Hello beautiful people! How have my amazing readers been? We're still in the first 10 days of a new month so I guess I can still wish you all a Happy new month.Yes! June is one of my favourite months because I have nieces, a nephew and a sibling whose birthdays are lined up from the 15th-23rd. Yippee!!!💃🎂🎉

May was a well spent month for me. You know how some months just feel so good and everything works out so well? That was May for me and I thank God for that. I also have some exciting write ups to share with you in this beautiful month so stay tuned.



Ok. Let me confess something; I'm a bibliophile.🙈 There, that's it. What were you expecting to read?haha!! 😝😜 I love books. I love buying them, I love arranging them, I love how they smell. In short, I'm a book collector. My love for books started at a very tender age and I'd like to think its something I inherited from both my parents because they're bibliophiles as well, especially my dad. The first book I ever got was titled 'Bambi' and ever since, this love affair with books blossomed.

Throughout my years in primary and secondary school, I was a sort of book supplier to my classmates. I had(still have) a collection of The Babysitters Club series by Ann M. Martin and also the Goosebumb series.



Moving on to secondary school, I stashed away my Babysitters and curiosity led me to a new found love; romance novels. Don't blame me, my dad has a library filled with Mills and Boons series, Silhouette series and Harlequin series. So it was like getting high on my own supply.😁 I usually hid to read these books but I got caught after some years by my mum who gave me a lecture about the implications of reading such books so with time, I stopped.

I fell in love again and this time, it was with Danielle Steel. This was the perfect love affair. Danielle Steel captured my heart through her books and also inspired the writer in me. I admire how she makes her characters come to life and how they also become part of the reader's life. I share in their pains, struggles and happiness. The love is real.

This led me to source for other writers who I could connect with through their books and I came across Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Recently, I've fallen in love with Chinua Achebe. God rest his soul. I wonder who's going to be next on my list.😄



The emotions attached with books is undescribable and is something that every book lover can attest to. As much as technology has tried to make life easier by bringing to us online shopping, music, games, news and any other thing that there is, it has been unable to deliver to us, the ultimate reading experience.

Although we have witnessed the birth of the e-books, audio books and the Kindle. They have not been able to stand the test of time. Using myself as an example, I was never thrilled by the Kindle. How can I have books that I can't hold and flip through? Books that I can't look at on my bookshelf. Books that can be wiped off just by pressing one button. It was all fake to me.



Of course, the e-books have their own advantages which cannot be ignored. But what happens when in the next 10 years, I want to show my children what the books I read while growing up looked like? Would they be able to understand my literary transition from childhood to adulthood just by looking at my book collection through a screen? And how it actually feels to read a book from start to finish and flip over the last page. Would I have a home void of bookshelves?



Technology has done us a whole lot of good but one thing it will never be able to recreate is the pleasure and emotions that a physical book can give to a person. Books are here to stay, now and forever.

Until my next post which is coming up real soon, stay happy and well.

xo, Evita.

Hello my lovely and wonderful readers.☺ How's everything going? Me, I'm just trying to live life one day at a time because there's really no use stressing over stuff you can't control. The increase in the fuel price over here in Nigeria is so saddening. I was a bit down yesterday that I just hit the sheets immediately I got back home from work.😪The price of everything (I mean EVERYTHING) has skyrocketed and I'm just here wondering "where is the love?" *sigh*😩😞 Enough about Nigeria. Let's talk about something more fun.😁

What I'm writing about today is something that most ladies must have experienced at one time or the other. So here goes my experience.

On my way back from work some weeks ago, I was in a bus with my ears plugged as usual, looking out the window like I was in a music video and then it was time to pay my fare. I unplugged one ear so I could talk with the bus conductor. The fare to my destination is usually 50 naira so I gave him a 100 naira note and was expecting to collect 50 naira change. The next thing I knew, dude was handing me 30 naira as change. This was the conversation that ensued;
Me; 30 naira? How na? Abeg gimme my complete change.

