honest, after conducting a personal inventory of the things I did as a kid, and the consequences thereof, I can confirm that life is too damn short to be wasted, and that there's absolutely no gain in waywardness.

In fact the truth about that type of life is that you may think people are laughing with you when they're laughing at you. You may think people are afraid of you when they're only avoiding you. So be a wise kid. Refrain from being an afterthinker and be a forethinker, it'll take you places.

Failure to take heed is like someone had his feet lodged in the quicksand, and by God he struggled not to sink into it. Now he's telling you "bro don't take that path, there's a quicksand ahead," but you stubbornly want to confirm firsthand. How foolish of you. 🙉

Be different but don't be a loon..

To be extraordinary means to be remarkably good, and to be that good you gotta be an exception; you should be comfortable deviating from the norm, and making a habit of doing things that people think you can't do, because those who are always trying to please or conform to society's set of specifications are usually unexceptional, and that's why they seldom make history.

I don't want to name names on here, but most of the people that achieve success by their own efforts were once labelled bad apples, black sheep and weirdos, but that's why they get things done, because they find it amply sufficient to be different, even if that means having an unusually strange behaviour.

WYE NAK, for clarity's sake, I am not saying do things that are unmeaning, or be different as in being a psycho, crackpot, loon, nutbag, screwball, wacko, nutcase, and certainly not a nutjob. 'PURR MU LERR!'

Give some consideration...

My lil niece said she wants a mobile phone. I promised I was gonna get her a toy phone. She went into her momma's room, brought a makeup kit and said: "Uncle take this." In legal terms, her gesture is called consideration, not bribery. I saw the kit as an inducement she's providing for my promise, causing it to become binding.

See, at just two years old, I find her more behaved than most adults today, especially those who tend to be so choosy, picky and cranky, even when they beg; those who'll desire to eat your Akara (bean fritter), but expect you to brave the hot chili sauce for them.

I find her more consciously thoughtful than those adults whose only gift is the gift of receiving, those who'll never give in return, and cannot even tell between a privilege and a right, those who'll beg with authority like you're under an obligation to provide a complete solution to their problems, those who'll tell you: "you know what, if you can't give this or that, and nothing less, then go to hell. I ain't gonna beg you."  [So ko munut nga bye, mann dumala nayhal]

I find her more tactful than those folks who go about claiming hero about their unreasonable demands, like they made you give or help them because you're timid or scared of them. Mtchew!!!

Value your own...

Rather than raving against the rapidity of other people's progress, it is better to look within, work on your deficiencies, lengthen your stride and catch up. It'll be a foolish thing to allow envy and anger to reduce the rate of your personal advancement. That's like cursing the darkness when you have a candle to light.

Holding resentment towards someone for a perceived advantage is bad for you, because it will make you not do the things that you're capable of doing, or do things that you'll regret later. Sometimes you need to overstand that you cannot have it all, that God will always give you what some people lack, and give to some what you lack. This is why we will always be in need of each other, and that's what makes life interesting. There's no fun in being an Island, and absolutely no gain in being injurious or destructive to the lives of others.

If you ask me, being admiring of what other people have is a very human and normal thing, but don't forget to value what you own. To sit and wish that no one gets hold of the things that you cannot have is an all wrong - zero over hundred.

Also, when you pray, keep it clean and sincere, knowing that God is watching. You cannot pray for other people's advancement to a higher state, only to become overly envious the moment they're perceived to be getting ahead of you. That's a stupid thing to do, although very common these days.

Waste not, want not!

I am not saying be a penny pincher, but don't also be penny wise, and pound foolish. Don't let your ability to skydive, or your ease with heights push you to the point of diving without a parachute.

We have this notorious culture of taking wastefulness for good taste, and the dislike of minimalism as a class act. So most of us end up entangling ourselves in some useless class-struggle, expecting our acts of recklessness to be an emergency on other people.

But maybe just like English and Mathematics and in some instances Science, it is becoming a pressing need to equally add the science of prudence, entrepreneurship and management of cashflow to our pool of core subjects. Make them compulsory in the national curriculum.

Be good, do good still...

Some will take advantage of your kindness. Others will try to depress your giving spirit, and simply because they desire possession of that "thank you" that comes your way. Some will call your kindness a false expression of largess.

Sometimes you'll be tempted to wonder if one good turn really deserves another, or maybe you should just be as uncaring as everyone else, but the truth is, you cannot be what you're not made for. Once you're built for the cause of goodness, you cannot be otherwise; at least not for long.

So the best is, don't stop. Keep doing the good that you're doing, because even if others blind their eyes, pretending not to notice, God that knows everything and sees everywhere will notice. After all, kindness will not be reciprocated by all, because gratefulness isn't so common.