Dress code for flights plus a big update on my giveaway!

Have you been following my movement? Lo. I’ve been called Jeremiah (I don’t get it), Mrs Ajala (smh), and a host of other names. SMH again!

By the way, I’m in Abuja! Whoop! Always a blessing to see my nephew! Quick, somewhat uneventful trip to be honest, nothing out of the ordinary (have to chip in though that Discovery Air is brilliant), except that I will/can never understand why people go all out with their dressing/makeup for flights. Especially the night flights, where the basic idea is to board and sleep, not like day flights allow for parties or board meetings if you get my drift. I don’t get it!

When I travel I like to be so comfortable I’ve formed the habit of not even wearing belts so there are less things to take off when passing security and so nothing ‘holds me while I’m sleeping. If it’s not winter I’ll most likely be wearing slippers, again so I don’t have to wrangle with my shoes.

Now even though I know everyone isn’t me (or like me), it never fails to amuse me when I see babes dressed to the nines, heels and all! Anyway, according to one of my friends, ‘you never know where you will find love (or work) and you must be ready’. Of course she is consistently guilty!

Anyway, I’m in Abuja, weeks after my super fabulous birthday! As always I’m grateful for safe travels, for a roof over my head, and the privileges I have. God is so good to me!

Now quick update on my giveaway (I must be the worst person you have seen do a giveaway, sigh), I sent off these six books to Ivy Ben,

 

and the Message Bible to @eBunite.

@eBunite sent that photo via Twitter, and then emailed to say thank you but I haven’t heard a sound from Ivy Ben. Did I ask for too much in saying winners should send a photo of their items when they receive them?

It is a tad funny/disrespectful for me because I sent a number of emails that have so far received no replies. The transport company however confirmed to me that the books were claimed, so let’s just leave it at that. These things happen, ey?

Moving quickly to update number two, the remaining winners were (((LIST))). Now, that I’m around again I can send off the books by Scott Hempling to the winners so please email an address, full name and contact number and your preferred transport company soon as you can to dfairygodsister(at)yahoo(dot)com!

For the winners of “Democracy and prebendalism in Nigeria: Critical interpretations. Edited by Adebanwi and Obadare”, and “Rewire: Digital cosmopolitans in the age of connection by Ethan Zuckerman’, I’ve got really bad news.

The donor wasn’t able to send them in to me, had some issues with logistics. He sent these two as a replacement though, and both of you (Lade and Dede) are welcome to them. Again, please email your details so I can send them out!

Final update – there’s two copies of the book by Scott Hempling (Nonye has the first copy), and the first two people to email me their details gets it!

Everyone else who didn’t win something, I’ve got another giveaway in the offing (and I promise it won’t take this long) so stay tuned!

Finally (I mean it this time), there are still slots open for people who want to join the #31Days31Writers project for July! You need to reach me at dfairygodsister(at)yahoo(dot)com while there are still spaces! Get in touch already! If you don’t know what it’s about, there’s some information here.

Giveaway details!

So on Thursday night I said I would be doing a giveaway, the first ever on the blog, whoop! That story is here by the way, if you didn’t see it on the day.

I had a somewhat difficult Friday, and an entire day spent at the salon on Saturday (plus other sundry matters), and so I’m just getting to this now.

I got this tweet, and I was so touched she got in touch to find out so can I start by saying she’s our first winner? Congratulations Bukky Shaba! Thanks for caring enough to ask!

Now, I didn’t say what items I would be giving out, but if you saw the update on the items my friends had sent in for me to give out as well, it should have given you a bit of an idea!

I’m giving out books! Books! Books! Why? Well because I love to read, and social media strategist notwithstanding, few things give me more joy than curling up with a good book. Not with a kindle or an iPad or anything like that. So, why not give out stuff that I love?

Here’s the twist though, I won’t force my reading list on you, you get to pick exactly what you want!

So, here are the rules, as dictated by my partner in this venture, @HL_Blue

1. Open the last twelve posts on this blog

2. Pick the 5th word of the 6th paragraph in each post

3. Use these words to form a sentence.

That’s it!

No you don’t have to follow me on Twitter, send me a Facebook request or follow me on Instagram or any of those things. Naaa, you don’t need to.

You do need to be creative with the words you pick from the paragraphs though, if you want to win bad enough!

What happens next?

 @HL_Blue picks out the FIVE most creative sentences, you pick out ANY book you want on Amazon, and it’s yours! The only thing I ask is that you be gentle on my pocket 🙂 There’s a £17 limit per winner. Use it wisely!

