Stop being a miserabilist.

Hold on! What if those people that you want to be like, because you think they're flawless are really not? In fact, no one really is. Some are perhaps just great at hiding their flaws and worries, and that's sometimes a good thing, knowing that it's always possible to get something positive out of even what may seem to be a problem, and no matter how unpleasant, difficult or painful it might seem.

In my opinion, everyone's just a regular person - we all pick our noses anyways. The outward appearances taking possession of your mind are sometimes indispensable requirements. So just because X's cosmetic comportment, relationship or job seems perfect doesn't mean you should give too low a rate to what you have.

Maybe you'll realise how awesome you and yours is if you stop being a bloody miserabilist. But if the word "miserabilist" hurts, I should probably say step up your game and stop being a fussbudget.

Just WORD!!!

TWO THINGS: you wouldn't probably know if telling the truth is always the right thing to do until your lies come to light - and trust me, truth will always out, so being economical with it may not be a great idea, especially to those who deserve to know. They're eventually gonna find out, and the consequences may not be so cool.

ANOTHER THING IS: you wouldn't probably know if being real and honest is truly the right thing to do until you get caught in the act of doing something you said you had nothing to do with. So try to stay out of the trouble of getting involved in any sort of fraudulent or otherwise dishonest act.

PERSONALLY, there's never a day that I didn't ask God to keep the things I do in the night from seeing the light, but I figured the answer to that prayer lies in my own hands. I figured I probably should make the things I do in the dark compatible if not totally consistent with how I want to be seen. So help me God!

Dreams come true, but gone wild...

Your dream has come true. Gone are your feelings of despair and dejection. You're now in the public eye and loving every bit of the new life, the new class, the hype, the stalkers and admirers. You even do stuff to draw attention to yourself, and because you love to hear the sound of your own voice. Only a few people tell you the truth because you're well heeled. You're made to believe you're invincible.

You ditch your old friends because you think they're raw, but that's mostly because they've chosen to keep it 100. You burned all your bridges and allowed toadies to build thicket fences around you. Your ego got so inflated that you couldn't notice how such walls are giving them access to live on your efforts without giving anything back. In fact, those walls aren't only making it impossible to be reached, but also difficult to go back to where you came from; where it all started.

Your definition of having fun got twisted to mean engaging in futile activities while serious issues around you are getting worse, or acting without regard for anything, not even the well-being of others around you. BUT does it really make any sense? What if everything grinds to a halt?

My ride, my rules...

For the record, if I find a guy and a lady stranded somewhere, desperately looking for a cab or ride home, and I have room for only one, don't ask! It's the lady I'll pick, because 'adiyata ntelleyeh!'

Especially if this dude happens to be like the majority of guys that'll see your ride breakdown by the side of the road, and won't only stop at not helping, but wish your mechanic won't show up.

Call it preferential bias or whatever you like, I don't give a rat's behind. In fact, I am so bloody tired of that overused nonsense of a criticism. It's called: 'my ride, my rules, my preference.

Manners.....

Pointing out another person's flaws, like saying: "X's essay is so wack" - doesn't mean you can do it better than X. You're just keeping it real, and that's okay.

But in the same spirit, make sure when it's X's time to keep it real, you're fine with taking the taste of your own medicine.

And one more thing: reasonable adults don't create humour for the purpose of getting on the nerves of other adults. That kind of attitude is so, SO high school.

Act right...

You cannot expect to play the devil and don't wake up in hell. It doesn't take a mullah or mufti to know that. But that's why it is often better to not act at all, than to put up an act that'll eventually injure the dignity and respect that you were trying to earn.

About promises...

The rule is, "never make a promise you cannot keep." But even so, sometimes shit goes down and you just cannot control what happens next. I am sure every reasonable human being will overstand that. Besides, a promise they say is comfort to fools.

So just because you couldn't meet a promise, or because you broke a few of them doesn't mean you're bad. You just might want to put a brake on giving promises so quickly. I mean, you may want to try saying it only when you mean it...you know, let your actions do the talking.

If you truly want to help but fail the individual because of an oversight, remember that an unfulfilled promise shouldn't be a reason for you to avoid your promisee. Sometimes all what the person needs is closure.

Sometimes we are our own Satan...

I don't know if this makes sense at all, but my assessment of the reason why we are called human beings is because we all have the potential to become good or evil. I believe these two adjectives are in all of us, and also very feedable. Now how we feed either of the two depends on our individual mental tendencies, and how proactive our consciences are.

