This summer I did something cool and although it wasn't grandiose, it was definitely very impactful to the lives of those involved. I go to the African Leadership Academy (ALA) in Honeydew, Johannesburg, South Africa and as the name implies, leadership is a subject that
With that said, I organized a
week long leadership program, which I titled ‘A Leader In Me’ for the preteens
in my estate as they are the future of tomorrow. Nigerian leaders have failed
on many accounts to show exemplary qualities for the younger generations to
emulate and I vehemently believe that to correct and prevent the rise of
another faulty generation, we must teach them how to be good and responsible
leaders in the society – by teaching them and by putting these teachings to
practice. I believe young people act on what they see and not what they are
told or rather they are able to synchronize what they are told with what they
see.
To deliver quality results in
life, preparation is key. I knew I could not just show up on Monday and spew a
mouthful of disjointed leadership talk so I made a careful curriculum that will
keep the preteens well informed and well engaged for two hours throughout the
week. The curriculum focused majorly on emphasizing the qualities of a good
leader – qualities that we all possess but must harness them to bring them to
fruition. These qualities included confidence, trustworthiness, service,
communication, and finally exemplary leadership.
By the end of the training
program, they understood what confident leadership is and how to embody the
position of a confident leader without coming off as prideful. We emphasized
that a truly confident person does not put others down to boost their
confidence but rather they help others gain the confidence they need to excel.
Also, leadership thrives where there is trust between the leader( s) and those
that fall under the responsibility of the leader. They understood that trust
works both ways in the sphere of leadership for a successful end goal. Servant
leadership was the topic I had to be most patient with. The concept of leading
through service to others without expectations in return took a while to grasp.
In groups, they came up with projects that will serve the estate at large and
their execution was highly commendable. In addition, the concept of
communication was thoroughly discussed and left them with an understanding that
communication is not complete until the receiving end has understood the
original message and can act upon their understanding. Lastly , they understood
that all the aforementioned qualities must be embodied to live an exemplary life
as a leader – a life that others around will want to emulate and will, most
importantly, bring about positive change in the society.
As fulfilling as it was to impact
their lives, it was certainly a learning experience for me. I learnt that there
is no initiative that is too small as long as it is beneficial to the public. This
program helped me to move my thoughts from waiting for a grand platform to reach
out to thousands of people. Truth be told , to conquer the big things, you must
start from the smaller things. I understood that the planning phase is only the
beginning and finishing/seeing things through to the very end is where the reward
lies. It was a rich and impactful week and I am humbled by the experience. Till
next time, I hope this bold initiative inspires you in some way to do something
great.
My DSC
This summer I did something cool and although it wasn't grandiose, it was definitely very impactful to the lives of those involved. I go to the African Leadership Academy (ALA) in Honeydew, Johannesburg, South Africa and as the name implies, leadership is a subject that
With that said, I organized a
week long leadership program, which I titled ‘A Leader In Me’ for the preteens
in my estate as they are the future of tomorrow. Nigerian leaders have failed
on many accounts to show exemplary qualities for the younger generations to
emulate and I vehemently believe that to correct and prevent the rise of
another faulty generation, we must teach them how to be good and responsible
leaders in the society – by teaching them and by putting these teachings to
practice. I believe young people act on what they see and not what they are
told or rather they are able to synchronize what they are told with what they
see.
To deliver quality results in
life, preparation is key. I knew I could not just show up on Monday and spew a
mouthful of disjointed leadership talk so I made a careful curriculum that will
keep the preteens well informed and well engaged for two hours throughout the
week. The curriculum focused majorly on emphasizing the qualities of a good
leader – qualities that we all possess but must harness them to bring them to
fruition. These qualities included confidence, trustworthiness, service,
communication, and finally exemplary leadership.
By the end of the training
program, they understood what confident leadership is and how to embody the
position of a confident leader without coming off as prideful. We emphasized
that a truly confident person does not put others down to boost their
confidence but rather they help others gain the confidence they need to excel.
