The Tellrhodes Blog

UNKNOWN GENIUSES IN PLACES OF OBSCURITY By Hamz Usain Bolt is called the fastest man in the world. He is not. Come along with  me.  There is a high probability that somewhere in one remote village in Kenya or city of the world, there is a boy whose sheer speed would put Usain Bolt to shame. There is a probability that that boy runs to and from work everyday. Spent his entire childhood running from wild animals. And then spends his adulthood running around his village. Running errands for people and delivering messages. There is a probability that those who know him, smile and comment on how fast that boy is. The people around that boy know him to be fast. But that boy is not known by the RIGHT KINDS of people. There is a high probability that that boy will grow old and die and never be recognised as the fastest man in the world. He has a “better mouse-trap”. But he is a Genius in the Place of Obscurity. Bolt, to me, is the OFFICIALLY RECOGNISED fastest man in the world. And he...

HEAD ABOVE WATER Hey you,  Is your head game?  There's this record that says Nigeria is the 15th country with people having mental issues and that over 30% of Nigeria population suffers from this, making us the highest in Africa.  People are quick to associate this illments to a traditional occultic source. They feel any bad that happens to them is because of one person or another which is not true.  And yes, I do believe they are lots of bad people in this world but do you really think every single thing that happens to you is because someone else wants it to.  How powerful are they? You make yourself believe someone really has powerful over you that you fail to see how small you have made yourself. Mental issues is associated with anxiety, panic disorder, depression, schizophrenia...and I'm sad to say many people do suffer from this.  You hear reports of people committing suicide and you wonder how it came to that point.  Society is a contributor. So...

DON’T BITE MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW During a fasting period sometimes ago (fasting and prayers held for the new year), I was still a bit younger. I remember that day trying to break my fast. I was very hungry. The six-to -six fasting really took its tol l on me that day. I ended up eating more than necessary. I ate “everything” edible in the house from rice to boiled maize to cucumber (I ate them all) with the mind that the following day f asting continues. The more I remember the hunger I felt earlier, the more I kept on eating.  That night I couldn’t sleep. I had serious stomach constipation/indigestion. Very serious stomach ache. See me begging and promising God not to over-eat again in my life. I threw up everything I ate and the following day the hunger was abnormal.  Most times, we try to bite more than we can chew or in this case eat everything, literally and figuratively. No one can have everything in a day, in a year or even ten years to come. Even the Dangote does not ...

UNDERSTANDING YOUR BODY SHAPE FOR MEN The last two topics centered on ladies' body shapes, we aren't bias so I'm giving this small piece of advice to the men.  A lot of guys just pick outfits without bearing in mind that every ensemble should accentuate the good points of your physique and make the other points less conspicuous. That red and black shirt might look lovely on your rack but does it flatter you when you put it on?  It's hard enough getting clothes that you like, I know, but you should also prioritize getting clothes that don't make you look drab. Everyone's physique is unique and different, it shouldn't get in the way of elevating your style.  Let's talk about recognizing your body type first sha. There are 5 basic male body shapes: 1. Oval body shape: This is the most prominent body shape in men. It's characterized with slim shoulders and chest, wide waist and slim hips.  2. Triangle body shape: This shape is similar to the oval shape, ...

Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV) This is partly, internal combustion  and partly electric motor or electric power train (which helps transfer torque to the driving wheels for hybrid vehicles). ie. Combination of both. They can be designed to meet different goals, such as better fuel economy or more power. Hybrids have the ability to generate electric current, store it in a large battery, and use that current to help drive the car. Hybrids capture electrical energy produced by a regenerative braking system, and their engines can power a generator, too. Hybrids can also conserve energy by shutting down the ICE when the vehicle is in Park, idling at a night, or stopped in traffic, or when the electric motor’s energy is sufficient to drive the vehicle without assistance from the ICE. Types of HEV Parallel hybrids A parallel hybrid uses both an electric motor and an ICE for propelling force. They can run in tandem, or one can be used as the primary power source with the other kicking in t...

