Last week, my climbing roses were at the peak of their blooming, with clusters
dark red roses cascading over the climbers they were on. Just looking at and smelling them gave great satisfaction and distraction and what struck me about it is how slowly came up
as buds, then opened up in groups and then a blast of colour at various stages. For almost two weeks, the pair presented a wonderful spectacle and each time I had a minute to look at them or pick some, I wondered about life and the fleeting nature of it.
This week, the blooms are no more, just shrivelled and drying remnants of them, which
must be trimmed off with the branches holding them to make room for the new shoots.
On two occasions, I cut some and took them to work knowing that the blooms would only last a few days.
Life becomes such a hassle that sometimes we forget to give ourselves a little break and
enjoy the very ordinary things God put in place for us, before we made our own gadgets
which actually present more problems for our lives. Thank God for all His creation which
surround us , to bless and encourage us.
The roses have faded today, but the other plants, flowers, onugbu and arimu/ahimu/nchu-anwu, spearmint, and other, are happy and exploding with growth again, with the weeds and grass in tough competition to outdo them. There is never a dull moment out there, in God's nature.
In the evening, it is the red-headed woodpecker who arrive around 5:30 pm to do his/her rap on the tall utility pole across the street---kpo-kpo-kpo-kpo-kpo-kpo-kpo- in a fast steady pecking, then a pause to pick up the carpenter ants. After watching the pecker do the job from a distance, I, one day used a bird watchers binoculars I had found at a thrift shop, adjusting it until it brought the bird so close that I could see what he was doing very well. Concentrating and working very hard, rapping on the pole with the hard beak, quick jabs, then harvest. He had no clue somebody was watching him at work, as he stops to look around to make sure he was safe. Now whenever I am home and I hear the rapping,I watch the pecker for a few minutes and many thoughts go through my mind. How God watches us when we go about our business, doing our thing, watching others or making it look like we are watching them and spreading our report, running around like little robots dizzy with activity and God follows with His ever-seeing eyes. How much we must amuse Him.
That pecker never knows how closely he gets watched sometimes and how easily he can be
aimed at. We rush and stumble through life daily forgetting how close to the edge we get. Only the hands and presence of the Almighty keep us from day to day. May His name be praised.
Enjoy this song from one of the greatest in childhood days with hits like -----My Cathedral, Dark Moon and many others, but this is the best for today------ enjoy it and have a blessed day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rKIcYgSf8Y

Nwada (Lady) Chinwe Enemchukwu
Onye Uwa Oma
na Orlando, Florida

Shooting Stars

Just like morning stars,
Passing with the rising sun
The young souls took flight
Like fiery shooting stars
ahead of the rising sun.

Lighting up the morning skies
Like fireworks without warning,
Onto the unsuspecting Jos skies.
Fireworks of souls, visible only
to the angels sent to escort them
home, after their brief sojourn
In a wicked, wicked world;
Which turns babies, little angels
sent to be her light, into venting bags
for her wicked fury of untamed hate.

Hate,spilling over in the wee hours of that
fateful day in a sleeping Jos village.

Machetes, swords, knives, daggers,
flashing, in the wee hours, startling,
cutting,slashing, maiming, beheading,
disemboweling and wasting
babies, little angels, and their
mothers as they slept.

Swift, painful deaths and quick
exits, souls zipping like shooting stars
into the great beyond;
Like fireworks exploding into the arms
of angels taking them back to their
maker.
By sunrise when the morning stars
had gone, the world discovers-
dead babies, little angels, and their
earthly guardian angels littered
everywhere, gruesome carnage here;
But now peacefully looking down from there,
on a wicked desperate world.

Alleluia.

Nwada (Lady) Chinwe Enemchukwu
Onye Uwa Oma
na Orlando, Florida
Copyright © May 2010

Freedom, God's Way. Who the Lord sets free is free indeed.

God is an Awesome God,
A loving God
Who gives his children
What is good for them.
He will not give a scorpion
to a child who asked for bread.
Neither will he let his child cry
for ever before he sends help.

