Affairs of the Heart 1 - Married With Children

He watched her from across the hall, his eyes following her every move. Damn, she was beautiful! And she carried herself with the natural confidence of someone who knew she was beautiful. He wasn’t the only one watching her either. Men sitting next to their wives turned their heads as she walked past, but were careful not to look for too long. Young men sitting together nudged each other and stared openly.

They were at a wedding. He hated weddings. But his wife had dragged him along all the same, as usual. It seemed to him that not one Saturday could ever pass in Lagos without someone she knew getting married.

“They’re our good friends, Ebuka! We can’t not go to their niece’s wedding.”

It was funny how her friends always became ‘their’ friends whenever another wedding was imminent.

Winner of the Project Alert Charity Giveaway

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The Winner of the A Heart to Mend eBook is Reviewing Shelf, CONGRATULATIONS! I have sent her an email with a PDF copy of the book. If I get no reply in 48 hours a new winner will be announced.

Thank you to everyone who entered and took part in the Charity Hopping around the World giveaway. I appreciate all the comments and so also does Project Alert. The director and IT Personnel have both sent me emails to express their gratitude.

Nigerian Woman Dead in Oikos University Shooting

A lot of us Nigerian immigrants to the United States came seeking the American Dream. Some find it, others don't, most settle for a manageable medium. The chances of us dying in road accidents or childbirth reduce drastically, but other dangers lurk around the corner. One of them has to do with the gun ownership and safety issue in America. I confess, these random shootings freak me out sometimes. This particular death hits quite close. RIP Doris Chibuko and may your family be consoled.

Doris Chibuko, 40, was born in the state of Enugu, in eastern Nigeria. She went to law school and worked as a lawyer in Nigeria. She met Efanye in college, and in 2002 they were married in a big traditional Nigerian wedding. That same year, the couple immigrated to the United States, where they had three children who are now ages 3, 5 and 8.

Igbo Men more Controlling and Traditional than Usual?

You may have seen this news before me, but it got me thinking when I heard Tonto Dike's latest interview. The Punch asked her about her fiance who happens to be from Edo State, and what seems like a defensive manner, she compares Igbo men to Edo men, unfavorably.

"... [Benin men] are not siting [sic] and judging you unlike an Igbo man that will want to be poke-nosing in everything you do. You make your money and the Edo man is not interested in your personal affairs. If I keep waiting for an Igbo man I will just end up eternally single." - Tonto Dike.

To be honest, I admire Tonto for doing her own thing which sometimes is not what the majority may care for. I haven't watched a lot of her movies, but she does quite a good job in a few of them. Now, some may expect me to say she unfairly tarred a whole group with the same brush, but can I be real? LOL...

Yes, yes I know it's a stereotype, and I know there's no one Igbo man, what with all the villages and dialects, not to talk of background and upbringing. But, stereotypes usually have an element of truth and can be used in general. I remember back to my single days when I talked with and dated some Igbo men.

Why My Dating Life is Not The Titanic

Some of you may know that Titanic is coming out in 3D soon. I was a bit conflicted when I first saw the preview. Should I, should I not? I finally decided to see it, especially as Atala hasn't ever and is interested. Anyway, a guest blogger is sharing her post with us, comparing her love to the Titanic ship. Like Celine Dion's song, My Heart Will Go On, her love life will continue in spite of heartbreak. Alicia Aubrey blogs at The PassionSearch. Enjoy...

Over the last three years, I've put my heart through the Titanic of feelings. I've built it up, I've let it fill, I've seen it crash, and I've tried my best to collect the pieces of what was left to see if I could learn what exactly it was that went wrong in the first place. It was only recently when I met Drew, the second-worst decision of my life, that I realized that a heart isn't like the Titanic, but that lesson doesn't come until the end of this story. And this story isn't about the second-worst decision of my life.

Old School Nigerian Style PDA - Bola and Remi Tinubu

You all know I love me some PDA, but coming from some quarters, it's so unexpected, but in a pleasant way though. Bola Tinubu may be marking his 60th birthday, but the guy still got groove. And I can see the wife, Remi Tinubu rocking that kiss, seems she actually is the protagonist? Ahem...

Forget Me Not - Love Potions in this Day and Age

Call it Echezonam, literally "Don't forget me", or Love Jazz or Juju, love potions are a way to sneakily get the emotions and attention of someone else. And it was usually women doing the jazzing to get a man to love them. Is it that men are not worried about getting women's attention?

Anyway, right from when I was younger, we heard stories of how women would prepare the man's favorite meal with some extra-curricular ingredients thrown in, hair, nails, blood or worse. Nowadays, I hear people prefer to have the babalawo do some incantations, or the pastor will just pray for them or give them blessed oil or handkerchief to use on the hapless victim.

April First Jokes and Visit to the Snoqualmie Falls

OK, you guys got me. I didn't win any Mega Millions. I should have said, I wish I had won some mega millions jackpot. Imagine what I would do with that money! But hey, life continues. Happy April 1st everyone. I hope this month comes with many goodies for us all. :)

Anyway, some weeks ago, we took a drive to the Waterfalls that had been part of our Helicopter Tour. It was one thing to see it from 10,000ft in the air, but the pilot noted we could also see it up close and personal if we wanted as it was just off a regular road. So off we went one weekend. Enjoy...

Jackpot! I'm a Mega Millions Winner!

I was among the millions of Americans who sat before their TVs and Radios last night, Mega Millions ticket in hand, and hoping to hear my numbers being called. While I was not among the three who will be sharing the $640 million jackpot, some of my numbers were actually chosen and I'm a big winner!

The three lucky winners in the historic jackpot are each expected to receive $213 million before taxes but I'm happy with what I'm getting, I'm a Dollar Millionaire! This is so amazing, you guys! A Thousand in March and a Million in April, wow! Now, what to do with the money. *Dancing Azonto...*

Worldreader Demos A Heart to Mend in new Book App

Worldreader is a charity whose mission is to make digital books available to all in the developing world, enabling millions of people to improve their lives. First focusing on distributing Kindle e-readers to rural schools in some African countries, Worldreader is now moving into providing reading content to feature phones through the BiNu phone app.

Worldreader also partners with authors to make international books available to those who use their apps and readers and that is where I work with them. I have accepted to make my books accessible to the Worldreader audience for free. In the video above, Elizabeth is demoing the BiNu app, and you can see how A Heart to Mend appears on it. I hope those who read it enjoy!