Conductor; Haba! Fine sister. As you fine like this you no fit leave 20 naira for me?

Me; Oh! So because I fine I dey pluck money from tree abi?

Conductor; Ah, you no suppose to dey price(bargain) anything as you dey like this. You suppose dash me all the 50 naira sef. I know say money full your hand remain.

Me; Amen. Money full my hand but I need my complete change. Thank you ehn. No vex.

Conductor; Fine sister, you no suppose to dey do alaroro(stingy) oh! Oya take.(he hands me a 20 naira note to complete the 50 naira change)

I would have left the change for him if I was so buoyant. But I was on a strict budget and why couldn't he even tell me not to pay since I'm a "fine sister". It was funny and at the same time opened my mind to a lot of issues. So if I had left my change for the conductor, would it have made me more pretty or what? There's a common perception that "pretty" ladies aren't supposed to manage money, that for some reason, we ALWAYS have excess cash to throw around. When we go to the open market to purchase foodstuff or clothing items we're just meant to pay whatever we're told and walk away. Like I'm not supposed to bargain just because I'm pretty? Interesting!



This awkward mentality has somehow been absorbed in the minds of some ladies that because they're pretty, it's therefore not attractive to bargain when they want to make purchases. Please, if you fall in this group, kindly erase that mindset.

If you work hard to make money and you understand how difficult it could be to make a living, you'll be mindful of every penny you spend. Even if you still get stipends from your parents, it doesn't mean you should spend recklessly. Don't be deceived that because you're pretty, you're supposed to spend without thinking. There's nothing wrong with giving occasional tips but then, that shouldn't stop you from getting good value for your money.

There's a difference between being cheap and being reasonable with your money. There's nothing like a good bargain. It's your money and without it, the trader won't be in business.

So the next time you want to make a purchase, "fine sister", bargain well. You're pretty and you work hard for your money. Don't let these cunning traders try to rip you off and tag you an alaroro(stingy person). You still remain pretty regardless.😜

If you've had similar experiences like mine, please feel free to share in the comment section below. 😉

Until my next post, stay well and blessed.
xo, Evita.

Hi everyone!! 😁How have my lovely readers been?? Wow! Its May already. Happy new month to you and Happy worker's day.😊

Love indeed is blind. By love I mean romantic love. Most times it blinds your sense of reasoning and logic. We tend to ignore a person's flaws and bad habits and somewhere deep down within us, we hope and pray for this person to change.

For example, a lady falls in love with a flirt. He has a charming personality and is extremely caring but she dislikes the fact that he's a flirt. She starts complaining, he apologizes but he doesn't stop. She starts to keep up with him, enduring and praying silently in her heart everyday that he would CHANGE but it doesn't seem to be working. Weeks, months and years pass, she's still with him and the bond between them has gotten stronger.They get married and it's still the same old story. No change.



I think a handful of us have had such hopes before, that we can change a person. But truthfully, I don't think anybody can CHANGE another person. Even changing ourselves is difficult. The decision to change belongs solely to an individual and God. A person has to make a conscious effort to change and it takes the grace of God.

It's easier to drop off bad habits but traits cannot be erased just like that. What's imprinted on our DNA can't be changed except a miracle happens.



Most women have made the mistake of getting married to a man with hopes that he will change. It doesn't always work. If you can't take the heat, leave the kitchen. If you can keep up with it, go on but when it becomes endurance instead of enjoyment, keep that love aside and be reasonable. A broken relationship is always better than a broken marriage.

This writeup was inspired by the brouhaha between Tiwa Savage and her husband. Even though some people think its a publicity stunt, I picked up a few lessons from the whole drama. She knew he was a womanizer before she married him. She knew he had children before she said "I do". She knew he had a habit of smoking marijuana and keeping late nights. Despite all these, she married him. She must have really loved him and hoped that one day, he would change. But did he?



We can only try to influence others but its left to them to be influenced and then consider change. True love, which is the love of God is the only kind of love that can actually cause a change in a person's life.