Asthma is one of the worst diseases in the world
leaving a sufferer gasping for breath
Like a fish out of water.
Treatments offer temporary relief
and some treatments help prevent
attacks from coming at all.
Still attacks happen
and God's child is left
gasping like a trout
pulled from the lake, lying
on the boat deck.
Death follows soon for the trout.
Unless thrown back in the water.

When in life people find themselves
caught in a murky waters with a
fishing net of life
which throw them constantly
on the boat deck, gasping for breath
and with crying out, they find help
or struggle into water again and
get a span of life, sometimes very short,
only to be on the boat deck all over again.

All their life dreams are shattered, like finishing
their education, finishing what was started,
like pursuing their hobbies, like being themselves
around family and friends and strangers.
But no!! That cannot happen.
Beacuse wings will pop up on the back,
Wisdom will overtake. They will outshine
the investors.No! No!! No!!!
Subdue by all means. Sit on the chest.
No air. Sit tight. Don't budge.
Until suffocation. Or live like a
fish on the boat deck flapping for air.

A cry out to God for some air.
He comes through as promised
and grants freedom.
Pheeeewwwwwww !!!
Thank you God, I can breathe.
Oh God, I can breathe.
Thank God Almighty, I can breathe.
A deep breath and then off to work.
For years, eyes on the plough working
and God stands by, guiding, shielding,
helping, being a leaning post and finally
Finished, almost finished and a deep
breath---- pheeewwwww!!!

All those things left on the back burner
where are you?
Hobbies, unfinished courses, goals,
dreams, where are you.
Life at last.
No!!
How dare you? Who are you?
You filthy being, how dare you ?
Get back in the fish pond
Get back in the pond, where you belong.
Filthy, worthless you, get back in there
or else.
Nothing has changed in the pond.
The same stifling, murky waters.
Nothing has chaged, even worse now.
It is surrounded by droves of fishermen
helping to goad the fish into the murky
waters.
No!!
No!!!
Nooooooo !!!
Call this fish what you want to
Paint this fish any colour
Plant this fish in any setting
No problem.
No!
No!!
No!!!
Even Rahab was used of God.
To God be the Glory.
All knowing God, you are in control
You can do all things.
You can clean fish ponds.
You worked with fish all your stay
on earth.
Everything is possible with You
You love everybody, everything You
created, no matter their condition.
In pairs or solo.
That's why You are God.

Nwada (Lady) Chinwe Enemchukwu
Onye Uwa Oma
na Orlando,Florida

reflecting on the life of a fish out of water----- Stifling.

Celebrating Us this Black History Month.

> Dressed in Igbo attire for an Ibiriachi (Madam), with natural untreated hair, braided in pig's tail braids. This hair-do cannot be worn to the office of course, but goes very well with traditional attire and headgear. Relaxed natural and coiled hair, which involves chemical treatments and rollers, or long braided hair with synthetic or natural attachments, or wigs made from synthetic fiber or natural hair offer choices for hairstyles to the office. Low cut natural hair, while

convenient is also not very easy to maintain. Black hair and the care of it remains a problem which is also a multi billion dollar industry taking money from the black community and not bringing much

into it.

February is Black History Month in the United States. With the tight economy, not much is happening this year for Black History Month despite the fact that for the first time in the history of the United States, a black man is in the White House as the President of The United States of America.

Black people across the globe continue to struggle with several issues. The recent devastating earthquake in Haiti thrust the bleakness of the lives of black people to the awareness of the whole world once again. With it came the numerous reasons behind the tragedy of the nation of Haiti, the first black independent nation in the world. Destined by design to fail from the beginning, Haiti has continued to struggle until this total collapse which will make room for a rebuilding.

Haiti is not alone. Many black nations continue to struggle, even when blessed with immense wealth. Nigeria is a good example. Blessed with crude oil which generates billions of dollars annually, Nigerians continue to live in abject poverty and squalor. After almost fifty years of independence, Nigeria is yet to get her footing right. Taking a close look at the foundations, the same kind of manipulations seen in the case of Haiti are evident again, deliberate flaws in the foundations to guarantee failure. Nigeria continues to struggle to gain her footing and stand as a nation. The problems facing her are numerous and difficult. To cut across these problems and build a formidable nation, Nigerians,need to make some personal changes individually.