TWO SQUIRMS Twice in eight days I have received two squirms apiece To aid my faith From the same old man at the gate  Between myself and the old man  Passed an understanding  As I stretched forth my hands In the house of faith He pressed from the bottle  Two small drops of viscous liquid emerged  One a while before the other As he squirmed I looked into his eyes And he lifted his moustache  The sides of his mouth creasing  We smiled at each other  Squirming had become a necessity  Even in the house of faith in these times  Worship will not be complete without sanitizing faithfuls It has become part of our faith keeping sanity. Have a great week!  👤: Alkali Amana  FB | IG | Twitter: alkaliamana  Email: alkaliamana@gmail.com

LAGBAJA NOTHING FOR YOU😂 Over the course of the lockdown i got to spend a little more time with the cutie in these pictures, and i have learnt a lot from her and sometimes she reminds me of stories from my childhood. Let me share one with you, 90’s kids and older people will remember Lagbaja the masked musician he had so many hit songs and is no doubt a legend, all with out showing his face.  At that time when he was still actively making music, my dad had this friend who used to come and visit us , his name is Mr Badejo, he was one of those friends that got special treatment, you know the ones special plates are brought out for😂 this man was so funny and had such a presence, he laughed so loud and heartily too and he constantly made jokes what you will call the life of the party! Everyone in my family loved him❤️ Being the youngest they always liked to mess with me and in this case they told me he was Lagbaja the face behind the mask.  Dear friends and family i believed the...

#CampusChronicle 2: THE ELEVENTH COMMANDMENT He ran into my room and slammed the door shut, covering his mouth with both hands to stifle the volcanic guffaw that threatened to rip him apart if he didn't release it soon enough, then slumped on the bed, threw his hands sideways and released his usual uncouth and raucous cackle that rattled the window panes and shook the tiled floor. I stared at him disapprovingly with my lips pursed. 'You did it again, right?', I asked. He kept laughing till tears seeped down the corner of his eyes, rolled off the bed and thudded to the floor, tried to force a word or two admist his wild spurts of laughter but nodded instead. 'You know your problem?', I began, 'Your salacious, nut-sized brain hasn't told you that this is a lodge and you might be caught. Foolish goat. Ateme...' I gesticulated wildly, my mouth moving indignantly in a frantic search for words to adequately qualify his indiscretion. I ended up calling him a ze...

Recently, I saw a post on IG about the horror stories we grew up with, stories about mrs koi-koi, bush baby, djinn and the rest. The post made me recall an incident that occurred years back while I was in primary school (I was in primary three then).  On this fateful day, I don't know how or who started the whole rumour but the school was in an uproar. It was said that Mrs Koi-Koi was in the school toilet (girls' toilet precisely). One of my classmates, Celine who had just returned from using the said toilet harboring Mrs Koi-Koi, proceeded to tell us of how she heard shoes making the "koi-koi" sound. I rarely use the school toilet because even at my little age then I was always cautious of relieving myself outside my home but on that fateful day, I don't know where or who sent the pee, I just had the overwhelming urge to go and ease myself.  I tried holding it in till I got home but no way. Las las I ran to the toilet to ease myself but at the same time I was ale...

We need to understand that some styles that look great on some people might not fit us. It's not the tailor or designer's fault, it's yours. The designer probably told you, "this style will not fit you ooo" but you probably stubbornly pressed for it and said "just say you don't know how to make it". Sometimes they actually don't know how to make the style sha.  Always have it in my that every style must balance your shape or else you won't achieve the ideal look.  Triangle shape: Here the bust is small, so the style must make the part of the body brighter or have more accessories than the bottom. Straight skirts and gowns are for these people. Puff sleeves look amazing here, if you're going to mix the fabric with bright colours it should be at the top. Feel free to pad their busts here to make them look more obvious. Say no to gathers or flay skirts or big skirts in general. Inverted triangle shape:  The plan here is to take all emphasis ...

Electric Cars Just like you'll charge your phone, Laptop and other gadget, so you can charge the electric cars, To your surprise electric cars was first produced in 1880, yes that long so it's not an invention that just happen yesterday. So let just say, an electric car is an automobile that is propelled by one or more electric motors, using energy stored in rechargeable batteries, it does not has the internal combustion engine and it doesn't emit exhaust. From 2008, a renaissance in electric vehicle manufacturing occurred due to advances in batteries, and the desire to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve urban air quality.  Charging an electric car can be done at a variety of charging stations, these charging stations can be installed in both houses and public areas. The Tesla Model 3 was the world's best selling EV (Electric Vehicle) from 2018 to 2019 and had a maximum electric range of 500 km (310 miles) according to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) ...

