FRIDAY IN HOUSE NEWS....

 I salute oh

IN HOUSE MEMO

Shout out to everyone!...I seem to be forgetting something but cant remember right now due to my state of mind...... I feel so sad about a lot of things circulating on the social media.... Any hope for Naija and the citizens!

Do you need a hug? Here is one!

PS- The face on in house news competition is still open, please send your entry of two photos with different postures if you are Interested....

Send in your good or bad chronicles...

Omugwo stories? send them in!

What else? send them in!

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INSIDE THE MIND OF A WOMAN GOING THROUGH MOTHERHOOD.


My first son's birthday is barely three weeks away and I am excited for him. I love birthdays so much, because Its a day to be pampered and feel loved.

I haven’t been able to decide on the theme for his birthday, because he loves so many things and I am trying to figure out how to put it all together.

His past birthdays has being about all I want and imagine for my child’s birthday but this year, I am going to make it strictly about what he wants.

As young as he is, I don’t think he really knows what he wants but this time around I am willing to wait and listen to him no matter how silly his request might be.

Hopefully before the day, I will put my thoughts together and come up with something solid that is all about the boy and not me. My fingers are crossed that I won't try to take over.



My Dear let us know exactly when his birthday is so that we can wish him a happy birthday, we Germans dont wish happy birthday in advance....

Back then the birthday cakes were all about me, now they dont even want cake, just eat out in Restaurants with good food and extended family around.






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IJAYS GIST CORNER

EGWUJI
Egwuji means new yam festival. It's usually done in the Ember months especially in the month of November. The six clans usually take turns to celebrate the Egwuji. Each clans has about 10 or more communities, so when it's clan A's turn, the communities involved share or also take turns to mark the Egwuji.


The Egwuji is usually kicked off with an inter community football match competitions and there's always a 'compulsory rain' to remind people about it ( says our elder though we've witnessed this said rain countless times)

In the time past, the community harvests the new yam, each household and takes the fatlings to the village gods, the priest make sacrifices and launches the new yam, then the festival can take place.


Few days to the festival, plenty preparations are made. People go to the farm to harvest cassava which is processed garri or 'white man' ( loiloi or figure), cleaning the home and cutting surrounding bushes. The women go to the market, sell their products and use the money realized to get food things (this kind of shopping is always different from the previous markets), and new clothes for the family.

 Normally, some households don't eat good meals except there's an occasion or a festival. So the festival the festival gives some households the opportunity to eat 'rice' prepared with ' tomatoes' and 'meat'. It also gives the children an opportunity to own new clothes.

Some mothers will go to the market and purchase oversized clothes for the kids. Infact the slogan/reason is 'as they grow, it will size them' and they don't have to buy new ones during Christmas which is just a month away. About the shoes, they use broomstick to measure each child and when they get to the market, they'll still buy bigger shoes for the kids. On the festival day, you'll see kids in oversized clothes and shoes feeling uncomfortable and dragging their feet about.

 One can actually tell where a child went to just by following the shoe lines on the ground.

People are usually very happy, at least one will rest from farm work for some days. On the D day, there's plenty 'kpokpo kpokpo ' , people pounding from each household. The men gather in the 'obiri' chatting at the top of their voices, drinking palmie with 'ora' (ugba or oil bean famished with meat or stockfish). The kids will never agree to eat breakfast, they must wait till when the festival food is ready before they wack, abi who want eat leftover na. Neighbors exchange food till there's no space or stomach to store the meals.


At 12 noon prompt, someone will beat the village gong from the square. That first beat is to remind people hasten up with whatever they're doing. Then by 1:30 - 2pm, the gong will sound again, this time continuously with the gong and flutes making beautiful tones and at this point, people start heading to the square. The children are always before time just to showcase their new clothes, gbazaquine tablets. 

The youths heads to the square with their wrappers round their waists and singlets ( e be like sey na from here, African magic get their inspiration sef). The elderly men wear their ishiagu or gorge outfits. Don't know why they always choose gorge wrapper for native occasions. 