Also, leadership thrives where there is trust between the leader( s) and those
that fall under the responsibility of the leader. They understood that trust
works both ways in the sphere of leadership for a successful end goal. Servant
leadership was the topic I had to be most patient with. The concept of leading
through service to others without expectations in return took a while to grasp.
In groups, they came up with projects that will serve the estate at large and
their execution was highly commendable. In addition, the concept of
communication was thoroughly discussed and left them with an understanding that
communication is not complete until the receiving end has understood the
original message and can act upon their understanding. Lastly , they understood
that all the aforementioned qualities must be embodied to live an exemplary life
as a leader – a life that others around will want to emulate and will, most
importantly, bring about positive change in the society.
As fulfilling as it was to impact
their lives, it was certainly a learning experience for me. I learnt that there
is no initiative that is too small as long as it is beneficial to the public. This
program helped me to move my thoughts from waiting for a grand platform to reach
out to thousands of people. Truth be told , to conquer the big things, you must
start from the smaller things. I understood that the planning phase is only the
beginning and finishing/seeing things through to the very end is where the reward
lies. It was a rich and impactful week and I am humbled by the experience. Till
next time, I hope this bold initiative inspires you in some way to do something
great.
Hello there, it's your girl Ginika... haha that sounds nothing like me. How are y'all doing? I hope the summer is everything you hoped for? To all the bookworms out there, my loving sister wrote the most magnificent short story. Here is a short beginning of it. Click Here to read the full story.
The Last I Cry
Knock, knock.
I frown in irritation. Who is there?
I glance at the grandfather clock in the corner. It chimes midnight. I sigh and set my glasses on the table, a yawn escapes me and I stretch. Its been a long day.
- Maruche Kalu
short story to bless your day
Hello there, it's your girl Ginika... haha that sounds nothing like me. How are y'all doing? I hope the summer is everything you hoped for? To all the bookworms out there, my loving sister wrote the most magnificent short story. Here is a short beginning of it. Click Here to read the full story.
The Last I Cry
Knock, knock.
I frown in irritation. Who is there?
I glance at the grandfather clock in the corner. It chimes midnight. I sigh and set my glasses on the table, a yawn escapes me and I stretch. Its been a long day.
- Maruche Kalu
What are the effects of smartphones on the brain? Given the prevalence of smartphones today, it is a question of interest for healthcare practitioners, mental health professionals, educators, parents, and anyone who happens to use a smartphone on a regular basis.
If you were asked to go a day without your smartphone, do you think you could do it easily? Researchers who have asked participants to go without their phones for various periods of time have found that breaking the technology habit, even for a relatively short interval, can be exceedingly difficult. Walk into any public venue and you will probably find people using their phones for a variety of purposes, from conducting business calls to checking their email to updating their Twitter. Our phones have become an inextricable part of our lives. But does this reliance on smartphones have any impact on our brains?
Effects of Smartphones on the Brain
Recent research suggests that smartphone usage does indeed have an effect on the brain, although the long-term effects remain to be seen. In one study presented to the Radiological Society of North America, researchers found that young people with a so-called internet and smartphone addition actually demonstrated imbalances in brain chemistry compared to a control group. Another studying appearing in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research found that cognitive capacity was significantly reduced whenever a smartphone is within reach, even when the phone is off.
Some recent research suggests that it might. Experts suggest that all of this phone use can have an impact on children’s social and emotional development, that it can impair our sleep patterns, and that it might even turn some people into lazy thinkers.
Blessed.
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Adverse effects of smart phone today Pt1
What are the effects of smartphones on the brain? Given the prevalence of smartphones today, it is a question of interest for healthcare practitioners, mental health professionals, educators, parents, and anyone who happens to use a smartphone on a regular basis.
If you were asked to go a day without your smartphone, do you think you could do it easily? Researchers who have asked participants to go without their phones for various periods of time have found that breaking the technology habit, even for a relatively short interval, can be exceedingly difficult. Walk into any public venue and you will probably find people using their phones for a variety of purposes, from conducting business calls to checking their email to updating their Twitter. Our phones have become an inextricable part of our lives. But does this reliance on smartphones have any impact on our brains?