Most of the problems we have as Black people come from the fact that we do not appreciate ourselves how much more each other. We do not appreciate ourselves as God's creation which results in our trying to be who we are not, the other person. Trying to be who we are not results in a myriad of problems which sprout negative feelings like hate, jealousy, senseless competition, strife and all the accompanying ills. We never trust each other.

I know that what will come to mind for some when they read trying to be who we are not, is the hair, the wigs, attachments and braids black women wear. There was a drawn out discussion on one of our forums on the subject. The conclusion drawn at the end, in my opinion was that black women wear braids from artificial and natural sources or even wigs because the African hair is very difficult, if not impossible to manage. To have African hair in the form and shape acceptable in a place of employment, these aids become necessities. The African hair perfectly fits with the reality of the African environment, so it is not in any way inferior to other hair.

By appreciating ourselves, I mean our inner selves and our numerous blessings collectively and as individuals.

After watching two video clips on Africa posted by a sister on the forum yesterday, I was moved by the beauty of Africa, which we as a people have not noticed or cherished, how much more promoted.

To get to that level of cherishing our homelands and continent, we must cherish our individual selves first. I guess the reason I was that moved by the video is because I have been thinking about Africa especially the Igbo lately during this black history month. Twice this month I wore ethnic clothing and jewelery to work, a long authentic kente skirt with a matching one color top, a Nigerian fabric outfit, with cowrie beads and earrings, small Nigerian leather bracelets and each time it made people around me remember that this is Black History Month and light conversation on Africa, the Nigerian movies and other positive conversations followed.

We have so much in us as individuals and as a people and we have allowed the gifts and talents lie dormant while we engage in useless strife cutting each other down for various reasons be it political, religious or ethnic/tribal. Nigerians are only remembered for fraud and recently terrorism. Numerous contributions by Nigerians are deliberately overlooked and downplayed.

Many of us failed to transfer our languages to our children, a very grievous offence indeed which has deprived our children of a very important asset. It has been heart warming to read some of the attempts to communicate in the various Nigerian languages on some of the forums. It is a good sign. A sign of good things to come. We need to celebrate who we are, who God created us to be, and appreciate each other, even with our differences, and project that appreciation to the world. Only then will they respect us. Thanks for reading.

Nwada (Lady) Chinwe Enemchukwu

Onye Uwa Oma

na Orlando, Florida.

Deja Vu.-------Put it to good use. July 2007

Today the Supreme court of Nigeria did the right thing again just like the honorable men they are, the judges did not succumb to pressure or money and reverse their judgment. There was absolutely no merit to the appeal brought to them by Mr Andy Ubah. It was surprising that the some people actually lost sleep over the possibility of Andy Ubah winning this case. No amount of money and Otumokpo or whatever else people use to swing things their way could have worked in this case. Even if the judges received handsome sums of money and other expensive presents as was claimed by some, they were under no obligation to deliver the case to the generous and affluent Santa Claus wannabe. If I were in their shoes, I would take the presents as long as I did not solicit for them and still deliver the interpretation of the law without giving a thought to the generous gift.

The Supreme Court of Nigeria was voted "Man of the Year" for 2007 and today's deja vu confirms that these judges are real Men of Honor. The Judiciary has become the beacon of light which will lead Nigerians out of the dungeon of oppression and corruption where greedy military and ex-military renegades held them hostage for decades.

During these years every area of Nigeria's development became stagnant and actually became wiped out. Our Universities fell off the international radar. Our hospitals
became comatose and died while poverty and disease took a stranglehold on the average Nigerian while a few lived and continue to live like kings in the midst of the suffering and premature dying from disease and crime.

If Andy really wants to rise from this second fall, there are many ways he can brush
off the dust and rise and bring himself even higher that the position of governor which he wants so much. Ndi Igbo n'asi na Agadi nwanyi da nda ada n'bu, oguo ife O bu n'ukpa onu.
This second fall calls for reflection and reckoning. Political power is not the key to success in life. Many successful people do not even engage in politics and public life. They actually shy away from the limelight of political power. They put their names in the history books with their service to humanity. Their works of charity and compassionate giving leave indelible marks in the memories of their people. Some of these great men and women live their entire lives as "servants" improving the lots of the less privileged and providing services which otherwise would not be available to many.

