How To Maintain A Sound Relationship With Established Writers' as a Growing Writer

1. Don't expect them to be your editors because they have published books and written extensively. They too pay editors to edit their works. Find a team of your friends, they will be more useful.

2. Do not try to treat them as your 'friends'. They understand you are just starting and it is the passion that is drawing you close to them. So relax, you can be friends maybe in the future. For now, maintain human respect rather than force friendship.

3. Never request for money because they look rich or you think they are rich. It kills relationship instantly. Everyone has their cup to fill. 

4. Do not expect them to always have time to talk to you, respond to your messages or advice you about your writing. They might respond sometimes, but believe me they are extremely busy, perhaps with life, with family, with health, and then writing comes. 

5. Do not force connection by trying to collect their phone numbers. It will hardly be useful to you, if it does most times it means you are disturbing them. Requesting for one advice is better than requesting for a number. If you must have the connection, request for their email.

6. Do not press them so much on getting you a publication deal or hooking you up with their agents. Most times, their relationship with you is not that 'firm' to do that. Other times, they don't feel comfortable. Try not to force it, alot of them follow the hard way to get that, they are human too, before writers.

7. Never fake farmiliarity, alot of writers hate that. Do not call him 'Abu' because his name is 'Abubakar' or call her 'Chima' because she's 'Chimamanda' just because you want to pretend farmiliarity. It's not bad to say, 'I am glad I am seeing you for the first time.'

(This is a list of 7 how-to's prepared for my 2-months online writing mentorship with 10 teens in 2020).

Of The People, By The people - Essay

To celebrate Democracy Day, I am happy to have my most controversial essay 'Of The People, By The People' published on Afritondo. It was initially slated to be published tomorrow, but i suppose because of its relevance to this day, it came out today. 

This is my first essay on Nigerian Politics - perhaps because I hate politics - though satirical but somehow brutal at a point, that I had to make it into two versions, the most brutal and less brutal. Lol

Talking about the first version (i.e the most brutal version), Samaila Sani swore that I will get arrested if I got it published. Anyways, I am already in exile....Haha! 

Thanks to my Boss Carl Terver for always giving life to my works. 

Enjoy the essay here;

https://www.afritondo.com/afr.../of-the-people-by-the-people

THE CHANGE, STARTS WITH ME - ESSAY

“A single tree cannot make a forest”, while others would say, “A twig cannot sweep a 
room.” The elders in our local community would repeatedly mention these Nigerian proverbse very day during the tales of moonlight. These are local African proverbs they use to motivate the younger ones, counseling us to work collectively in changing the world to a better place and
to maintain universal brotherhood.
Perhaps, this ideology stuck in our hearts. Thus, I grew up with the zeal to change the world.

Even with several attempts within the framework of collective efforts, I couldn’t realize my dream. I thought something must be wrong somewhere and kept asking myself, what really is the
solution? What can we do to change our world? Why won’t you take it personal? I questioned myself.

Then, I searched for the answers within me―and I looked at myself with just. I see myself as a vulnerable person full of greed and selfish. I realized I only care for myself and the only words that revolves round my thoughts were, I, me, my and mine.
I wouldn’t care if the whole world were to starve to death, when I am fully satisfied with the best meal for myself. It never tickles me when everyone is to be poor―when I have some huge dollars in my account.

I always want to be the most powerful, with the power to control everyone in the world. To be a forever leader―either politically or otherwise, so that I can continue to
rule till the day when there will be no tomorrow. I wouldn’t care if anything can happen as far as I will maintain my position because it is my number one priority. Yet, my palms were never
ready to give, but rather, were always open to receive.

I can see my pride intensifying because I never concede I was wrong in any respect. I believe my thoughts were the most correct. Because I am an African, I believe that I am better than anyone. Even though my skin looks darker, but I look more original and no any European, American or
Asian can be equal to me. Why would there be equality when I am superior to others?

I am full of pride thinking I was born from the best ethnic. I have forgotten that no one ever chooses the ethnic group or religion they found themselves. Considering religious beliefs, which other
religion surpass mine? I would love it if everyone will embrace my religion. Even more, I can strive to kill and shed blood in other to force everyone into my religion. According to me, it’s a matter of―I am superior and everyone is inferior.

Above all, justice, love and honesty were the words that were never found in my dictionary. I have positioned myself in every angle of corruption and always faked in all I do. I spread false witnesses and tell lies especially on social media.

All through my academic career, i cheat in all examinations, even now, I go to work late. Yet, I never admit that I am corrupt. I am proficient in hate speech, I am always the first to complain on the minor wrong things I see in others, but I never look closely to what I do. Even though I was a bit successful, I never love to see anyones Successful.

Lately, I realized that I am the problem to the world and our elders were wrong in this case. Where should i go looking for change while the change is right within me? The one thing that I can change to make this world a better place is to change myself.

Today, I have taken a step to change; I am changing myself from the greedy and selfish to a generous, humble and kind soul. I believe in sharing, equality for all and the right of choices for everyone. And, I have dedicated my live to humanitarian aids to help does in need.

Only if I change myself, then you will change, and when we all change, then the world will change. I am the change agent, and the change begins with me.

Essay written in 2018 for the UNESCO/Gio Peace Foundation Essay 2018.

