A conversation ensued between an older friend (late 40’s) and myself about some personal issues. These life issues were patterning to her and after the conversation, with the aid of research and internet scrambling, I was able to map out logical and strategic steps on how to go about issues like that. A week later, I presented my proposal to my friend and she said she had gone for prayers and the consultant… sorry, I mean the clergy had told her what to do. Well, that should even be better I thought but out of curiosity, I asked what the clergy advised. The answer was shocking… Fast and pray for twenty-one days. Finish? Really? You’re sure he didn’t add anything else?

My proposal would only take fourteen days from start to finish but she politely discarded it as she was bent on going spiritual which wasn’t even a bad thing, except… well, let me hold it. Now, that made me remember a question I raised in a bible study class about Kleptos (you know, Kleptomaniacs). 

So I said, for instance in western countries, a teen is kleptomaniac and the conclusion is that it’s a naturally condition and the teen needs to be taken to rehab for reorientation. So he/she is taken to rehab while in Africa, a teen is kleptomaniac and the conclusion is that a demon has possessed the teen. He/she needs to be taken to the mountain for intense deliverance session(s) and he’s carried off. Let’s assume it was indeed a demonic attack (since we are Africans). Is there something they did to the demon at the rehab (in the case of the western teen) that made it uncomfortable and leave the body of the host or are we just too spiritual minded in Africa that we forget that not everything is spiritual?

That innocently asked simple question turned the bible study class to a debate room for around half an hour. Africans over emphasize spirituality at the expense of reality. A girl isn’t married at thirty-five, she’s always at the front seat at the yearly MFM ‘Power Must Change Hands’ deliverance prayer yet her friends have stopped visiting her house because of how dirty it is and her dress sense is a throwback to the early 70’s. At least she’s not the guy that claims his father’s other wives are not allowing him get a job for four years and has refused to learn a skill or go into business. And just because he studied Physics or industrial chemistry, he’s patiently waiting for the day Shell or Chevron would come calling so in the meantime, he’s on the mountain observing a 40 days fasting and prayer session against some probably innocent women going about their daily petty trade.

You know, I’m not saying this spiritual technicalities and anomalies are non-existent since we are from the ‘dark’ continent where a lot activities go in places like trees, forests, rocks, walls and even in thin air but I’m just saying we would be saving ourselves a lot of time and energy if we gave room for logical reasoning. Over emphasizing on spirituality is what has made Africans (especially her women) slaves to spiritual figures like Imams, Clergies, Native doctors, Seers and so on. The effect of spirituality on the already permissible African mind oftentimes tends to mess with logical reasoning and after a 20mins BBM chat/debate with an African-American friend, he concluded with a very silly conclusion. 

The main reason why there are very few high-rise building in Africa like other places is because there’s a dominant horizontal pattern of reasoning; whereas, every other continent thinks vertically (I choose to disagree with that annoying assessment). We need to stop pitting Spirituality against Reality. If you want something, don’t just pray for it; work hard to get it. If you want good grades, don’t just pray; study. You need a job, pray but also submit your CVs, create connections and obtain professional certifications. You need money, start a business and pray God blesses it.

That is the way to align spirituality and reality rather than contrast them. Hope this makes some sense to an African who intends striking a balance between spirituality and reality. Have a nice week ahead.

Mature Minds Talk

Now, let me paint a picture: Two JSS3 students were caught bullying a few other students in their class – a boy and a girl. They were set to be punished. The boy was made to scrub the floor of 10 classes and the girl made to scrub 5 classes. Of course, nobody raises any eyebrow since it was only normal for the “stronger vessel” to be strongly punished and the weaker one to be weakly punished. Right?

Scenario number two: A friend was on a Friday queue at an ATM a week ago, earpiece plugged, taking one step after the other with a great deal of patience and hope. Around half an hour later, he was fourth in line. Suddenly, a lady stood beside him and only by the movement of her good looking lips did he realize she was saying something.

“Sorry?” He said as he unplugged his earpiece.

“Please sir, I’m really really in a hurry. My kid is waiting for me in the car it’s really hot and sunny. Can I stay in your front please?”

"Hian!... stay in my front?... I’ve been standing here for God knows how long and just when I’m the fourth person on the queue, you just emerge from nowhere and stare at me with your duck like face and sickle cell voice. Can I stay in your front?... No, you can stay in my pants. Get the hell outta my face” my friend replied………. In his mind though; cos he actually allowed the lady withdraw before him. Now try to switch the genders and imagine the outcome of that scenario. Don’t make me laugh.

Men are supposed to be given the preferential treatment if you ask me. These supposedly weaker vessels are not weak at all. They are the queens in life’s chess game. Don’t ask me ‘how’ but if you play chess, compare the queen’s movement and ability to the king’s and tell me which one you’ll wish came in two. This gender is the best strategists around and let me site an instance.

If a car with a lady behind the wheel mistakenly hits another car and a guy comes down from the hit car, there’s a very minute “Oh! Thank God it’s a guy” sigh of relief the lady breathes compared to when a lady, especially one looking older and classier steps down. There are countries where crimes don’t carry the same amount of punishment for different genders. Imagine!

Upon all the cheating, some ladies would still want to leverage on their gender and assets (for those that have) to have their way in some situations. Brothers, I encourage you to cast away any form of hesitation and reluctance in serving them some serious reality checks. If any “weaker vessel” thinks the supposed weakness can serve some unreasonable leveraging purpose like stepping on a guy and instead of saying sorry like courtesy demands, you make eye contact and smile like an overfed sheep, you need some proper reorientation.

