08 08 - whEre WOuLd uoy RATHEr be !?!

ok im at it again, this city crawler matter, but i assure you the last 2 weeks have been vigourously interesting for me, why, because White Rabbit Concept is premiering with an event 08 08 - FASHION POETRY SONG. Its the first of its kind(believe me, ive checked) and the WR team with me being the oga kpata kpata, is leaving no stone upturned to make this event one that will linger in the mine of abujanites for a long time to come.

all the fashionistas and fashion forward blokes i have been running into anytime i go crawling, well what can i say, this is an opporunity for you to dress up, get your picture taken and appear in a major fashion and style magazine. the event has confirmed as guest some major celebrities, 2 of nigeria's finest performers and the creme of the radio, tv and print media are covering the event.

i cant even begin to emphasis how much we abuja people miss having classy events like this held here and luckily, this one is done by an abuja based PR and Events Design company.

just a sneak peak at a bit of what will be expected at the show: the venue is to die for, red carpet- yup we are going back to red, we have had yellow, blue, green, pink, Turquoise, but we choose red becos our guests will be grand and elite. photo-ops, paparazzi treatment etc. dress to impress, you dont want to find your self in the 'hit or miss section of any beauty magazine'. we have auditioned and selected 20 models from abuja and lagos to take on the catwalk. of course the clothes and jewelry and gadgets they will be wearing will be the focal point but i wonder, becos this girls are beautiful works of art (i commited self esteem suicide again when we auditioned them, what saved me this time was that i was the madam, he he). i swear i have given too much information, but theres still alot you dont know and i promise you finding out will be like drinking champagne for the first time or getting your first ping on your new blackberry.

guest expected will include, legislators, top government functionaries, enterpreneurs, captain of industries and the young upward mobile so i cant even stress enough the networking oppurtunities that will be avialable, but dont get any funny ideas oh, because the police will be prominently present. so so so, i am typing this blog on my phone(the beauty of a blackberry) at 4.47am on wednesday morning, what does that tell you? well it says one thing to me, when history is about to be made, you dont sleep...

i hope with this few points of mine i have been able to convince you and not confuse you(razz) that on the 08 08, 8th of August, need i say more???

08 08 - whEre WOuLd uoy RATHEr be !?!

bumping bumping- safe or irritating...

Hurray to the new speed bumps in Abuja. Although their emergence have been met with mixed feelings. Some love it and some absolutely detest it. I was talking with a friend this morning; she is one of those people who doesn’t understand the concept of having speed bumps on a highway or within some urban roads. sHe argues that the idea behind the speed bumps is lost when you put it on a highway where people are supposed to drive freely.

Another friend, who is well travelled points out that abroad and by this I mean America; speed bumps are put just before a toll gate to alert you that you are approaching it and drivers who tend to get sleepy are usually bumped awake (pun intended). But he also agrees with my cousin that putting them in some major streets takes away from the idea of speed bumps as it makes driving on a major road very uninteresting and it can even cause traffic to build which is something I actually noticed this morning at a junction in Maitama.

It’s easy enough to figure out why these speed bumps are necessary. Drivers in Abuja speed. Accidents in Abuja are always major and catastrophic and Nigerians usually need control. Despite all the FRSC safety campaigns, the traffic lights, the traffic wardens, the road signs etc accidents are still occurring, people are still getting hurt etc. maybe this is the governments way of taking control of the situation or are they just being misled?

Your opinions matter. Please leave a comment about these new barriers to speed on the Capital City roads, do you think they are going to do more harm than good or are loving them.

Oh by the way, an Abujanite who has three school kids, is happy about the development, as she is always worried that a speeding taxi will ram into her and hurt her kids. I have mixed feelings, I took a cab around Abuja and the driver was extra careful at junctions because of the bumps, it kindda felt safe. But when I drove myself around later in the night they became quite irritating because I didn’t know their exact locations so the bumps kept bumping up unexpectedly and annoyingly. This sounds contradictory, yes I know. Over to you people…

confessions of a city crawler- CITY CRAWLER=STREET CRAWLER=NIGHT CRAWLER???