Time starts now, and the winners have to be chosen by Tuesday night! That gives me enough time to order, receive them, and send them down.

Who’s up for winning? Go! Go! Go!

Any questions? Tweet me @chiomachuka or @HL_Blue!

There are five other books up for grabs (thanks to my friends). If you want to give out a book too (anonymously or not), get in touch!

1. Preside or lead: the actions and actions of effective regulators by Scott Hempling (3 of them).

2. “Democracy and Prebendalism in Nigeria: Critical Interpretations” edited by Adebanwi and Obadare

“Rewire: Digital Cosmopolitans in the Age of Connection” by Ethan Zuckerman

3. The Message Bible. (I mistakenly ordered two instead of one so instead of returning one, I’m going to give it one lucky winner!

P:S – Please leave your answers in the comments section! Would have said private mail me but I want the process to be as transparent as possible! Contribute to the body of knowledge! Lol (that’s something one of my tutors would always say.)

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My first ever giveaway!!

So I woke up this morning and immediately felt like I wanted to do a giveaway on the blog. Whoop! Excited much because I’ve never done one before, and the thought alone of “being the answer to someone’s prayer” (however small) got me on a small high!

There was only one problem though, I didn’t know what to give, or how to give it! So, I went on Twitter, and because Igbo people say a person who asks for direction never misses his way, I asked, threw the question out there.

Here’s the reply that rocked the most for me.

What do you think?

Amazing! My seat almost couldn’t contain me! See, I love strategies, and so it totally excites me when people come up with ideas literally at the drop of a hat (or tweet, lol).

Remember my #31Days31Writers project? The idea was adapted from an idea I saw this same guy @HL_Blue talk about? Yes I credited him for the idea jor.

So yeah, that’s the story behind this first giveaway! I can’t give away too much (pun intended), but here’s three things to note:

1. You get to choose what you want to win (to a reasonable extent)

2. There will be multiple winners (whoop)

3. I’m going to try to increase the winnings in the next 24 hours, see if the gifts go a bit further! Want to add something? Holla!

Right! So, let’s do it! Fingers crossed the rules will be up tomorrow!

UPDATE (Feb 14th): Last night one of my big friends added two books to the giveaway pot, and this morning, another friend added three!!!

Details will be up tonight, with the question! Come back then!

Another one bites the dust…

Cory Monteith. Michael Jackson. Whitney Houston. What two things do these names have in common? Fame/wealth. Undisputed access to tons and tons of money, acclaim, all that good stuff.

The second thing is illicit drugs/death. Whatever it is they snorted, smoked, injected or inhaled, it led to their death, and very early too. Cory Monteith was 31, Michael Jackson was 50. Talk about lives being cut short.

Exactly one week ago, when I heard Philip Seymour Hoffman had been found dead on the 2nd of February with a needle still stuck in his arm and heroin (a special type called ‘Ace of Spades’) in packets around him, I was sad, then angry, then sad, and angry all over again.

Sad – he died young, he was just 46. He was very popular too, an Oscar award winner, and recently starred in Hunger Games (which by the way I have never watched and don’t think I will ever see because I don’t like fight fight).

Angry – are there not enough examples to prove that drugs are a sure way to die early?

Sad – heartbroken for his family, his wife/partner and their three young children. His parents, and the stigma of being related to the person ‘who died with a needle in his arm’.

Angry – what on earth made him go back to drugs after 23 years of being drug free? Whatever could have entered him all over again? They say his drugs could have been laced with something else. Ok, but why take them in the first place? Why?

I’m sure I could go the sad and angry route a few more times, but I won’t.

Psychologists say anything you do for 30 days becomes a habit – this man had been drug free for at least 8280 days! Then according to a report I read, he started abusing prescription pills, graduated to heroin, and then on to this substance that took his life.

I chatted with someone recently, and he told me the amount of thanks and gratitude he got because he gave him a $5 tip. 5 dollars. Reports say just weeks ago the now late Seymour withdrew $1200 from an ATM to pay for these drugs. $1200 on drugs when the next man is almost throwing a party because he was gifted 5 bucks.

Here’s another reason why I am angry – a child is attracted by the flickering light of a candle, and they want to touch it. Most times we let them because we know once it hurts them that first time, they most likely will not go back to it again. ‘Most likely’ because children have the attention span of a goldfish! Bless them.