Effects of Smartphones on the Brain
Recent research suggests that smartphone usage does indeed have an effect on the brain, although the long-term effects remain to be seen. In one study presented to the Radiological Society of North America, researchers found that young people with a so-called internet and smartphone addition actually demonstrated imbalances in brain chemistry compared to a control group. Another studying appearing in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research found that cognitive capacity was significantly reduced whenever a smartphone is within reach, even when the phone is off.
Some recent research suggests that it might. Experts suggest that all of this phone use can have an impact on children’s social and emotional development, that it can impair our sleep patterns, and that it might even turn some people into lazy thinkers.
Blessed.
Heyy kids,
How are ya?
I’m great!!!!
So yes I’ve been posting things that have got some of you worried. I’m okay I promise!! Just going through the ‘Growing Pains’. Sooo today I’m going to be talking about relationships again. It’s one of those things that are just important because we’re impacted greatly by the people around us. I’ve learned a lot about forming good relationships in the last couple of years. I’ve learned things like being honest about how you feel. I’ve learned things about being intentional in the way we form friendships or allow them to go on. I’ve learnt things about signs that it’s time to let a relationship go. As y’all know, my faith is important to me in making these decisions but I think it’s only fair that I share some of the wisdom😉.
So where do I start? I was watching this show today, when my wattpad was simply not recommending books I wanted to read you know! So I ended up watching ID extra with my mama ( yes the creepy show that shows how people killed people and how they were caught) If you look at it superficially, you might think it’s iust creepy but to be honest, I think it gives very impactful life lessons about the common mistakes we human beings make in everyday life that make us susceptible to being taken advantage of. It also ( and this will sound deep and scary) gives you a healthy suspicion of the world and it’s people. And that’s that.
So today, the part of the show that I watched was basically talking about a controlling husband. And I had a conversation with someone later that day and unconsciously but consciously,😂, I could find myself drawing parallels between their behavior. Now because I already know my thought patterns quite well, 😉I asked myself whether it was just the show getting in my system but then I remembered other times I’d thought this. And of course, before doing anything too drastic, I told myself to just calm down and mull it over. So the first lesson, kids pay attention to your instincts. Take care of yourselves if not for yourself, because of the knowledge that your very existence impacts people you know and care about, as well as people you don’t even know by extension. That’s a big responsibility but I think it’s worth it to bear that in mind. People are always watching👀 and you don’t know who you’re giving hope.
The second lesson, I’ve always considered myself a mature individual 😌but as I grow, I find all these flaws in my character and it’s always kinda sad kinda exciting when I do. Let me tell you why!!! So besides the fact that I was definitely one of the girls fangirling John Legend when he was singing ‘All of Me’ about his wife, ‘Chrissy Teigen’. I believe very strongly in that line ‘perfect imperfections’. We’re flawed creatures, us human beings. But as a good friend reminds me, the fact that there’s so much evil or bad things in the world doesn’t mean that it’s okay not to have hope. So despite the fact that we know these flaws are hard to get rid of and that we ‘may’ never be perfect, we try our best to constantly build a better version of ourselves. So in relation to relationships, I’d say pay attention to the flaws and great things as well of the people around you. Don’t be prey to the saying that ‘love is blind’. I say it all the time, my love is certainly not 😌💁🏽♀️. Have a healthy awareness of the good things and the shortcomings as well. And then ask yourself ‘Can I live with these flaws?’ I’d be lying if I said I didn’t ask myself that before calling anyone, my friend. And that’s all I’ll say here on that😊
Finally, have a very clear understanding of how you want to be treated. My very first post on here was about love so I think we’ve established that you should love people because if there was more of that to share in the world, so many tragedies and deaths and oppression wouldn’t be as heightened as they are now. So please know your self worth and even if you yourself don’t know it, make sure everyone else does( fake it till you make it 😁😁😂). You’re just as important as the most important human being you can think of, by virtue of the fact that you’re human. Believe it and know it and say it to yourself if you have to 🤞🏽🤞🏽because it’s true. It will help you in knowing what you ‘should’ tolerate. Notice my choice of words. Should and not wills I don’t care what you will tolerate. Ask yourself what you ‘should’ tolerate as this important person that you are😁😁😁😁🤞🏽.
