Oke’s Musings: Poetry, People and Places

Category: education

  • Self Reflection 9: Loyalty

    Be faithful in small things. Because, it’s in them that your strength lies. Mother Theresa.

  • Muse: I choose you

    I’ll choose you any day; today and tomorrow

  • Dealing with Anger and Frustration

    I compiled what worked for me in dealing with anger and frustration, I hope they work for others too. The first thing I do when I’m angry is to walk away. I hold back the urge to argue, reply or fight back even when I’m clearly right. When I’m angry I ignore the offender and…

  • Self Reflection 7: Plan

    Plans not executed are as good as failure.

  • Building Bridges

    What is better than bringing two worlds together, Bringing life and earth over a body of water? What is better than true friendship When it blesses all with companionship? What is better than the scent of the rain When it brings the reign of droughts to an end? What is better than the smiles of…

  • True Leadership

    Earlier this evening, I overheard the women talk; my mother, aunts, some helpers and my little sister. From my room window, I heard their discussion on the funeral and all they did to make it a success. Usually, I don’t eavesdrop on women chats, but I couldn’t help but listen to this particular discussion. I…

  • Poems of The Night

    Night falls after the sun And to homes we all return Counting the days stress and toil Letting the darkened kettle boil And preying our eyes on passing people While we eat out plates of sweet potato When the full moon came out The whole clan grants a sit-out, The infants, the boys, girls, men,…

  • African Landscapes

    These images represent different African landscapes… Can you identify the Sahara, Kalahari and veldt?

  • Thoughts on Friendships and Personal Autonomy

    I received several messages from close friends, complaining of the way their friends or partners treat them. I tried to see reason from different angles so that I can make an impartial judgment. Being right is not a guarantee that people will treat you well, and returning people’s favours is not ideal too. Well, we…

  • Images: Growing Up

    These images show children having fun in the African countryside. I can relate to most if not all…

  • Let’s take a walk

    Let us take a walk through the pine forest, Under the cool shade which she provides, Through the path where tree leaves form a cushion And a place where squirrels make their abode Let us walk pass the dark shrubs in the hot noon, To feed our eyes on mother Nature’s wonders, Through lands where…

  • Health, our new Wealth

    Health is a new wealth! Here are some factors that may help us live healthily. Our psychology plays a significant role in our wellbeing. If you think healthy thoughts, you’ll be healthy. We were thinking healthy means being conscious of our internal and external environment and knowing how to maintain a proper balance. As a…

  • Golden Savannah images

  • My Soul Longs for Thee

    My soul longs for thee, dear motherland To run the patched dusty red muds And to swim in the rivers crisscrossing all over you Let me climb the trees of your forests And drink from the shallow streams My soul longs to nibble the tender pumpkin seeds Freshly cut from hilly farms To dance with…

  • Reflection

    Fast falls the evening tide in Ovim. At this time of the day thick fog descend from hills surrounding our village. Tens of thousand incessant voices converse in low tones. I’m confused on which to listen to. Evenings must be a time of reflection for every creature. It’s even more exciting to sit among them…

  • Love

    Every child deserves to be loved. Children can be at their best selves when loved and would reciprocate this act while growing. So if love is lacking in the society, it may be that people failed in their first duty to love. A man who lacks love was once a child who knew no love!…

  • Gratitude

    Gratitude reigns over might or gold, It is greater than reputation, profits sold It gives reverence to all, young and old And makes every thankful person bold

  • Happy Teacher’s Day, 2019 and Thoughts on Growing Up

    Ututu oma, ach, that’s good morning in English. It’s a bright and sunny morning and I wish I was in Kenya, watching wildlife. World Teacher’s Day. Today is Teacher’s Day! I celebrate all who share their knowledge with others, cheers and thanks for being a teacher. To parents, guardians, school tutors, clergymen, imams and everyone…

  • Thoughts on Teaching Math

    Consider the first time you taught someone how to ride a bicycle or did any form of teaching. It wasn’t easy, was it? Teaching is a stressful job. Teaching math is much more stressful. Math is in everything you do! Before trying to explain this, I make the students relax. Many students fear the subject,…

  • African Folktale: the Crows and the Cuckoo

    It is evening here and I feel like telling you a story. Bring your mat, come sit with me outside, by the fireside and let us enjoy the night breeze. Once upon a time there lived a set of Crows which plundered farms. Each day the farmers try to catch the Crows to no avail,…

  • Leadership: Is Education really worth it?

