Segun Ozique

Hundreds of patients crisscrosses the globe monthly from Nigeria seeking     medical care the past several years pre Covid-19. And, just before the lockdown, greater numbers had chosen India their choice destination for all sorts of both available and     unavailable treatments back home. Such patients led by our politician, inclusive of those from Mr. President and his cabinets, state governors, their cabinets, Local Government Chairmen, and stream of VIPs all who would have still continued the pursuit but for Covid denying them such options, so that now, they have no choice than look to Lagos as alternative destination. And, what do you think fundamentally drives these people running and jumping planes with pockets full of monies to throw at health carers and hospitals all over, overseas countries? I’ll tell you, “quality of care” the sort of care they desire, feel is dependable and trust, won’t kill them. The sort WHO describes as “the extent to which health care ...

How I long for lost times, unfulfilled;  Time I spent waiting, expecting, hoping;  Long infantile nights of wakeful dreams:  Days spent imagining twosome on a beach;  Days and times, sailing the oceans together;  Days so wired; totally blinded to right mind.  If only I knew things, I know now, then;  That that tinny play chum of raven hair;  Of rosy, gorgeous and red-earth face,  Of lusciously, luxurious masticating lips,  Of shiny, knife-like eye when angered,  Could have been mine, if I had right mind.  If only I could launch me back, reverse time,  I would tell her all the delightful things I ought Like,  I'm your anointed other half;  Yakkety-yak. She's wedded:  So needless is this reliving,  Like, Dreamscape sailing in fog;  Like, Silliness:  Maybe, Still, I think though, she ought, rightly be mine.

Discrimination simply put, is the unfair or prejudicial treatment of persons and/or groups of people based on some characteristics seen, made to look like or perceived as different from others such as in ageism, racism, class, gender, sexuality, sexual orientation, disability, etc. The human brain is wired in such a way that naturally categorises things to make sense of them. For instance, the differences between man, woman; people of different shades of colours categorised as black, brown and white; as seasons with changes of weather; union as opposite or same sex marriage; living divided into youth, adulthood and old age, etc. Such categorisations are fine, innocent and helpful in the learning process except when value ladened and cloaked, based on fears, distortions, biases, narcissism, misunderstanding, and other superficial ordering to devalue, distort, abuse, degrade, denigrate, such persons or groups. The processing and/or entrenchment of such categorisations is learnt and passe...

This wind of no change,  Brings me no succour  To meeting my needs;  Or refreshening my lungs  Stabbing me with dagger of trials like Play of pains of me wedded to penury Drama playing out on my life as stage I have prayed it be like shadow-boxing,  Far from factualness when I wake But instead it is sleep of darkness; Crawling grass all over my trauma:  If it does overwhelm me, and I, Incinerated: I pray my ashes  Accede to dance with the wind  To places; berth place of purpose So that, when next reincarnated  Could avoid same strife and struggles  Of same such misfortune mauled life.

The value of our medical facilities, particularly those manned by Resident Doctors, are most appreciated now our leaders have nowhere else to run to, except of course the private hospitals. That, however are still in this country and suffering to a large extent, same lacks. As we highlight such fact, so too, glaring are the inadequacies and dire needs for all sorts of equipments, particularly those used by the frontline workers. Most importantly, the  beam has also searched out the workers-all of them-under paid and whose services have been taken for granted for far too long compared to their counterparts, world over. So, fighting for the strengthening of the existing medical facilities eloquently demonstrates the doctors' desire to serve, then the call and their drawing attention to the myriad inadequacies as well as pointing to the specific urgent need areas for greater investments to the level of WHO budgetary recommendation, is logical, makes humane sense and professionall...

To the curve and home stretch we turned As with my son we walk, leisurely, our streets  So too, the long day wane, coming on twilight  And the sun move to rest behind the surrounding hills  My son, our walks; two discerning pleasure I cherish  With he, the harbinger of my tomorrow  The bountiful seed that brought my joy towering  At birth and like a shining star has made my time honoured  My days with toils, wish and want was tough and rough  But where though the blistering sun sap my sweat  And all around me the tide of toils and fruitless tolls  Among that rough and rumbles, I found him  For thriftily and lonely was all I knew  Masked by frivolous youthful exorbitance  But came then the hours of boundless ethereal throes and happiness  To which I was invited and forever stayed tempered by motherly heroism  And to the avowed binding decision not to fail  Has come to be my commitment to this uncommonly delig...