Possibilities abound for Andy Ubah to pick up his ukpa and count the contents before proceeding to rise and shine for Ndi Igbo by using his enormous wealth to improve the lives of the masses in Anambra State and other parts of the Igboland .
There is a medical emergency in Anambra State as we speak. People are dying and dying very young and many people walking around are simply walking dead bodies waiting to fall anytime, anywhere. When people in their thirties and forties, very many people walking around with systolic blood pressure registering over 200 and the diastolic in the mid one hundreds, sometimes coupled with high blood sugar sometimes in the three and four hundreds and these people are totally oblivious of their situation and have big plans and projects they are pursuing. Some will assure you that the vital signs had actually improved from what they used to be.
Many factors contribute to this emergency situation. Ignorance,stressful living conditions, bad eating habits, hardship and useless pursuits are some of the factors involved in this tragedy.
Andy can champion a massive public health awareness campaign with his private jet distributing fliers to his people, teaching people how to take care of their health. He can give out free monitoring equipment for his people to check their blood pressure and blood sugar. He can improve the hospitals and equip them. He can help the health care providers stay on top of things by providing them with computers which will keep them connected to up -to- date information. Andy can rebuild the surgical theaters (operating rooms) which look like butcher joints.
Nutritious food, vitamins, milk and formula for babies and young children and quality pre and post natal care for pregnant women and nursing mothers will make him an overnight hero. Many baby boys will be named Nnamdi (Andy), making the name popular again.
There are so many ways Andy Ubah can "serve" his people and engrave his name in their hearts. No governor will be greater than Andy Ubah, the Philanthropist..

Let this Deja Vu be put to good use.

Chinwe Enemchukwu
Orlando, Florida

Friday, SEPTEMBER 12, 2008BETTY, CATCH AM.Air Raid Betty------Continued.


Betty did her job as Air Raid Marshall with class. She always felt great when the crisis was over. We took her vigilance and dedication for granted at the time but looking back now, I realize how Betty gave us ample time to hide and take cover before the jets came on their killing and maiming spree. How much that helped, I will never know, but from what I have learned from watching deputy sheriffs chase criminals by air in rural Lake County Florida where I live, those bomber and fighter jets had bird's eye views of the ground as they came down so low. They must have seen their targets scurrying around trying to hide.
We always were able to hide before the planes came within view. When the air raids were over, Betty was usually her happy self again.

Betty enjoyed other odd jobs around the house. She was very energetic and did everything with gusto.
She was a farm hand too.The goats, sheep, chickens, sometimes got in trouble with Betty. Then, there were the wild life who always turned up to help themselves to the crops and livestock, especially the fowls, in the backyard outside the compound. Hawks and other predatory birds were sometimes bold enough to swoop down to grab chicks inside the compound. Betty would dash out barking as the hen screamed at the hawk in protest.
Betty soon mastered how to keep everybody in line. Face offs with wild critters in the backyard were always brought to our attention by Betty's wild barking from the backyard.

Our home stead was on the outskirts of a dry virgin scrubland covered with saw grass (ata), which were so sharp they slashed whatever came in contact with the blade-like leaves. There wereChaleku/icheku tress which made delicious fruit snacks, andaraba/ahaba, which had stems which were were popular as support for yam crops. These were called alulu. In these bushes lived a wide variety of wild life. Patridges (Okwa), large rodents like (Nchi), and smaller (Ogini and Nkakwu) were abundant back there. So also were snakes, venomous and non-venomous. Betty loved to chase whatever showed up too close to the back gate. We always worried about Betty being bitten by a venomous snake back there. Years later, Betty died from a snake bite when she was much older and probably couldn't get out of the way fast enough as a snake lounged at her.

