This Blog has moved to www.inspirologosworld.com

Dear Friends, Important Notice: My website was set up in April of 2012, all blog posts have since then been made on the website, and not here. Please visit www.inspirologosworld.com to keep up with all my creative works. Get inspired, go inspire! Many Thanks! Lady I.

InspiroLogos World - New and Improved!

Change is inevitable, so it's been said and rightly so! When the change is positive and innovative, I welcome it with open arms! In that vein, let me introduce you to INSPIROLOGOS WORLD CREATIVE CONSULT! It's the InspiroLogos Profession, Products, Projects, Profile and the Blog, all in one spot! Let me put it this way: it's all you need to know about who I am, what I do and what I can do for YOU! If you're looking for creativity, ingenuity and inspiration that's customized for you, then visit InspiroLogos World Creative Consult

What's the address? http://www.inspirologosworld.com See you there! Cheers!!! Lady I.

The InspiroLogos Easter Tale

Today I had the privilege of using my gift in a way that not only blessed me, but made me a blessing.
I performed my own original poetic version of the easter story at The Throneroom, RCCG, Abuja. It was a phenomenal recitation with full band and back up singers and I think I was even more blessed than the persons who listened to me.
I wish you could've been there.
Nevertheless, those same words can be found below and I hope they are an inspiration to you:


THE INSPIROLOGOS EASTER TALE
T'was a cold dark Friday in history
One shrouded in deep mystery
As divinity clothed in humanity
Took a path that seemed like insanity
Evil around Him danced and pranced
As up Golgotha's hill, He slowly advanced
the cross on His shoulders though heavy, seemed light
Compared with sin of the world He bore that night,
Placed upon Him by none other
Than His very own beloved Father
At first glance, seemed an act of wickedness
How could the innocent be slain for the guilty?
A closer look reveals an act of loving-kindness
Done to wash the stains from the filthy
The Father could not bear to save one Son and lose all the others
So He sent His beloved to die for His would-be brothers

But that day the sinful tormented their Saviour
They taunted and mocked Him, in shameful behaviour
They drove mighty nails right through His hands
and His screams echoed all across the land
The cat-o-nine tails ripped the flesh from His bones
It stung more than a beating with stones
For with every one of the 39 lashes
His skin was marred by bloody gashes
The spear to His side drew water and blood
Gushing out like a raging flood
And they crowned it all with thorns on His head
When they should have worshipped him instead
Yet he begged their heinous crimes the Father forgive
Such mercy no human mind can ever conceive
He must have been in painful torment
But nothing compared to that dreadful moment
When the Father turned away, and let His son be,
"My God, My God why have you forsaken me?"
He cried out in agony and despair
As the bridge between man and God was repaired
Then breathed His last after He said “It is finished.”
And the power of that moment has never diminished:

Sickness was finished when he bore the stripes
Sin was finished when he shed his blood
Death was finished when he gave up his life
But defeat became history when he won the victory
In the most glorious moment of all
Sunday morning in Satan's stall
The prince of darkness had gloated for two days
Priding himself on his devilish ways
When suddenly he heard a loud rumble
and watched in shock as the gravestones crumbled
Alas he could only stare in dismay
As angels rolled the tombstone away
And when the King of Kings arose and emerged from the grave
The defeated devil pulled out his own hairs, screaming, “Nooooooo, he's alive?!”
At that very moment the host in that heavenly place
Thundered the same words through time and space
With Joy unspeakable and full of glory:
He's alive, He's alive, Jesus is alive!

Alive and well the Son of God is right now:
Seated in majesty beside His Father
Awaiting the day He claims his bride
And brings her to dwell forever at his side
What tale of love can compare with this one?
That a God would give up His beloved Son?
Divinity besotted with humanity
And not a tall-tale, but a joyous reality:
The indelible act at Calvary,
An incredible feat of bravery,
An incomprehensible show of love,
By the indescribable God up above
That astoundingly selfless sacrifice
Was a non-refundable bride price
Paid-in-advance, paid-in-full
And he gladly paid-it-all for YOU!
- - - - -

Yes!!!! Can you imagine the Son of God, on His knee
His hand outstretched to you saying "Will you marry me?"
And he's not offering a 6-carat diamond in a little black box
No, far better, he's offering eternity in a place
where the streets are made of gold
There's unending joy and peace and love,
No sorrow, no sickness, and nobody ever grows old! :-)
If I were you, my answer would be an absolute "YES, I WILL!"
And if that's your answer then someday I'll see YOU
at THE REAL ROYAL WEDDING!!!

A Very Happy Easter to You and Yours,
from Lady InspiroLogos.

Someone Loves YOU!

I Love You.
It's a heart-warming, spine-tingling, potentially life-changing phrase made up of three simple little words.

Imagine waking up every morning to hear those words gently whispered to you by someone who seems to good to be true...
Someone so rich, He owns the whole world and everything in it;
So smart, He can answer your most complex questions in an instant;
So strong, He can move mountains without breaking a sweat;
So considerate, He stays up all night so you can sleep undisturbed;
So sensitive, He listens to and remembers everything you say;
And, He's sooo fine that if you see Him once, you're gone!
On top of all that, He NEVER lies!
But if that is not enough, get this: He's so incredibly loving and compassionate that He already gave up His most valuable possession, the life of His innocent Son, for YOU.

No it's not a fairy tale - it's the gospel truth: He's absolutely in Love with YOU. For you, He can be all that and then some, and the only thing He wants in return is your love and whole-hearted devotion. But He's too much of a gentleman to take it by force!
Don't break His heart.

Think about it: the Immortal, Invincible, Omni-potent God offers YOU undeserved, undying, unconditional love today and everyday for eternity!
Isn't it an irresistible offer?






I

LOVE

YOU...

That's what He says to YOU today...
And He awaits with bated breath for your response ...
So what's it going to be?
- - -

Lady InspiroLogos - Loving Him right back!

InspiroLogos Wins Writing Contest

On the 1st of February, a good friend informed me about a writing contest.
Two days later, I entered the Martin Luther King's Day Human Rights Blog Post Competition, set up by Youngstars Foundation (youngstarsfoundation.org)
On Valentine's day I got a call informing me that I WON!

And two days later, myself and the four other winners were warmly hosted at the American Embassy Abuja by the Human Rights Officer - see all of us pictured above (I'm in the ivory dress).

It was indeed an unforgettable event and a wonderful opportunity to meet with great minds and passionate hearts and I am thankful to the Youngstars team and the U.S. Embassy as well for appreciating one of my God-given gifts.

So what did I write about?
The question was thus: "There are 30 Human Rights, which one do you think your society needs the most and why?"
For personal reasons that had and still have me thanking God for the fact that I still have breath in my nostrils, my very passionate answer is the article below:

LET EVERYONE THAT HAS BREATH LIVE!
A time to be born and a time to die … a first breath and a last one… these two breaths are common to all human beings. So also are all granted the time in between these two breaths: the time to live.

Everyone has a time to live and according to article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person. Furthermore everyone means everyone! “without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion … national or social origin, property, birth or other status” – and that includes every member of our society.
This third right is the very one I believe our society needs to preserve the most; because all other rights stem from this one.
We all, without exception, have a right to life. And in the time we live, we also have a right to liberty, i.e. a right to be free; and we have a right to security of person, i.e. a right to be safe. My paraphrase of the third right is thus: everyone has a right to live, free and safe from everything that is a constraint or threat to that life.

- Mrs. Ignorant stays in an abusive marriage, where she has been kept silent by fear of her husband, and remains for fear of the stigma of divorce in an African society, all because she knows not that she has a right to a free and safe life.
- Mr. Indigent, genius-potential, yet can barely construct a sentence in proper English and may end up an ‘area-boy’ living under the bridge, all because poverty afforded him a lousy education on the streets.
- Little baby Ailing, born with the chronic sickle cell disease, because his parents had not the necessary education on genotype testing and life partnerships, may not live to see his 16th birthday, and worse, may live his brief life-span believing himself to be somehow less of human being.