23 years after, did he forget? Did he become so wealthy that he felt that the drugs would ‘fear/respect his money’ and not harm him? What was he thinking? The Bible says that the things that are written are unto us for examples.

Just like I wrote the ‘learn from it, don’t be it‘ post when Cory Monteith died, I’m writing again  – say NO to drugs. Say No, and mean it so much that whoever asked you before will be convinced you are not interested. You shouldn’t even be friends with such people in the first place!

RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman.

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“I’ve learnt to let go and let God” – the delectable Nike Coker! #31Days31Writers

Ahh!!! Sista Nike is a sista and half! You know that ‘all that and a bag of chips’ saying? Well, Nike Coker is easily all that, a bag of chips, a fruit, coke, and a chocolate bar! I met her on Facebook in 2008 as a young corps member who wanted to organize an event in Abuja to commemorate World Aids day. Someone said, ‘talk to Nike Coker, she knows everyone you’ll need’.

From that first unsure, greetings-laced message was  born a friendship and sisterhood that has stood the test of everything, least of which is time. I remember calling her one very cold day in 2010 to say I wanted to give up on my Masters and come back to Nigeria… Lol, I made a lot of people panic that day sha! Sista talked with me till her airtime ran out, then she called with her husband’s phone (with the everlasting airtime, lol).

When my aunty passed, she flew in from Lagos on the day of the funeral (my fault she didn’t come in the day before), and came to the funeral straight from the airport with her bags in the boot of the cab. She’d asked two mutual friends to come be with me at the service of songs a couple days before. What more could friendship entail?

I just love her. She’s great, down to earth, smart, accomplished, and I bless her today from the very depths of my heart.

Before this becomes a post in itself,  here’s the one and only Chief Sista! #TeamGrizzly

My name is Nike Coker-Babalola. I am a lady, married, a Nigerian and I work as communications/entertainment junkie, however I’m most popularly known as a defender of the Sistahood.  I initiated a yearly program for women in Abuja that focuses on bringing women out of their shells, learning a new skill or two and seeing the glass as ALWAYS half full no matter what situation they find themselves.

www.sistasistnigeria.net

Twitter : @sistasistanaija

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SistaSistaNigeria

One thing I’ve learnt this year? Be patient! Though that was never really a strong trait of mine but somehow I’ve learnt to let go and let God. I’m my own worst critic when it comes to projects, but being patient and letting issues run its course have helped me realise that the whole world can run on my own efforts alone. I ask for help when I need it and I’m not hurt when it doesn’t meet my exact needs at that exact time.

What’s one thing I’m grateful for? Family! The backbone to every society.  My very own cheerleading squad, the same people who will listen to my endless ideas (both plausible and slightly stupid), give me candid thoughts, arm wrestle me in tough arguments or call my bluff. I can’t toss them away even if I wanted to! My family is here to stay.

One thing I’d do different this year if I could? Make more phone calls. In the new world of Blackberry pings, Whatsapp  messages  and emails on the go…I know I have failed in follow-up phone calls.  That “out-of-the-blue” phone call that brings a smile on someone else’s face. Putting aside my issues to care for someone else. 2014 is round the corner, I intend to make up for that.

The Chief Sista! Love you to bits!!

“I learnt to let go and forgive” – Onaedo!! #31days31writers

Onaedo is special. Special because I don’t know if I ever tweeted her before I made the call on Twitter about the #31days31writers project. But I made the call, and she said she was up for it, and she was actually one of the first to send her entry in, so thank you babes! Twitter made real! (Well not completely, yet)

I loved her article, has such an honesty to it I can relate to every word! I would ask why she did the change of name but hey, why don’t you get done reading first? For the 11th day of this project, I present the beautiful Onaedo!!

My name is Olayinka (I have adopted the name, Onaedo), I am a Nigerian, a (non-practicing) Lawyer, veering into Administration and HR, blogging (still a learner) (blog.asoroko.com, oloriola.blogspot.com) and a host of other things that are still in the works.

Writing about my 2013 could take up all your time to read, so I’ll  just stick with the basics and shoot, starting with what I learnt this year.

What did I learn? Well, a whole lot, but the most important one to me is that which I learnt of myself. I learnt, shockingly, that I still had a lot of suppressed anger and resentment to deal with. Not what you might have been expecting? Sorry, but honesty they say, is the best policy.

