When the Environment Fights Back

The environment is gradually degrading. The activity of mankind is having a cumulative negative effect on the environment. Hence there is a need to preserve this dying environment. Ezekiel Efeobhokhan (600 level Pharmacy) University of Benin reports.

Our environment is the place we reside, where we grow our food, where we get materials for our shelter, where we get everything we need in order to survive in this world. Hence it will not be bad if we do some acts to restore it. Our environment is a gift from God that every human must take care of. Now that our environment is currently facing several challenges, such as disrupting of its beauty, we suffer. Many catastrophes that have happened in the past are because of the brutish creatures that only knew how to destroy the surroundings.

When environment fights back

Udeme was barely 12 years when he was killed by the gully erosion that affected his environs. He had slept off while the rain was still drizzling. And before anyone could notice, the erosion rose to the

Doctor Deranged.

You last had peaceful sleep on Tuesday night. That night you ate eba and stew. Even if it was a weird combination yet you felt on top of the world. As a Doctor, you knew the implication of eating heavy foods to bed but you didn’t mind. You did not use any drug that night yet you slept like a baby.

Your first abortion was on Friday.

The Unmarried Polygamist

I hate to disturb you pastor but this is very urgent. Pastor, I think someone is pursuing me from the village. You remember that day you said we should pray against generational curses and monitoring spirits? Yes that day, I could not pray. Those people pursuing me from my village made me sleep all through the prayer session. I was snoring in church, imagine! Even close to a loud speaker.

Akeem My Love.

Akeem was tall, dark and had a small round dimple whenever he smiled. He was the first child of his father. As a student, he paid his tuition by himself. His father has been sick for eight years. He worked as a barber after his classes. I met him when I followed Victor, my former boyfriend to cut his hair. Then, I thought he was just an ordinary barber. And when I later met him in the University’s sport center, I realized he was also a student.

5 Minutes More

The restaurant had an offensive odor. Maybe someone made washing-soda at the back, I thought. The ceiling fan wound round like a tired marathoner. It sounded like those small generators when they finally run out of fuel and about to quench. Like mama Nkechi’s snore.

A Wonderful Dreamer

It was this same Fred, my classmate, who first tried to teach me how to smoke. Then David also tried. Fred was a terrible classmate. Rude to lecturers and
was ceremoniously known for his stubbornness. Many bad things were done by him yet he was never allowed to pay for any of his misdemeanor. He had a baby face. More like a goat in sheep’s clothing.

A god forsaken heart

All I wanted to do was to back-off. I wanted to end it all. But I ended up turning them into monsters. I turned them into emotional vampires. Guys who are looking for blood.

Danny was a very cool guy. I really liked him. But then the feelings were dying each day. I decided to back off. The day I called off the relationship I felt a hot chill run through my spine. The look in his eyes were capable of paralyzing my legs. That same moment, I wished I could take those words back. But I already said it.

To die and live again.

Death is an orphan. No body fathers a popular cataclysm. Death is mysterious. A kind of cosmetic contingency, that is. Unforeseen and stealthy. Painful. Unannounced. Dark and fickle. Sometimes sought after. Other times, and most often, wished away. It can be bitter. Like bile. It can be sweet and melodious. It is mostly used as a curse. Rarely seen as a blessing. Hence a double edged sword.

The Wonders of Hell

The first time you heard about hell was when you were seven. Then, you were a naive, slender-looking boy - faultless. The Sunday school teacher, a heavy-bearded man in his early forties, painted hell as a very horrible place. He grimly told you that hell was a huge, blazing and unquenchable wild fire where sinners would everlastingly roast like cashew nuts when they died. He told you that hell was very hot and stark dark - darker than the back of your mother's pot. There will be gnashing of teeth and regrets, tortuous soldier ants and worms everywhere, your Sunday school teacher taught.

Five Minutes

There was a time when Brother Sam used to have a sound sleep, snoring, saliva all over his rounded mouth, like a snail placed on a heap of hot coals. There was a time when Brother Sam used to wrap himself in his blue blanket, a pink pillow pressed below his thin neck - all he needed to have a glorious night after he had said his bedtime prayers. But last night was different; Sam couldn't close his eyes; he seemed to have lost the padlocks to his eyelids, if there were any.

Men in Black

The vehicle stopped abruptly. We had barely passed Ore. I was travelling to Lagos, from Benin. I did not understand what was happening. Why would we stop at the middle of the road?

