L.I.F.E PAGES

Nwankwo Justin
The Partnered Pen
Published in
9 min readMay 26, 2022

L .I. F. E / Little instructions for everyone

Our evolution around life is in little distinct and separate space. Guess what? It seems new, free, and lovely. Perfect picture. Overwhelms our creation.

Telling of our stories from the plains of life and experiences. Shelled to our fingers, as we peel the kolanut, to eat of its fruit…Brethren of Brothers and Daughters of Zion. We all eat from the same round plate but in a different position. Same abdomen, distinct cravings. LET LIVE ONCE, LET LOVE ONCE.

We chase and shape the paths to our fate from the beginning of the early days as it happens –just like the Igbo saying “Omere eme Life”. The first translation means “It happened, Life” and “It happened in real life or reality”. Walking along these days of the humble beginning, as we walk down this path, we should be mindful, in our hearts that life is full of happenings, in our thoughts that the journey of a thousand miles, started with a step –a courageous one indeed! The echo of our ambitious souls wails out, to fill the Soap opera. Like a thriller or blockbuster! What’ve we created!

Afloat we all sail. Sailors. In the oceans of life across waves of circumstances. Drowned & drawn from our own stories, were the Heart, Blood, and Strength of giants, who stood tall to the heavy winds of life and embraced victory, victorious he was! We all swore an oath to struggle, survive and succeed, for the good food that fills the stomach is, Success-survived.

Where is the path to success? The walkable route of the UNIZIK Terrain? –From the Ifite-School-gate, through the bushy paths of the Zoology Department reserve, onto the Science village road, bypass the Library road, to the Faculty of arts. Then we all deserve; A Crown!!

A life well-lived is a life of challenges & victory

Be proud of the days well spent, it’s a privilege. Encounter life’s countering moments and live with all righteousness in you. Be smart, courageous, fearless, and enthusiastic. It’s not a day job, to be a man. Be happy and smile as the day and its uncertainties go by. Hakuna Matata.

The testimony of love, taste of victory, and sounds of joy to better days ahead are the supplement that enriches our soul, to energize our body. One ticket, to the next step.

Vibe away the stress, and vibe along with the emotions. For the river must flow downstream.

‘Problem no dey finish, just enjoy life dey go.’ an irony and universal truth about life. Be patient and hopeful, for tomorrow is mysterious. “Echi di ime”

Joy comes in the morning. Let’s dwell in its glory. As we partake in the glorious sunshine of the day let’s enjoy it with vigor. Let’s make merry while it last; no turning back today! Determination was the key to the challenges that came our way, and we all fought victoriously. Victory indeed! We’ve come a long way on this journey of life and its tremendous encounter.

Today is the day, yesterday, waited and toiled for. So be mindful of this day. Look at the horizon with anticipating perspective and purpose. Prepare the room. Let the rain wash away all the pains of yesterday.

Be yourself and watch out for others! Know the rules, Don’t violate any. Make yourself available for the opportunities that come your way.

….Going gets tough, the tough get going. In all, we move!!!

The tick

Aspire high, to acquire more……

As the clock ticks, with its hands; Second, Minute, and Hour, race after each other to make up 24hrs, which completes the day. Seeing the focused state of the clock, busy in her business. Should inspire us all to chase our everyday dreams, to complete our quests. Let’s stick with the clock’s determination, focused on our endeavors. We’re all actors in this story-making of hi-story. Let’s make our stories worth it. Let’s combat fear –a cankerworm, with all we’ve got in our arsenal.

As we all march in cognizance of ourselves, to build and impact our fellow individual’s on this race of emancipation from; mental slavery, illiteracy, class & caste, religious and race differences.

The People of tomorrow: as we are destined for greatness, let’s be grateful for the fortunes, efforts, and assistance that come our way on this journey to greatness. Let’s lighten the load, neither burn bridges….. Thanks to the hands that clothed. When our nakedness was obvious. Bigger thanks to him/her, who took us as his/her priority. Providing the amenities to our sustenance, not letting days of agony and pains swallow up our existence, nor the tribulations and affliction. Hurdles on the way. As I run my race.

