Saturday, 1 April 2017

The Death of a Mother.

The river of death flows angrily into our home and the cry of the dying rings out on every street and constantly we hear the women screaming and crying with groan of pain.
 Even in the darkest of night, one can see that there is suffering everywhere, Jobless youths lie everywhere, their arms and legs move helplessly in the shells, while their future  are crying out for help.
There are thousands of our countrymen dying and trapped in silence but the mother claimed to be ignorant.
The mother is in the hotel watching TV, dancing to music, eating and drinking, while her children are dying of hunger at home.  
The street is filled with people, crying, praying, and begging for mercy, for a miracle to happen, but no miracle happens.
While some manage to escape abroad, some endure the suffering but after sometimes those who escaped abroad are deported back to their home.
They return home, but can only walk about the streets, weeping and living on public succour.
Many of them are uprooted from their homes and many are killed abroad but some of the lucky ones who come back prefer being killed abroad.
Millions of our innocent people are suffering, and much of the youths’ talents are being destroyed every day.
Even the innocent baby in the womb is now suffering and the situation is getting to a point of no return. Crying and complaining only help us to release the emotions; but they do not solve the issues. In fact, crying may infuriate the problem, as crying is not a solution but a reaction. How can we expect our children to be what we do not prepare them to be? Even if you cannot solve their problems, at least lend a sympathetic ear to their cry. For those who care, the situation now is do or to die.
Our poor Children are neglected and no one cares for them.
If someone wants to take YOUR piece of land worth N100,000 from you and you discover that you will pay lawyers N150,000 before you recover it, will you go ahead to recover the land?
Someone will have a case and 20Lawyers will come to defend him maybe because he has money and the other will have no one to defend him.
This shows that Nigerian courts are not out for justice. They do not judge from how TRUTHFUL you are but how LOGICAL your arguments sound.  
There is hunger and corruption in our home but our politicians are enjoying and at the same time claiming the ignorance.
In Budget 2017: Federal Government had to spend N432million on cars for ex-presidents while they cannot afford to pay pensions and gratuity.
Some of these are ex Governors who went into senate and they are being paid there as senators.
Why are you buying cars for someone who has many cars already?
If you want to be a good leader, why not place yourself in the shoes of the people you are leading?
Even our Traditional Rulers have been brainwashed into accepting this horrendous crime as business as usual just because of money.
I would think that this our so called home would be better served talking about jobs for the youth, not about personal interest of the politicians who have jobs, who have health insurance (Abroad), who have allowances even in things that are not necessary.
If this is done, our people will not be so desperate in travelling abroad.
Why are our people (as well as the president) so desperate about travelling abroad? Our home, a place God endowed with no earthquake history, no Hurricane, no volcano, no Heat stroke, no cold winter but beautiful weather. U.S, Canada, U.K, Australia and any part of the world is not better than our home but our politicians have turned her into hostility, No wonder many of our people been are hated everywhere.
Our politicians value money more than they value our lives.
Our politicians value the lives of cows more than.
If you think it is not true, what has Our Leaders done with regard to the killing of about 40 people in Nimbo in Enugu in April 2016?
About 50 people in Agatu area of Benue State, February 2016?
About 15 people in Gashaka Local Government Area of Taraba State, April 2016?
More than 22 persons were killed in December 2016, Kwata in Jos South Local government area of Plateau State‎?
And many other places, yet the Federal Government allows them to go about with their ammunitions.
If you say the truth, they will attack you or call you all sorts of names. Dr Dora Akunyili fought for people’s life by preventing the importation of fake drugs and people said she was wicked. Nigeria! Ndo.  I (IZUNWAONU) am now telling them the truth that the Mother of our home is dead and if care is not taken Our Home (Nigeria) also will die.
The only thing I will say about some of our politicians is that, they are another class of kidnappers and thieves who operate openly without shame.
As long as religion is misused by our politicians for their own selfish interests our home Nigeria can never progress rather they continue to do us, “the more you look, the less you see.”
They will belong to every religion that they may be voted for and even use the religious leaders to operate.
Our politicians do not care about our home country Nigeria.
Our politicians do not care about the people they are supposed to serve.
That is why they receive millions of Naira every month and they begin to talk about the minimum wage for the ‘slaves’ (N18, 000).
That is not even the greatest problem, but unemployment among young people. These politicians are already old which means that their death will bring about the termination of the nation.
We live in our nation constitutionally and we elected them to represent the interests of the nation and not the interest of particular oligarchic group.
If we do not take precautions, the magnitude of the weeping will be enormous.
If we do not take precautions, death will begin to sing the national anthem as it is expected and all the Nigerian (both Rich and poor, politicians and non-politicians) will begin to pray for the resurrection of Nigeria.
Yes, indeed, today our Mother Nigeria is dead.
Yes her political system is dead and it needs resurrection.
I would say, if we want to get back to the root of the problem, we should consider the people, as the real backbone of the nation.
Yes if we want change, we should want change for the Nigeria people, not politicians and their selfish agendas. And this will contribute to the resurrection of our Dead Mother Nigeria. Read more at izunwaonu.blogspots.com