“Everybody come down!” the men shouted. All my innocently spurred ignorance were replaced with automatic giddiness. Was I being robbed? My heart skipped.

Letter to Ochuko

My dear Ochuko, I am very sorry you ended up this way. You never concealed your feelings. You behaved like those uncircumcised male goats that flocked around my backyard and put their noses into the smelling buttocks of their female partners.

Mama Nkechi

Anytime I think of Papa Nkechi, I always weep on the inside. That man is passing through hell. He has been to several churches but all seemed not to have offered any significant help. They all required Mama Nkechi to be present before any solution could be offered. But she won’t just go!

Premium on knowledge

‘Nigeria In Our Hands’ was an online forum created by Vincent Nwajiobi. The forum existed for several days and raised many solutions to some contemporary problems. These solutions would be shared on Kalligraphy. Do well to read through, it would worth your while.

Den of Thieves

King David in his reign as a king wanted to build an earthly house for God. We were told he had a mind that sounded thus; ‘how can I dwell in a well-decorated house and the Lord dwells in tents’? God forbade him from building the house but prophesied that his son following would build the house. Solomon, David’s son, built an earthly house for God. God’s temple was built and was used for many of the activities God wanted the Israelites to perform.

Tough love

Exams are ended again. Students are now free. That is, psychological tranquility returns. There is a kind of bondage that exams usually create. The type that makes students unconsciously forget to pray, to eat, to brush tooth and most times, to bathe. Some students culture dirt, like a garden. They then release odoriferous body odors which distorts the smooth running of exams. This, of course, can invariably be related to the recent rise in examination failures. But exams are not an excuse for being unkempt.

SUG, the struggle and the way forward.

Exams are meant for the students. Not the other way round. But some students fear exams. They quake and run helter-skelter when exam approaches. In all these fiasco, some students run to their books, a few others run to fellowships to seek spiritual help. But those who read would often pass.

A good will.

Benjamin, PANS president UNIBEN

Politics is a very tricky game. It is like poker. That is, when people appear to be here, they are actually there. Most times, politicians even get confused by their own antics. Thereafter, they lose focus and embark on white elephant projects. They do this to gain cheap popularity and siphon funds.

Many student leaders have come and gone. A majority leave office with a dilapidated reputation. They enter as poor, wretched and humble soul but leave office like a spoilt son-of-the-devil. To be a devil’s child is evil enough but when a devil’s child becomes spoilt, it is an emergency.

But this is not the case for Benjamin Idiakhoa, PANS president 2016. Rather, he focuses on reasonable student friendly projects. His stellar performance breaks the silence in the faculty. His deeds etiolate the rocks and echoes in the caverns. His political affluence is observed by both lecturers and students alike. This is not an age of riddles. Hence pharmacy students don’t need an elucidation on the Benjamin brand. His performance is no longer questionable. He has rose above the fray.

The Dean, inspecting the items

Recently, Pharmacy laboratories received new equipment. This was an act of good will. They were from the Benjamin led administration. The equipment arrived amidst the struggle to clear the faculty name from the sub-standard. The instruments were, 2 binocular microscopes, 2 monocular microscope, 3 cartons of porcelain dishes, and 4 cartons of conical flasks. 8 weighing balances and 100 dispensing bottles.

The Dean, Prof. John Akerele lacked words to express his gratitude. So also were the lecturers in Pharmaceutics. “It is very hard to find students committed to development such as this, I wish all other student leaders cue in this line as this will surely help the pharmacy profession” says the Dean, Prof. Akerele. Benjamin is now a reference student leader. If the dean of pharmacy, in his lofty position could see this as an act of good will, then it is good will.

RIP Stephen Keshi and Amodu Shuaibu

Amodu

Tragedy struck Nigerian football again early on Saturday morning, when former Super Eagles coach and Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amodu Shuaibu, died in his sleep in Benin City, Edo State. His death came just three days after another ex-national team coach and close friend of Amodu, Stephen Keshi, died in the same town.

Keshi

Keshi became the first Nigerian to win the Africa Cup of Nations as captain and coach, after leading the Super Eagles to victory in the 2013 edition of the competition hosted in South Africa. He also qualified Nigeria for the 2014 FIFA World Cup hosted in Brazil.

