So, I have not read a novel in a very long time - I mainly concentrated on academic reading. Last weekend, I was out and about with family and I saw this book 'Purple Hibiscus'. I looked at it, flicked through it and then dropped it. I longingly took it back again, sat down some more, contemplated on buying it and dropped it back again. My darling husband saw that I wanted it. He asked me 'why don't you get it'? I replied that I would not have the time to read it. I moved on to look at other things in the shop. Later on same day, he handed my some books. I looked at the books and then back at him with a smile. He surprised me and got the book for me! He said, 'it would keep you company on your commute to work'. With excitement and being touched with the gesture, I gave him a hug and put my book in my bag and put his in the compartment of the car.
He was right! The book did take me to a million journeys within my commute to work.
As I opened the pages of the book, I immediately got drawn into this world that was abysmal a times and at the same time utopian and in some odd way, not too dissimilar to mine as a young girl. Chimamanda's writing is exceptional. She draws you in and makes you feel part of this utopian world.
As I flicked through the pages and read through, I laughed, cried, hissed and huffed. I had to control my emotions at times as I was getting carried away by the story. Through the pages of the book, I became a teenager again, I was Kambili. The girl without a voice. The girl that did as she was told. The girl that wanted to please her parents and be the 'perfect daughter'.
The book not only becomes the story of Kambili but also mine. It took me down memory lane of my own life. My early years, I was brought up as a Catholic, then my mum converted to 'new generational' churches and took us with her. I never questioned my faith, never questioned the doctrines of the different churches we went to even when I had so many questions. So when I opened the pages of this book, I immediately connected with Kambili. Not to give the story away, if you love reading books and like me, took a break from it, this is one that would gently ease you into reading again.
Chimamanda Adichie is a literary queen and did an amazing job in the story telling in this book.
My husband got me her 'Half of a yellow sun' years ago. I shall be opening the pages after I drop this book 'Purple Hibiscus'.
Have a wonderful day!
Thursday 30 June 2016
Brexit!!!
The outcome of the European Union referendum is still very much a hot debated topic. The reality of exiting the EU has triggered a set of events with the PM, David Cameron, resigning, political parties in turmoil and many people uncertain about the consequences of Brexit. Some even urging for a second referendum. To say that it has opened a whole lot of debate and events cannot be referred to as a hyperbole statement. With the results showing a divided country, it is clear that there is a whole lot of unspoken rhetoric about certain sensitive issues - immigration.
Commentators have tried to analyse the reasons the vote swayed the way it did with some blaming the political elite for being out of touch with the working class. Some commentators purported that the result exposed a salient indication of xenophobia and that the Brexit campaign was propelled by racism. But other commentators stated that it had little to do with racism but was an avenue the ordinary working class British, who felt that they have been marginalised in their own country, voiced their feelings – in other sense their vote was akin to a protest vote. Whatever the reasons, we can come to a consensus that people voted based on different reasons personal to them and quite rightly so.
It is apparent now that some of the promises made by team Brexit were portentous with some unravelling within hours after the vote to exit - The millions promised to NHS and the curb to immigration - all open to moot point.
With xenophobic acts reported in different communities, the disinclination of truly focusing on 'immigration' and having an open discussion does not preclude that acts of hate are not taking place. This is not to argue that Brexit alone was the cause of this. Far from it but it added in propelling a lot of ill feelings. In line with this, it is apparent that there has not been a positive case made for migration and immigration. Rather, issues such as housing, spaces in schools, waiting times in hospitals and GPs have been blamed on 'migrants' - which are issues that should have been dealt with appropriate government policies.
With a divided nation and events leading to the fragmentation of politics, I believe that it is time to leave our differences behind and come together to work with what we have got. After all, it has been reported that David Cameron has ruled out a second referendum on Britain’s EU membership. With emotions high, I believe that it is not the time to wish shadenfreude on team Bretix but to bring together all brains and support a plenipotentiary leader to help steer us out of whatever the consequences of voting exit is or will be.