On and on, thousands of sad tales fill our society, of illiteracy, disease, poverty, ignorance and the many other threats to our very lives. We desperately need to build in this society the structures required for our people to live, free and safe. Every Nigerian regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, religion or status should have access to a balanced diet, clothing, safe shelter, healthcare, education, employment and dare I say good governance, these are the basic things that will allow us live, freely and safely. The gross lack of these things for the average member, and the greater majority of our society is what threatens the very lives of our people and thus the very fabric of our society.

In the UNDP 2011 Human Development Report, a comparative measure of life expectancy, literacy, education and standards of living for countries worldwide, Nigeria ranks 156 out of 187!!! Our adult literacy rate is just 70% when there are over 45 countries with a 99% adult literacy rate, our life expectancy is age 47, a whopping 30% below world average2. Based on these statistics it is painfully evident that as Nigerian’s our third right is at stake!

The masses depend daily on hand-outs from the philanthropic few in the wealthy class – they are being given fish instead of being taught how to fish! This is just not good enough. We need the Millennium Development Goals to become Millennium Development Realities – as much to the man in the state house as the man in the mud house in the most remote village in the country; otherwise we are indirectly saying that the man in the mud house is less than a human being. We need to transit from a bare existence to a bountiful life, sadly the majority have a longer way to go in that transition, and this is what adds to the greatness of the need!

If I could shout it from every Nigerian rooftop I would: “Let EVERYONE that has breath, LIVE!!!”
The farmer, the fashion model, the housewife, the student, the rich, the poor, the educated, the illiterate, the good, the bad and the ugly: all have a right to life, liberty and security of person. And it’s your right too, so fight for it!

What is life worth to you? Bearing the components of the third right in mind my estimation of the worth of life is as follows: though I speak the most polished of grammar, and dine at the table of kings, if I be wiser than professors, stronger than athletes, and smarter than geniuses, without liberty, what I have would be acutely insignificant, without safety, what I have would be painfully meaningless, and without breath in my nostrils, all of it would be less than nothing!

William Shakespeare wrote: ‘To be, or not to be: that is the question,’ I beg to differ. For when it comes to life, the question is never ‘to be, or not to be.’ Actually there is no question; because every man, woman, boy, girl and baby that breathes has the God-given, man-declared third right simply TO BE – alive, free and safe!

- - - - -
Lady InspiroLogos - glad to be alive, free and safe!

National Hospital or National MORGUE? ... Part 1

February 1, 2012

I requested and was granted discharge yesterday from the female medical ward of national hospital. When I was at the ward entrance preparing to leave a lady walked up to me and said she had lost her mother and was now leaving, and that the mother died because the nurses "did not bring oxygen on time!" I have no reason to doubt her because my own experience was the worst admission experience I have ever had (and as a sickle cell survivor over age 30, who has been hospitalized in several countries on four continents, that's saying a lot!) I decided since my blood transfusion was completed, other discomforts aside I had better leave while I can still walk unassisted!

Here's a little advice from me to anyone going on admission at the National Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria:

National Hospital Admission Requirements by Lady I.:
Kindly take the following or be ready to do without:
1. Bed - (I was kept in a chair at the entrance the emergency area receiving I.V. Fluids (drips) for 6 hours waiting for a bed space, meanwhile a member of staff on admission had a 2-bed room all to herself).
2. Pillows - as many as required
3. Blankets (take two or three, some to place upon the lumpy, torn, poor-excuse for a mattress and on to cover yourself)
4. Fan - the A.C. may not be working.
5. Hand fans - the sockets in which to plug an electric fan may not be working
6. A. C. Remote - there is only one for the entire floor, so you will have to go to the nurses station to borrow it every time u need to regulate to A.C.
7. Bucket - none in the bathroom, upon request the nurse said patients bring their own!
8. Toilet paper - Hello? ... no explanation necessary
9. Kettle - if you need a hot bath, the one available is 'for staff' but a nurse can gladly sell you one for N2,500
10. Mop - you will need it - (the faulty plumbing resulted in water seeping into my room from the bathroom.)
11. Scarves or old clothing - to plug the massive holes in the ancient mosquito net (I had to use my t-shirt!!!)
12. Mosquito repellent and lots of it - nevertheless whatever your ailment be prepared to treat for malaria after admission
13. Magnifying glass - to carefully examine the tablets the nurses administer to you before you swallow them!
14. Ear plugs - the nurses spend hours gisting in unpleasantly loud voices so u will need these if you hope to sleep (I had to use my blackberry earphones)
15. Gloves - Alas, the Dr. cannot examine you without them, though you may purchase a pack of 6 from a willing nurse. (my roommate was approached and declined purchase!)
16 - TV: optional. (a TV stand was present in my room with no TV on it, and the ceiling above the stand had been blackened by smoke from a previous fire, i dared not ask! hmm..)
17. Wheelchair - to take you for x-rays, scans or other procedures (I rode in a creaky, dilapidated one that Mungo Park may have left while exploring the Niger - it had a rope tied across the front instead of foot pedals, and the handle fell off while the attendant was pushing me, no joke!)
18. Lots of cash in small bills - to bribe the sole attendant available to carry out any procedures relating to ur care in a timely manner (Since i did not bribe anyone, it took 3 days to get registered for a scan already paid for on the night of admission!)
19. Bottled water - you will most certainly be given several tablets with not a drop of water to swallow them!
20. Food - suggested (I was not given any meal forms on admission, no one inquired about my meals for the first two days! No matter cos I had no intention of eating the food anyway, however my roommate's exploits with the hospital kitchen staff tell me I wasn't missing anything!)
21. A phone with long-lasting battery and inexhaustible credit and doctors on speed-dial: you will have to personally call the doctors severally to make any progress with your treatment so ensure to get names and numbers of every doctor you meet.
22. Calculator - to keep monetary accounts (an attendant was sent by a nurse to tell me my deposit was exhausted and I should pay for drugs while it turns out I have an outstanding balance yet to be refunded as of today!)
23. At least 1 Able-Bodied relative/friend: this person must be ready to stay with you night and day to serve as a human call-bell for the nurses because the bells do not work and the nurses do not check u on their own; the person must be aggressive and ready to battle the nurses for your medication which is otherwise always late. (My mother, God bless her, had to personally go with a friendly doctor to get the blood for my transfusion because the nurses kept us waiting for hours claiming there was no one to go and get it!)
24. A thorough knowledge of your condition and treatment options or a Doctor friend/relative who has one and can monitor your treatment or else the more you see the less you will understand!!!!!
25. A praying tongue - if you can't pray, recruit people to pray for you, but believe me, you will know how to pray after the first night! As my mother will pray "may God not let any of us see sickness" Amen!!!

Disclaimer: - You have been advised. Failure to bring any of the above may result in any or all of the following ailments in addition to whatever you already suffer:
A - Neck and body pains from poor sleep positions
B - Red and sore eyes from little or no sleep
C - Sore throat from arguing with nurses over late and/or wrong medications
D - Diarrhoea from strange foods
E - Insomnia from creaking doors, leaking taps, mosquitoes singing and biting and loud chatter of nurses voices
F - Skin irritations, itching and/or body odours from no bathing
G - Malaria, undoubtedly!
H - Any and all other effects of negligence including worsening of your condition, new ailments altogether, and/or untimely death.
Selah!

So, what exactly happened to elicit the above advise from me?
Watch out for the story in detail:
National Hospital or National Morgue … Part 2:
Coming Soon to InspiroLogos World:

Lady InspiroLogos - Alive and Writing, Despite!!!

My Thoughts on Valentine's Day ...

Just a little something I wrote, as featured in "A Love Story" - Vol. 1 (Magazine)
Enjoy!
- - -

Red. It’s the most popular colour of the day. A dozen red roses, perfectly scented, hand-picked and delivered to your door. Champagne on ice, served with juicy red strawberries. Presents beautifully wrapped with red satin ribbons. The Gucci curve-accentuating gown, the flawlessly-manicured shimmering fingertips, and the oh-so-kissable lips - all flaming hot RED!

Red. It’s the colour he imagines his account will soon become, as he watches his date, whom already took shopping earlier in the day, excitedly order the most expensive items on the exotic menu in rapid succession!!! Ouch.

Red. It’s the colour of her eyes and her tear-stained, flushed cheeks, as she re-reads for the umpteenth time, the text message he sent minutes before their big date: “It’s over, I’m in love with someone else ... I’m sorry.” Double-ouch.

