WALKING PHONES

GSM Mobile phone use came into Nigeria in 2001 with Econet. As usual, they started in Lagos as the commercial center of the country and those of us in other areas just heard about experiences of its users. We only saw it on television and heard about it on the radio. It had become one of the fantastic things that were to remain a fantasy to those of us without a lot of thousands to spend on its acquisition. Then in came MTN, then known as “your best connection”. Apart from the competition and its wider coverage, it was a little lower than Econet in cost. By 2003, a large number of Nigerians could afford mobile phones because of the flood of options from Nokia and Samsung especially. I could afford a phone too. My father bought my very first mobile phone, a Samsung R220 popularly called “blue face” and I joined the league of GSM users. However, I had to squeeze out N12,000 to get an MTN sim card.

My Condolences to Us All

A friend of mine asked me a few days ago what my take on the Dana plane crash and its resultant reactions from people was and I answered that I didn't have one. He was shocked because I'm opinionated and I often have something to say. At his expression, I said, "its a sad situation" and gingerly left the conversation. I have read posts and comments from blogs and twitter and Facebook and listened in on conversations and its sad that we don't seem to be improving in our appreciation of the situation of our country, Nigeria.
What we face from corruption, to irresponsibility and arrogance is BAD (read my post "My Nigeria"). And even though we are all educated to an extent about how our leaders decisions and inaction is depreciating to us all by ripple effect, we still blame it on others. Most of what I read was that the fault of the crash was from Indians, Indians??? How dumb are we? Can't we see that because we can not service our own industries we have to bring in expatriates and then turn around and blame them for their failures? which really is ours because we manage to go to their schools, learn to be 'world best' and then remain in their countries to work for them as we can't cope the 'backwardness' of our own. Yes we pay them the big bucks, but if we are patriotic in any sense we will double check on what they are doing and not leave our lives in their hands.

Ultimate Ramblings 1: In Relative Terms

It is said that good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people. The law of karma says what comes around goes around or the bad you do will come back to haunt you (thoroughly paraphrased). Medically, they say an unripe fruit may contain the necessary acids for digestion. So, an unripe orange may be a better laxative than a ripe one and an unripe mango stands a lesser chance of increasing the frequency of toilet visits while a ripe one might induce such. Also, you cannot know how much strength you have until tested, neither can you know your capacity for pain unless your endure some. Can we say there is an antonym without a word? Therefore, there is no wealth without poverty and no love without hate. Only the state of a “status” describes the alternative.

Trip to BENtv and OHtv

Finally, excursion to Media companies, Bright Entertainment Network (BENtv) and Open Heavens Television (OHtv) was executed. This is the first phase of my project for this semester and it went WELL! as soon as I sat in the coach to return to Birmingham I felt like screaming “It’s done”, I didn’t though.

It didn’t happen without its hurdles. First of all I got a text from one of the 10 people to take off from here saying she was ill and couldn’t make it. I replied that that was fine and she should recover soon as I wondered how I would be able to afford the group ticket now 1 person short. I gave everyone their tickets and we were off to London. I suddenly realised I could ask 1 of the 2 people who were to meet us in Tottenham hale to come to Euston instead to make up our number. Ultimately it was good for him because he lives 5minutes from Euston station in London. Have I mentioned the stress in booking tickets and arranging travel?

Phlegm

I hate phlegm!

It’s not only disgusting in itself but the sound it makes trying to find its way up the walls of the throat is completely nauseating. Firstly, I can’t seem to be able to get it out of my throat whenever it manages to get all wobbly in there. I’ve heard people clear their throats or cough in order to free themselves from the clingy-ness of it but all I can do is watch. I’ve tried to copy the actions or sounds made by people around me just to get it out of its lodgings but it just wouldn’t budge from my own throat. I’ve seen people throw their heads backwards and make the weirdest sounds ever and spit it out or just grunt and there it goes. I can practically hear it grudging dislodging itself part by part from the throat walls and roll into a ball that finally comes out through the mouth with the force created by the sound made by the individual (exasperating I know). I have tried it all; coughing, clearing my throat, bending over, leaning backwards, jumping, drinking water in large gulps, swallowing food to push it down, sticking my hand in my throat, wishing it away, and trying to forget its presence… all to no effect. Phlegm just won’t come out of my throat. Fortunately, I hardly have it stuck in there but when it does I’m restless and distracted. It’s like watching a dog try to remove a tick from the base of its back. You’ll hear whimpering and sheer agony.