Saturday, 4 March 2017

Nude Morality

…I am sure she knew I was saying the truth. I have asked her on my knees a hundred times, not to imitate the negative side of Nollywood but she has always shaken her head. Even though I did not call her a prostitute, she believed I was referring to her after reading my philosophy of life on my Instagram @izunwaonu on 15th Feburuary 2017.  
           “I am what I think people think I am.” Yes that is my Philosophy of life. I am not what I think I am. I am not what people think I am. I am what I think people think I am.
          Every day, you come back very late in the night. What do you think people think you are doing? Every day you are always seen near brothel. What do you think people think you are? Every time you are seen dressing half-naked. What do you think people think you are? Inside yourself, you know what people think and that which people think you are is what you are.
“If people must fall, why must you be the cause?” I said to her. “How should I live in a campus without living a campus life?” she has said, and cried and was not ready to do whatever I pleased; that she had been startled more than he could say by the sudden sight of one whom she took as a holy person.
The truth is that it is very difficult to be holy and moral in an immoral and corrupt environment. I am not even talking about virginity or abstinence from sexual intercourse, however, I am talking about ordinary dressing code. People exposing the most sensitive parts of their bodies and at the same time are proud of it. Is it because they are not taught or is it another way of expressing beauty? There is always a sense of insecurity that arises from an immoral social order, a corrupt environment and a decadent atmosphere.
          I only know one reason why people dress half-naked and that is “sexual attraction of the opposite sex either for money or for love”. If that is the case, then I should call such people prostitutes. This is because, it is by selling and exposing their body that they do their businesses. I am not blaming her because that is the world she found herself. A world that has no regard for morality. The magazine and the internet as well have contributed a lot to it in the name of fashion and civilization. Why must people advertise their products with nude pictures? Why must Nigerian movie industries emulate nudity? May be because they know that lust is a very strong feeling. They know that if feeling can be prompted in people in connection with their products, then there will be a greater chance that the people will pay much attention to it. Can you imagine a motor cycle tire being advertised with a nude girl? What connections do they have? Why do they believe they will sell more by harassing the public with the bare flesh of sensitive parts of the body?  Nudity corrupts faith and is evil. When I talk about nudity, I mean what is indecent and immoral as regards to our dressing code.    
          This is the one of the most occurring temptations nowadays. One is not tempted with what he/she does not have. The three temptations in today’s Gospel periscope remind us that no one is above being tempted. It is only by staying close to God through prayer that we too, like Jesus would overcome the temptation.
          For those who make effort to be moral in a world of immorality, you only need the grace of God. St. Paul tells us in his letter to Romans Chapter 5:20 that where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more. We should know as well that if one leads any of the young youths astray, it would be better drowned in the sea with a great millstone (cf. Mathew 18:5-6).

Happy First Sunday of Lent.   

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Saturday, 21 January 2017

The Tragedy of Life



 Why this tragedy? No! No!! No!!! Nothing in this world has a meaning at all. A good man just dying quietly like that and they waved their hats in the air. Anyway, the whole of this world is a mere outwork; ones existence itself is already an enigma. They have removed justice and morality and we are reaping corruption on a large scale. Just say the truth, either you lose your job or you die.

The truth! What is the truth? Just because she said, “No it is a sin”, the Boss became infuriated. Did he employ her for pleasure? I don’t know. May be I am the one who misconstrue it. Sometimes I ask myself why good people can't get such job or lose the job after some days.