When people see city crawler the first thing that comes to their mind is street crawler and therefore it is associated with negativity. Ok I understand, if you read Malcolm Gladwell’s book ‘Blink’, u will discover that people usually take about 2 seconds to associate a name they see with something they already have in their head, in this case, city crawler= street crawler=night crawler= need I say more.

Well, as the popular line goes, if city crawler is a crime, then I guess I have to terminate my friendship with the AGF (just kidding, don’t even know the man). Any ways, I’m not alone in this criminal behavior, as a matter of fact I have discovered a whole clan of clandestine people and I will expose them soon. I have always loved the great outdoors. Keep me in a house for more than a day and I will run amok, even if u put the largest screen TV, the 5 seasons of Boston legal, unending supply of Chinese food and vodka, and will I am singing to me and cuddling me, I will still have a great need to step out and see if there is anything interesting going on that I’m missing. I have never really been the most curious of people, but it will surprise you what interests me, story for another day.

Satisfying people can be seen as relatively difficult or relatively easy; forgive my repetition its for emphasis. Satisfying the Abuja citizen is relatively easy, why? All you need is a good idea, a good product or a good service. Reaching out to the Abuja citizenry is relatively easy, why? Because it’s a model city, well planned, easy access and duh we are only 1million or maybe a little more since people seem to be giving birth every hour. Another point is, Abuja crowd has what I call ‘fickle relationship’ issue. It goes like this GIRL meets BOY - PERSON discovers LOUNGE, GIRL spends all free time with BOY - PERSON spends all free time, after work, weekends, football season in LOUNGE, GIRL’s friend introduces her to HOT NEW GUY friend, PERSONS friend introduces him to another HOT LOUNGE that has major traffic and the whole ‘see and be seen’ factor, GIRL is unfaithful to BOY a few times, PERSON goes to LOUNGE a few times and finally GIRL leaves BOY for HOT NEW GUY - PERSON leaves LOUNGE for HOT NEW LOUNGE. (if u didn’t get this u are a SLOwie!!!).

I’m giving out trade secret, but I don’t mind because the idea behind CONFESSIONS OF A CITY CRAWLER is to expose to people resident and non- resident, the beauty and the fun that can be found here. There was a time when, being sent to Abuja spelt doom and despair for some people but now a lot of people are moving here because they know that they will have comfort, security and a conducive environment for business development (although you have to pay a premium for it all) but all the same. Abuja is no Lagos, but like I always say, they have 83 years on us and well we hope it will never get like Lagos – if u know what I mean. Stop complaining that Abuja is dry, or too expensive, or too slow, or too governmenty (yea that’s not a word, I know) just follow this blog and free of charge I will give you insight to the capital city. So if its mad fun or healthy fun you want for your friends, your colleagues or your family (children included) you will get information on how to get it here.

So far, about 500billion has been spent building up this model city since the capital was relocated here, you have a claim to that, you know?

P.S last Saturday, I decided to explore the city step by step and I found out many interesting things about how people spend a lazy Saturday. Details in words and pictures in my next blog.

confessions of a city crawler- WHO IS ADETOKUNBO ADEMOLA

I hate to name drop but it is absolutely necessary to this story.

I played kabu kabu to one of Naija’s finest young creatives/entrepreneur who happens to be a personal friend, Clarence peters, our destination was gwarinpa housing estate in Abuja and our mission was to find the residence of Charles oputa, popularly or fondly known as charly boy. Big deal u might say, but not so fast. My people, if u know gwarinpa well, good for u, but if u don’t you will find yourself missing road because it is a contradiction of streets, avenues and crescents and you fit loss. I was beginning to get irritable when Clarence a typical Lagos boy who did not have the address of the house, looked at me incredulously when I said I did not know where charly boys house was. I parked by the side of the road so I could vent properly, when he politely asked a passerby, ‘excuse me, do u know the way to charly boys house? ’ to my surprise, the guy, without missing a beat or pausing to think, gave us a concise description of where the house was. I was a bit surprised but not as surprised as when having a bit of difficulty (due to my slowie nature with directions) we had to enquire several times about directions, everyone knew exactly where the house was, I was not only pleasantly surprised but thrilled.