Loved are we among all creatures. Perhaps it’s our attitude of gratitude or the magnitude of gratitude. We’ve come across long flourishing and fulfillment times in our life. Let’s learn to appreciate it

He who seeks goodness strives to be good in earnest.

Gratitude

{I did some wrongs, but am always right}

Pains & victory, are

Sermon of values, integrity, and success

Of our prestigious beginnings.

Be alive.

Be living.

Proudly, make it a priority.

Offer to nature, while enriching from her,

We’re all ingredients,

To this delicious hot-served soup

Let’s enjoy it.…

…In this Jungle

We walk with pride & patience.

Keep calm, out to flow with the river

And its unusual tumbles.

Life resources & sources are limitless,

Available for our existence

On earth’s medieval journeys’ far.

Let’s lighten the load, neither burn bridges

nor dig (shallow) graves.

Compensate with love & love’s companion,

Singing songs of song

Marching bravely, exclusive of fear.

Seed of ruggedity — {Formed from ice & fire}

In clear thoughts, of meditation and active participation in the context of living and lifestyle, with the teachings of the ages as written by sagacious authors over time. Figuratively, no count to roles, and rules surrounding the contemporary ways of life. Surviving and succeeding? Talk more of the changes that marvel the concept of our imagination in reality.

We all find and feel safe, around these spaces. Which overwhelms the pure energy of our life lifetime. Creating classes for categories. Possibly in an attempt to validate the tone & tune of our dances.

Shuffling around the images that pulls reality to the epic stories are tales of conscious events, possibly real stories told as folktales. Perchance our cups are filled with activities of relentless occurrences. Overflowing. Of perfection and mistakes. Scheduled to occur at a designated time. Let’s make memes of our mistakes and appreciate the curated lines in our stories.

Burning with the zeal of accomplishment, to complete this marathon and the endless challenges that frequently haunt our hard-inspired foundations. Congratulations to ourselves and those who felt the heat and chilled with their sweat to the end. We’re all conquerors!!!

This seed of ruggedity; Formed from Fire & Ice. Germinated from unhealthy soils of trial and tribulations. Amidst the worst climate of rejection. Inefficient nutrients from a poor background and ruined welfare, present in our environment. Let’s reserve the odd tributes. We survived through resistance and pushing ahead. But still. Ruggedity runs in our veins, regardless of our intelligence or intellectual prominence. In all, totals down to service and servitude.

We’ve come a long way, as a generation. A rebellious generation!

It rests on a generation to change and impact the world. Our generation as change-drivers has done the incredible and credited to history extraordinary stories. Amazed by these enormous feet achieved. Our customs; as custodian. To build a brighter future, whilst controversy is irresistible.

Arise, with your head upraised, Lords and Ladies. Chest, chested-out like the armies of valor. Pride while you walk because your steps are golden. Add authority to your commands, like the king of the jungle. For in this Jungle. We walk with pride & patience. Our voices must be heard!!

Every milestone achieved is a huge success indeed, though left without options. Persevere as iniquities bounds. As you fly high, fueled by your aspiration, maintain the required altitude and speed. While you sit around at the free table, eat what’s affordable & desirable.

As an entity under formation, learn to forgive, for forgiveness matters a lot. Essentials. Truthfully the road’s far, with thousands of kilometers of distance ahead filled with unforeseen happenings, which possibly might affect the pace of our progress. Only endurance & tolerance is the paradigm for reaching our destination in one piece.

Form –reform –transform

Life. Like a box, keeps unboxing. Unfolding with lots to learn and unlearn. Fostering the philosophy. We learn by knowing. And know by learning; learning never ends.