Evil I believe is caused to grow by inflating the ego, through envy-motivated resentment and greed. Good on the other hand is fed not only by our awareness of the suffering of others, but also with the wish to relieve it, and of course by being happy for/about successes other than ours.

Listen, I believe in God and the doctrine that everything has been foreordained by Him, but I also believe that His intervention is mostly permissive rather than directive. I believe most of the things we do, especially to one another are purely consequences of the decisions we make, and the gains or expectations thereof, not necessarily because of our perceived conditions.

But until we realise this, we'll keep wronging one another, and we'll keep blaming it on Satan because he is the usual suspect, rather than taking responsibility as to what we could've done differently. I don't know, but I am sure if Satan could, he will occasionally appear to vindicate himself, like: "hey man, own up! I may be evil and all, but I didn't cause you to do this one, and certainly not that one either."

Islam is for everyone...

Just like the valid argument that terrorism is no religion's monopoly, we gotta overstand that Islam too is no single race's monopoly. I gotta say this because some religious comments I see on here are kinda racist, morally wrong and unjustifiable.

Our ambiguous use of pronouns like "we," "they" and "us" makes it feel like the Qur'an was sent to Arabs and coloured people rather than the whole of humankind, and the sooner we stop the bigotry and spread the great teachings therein, the better for everyone.

I hate it when people who cannot even remember when last they prayed or gave thanks to God, spew discord in the name of religion, and just because they know that religion has a pretty tight support system. I don't know if it is only me, but it sometimes feels as if truth has gone offline on here, and religion has been reduced to a tool in our struggle for superiority. We need to cause such ignorance to fail.

Black insecurity or inferiority?

Truth is, the word "superiority" is only a term in classification, and it is based on evidence and competence. For instance, if my Chicago Bulls become this season's NBA champions, we'll say they're a superior team, not because the individual players are beyond regular, but because the team has proven to be better than average.

See, where I come from, it is said that if someone loans you his feet, you will go wherever he wishes, and if he lends you his eyes, you will look wherever he wishes. What that means is, you cannot expect to go, view or do whatever you want if everything you call yours is borrowed. You can call me names if you like, but what I am trying to say is, rather than making 'white-bashing' a full time job, I think it'll be a lot more honourable to focus on creating institutions that will thwart the "evil white man's" agenda and promote the blackman's interest.

If for example the free franchise that the Facebook team is affording us is no longer promoting black interest, let's unsubscribe and create something that'll get back at them. But until then, I mean until we stop the "we" versus "them" rhetoric and get to work, create builders and unselfish movers and change makers, white superiority as well as black insecurity and defeatism will be here to stay.

Are you honestly married?

I've seen people marry for the sake of marriage, and probably because they've fallen for society's uncritical idea of marriage, even if it means going against the clock. I've seen mad-rages and mirages called marriages. I've seen incidental marriages. I've seen marriages out of pity. I've seen marriages drawn upon for sustenance. I've even seen marriages that are because marriage seems to the only remaining option.

I say this, folks tell me: "Hey man, you're insane. You don't get it, marriage is seductive," but so is evil. Look, I know marriage is a great institution and all, and I am not saying all marriages are evil, but naturally, I know marriage isn't always a bed of roses. At least I know a lot of married dudes who today say they'll do anything just so they can turn back the hands of time, and that's pretty scary.

Hahatai...Okay, maybe I am the one sounding weird and evil here, but the point I am trying to make is, instead of wasting valuable time trying to break someone else's, check yours clean, I am sure there's something about it that you should fix; it will make your thing happier. I thought I should say that.

To the ladies...

Listen up young lady. I am not trying to be some guardian angel or something, but, like very seriously, I have seen things, so many things. And yeah, you can pretend not to notice, but the truth is, we live in a world that doesn't care much about the reputation of women. In fact, most of us love it when there's an incident or some kinky event that disgraces or damages feminine reputation. As long as it's not happening to our own sister.

Look, tell me, how many times has there not been a disgraceful incident between a man and a woman and considerable part of the scandal is not brought upon the woman, as if it takes only one person to tango? Have you ever thought of that;  like, why do men always seem to be absolved? Oh, yeah! Just what I thought! It's kinda unfair, like sexist right?