I am in no way fit to write about charly boy, I have perused and perused his website, I have read through old articles on him and his work both in music (PMAN) and with the community(Area fada, Bikers, coalition for change) and I can boldly say that we do not appreciate talent in this country. I have never had the pleasure of meeting this enigma but since it was announced that we were having him as a guest at GAP I decided to read a little about him and the work he is doing and I was very impressed. A lot of people are quick to dismiss him because of his defiant personality but before you do that, did u know that he went to Harvard? Ah hah now I got your attention. He is a pioneer amongst us young people. Long before artiste and young people as a whole were allowed to express themselves freely in language and dress sense or follow their dreams, charley boy broke all the rules and is still breaking them, rare and odd seeing that he was born to an illustrious father justice oputa (of the oputa panel fame- whatever happened with the reports I wonder?)

I have always been a propagator for young entrepreneurs, and people being more expressive, but long before, even in the face of censorship and ridicule, charly boy never stood down or bowed to the norm and that different way of doing things has taken him places without ever having being referred to as his father’s son. Not a lot of us are that brave. It is important that you don’t miss the meaning of this blog, its not written to praise charly boy, it is not written to encourage deviant behaviour but I write this to say that we should stop censoring ourselves and making excuses like my mother will never let me, or I’m from a disadvantaged home or state. Censorship not only kills creativity it keeps u on your butt making excuses. Take charge.

For those of you that are not aware, there is a global recession that has hit the world hard, Nigeria was already plagued by unemployment, so you can imagine the situation now. we hope it get better but news flash, there are no jobs. Wr concept has designed a YPIBIZ(young people in business) network for young individuals with good ideas and concrete business plans to put their ideas to good use and build up businesses that will not only take them out of the job search market but take fellow young people out of the market as well. Key into it and im sure you will find that you too can make a difference, and someday soon, maybe ill be writing a blog about you.
Goodluck.

P.S- i know who adetokunbo ademola is and i think he was pretty cool.

process schmocess

I had a whole interesting write up planned out in my head and then my brand new bb suddenly stopped working without being dropped or anything and my annoyance made everything fly out of my head.
But write I must. Why must I? You may ask. Well because I’ve got a microphone and you don’t! (I’m trying out humour in the face of great annoyance)

This note is about GAP but it’s not all about GAP, I hope to be able to link my issues to what went down at GAP gathering yesterday.First of all the young generation- generation y or next or whatever we are called and by we I mean you-yes you, we are easily star struck.(yup. I see some people already shaking their head, but that another trait we have, denial). When I say star struck, I’m not talking D’Banj star struck or M I star struck; I’m talking intelligent upward mobile young men and women cringing in the face of ‘Great Men/Women’.The first time I met Yaradua, I was star struck. Nothing prepared me for that, I was awed, lil me in the same room with the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, nothing that was said before mattered at that moment. I know a lot of people will deny being prone to star struck status, but remember the first time you met your head pastor? Or vice chancellor? (Feel free to take me up on that)

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of having the lovely and admirable Eugenia Abu- mother (her favourite), writer (her passion) broadcaster (her job) yes she put it like that. I loved it; it shows clearly what defines Eugenia Abu. We had the privilege of hearing her read from her book ‘In the Blink of an Eye’ and we were thoroughly awed, at least I was. Of the 4 articles that was read the one that touched me most was the article about JERRYCANS, people who attended the meeting may ask why? It’s not because I have not lost a loved one or experienced the grief process, I’m just not the mushy sort, yea I’m fickle like that(sue me). ‘JERRYCANS’ on the other hand stirred in me a deep sense of grief at the fact that an article written 20 years ago (1989) sounded like it was written just a few weeks ago (when we were hounded by fuel scarcity yet again), only difference is that it was 60k then and it is N65 now. It gave us naija optimist food for thought. There are people who have been fighting all this years, and situations have remained the same, were they not optimistic enough or they weren’t doing something right? were they following the process? were they waiting for the generation before them to step aside and give them a chance?