Now let me just end with this😂😂( anyone that has had this conversation with me, leave me to share my philosophy) everywhere you go, remember that you are a ‘hot commodity’ or ‘hot stuff’😁😁😁😂. Take what you want. You’re very very important so no matter how many times you get rejected or waitlisted by people 💁🏽♀️by cliques 👩👩👧👧👨👩👦👦👨👨👧👦, by colleges, and so on and so forth, remind yourself that you’re awesome and in high demand so the onus is on you to market yourself appropriately.
Till the next time,
Your galllllllll💆🏽♀️,
Bolaji.
Watch out world, I'm grown now!
Heyy kids,
How are ya?
I’m great!!!!
So yes I’ve been posting things that have got some of you worried. I’m okay I promise!! Just going through the ‘Growing Pains’. Sooo today I’m going to be talking about relationships again. It’s one of those things that are just important because we’re impacted greatly by the people around us. I’ve learned a lot about forming good relationships in the last couple of years. I’ve learned things like being honest about how you feel. I’ve learned things about being intentional in the way we form friendships or allow them to go on. I’ve learnt things about signs that it’s time to let a relationship go. As y’all know, my faith is important to me in making these decisions but I think it’s only fair that I share some of the wisdom😉.
So where do I start? I was watching this show today, when my wattpad was simply not recommending books I wanted to read you know! So I ended up watching ID extra with my mama ( yes the creepy show that shows how people killed people and how they were caught) If you look at it superficially, you might think it’s iust creepy but to be honest, I think it gives very impactful life lessons about the common mistakes we human beings make in everyday life that make us susceptible to being taken advantage of. It also ( and this will sound deep and scary) gives you a healthy suspicion of the world and it’s people. And that’s that.
So today, the part of the show that I watched was basically talking about a controlling husband. And I had a conversation with someone later that day and unconsciously but consciously,😂, I could find myself drawing parallels between their behavior. Now because I already know my thought patterns quite well, 😉I asked myself whether it was just the show getting in my system but then I remembered other times I’d thought this. And of course, before doing anything too drastic, I told myself to just calm down and mull it over. So the first lesson, kids pay attention to your instincts. Take care of yourselves if not for yourself, because of the knowledge that your very existence impacts people you know and care about, as well as people you don’t even know by extension. That’s a big responsibility but I think it’s worth it to bear that in mind. People are always watching👀 and you don’t know who you’re giving hope.
The second lesson, I’ve always considered myself a mature individual 😌but as I grow, I find all these flaws in my character and it’s always kinda sad kinda exciting when I do. Let me tell you why!!! So besides the fact that I was definitely one of the girls fangirling John Legend when he was singing ‘All of Me’ about his wife, ‘Chrissy Teigen’. I believe very strongly in that line ‘perfect imperfections’. We’re flawed creatures, us human beings. But as a good friend reminds me, the fact that there’s so much evil or bad things in the world doesn’t mean that it’s okay not to have hope. So despite the fact that we know these flaws are hard to get rid of and that we ‘may’ never be perfect, we try our best to constantly build a better version of ourselves. So in relation to relationships, I’d say pay attention to the flaws and great things as well of the people around you. Don’t be prey to the saying that ‘love is blind’. I say it all the time, my love is certainly not 😌💁🏽♀️. Have a healthy awareness of the good things and the shortcomings as well. And then ask yourself ‘Can I live with these flaws?’ I’d be lying if I said I didn’t ask myself that before calling anyone, my friend. And that’s all I’ll say here on that😊
Finally, have a very clear understanding of how you want to be treated. My very first post on here was about love so I think we’ve established that you should love people because if there was more of that to share in the world, so many tragedies and deaths and oppression wouldn’t be as heightened as they are now. So please know your self worth and even if you yourself don’t know it, make sure everyone else does( fake it till you make it 😁😁😂). You’re just as important as the most important human being you can think of, by virtue of the fact that you’re human. Believe it and know it and say it to yourself if you have to 🤞🏽🤞🏽because it’s true. It will help you in knowing what you ‘should’ tolerate. Notice my choice of words. Should and not wills I don’t care what you will tolerate. Ask yourself what you ‘should’ tolerate as this important person that you are😁😁😁😁🤞🏽.