    I debated on the relevance of education in Africa. So I am going to weigh my thoughts on a pendulum. Say the pendulum swung to yes, then I wonder why we have educated Africans who make little or no effort in enhancing the social and economic well-being of the continent. I wonder why people with…

  • Excursion: Coke with Primates

    An excursion it was to the Songhai Zoological Garden, Owerri, Nigeria. The weather was mild and sunny. Our bus rode through the dusty hills leading to the garden. The dust followed the bus for miles. Now those hills stood ageless like a wallpaper surrounded by green forests. I can still picture it all. On the…

  • Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships 2020

    Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships are for candidates from low and middle income Commonwealth countries, to undertake full-time taught Master’s study at a UK university. Funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships enable talented and motivated individuals to gain the knowledge and skills required for sustainable development, and are aimed at those…

  • Making most of Love 1

    Singles and doubles, you can recall how it felt, loving someone especially when it was reciprocated. I always wanted to share a thought on creating happiness for loved ones. Here it goes. Your spouse should be the first point of joy and happiness. Celebrate each day you spend with him/her. Always tell them how happy…

  • Celebrating Talent: Damilola Ajayi

    I thought about celebrating good and talented people. Here we go, the first person in the series! Permit me to introduce this pretty, humble, enterprising young lady. She is Damilola Ajayi, from Ekiti state in Nigeria. When I first met Dami in 2017, I wasn’t so sure of what to expect from her. As I…

  • Why I decided to let go

    The title should have read “why it is necessary to let go“. I decided to use the title above because I’ve been betrayed, played and taken for granted by people I trusted and gave full loyalty to. So I’m a practical example and if you can relate, tag along. Unfortunately, some people are good in…

  • Why you should visit Africa 2

    Do you find happiness and healing in natural things? Do you get inspiration from your natural environment? Do you like hanging out with the wild and getting blessed with views of a beautiful land? Maybe you love to watch the young deer gallivant through the Veldt. Then a visit to Africa will do. I, for…

  • African myths

    Do you know that in Africa there are many ridiculous myths and beliefs? This is not Voodoo or any kind of mystery. Myths do exist. Most times, they are used to scare children, to refrain children and young adults from being rude, behaving wildly or disobeying their parents or elders. So let’s define a myth…

  • Why you should visit Africa

    If you are in rural Africa, when the sun set you will be very lucky to witness events that you may never see elsewhere in the world! The sun rise brings joy. Dew, Heavens water, congregate on the roof tops, tree leaves and grasses. The sun may stay for a while but can rise as…

  • Thoughts: Look Within

    Africa is scarred by pangs of unemployment. Things drift from bad to worse. Things like good education, health care, clean water and equal opportunity, seem to run from our grasp. These things may have fallen apart. What is the remedy to fix this trend? While African universities produce more graduates, the economy won’t be able…

  • Thoughts on Africa 3: Education

    Research is a diligent inquiry or examination to seek or revise facts, principles, theories, applications, etc.; a laborious or continued search after truth. Interestingly, the definition ended with the search for truth. Apart from expanding the thinking horizons of man, the research seeks to discover the why’s and why not. The study offers sound recommendations…

  • You and I…

    You and I… Is my idea of a team Together, against odds, In ups and downs, Greatness and littleness, Plenty and scarcity You and I… Is my idea of love Our wish, against all odds, My help and friend My muse and madness One whose joy makes me happy

  • The Wrong Way

    I sit by the cliff edge To watch the lights go out And one by one they went Nothing made sense As we live in disguise, Resting, Relaxing, Recessing, Recouping? From all our disastrous efforts But are we prisoners of earth? Do we have to let everything be? If I write alone, no one will…

  • Thoughts on Africa 2: Education

    The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the real goal of education. – Martin Luther King, Jr Education is vital for individual, community, and national growth. It is a key tool that can drive social, economic, and political transformation across Africa.…

  • Rainmaker Tales, the first

    When the green neighborhood dance to the call of the wild one Dark are the skies; darker even are the clouds which stalk the rain The wind came swift and slow; rushing at times as petals of flowers dance To the music of the coming rain; to lullabies that made heads bounce And to the…

  • The Lion sleeps

    The nights are strange No growls, no grunting The nights are cold Not for the icy wind But for noisy beasts That prowl the night The scent of grass The dews on it And wet mattresses But the nights are strange And all seem to be glad Oh the Lion sleeps For Mandela