RETROSPECT!

Gratitude Challenge - Day 4 (September 20th, 2014)

And so am thankful for my country Nigeria. Sometimes it amazes me that the country is still one amidst all the happenstances. We must really have a pivotal role to play in the future of Africa and the world at large.

Am thankful for being a part of this great people and whatever my creed it is for being a Nigerian, someday soon I'll fulfill all of it.

GOD continually bless and keep my country.


Daniel Omizu-Ojadua
Twitter: @dannyomizu

ANY(THING) IS POSSIBLE: MIND OVER MATTER

I woke up early this morning with the clear cut intention to resume jogging even if it was for a few hundred metres around my neighbourhood. Getting to the end of my street, I told myself I could make it to the next pole by the express.And so it was, from pole to pole, I kept pushing myself and ran through almost every street in my neighbourhood covering a few kilometres. It wasn't the least bit an easy task especially for someone who had lost fitness over time due to irregular exercise routine but one thing kept me going - My mind. I kept telling my body that it could do it. I kept pushing hard. All through the run, I pondered on something I heard at an evening meeting some months back. The speaker had posed two very thoughtful questions.

"Ask the people around you who are close to you: What are the two things I should stop doing? What are the two things I should start doing?"

These two questions set off a chain reaction in my life. Without any iota of doubt, if I were to be truthful to myself I knew what I had to do and stop doing. The first person I asked these questions was myself and I answered in all honesty. The things I had to stop doping were habits that had become acceptable patterns over time, while the things I had to start doing were stuff that would tilt my life closer to my goals e.g exercising often, eating healthy, reading more, setting targets, starting new ventures and seeing them through, learning not to give up on people, being more resilient and enterprising.

The last two months has seen me come close to these targets. My body has been able to do new things I never imagined I could do so soon. I guess this was largely possible as the mind ruled it. It takes grace from The Supreme Being though and it starts from a conscious decision to willfully subject the body under the mind.

Think about it, what is that one thing you are finding so hard to give up? What is that one thing you are trying to start? It could be a good habit, routine, venture, or lifestyle. The first step is telling yourself that it is possible. If you don't believe  something is possible, you will never be able to do it.

Believe! It's mind over matter.

Hello All,

Happy new year to everyone.

Am happy to announce that the book Drifter has finally berthed. Please click on the image to read the first few chapters. It has been worth the wait.

The Best Way to Spend My Life

When I wake up I see the sunshine
And right throughout the day
Thoughts of you are with me
And help me on my way

It really makes me happy
Knowing you feel the same way too
As I can't think of anything better...

...than to spend my whole life with you!

DAN.O
Date: Undated

I am Homophobic!

homophobia ~ unreasoning fear of or antipathy toward homosexuals
and homosexuality.

Just last weekend, I was out with some friends to a pool party. Something very interesting happened. Some dude walked past one of my guys and stepped on his toe, albeit mistakenly. Dude retraced his steps to apologise and unconsciously brushed his palms on my friend's side beards. My four other friends at the table (two males and two females) sensed the sudden irritation and repulsion of our friend and marvelled at the guts of this fella who obviously couldn't hide what he was. I guess he had no inkling that our friend was highly homophobic. But then our friend is a cool dude who doesn't like scenes and abhors violence with a passion so he let the whole scenario pass.

Later on, as we were about leaving we replayed the scenario at the car park and one of the other dudes said if he had been the recipient of that unusual gesture from a fellow male, he would have responded with a jab to the guy's chin. We all laughed about it and teased our friend some more just to make a lighter mood of the matter and we went our separate ways.

Pondering about it all and juxtaposing that scenario with a few others I have encountered, I have come to the conclusion that men (virile heterosexual ones) have a big problem with other men coming too close especially in ways expected of a woman.  Heterosexual males (like me) do not want you displaying your gay tendencies and passes around them. We don't care if you are what you are, afterall everyone has a choice to be what they want to be, but please don't make a pass at a 'straight' dude. He will definitely find it offensive. And he might not be as calm and tolerant as my friend. He might be extremely homophobic and I bet you would understand when he reacts.

Daniel Omizu-Ojadua

Twitter: @dannyomizu

Happy New Year Folks!

In retrospect, only one word defines my 2014 - GRACE.

I want to thank everyone who made me smile last year. Yes, you are one of them.

Thank you and GOD bless you.

Welcome to 2015. We shall have a wonderful year GODwilling.



Daniel Omizu-Ojadua

A Few Good Men

Earlier today, I watched a preacher on television talk about the distinction between GREATNESS and GOODNESS. He drew my attention to the fact that all you needed to be great was to achieve some level of success and fame and the World system would call you great. On the other hand, if your life has gone a step further to touch humanity positively, then you have shown goodness.

I learnt something valuable that it is better to be a good man than a great one, though there is absolutely nothing wrong in being both. A lot of the great men we have around are not good men. That is also a fact.

Same day, I had to take my niece back to boarding school and we got talking about the charity work her school's proprietress does and I got to know she was the founder of an orphanage I had visited a few times somewhere in Abuja called Gishiri. Now, I was privy to the fact that she had an orphanage hitherto but I never imagined it was the same Hope for Survival Orphanage I knew. My heart melted.

This woman treats these kids as very privileged children affording all of them 100% scholarships at her schools spread across Abuja and Nasarawa State, both in the Northern-Middle Belt. And by the way, her group of schools has very good standards. My niece told me that over 50% of the students at the school she is enrolled in are from the orphanage. This woman even makes sure  these kids go ahead to have tertiary education.

The first time I went to The Hope for Survival Orphanage in February this year with a few friends, we all left there almost in tears, tears as the children there was quite a number and we imagined where they would have been if they weren't in a foster facility.

This night, I want to thank all those who run such facilities round Nigeria and beyond. I also want to thank all those who donate fund and supplies to these homes. Pioneers in this sector would be Rev. Mrs Dele George of The Strong Tower Mission / Little Saints Orphanage, The Pacelli School for the Blind, The SOS Children Village, and several others.

Nigeria needs a few good men to change this country. We have too many great men as it is but a lot of them are no good.

Tonight, you Mrs Ruth Ibrahim are a perfect example of one good person with a great soul. I have never met you in person but I can tell that you are one good person, and a great one at that.



Thank you ma.


Daniel Omizu-Ojadua

twitter: @dannyomizu