What we’ve become is evident in our character, and attributes to our behaviors. Though they bring to the fore, the instinct driving us to the world. Careful!! As you thread these ways. For you can; stumble –humble, shuffle –hustle, breaking –boundaries, moving –mountains. To be part of the form. Formation & Principles & Successor.

Possibly, we might be birthed into a different culture of uniqueness; Family. The elemental essentials. Where fundamentals were scribed into the plains of our soft skin and nurtured to Baby. Boy-Girl. Man-Woman.

Displaying traits of upbringing & growth in a quite new way. All crafting into shapes, of unknown future tales. In this process we all Form. Maintaining spheres of certainties in clear pebbles of discipline.

Actually, it’s the nativity of our naïve entities, played for importance and something quite different and unexplained. It keeps us going round in circles

Reform –transform

In creation and existence, we all depend on one another. Perhaps for sustainability, as creatures. Just like the Mango trees that grow to bear fruit, not to feed on it, but rather for others to feed on. With greater purpose and essence, for it lives so others can live…. “Biri ka m biri”

It’s a give-and-take cycle. Offer to nature, while enriching from her….

In learning. We learn. Learnt. Learned the traditions that matter, this lifestyle of humans, horrors in sorrow, the sweet meekness in life, or what freedom is. We all did!! Society attained, were wide-ranging formation to achieve absolute reformation. For evolution.

As we come across seasons and cycles. So do we in life, come across names and titles. Days of a bitter taste. One that never ceases to burn the sensitivity in our tongues. Well, just like the harvest periods come, after the toils of planting. As the tree grows, so young, greenish, and alive, with its roots buried deep down below the earth’s riches. So do I find happiness in the gardens, in the flowers, with the butterfly, for its pollination time! The emergence of the reawakening.

In this phase. Amidst mates, capacity, and capability, lies certain directives at each junction. Nevertheless, the biggest equalizer of it all. Money. In the words of ridicule, “Money can’t buy happiness”. Truthfully. It can if you know the right shop. It buys affluence to circumstances. And status for the possessor.

The intense heat, burning backs and peeled heels walking down this path. Has made one ask, what do I gain? Why the suffering? Well, you have lots to gain and enjoy like the butterfly effect.

Transform

Crown on our heads like Kings –Jaja’s of Opobo. We’ve held this symbol for some while, distributing messages of love, peace, and progress. Accommodating and acknowledging each other, as brother’s keeper. In addition to crowns & coronation. We are kingmakers. Kings and Lionheart. Through continents, empires, nations, and communities. We willingly gave out our hearts. To bleed for better measures.

This flight of life has offered us a multi-dimension view, of actions and reactions in stories. The timing and events in history. Deep links in mystery.

What’s language? If not spoken, heard, and understood. What’s life without stumbles that humble, shuffling of the hustling? For the daily bread. Similar, though to the stories we’ve heard over time. Tales that fill our crazy open thoughts.

“Once again. In good conscience, without an exact pinpoint to the timing. Felt this energy, from nowhere. Void. Supreme. Irresistible like a connection. Drawn to this energy, flowing, through my veins. I become conscious of something big or bigger out there. In the void.”This energy in the distance feels so wild. Distant is wild. Wild is distant.

Keep it running? Supplies feeding our stomachs and wetting our tongues for joyous sweet sensation! Reading the writings on the wall we could trace back the track. To De-destination. Remembering the way that leads us home.

However, we can still tap sweet currents from the palm wine at the palm wine tapper nest. From the smoked nutrient-filled fish on the smoking net. We can still run wild like the free air, staying afloat when need be! Like the free spirits watching in the dark.

We’ve championed serene serenity in eerie situations. And came out with our boots shining in the glamour of victory. Our faces glow when we stand out. Last man amidst thousands of coffins.

Singing songs of song. …Bravely, exclusive of fear.

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Nwankwo Justin
The Partnered Pen

Justin; A Freelance & Ghostwriter, Storyteller. Historian. Genius, Productivity and Creativity. Contact@: Justindogba1@gmail.com.