My thoughts on valentine’s day undoubtedly include memories – the fond and the not-so-fond. How could I ever forget excitedly opening one of my very first valentine’s day cards in high school, wondering who on earth it could be from, only to discover it was addressed to one of my classmates and not me! (Apparently, she had also got my card from the same guy! Can we say ‘playa without game?’ ... funny now but believe me I wasn’t laughing then.) Anyway, one of my fondest memories came on a very uneventful valentine’s day when, late in the afternoon, I strolled into the living room and saw a card addressed to me. I carefully read it, absorbing every line and gravity of emotion in every sentence, and reaching the end, I smiled – it was from my mom.

Everyone has thoughts on the subject of valentine’s day, but I think we all agree it’s a day to express love. What that LOVE is exactly, is where we may not all be on the same page. A thousand people could give a thousand definitions, but I get my definition of love from Love itself – God. Love is patient, kind, doesn’t envy or boast, isn’t proud, rude, self-seeking or easily angered, keeps no record of wrongs and doesn’t delight in evil. It rejoices with the truth, always trusts, always hopes and always perseveres. (1Corinthians 13).

Well, what are my thoughts on valentine’s day? ... Hmm. I’ve never been one of those people who lament about not having a date on valentine’s day, or who insist on a significant celebration of the day; that is not to say I’m averse to commemorating it. Perhaps it’s because my birthday is four days after valentine’s day, and the anticipation of celebrating my birthday overshadows the valentine’s day fever, or perhaps it’s because I’ve actually never celebrated that day with someone I’m in love with, not yet. Thus Valentine 2011 is particularly special to me because I’m engaged, and looking forward to what in effect will be my first true “Valentine.”

In a nutshell, here’s what I really think about V-day: it should be a day to express true love, especially to the people you so often take for granted throughout the year - the one’s closest to you, those people who you actually love and treasure the most. True love doesn’t seek to receive or insist on getting - it GIVES. V-day should be a day not just to say ‘I love you’ but to show it by giving. Yes, presents are nice, (I’ll take a thoughtfully-chosen gift any day!) but far above those, the most priceless gift you can give is YOU: A listening ear... An insightful compliment... A selfless act... A timeless audience... A soft answer... An unhurried embrace... A heart-warming smile... hmm.

Red... It IS the most popular colour of the day... It’s the colour he imagines... It’s the colour of her eyes... But it’s also the colour of the fluid running in the veins of every man, woman, boy and girl – blood. Your life is in your blood; and the laying down of one’s life for another is the ultimate display of true love. Permit me to share here, an excerpt from one of my poems, titled “What’s the colour of love?”

What’s the colour of a starving family, getting a hot meal from a stranger?
Of nakedness clothed in beauty, or being rescued from intense danger?
What’s the colour of complete guilt deserving of judgement, instead receiving mercy and grace
You’re dreading disdain, but receive honour; you expect a cold shoulder, but get a warm embrace
Tell me the colour of a man laying down his life for another
One that’s neither father, nor mother, not sister or brother
Tell me that, and then my friend, the colour of love I need not name
For THAT colour and Love’s hue are one and the same!

Bottom line, I must say I do believe we should show true love to one another on every one of the other 364 days of the year; but on Valentine’s Day, it wouldn’t hurt go the extra mile, and give the ones you love, and perhaps those who have no loved ones, just a little-bit-more of YOU!

_ _ _

Lady I. - Wishing you and yours an unforgettably beautiful Valentine's Day!

THROUGH MY EYES: THEN AND NOW!

Through My Eyes: Then and Now! takes you on an inspiring journey of loss, loneliness, laughter and love! As the author shares true stories from her personal battle with sickle cell disease, her honesty, quick wit and conversational style will get your attention from touching start to triumphant finish. Furthermore, no matter who you are and/or what challenge you face, the author's surprising survival strategy is sure to inspire you!


REVIEWERS' PRAISE FOR THE BOOK ...
… an awesome book about pain, and the triumph of faith … the author is at once teacher, preacher, pain-bearer and friend… AN INCREDIBLE READ. A REAL PAGE-TURNER. EUGENIA ABU – award-winning essayist, broadcaster and author of ‘In the Blink of an Eye.’

… [this book] has positively influenced my care for patients with Sickle Cell Disease. A MUST READ. DR. OCHE OGBE – Chief Consultant Haematologist, National Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria.

… I propose this book and the wealth of experience of the writer to every reader … A MASTERPIECE … TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT! REV. GOODHEART O. EKWUEME - Visionary: National JAM Praise Festival & Winning Today Broadcast; Senior Pastor: The REFUGE, House on The Rock, Abuja, Nigeria.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ifueko Fex Ogbomo (a.k.a. Lady InspiroLogos) is a multi-talented writer, performance poet, voice-artist and speaker. She focuses on inspiring people to achieve fulfilling lives regardless of background, race, gender, age and physical challenges. She resides in Abuja, Nigeria. This is her first book.


A GLIMPSE INSIDE THE BOOK
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword........................................8
From the Author................................12
PART 1: THEN...................................14
Chapter 1: In a World of Pain..................15
Chapter 2: It’s a Girl!........................23
Chapter 3: In English, Please!.................29
Chapter 4: Growing Pains.......................39
Chapter 5: My Brother, My Friend - A Tribute...55
Chapter 6: A Miraculous Recovery...............67
Chapter 7: Afflictions Arise Again.............79
Chapter 8: The ‘Real’ World....................87
PART 2: NOW!...................................102
Chapter 9: A New Friend, and My Secret Medicine...103
Chapter 10: Diagnosis Y-O-U!......................123
Chapter 11: Impossible is Nothing!................141
Chapter 12: My Hall of Fame.......................157


EXCERPTS FROM THE BOOK...
Chapter 1: In a World of Pain
Thursday, January 4th 2007 - I’ve been staring at the same spot on the ceiling for the last three HOURS. I can almost hear each hurried beat of my overworked heart, and I count each one. I’m just waiting … I lay down, motionless, except for the intermittent rise and fall of my chest. As I draw in each excruciating breath, I feel as though a hundred knives are being driven through my entire chest and back, only to be viciously ripped out and mercilessly driven in again, and again, and again… I’m just waiting… if I had to qualify what I feel right now, the words excruciating, agonizing and tormenting come to mind ... A lone tear slowly makes its way down my face as I remember the countless times I’ve been in similar situations over the years ... Oh God, I really don’t know how much more of this I can take ...

Chapter 3: In English, Please!
Actually, I’m not a doctor, and while I can give you my definition based on more than a quarter-of-a-century of personal experience, permit me to give the medical explanation instead: Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a genetic, hereditary, chronic, life-long blood disease, with several short and long-term complications; most common of which are bouts of pain that last for hours, days or even weeks at a time; anaemia or low blood counts, and chronic tissue/organ damage
... in sickle cell patients, the bone marrow produces red blood cells whose lifespan is only 12 to 17 days instead of the usual 90 - 120 days. These short-lived red cells frequently change shape from the normal round (discoid) into the abnormal ‘sickle’ shape, and clump together forming blood clots, which block the tiny vessels that supply blood to various parts of the body, therefore leading to the bouts of pain that range from mild to excruciating. This disease is not a respecter of race, as it can affect persons of ANY race. However research shows it is more prevalent in persons with ancestors from the following places: Africa, India, Southern Greece, Southern Italy, and the Middle East...
...over 4 million out of the total estimated 150 million Nigerians have SCD.

A Word to the Wise ...
If you are a single adult, in fact, if you are a human being and you have reached puberty ... then read the following carefully: If you don’t know your genotype, put this book down right now and go to the nearest hospital or genotype-testing centre and get yourself tested (then come back and finish the book ☺). I’m serious! ... when you meet someone of the opposite sex who you think you even remotely like, believe me, the first question you should ask, after ‘what’s your name?’ is not ‘where are you from?’ but ‘what’s your genotype?’ ... ‘Oh come on’ you might be saying, ‘SCD can’t be that bad!’ Really? Please, permit me to enlighten you ...