My Country In my country, we borrow huge amounts of money because we have run out of national funds. The main reason we ran out of funds is because the people we gave our mandate(s) to helped us stash the money in their personal accounts abroad. Even the borrowed funds, they still take out of them to save in their personal accounts so that they can credit us in later years when they are dead. Is that not wonderful?  In summary, they still loot borrowed (and donated) funds in my beautiful country. Nothing escapes the hands of the ruthless kleptomaniacs and pilferers up there.  The best part is that after everything, the appropriate terminologies will be used to cover tracks. That's when English will come in. All these ITT people. Meanwhile, ITT is an acronym for the name of an institution as coined by one of my fathers in activism - Anikulapo Kuti.  International Thief Thief, that's the meaning. These people never graduate from this institution at all. That's why they figh...

FRIED RICE ON A SUNDAY MORNING 😂 i was doing the dishes or as we say washing plate yesterday, when i remembered something i had done in that same kitchen sometime ago. I was meant to meet up with my friends Stephanie Aiseosa Osaruyi & Princess Mercy Yusuf at a bridge in Abuja and go to church from that point ( Fun fact i got to that exact bridge while typing this -Berger bridge). We were all still figuring out the route so, we needed to either meet up with the church bus or at least not go alone. That morning i woke up a little late, checked in on Stephanie to make sure plans were intact and she checked with Mercy too.... People of God as your international woman stood up from her bed and stepped into the kitchen, I decided to cook Fried Rice😂 This was absolutely abnormal for many reasons. 1. growing up breakfast on a sunday morning wasn’t really a thing. 2. I would rather cook than clean😂and we were already a little behind schedule!  It was half way through cooking, that I ...

A SOJOURNERS JOURNEY  Do you remember how these all began? We were young and our skins were dark but the funny jokes we used to laugh about are just not funny anymore. We were young kids of different races, colours and traditions but bonded by the black blood that pulsated in our veins - see how dumb you are? You're probably feeling like black blood translates to bad blood - Naah... I mean the blood that flowed through our compatriots from generations past. But as we begin to unlearn the divine knowledge placed in us, we adapt to whatever life designs as our paths. We learn religion. We learn laws. We learn fear. We learn sin. We learn peace and we learn war. We unlearn love and breed hatred and dogmatic repulsion of anything foreign to our train of thoughts.  That didn't sound like a very good intro if you're reading this column for the first time, but if you've been here you're welcome back dear Sojourner and if you're new, please stay longer and join the Sojo...

IF I COULD WALK IN YOUR SHOES Prologue Jide: You know that saying?  You can be whoever you want to be.. What many do not know is that there are terms and conditions applied to it. You may not see it, but it's hidden there in grey lines.  October first, not the same day our country got it's independence, I was born. My mother, a petty trader then, had just returned from the nearby market when she started having labor pains. It had been a quick one. There had been celebration all through out that night.  Father, a civil servant had round up his friends to the closest beer parlour. On the way, he had told everyone who cared to listen about the birth of his first male child. And last...  Of course he didn't know that. Too soon to let the cat out of the bag? Oops. Sorry. I had grown up with five sisters. Three had came before me and two after. "The two girls were probably mother's  trying out her luck again", this I heard from aunts who had come visiting after my l...

THE STING OF GUILT  Guilt, the feeling of deep regret from a wrong doing is poisonous to our social, mental and emotional growth, that awareness of condemnation that makes you feel less of yourself. It deprives you of your self worth, unable to make tangible progress because your mind has been invaded by thoughts of damnation and just like a virus it crashes your entire system.  We must understand that  sometimes things will wrong in life either intentionally or by mistake, they maybe a twist of fate, altered plans and all that but we must not allow our negative experiences to hinder our progress. You must make a conscious decision that bad as it is nothing should become an issue in your life, decide to allow every negativity to go as soon as possible. It is over thinking that leads to depression, unhappiness then guilt and finally death. Guilt comes to tie us down from reac hing our desired goal in life.  Most people and especially young people are just floating thr...