The good thing though is, I learnt to release them. I learnt to let go and forgive. I realize that people are not perfect and if they knew better, they would do better. I realize that, maybe, that was the best they had to offer at the time and I have made my peace with that. Instead of paying lip service to forgiving and letting go, I actually did and am still doing; forgiveness is a continuous process. Who am I to demand what people can not give when I am less than perfect too? Besides, all those clichés you heard about forgiveness are true, I am a living witness, (somebody shout Hosanna!).

I have learnt, again, to be more at peace with myself and worry less. There have been bouts of feelings of helplessness and a loss of faith, but they have been fleeting too. Right now, I have Peace, Faith and Hope immeasurably and it would be an absolute no-no to trade those for anything in the world.

What I am most grateful for, amongst other things, is life, my family and my friends. I know people who I didn’t think would just leave like that, but they did. A terrible reminder of how fickle and precarious life is, so I am grateful I am still here, with the ones I love and who love me. I realize that nothing is real but love after all, (you should listen to ‘Nothing’s Real But Love’ by Rebecca Ferguson; it’s a beautiful but earnest reminder of the essence of time and love).

To what I would do differently if I could; it’s to have loved more, to have given more and to have been more committed to my purpose, (I have quite a few of ‘would have, could have, should have-s’ but this is top on the list). I have loads of excuses for falling short, but I know, at the end of the day, they are just that; excuses.

Above all, I am (still and always) learning, growing, evolving, yet, being me in the process. My essence, what makes me ‘me’, is what I would not lose.

PS  – I am still not excited about Christmas, I think I need help! Help me please; somebody, anybody!

Wow… I just love her haircut!! Wonder if I’ll ever be able to pluck the courage to do this!

INTRODUCING CC CONSULTING SERVICES

What is social media? Is it Facebook and/or Twitter? How do I use social media? To stalk an ex on Facebook to see which girls’ status he’s ‘liking’? Is it to have 4, 999 friend and know only 62 personally? Is it to clog the atmosphere with information about yourself that we could jolly well do without? What media is social? Do you think that because your business/organization has a Facebook page, you’re ‘social’?

Questions, questions, questions….

Or, do you just want to get a hang of this ‘social media thing’; everyone seems to be doing something ‘social’ these days and you don’t want to be left behind? Are you a new start-up, wondering how you can harness the power of social media to promote your business? Which social platform are you thinking will work best for the demographic your business is targeting? What to do, what to do?

Have no fear! Answers to the questions above are guaranteed!

Talk to CC Consulting for answers to those questions and more!

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• Bespoke social media solutions
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• Content development and production for radio and television
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• Personal and corporate brand and strategy consulting

 

If you can think it, we can do it! And if you can’t, then leave the thinking to us!

Twitter – chiomachuka

https://www.facebook.com/CC.Consulting.Services

Email – chioma@chiomachuka.com

www.chiomachuka.com

Phone – +447405753135

CC Consulting Services……leave it to us

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STUFF I LEARNT

Good morning!! Did you have a refreshing night? I did! Nothing like a good night’s rest I tell you, and we must be grateful to the Fairy GodFather that we have the privilege to see another day!! Glory to God somebody!! Whoop whoop!

Welcome to the weekend, my last from this location (sob sob) but the most permanent thing in life is change abi? It is well!

I was on Twitter this morning, sharing stuff I learnt yesterday and just when I said I was done and wanted to get up, get ready and leave, I thought about sharing those same things here. I’m a firm believer in learning a new thing everyday, that’s what makes life interesting walai. Imagine how disastrous life on earth would be if the knowledge you have today is at the same level it was when you were 3 years old? Say God forbid!

Of course, new things don’t just come to you (well sometimes it happens like that but that’s not what I’m saying today), consciously make an effort to learn a new thing everyday, and thank me later!

On to the stuff I learnt, they are five points that I trust will help you as you go about your weekend, and of course beyond that. Ready? Let’s do this!

No 1. Being courteous is a decision that comes easy 4 some, takes a conscious effort 4 some, & will NEVER occur 2 others.

No. 2 saying ‘I love you’ doesn’t automatically exchange the brain (& d ability to think) for putty.

3. You determine how much bullshit you take, you, and you alone. Think about it, you’re d only one who can make it stop.

4. Same for bullshit: you decide how much happiness you want in and around you. Again, it’s all you, no one else handles that…

5. If you don’t add value, you will know by the treatment you receive in a place; regardless of your age, social standing, or whatever.

That’s all folks, five nuggets of wisdom (if I must say so myself) that you should carry around with you daily! And yes, have a fabulous weekend! I insist!

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