Chapter 4: Growing Pains
Being a regular teenage girl is difficult enough what with having to juggle parents, periods, pimples and of course peer-pressure, but in my case I had one more ‘P’ thrown into that mix - you got it: PAIN! One particular experience comes to mind at this point in time. I forget the exact date, but the happenings I remember quite vividly …
I wake up mid-morning on a cold October day and I can tell this is going to be a loooong day. ‘Rise and Shine!’ … Let me rephrase that - in this case its ‘Rise and Whine!’ Oh my goodness, I feel as though every last bone in my hips and legs has just been shattered.
The year: 1994.
The Place: My mom’s bedroom.
The event: You got it - Another Crisis.
Clenching my teeth in order not to scream the house down, I slowly pull my legs up so my knees are bent and my feet are flat on the bed and then I discover it. At first I think I’m seeing things (which wouldn’t surprise me, this level of pain could send anyone insane) so I close my eyes and re-open them. Nope, it’s still there - unbelievable. So I yell “Mo-mmy!” and immediately my mom comes dashing into the room. I promptly inform her the following: “Mommy look, one leg has grown longer than the other.” At first I’m quite certain she thinks I’m suffering from pain-induced dementia, (who could blame her) but indulging me she takes a closer look and after a thorough inspection confirms my suspicions. In fact, believe it or not, the femur or thigh bone in my left thigh had ‘grown’ an inch and a half longer than that of my right thigh, overnight. ... Incredible.
So what happened next? Of course we were off to the hospital where I was promptly hooked up to ‘drip’ (intravenous fluids) and given very strong pain-relievers. For 2 weeks my legs felt like they belonged to someone or something else and after the pain was gone, there was the process of learning to walk properly all over again. (Needless to say all this time as is usual in crises, I’m missing school, which means TONS of make-up assignments and tests waiting for me when I return.) By the time I was able to return to school, I began to have severe backaches because I was now walking on un-even legs. This led to my having to carry a special chair with me to school in order to give my back proper support - as if I didn’t already have enough reasons for my schoolmates to make fun of me...


Chapter 9: A New Friend… and My Secret Medicine
My life was like a continuous series of wanderings through deep, damp, dark and seemingly unending tunnels. That was then, this is now! ... “What’s life like for me NOW?” Well, it’s just that – Life! I’m alive! I’m happy, and I don’t mean ‘lounging-around-eating-grapes-and-listening-to-the-birds-sing-while-staring-at-a-rainbow-in-the-beautiful-blue-skies’ kind of happy, I’m talking about real joy ... I’m optimistic, I’m full of hope and I’m not afraid of anything anymore ... I Am Free ... Well, what happened? I’m glad you asked. It’s simple really - I made a friend ...

_ _ _
Want to read the full story? ORDER YOUR COPY** TODAY!
**Copies available from January 31, 2011.

Official Book Launch Coming Soon!!!
For book copies, launch sponsorship and other enquiries contact:
InspiroLogos World Health Foundation (IWHF)
Email: inspirologosworld@yahoo.com
Phones: +234-7036799233, +234-8036687163, +234-8023499752

JEHOVAH IS HIS NAME!

Times without number I’ve been at death’s door,
My body so sick all I could do was lay on the floor;
As doctor after doctor, perplexed and confused,
Said we’ve tried all we know, you've even been transfused;
But I could hear the tremor in their voices, see the fear in their eyes,
They didn’t believe I’d make it, that’s what I realized;
So I cried out to my God, I said, “If Jehovah is Your name,
Come be Jehovah Rapha, and down He came!”
He picked me up, healed my body and then He set me free,
And I’d just like to tell you why He did this for me:

‘Cos He’s God and He is good, Jehovah Rapha is His name,
Cancer, Anaemia, AIDS, etcetera, to Him they’re all the same;
There’s no disease He cannot cure,
Of this I am certain, I’m absolutely sure;
When I was standing at death’s door, and the devil said “It’s over!”
I said “It's not over till i WIN!" ‘cos I know Jehovah!
Yesterday, today and forever, this God is the same,
He’s the almighty omnipotent King, and Jehovah is His name!

See there’ve been times when I couldn’t pay the rent,
Every dollar, dime and penny had all been spent;
The only food I had was the tears I shed as I lay down at night,
And even though I felt like giving up, I knew I just had to fight;
So I said “Lord, you fed the Israelites, for them you made a way;
You promised to supply all my needs, come be Jehovah Jireh today;”
And just when I thought it was too late, and that I’d lost this war,
You know what my God did? - He sent a check to my door!

‘Cos He’s God and He is good, Jehovah Jireh is His name,
There’s no need He can’t meet, abundant provision’s the ‘name of His game;’
Yes He’s Jehovah, rest assured, there’s no bill He can’t pay,
He’s God and I know, He will always make a way!
So whatever you face, whatever your need, be it great or small,
He’ll be your Jehovah as He is mine, and He’ll cover it all!
Yesterday, today and forever, He’s God, He stays the same,
He’s God all by Himself, and Jehovah is His name!

Time for Celebration or Contemplation?

They say age is just a number, not necessarily reflective of maturity
I say beauty is just an appearance, not necessarily reflective of superiority

I write from a land far away, not my home, I must say
Nevertheless I write about home, for my thoughts lie there, especially on this day
For today, my country celebrates 50 years of independence – it’s our JUBILEE
I can only imagine the celebration – scintillating sights and sounds as far as the eye can see!
So here I sit in a strange land, a beautiful place, my present location
With hours of curious observation resulting in careful retrospection I look around this strange land and can’t help but compare it to my own nation
Inevitably I am left not with joyful thoughts but very sober reflection
For in resources and wealth we are equal, perhaps even greater than they
Yet in productivity, creativity, and beauty we are far less ... so what can I say?
50 years of independence, wow ... Is it just me or do we not seem yet overly dependent?
Relying on others to think for us, create for us, and dictate to us how our wealth should be spent
Our potential exceeds what any mind can imagine – may it no longer remain unrealized
Today many celebrate, a few contemplate, but the truth is all need to ARISE!

Many months ago, I put pen to paper and patriotic poetry was birthed anew
Add a dramatic soundtrack and some nice pictures, and voila! - Nigerians, a special little video for you.

- from Lady InspiroLogos

Visit the following link to View Video 'Nigeria, Arise':
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fARSTg0lJ0

Pretty Little Polka Dot Butterfly

Dedicated to a brilliant and very talented little lady:
Miss Aastha Modi, from New Delhi, India.
- - -

I was hurriedly walking down the street
My brow sweaty from the summer heat
Lo and behold, there came out of the blue
(Really it seemed almost too good to be true)
An enchanting creature I’d never before seen:
A polka dot butterfly - it’s spots black and green!

Of course, I stopped right in my tracks
My jaw instantly dropped quite slack
Watching it’s fluttering, flittering, fluid flight
Wondering at this incredible, inspiring sight
And the question that was foremost in my thoughts:
How could a butterfly have green and black spots?

Alas I’d forgotten that I was in a hurry
Gone was the memory of my hustle, bustle and scurry
In those few moments the butterfly danced around
I felt so light I thought my feet left the ground
The Creator must have the most ingenious mind of all
To put so much beauty and grace in a creature so small

Well, all things that begin, must come to an end
Including those precious moments with my little ‘friend’
As I watched it soar higher and higher in the sky
I admit, I was quite tempted to wave goodbye
I’ll tell you one thing though; believe me, I tell you no lie
I’ll never forget that pretty little green and black polka dot butterfly!
_ _ _

Take out time to enjoy life's simple pleasures, every day.
InspiroLogos.

Sometimes...

Sometimes, I just don’t know …
Why the day is dark and the night so long
Why I hope and pray and things still go wrong
Why I sow good and seem to reap bad
Why the wicked do wrong and stay glad

Sometimes, I just can’t see …
A way out of all the complexity
Why can’t I have simplicity?
Oh for an end to all infirmity
Oh for a rise out of mediocrity

Sometimes, I wish I wasn’t me
I wish I could change my history
Switch my calamitous genealogy
Choose an enviable nationality
Would I then attain a great destiny?

Sometimes, I just don’t know
Sometimes, I just can’t see
Sometimes, I wish I wasn’t me
Surprisingly, the one I wish I could be
Secretly wishes that she could be me!

