If you have had an ante-natal scan done on you, you would admit it may get a bit awkward sometimes. During one of my previous pregnancy scans, the doctor tried as always to keep up a conversation partly because he is a talkative anyway and partly because he wants you to feel very comfortable while they roll their scanner over your naked belly and pelvis.
Sometimes, i’m in the mood and we gist and laugh. Other times, i’m pissed for no reason and put on my ‘don’t-talk-to-me-biko’ face. So one of those days my back wasn’t aching me and the scan queue wasn’t long, I was in the mood to chat forever. So I chipped
“Hurry up joor, I want to go for a book event at freedom park”
He paused.
“You go to freedom park?”
And that began a long chat on how he has met some crazies coming out of there, its like no one wants to comb their hair, your hair is slicked back in a very long ponytail-not like them, etc…and their conversations are on another level. He admitted one thing, he loved the passion for writing and reading he saw in some of them.
“Its like nothing else exists for them”
So here we are, I long declared undying love for the written word and recently began to appreciate the spoken. In December, I began to toy with the idea of running a blog marathon for February the 14th. I wanted fourteen posts, the first thing I told myself was to ensure that none out the fourteen would come from me. I decided to share it between asking my favourite writers to write for me and asking my blog followers to contribute something, anything. Its for February 14, but write what you want.
And that is the love we are talking about, the response was overwhelming. I got more than I asked for, I had readers who confessed to not knowing how to string sentences together but as one told me “You must publish my writing on your blog!” That led to the second decision, I would not edit anything except very obvious typos. I would leave what they wrote just as they did.
Finally, today is the day I should run these wonderful posts, but i’m very under the weather. Sad doesn’t begin to describe how I feel. Man proproses, and God does it all. I’m very grateful for all the encouragement, and as advised, I shall put the excerpts out here as my word, and over today and the next few days, I should be able to post all.
As the igbos’ say anyway “It is small small that we lick the hot soup”.
My immense gratitude to everyone for their selflessness and support. #IOWEYOU
1. “Trust is like stacking empty bottles, one on top of the other; like performing open-heart surgery on a three-month-old baby; like reversing the effects of global warming; or getting a wild horse to eat out of your hands” from Andante Andante by Dike Chukwumerije
2. “Sometimes the happiness we think we get by having either of the sexes turns out being our own nemesis” from Much ado about a baby’s sex; a man’s viewpoint by Nze Sylva Ifedigbo
3. “…because a lot of women have met an unexpected end to their lives from this disorder. God was my strength during this period” From When conception goes awry by Adebukola Akintoye
4. “The Wrong Bra Can Affect Posture, Shape & Overall Health” From We all need a good bra for support by Freda Athena Benard Ogbolumani
5. “You Are Not Just A Mom, You Are Your Husband’s Wife Also” From Image mom
5b.”This is not a day of compulsive buying”- from How to shop right both by by Freda Athena Benard Ogbolumani
6. “A friend of his saw me once and started telling me of how proud my husband was of me. According to the informant, my husband “has a renewed respect for me because of what he had now seen I go through with the children” From ‘Stay at home moms, the real unsung heroes by Adaobi Chikeluba
7. “The waitress looks cute”
“Don’t go there Idris” Edet warned. “I’m fine.”
“You are 35!”
“You think i need a reminder? Come off it man” from Short story, Fruit of my loins by Lilian Ezejelue
8. “But the movie, “Two Brides and a Baby” making the coveted list of high budget/high quality Nollywood movies isn’t reason enough for one to watch it” From Movie review by Chizitere Ojiaka.
9. “I believe women can be impactful. Our fight is one full of difficulty, but one worth fighting.” From Women and Politics by Nnaemeka Okahia
10. “Going through an unplanned pregnancy after a harrowing experience needs to be well thought through and the first step is to get informed” from Some unplanned pregnancies and the married mother by Tola Omoniyi
11. “When it comes to makeup for busy moms, it’s all about prioritizing. By creating a short and comfortable routine to highlight your best features in the least amount of time possible” from Make up on the go and tips on office make up by Precious Jatto, Eagles pride beauty makeovers
12.”I won’t lie, marriage scares the crap out of me. Yes, I said it, and no, I am not a man. I am a 21st Century young lady living in Africa’s most populous country” from Being Mrs.Right is important as you wait for Mr.Right by Amara Okolo
13.”With the wave of feminism in Nigeria, one would think that all acts of humiliation and injustice against women would be a thing of the past” from Widowhood rights and intestacy by Bruno ifedili Okeke
14.”It neither preaches nor condemns, neither compels nor rebukes” From Book review of Oladimeji Ojo’s Monitored by Morenike Ademiju
15. “Her words rang in my ears as I pointed my gun to his face, a cigarette in my mouth” From Short Story ‘Please Dont’ by @JimmystaxXx
16. “My training time is sacred, it is not the time to nag, ask questions, or
make a request” From Letter to a bodybuilder’s wife by Chimezie Onwuama
17. “As she stepped into the dusty and colourless NYSC orientation camp, almost everyone noticed her” From The curse of a beautiful face by Felix Abraham Obi
18. “The question that rightly comes to mind is why then has ‘love’ failed (or so we think)? Let me first state categorically that I do not restrict the love I am talking about here as between couples” from Todays love, tomorrow’s indifference;why do love stories turn sour? by Olufemi Richard Akanni
19. “However this is not to say that, like every other venture there is, inter-tribal relationships doesn’t have its drawbacks.” From Hearts of a color by Jonadab Utoh
20. What are your nutrition plans like? I try to drinks lots of water, eats fruits (watermelon is my favourite) and veggies (Love spinach) and also I love my nuts (pistachio and cashew) from Getting your pre-baby body back(or better) interview with Jane Ananyi by Chioma Anyaegbu
21.”Honey, I know you’re broke, your father just cut you off from money and you’ve been fired. You have no prospects, no comfort and no hope really. So guess what? I’m pregnant! Isn’t that wonderful?” and watch as his face lights up and he hugs you. Try it today.” from The gifts Conundrum by Femi Famutimi
22. Every marriage runs differently, all that matters is that we are happy from Advice to my fellow young wives by Noelyn
23. Vally day always approached with a buzz back then in secondary school. I got involved in my SS2 as my SS3 seniors had forced us into helping them make up for what they lacked from Valentine gone personal by Ilozumba Chukwuebuka
24. “Efem moaned and her mother asked from the sitting room (where the man had just died in today’s episode of “Super Story”) “Wetin?” and she said “I nack my hand for door,” and her mother said “na so you go dey nack hand for door when you marry?” from Ask Dot Efem by @TheVunderkind
So there you have it, i’m totally grateful to all these writers. May your inks never run dry.
As you read all these posts in days to come, remember they were my own love gift to you, to me, us.♥
Happy Valentine’s Day!
ACHALUGO'S 
You didn’t contact me. That’s not fair. Get well soon
LikeLike