So whilst we're in this Jihad to bring about equality of both sexes in all aspects of public and private life, I am urging y'all to be in each other's lives, have your own backs, and respect yourselves, knowing that whatever you do today in the name of "living once" has ramifications. It will make it easier to be on your side if you're on your own side, and because the respect you seek is not going to be given to you just like that.

So for starters, stop calling yourselves "bitches" that you're not. But if you insist, be my guest, and don't say I didn't warn you if you get treated like one. I thought I should say that. Actually that's what's on my mind right now.

New World Disorder...

Whatever the agenda of the so called "New World Order" (NWO) was, it has evidently created nothing but growing disorder. Sometimes I think I just want out before the "NWO" becomes a 'No Way Out.'

This world's become a weird ball of isms and schisms, something the Rastaman warned us about a long time ago; from growing sectarianism, to racism, totalitarianism, capitalism, sexism, separatism, to I-don't-know-what-ism.

Bloody hell! I don't know if it's the media that's hyping everything, but gosh, our world sucks big time. Sometimes I want to believe it's doomsday come early. Like, can't we for fuq's sake bring back intelligent civilisation. What's wrong with humankind?

Bul merreh li si kass bi, merrel ki ko xelli…

You know you’re a retard if you were born in 19 O’long or earlier, but continue to value the prospect of outclassing and out-dressing some rival you had way back in high school, even if that person has shifted focus to more important things. You’ll try but you cannot do anything that will annoy such a person, because this person has a better purpose that he or she’s now keeping close to his heart.

And because the person is unbothered by your foolishness, you’ll be there thinking he or she’s condescending or something, but the truth is, that presentiment of yours is but a consequence of your insecurity or desperation. Trying to be an agent of the person’s downfall is not the wisest thing to do. The best thing is to see such rivalries as one-time-only events, grow up and recommit to your life's purpose.

Where I come from, it is said that rather than being angry with what is in the cup, get angry with the one who poured it. Make a distinction between your unpleasant situation and the author of the situation, and if yours is as a consequence of what you did or did not do, don’t go about pointing finger at innocent people, or doing something you’ll regret later; try and make adjustments to your ways, and lengthen your strides in order to achieve if not the best, but a desired ending.

He's not unable, he's unwilling...

He has two bachelor's degrees, a postgraduate diploma and a master's degree, with a very insightful thesis on employment creation in Africa. Now he's studying towards a PhD in I-don't-know-what, probably debating.

On short courses, he did a refresher course at Ripa, fellowship in the United States, Canada and India. He did managerial training at Gimpa, and also benefited from a Singapore study tour. This is the profile of a typical African intellectual.

Don't get so wowed yet, because ironically, he goes to work everyday, glued to his laptop, searching for more capacity building opportunities. Meanwhile, his employer has gotten him a consultant from overseas to teach him what he already knows, and to help him generate an outcome

Capacity building my foot. He doesn't need capacity, he needs 'will,' because his is definitely not lack of competence, and certainly not inability, it is a case of unwillingness. Mtcheew!!!

'Buggay du mutt, ngorr mutt...'

I was told that the best amulet for a human being is honesty and right-mindedness. But where I come from, there is this saying that “none can be perfectly greedy and completely honest at the same time.”

So I will rather say the best amulet for a human being is contentment and freedom from greed; very simple logic. If your eyes are bigger than your stomach, you'll naturally be inclined to take on more than you can consume, and if you do that, you'll be so stuffed, and you know the damages done, or the outages caused by excessive load, it doesn't matter what the load is.

About world peace...

After his 13 years of baseless detention at Guantanamo, Shaker Aamer said: "If there is anything that will bring the world to peace, it is to remove injustice," and I believe he has a point, if not THE point.

If the world truly wants to chill and smoke the peace pipe, each man must endeavour to stop the violation of the rights of the next man. We must stop exercising power in an overly exacting and unjust manner. We must be fair in the way we pass judgments, and in our interference between rivals and disputants.

We cannot maintain an environment of peace for the comfort of all, unless we stop affording treatments and considerations based on class and category rather than individual merit. There cannot be harmony in our relations unless we stop intolerance and prejudice, especially religious and racial bigotry.

With all of the above in place, I am not a seer but I don't think a dime will ever be spent on the attainment of world peace. But then that'll be bad business for the military-industrial complexes.

If it is not my business, it is not my business....