Let me make very clear from the beginning. I am a firm believer and supporter of all forms of altruism. I believe in people’s right to collective rather than personal interest, I support policies as well as programme for the people and take positions of persons with good hearts who go out of theirs ways to contribute to making the society better. I do not support and cannot stand users, pretenders, cheats under any guise. Same way, I cannot support con men and women who only love and care about themselves, their private interests and scheme for power as well as domination. There should be no room for such people in our body polity or life. Still, I cannot imagine a society devoid of selfishness? Ugh, not to have selfish people. Difficult, if not impossible. We all have streak of selfishness in us. However, one thing should be clear-ethically or morally- in my mind, a person, community or society that glorifies selfishness is base. So, this is my stance, as much as I encourage you not t...

I think it is important for the leaders in APC who truly love the party to show support and direction before the series of elections ahead. Edo State is not only a hotbed but hothead for political bands with different agenda needing the APC leadership intervene early so that issues on the disqualification of Obaseki could best be commented on and discussed without incitements or sentiment that could cause disquiet, violence and disqualification of the party in Edo State.  For instance, I read response to an article stating reasons and response by the different parties involved, of reasons the governor was disqualified and his response. In the ThisDay Online comment column, a certain gentleman began his argument; in the first two lines making suggestive comment as follow; "Our political leaders are worse than vultures and they should not be trusted." Then, straight on to "Prof. Ayuba is a disgrace" because he is being used and, this other unamed "man" was o...

Y ou have left, yet the air is filled with E xcitement and fragrance of your beauty M ost magnificently so as you do not know I n you I find aura, as sweet as darling melody A lways perceive, receive what you see as hear D uly as others’ perspective, never bounded by E nd all forms of frailties and times of doubts B e the rose flower you are with sweet scent A s inflorescence out essence sooner fades Y our beauty has layers regenerating as grows O nto glory as destined to your lover’s heart

We live life of lies, in societies; a world where Nearly every streets, in your face are pictures Marked by their defects as delicate passion;   ladies on display their charm will-fully to woo: As men as debased as flowery as in makeup All hooked in sins as regally deprave as pirates Back in the day they were chased in alleyways Redlight districts but today all over your areas Filling brothels to brim: shadowing for clientele The joyless; alone as lonely seeking sanctuary Seeking benediction and blessing to quench Hunger as appetite planted by devious divinity  Yet confronted we are daily with news of rapists Women, men, children aside assaulted-killed Hawkers and beggars snatched off streets By these psychos; bestial breeds of monsters Dead, deaf, dumb as ignoble born by bastards Bent on perilous trail, brewing hate as turmoil When has human society turned wildlife park? Where amity turn objectifying arena to defile God’s most cr...

I grew a loved child, knew nothing but love Then I met you, your face laid out, a rosette To which my heart turned-got drawn and, The greatest gift I had, I thought to share As days turned to weeks and on to years When every time you come near me for sex My heart flies with fright of what is to come And with you done, my heart screams my hurt All you do is masturbate, violate and rape me Growling as if the devil in you fight to be irrupt Pounding with such plonk like sex starved con In tiny moment done as gone and I to my pains My fix: I am a woman with dead body to you: Plough all you yen as I plot to end this durance

If you could see me now The light you thought you quenched As my days over came your ever evil nights So much stronger, I am striving than ever If you only you could see me now One you thought defiled, violated and broken: Here and now I am, I rise, most beautiful soul Stronger and on to greater and better heights If only the dung and dust you are sees me now Overwhelming love and life I now have as living I that flower trampled on Mother Nature rebuilt Settled as God ordained-growing and glowing  While you remain bit pickle pollution speckle Whose life would stay in shackles as I sparkle

My responsibility is the same as yours as all My guilt like river to different parts of my past My flame on rape a beam on the debt we owe For we are Rapists who do snipes nursing sins Not acknowledging our individual participation Hiding under shades of insider mental    insanity Our bits aiding such slur river deed, heap high: Shows us Rapists with hands in mouths zipped The vision of not seeing    the gender violation Had its foundation from the beginning of time As one gender formed and locked rules of rule We are all Rapists; you who see such as usual So for love over rule I here take a knee praying; For a change I know is like racing through mud