MY MATES By Hamz Are you frustrated with life when you think about your predicament?  Trust me you are not the only one passing through hard phases.  I’m so frustrated too. I went to the market today to get a rope. It’s like Union bank. Big, Strong, Reliable. I’m pretty sure it can support my weight. At least until I breathe my last… Do I even have a direction I’m going to? That’s a question I’ve asked myself a million times. Oops! I forgot to lock the door… …let me lock it, I’ll be back in a sec.*muttering* I wouldn’t want anyone to barge into me as I perform my last rites, would I? There are times in a man’s life (or should I say death?) when he should be entitled to some privacy…. Okay! Yes, I’m back. What was I saying? I don’t even know. I guess I’d just write my ‘departure’ note and then go ahead with the killing task- quite literally. Just look at me! A sorry mess. Compare me to my mates… My mates are in school; I haven’t even made my O’levels. My mates have high paying ...

UNDERSTANDING YOUR BODY SHAPE  Basically, there are five (5) body shapes that everyone fits into. Some people have more but they're all derivatives from these fundamental five (5).  1. Triangle (Pear) shape 2. Inverted triangle (Apple) shape 3. Hourglass (Figure 8) shape 4. Oval (Orange) shape 5. Rectangle (Banana) shape Let's just give a little preview on the defining characteristics of these shapes, so that you can know your body shape and style yourself or a client appropriately.  1.Triangle (Pear) shape: These people have small bust size and big hips. The hips don't have to be large, but there should be a major difference when you compare it with the bust size.  2. Inverted triangle shape: These people have a large upper torso and small hips. The bust and shoulders are the bigger part when compared to the hips and butt.  3. Hourglass (figure 8) shape: This is the most ideal shape and it's basically what every stylist tries to achieve. Here the bust and hip s...

FACTS ABOUT LIFE  "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes: James 4:14 " Recently, I was privileged to learn what life is really all about. What is life? Why are we living? Are we living just because we find ourselves alive or because we really don't have a choice? Or is it because we have a purpose? Here are some facts about life I learnt: 1.Life is a gift. It was freely given to us and hence must be lived to the pleasure of the giver. 2. Life is a privilege. It must never be taken for granted. Nobody wakes up with a plan to do so. We are opportuned to see each new day, hence life must be lived in and with appreciation. 3. Life is a seed. How you live today determines where you will be tomorrow. You reap what you sow therefore, sow wisely. 4. Life is a game. In a game you either win or lose. Live to win and not to lose. 5. Life is a vapour. Live on the edge; Live with a sense...

Revolution Now The question keeps demanding an answer and I can't get it to leave my thoughts.  "Can we die for Nigeria?" Sequel to it are more - Ready or not, can we put ourselves in front batons, guns, handcuffs? Can we march as one in solidarity, unity and purpose? Can we raise one voice and cry 'Ubuntu'?  When we begin to answer these questions consciously and with effort, we shall begin to see the change we desire. Great nations were built on the shoulders, sweat and blood of citizens who were fearless enough to confront corruption in its human form. In front of guns and security bulldogs, they marched. Threatened, they persevered. When killed, they doubled in number. When pushed back, they advanced with their souls. When denied, they resorted to the other different ways to kill a rat.  They were citizens that knew that it would take sacrifice to get somewhere better in the future. They also knew that whereas they may not enjoy what they were fighting for, th...

Who Is This??? The first time i ever cut my hair was the day after I was done with primary school, I was having lunch with my dad and i said i was ready to cut my hair!! Daddy was lowkey excited but he couldn’t show it, so he kept asking are you sure, are you ready to? We can still wait you know? ( I was going to have to cut it anyway because the secondary i would be attending had a low cut policy). ~ But international woman and her international father were both tired of the Saturday hair runs 👌🏾 So he took me to his barber and boom my hair was gone I can’t remember what happened after the clipper touched my hair the first time🤣. ~ My sister was pissed 😂 cause she had put so much effort into growing my hair, she started calling me Omolo omolo😂 I know she will resume now😂# ~ But for me that singular action was my introduction to irreversible decisions, and the importance of thinking things through before doing them and being ready for the consequences.  DECISIONS ARE NEVER EA...