When someone does something, or makes a choice that you cannot stand, and you think should be done differently, you don't just object and that's it; you need to do something that'll counteract the effect or forever hold your peace. Complaining is never a strategy.

Me, it may be a selfish principle, but seriously, no matter how hyped or controversial a thing is made to be, if it has nothing to do with the price of my favourite Caffè Touba at Westfield, it is of as much use to me as a handbrake on a canoe. P.S - Olof Njie neh: pompiterre mo ma genal patat, ko si yorbu polis beh tejlu ko, lawyam ba munut tuss.

Terrorism is a common enemy...

Having travelled far and read pretty extensively, I can confirm that there's no country that hates religious division more than the Gambia, but that's because division breeds nothing but confusion, and maybe that's something we can share with the world. Here, we appreciate each other's values and even share festive moments, and this is why some of us go to non-Muslim parties and be catered for. You'll be told which food is halal and which one is haram, so you only take what you're comfortable with.

Granted, there are amongst us a few that extol contrariness as a virtue; but generally, the way we see it, people don't necessarily have to be friends with each other; we don't have to shove our ideas down each other's throat, but we can all be friendly to one another. It doesn't hurt, and so far, it has taken us far. In a humane way that is.

Okay, now to the point. Muslims were warned not to fight against those who aren't fighting against them, but they're also encouraged to strive to prevent oppression, aggression and tyranny. So you tell me, how different is that with today's so called "war on terror?" Can't people see, Islam started war on terror some 1400 years ago.

However, in places unlike the Gambia, there are some who will ignore context and accuse the Quran for authorising the killing of all Jews and Christians. But anyone can do that. I can for instance, and with the intention to paint Christianity cruel, perversely quote Luke 19:27: "But those my enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring here, and slay them before me." But I won't do that, because I know better, that it isn't the right thing to do.

Few years ago, news agencies busted and exposed a lot of kinky priests, but decent people didn't slander all Christians because of the act of those few. Today, Netanyahu is butchering innocent Palestinians, but that doesn't make every Jew murderous. So why would supposed acts of Jihadi John or Caliph Ibrahim be a standard by which 1.6 Billion Muslims are judged?

Look at the show of solidarity that Muslims are doing for France right now. Do you think bad people will do that? I am more than sure that if we as true Muslims can do something to stop these armed lunatics, we will, but the truth is we can't. Obama has a bigger budget, but can he? So I guess the sooner we realise that we're dealing with a common enemy, the better for humanity.

Don't assume that everyone should know better...

See, even those who pretend to be mind readers don't necessarily read minds, they only guess, of course based on observation of certain psychological and physiological variables. So if someone hurts you, or you have something to say to someone, just get over your whatever and say it. Don't assume that everyone should know better.

It sucks to accept, forgo or abide against your will, and I am not thinking so, I know so. The healthy thing to do is to avoid tacit suggestions and just make your point. The truth is, no matter how quick you think the person's cognitive capacity is, insinuations, clues and hints don't work all the time.

It's awesome to be the you that you know...

Okay, just in case you want to act like the Kerry Washington in "Scandal," or Chris Brown, Gabrielle Union, Kevin Hart, or Michael Ealy in "Think Like a Man," remember that theirs was only a television thingy, with characters playing scripted roles, exaggeratedly emotional and sentimental sometimes.

So you might want to look up the word "scripted," and then reconsider keeping the you that you know, but of course depending on your judgement. That way, even if you want to proceed with the new you, you'll play it with caution and thought. I thought I should say that.

Letter to my unborn child...

Dear unborn child,

I am so sorry it took me forever to bring you into this messed up world of ours. It was not that I couldn't, but I guess I was so into trying to play my part in breaking the back of the beast that put us into this state of moral decline. I wanted you to have a normal life, one that'll be conducive to health, and a world where your liberty will be assured, but the older I grow, the more I get sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Now I am not sure if the timing is great, but I have made the decision to let you in, knowing that together we can make a difference. However, since ours has become so unsafe, I don't know, but in case I get beheaded for refusing to be a "martyr," or get "accidentally" droned and gone before you grow, please let my blog @ omartouray.blogspot.com be your keepsake. Read every piece and take heed.

Kid, two ills: inconsistency and intolerance, if your generation is able to flush them out, your world may not be so perfect, but it'll be OK and that'll do. There will at least be equal treatment of people irrespective of differences in beliefs, opinions and practices, and y'all will naturally be willing to accept and exercise patience towards one another, and live happily ever after.