What of some of Nigerian Lawyers and Judges? Truth does not matter for them but what matters is how logical you are. Yes, I know that it is not “what people do” that matters but the propositional analysis involved in it and its truth-value. Who told you? They will use those logical terms to make truth false. They work behind the scene and behind the bar and discuss people’s cases and come out with result before the D day. Money first before any other thing, not You First. Just say the truth, either you become very poor or you die early.
What of some of our politicians? They turned our women into lesbians and prostitutes. They made our boys criminals, kidnappers and lawless people.  They made almost all beings crazy engaging in online business. They did not ask any questions about their future. Tell them the truth, and you will suffer. I think we should think about this particular issue because if we do think about it seriously, Nigeria may be better may be in ideal world.
What of Nigerian Police?  I thought earlier that their main function is specifically that of enforcement, control and management of crime and to protect the citizen but that is not true. 90percent of all the police officers I had encountered look for 50Naira first.  I don't know if there is problem in collecting 50Naira but it has become legal for them. Bribery has become synonymous to Nigeria police, I think, just like corruption and Nigeria. Or recession and…
What of some of Nigerian Pastors? They have failed to uphold truth as an essential component in addressing their congregation because they are afraid they would not come back. Of course, truth-telling is important. Don’t tell them what they like always. Tell them the truth.
It may seem to us that good people may die too young, but know that God takes soonest those he loves best. Tell the truth first.
In today’s gospel reading, Herod laid his hands on John because he said the TRUTH but that did not stop the work of God. (Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand cf. Matthew 4:17)  Happy 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time.  IZUNWAONU
It is to be dead, to live without God; for life without God has no meaning, no purpose and no utility.


Wednesday, 14 December 2016

PUSH


You don’t need to cry, it has happened to many other people. I am not saying that you are culpable – I am saying that you cannot be exculpated if you don’t learn from your mistakes. I have realized that everyone in the world has one or more problems yet no one in the world has no problem. Even though everyone has problems, not everyone is ready to solve the problems. The world has faced many challenges before, and will continue to face more challenges and people have always coped—sooner or later.

You walked up to a door and think it’s locked, have you PUSHed it? You continue to stay there only to see a friend come and then push the door open. Even if it is locked, have you tried it?

Yes, it has happened to me also. I saw a door closed thinking it is locked but it was not locked. What I needed to do was to PUSH but I did not PUSH.

Many are used to having doors closed, so when we see a door closed, we simply give up and decide to stand outside and watch.

For all you know, it’s not locked; you will only find out when you PUSH.

It’s not in the multitudes of words today, but I bring you a reminder: the door of opportunity may seem closed, ignore that and PUSH; you will be surprised to see it open.

Don’t take no for an answer. Sometimes, the world needs to know who really wants it; if you do, then you will PUSH.

Just because someone said no, just because you were rejected, because you lost once, because you failed, so you refuse to PUSH. Reflect on it: not all closed doors are locked; PUSH!

Do you know how to PUSH? It is very simple. P-U-S-H.

P = Pray

U = Until

S = Something

H = Happens

Pray Until Something Happens for you to open the door.

No one in this whole world is responsible for your success or failure. You have to take responsibility of your life. You cannot exchange your problem, you cannot run out of your problem. For you to remove yourself from your problem is for you to make it unsolvable.

P U S H.

Psalm 50:15 the Lord said, “Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory."

Jeremiah 33:3 “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'

Psalm 91:15 “When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them.”
 
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Saturday, 26 November 2016

Could life be a dream?


