The future is here
THE obvious stares me in the eye
I have to move on
I have to take the big steps
The future has arrived

I am definitely in transition
Am at the cross roads
Where paths begins, ends and cross
Vital life decisions I must take

A step in the false direction
Would definitely wreak eternal havoc

A few years back I had consoled me the future is far
Far far far away I don’t have to bother

A few months back I realized it is here
I felt confident I am prepared

But now the roads stare me in the eye
My heart skips several beats per time

Trepidation Fear Anticipation

Oh God I need your guidance Sir


Attempts at poetry, plans, living

Prof. Pat Utomi has for sometime made his intention to lead this country known to all who cared to listen.
He has traveled the lengths and breadth of this country, spreading his gospel of responsible and responsive leadership which he plans to exemplify.

One does not need to have a marble glass to know that the future of Nigeria is assured only if progressives such as Prof. Pat Utomi are handed mandate to lead the nation at all levels of governance.

While I have reservations for his previous silence and conspicuous absence from the political arena all the while, I make bold to ask that all young Nigerians cast their vote for Prof in the coming April polls, now that he has accepted to run.

It is high time we stopped mortgaging our destinies for a day’s porridge.

It is high time we stopped handing the mandate of leadership to those who have perennially failed in all ramifications.

It is high time we faced the future confidently and this we can do only when we have put the right people ahead of us.

I am convinced Prof Pat is the man.
I have heard him speak.
I have read his writings.
I have asked him questions.
He sure is the man.

And you can join in realizing the dream of the new Nigeria, that we shall all be proud of.

It is not uncommon for FRESH students - newly admitted undergraduates - to get carried away by the ‘NOW AM FREE’ feeling upon admission into University, more often than not they also get worn down by the several new challenges that the new university presents them.

Hence the need for guidance, to ensure the freshman successfully completes his studies and graduate with honours at the end of the stipulated period of study.

Such guidance is provided in the book: Students’ Survival Kit, written by Oluwakorede Asuni a 400level student of the department of Physics, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria.
The book consisting of fourteen(14) chapters and divided into three parts has as it’s cardinal aims the following:

1. introduce the typical freshman to the university environment and culture
2. inform the newly admitted students of the university’s and larger societies expectation of them while at the university
3. motivate readers to achieve academic excellence despite the odds on the road to success
4. encourage readers to shun nefarious groups and practices like cultism, prostitution, etc.

The author employed two major tools in spreading his message viz:

Presentation: information and ideas are presented in sizeable chunks small enough to engage profitably the relatively short attention span known to be prevalent among the target audience.
Positive peer influence: lucid stories revealing the experiences of successful undergraduates depicting the thin line between succeeding and failing while in the university, aimed at providing a source of positive peer influence on fresh students who are the targeted audience.

Says Oluwakorede “Taking a few innocent steps that backfired and led to several irreversible consequences in my first year is one of the motivations for writing this book” “…but a thirst to help others succeed at the university and in the life after university was a more powerful force that drove me to spend those long hours writing this book while others were busy “chopping the life of their head” as they are wont to say”.

A support portal is being prepared - to bring the book to a wider audience and provide online real time solutions to undergraduate problems – and can be accessed online @ www.thestudentsurvivalkit.com.

The young author committed to blazing the trail and challenging his peers to excel in their chosen endeavors maintains a personal website @ www.oluwakoredeasuni.com and shares his thoughts on diverse issues @ www.oluwakoredeasuni.com/reflections, www.brosko.tigblogs.com.

He says emphatically that he belives in the future of Nigeria and that the youth has a role to play in ensuring that the future is habitable.

P.S.

Mr. Oluwakorede Asuni is willing to speak at your orientation events for fresh students for free and can be reached for this purpose at the following address:
oluwakoredeasuni@gmail.com

**As will be published in The Nugget,OOU SUG Magazine

It’s 12:00 mid night, I am reading the last few chapters of Dan Brown’s deception point and I am compelled by a force deep within, to commit pen to paper and make glaring for others to read, my tots.

Dan Brown definitely had the Da Vinci code on mind when he was writing Deception Point for there are stunning similarities between both books. I have a wild tot that both books are simply different fleshes on the same bones.
Besides the fact that Mr. Brown consistently compared facts in Deception Point to the holy grail- the thrust of the Da Vinci Code- both books have similar structures – now am not claiming to be a literary expert, just a consumer sharing my opinions on my recent consumptions.