Actually, there's a third and even a fourth ill, as in greed and envy, but let those responsible worry about their actions, because these two acts will rebound unexpectedly, and when they do, that which follows is nothing but personal ruin and dishonour.

With LO❤E,
Dad.

The world needs to recalibrate...

"158 dead, there goes your 'peaceful' religion again." Now comments like that make me sick, angry and ashamed all at once, but if there's anything I am not going to do right now, is to apologise for being a Muslim. See, don't get this twisted, my heart bleeds for France right now, and no normal human being will condone such an act, let alone in the name of a religion you adore, but just because some lunatic chants "Allah akbar" prior to committing fuckery, or just because someone goes by the name Omar, Abdulaziz, Abdullah or Ibn-something doesn't mean he's a Muslim, or whatever he does must be used as a brush to paint every Muslim.

Look, in as much as we want to condemn all these supposed religious extremism, we also need to consider the root cause of the so called radicalisation of these terrorists, and the "collateral damages" that are apparently creating nothing but collateral enemies. Bigger heads need to recalibrate and see if the extreme anti-extremism, or the anti-terrorist terrorism is really doing us good. That's what unbiased people do. They prevent a problem from escalating by nipping it at the bud, because blaming innocent people is never a strategy. May God protect this...this thing we call our world from armed criminals, both overt and covert. I thought I should say that. Amen!

Relational crises...

FLASHBACK - After the fight: "He's a maniac. I'm so done with him. Real men don't beat up their women. Thank God I'm out of it all. Do you know how many better men are dying to have me? I gave this jerk a chance when he was nothing; today he's exhibiting class over me. God punish me if I should go back to this stupid casanova!"

FAST FORWARD - Relationship restored and the harmony is back: "He didn't mean it. I know he loves me. He's got issues but he's a cool guy. In fact, none is perfect. I know some people were happy to see us fight, but there's nothing they can do about this relationship" - and those friends that were genuinely talking sense into her will all of a sudden be declared envious.

Okay, that's none of my business. My take is, if you know him so bloody well to tell what he means or did not mean, or what you mean to him, why bother us in the first place?

Time! Can't afford to waste it...

I have observed that people who make money don’t have time. But that's because they use all the time translating ideas into rewarding ventures. People like me have all the time we need. In fact we have some much time that we sometimes look at our watches and say: "Dayum! Time is so damn slow today," but that's perhaps why we're broke and broken.

So I'm thinking maybe if I work on an idea that is important enough to spend time and effort on, for every time I spend on talking nonsense, or every time I sit at my spot like an anatomist, subjecting every female behind that passes by to analysis, as to who's the 'janha' and who's 'jegg', maybe l wouldn't be on this slow league.

But maybe Napoleon Bonaparte is right. Maybe my ability is nothing without opportunity. But maybe opportunity as in a chance for advancement can be created, not always given, especially in a world where self-interest has become a standard, if not 'THE standard' for decision making.

Arrogance is a terrible thing...

My boy said the Arabs have Islam, but have very few Muslim-like Muslims. He said our part of the world has Muslims, but we lack Islam. At first I thought he was high on some weed or stuff, but I gave it a thought during my reasoning session this morning, and looking at events around the world today, I'm not tryna be racist or something, but I think he makes a lot of sense.

See, the Arabian subcontinent was the birthplace of Islam and naturally Islamic, and perhaps why most of them have legislated shari'a. The last word of God was revealed in their language. A son of their land was handpicked to convey the message, and to be the seal of all the Prophets before him. They're so blessed that one of the five pillars of Islam is performed on their soil, but despite all these, they have fallen asleep at the wheel, killed religious fraternity, and it explains the prejudicial concession they're having with the enemy against their own. See Palestine and Syria for instance and tell me if honestly, they're being honestly treated?

Here unlike Arabia, folks are so willing to serve, but whether we fully know how to do it is what I doubt. But that's why we accept everything we think is religious without questioning its authenticity. It is the reason why we sometimes go beyond the requirements of obedience, because we cannot differentiate between the obligatory and the supererogatory. It is the reason why we keep introducing new ways, contrary to established customs, manners and rites. Some of us take every Arab culture to be Islamic, and do not bother to find out if that culture or practice is actually based on the Quran and hadith. I have seen folks hold Arabic newspapers sacred simply because they're written in Arabic. I have even seen people wearing desert survival clothes and they think they're following a sunnah.