IZUNWAONU
THE ADVENT
Could life be a dream? The minute I parked my car in front of Protea Hotel Ikeja, I saw four ladies coming directly towards me as if they knew me before. They stood with their face tilted looking at mine with such a loving smile. They dressed half naked in silky and transparent cloths, with tattoos over their skinny bodies. I was wearing a bulky sweatshirt, leaning on the side of my car facing Isaac John Street. I made calls that had lasted for five minutes yet they waited till I finished. As I turned to face them, one of the ladies had crossed her legs, and her dress, which had slipped up to her knee, revealed shapely slender legs, in artificial colours. Another lady quickly showed me flowers hanging in her chest. I let my eyes drift over the flower appreciating it, then I looked back into her eyes as if I knew the symbol of the flower and then recalled when I was driving to the hotel from the city centre, about 3km from Murtala Muhammed International Airport when I thought to myself that it would have been better to drive home to see my family first than to the hotel.
Imprisoned by the emotions, I reached out my hand and held the two of the ladies, feeling the coolness of their hands in my hands, I took them to the swimming pool in the hotel, taught them how to shoot a 22 rifle and even instructed them how to swim. With ice cream in our hands, we returned to the hotel hall to eat and watch a bit of television.
When we were settled in the hotel hall, one dance hall girl bearing the number “2” came from the other side of the stage still in her nightgown held my hand and then took me to the stage to dance. She started dancing before me. Her body was young and boneless, she seemed scarcely to be holding me at all, but we melted together and danced as if we practiced prior to the time. We talked, sang and danced, took photos and promised to write each other as we descended the stage with standing ovation emanating from the hotel hall. I did not mind spending my time and my money in the hotel because I was on cloud nine. After spending hours enjoying with them, I decided to take those four ladies to my home.
On entering my car, those ladies were already seated and immediately I started the car, double check all the mirrors, turn  head behind to revise, I heard a very familiar voice of Nnadi Faith calling me, “Izunwaonu, please tear two sheets of paper for both of us, I have written something in the centre of mine…
Without realizing that I was dreaming, I momentarily closed my eyes again and actually delayed opening my eyes for just a fraction to make sure it was not actually happening. The last thing I remembered was when the lecturer entered the lecture hall. I did not hear when he said that he was going to conduct a quiz after teaching but Jane Ijeom averred that he did say it.
Even though I wrote the quiz, I failed it because what he set was what he taught that day and no way I could pass it when I was sleeping throughout the class period.
This was what I would have prevented but allowed myself to be imprisoned by “sleep”. The sleep that always remind me of the season we are. The season I always term as the end time reminder.  Just like in today’s Gospel, Jesus challenged us to watch and pray at all times, so that the day of the Lord (QUIZ) does not come upon us unprepared. Every day is a new opportunity for us to draw closer to God and we should not allow ourselves to be imprisoned by the things of the world.
After reading BenedictAgbo’s Friday 25th November homily which he titled “MY WORDS WILLNOT PASS AWAY!”  It became certain to me that the end must surely come that we should not allow ourselves to be lulled into slumber rather be prepared for the “end”.  “…The most important message is the glorious triumph of the children of God at the end of time.” Ben Agbo said.
We may forget the need to wake up because of the things of the world that would pass away, as I was captivated by my dreamscape. Our physical lives have many similarities with our dreams when we sleep. They are both temporary: while dreams may last minutes or an hours our life span may just last for some years. For the youths who think that the end time is for the old people… sorry, if you look at how things happen now, you find out that the youths die more than the old.
When I was dreaming where I was spending money with women, riding cars… I never remembered that I had not paid the lecture’s hand-out N200. So my brothers and sisters, everything in this world is temporal. Let it not deprive us our main goal which is to return to our creator. Happy First Sunday in Advent.  

 
 
 
 

Sunday, 20 November 2016

Is Jesus Christ really a King?




CHRIST THE KING
A king whose Mother was an ordinary woman and His father a mere carpenter. A king who was born in a manger instead of hospital. A king who had no Nurse or Doctor around when He was given birth to. A king who had no body guard unlike the so called kings and men of God of nowadays. A king who did not build any house even when He was thirty. A king who had no donkey that the king of his time use to have rather He borrowed donkey that he rode at Triumphal entry into Jerusalem as King. A King who humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross. A king who had no grave of His own. A king who was buried in another person’s grave.

Look critically at the kings we have, you will see that they are exactly opposite of the king we are talking about. Look at our men of God, the traditional rulers, the LG Chairmen, the governors and the presidents (politicians); the wrist watch they wear and the shoes they put on will tell you how a  worldly king should look like. Look at how some of them care for only themselves. They only measure success from the amount of money they amass from people thereby making the poor poorer.

Then why do we call Jesus king?

A king should be servant who serves his people. A king should be humble as well sincere. Jesus emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross. Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place, and gave Him the name above all names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.… Philippians 2:7-11

Conclusively, Jesus Christ is not only a King but the King of all other kings.

