NERO WRITES

On Sunday, at about 5pm, Patience and Onome arrived at the Conference hall for the 'Women of Excellence' programme. The cherishes were already singing in the hall but some women were outside the hall, chatting with friends, making phone calls, while more women trooped into the conference hall. Patience stopped to greet Mama Franca who like herself, worked as a cleaner in the Government Primary School in their area. Patience's daughter, Onome, left her mother after greeting Mama Franca and walked into the conference hall to join Njideka, her friend. 'Mama Onome, I hope you have paid your dues o'. Mama Franca asked as they talked. 'Which of them? Is it the one for Pastor's wife's birthday gift or contribution for Deacon Mary's mother's burial or for the wrapper we will sew to welcome the District Pastor's wife next month, or which other one abeg? The dues plenty Jare. The one I could pay is what I have paid'. Patience replied. ...

I am lying down in my room. On my deathbed. Yes, I am waiting for the day I will be escorted out of this world to be with Christ. That day is getting nearer and nearer. I know it. It's been a long road to this point. A long and sometimes painful road. Battling with breastcancer hasn't been easy. At a point, it appeared I had won. But much later, cancer showed up again in the second breast (left breast) to remind me that it wasn't an easy enemy to just shake off like that. And then quickly spread to other parts of my body. Now I am nearing my end. It's obvious to anyone who can see me now. My doctor has informed me that I have less than two months to live. Of late, I have been having so many visitors. Almost everyday. My Pastor left not too long ago with his wife after chatting with me for a while: sometimes cracking jokes, then talking about my active days, how members of my unit (Ushering) miss my smile and hectoring ways. And then ultimately, they prayed for ...

Tolu grew up in a Christian home,and so she got exposed to the Bible early. She had learned about the creation, how our first parents sinned and it brought sin, how the world inherited the sin problem,and man's need of a Saviour. She knew about how Jesus came to repair the damage and how by believing in Him, we become God's kids and friends. She learnt about God's future plan for a new heaven and new earth populated by his kids. She knew about living a life pleasing to Father God. And so she had learnt to be a good kid. She was the kind of child parents pray for: obedient, respectful, studious, washed the plates when she should, without being told twice, etc. At the age of 9, she formally confessed her belief in Jesus Christ and what he had done for her on the cross. And she became born again. She had always been the model child even before she got born again, so being a good Christian wasn't difficult for her. If anything, she studied her Bible with increasing e...

Dear diary, It's a brand new day and I feel good. Feeling good is one of the easiest things in the world for me, being what I am. Of course, once in a while, it's not so easy, thanks to the people who think I am Mr. Casanova. Flirt. Player. Manipulator, among other names. My brethren (fellow males) for the most part are jealous of this 'girl friend thief' (as I am most certain I am called behind my back). A few of the ladies are scared of 'this notorious player and heartbreaker'. Well, I have decided to ignore this ignoramuses. I can't allow people who don't know me at all, who do not understand me rob me of my zest for life. I am a happy man and that is not going to change. My happiness is perpetual. Why won't it be when I make people (especially the ladies) happy? Even the Bible says he that watereth shall be watered. And again, that we should give and it will be given to us. I give joy and so I never lack joy. No be my fault o, my grouchy br...

So I am now a married woman. Wait a minute, not only am I a married woman, I am now a PASTOR'S wife. Wife to Pastor Matthew Adeshola. And therefore to alot of people, it means I am now a pastor of some sorts, even though 'Pastor's wife' is not part of the five-fold ministry as listed in Ephesians 5. As I am introduced again to my husband's church the Sunday after our wedding by one of the pastors thus 'and let's welcome our beautiful and adorable Senior pastor's wife, our mommy, etc etc' and I step up to the pulpit with my husband's hands in mine, amidst a standing ovation and thunderous applause and smiles, I put on a brave smile and wave my free hand. My legs are shaking. I am grateful that my husband is holding my hand at that point. And my heart is beating furiously beneath my chest, as if it wants to come out of my chest and fall to the ground. For a morbid second, I imagine what would happen to all these smiling faces welcoming me if sudd...

I love fiction. I have always loved fiction for as long as I could read. For me, a good story beats the best movie anytime. When I am reading a good story, I easily 'leave' my surroundings and travel to the land of the story. And I immerse myself in the characters' lives. I relate to them like real people. I feel their pain. I smile when they smile. I am sometimes scared for them when they are walking into danger. (That is, for my favorite characters o). One thing I have observed in reading fiction is the love the author obviously has for some of his characters. And also his or her dislike for some characters too. I can tell by the way he describes the character he loves. The lead character is often someone very beautiful or very handsome. Apart from that, the character (whom I will call 'he') is miraculously almost morally perfect. Even his flaws are made to seem endearing. This is obvious especially in Christian fiction. He is unbelievably loving, patient to ...

This week has been really hectic for me, with all the preparations we've been making for my sister's wedding. In the past three days this week, I have seen more wedding gowns than I have seen throughout my entire life, with different styles : strapless and otherwise. And even different colors. And Yetunde, my crazy older sister has 'made up her mind' so many times about which of these gowns she intends to sew for her wedding that I have often felt like biting her. Well, she made up her mind for the last time this morning. We just came back from the tailor's place. (I just hope she doesn't make up her mind again and decide to go back to her unfortunate tailor tomorrow morning). After having my bath for the second time today (thanks to the hot sun), I relax on my bed and grab my phone, and log on to Facebook. My timeline is flooded with pre-wedding photoshoots of former course mates, friends, church members and some others I do not know outside Facebook. I gu...