So yes, the case of the Arabs is evidently a thing of disinclination or reluctance, ours is ignorance, BIG FAT IGNORANCE!!! May God protect us all.

Islam-less Muslims...

My boy said the Arabs have Islam, but have very few Muslim-like Muslims. He said our part of the world has Muslims, but we lack Islam. At first I thought he was high on some weed or stuff, but I gave it a thought during my reasoning session this morning, and looking at events around the world today, I'm not tryna be racist or something, but I think he makes a lot of sense.

See, the Arabian subcontinent was the birthplace of Islam and naturally Islamic, and perhaps why most of them have legislated shari'a. The last word of God was revealed in their language. A son of their land was handpicked to convey the message, and to be the seal of all the Prophets before him. They're so blessed that one of the five pillars of Islam is performed on their soil, but despite all these, they have fallen asleep at the wheel, killed religious fraternity, and it explains the prejudicial concession they're having with the enemy against their own. See Palestine and Syria for instance and tell me if honestly, they're being honestly treated?

Here unlike Arabia, folks are so willing to serve, but whether we fully know how to do it is what I doubt. But that's why we accept everything we think is religious without questioning it's authenticity. It is the reason why we sometimes go beyond the requirements of obedience, because we cannot differentiate between the obligatory and the supererogatory, and the reason why we keep introducing new ways, contrary to established customs, manners, or rites. Some of us take Arab culture to be Islamic, and do not bother to find out if that culture or practice is actually based on the Quran and hadith. I have seen folks hold Arabic newspapers sacred simply because they're written in Arabic. I have even seen people wearing desert survival clothes and they think they're following a sunnah.

So yes, the case of the Arabs is evidently a thing of disinclination or reluctance, ours is ignorance, BIG FAT IGNORANCE!!! May God protect us all.

About money...

Like the Nigerian R&B duo (P-Square), some folks are allergic to poverty. Going by their "Testimony" song lyrics that is. But I believe others are immune to it, and that's not a joke. Those who confuse determination for discontent will say being immune is best, because they think it will lead to contentment and ease, no matter your condition or situation.

For my part, I don't think that notion is always correct. I believe having an innate resistance to poverty can also lead to satisfaction with indigence, mediocrity, hopeless and inescapable poverty. I don't know about y'all, but me, I'm tired of being broke like that. In fact, I'm not built for it.

And don't give me that tired "money can't buy happiness" consolation, because even the mere expectation of it makes you happy. I'm not also making money a standard by which self-worth should be measured. All I'm saying is, in this overly capitalistic world, stuffs cost money, including certain religious rites. In fact, deny it if you like, but today, you don't make sense to society if you don't make money.

Let your opinion be candid....

Listen! If someone you call a friend wears or buys something you think is ugly, inappropriate or substandard, and she asks for your candid opinion regarding that thing, the least you can do is to mean what you say to her.

It'll be deliberately misleading and unbecoming of you as a friend to give your approval in her presence, only to go behind her back, criticising or disapproving of that same thing through scornful jocularity to another friend.

Today, I don't know if "woeful" has become the new "awesome," but it's baffling to see folks tell a friend: "Oh wow, girl, you're awesome." And the next minute they're texting another friend: "Hey babes! Did you see the pics that 'anonymous' tagged me to? Dayum! She wack as fuck." Then that sorry ass will respond as follows: "Girl I'm in shock. I don't know if crappy or shitty is what I should call 'em." Me, I'll be like: "Jeez, be honest to God for once, idiots!"

The wicked will reap what they sow.

In this world of deliberate and often calculated disregard for trust and sincerity, your best asset is to have a short memory, and that's no sarcasm. Really, even if you cannot forget, just accept and move on, because people are gonna betray you, hurt you, and hate you for hurting you, nonstop.

If you think taking personal retaliatory action against them is best, be my guest, otherwise, accept that you cannot fight fate, but fate having its own back will someday cause the wicked to reap what they sow. Selah!!!!

Enable, don't disable!

A little bird told me, one who is motivated and inclined to excel will enable rather than detract others, and is more than likely to be more successful than a person that is not trying to achieve anything, except for being in constant denial of the potentials of others.

I am sure you know someone like that. One who belittles the worth of everyone and every cause that he's not a part of. But from when you are able to safeguard your goals, Mahatma Gandhi said: “First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win.”

Are you honestly working?