A COUNTRY OF MY DREAMS SERIES; A NIGHTMARE OF REALITY If we had the ability to make our future and the environment we live in, the basis of everything would be unlimited supply of various things.  The Nigeria of my dreams is a Nigeria where people actually practice free and fair election, where honesty is a virtue and something to aspire to. A place where dreams come alive, where we don’t just endure each day but actually enjoy the day as it goes. Where we don’t have to choose between passion and money because our passion can actually give us money. A place where greed is scarce and people are kind, fierce and loyal.  The Nigeria of my dreams is a place where the Government actually serves, where Justice prevails and where people are employed based on abilities and not on connection. Where the class divide between the rich and the poor is breached, where you can do more than survive, but a place where you can thrive. My dream is basically a fantasy or something out of a fairy ...

The Sojourner's Diary: ALMA GEMELA The Spanish word for soul mate stands for "alma gemela". You know, I've always wondered. It has always had me bothered. That question. Simple as it may sound, it is a question that has troubled my mind relentlessly. How many soul mates do we get in a lifetime?  Have you ever met someone and out of the blue, y'all connect and a bond is forged? You spend moments together and moments turn into hours, hours into days, days into weeks and weeks into months and months into years, years into more years, you get the picture. Everything is fine is the beginning and then the misunderstandings begin and then you start to see how different y'all really are and then your three hours of calls become three minutes of awkwardness with so many words in your minds but none of them said. You then start to wonder, "was this really my soulmate or did I get it all wrong?" Are we even meant to be together? Eventually, you start to let eac...

SOMETIMES WE ARE THE PROBLEM  Hi and welcome to 'A glimpse of Hope' right here on your favorite blog the tellrhodes blog. This post will serve as our welcome back post after a very long break but well it's all for good.  A story was told of a grandpa whose grandchildren while playing with him rubbed rotten cheese beneath his nose and he goes about complaining that the house was smelling and he went on and on. When he eventually stepped out, he exclaimed "the whole world stinks!" That's so outrageous, isn't it? But often times if you're not careful you can allow a little problem in your life to affect your whole world and eventually people around you. When it comes to admitting faults it's very difficult but we are champions in blaming others. Some of us has lost out on vital relationships because we've refused to search inwards, little faults here and little gossip there.  As little as that anger issue is, it can affect your mental, emotional a...

Finding You 6 I'm back there again. This time, it's all in my head.  These  are my memories. Something I lived through and remembering makes me feel all powerless again. That day had started with my roommate Agatha preparing a pot of ogbono soup. It aroma had filled the room and as my mouth watered, I couldn't help but beg her for a little quantity. Agatha hadn't been a giver so it had took the Lord's  prayer and her mouth turning into a pout. I had prepared a little quantity of eba to accompany it with.  As I settled down to devour my meal, Ben call had came in. I had been excited, we hadn't talked for like two days prior to that day so you can imagine the excitement. I had picked my phone with my left hand and pressed the receive button gently. "Hello Jane" he had said. "Hi" I had answered. After pleasantries, he had continued with "Would you like to come over to my place today"  None of us uttered anything after that. Then I had ...

#Campus Chronicle 1 Shattered Heart By Hamz. Lokoja 2018. She was resplendent with a sort of beauty that defied description. She was a little tall, had a coffee-coloured complexion that shone, a slow and controlled carriage that made her nicely carved hips sway sensuosly and her soft but firm and beautifully proportioned behind jerk mildly. So, I asked her for a date...and, dear reader, that was how I nearly walked with my eyes wide open into trouble and embarrassment. On that day, the day we were to go out, I did everything possible to make sure it ended successfully- if you know what I mean. I called to remind her and she called me 'Baby'. Baby? Chai! I couldn't believe my ears. Miss World calling me Baby? I danced around my shabby and sordid little room, did a somersault on my mat-flat mattress, danced into my kitchen that had a pot of rotten beans that swirled with maggots right on the grimy sink overflown with dirty plates and cups, danced into my bathroom and right ba...