- Lady InspiroLogos

- - -
I wrote the above on a very difficult, dark and lonely day, in a long stretch of similar days; just trying to express the raw emotions that I felt. Nevertheless, my conclusion is just my poetic way of pointing out something I've learned: Everyone's got bad days, or bad weeks, some people even have bad years! And in tough times, the grass always looks greener on the 'other side.' What you may not realize though, is this: for the one looking from that 'other side' it's your grass that looks greener!
To each her own. C'est la vie!

My Poetry Is Therapy

Excerpt From SUNDAY TRUST Newspaper, May 30, 2010.
Written by Abubakar A. Ibrahim

It is a strange name, InspiroLogos, but for this slender performing poet, it is the perfect stage name. It epitomises her belief in life that words can be inspiring. And she has not stopped at inspiring herself with words but everyone who comes across her.
On stage she is sensational, delivering poetry with verve and theatrics that leaves the audience ... well, inspired! ut for this poet, voice talent, song writer and motivational speaker, born Ifueko Fex Ogbomo, a 2003 graduate of Music from Texas Lutheran University, United States, there is more to this name, InspiroLogos.
"That came from my mind actually, she said. "Inspiro comes from the Greek word, the root word for 'inspiration' and logos means 'words' and because I try to inspire people with words as a poet and a speaker, I decided to create that name because I like to be unique. When people hear that name I want that description of me to follow - InspiroLogos, they know they are going to get inspirational words."

BACKGROUND
Lady InspiroLogos was born some 30 years ago to a mixed heritage. Her father hails from Edo and her mother is from Benue. She said she is glad to claim both states. "Since I was born by two parents, I count both states as mine ... and the entire country" she said, laughing.
Coming from two states with rich traditions, she has not been influenced much by either, as she speaks none of her parents' languages. "I don't speak either because my parents speak English in our house. Obviously in order to communicate, the speak the same language," she said.
For what many might consider a minus, the poet considers it a plus. "I have an excellent command of the English language because it is my first language," she said. This is something her trade depends on and she has no problems with that. For her dose of local language, she makes do with a smattering of Hausa, which she learnt while growing up in Kaduna.

POETIC LICENSE
Lady InspiroLogos did not set out to be a performing poet, it came quite by chance It started when she was younger, she said. "I was a child when I started writing poems. I didn't really know what i was doing. I just knew i always had something to say. So, if it was somebody's birthday, instead of buying cardss, I would rather write for them or write for my parents. I noticed that people liked and appreciated it more because it was coming from my heart instead of something I just picked up in a store," she said.
But at that stage, she had not realised the potential imbued in her until much later in life, outside the shores of her country when she went to school in Texas. "Over there, I was really encouraged that I do have a gift because I didn't see it as a gift, it was just like 'oh well, i had my own thing to say' you know. But they kind of pushed me and said, you really have a way with words and you need to do something about it."
She did not do much about it until she came back home to Nigeria, where her talent grew wings and flew as she recalled with pride, "It wasn't until i came back home that I got into Abuja Literary Society Poetry Competition that i realized i was as good as people said because i went in and won the competition." That was in May 2009. That triumph came as a surprise. She admitted she was not expecting to win and when she did her life was transformed. She decided to transform her art as well, from a bud to a blossom. She introduced costumes, she introduced drama and she brought in flair. "It gets bigger and bigger everyday, you know, more drama, more costumes," she said. Now her performances are greeted with wows, standing ovations and sometimes with tears. She has grown from the fledgling poet to an accomplished performer.

STAGE TRIUMPH
Her most exciting moment on stage was in September last year when she performed at teh Eagle Square, Abuja. It was a youth summit and most members of the audience were young. She decided to deliver a poem called "Nigeria, Arise!" which she described as a patriotic piece. Given the youths general apathy towards the nation, she was stunned by the boisterous standing ovation that greeted her performance. "My most exciting moment was to see thousands of people get up and cheer 'Lady I.' 'Lady I.' because I wasn't expecting them to even appreciate, because I wasn't there to entertain," she said.

STAGE FRIGHT?
There is no tale of laughable stage fright for Lady InspiroLogos. For as long as she can remember, she has always been on stage. The one moment she could recall as her first was at 14, when she led out her church choir. "I actually recited a three-foolscap sheet speech from memory and I had people on their feet screaming." When asked if she was nervous during the performance, she said "I really was (laughs) but they told me i didn't look nervous, that i looked really confident" And so began her march to a life on stage with unruffled feathers.
Even now, she exudes a confidence that belies the challenges she has overcome and in some cases, still battling with. Life as a performing poet is "very difficult." The thrills have always been there, the joy of seeing the effects of her words touching the hearts of her audience, the satisfaction of having tonnes of commendations from inspired fans. But beneath this, there is the trouble of financial reward, which she says is not much to write home about. "There are ups and downs to it, but I'm never gonna stop," she said.

BENEATH HER BEAUTIFUL MASK
That is not the least of her challenges though. For one born with the sickle cell disease life has been quite a challenge. . .
. . . "My poetry is sort of therapy for me and also a way to present myself and present my thoughts; it's a way to escape into my mind and a world where everything works. It's also a way to express when there's difficulty in my life," she said . . .
. . . She is an elegant lady and if one never knew, one might never guess she has sickle cell. She seemed healthy, and vibrant as well. She calls herself an “overcomer,” having overcome what would ordinarily be an impairment. What happened, what transformed her from the sickly girl to a flowery poet gracing the stage with inspiring poetry and motivational talks? “I have a source of strength and that is my faith in God and what he has done for me,” she said. She has decided to commit her time and resources to fight the sickle cell disease by creating awareness. She has written a book, 'Through My Eyes: Then and Now!', based on her experiences and how she overcame the ailment. She wants sufferers of sickle cell to have hope and for intending couples to do the right thing by having their genotypes tested so they don’t end up with children having the disease. “The purpose is to tell a gripping story and at the same time, you are educating people about sickle cell disease. They are learning facts and figures they didn’t know before, dispelling myths that existed about it And they are also getting a message of hope, they are getting my survival strategy,” she said. . .
The book will be coming out sometime later this year.

The life of InspiroLogos is an inspiration as the poetic belle through her resilience, has demonstrated that thee is no challenge that is insurmountable and that in art, even the hopeless can find a light somewhere down the dark tunnel of life.

I Love Her, I Love Her Not ...

Copyright © Ifueko Fex Ogbomo 2009

A faithful friend, she’s always there
A constant companion, she’s ever near
So compassionate, sensitive, and gentle is she
A more noble being there never could be
She gives to every needy person we meet
Even stops to help old ladies cross the street
Alas no one is perfect, no, not even she
Her motives are no doubt, as pure as can be
But I fault her in this, she’s a little too nosy
In my affairs she finds herself a little too cozy!

When I ‘stretch the truth’ to get out of trouble
She’s makes me come clean on the double
When I’m enraged and ready to give out a piece of my mind
She tells me to save it and instead be long-suffering and kind!
I once wished my fellow contestants would fall
So that I would be crowned the Belle-of-the-Ball
But one look into her baby brown eyes
And the error of my ways I at once realized

When controversy arises she’s ever equipped with a word
That pierces my heart like a double-edged sword
How I hate that I can’t seem to win whenever we fight
The exasperating fact is she’s always darned right!
When I secretly plan my revenge, executing it swiftly
She inevitably discovers it, and makes me feel so guilty
I wish she’d butt out and let me have my way
I wish she’d shut up and let me have my say
I love her not, Miss goody-two-shoes
She’s a friend I sometimes wish I could loose!

Alas, whenever I take a walk down memory lane
And I peek through my historical window pane
I see that in good times and bad, in glad moments and sad
She’s been there, always near, with a listening ear
I see that whenever I’ve taken her advice as I should
It’s always, always, worked out for my good
How happy I am when she’s constantly near
How sweet I sleep when she’s crystal clear
Oh I love her, and strive daily to love her more
For of this one thing I’m absolutely sure:
The most wicked of creatures I'd undoubtedly be
If my darling, my conscience, were ever to leave me!
_ _ _

Indeed, a tender conscience is a priceless treasure. One of God’s greatest gifts to mankind. A ‘divine red-flag’ as it were - warning us when our thoughts, words or deeds fall short of God’s standard of Love. Learn to be sensitive to follow the promptings of your conscience. I assure you, your life and the lives of those in your sphere of influence, will be better for it. Ignore your conscience often enough and eventually, it’ll stop speaking. What a tragedy that would be, for a man without a conscience is not a man, but a monster.
Selah.

