'BODEDEREK

Does anyone remember this quote "Free your mind and your ass will follow"? Well I do, and I constantly remind myself of it so that I can rise above petty jealousies, prejudices and negative vibes. None of us is perfect as human beings but we have to make that special effort to recognise the flaw in ourselves and adjust accordingly. It is even harder nowadays to do, because human aspiration changes with time and conditions. What we thought was most important to us ten years ago may not necessarily be the case now. Sometimes it is because our objective has changed in the first place or we have realised the goals previously set and it is only natural to set the next goal. Due to revolutionary changes in information technology where virtually anything can be obtained or information accessed via the internet, our value system cannot but be affected by the number of things now available online. Any new technology will always benefit us and can bring immense satisfaction and ...

Less than 100 days to go to the summer Olympics, it is important for Londoners who come into close proximity with foreign visitors, athletes, delegates and people of other cultures to be sensitive and as much as possible be aware of  acceptable and unacceptable norms. The most Innocent of gesture in the wrong company, could be misinterpreted as rude, unacceptable or taboo by other cultures.  It is even more important for the visitors to our capital city during the games to familiarise themselves with our way of life in Britain and not misconstrue an innocent gesture of word or deed. They should remember the adage "When in Rome, do as the Romans" or words to that effect. Seasoned travellers know what I am trying to say, especially those who mingle with the local population and inhabitants in the foreign lands that they visit. The people who make you feel the most welcome in any country in the world are the average citizenry of those places. They are never pretentious and ...

In my last post, I spoke about my ancestral warrior blood. This part of my african lineage is a common trait in the Egba people who were known as fierce warriors. The capital of Egbaland was and still remains the city of Abeokuta in Nigeria. Amongst the distinguished Nigerians whose origins can be traced back to Abeokuta city is former president of Nigeria General Olusegun Obasanjo who happens to be celebrating his 75th birthday this week. The late Fela Kuti musician extraordinaire and loads more distinguished Nigerians come from Egbaland. The traditional ruler of this part of the country is the Alake of Egbaland and he is highly respected by all. He is in effect the custodian of the cultural heritage of his people. Up till the present day, certain ceremonies are still performed in the same way as in ancient times,.Certain elements within jazz music were taken from the talking drum patterns of this area and the west african region as a whole. Drummers are an integral part of...

The truth they say will set you free. this is very true from my experience, the only trouble sometimes is the journey you have to take to arrive at the truth. The judiciary I think describes truth as relative. Our perception of truth varies depending on the context of which truth, whose and what so I get a headache trying to reconcile the truth will set you free without contextualising it. In short, this statement can sometimes be difficult to swallow. As for me, it seems like I am sitting in a calm before the storm and my one true perception of truth right now is to match this external calm with an inner calm, anticipate and give a thought for peace. The world at different times, has experienced peacemakers, some at just the right time for the peace they made and others not. Our world right now, needs the peacemakers more than ever with the upheavals in the arab world, war in Afghanistan and also certain parts of africa. People should be more focused on helping to further peace...

Condolences to the families of Christopher McManus and Franco Lamolinara who while working in Nigeria found themselves embroiled in a nightmare beyond imagining. It is unfair and tragic when innocent civilians who are going about their daily business, end up getting murdered at the hands of kidnappers. It is difficult enough in a developed country, for the authorities to conduct successfully, the rescue of a kidnapped victim. The logistical and operational demands that have to be met are numerous, timing has to be exact and the element of surprise is usually the only advantage the rescuers will have going for them. Maybe with time, the reason why this rescue mission was attempted at all will be explained. In my view, the attempt at rescue was doomed to failure, especially in a country like Nigeria where in a lot of cases, nothing is ever what it seems, where tribal and ethnic loyalties can outweigh the other considerations of being a good citizen and where political allegiance has...

In my last post, I spoke about my ancestral warrior blood. This part of my african lineage is a common trait in the Egba people who were known as fierce warriors. The capital of Egbaland was and still remains the city of Abeokuta in Nigeria. Amongst the distinguished Nigerians whose origins can be traced back to Abeokuta city is former president of Nigeria General Olusegun Obasanjo who happens to be celebrating his 75th birthday this week. The late Fela Kuti musician extraordinaire and loads more distinguished Nigerians come from Egbaland. The traditional ruler of this part of the country is the Alake of Egbaland and is highly respected by all. He is in effect the custodian of the cultural heritage of his people. Up till the present day, certain ceremonies are still performed in the same way as in ancient times,.Certain elements within jazz music were taken from the talking drum patterns of this area and the west african region as a whole. Drummers are an integral part of royal cer...

On facebook the other day, I came across a picture of my grandfather's funeral. My whole family was present except me. The memories came flooding back, it was the funeral of the man who had raised me exclusively from the age of eighteen months till I was five years old. Even after my parents and siblings joined me in africa, I delighted in going to spend time at granddad's whenever I could. My grandfather and I had a special bond, I loved being around him. I knew every nook and cranny of granddad's house, the whole household and the community at large took very good care of me. The saddest part of this story was when my grandfather passed away, I was in boarding school, my dad was in Austria at some medical conference. The family must have decided to wait for my dad to return from abroad (him being the eldest son) and in the ensuing brouhaha and confusion, everyone forgot about me, the old man's favourite grandson. I found out about my grandfather's death and ...