Now let me just end with this😂😂( anyone that has had this conversation with me, leave me to share my philosophy) everywhere you go, remember that you are a ‘hot commodity’ or ‘hot stuff’😁😁😁😂. Take what you want. You’re very very important so no matter how many times you get rejected or waitlisted by people 💁🏽♀️by cliques 👩👩👧👧👨👩👦👦👨👨👧👦, by colleges, and so on and so forth, remind yourself that you’re awesome and in high demand so the onus is on you to market yourself appropriately.
Till the next time,
Your galllllllll💆🏽♀️,
Bolaji.
I stand defined
Not by the four walls of a building
Surrounded, like the rose in the garden.
I am seen as a product that is displayed on a shelf
People know me for what I am
What I can give
What I can do
They know the people that gave me my name,
My colonizers
But what they don’t know
Or care to know
Is the life I had before all these
That’s strange.
I mean, you could write more than ten thousand pages of my history
Without exhausting the stories, along with the culture
And yet that part of me is left in the shadow of another’s culture
The culture of those that defined me as ‘Fantastically corrupt’.
What a shame!
I am to be the Giant of this great continent, Africa
The leader that guides the way for the sheep
But that title is what it is.
A mere title!
Bestowed on an undeserving nation.
We may have deserved it,
Once upon a time
But nothing was done to sustain it.
Right now there is a fight in this nation
A fight of inefficiency v. corruption
Or as I call it Politicians Destroying Progress
Against the Alliance of Political Cheats
At least that is what people see
Because of the ignorance and fear of their minds to see,
Or to provide better, reasonable options.
Let’s escape from the prison that is our minds
That keeps us locked in the terror of the has been
And the negative, to be
Let us focus on the development
Moral order
Justice
Growth
Let us think of new ways with actions that can make this the order
So that when we are insulted
Our heads would be held high with pride
Not because we have the mouth to speak
But because we have backed up our word with actions seen.
By Chidinma Agbara
WISH TO SEE
I stand defined
Not by the four walls of a building
Surrounded, like the rose in the garden.
I am seen as a product that is displayed on a shelf
People know me for what I am
What I can give
What I can do
They know the people that gave me my name,
My colonizers
But what they don’t know
Or care to know
Is the life I had before all these
That’s strange.
I mean, you could write more than ten thousand pages of my history
Without exhausting the stories, along with the culture
And yet that part of me is left in the shadow of another’s culture
The culture of those that defined me as ‘Fantastically corrupt’.
What a shame!
I am to be the Giant of this great continent, Africa
The leader that guides the way for the sheep
But that title is what it is.
A mere title!
Bestowed on an undeserving nation.
We may have deserved it,
Once upon a time
But nothing was done to sustain it.
Right now there is a fight in this nation
A fight of inefficiency v. corruption
Or as I call it Politicians Destroying Progress
Against the Alliance of Political Cheats
At least that is what people see
Because of the ignorance and fear of their minds to see,
Or to provide better, reasonable options.
Let’s escape from the prison that is our minds
That keeps us locked in the terror of the has been
And the negative, to be
Let us focus on the development
Moral order
Justice
Growth
Let us think of new ways with actions that can make this the order
So that when we are insulted
Our heads would be held high with pride
Not because we have the mouth to speak
But because we have backed up our word with actions seen.
By Chidinma Agbara
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