Lady InspiroLogos.

A look through my eyes ...

I was opportuned to be the Cover Story of ALLURE Magazine, featured inside the Sunday Vanguard Newspaper, today March 7, 2010. The article (which is featured below) is very dear to my heart, not just because I wrote it, but because the subject is personal.
Enjoy ... and I look forward to your comments.
_ _ _

THROUGH MY EYES, THEN AND NOW! – AN INSPIRATIONAL TRUE STORY
January 4th, 2007 - I’ve been staring at the same spot on the ceiling for the last three hours, I can almost hear each hurried beat of my overworked heart, and I count each one, just waiting … I lay down, motionless, except for the intermittent rise and fall of my chest. As I draw in each excruciating breath, I feel as though a hundred knives are being driven through my entire chest and back, only to be viciously ripped out and mercilessly driven in again, and again, and again ... A lone tear slowly makes its way down my face as I remember the countless times I’ve been in similar situations over the years ... If I had to qualify what I feel right now, the words excruciating, agonizing, and torment come to mind ...

The above are the opening lines of my story, titled ‘Through My Eyes, Then and Now!’ In this first chapter I describe what it feels like to experience what is popularly termed a ‘crisis’ - an episode of Sickle Cell Disease - a hereditary, chronic, life-long blood disease that affects millions of persons of African Descent, worldwide.

My story is a book, and in it I paint a vivid picture of just how devastating life with Sickle Cell Disease can be; but I point out that as terrible as this wide-spread disease is, and having no easily accessible medical cure, it is totally preventable with a simple genotype test. I wrote the book in the hope that via individual and collective efforts, this nation and other affected nations will wake up and take action to create more awareness of this disease and ensure that genotype testing, proper education and pre-marital counselling can become the norm in our education and health care institutions, so that further sickle-cell births can be prevented!

In simplistic language from the voice of personal experience, I also provide useful and practical information to Sickle Cell patients, their families, doctors and care-givers in order that the care and maintenance of persons battling this chronic condition can be greatly improved.

Finally, in this book I describe in detail my survival strategy: belief in God’s love and faith in His word, in order to let persons that are faced with this disease know that despite the many odds stacked them, they can live fulfilling and satisfying lives. In other words, with my strategy, a diagnosis of Sickle Cell Disease does not have to be equal to a miserable, shallow and brief existence in a cruel world.

Through My Eyes, Then and Now! is a story of trials, tragedy and ultimately triumph, It’s a story that will undoubtedly make you cry and also make you smile. I believe it’s a story worth telling, but then again, it is the story of my life.

Here’s what Award-winning Broadcaster, Essayist and Author of ‘In the Blink of An Eye’ - Eugenia Abu had to say about the book:
"Through My Eyes: Then and Now! is an awesome book about pain, and the triumph of faith. Written in an exquisitely conversational style, the author engages us all in the story of her life, the journeys of her life, and the beauty that is her life. Through the Author’s life, we encounter Sickle Cell Anaemia like never before. The Author’s humour, matter of fact stories and special relationship with God gets us all ready to do whatever we have to, to find a cure for this debilitating disease.
The Author is at once teacher, preacher, pain bearer and friend.
An incredible read. A real page turner. Should be on your shelf."

It is my desire and hope that as this book is published and launched this year, it becomes more than just a touching story. It becomes a tool that informs, educates and enlightens everyone that comes across it, and more importantly, it becomes a catalyst of positive and lasting change as regards this issue of national and global concern.

Bottom line, if this story causes one person to test his or her genotype and therefore pick an appropriate match in their choice of spouse, thereby preventing the birth of more SCD sufferers, If this story causes the parents of a SCD patient to understand better what their child is going through and how to take care of that child better, If this story causes one SCD sufferer to have hope-against-hope for a bright future... then I could count my trials and tragedies to be triumph indeed.
Stop the Sickle Cycle – Test Your Genotype Today!

Inspirational Writer, Performance Poet and Voice Artist:
Ifueko Fex Ogbomo – a Sickle Cell Survivor!
- - -

The Book Launch is proposed for May 2010, in Lagos, Nigeria.
If you would like to sponsor the publication and launch of this book, and/or Sickle Cell Disease awarness campaigns please send me an email on inspirologosworld@yahoo.com

The Picture of Peace

It's two weeks into the new year! Already? ... Yes, time flies!
Anyway, despite the many resolutions, conclusions, aspirations, and expectations for this awesome year, things might not be going as smoothly you thought they would. When a storm is in sight, wishing on a thousand stars won't still the storm. What you need is some real peace!

Speaking of which, I was inspired to paint a picture of peace.
As usual, my paintbrush is a pen, and my paint, some choice words from my imaginative vocabulary. ;-)
The result? ... Voila!

The Picture of Peace
Copyright ©Ifueko Ogbomo 2009

A picture of peace ... A picture of peace ...
How would it look, this picture of peace?
Stillness. Serenity. Quietness. Tranquillity.
Blue skies. Green Meadows. A soft breeze. A bright rainbow.
No yelling parents. No crying babies.
A Day-off - no labour. A leisurely drive - no traffic.
All debts paid. All needs met. All going good.
Ahh, 'tis the picture of peace, is it not?
I think not; ‘tis simply a picture of ease.

I looked far and wide, searched high and low
That a picture of peace I might see and know
And just when I thought I had no choice but to quit
There I saw it, in the pages of the Holy Writ
Ah, I stood back and stared in awe
As at last, the picture of peace I saw:

A raging storm. Boisterous winds.
Menacing waves crashing. A boat tossing and turning.
Uproar! Chaos! Cabin and crew madly rushing about.
They're shaking with trepidation.
Lips mumbling, stumbling over fear-filled prayers.
Minds frazzled, dazzled with images of a watery grave.
They're screaming in terror:
‘Abandon ship!’ ‘Women and children first!’ ‘Every man for himself, and God for us all!’
All perturbed. All disturbed. All save one.

See him: curled up in a corner, as though oblivious of the surrounding danger.
All worries forgotten. All cares forsaken.
See him: curled up in a corner, on a pillow he lies, fast asleep!
Assured that He who never sleeps, watches over him.
See him, the Prince of Peace; see thus, the true picture of peace
'tis not the calm before the storm, nay.
'tis the calm within the storm!

(My inspiration came from the scriptural story recorded in three out of four of the gospels, although Mark's account is my favorite. See Mark 4: 35 - 41.)

In Conclusion:
Life's challenging - that's a given. When you are blessed with a vivid imagination like mine, it's easy to get anxious over unpleasant unforseen circumstances and undesirable unexpected happenings. However, if you can keep the wanderings of your mind focused on God, focused on His abilities and not your inabilities, His strength and not your weakness, His omniscience and not your limited knowledge, and if you can trust Him, then that picture of peace, will be a picture of YOU.

How do I know that? Simple. it says so in Isaiah 26 verse 3:
"You will keep him in perfect peace,
whose mind is stayed on You,
because he trusts in You"
If it's in the word of God, then it's inspired by God, who cannot lie, and that's good enough for me! Selah!

- - -
Lady I. - Positively Peaceful

Celebrating the Celebrant!

Over 11 months gone, the year is almost done
It should be Celebration Time for everyone!
No matter how challenging the year has been
The mercies of God you’ve surely seen
So forget about the Stress, Struggles and Strife
Sing, Dance, Shout, Clap and thank God for the gift of LIFE!

Spread the Love that comes from above
Spread the Joy to every girl and boy
Spread the goods and some delicious food
Spread the Word about the Birth of the LORD
Spread the greetings of this Special Season
Share a hug and a kiss, with those you love and miss!