Weaker vessels should in no way mean dumber vessels. Females aren’t even as weak as depicted in some scenarios but oh well, nature has endowed you guys with the power to cause an unexplainable underestimation on the opposite sex. Just enjoy it responsibly. Cheers.

Mature Minds Talk

For those who aren’t following proceedings on the US Presidential election campaigns, you might want to do that first so you’ll really relate to what you’re reading – especially if you wish to give a response or drop a comment. (No sarcasm). More so, the closer the elections get, the hotter and more interesting proceedings get. I wouldn’t want to assume or make you feel you’re reading a political article – for the large bunch of those who are fed up of anything politics, including myself.

We all know that breakups are not the best and are only resorted to, when all other options doesn’t work. When a relationship doesn’t work out at first, no one advices breakup rather, it’s advised one puts in more effort. When break-ups happen, the bottom reason is because things are falling apart and the center can’t hold.

Dressing: Two years ago, a couple already engaged decided to dissolve their relationship and part ways. Of course the question “Why?” would pop up at some point and the girl said “nothing” but the guy had a different answer. He said he couldn’t put up with the girl’s dressing anymore. Her dresses were too exposing. She was either in a micro mini skirt, a bum short, skin tight dresses or cleavage revealing dresses. The girl refused to change on the grounds that her parents are not blind. Go on and date your parents. Smart girl.

Accent: This one is funny and common too. Most girls are guilty of this one. They travel to South Africa for a month and come with British accent. The guy in this case from what was heard, was having none of his girl’s overly pronounced accent. Na she go first travel out? Heard the girl went for her masters in UK for just a year, came back and was scattering everywhere with her British accent. The guy probably got fed up or disgraced or both and just had to call it off. Poor accented girl.

Ambition: When one of the parties in a relationship is overly ambitious, it might go either ways with the other party. In this case, the guy broke up with the girl just because she was overly ambitious. She and the guy started dating during her Youth Service. Later, she got one masters, went and got the second one, got her PhD, all through then, she was running a makeup business on one side and rendering event planning services on the other. She and the guy dated for eight years but according to the guy, on evaluation, she wasn’t the kind of person he wanted to settle down with. She won’t just have ‘The time’.

Religiousness: Being a pastor isn’t even a bad thing. Do you know how many girls want to get married to a pastor? Well, this made the list since a couple of months back; a girl brokeup with her fiancé (not boyfriend) with whom she spent three good years just because he was too religious. I guess she was only being satisfied spiritually and you know girls of nowadays have more needs than just spiritual. She did her evaluation and decided she would rather date a non-religious or less-religious person who wouldn’t follow strict religious rules and satisfy other aspects. Good luck to her.

Wandering Eyes: Now this made me laugh. A girl recently broke up with her man after four years and the reason is simple and straightforward – He has wandering eyes. Seriously? After four years?... Maybe he suddenly developed it or something; but in truth, almost all guys have wandering eyes. You’re sitting in a restaurant with your babe and a sensually dressed lady walks past your table. It’s only human to see and look because sight is the nature of men. You having a Ferrari does not mean you can’t look at a Bugatti. It’s not cheating until you decide to take the Bugatti for a test drive behind the Ferrari.

So that’s it. Have you seen or heard some weird and funny reasons for breakups, please share them with us in the comment section below.

Thanks

Mature Minds Talk.

THE REJUVENATION

*Enters Mature Minds Talk Elite Room*

*Coughs (x9)*

*Dusts cobwebs*

*Sweeps and dusts the chairs*

*7 hours later, the room is put back in order*

“Mic check 1,2… Mic check 1,2”

Ehemm… Hello everyone, I know no one would probably get to read this but if you do get to, how are you and how long has it been eh?

How has life been treating you? Hope you’re okay?

Sorry, I’ve abandoned MMT Elite Room. The once very lively space, where we said it just the way it is. Thanks to all those who kept asking how far with MMT. Asking if I’ve sold it or it has gone on total lockdown. Apologies to you guys, I’ve just been lazy and busy. Lazy in that, it takes less than an hour to make a post and the spare time I’ve had has been channelled towards something else; my business especially. That’s why I said I’ve been busy. Running my online service firm www.blogoxygen.com has taken more time than I anticipated at the beginning and I’ve always had it in mind to resurrect Mature Minds Talk and do a kind of run-together thing but I just never got around to it. I deserved some sticks.

Okay, after all the excuses and whatever whatever, MMT was and is still about her readers. Throughout the time I was away, my mind was always with you guys, praying and wishing life treats you good and offers you the best. Hope my wishes came to pass?

If you’re reading this, I’ll like to welcome you back to Mature Minds Talk discussion room – The Rejuvenation. Posts would be coming in, at least twice weekly for now and that’s a promise that won’t be broken. While I was away, I’ve learnt a lot in Content Management System (CMS) and I intend implementing some things I’ve done on other blogs as paid service on MMT as well. Welcome back once again.

If you want to know what we’ve been up to and how you can possibly benefit from it, send a mail with any subject and any content to contact@blogoxygen.com cos that’s our new brainchild. Born from the encouragements of some MMT Readers who we might never have back in here, let alone say “Thank you”.

Thanks for coming back because MMT is nothing without you guys. God will bless you and make 2016 a prosperous year for you and your family. This is Mature Minds Talk – The Rejuvenation. Check out our “About Page” and remember to check in this discussion regularly as we attempt to take things a step higher than what it used to be. Thank you.

Cheers!

Mature Minds Talk