Both books are fiction, but fiction weaved with the fabrics of facts –or built on the rock of facts if you prefer.

Both books touch on controversy, though of varying magnitude, Deception Point, points accusing fingers at the “peoples” behind the scenes at the White House – this reminds one of Oputa panel where Al Mustapha CSO to the late Gen. Sanni Abacha, claimed that not all the heinous crimes against humanity perpetuated during the dark days of the General were actually ordered by the bespectacled General but by a few other individuals intent on courting the Generals favour and the fact of the matter being that the general more often than not did not know about the crimes.
In this case two people – a senior presidential adviser and the head of an intelligence agency- for different personal and ulterior motives wants the president to remain in power at all cost, at any cost. They didn’t flinch at their costs even when the price is a human life- they took several.
The Da Vinci code took a swipe at the Christian church, pointing accussing fingers at early promoters of the Bible, Mr. Brown made assertions that threatened the foundations of the Christian faith, and ignited a controversy that has led to the birth of “Da Vinci industry” as that’s how I see the sprawling bussines- writebacks, films, documentaries etc that has trailed the 2003 publication of the Da Vinci Code.

The books from the beginning had figures in the background who seem to be directing the affairs of the other characters in the plot.
The controller in Deception Point and the teacher in Da Vinci Code.
Mostly anonymous they maintain contacts directly with only or two of the characters and come to the fore at deciding points in the plot.

In both books, Mr. Brown leads you to believe that the background person is one person who seem to have everything to loose if things go awry, only to fling the deadly background guy at you in the last few chapters and you shockingly realized that he is the guy innocently riding the wave with you.

In both books Mr. Brown reveals certain unnerving facts and presents them as hard facts- most times this facts seem far fetched to the ordinary reader, but in the in the mind of a curious reader it leaves the thirst to learn more- in my case I felt deeply confused After reading the Da Vinci Code that I decided to check out Mr. Browns previous works, it was in my search that I came across Deception Point.

In both books a trusted ally of the background figure is killed for by the background guy, just before situations prompts him to reveal his identity, which in both books shocked those to whom he is revealing himself. People who had trusted him and had shared important information with him- so unnerving.

Both books have plots that lasted only two days and one night

Both books made lovers of individuals who a few hours earlier were total strangers.

Both books were of war and in wars there are casualties, numerous victims - many innocent- caught between enemy fires.

Conclusively, the two books are good reads in terms of entertainment, but quite controversial.
Honestly I am convinced the books are based on a model mr. Brown has created for himself.

P.S. this blog was penned 5 days ago

In earlier blogs, I listed the Project 100 as one of my proposed undertakings for the year 2007.
The project is aimed at helping me grow my intellectual capacity.
The Project in skeletal form involves reading 2 books a week culminating to104 books at the end of the 52 week year.

I have resolved to go on with the plan despite all odds that are wont to present themselves. It was not difficult for me to commit to the task having previously developed strong inclinations for reading, earning the nickname PROF. From my peers and colleagues.

I however, had to make slight adjustments to the project based on the following premises

1. Since magazines such as Fortune, Bottom line (Nigeria), Readers Digest, are credible sources of intellectual nutrients and often contain oven-fresh information. There is no harm done if they form a part of my reading.
2. Books come in different sizes and readings, there are some books that have devotional contents and you are required to read @ certain pace e.g. Rick Warren’s “Purpose Driven Life”, hence the need to decide on how many pages should make a book – this is no attempt @ cheating ay my own game, remember the overall objective is to add to myself.

I made the following adjustments to the Project 100 policy: -

1. To include such publications as Fortune magazine, the Director (IOD) UK, Bottom line (Nigeria), Readers digest, TIME magazine and News week in my reading list and any two (2) of such magazine = 1book.

2.Magazines are not to totally substitute books.

3.A book of 150 pages will be regarded as one book and a book with more than
250 pages will be listed as two books.

4. I shall post a weekly/monthly summary of readings, with lessons learnt.

5.Readings shall not be limited to only printed documents but shall include such sources of information as blogs, e-books, e-zines, e.t.c.
6.That accountability partners should be encouraged.

Watch out for more under the project 100 label/category