A Very Merry Christmas and HAPPY New Year,
From LADY I to everyone far and near!

p.s. Don't forget to celebrate the actual celebrant in this CHRISTmas season!
And in that spirit, allow me to share with you a little poem I wrote years ago, specifically on November 12th 2002:


HIS STORY

He was a baby, born in a manger, watched by the shepherds, served by the Kings
He was a boy, caught in the temple, teaching the aged, what His father taught Him

He was a man, baptized in the Jordan, from which He emerged as the dove descended
Then God proclaimed: "This is my Son, in Him I'm well pleased, He is my beloved"

He was still a man, hung on the cross, wounded and bleeding, despised by other men
His blood was shed, your sins to cleanse, your ills to heal, your hearts to mend

He is a King, a high priest is He, esteemed above all, the one I adore
Soon He will come, come for His own, the ones who choose to love Him more and more

From tiny babe to great King, He remains humble, with hands stretched out to you, He calls
Will you respond, will your surrender; your heart, your life, your love, your all?

_ _ _
Lady I. - Willingly Surrendered

How Do I Go On?

This poem is dedicated to you who are facing overwhelming circumstances and wondering if you will ever get through. I feel you.

HOW DO I GO ON?
Copyright ©Ifueko Ogbomo 2009

A body broken. A love lost. A dream destroyed.
Pain indescribable. Misery irrepressible. Agony insurmountable.
A body racked with pain is brutal
A heart wrecked by despair, fatal

One minute all is well: The sky is blue, the grass is green,
birds sing sweetly, laughter rings freely;
One minute, you’re walking with a pep in your step; a twinkle in your eye and a super-sparkly smile
The next minute, everything changes
An argument. An accident. One morbid message. One calamitous call.
Instantly laughter is transformed into tears, exuberant joy into immeasurable sorrow
The light of day becomes a gross darkness, crushing your very soul
Life as you know it ceases to be

Then questions arise: Why this? Why now? Why me? Why? ...
The answers elude, thus the despair deepens.
The broken body will never mend. The lost love will never be found. The destroyed dream will never be realized.
Then the many questions become one: ‘How do I go on?’

When each dawn is but a despicable reminder of another dreaded day
The laughter of others but a dagger thrust deeper into my despondent soul
How do I go on?
Would that I stop feeling, for all I feel is raw, incessant pain – I long to go numb
Would that I stop seeing, for all I see conjures up terrifying memories – I long to forget
There is no more light, no, just a dark dark night
I am become but a shadow of what I once was
How do I go on?
My past, forgotten; my present, traumatic; my future, what future?
I know of none. I imagine none. I envision nothing.
How do I go on?
I have but one desire: to close my eyes in eternal sleep, and no more ever weep.
Or know you another way? Pray show me, please, tell me...
How do I go on?
_ _ _

In answer to the above question, let me say the following:
You go on by looking up, and you do it one day at a time.
Don’t look downward or inward because all you’ll see is sorrow. Don’t look around you because your circumstances will overwhelm you.
Just look up to God.
Whenever I face situations that make me wonder how I could ever go on, I find solace in two scriptural facts:
1. Nothing, absolutely nothing, neither death nor life, the present or the future, will ever be able to separate mefrom the unconditional everlasting love God has for me (Romans 8: 38,39; Jeremiah 31:3).
2. Since I love God, and I’m called according to His purpose, then I know that God causes ALL things to work together for my good, ultimately (Romans 8:28).
When I’m overwhelmed by life, believing these facts give me the strength to go on, one day at a time and I hope they will do the same for you.

Remember, no matter how long a night is, it must give way to the rising of the sun - the light of a brand new day. Look up!
_ _ _
Lady I. – Still Standing Strong!

Joy, Despite!

Okay, have you ever had one of 'those' days?
You know, when you wake up on the 'wrong side of the bed'?
Everyone and their mama-in-law is out to step on your toes and get on your last nerve?!
Basically, everything that could possibly go wrong does.
It's one of those days when your alarm doesn't go off for some mysterious reason so you're running late for work; plus your beloved dog chewed up your favorite shoes so your carefully pre-selected wardrobe has to be changed. Despite it all you're out the door in one piece and off to work. Ofcourse it starts to rain, and being late all the parking spaces are taken so you have to park two blocks away from the office and walk. that's when you realize you forgot to put the umbrella in your car, great! Well, walking the two blocks as fast as you can, you get mud-splashed as a car whizzes by, so now you look like a wreck. Just as you walk in the office you see all your colleagues leaving the conference room - the big boss had decided to show up early and have an impromptu office meeting which ofcourse, you missed and are now officially in the boss' black book. ouch. Well, moving on you get behind your desk and discover you have three messages on the answering machine:
1. Your partner at work is sadly indisposed and won't be at work today so your workload has just doubled
2. Your kid is in detention AGAIN, and his teacher needs to meet with you ASAP
3. Your spouse says something just came up and your desperately-needed, much-anticipated date night tonight is cancelled, until further notice. double ouch.
So, at this point your already massaging your aching temples and it's not even lunch time yet - speaking of lunch you obviously won't be having a break today, what with your doubled work load and all ... and then just when you think this rotten day can't possibly get any worse ...... it does! aaaaaaaarrgh!!!

Okay, so this is what one of 'those' days could look like - can you relate?
The truth is at this point you've got two options:
A. Go through the day mad at everything, yell at every helpless person you can find, and keep popping pills to manage your headache which is escalating to a migraine per minute; and throw yourself a pity-party while you're at it, cos you 'just can't catch a break' ...
B. Think about the facts that you still have a working car, a job, a loving spouse and kids (all things that millions of people are wishing for) plus your not laying on a hospital bed, locked up in jail or the psych ward, and certainly not in the mortuary, and take a couple minutes to give thanks for all that - and laugh about the day's unnerving events.

Umm, see i'd go with option B and i'll tell you why. Since 'those days' come around more often than we'd like, repeatedly going with option A will probably get you prematurely gray, maybe even sporting an ulcer, and it will definitely put you in the top slot for 'office grouch' - ;-)
Option B on the other hand will keep you cheerful,which means less wrinkles on your pretty face, and mental clarity - straight so you can find a way to get through your crazy day! Besides, believe me, it would make a great dinnertime story at some point!

Hey, bottomline we can't always control what happens in our lives, but we can ALWAYS choose our attitudes about it.
I like to say it like this: It doesn't matter if nothing goes right, I choose to keep my joy, despite!
So if you're having one of 'those' days, take a few minutes to think about the things that are working out.
Sing a song.
Dance a jig.
Find a way to laugh.
Do whatever it takes to get joyful and guard your joy jealously!
Finally remember: Even the worst day cannot last longer than 24 hours!

- - -
Lady I. - unapologetically joyful!

Attention! Calling a Reforming Generation!

Copyright © Ifueko Ogbomo 2009

Four fellows sit tensely, on the edges of their sofa seats, watching the television screen. Each one exclaims randomly and gesticulates wildly, occasionally glancing at the on-screen timer. As the seconds tick, the suspense in the air mounts, until it is almost unbearable. The home team is down by one point. Countdown is five minutes on the clock. Fortunately, the ball falls into the play of the home team. As the home players dribble their opponents, and draw closer to the opposition’s goal post, our four fellows find themselves on their feet, pacing, panting, puffing, and otherwise making a spectacle of themselves. The fellows exclaim with passion: ‘Oh, pass the ball’ ... ‘take the shot, man’ ‘look at that rubbish - my grandmother can dribble better than that’ .... Indeed, it’s soccer fever at its finest. And then, a passionate unanimous shout ‘YEI! NEPA!’ – There’s been a black out, power is gone, and the fellows are left hanging. Ouch.
One of them turns to the host and says: “My guy, what about your generator?”
“Generator?” the host replies, “the game will be over before we can turn it on! Besides, there’s no fuel in it, what with the fuel scarcity for the past two weeks, it’s all I can to do keep my car running.”
And then the murmuring begins ...
“Haaa, Nigeeeria! Meeen, when will the government do something about this?”
“Government? do you think government officials suffer power failure in their houses, please. You are even talking - at least you have ‘light’ a few hours a day, if not for your place where would I watch the match? In my area we haven’t had power at all for three WEEKS, in fact water hasn’t come at all for 4 months and they have come to present the utility bills, every month as usual, can you beat that? ...”
“Hmm! May God help us oh – no light, no water, fuel scarcity, no jobs ... in short this country is just getting worse everyday! Kai! Man, the best thing is to make plans to check out oh, otherwise how will one raise children here? ... “
Hmm. A typical conversation amongst typical Nigerians today: expressions of frustration, hopelessness, and weariness, undergirded by a longing for a change. But will there ever truly be a change? And what will it take to see one? A Change, more specifically a Reformation – this is the subject of my meditation.