The domesticated animals learned two words of pigin English from their experience with Betty. "Catch-Am" which means Catch him, Catch her or Catch it was understood by humans and animals alike. When that command was yelled, things happened and happened quickly, too quickly to an unsuspecting observer who had never witnessed it before.
If some of the goats or sheep broke out and were attacking the crops, and they heard the command, they would stop in their tracks, do a double take,and bolt off back to their pens. If the gate was closed, they would break in from where they broke out in the first place. Even the chickens understoood the command. They would get excited and clack loudly and then run and fly at the same time to get away. To these animals, Catch-Am meant a black and white dog, chasing them, barking excitedly. Betty really enjoyed giving the chase and would sometimes leap in the air to bring down a rooster or hen as they tried to get briefly airborne to get away.

Betty would equally grab a goat or sheeep by the hind legs to bring them down following a furious chase. The animal would be panting and crying out with fear as Betty held them down.That was all Betty did though, she would hold the animal down, wagging her tail and breathless, until the animal was retrieved from her. She was usually very proud of the catch.

Sometimes when the command was yelled, Betty might be asleep in the house and would not have heard it. If Betty heard the command, she would shoot out of the house like a bullet and give chase, sometimes in the wrong direction, only to suddenly make a ground scratching halt, turn around to locate whatever she was supposed to chase and catch. She would then take off after it barking. The chase and catch game were routine entertainment.

Betty would stop an unknown visitor in their tracks with her barking and then run around in circles waiting for the command. No humans were ever chased although Betty would bare her teeth and raise the hair on her back and tail, if an unfriendly looking visitor showed up or if a family member seemed to be challenged by a person unknown to the dog. At times like that, Betty really had to be restrained or taken inside to calm down.

It was a different ball game with wild life which had their encounters in the back yard with Betty who would slip back there through the hole in the compound wall made for the chickens to come and go. Betty's adventures in the backyard were different. She knew she was not supposed to be back there. The only time she would really let anybody know she was back there was when she got in trouble or faced danger. Her furious barking would draw attention and we would call for her to come in. If she refused, that meant that she had encountered something she wanted us to see.
On some occasions, Betty was back there in a face off with a snake with head puffed and raised in a striking position. Betty would back off when called. Occasionally the snake would be killed. Once, a viper was killed that way, only to watch as small baby vipers ate through her and came wiggling out. It was so overwhelming and scarry that the snake had to be set on fire to kill all the venomous critter emerging from her. I was not present but learned that those present counted about fifty baby snakes when it was over. I also learned that vipers and some other species and also scorpions hatch their eggs inside the mother which then dies as the babies eat or bite their way out of her. I have not witnessed this myself.
A cobra was once spotted on a palm tree close to the compound in the backyard, following one of Betty's furious barking in the backyard. The snake had a bright red growth on its head, similar to a rooster's crest and it made a scarry noise. My father was not home and my mother sent for a neighbor, Ezeugonna who had a double barrel gun to come and shoot the snake. I don't remember if the snake was shot or if it got away. All I recall is being petrified with fear and staying away from the backyard for a while. We used to be back there collecting chaleku, Utu,
Uni, ( sweet wild berries and fruits), and even Elo/Ero (mushrooms).

To be continued.

Talking about scorpions, there were scorpions everywhere in those days and people occassionally got stung. Betty never got stung because she always smelled them and would start barking at the spot where the scorpion was waiting with stinger up.POSTED BY ONYE UWA OMA AT 1:24 PM [Photo]LABELS: BETTY, CATCH AM.
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AIR RAID BETTY----DOWN MEMORY LANE.

ONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2008

AIR RAID BETTY----DOWN MEMORY LANE.

Betty, short for Elizabeth, was the name we picked for our new puppy during the war. Many dogs in those days were named after the enemies of the Republic. It was very satisfying to call those names and see a dog come running, tail wagging furiously.
Betty was the best dog we ever had. We always had pets, cats, dogs pigeons and other domestic animals. From what I know now, Betty must have been a Cocker Spaniel mix, black and white with floppy ears and a brown spot over each eye. Her hair was not too long like a typical spaniel. Betty behaved almost like a human maybe because she was alwyas around humans especially children. Many years later after I had left home and received news of Betty's death I had shed tears for her because she was almost like a little sister.
I remember clearly when my Aunt Ifeoma brought the puppy to our house at Christmas. We, my siblings and I were very happy. The baby at the time was too big to be carried around or tied to the back with a wrapper. Schools were out because of the war and we didn't really have too much to do after doing farm work and chores. Playing with Betty was an excellent outlet. We carried her around like a baby,sometimes dressed in clothes. My younger siblings would tie her ears together with pieces of rags for ribbons. They tied her to the back with a wrapper like a baby and she would sit there, paws in the air patiently bearing it. If she was occupied on a back or laps, and somebody else wanted to get her down for another event, she would look as if to say-------"Can I finish with this assignment first?" and she would quietly go to the next rotation which could be doing a dance routine, twist or atilogwu. One of Betty's dance songs went like this ------- a-betty nwa m ---o hmm, nwa m-o hmm, and she would start doing the twist.
Betty did it all gracefully. She never complained. I think she really enjoyed being the center of attention. She got rewarded for her patience in a way because she always received food favours from people who tried to be her favourite human, and Betty played along very well.