 Mothers tie their expensive wrappers (they're always competing amongst themselves, trying to outdo the other). While the young babes dress to kill, ehen na as husband fit come from the festival cos plenty visitors from neighbouring communities will attend. As they attend our own, we also return the favour during theirs.

At the village square, when everyone has gathered, the village priest in company of some selected elders, declares the festival open and the funs begins. The festival has lots of activities lined up like; display of masquerades, wrestling, atilogue dance ( don't know if I got the spelling right). The atilogue dance is one of the best cultural dances. It's actually a dance club, they dress very beautiful and their dresses made of different colors. One can actually notice an atilogue member from afar cos of the colors of their outfit and the sounds from the beads on their legs and ankles. 

 The maidens tie small piece round their chests and small wrapper round their waists. The small piece which barely covers thief chests, displays the maidens succulent boobs ( na the motive abi mission sha). The young men a pant and a half/crop top. The leader who's with the flute, makes beautiful tones while some players the local instruments. It's always a beautiful sight cos the parents of those in the dance group comes out to spread them some cash proudly as they display.

 I love the atilogue dance. The party continues till night fall and everyone goes home to prepare for the next year. The next day, na to eat the remnants of the previous day and wash the pots. Jolliment over.


Another dance that takes place during the festival is EGWUJAH dance which is mainly done by kids. Maybe an adult or a teenager will organize some kids, tie them small George wrappers round their waists and chests and adorn them with beads and uli ( e reddish substance for beautification). They get the usual ( musical pot) and chaka chaka. They walk round to different households singing and dancing, each household they visits gives them money and treats them to a nice meal. Sometimes they visit neighbouring communities and at the end of the day, they'll have plenty cash in their purse with big tummies from plenty choppings. They share their cash and everyone goes home. The Egwujah is also done during Christmas


One thing about the new yam is that it doesn't have taste, one will have to make it ngwongwo to have a good taste. Though the Egwuji has been scrapped out of my place because of Christianity, it's no longer done like before. No sacrificing of yams to the gods and parade of masquerades. They now recognize it during Christmas when everyone will be home, they party, wrestle, play football matches etc, pray and go home

Very interesting read...I was just seeing it all in front of me.....Beautifully rich tradition.

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MEMO TO ALL BLOG VISITORS

 Stella it's been very on me and my siblings for days now because our younger brother returned home mentally unstable,  this boy is supposed to pass out with this current corps members cos he's serving at Ogun state..

We took him to a rehabilitation centre because he's been abusing drugs,  from crystal ice to Canadian loud,  my dear it was much, but the thing I saw at that rehab is what is making me so sick....

 Stella I saw more than 200 youths both male and female,  all are drugs related cases, in fact the hospital is filled up, no more bed space, so most of them are standing and  they looked hungry and  kept begging for bread and biscuits...

It was a terrible sight to behold,  the reason I'm making this post is to beg our youths, stay away from addiction,  be it drugs ooo, drinks ooo,  tobacco,  whichever one you abuse, please stay away from it and save your family the stress of watching you in chains:::

What I saw this week messed up my whole system and I'm yet to recover,  please use your voice and tell them,  life is too short to waste it in chains.... God bless  

I am so sorry you had to go through... So your brother has messed up his life? Imagine!... Sad story and i pray that he recovers..... do they ever really recover? God abeg!

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SMALL AMEBO

Them catch my landlord with one small geh on his matrimonial bed, infact na him wifey catch them red handed. The girl Is about 19 or 20. Them sey him dey carry her go different hotels, already people dey talk cho cho cho sey the man fit follow goat wey wear skate. And him dey do married women too. My plenty Waka no let me observe


Him wifey catch am oh, the quarrel continue into the midnight. Land lady dey quarrel the girl mother ( they're tenants here too), the babe maale sef, tell them to leave her daughter alone. She say 'thunder go fire all the people wey dey gossip her daughter '. Una doooooooooooh

They should be given quit notice, what nonsense!.. How can you allow your daughter mess around with somebody's husband right in the nose of the wife? haba!!!

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