There's a difference between working for someone and working on yourself at someone's.

If your employer fulfils his side of the employment contract by paying you a salary before your sweat dries out, but you suck at doing the job you're paid to do, your that salary is unearned and unlawful (haram). If his resources are what you use to do your own thing whilst at work, you owe him his bloody money back with interest.

It's just unfortunate that folks tend to think that memorising a few religious jargons and pretending to be holier than everyone is all it takes to be a godly person. So they go about passing judgments and talking about people and their relationships with God, failing to realise that a violation of the rights of another person is also a misdeed that requires attention.

I don't have to be a seer to fortell that if we are not mindful of the way we live and treat each other, a lot of us will be roasted in the pits of hell, not for the violation of God's will (Bakarr), but for the wrongs (Aahaa) we inflict on one another. May God protect us all.

Downbeat attitude sucks...

It's natural and healthy to give reasonable vent to your feelings, especially of pain or dissatisfaction; everyone does it. During his White House Correspondents' Dinner speech, cool Barack Obama hilariously personified his through an "Anger Translator" (Luther). So what's not cool and arguably ungodly is to be constantly looking at the terrible side of everything, and always trying to subject everyone to a mood worse than a premature ejaculation; like you love being unhappy, hopeless and angry.

Seriously, I think we can all afford a one way ticket to gloom-land and live there sadly ever after, but nobody gets anywhere in life with that kind of downbeat attitude. It makes you feel like yours is the worst of all possible cases. Even my dawg 'En Ehch' (Never Happy) that tends to view every glass half empty is sometimes positive and lively, but of course knowing that his pebble cannot be the only pebble on the beach.

Kuneh sa xetti tubeye doi nala fone...

"Kuneh sa xetti tubeye doi nala fone" - Olof Njie. Roughly meaning: 'pleasant or unpleasant, each to the smell of his own trousers.'

Apparently, a lot of us have senses that can detect everyone else's but our own odour. So we tend to be good at offering advices but hardly able to show that we could actually do any better. If we're told or shown, most of us get easily offended, upset or feel hurt, because we're unreasonably sensitive to the taste of our own medicine (criticism).

I don't know if that's a good thing, but I know it is good to be mindful of the fact that one day, your own thing that you hide, or treat without sufficient attention and careful heed will transform into a serpent and bite you.

Born-again fans...

When she was trying to master the art of survival, they said she was a bitch, treated her like she was a threat to communal decency. Now she's blessed with everything they drool for. Haters say she's just lucky, but they still suck up to her. She's even become an object of infatuation to those guys that said she was too improper, immodest and indecent for a serious relationship.

I saw her at the supermarket the other day, she was like a heavyweight champion, accompanied by a retinue of toadies, all of them bitches trying to please her, including nemeses from way back. But that's what happens to those who dedicate their lives to bringing about the downfall of hardworking people, they end up being born-again fans.

Be spontaneous, be unorthodox...

To be great at your chosen trade, you need to be spontaneous and sometimes unorthodox. If a footballer or basketball player is what you're, you don't always need to plan your moves beforehand. Your possession of the ball and the move that follows should be simultaneous, else you'll be so predictable and easily tackled and dispossessed. You'll hold your head in disappointment and yell: "chapan..."

If music is what you're into, your lyrics must flow at the same time with the beat. That way, you can spit some bars even if unrehearsed. You may invent fillers like "yo yo yo!" to buy you time to think, but it has to be moderate, otherwise you'll be on stage disgusting or discouraging your fans with endless nonsense. And by the way, "yo-yo" is an urban jargon meaning a foolish, annoying or incompetent person.

If a technocrat is what you call yourself, you must be quick on your feet with sensible reaction to techincal issues. But you know you're just an overpaid retard if you cannot make decisions without someone else's opinion, and no matter how much technical information you have before you.

But the most spontaneous of all should be the writer. You cannot call yourself one if it takes you donkey's years to begin or continue work on a piece, like you're suffering from a perpetual writer's block, or a forever-lasting writer's cramp. I thought I should say that.

Love unites...

I may not know the key to being a people of one undivided entity, but I know there's something within everyone that we can use to demolish the shackles of hatred, and that thing is "love." I know I may not be the right person to talk about love, because I breakup faster than I make up, but this love is not necessarily your usual romantic or adulterous type of relationships. I am referring to a feeling of affection and care towards one another.