Visitors who came to the house would exclaim----"Nkita Oyibo--" the name for foreign breeds of dogs, usually characterized by floppy ears, bushy tails and longer hair than the local pedigree which were looked down on and referred to as "Eke Uke" simply because they were local and easily available in markets like eke Uke. Those Eke uke would fetch a handsome sum of money where people know the value of pedigree dogs like Chihuahuas. Betty was a beautiful dog and she got spoiled quickly. She must have believed she was human. She took naps in all the beds in the house. If it rained and the brush was wet, she eased herself in the middle of the yard where she would not get wet and when it was noticed, she would take off with her head lowered and her tail between her hind legs, admitting her shame for what she did. Next time it rained, Betty did it again. It became well known that Betty hated getting wet. Getting to give her a bath was a chore which had to be done from time to time since she was indoors a lot and got in beds.
Being around humans so much, Betty picked up on many human habits. She was very smart and picked up on things quickly. She quickly learned that the big monsters in the air which occasionally came roaring out of nowhere caused a lot of anxiety and distress in humans. These bomber and fighter jets would come unannounced and drop bombs or spray bullets at houses, churches, market places, killing or hurting people from time to time.
The sound of them always sent people scurrying for cover in bushes, against trees, under beds, tables or in bunkers. Very few families had bunkers. We usually ran inside and took cover under the big dining table or under the beds until the air raid was over. Betty always picked up the sound a good minute or so before anybody heard it. She would sit up straight, move her ears like radars and once the sound was confirmed, she would start whimpering aloud to get attention. While doing this, she may wet herself or be trembling with fear, her tail between her legs. Once she got the attention she needed, she would wait for reaction which was usually dramatic. Whoever noticed that Bettywas trying to warn about an air raid usually raised an alarm, shouting and calling out for everybody to take cover. There would be desperate scrambling to get into the house and take cover. Those too far from the house would usually dive into the bushes or flatten themselves on a tree trunk if they were out in the open. Betty would then join the mad dash for safety.She loved to be closest to the wall under the bed or under the table.
For some reason everybody felt safer inside the house which really did not make any sense because if the house was hit, it would have been over but who had time to think that way. Betty would hang on when anyone tried to push her aside. Those were the only times I saw Betty get angry at family members and snap or growl with a desperate look in her eyes. Then all went quiet when the airplanes zoom back and forth doing their grizzly jobs. Desperate whispered prayers filled the air as explosion after explosion was heard sometimes alternated with the sound of sprayed bullets ----kpa- kpa- kpa- kpa- kpa- kpa--- followed by loud booms of explosives. Sometimes, the attacks went on for a while and they always sounded so close but they were usually miles away. Sometimes, the attackers would leave, reload and come back within minutes.Those were very stressful days.
Betty would remain calm as long as everybody was calm. If anybody got overwhelmed and started crying or praying out loud, Betty would start howling and increase the volume to match the crying or prayer.
The reaction was always----- " Betty, mechie onu, osiso or Betty, com'on shut up." That would stress her even more and she would whimper really loud and look around from face to face as if looking for comfort. Her eyes would turn red. I learned later that dogs did not shed tears but the eyes would turn red when they would actually be crying. After the air raid, and the coast was clear, Betty would be very happy and go around from person to person wagging her tail vigorously almost as if to congratulate everybody for having survived the ordeal.---
To continued