Which brings me back to the star struck issue. With all due respect, I disagree with Mrs Eugenia Abu and all the Ruben Abati of this country who believe that we are a lost generation. We are accused of taking it and shunning the process. Well I agree! But since when did taking it become a bad thing? We young people are accused of being in a hurry, of not stopping to think, we are lacking and we are lost, ha! Well I beg to differ, no I don’t beg to differ, I totally and utterly disagree! This is my take, I do not subscribe to old ways of thinking and doing things because obviously if they didn’t work for you then they sure won’t work for me. I live in a time where today fashionable, tomorrow obsolete (did I say tomorrow, sorry, the next minute) so why should I wait? We are a lucky generation, we have the best books available to us( The Laws of Power, Re Imagine) we learn from Biographies and we manoeuvre the internet like it’s our playground, we build empires from scratch and we are taking over, all this done by taking. Our fathers supported the process, go to school learn to read and write then u can lead, please tell me which school Bill Gates finished from (there you go).

I hate long notes so I will end this by quoting Paul Arden of whom I am a disciple- Whatever You Think, Think The Opposite! There Is No Right Point Of View! And finally ‘Too Many People Spend Too Much Time Trying To Perfect Something Before They Actually Do It. Instead Of Waiting For Perfection Run With What You’ve Got, And Fix It As You Go’.
Oh and I was totally inspired by Eugenia Abu, I have loved and looked up to her since I was a child being forced to watch network news(thanks mom) and I look forward to meeting her personally
.(please feel free to disagree, critisize, insult. i might be wrong but i might be right, may be someday i will bash the future generation who knows, but for now ill be a voice in mine)

ijeoma okeagu
white rabbit concept

I AM BEING UNREASONABLE!

you walk

I STRUT

you talk

I DRAWL

you pounce

I PRAWL

you shout

I GROWL

THats just my STyle.

you come

I ARRIVE

you dream

I WANT

you regret

I RIGHT THE WRONG

you fail

I FAIL BETTER

you are perfect

I AM ART

THis is just my STyle

CONFESSIONS OF CITY CRAWLER PT.7 - MJ LIVES

sorry to barge in to you again, but it is of utmost importance that i write this(i use the word loosely).
i am writing this in a hurry because i dont want to change my mind again(iv done that 3 times in the last 5 hours) but i owe it to myself, my fellow city crawlers to expose the happenings of wednesday d 1st.

WINE SHOP again!

with the aide/lure of a certain city crawler i found my self at wine shop at an hour i should have been at home putting finishing touches to a project document. it was very interesting to note that alot of people felt the same lure and were there too. for me it was a way to pass time before i head off to a fun ladies night at BASEMENT', i have no idea what the other people who were there had in mind when they headed out, maybe drowning their sorrows or celebrating their joy or maybe excaping prison(yes sue me, it is prison jo), ooh but i digress.the night got really interesting when from some where among the crowd a man clad in white seqine jacket, a white glove, a black bowler hat and moves from the classic video-billie jean, emerged from the crowd and as if on cue the dj started playing the intro of the no. 1 hit BAD and in the words of dbanj suddenly suddenly MJ was alive again.

sorrows were forgotten, drinks were ignored every 1 gathered near to get a closer look at this performer who for 20minutes took on the personality of the KING himself. he was a delight to watch and i scanned the faces of people and i saw excitement, wonder, delight,understAnding, emphathy, sadness and even tears(a girl had tears in her eyes and she said she had not felt the impact of mj death until that moment). i was totally impressed with the guys moves and then suddenly suddenly (thanks dbanj) several other mj impersonators came out from the crowd and showed us that they too had moveS and no one of them wanted to carry last. the DJ (kill joy that he was) stopped the music and the mj show abrubtly came to an end.
people went back to their seats and to their drinks, but the vibe of wine shop took on a whole new ambience. lively conversation, smily faces etc etc. let me not bore u with the details of what happened after that, but the point of this as i stated as the topic of this note is MICHEAL JACKSON LIVES! he lives in music, song, dance, poetry, style and all the other aspect of life which he has influenced and He will go on and on for generations to come. lets celebrate the man that was, celebrate him for what you remember him for, celebrate him for the legend that he is.

not one of those muchy sorts, so ive done my own MJ tribute oh
P.S-if you dont believe me about the mj impersonators u can ask sadik, aniekan, martha,tar etc. they were the other city crawlers I spotted out last night when they should have been at home doing productive work or sleeping, i swore to expose them.