Further, it is also time to honestly debate/discussion immigration. I believe it simply a sine qua non.
Whatever the fears, uncertainties and disappointments, we must all come together and make Britain outside the EU work.
Wednesday 29 June 2016
On humanity - My thoughts are with victims and people of Istanbul
According to the BBC News, there has been an increase in the
number of casualties. The death toll in a gun and suicide bomb attack on
Istanbul's Ataturk airport has risen to 41, 13 of them foreign nationals, with
239 injured.
My question is why? Why would anyone want to make any kind of statement by killing a fellow human? Just why?
My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of all affected.
Tuesday 28 June 2016
Monday 27 June 2016
Sunday 26 June 2016
Aftermath of the EU referendum!!!
Commentators tried to analyse the reason the vote swayed the
way it did with some purporting that the result demonstrated how out of touch
the political elite are with the working class. Some commentators stated that
the result exposed a salient indication of xenophobia and that the Brexit
campaign was propelled by racism. But other commentators stated that it had to do with the
voice of the ordinary British who feel that they have been marginalised in
their own country and this vote was akin to a protest vote. Whatever the reason, we can agree that people voted based on
different reasons personal to them.
It is apparent now that some of the promises made by
team Brexit were portentous with some unravelling within hours after the vote to exit - The millions
promised to NHS and the curb to immigration all open to moot point.
With xenophobic acts reported by different communities, it
is such a shame that such is happening in a great country. It is apparent that there
has not been a positive case made for migration and immigration. Rather, issues
such as housing, spaces in schools, waiting times in hospitals and GP has been
blamed on immigration which are issues that should be dealt with appropriate
government policies.
With a divided nation and events leading to the fragmentation of politics, it is
time to leave our differences behind and come together to work with the result
of the referendum. It is not a time to wish shadenfreude on team Bretix but to
bring together all brains and support a plenipotentiary leader to help
steer us out of whatever the consequences of voting exit brings.
Further, it is also time to honestly debate immigration and
people should not be labelled racist because they want to discuss the issue.
Many political commentators have stated that immigration is positive when it is
controlled.
Whatever the fears, uncertainty and disappointment, we must all
come together and make Britain outside the EU work.
Saturday 25 June 2016
Thursday 23 June 2016
Breaking news: Britain has voted to leave the EU!!
Britain has voted to leave the EU!!
On the train to London, I could hear people talking about the results. Got to London and everything seemed normal. People were going about their business. The weather was fantastic and it looked like we are going to pull through whatever challenges may come from the decision made by the majority of British people. The people have spoken! And they spoke loud and clear!!!
On the train to London, I could hear people talking about the results. Got to London and everything seemed normal. People were going about their business. The weather was fantastic and it looked like we are going to pull through whatever challenges may come from the decision made by the majority of British people. The people have spoken! And they spoke loud and clear!!!
EU referendum result in: Gibraltar votes remain
Gibraltar votes to remain in the EU!!!
More results coming in.
More results coming in.
Who is going to stay up for the results of the UK referendum?
I have voted and hoping to stay up until midnight waiting for the results!!!! Who is with me?
Update at 22:05 from Sky New - According to opinion polls conducted by yougov shows that
52% voted Remain and 48% out.
Update at 22:05 from Sky New - According to opinion polls conducted by yougov shows that
52% voted Remain and 48% out.
Domestic violence - Dad-to-be punched pregnant partner in the face in row over her weight and cooking
Emperor Oludapo, 40, broke the 34-year-old woman’s eye
socket with a single ‘hard’ punch, before leaving her to seek medical help
alone. A police officer who saw her described the injury as like a ‘popped fish
eye’. The court heard the couple met through a friend and began to see one
another at church, but a couple of months into their relationship he began to
make ‘cruel remarks’ about her weight and the ‘standard of her cooking’,
prosecutor David Temkin said.
 |
| Emperor Oludapo |
He then prevented her from communicating with friends and
took to her checking up on her on Facebook, the court heard.