But humans are hypocrites. They condemn you when you are living and then praise you at death. The NFF never saw anything good in Keshi. Now they sing his eulogies. This is not the kind of spirit we need around here. Hence Gilbert Alasa noted “If you ever doubt the hypocrisy in the human spirit, wait for the day you drop dead. Even your mean, wicked landlord will brand you the best tenant ever.” Remember Stephen Keshi and how he was treated by NFF.

Treat all men as they are. If bad people die and you can’t speak frankly of their evil act, keep your mouth shut. Also, don’t hate good people when they are alive. Keshi resurrected the spirit of National football. Rest in peace Keshi and Amodu.

© Ezekiel Efeobhokhan
500 pharmacy UNIBEN

Keep a date with KALLIGRAPHY every weekend.
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PANS Politics.

PANS politics has become a shadow of common sense. This week, we would use a commentary from Victor Obagidi a 300 level student pharmacy student UNIBEN. He has simply packaged the recent happenings in PANS UNIBEN in his short exhortation to political righteousness. Student or not, this piece will teach you how to be rational and objective. Enjoy.

Victor

“Dear Friends,

As funny and annoying as this message might read, please do well to read it comprehensively.

Right from the very first day I stepped into the University of Benin as a Pharmacy student, the experiences till date has been awesome (both positive and negative).

But then, I want to base my writing on my experience with the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigerian Students (PANS) UNIBEN politics. I recall vividly when a senior colleague met the innocent me at basement and asked me the state I came from. I replied "Edo state, Etsako East to be precise" and then he smiled at me and said thank God. I wondered why he thanked God because he met an Edo boy. After several minutes of telling me sweet things as how pharmacy is the best course I could have ever chosen, he then introduced me officially into PANS politics with a clear picture of the two major faction existing in the faculty of Pharmacy just like APC and PDP. 

It really sounded interesting although annoying as he urged me to belong to a sect as a result of my state of origin. I laughed and gave him a shocking answer which was a "NO" not because I was proud but because I had spent years building a life of value and I wasn't ready to loose my value to sentiments all in the name of politics. He wasn't happy about my response as he asked me if I had any political ambition in the faculty. I replied "NO, I have no ambition in politics but I have an ambition in Pharmacy which is ensuring that I do the right thing always regardless of who is doing the wrong thing and to take with me, as many people as possible in the right direction"

Did I regret saying that? No... I didn't and will never do. This mandate has made me pay attention to the PANS politics as it is being played and in my opinion, what is being practiced is not politics but immaculate hatred where progress is the alternative forgone for selfish reasons. 

For complete 3years, I have seen a pure example of sentimental politics where ambition rules over the collective vision of the association. I have experienced a system where hatred has become a norm for as long as you are not for a particular set of people. I have learnt first-hand a typical projection of "the best player of the game wins" even if the best player is not the best for the job. I have been fed with delicacies that has an aroma of brotherhood and sisterhood where I should give in to whatever my brother say even when I am convinced it is the wrong thing. I have seen people desperate for positions to an extent that they'll go to any length just to get what they want and a system where the wrong thing has been altered to seem right to make it alright.

Truth be told, we have different view of what politics is and we all have different views on what it actually means but do we know what it actually means? Must we always make it dicey as the environment has painted it for us to see?  Must we make enemies out of this so called politics? Must our colleagues whom we met by the chance of becoming professionals in the same field be our next victim of ridicule all because we want a position? Is our ambitions superior to the happiness of many? Is our desperation more important than the precious life of our colleagues? Is our conscience that dead that we don't really care?

The future looks so bright but the so called politics is projecting a tomorrow that would be full of strive and battles. May I remind you, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) of today started from the faculty level, the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria we see today was built some time ago also at the faculty and the battles being fought among pharmacists also started at the faculty level. Many of us are blindly looking at these sensitive issues with little or no concern as we are living for the now irrespective of what the future holds and these damages are being done gradually.

What is my point? We need to grow as individuals and as a faculty beyond this level where we are to become a team through thick and thin. On this note, I humbly plead to every pharmacy student reading this piece especially the undergraduates like myself who are still in the pipeline of reformation to become pharmacists to embrace unity irrespective of the color, race, ethnicity and relationship. 

Let's join hands to build a better profession we would all be proud of. Let's come together to pursue a common goal. Am I saying we shouldn't support whoever we want to support? No! All I am asking is for a united pharmacists in training who would show love to one another regardless of our individual interest and without pride and prejudice. Let's see beyond what the people before us has painted politics to be. Let's define it our own way so we can get a better unity than we inherited.