Until my next post, stay well.
xo, Evita.

Hey everyone!😊 How's life been treating you? Its amazing how I lose track of time these days. I just checked my last post and it's 4 weeks old!😥 Evita, well done oh😒 *side eyes at me* 🙈 So this post has been hanging in my drafts for more than a week now. Oh well! It's time to let it out.😃

I'm not one to talk about politics. Anyone who knows me well knows I try to avoid discussing anything that has do to with it, especially Nigerian politics. I have my reasons. But that's not the essence of this post.

The fact that I dislike politics doesn't mean I shut my eyes to it. I observe. I've been observing. You see, one thing about Nigerian politicians is that they're very skilled at sweet talking. They're so full of promises. Making the citizens believe that the grass is always greener at their end. They're very good liars.



Being a History major, I drew my conclusion over the years that Nigeria attained her independence too early and for the wrong reasons. Since the British left us to rule over ourselves, it's been a bumpy ride all the way till date.

Our constitution has made the system of leadership so easy and comfortable. Our leaders are entitled to ridiculous allowances and privileges. It's as if when one is elected to lead, its a one way ticket to wealth! That's why rivals can afford to kill themselves during elections just so they can be the last one standing. Dirty game, politics.



We are a people who are easily swayed and our politicians take advantage of it. When it's time for election, the opposition comes armed with propaganda. Bad mouths the interim government, highlighting all its failures and promises to make things better if they're elected into power. They get elected and its the same old story all over again. Promises are broken and we're let down.

At the moment, I don't feel pity for us as a nation. I only feel pity for those who've lost their lives in the past few weeks all in a bid to get petrol due to its scarcity. We don't even help ourselves! Some people are making money from this situation, ripping others off in the black market. Bravo! Great business sense.

Until we make political offices less appealing and convenient, until we get rid of tribalism and religious sentiments, until we begin to tell ourselves the truth, until we start to love our neighbors as ourselves, we will cease to grow as a nation. Credibility would continue to be far from us. Our children yet unborn will come to know an unstable society. Until we realize that the much desired CHANGE starts in our homes, families, communities and most importantly, within us as individuals, then we would continue to fall prey to these con men poised as politicians.



Nevertheless, we shouldn't relent in our prayers. Let's continue to pray for peace and for a revival in our nation. I believe it will get better. God bless Nigeria.

xo, Evita.



Images gotten from eurekamagazine.com.ng

I love sports. As a little child, I saw my siblings play volleyball. This was a bit strange because most of our neighbours at home played football. Then, my brothers were in their school's volleyball team, Hussey College in Warri. Sometimes they took me along to practice and I would watch as they shoved the ball from one side to the other. What a game! I thought. This game of volleyball piqued my interest in other forms of sports, football included.



Lawn tennis was the second favourite sports to watch at home. Football being first choice of course. I admired(still admire) Serena and Venus Williams when I watched the Wimbledon and the French Open and I hoped that one day, I would be like them. But as fate would have it, I was a better table tennis player, than a lawn tennis player.

In my junior secondary year, I developed my table tennis skills and I was the second best player in my school. I had hopes of improving my skills but I'm sure you can imagine what happened next. I had to face my academics. Not like table tennis was a distraction, it was just glaring that the possibility of building a career in table tennis wouldn't work out.

In recent years, we have successfully tossed aside the other forms of sports that we know. I'm aware that every country has a particular sport that they're well known for. Like India is well known for cricket as the USA is known for basketball. But notwithstanding, the other types of sport are not abandoned.

Schools in Nigeria even make it worse. If you're not good at track and field events especially running, then you don't know how to play sports. The runners and footballers are given the most attention. We don't encourage our children to play sports. Its all about the books. But can we really blame our parents?

We live in a society that doesn't give due respect to our sportsmen/women. So why would our parents want us to represent a country that doesn't recognize its sports personalities. Can you remember the 1996 Olympic Games held in Atlanta? Can you remember Mary Onyali? Do you know Chioma Ajunwa? Falilat Ogunkoya?