The love I am talking about starts by showing God some gratitude, treating His Prophets with profound awe and respect. It's about showing your parents and especially your mothers affection even after their demise. It's about parents being protective, spouses manifesting overtanding and a decent feeling of intimate attachment towards one another, siblings showing empathy for each other, and each recognising the feelings of the other. It even includes that favourably disposed attitude towards our friends and fellow men.

But you cannot be nice or say you like someone but hate his or her dog. If you say you like someone, you should accept everything about them, including the people they like.

Until then...

Until success and affluence become ultimate reasults of hardwork, dedication, perseverance, honesty and adherence to established moral and ethical codes; until meritocracy is kept erect, and people do away with that feeling of identity and loyalty to the people they like, even if they're not likeable; until everyone's free from hypocrisy, disguise and false pretense, humanity will be as crooked as a dog's hind leg, and we will keep giving the dog a bad name. Like we now call ours a "dog eat dog world."

Count yours, we're all blessed, just in different ways...

They say if you can't run with the big dogs, you'd better stay on the porch. And I say if you can't keep up with the good that others are doing, stay on your couch and watch 'Popeye the Sailor.'

Let hopelessness not lead you to a feeling of dislike or a contemptuous rejection of the God-given grace, elegance, or skill of another person. Count your own blessings and be grateful, because in this Dunia, there's always something for everyone.

Be nice to elders....

It is very dangerous to criticise other people's parents, even if it is going to be an implied criticism, and especially when such parents are your own parents' contemporaries. Some of them can borrow guts to talk and it may not be so favourable.

Once upon a time, there was this kid that had this misguided attitude of rebuking elders, just for the heck of it. One day, these old men were at their spot minding their own business, the arrogant kid pulled over, and because they knew they were about to hear another harsh criticism, one of them thought enough was enough, and before the kid could finish saying "you people," the old man retorted: "Whoa, kid! Not today. You see, we may not be as great as your dad that left you a fortune to inherit, but we're honourable people."

Then there was deafening silence, everyone wondering what the old man was about to say. The kid was like: "go on, what do you know?" The old man pointing to his friends said: "at least none of us here was ever foolish enough to sleep with, let alone impregnate his own daughter." He then added: "kid, maybe you should ask your mom who the father of your sister's son is."

Paradise of parasites...

From when I was a month to fifteen, I realised that a friend that resentfully desires your physical features or material possessions is not a friend. Like the type of friend that wouldn't even want to roll with you to a place where your presence will be acknowledged, or where honour and repute will be brought upon you.

Such a friend can ask for an outing this minute, get you all excited, probably because he or she's got something new to flaunt, but only to call off the plan at the eleventh hour, and simply because you came looking so well off, inciting his or her sense of inferiority into action.

Soon as I became an adult, I learned to say to such people: 'you know what, fuck your feelings. I am gonna go out and have fun with those who love me for me, because in the end, my happiness is what's more important.' It's not like I became reserved or remote, I am still a people person, but I'll rather have a handful of real people around me than be surrounded by a paradise of parasites.

Momentary loss of dignity.. very normal!

If you 'dohort' (fart) in public, accidentally that is, or you stumble and get your trousers torn, causing an awkward burst (backlight), don't let that momentary loss of dignity be written all over your face, because it can happen to anyone.

Once, but that was a long time ago, I went to this elderly neighbour to borrow his hand-pump and to pump up my basketball. As I bent forward to greet him with two hands, my pipes couldn't hold the digestive gases, and then you know the rest of the story. LOL

At that moment, I had two choices. One was to act like I'm more than human and see it as an improper act, or let pass the unexpected event and get my ball pumped for free, so I did the latter. Call it "nyaaka johm" (lack of self-respect) but to me it's "xam sohla" (inclined to get what you want).

For my part, having a feeling of shameful discomfort is a human tendency, provided it is not tending to dissuade or divert you form your purpose.

About ours...

I think because of the size of our population, anything, even as usual as dogs getting stuck during sex is capable of influencing undue opinions, time and behaviours. Then everything bursts inwards and so outrageously, until a new nonsense comes about, rendering the old one out of vogue.

In fact, what we choose to make trendy is not my problem. My concern is, almost all of them are totally unrelated, unapplicable, unimportant and unconnected to progress. They neither favour nor promote forward thinking.

I don't know, but I think we need a serious critical consideration of our consciences, motives and values. It will take us far.