I stand to uphold the UNITY of this profession and I beg you to join me in this race by passing this messages across to any pharmacy student you come in contact with. The future of Pharmacy lies in our hands and we must make it the best for those coming behind. Let us all join our hands in integrity as men of honor to SAY NO TO UNHEALTHY POLITICAL DIVISION.

I believe in the great faculty of Pharmacy, 

I believe in the great intellectuals called PANSites, 

I believe in the UNITY of PANSites and 

I believe in YOU.”

Victor Obagidi

300 level Pharmacy UNIBEN.

That was cool, isn’t it? But it is all good. At least, if someone could reason like this, it shows that Kalligraphy is not alone in the struggle for common sense. Let us join hands to flush out these crazy form of politics. Because if this generation continues like this, then we would have vanity and bad government for dinner. 

Happy birthday Eddy Uwoghiren.

Eddy

Sometime in 2012, while my mates were in class, I went to complete an assignment in the cheap and not so popular MTN library. There I met Eddy Uwoghiren, a medical student. He had read one of my article and said he loved it. (Although the write-up was filled with bias). He connected me with his editor and boom, I became like Eddy, reporting for the Nation newspaper. From him, I met Gilbert Alasa, my mentor. Here I am today because of a positive connection with a true patriot. Happy birthday Eddy and many happy returns. I am here today because he was there.

© Ezekiel Efeobhokhan

500 pharmacy UNIBEN

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VALUE SYSTEM

We all run into different people on a daily basis. What we make of them is what they become. But there are some basic truths about relationships we ought to know.

No matter how costly you think you are, you will not be priced more than what the other person can afford. By that I mean; ‘never blame anyone for taking you cheaply’. In every failed expectation in a relationship a large chunk of the blame usually goes to the person who feels he/she is the victim. You should not blame a tomato seller for giving you N2, 000 for a golden necklace. She does know that the necklace is very costly but her pettiness, which is not her fault, cannot allow her afford a higher price. So, instead of running amok because of her low price tag, go to someplace else where your golden necklace would be valued.

Here’s a story on the value of life. Enjoy.

A little boy went to his old grandpa and asked, "What's the value of life?"

The grandpa gave him one stone and said, "Find out the value of this stone, but don't sell it."

The boy took the stone to an Orange Seller and asked him what its cost would be.

The Orange Seller saw the shiny stone and said, "You can take 12 oranges and give me the stone."

The boy apologized and said that the grandpa has asked him not to sell it.

He went ahead and found a vegetable seller. "What could be the value of this stone?" he asked the vegetable seller. The seller saw the shiny stone and said, "Take one sack of potatoes and give me the stone." The boy again apologized and said he can't sell it.

Further ahead, he went into a jewelry shop and asked the value of the stone.

The jeweler saw the stone under a lens and said, "I'll give you 50 million for this stone." But the boy refused to sell. The boy explained that he can't sell the stone.

Further ahead, the boy saw a precious stone's shop and asked the seller the value of this stone.

When the precious stone's seller saw the big ruby, he lay down a red cloth and put the ruby on it. Then he walked in circles around the ruby and bent down and touched his head in front of the ruby. "From where did you bring this priceless ruby from?" he asked. "Even if I sell the whole world, and my life, I won't be able to purchase this priceless stone.

Stunned and confused, the boy returned to the grandpa and told him what had happened. "Now tell me what the value of life is, grandpa?"

Grandpa said, "The answers you got from the Orange Seller, the Vegetable Seller, the Jeweler & the Precious Stone's Seller explains the value of our life...

You may be a precious stone, even priceless, but people will value you based on their financial status, their level of information, their belief in you, their motive behind entertaining you, their ambition, and their risk taking ability. But don't fear, you will surely find someone who will discern your true

value." Respect yourself. You are Unique. No one can replace you.

No matter who we meet. Male or female. Married or single. Benevolent or stingy. Cheerful or sad; No matter their predisposition, they either add to our value or subtract from us. Hence the more reason we are to know which relationship to foster or the one to starve to death. Stay tuned. We will be right back.

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© Ezekiel Efeobhokhan

500 level Pharmacy UNIBEN

Have you ever been into a wrong relationship?

Feel free to share your experience.

Anonymity would be granted if wanted.

Contact Kalligraphy™ via;

Email: ezekielefeobhokhan@yahoo.com

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