Remember Francis Obikwelu? How he was abandoned by Nigerian sports officials after an injury while representing us at Sydney 1996? What about Falilat Ogunkoya? We would rather reward academic excellence and in more recent times, beauty, than reward sporting excellence. There is no encouragement whatsoever to participate in sports except football.

Take a look at our sport's newspapers, its all about football. Sports invariably translates to football here in Nigeria. When last were we represented in badminton? Do we even have a national badminton team? What about squash? Do we realise we have a dysfunctional national handball team? No. If it's not football then it isn't important. As regards the football, where are we on the world football ranks? Our runners tend to do very well but they aren't well catered for most times. They either end up ending their career or becoming citizens of other countries who see them for what they are truly worth. Francis Obikwelu for example. What have we done for Wellington Jighere who is currently the world's best Scrabble player?

We have failed to realise that sports is also an avenue to improve our country's economy. Take a look at Michael Jordan. He made $90 million in 2013 alone from his Nike Air Jordan's sale. Which major brand in Nigeria has sponsored any sportsman apart from footballers in Nigeria? Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian in history and for what sports? Swimming. Don't we have better swimmers in the creeks in Niger Delta? At least if given proper training, we might have had someone to give Michael Phelps a run(swim) for his money.

Nigeria is blessed beyond comprehension but we are burdened with leaders who don't care about her citizens. Sports is just one of many other neglected sectors in the country. I strongly believe that one day, we would tap into our human resources and develop talents that would bring us honour, recognition and economic development asides our footballers.

Have a restful weekend.
xo, Evita.



Images found on goal.com and Wikipedia.org.

Hey y'all! Welcome to a new month. Time indeed waits for nobody oh! It feels like my birthday was just last week and now we're in March. Anyhow, we thank God for his grace and mercies.

Today, I'm writing about burials. I'm not a fan of attending burials (who is??) and I've only attended 3 funerals in my existence. One would expect that burials should really be sad and low key events as it's normally meant to be. But the reverse is the case here in Nigeria or is it the whole of Africa?

I understand that we have certain traditions and customs in Nigeria that are ascribed to burial ceremonies and I'm one who respects tradition. But I also have a lot of questions that have bothered me over time as regards our burial customs.

We all pray to live long and happy lives, surrounded by family, friends and loved ones who will give us memories to forever cherish. But some times, life goes the other way and we become lonely and unfortunately, forgotten by those we hold dear. This is what happens to some of our relatives back in our hometowns/villages. Life has so much evolved that we have less time to spend with them, grandmas and grandpas,uncles and aunties alike. Some of them don't even live in the villages anymore like before. We're now a more "civilized" people.

The inevitable then happens. One of these relatives passes on and obviously would have to be buried. At this time, all the family members rally round and try to give this person a "befitting" burial. There's nothing wrong in giving an elderly person of 70 years and above a grand and proper burial but so many questions come to mind.

First, how many birthdays did you celebrate with this relative when he or she was alive? How many times did you even call to ask about their well being? If an illness caused his/her death, how much effort and resources did you invest in making sure they got better? In short, did you really care for this person? Did we give them a memorable experience in their lifetime especially towards the endpoint of their lives?

Then we come out in our finest clothes, kill the fattest cows, invite dignitaries and "big men" to this relative's burial. There is laughter and merriment. We call it "Celebration of Life".

There is nothing wrong in celebrating the lifetime and achievements of this person. But when we make it seem like a fun fare with lots of food and entertainment, it bothers me. To me, it looks like a display of wealth and influence. It seems like an extravaganza.



I'm not suggesting that we come out wailing and weeping. All I'm saying is it's better to celebrate a person while they're still alive to see you and appreciate you. We shouldn't wait to celebrate and appreciate people only in death. Invest in people's lives and not their deaths.

xo, Evita.



Images found on www.quotepedia.com and quotesgram.com