There is a demand, a gross demand for catalysts of change in our great nation. But who will supply that demand? History demonstrates that a few have tried and sporadically wrought change in one sector or another, but such changes have been short-lived. It appears that some people make attempts to bring about change, but they end up giving up, giving in to pressures, and conforming to the status quo. Many say they wish for change, but they do nothing, resolved to the notion that one man can do nothing against millions. Motivational speaker and Pastor, Rev. Goodheart Ekwueme shared that many years ago he asked his father what difference his father thought just one man can make; one man swimming upstream, refusing to conform to the status quo, standing up for justice and equity and fair-play – what can just one man do? and his father answered him thus: ‘one tree on its own will not make a forest, but one tree can begin the process of making a forest.’ Wise words indeed and as I listened to him talk, I took them to heart – if you have any desire to see change in your nation, you would do well to also take those words to heart.

My belief is thus: What our country needs is reformation!
What is reformation? It is a RE-forming, or the process of being RE-formed. Webster’s Dictionary states that to REFORM something is to improve it by removing faults and weaknesses OR by strengthening its good qualities. It also states that to reform is to ‘put an end to evil, abuse, etc.’ The natural conclusion then would be that in order for reformation to occur in our nation, there must be an end to evil, a cessation of abuse in all its forms; our faults and weaknesses must be removed AND our good qualities must be strengthened.
What are these evils, these faults, these weaknesses? Selfishness, Greed and Injustice are the deep-rooted evil trees in our nation that bear fruits of corruption, fraud, bribery, oppression. There is mass poverty with the exception of a few obscenely wealthy persons, who occupy themselves with the sole task of amassing even more wealth, while the masses spiral further down into abject poverty – it is an evil indeed. Some of our weaknesses include nepotism, tribalism – My good friend, your brother is not just the man who speaks your language; your sister is not only the lady who hails from the same state as you; we must learn to embrace each other as Nigerians, as ONE people, with one cause - otherwise we will not need any external enemies to destroy us, for we will slowly and surely destroy ourselves. Admitting our faults and facing them head on is a step we must take in order to correct them. We’ve swept these evils, faults and weaknesses under the carpet for so long, anyone glancing at the carpet can see the tell-tale bulge of our dirt beneath. The only way the reformation of our nation will occur is to raise a new breed – a breed void of greed, only a greed-free breed will succeed at the herculean task of national reformation.

It is often said that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. I daresay a nation is only as strong as its weakest person - its most unsavoury character. In order for a nation to become strong, great, a force to be reckoned with – its people, each person must strive to become strong and great, not necessarily in wealth and position, but strong in character and great in compassion. Indeed, the reformation, the change you desire must begin IN you, FROM you, right where you are. To reform a person, is defined as ‘changing the person’s ways for the better.’ My friend, there is no better person to reform you than yourself, because no one knows your ‘ways’ – your character, your attitudes, your motives and thoughts, better than yourself. You must become that first ‘tree’ that grows in the would-be forest of reformers. If you can become strong in godly principles and character, and refuse to conform to the status quo, then the change has begun: first you - then your family - your neighbourhood - your city - your region and before you know it, the righteous outnumber the evil, and the nation is exalted. Our nation will then become the envy of other nations; taking her rightful place, Nigeria will then become a catalyst of positive change in Africa and the world. IT IS POSSIBLE, YES, but it starts with YOU.

Do you know who you are? You are the salt of the earth. Now we are all aware that salt on its own is of no use, and is unpleasant to the taste. However, when just a little bit of salt is added to an entire pot of food, the food that was once bland, unappetizing, unsatisfying, and therefore almost useless, becomes seasoned, edible, even delicious. The appropriately salted food can then achieve its intended purpose – satisfaction of hunger - effectively. That’s what you are called to be, salt of the earth. Like salt you may seem small, the minority, but if you stay true to yourself, if you ensure that you do not loose your ‘savour,’ if you do not loose sight of godly principles like integrity, righteousness, justice, no matter how strong the opposition or the majority might be, then you will be effective as a much-needed catalyst of change in this nation.

You are also the light of the world! Indeed. As the light of the world, you cannot and should not be hidden. Darkness, no matter how thick, inevitably gives way to light, no matter how dull. And the brighter the light, the less the darkness. Light can also be seen from a long ways off. Think about a ship tossed and turned at sea, it has lost its bearings, until way off in the distance, it spots the LIGHT-house – a beacon of hope indeed. What happens then? The captain and crew climb out of their pits of despair, as the ship makes its way directly for the lighthouse – it has found safety again, why? because it has seen the LIGHT. That’s what you and I are called to be: LIGHT in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. Remember, light NEVER bows to darkness, it’s the other way around, every time. You are meant to bring hope, bring comfort, bring joy, everywhere you find yourself. Be the defender of the defenceless, be the voice of the poor, be father or mother to the orphan. Be SALT, with a strong savour, to season your environment. Be LIGHT, shining brighter and brighter, to light up your world! You CAN do it!

At this point I must tell you quite frankly that if you intend to successfully effect CHANGE, you must be ready to rock the boat of the status quo. In other words must be ready to refuse to engage in what presently seen as ‘typical Nigerian behaviour.’ Refuse to make derogatory remarks about our country, instead say what you desire to see; eventually what you keep saying is what will BE. Refuse to be disorderly; refuse to throw trash out of your vehicle onto the streets; refuse to jump queues; refuse to falsify documents, cheat and scheme to get contracts; refuse to make illegal connections to get electricity, refuse to steal your company’s property, no matter how small or insignificant; refuse to conform to the status quo! Irish philosopher and politician, Edmund Burke aptly said ‘all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing!’ Don’t sit down and do nothing – STAND UP, my friend; stand up for right-living, right-speaking, right-thinking, right-doing, stand up for righteousness! Reform your attitude toward our Nation, your words about our country; reform your character and conduct as a New Breed Nigerian!

It doesn’t matter if ‘everyone else’ conforms - never give in! Remember that God sees your actions at ALL times, when you think no one is watching, He is; even more – He sees the secret motives and thoughts behind your every action. God sees, and God will judge. It matters not who you please or displease, what matters bottom-line is this: is the Almighty God pleased?

In addition, you must of necessity take time and make time to pray for Nigeria. Instead of complaining, murmuring, or planning to ‘check-out’ at the earliest possibility - PRAY! If you don’t pray for change, then don’t expect to see change. If you don’t pray for change, you have no right to complain when things remain the same. If you don’t pray for YOUR country, please tell me, who will?

So my good friend, YOU CAN become a mighty oak tree in the forest of a reforming generation. No, it will not be a walk in the park or a bed of roses, because you will be going against the grain and guess what? it requires significantly more strength to swim upstream than it does to go with the flow. It takes guts, real courage, to stand up against prevailing unrighteousness. Yes, it will take time, determination, consistency, effort and sacrifice. Indeed, you may loose some instant gratifications, and certain present advantages you may be enjoying; you may loose friends, and you may never be popular. It may be a lonely road you will tread, but it will be a walk to remember. For your present sacrifice is a small price to pay to obtain the great prize of a positive and permanent change in this nation.

Nigeria is in dire need of catalysts of change: Reformers. Men and women determined to not only bring an end to evil and abuse, not only remove our faults and weaknesses but also strengthen our good qualities. Men and Women who will celebrate our diversity without tribalism. Exploit the full potential of ALL of our resources, natural and human. Build the creativity and intelligence of our youth, moulding them to be selfless leaders from a tender age. Stand out as determined patriots and worthy ambassadors of this great country. Men and women who are ready to forget their personal agendas and strive for one goal – the good of our nation.

This IS a call for a reforming generation; catalysts of change; a breed without greed.

It is a clarion call, to a noble goal, and it’s sounding YOUR name.

The only question is this: will YOU answer this call?

_ _ _ _ _

Get inspired, Go inspire!

Lady I. - Proudly Nigerian