On February 8 the pair returned from a medical appointment
to her home, where she noticed he was talking to someone on the phone about money.
He then asked her about money, becoming angry when he learnt
she had spent it on food that had ‘gone to waste’. He then grabbed a bottle and
threatened to smash her head in, before punching her to the head, causing her
to fall off the couch.
Later, at the hospital, the Nigeria-born victim maintained
she had fallen. But when she encountered a nurse who spoke Yoruba and confided
in her, leading to Oludapo’s arrest. The victim had to have surgery for a
fractured eye socket, amid fears she would lose the sight in her right eye. The
operation was a success but she has some ‘double vision’.
Sentencing, Judge Mansell told Oludapo: “You very soon
became abusive, repeatedly telling she needed to lose weight, therefore
knocking her confidence, and criticising her cooking to such an extent that she
asked friends to show her how to cook. You became controlling as well.
“She was an extremely vulnerable victim, particularly
because of the manner in which you had treated her throughout the relationship,
reducing her self-confidence to rock bottom, but mainly because she was 13
weeks pregnant at the time of this serious assault.”
Making Oludapo subject to an indefinite restraining order,
the judge said: “Given the fact she is to give birth to your child, if that
causes an issue you may apply for an amendment of it.”
Culled from Manchester Evening News: http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/emperor-oludapo-pregnant-punched-partner-11513993#ICID=Android_MENNewsApp_AppShare
Australian company's workers kidnapped in Nigeria
Seven people, including three Australians and a New
Zealander, are believed kidnapped in Nigeria.
Media reports say a convoy of cars was ambushed near the
city of Calabar in Cross River State on Wednesday morning.
The driver was killed and seven employees of engineering
firm Macmahon were taken away on a waiting boat, reports said.
Kidnap-for-ransom is a longstanding issue in southern
Nigeria, where gangs target expatriate workers.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the identity
of the kidnappers was unknown at this stage.
"It is a very serious kidnapping, a very serious
criminal assault, one person was killed and seven people have been
kidnapped," Mr Turnbull said.
He confirmed that three Australians were among those
kidnapped, along with a New Zealander who is a permanent resident of Australia.
It is believed that at least two Nigerians were also kidnapped.
There has been some confusion over the exact number of
people abducted by the 30 militants involved in the attack.
Nigerian Police Commissioner Jimoh Ozi-Obeh told reporters
that police were working with the Nigerian Navy to ensure all victims were
released unharmed.
Nigeria Boko Haram: Scores of refugees starved to death
Nearly 200 refugees fleeing Boko Haram militants have
starved to death over the past month in Bama, Nigeria, the medical charity MSF
says.
A "catastrophic humanitarian emergency" is
unfolding at a camp it visited where 24,000 people have taken refuge.
Many inhabitants are traumatised and one in five children is
suffering from acute malnutrition, MSF says.
The Islamist group's seven-year rebellion has left 20,000
people dead and more than two million displaced.
Nigeria's military has carried out a large-scale offensive
against them but Boko Haram still attacks villages in the north-east,
destroying homes and burning down wells.
Displaced people in Bama say new graves are appearing on a
daily basis, according to a statement from MSF.
It quoted inhabitants as saying about 30 people died every
day due to hunger or illness.
Although the area has been unsafe to travel through, MSF
says one of its teams reached Bama on Tuesday.
It went in with a military convoy from the city of Maiduguri
in Borno state.
"This is the first time MSF has been able to access
Bama, but we already know the needs of the people there are beyond
critical," said Ghada Hatim, MSF head of mission in Nigeria.
"We are treating malnourished children in medical
facilities in Maiduguri and see the trauma on the faces of our patients who
have witnessed and survived many horrors," he said.
Culled from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-36603419
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