CHANGING AFRICA TO CHANGE THE WORLD - ESSAY

Photo credit: Globeinteraction.com

Africa is one among its counterpart with enormous potentials in technology, sustainability and agriculture capable of making her a global leader. Due to some detrimental factors, Africa has experienced developmental hurdles. According to IMF report, they suggest that all the ten world’s poorest countries are in Africa. Thus, needs arises to obliterate the woes through portraying Africa’s economic potential and stating ideas to harness them. Therefore, i will discuss on the ideas; innovation adoption to harness technological potential; formulating structures to harness sustainability; increased investment, innovation adoption and improving market to harness its agricultural potential.

Africa has been potential in creating feasible technological innovations such as fostering ARN that extended robotics beyond humanitarian use, adopting the SKA astronomy project in South Africa that map the early universe using radio-telescopes and develops achievable ICT such as the NITDA in Nigeria. Africa equally encompasses creative individuals in invention and quality research. As such, i present the adoption of feasible innovations and ideas, proper utilization of creative individuals and fostering technological researches as ideas to tap into technological potential.

Further, Africa comprehends potentials in its energy, economic and environment that meet the needs of her current generation without compromising the future generations. This includes sustainable solar energy, proliferation of sustainable economic development bodies in different parts of Africa, and concern for environmental sustainability-with about 43 countries promulgating framework environmental laws. To tap these, different structures and institutions need to be brought together to ensure a sustainable development.

In agriculture, Africa has enormous potentials capable of making her a major player globally. These lies on it’s; abundance land, underexploited water-resources, human resources and promising markets. Africa’s agriculture has increased - its value tripled, almost identical to that of South America. World Bank estimates that Africa’s market for food could be valued morethan $1,000billion by 2030. As such, it can reach the peak. Hence, i infer on, increase investment towards fostering agricultural business, entrepreneurship and agrifood value-chains; proper resource utilization, controlled use of inputs and improved varieties; innovations adoption and improving national-regional markets as ideas to tap into agriculture.

Therefore, Africa’s developmental hurdles can be resolve through depicting her potentials and adopting ideas of innovation adoption in technology, uniting structures in sustainability; increased investment, innovation and improved market in agriculture, in other to harness its potentials for the betterment of Africa.

Endnotes and References
1. International Monetary Fund
2. Jonathan Gregson (2017). The Poorest Countries in the World. Retrieved from  www.gfmag.com/global-data/economic-data/the-poorest-countries-in-the-world
3. Africa Robotics Network

4.  Square Kilometre Array

5.  Information and Communication Technology

6.  National Information Technology Development Agency

7.  Jonathan M. Ledgard (2015). 10 Technology Trends to Watch in Africa in 2015. World Economic Forum Retrieved on 04/03/2015 from www.weforum.org 

8.  Kameri-Mbote Patricia (2011). Challenges to Sustainability in Africa. Society for International Development. Development, 2011, 54(2), (243–246) www.sidint.net/development/

9.  Roger Blain, Martin Bwalya, et al (2013). African Agriculture: Transformation and Outlook. New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) November 2013. 72p

10. Ibid

11.  Mark Ashurst and Stephen Mbithi (2010). Why Africa can make it Big in Agriculture. African Research Institute Published July, 2010. ISBN 978-1-906329-09-9 www.africaresearchinstitute.org

Essay first written in 2018 for ABO Capital Essay Contest. 

HE WAS ONCE LIKE US - A PERFORMING POEM

He was once like you, like me, like us
But when I said I wanted to talk about him, I was told that;
‘You cannot talk about that which you can’t see.’
But that didn’t surprise me,
Because I wasn’t supposed to talk
I was supposed to swallow my tears and call on God
to send us a savior above from heaven, like Jesus.
I wasn't supposed to talk,
I was supposed to look at those children in the eye
Whom their parent were slaughtered before their eyes
And tell them a little sorry.
I wasn't supposed to talk.
I was supposed to lower my head down when I saw that woman
Whom her son jumped over her body forcefully at 2am and tore her wrapper apart!!
I wasn't supposed to talk until my body hits the ground.

But when I looked at his portrayed hanged on my street labelled Wanted,
I see the image of a figure I cannot see,
Image of a ghost eyes widened enough to such blood,
beard full ready to grap,
 head crowned of a terrorist king.
Yet, I had dared to believe that
I could hold his memories in my skull,
that I could feel his breath on the left side of my chest,
that I could hear his roar on the tip of my ears.


See! Let me tell you,
He had played football in the evening and hid his wound from his mum,
He had once stayed late at night and covered his fault with lies,
He had used his hands to plant seeds before he used them to plant bombs,
He had shed tears for poor human before he turned inhuman,
He had used his index finger to point at birds before he used them to pull trigger,
Pulling the trigger like point to kill, like kill them all, like making my home a refugee camp.


He had once jumped his body up when NEPA brought light
He was once a Nigerian boy harassed by the police
He was once a Nigerian boy with empty pockets
Like walking on the street thinking of attempting suicide
Like closing your eyes and see no future, not because you can’t see the future, but because your future can’t see you.
Like a boy who was asked; what do you want to be in the future and he replied ‘Alive’
‘I want to be alive in the future.’

He was once like you, like me, like us
He was once an innocent boy before he turned into a beast
He was once a follower before he turned into a fake god
He was once a learner before he turned the holy book upside down
He was once like me, like you, like us
He was once Abubakar before he turned to Shekau.

Poem first performed on 18th January, 2020 at Borno Literary Society #PeaceUnbroken literary event 2020.