HAPPY CHRIST THE KING SUNDAY.
 
 IZUNWAONU AND AMADI BRENDAN After the celebration of CHRIST THE KING at BMS Enugu on 20/11/2016
IZUNWAONU
IZUNWAONU AND AMADI BRENDAN
 
 
 
 

Tuesday, 1 November 2016

HAPPY NEW MONTH

IZUNWAONU



The sun rises in one spot but its ray travels round d world,
so shall your glory burst forth and spread beyond what you ever thought or imagined this month.
Happy New Month
 
Keep the Smile,
 Leave the Tear,
Think of Joy,
Forget d Fear,
Hold the Laugh,
 Leave the Pain,
Be Joyous Because.
It is new month.
 HAPPY NEW MONTH
 
Life is not by Grade but by Grace,
not by Labour but by Favour,
not by Merit but by Mercy.
THE GRACE, MERCY &FAVOR OF GOD
shall locate you as you step in dis new month.
HAPY NEW MONTH
 
What lies behind you and what lies before you are small matters compared to what lies within you.
Keep discovering what lies within you as you journey through this month.
Happy New Month!
 
Nothing much to write than just to wish you a happy new month
may God fulfil his purpose concerning our life and perfect all that concerns you.
Happy new month.
 
 


 

Thursday, 27 October 2016

Happy Birthday (Onuh Faustina Kosisochukwu and Onuh Immaculata Chinazaekpere)


...and we had to wait for her to come back. After a moment of silence, I remembered not seeing my mom for one hour. “If you still need food let me go to the kitchen and bring more ugwuta.” Said Mama Patience Oluchukwu. I was not interested in the Ugwuta but in my mom’s presence.  I could see myself in the mat outside the room closing my eyes but was not sleeping. Mom said she would be back immediately after meeting the nurse yet “immediately” seemed to have passed. I hear somebody speak to me with her voice, then opening my eyes I could not see her. No one was coming, and it was completely dark. I looked up to the sky, I saw glimpses of the glistening water, the stars and moon obviously dressing it with luminance. As the trees rustled all around me, the first tear ran down my cheek.  After a moment, I thought I could hear her voice. The sound of her voice was indelible in my mind. I imagined her protrude stomach as I climbed back to the mat again, trying to see her now in my mind's eye. I thought she was calling and I murmured “mom please come back now I want to sleep.” I saw Mama Patience Oluchukwu in the room putting Onuh Evaristus Tobechukwu into bed, brushing her hair out of her eyes. I heard Onuh Jude Nwanna’s voice at the gate, whispering mom’s name and then whispering mine. I tried to ignore them but could not.

Five munities later, I began to hear a resounding cry of joy in every street advancing from Amuna. Suggestions start forming in my mind about the noise and vibration that has been growing. People trooped into our house because the gate was open, passing through the passage, about four inches away from where I was lying on a mat. Some women were all singing, sometimes in unison, other times in harmony, “Mama Olynwaonu amuma ejima. s;m;-s;m;-;d;r-;r;t;-;d;-;-;-;-  Meaning Olynwaonu’s mother has given birth to twins. They were all together singing and moving towards the gate swaying together in unity and with a great zeal about the new born twins. As they were singing in unison they start moving out to a location of the place where they were born together in a line with other children dancing.

When my mom came back, people started asking me, “why are you not rejoicing? Don’t you know what is happening?” I ignored them, but when I looked at mom’s face, with every breath I took, I began to smile more and more until my smile stretched across my face and I began laughing to myself. When Mom looked at me, tears of joy began to roll down again my cheeks again…

When I woke up the next morning, the answer seemed so clear: as I hear their cry every day, then I began to sing. 'Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!

Every year by this time 30 of October, I am indebted to sing for you “Happy Birthday to you.” But I guess since you are not with me now… I'll just sing it to myself. Happy birthday!” Hahahah… Smiling. “Do you want me to sing to you again?” Happy birthday my Beloved Ejima (Onuh Faustina Kosisochukwu and Onuh Immaculata Chinazaekpere). I wish you God’s choicest blessing. From your Brother Izunwaonu

 

FORGIVE ME. By Onuh Justus Izuchukwu

I was the man who misunderstood her intentions. She saw a Rose (flower) in my computer bag and she insisted in knowing who it is meant for...