LEARN FROM THE CHILDREN

Dancing in the rain, utter simplicity, pure innocence, honest laughter, children live their lives with curiosity, wonder, and its absolutely amiable. Isn't it true that we cared less about life and had more peace of mind when we were children. Caring beyond borders Foundation(CBBF) captured some primary school pupils in Lagos state feeling super excited as the foundation blessed them with writing materials. They couldn't contain their joy despite the dilapidated state of their school. The simplest gifts stirs gratitude in children's hearts, and they bless ours with their beautiful smiles. While we teach the younger generation out of our wealth of experience, there are definitely some crucial well being lessons adults can pick up from children.

Instagram @Caringbeyondbordersfoundation
                 @JoleetaDiva

OMG! LOOK AT THIS SCHOOL!

"Just looking at this, I can't stop crying, its just terrible, I never imagined it to be this bad" were the words of Sharon Teal, the sponsor of Caring Beyond Borders' foundation's first visit to two schools in Oshodi. Timidire Primary School, and Local Government Primary School are two schools in Shogunle, Oshodi, Lagos Nigeria that share a lot in common. Not only do they share a school compound, but the unbelievable dilapidated school structures are something they share. A charity organization, Caring Beyond Borders Foundation (CBBF) paid a visit to the two schools and these are some of the things they saw.

Its appalling and sad that the leaders of tomorrow, the future of this nation have to learn in such a dangerous, unhealthy and harsh environment, with no basic facilities like toilets, roofs falling off, rain pouring on them. CBBF Foundation led by the heads of the NGO, John Makop, Omenihu Prince Uzoma, Raymond Swomen, and Joleeta Damap, gave the pupils notebooks and pens to support their quest for knowledge and encourage them to stay on track despite impossible situations, a career talk was also part of the package. The foundation is open to personal and government volunteers and supporters who are passionate about making this world a better place.

DANCING

Ooooh how the tables have turned. The sleepy Joleeta that naps around at the club sofas is now the one center stage, someone even called me a dance goddess a few months earlier. I hardly club just to have fun, mostly for performances and appearances. (Yes I do appearances). It took me a year to arrive here, but here I am. LETS DANCE.

THE NIGHT LIFE

New York, Paris, London,  name them all, the biggest cities in the world have among their common characteristics cut-throat hustle, tall buildings, millionaires, single mothers, beautiful girls and of course whores. Lagos city is no exception to these characteristics. With an estimated population of 21 million people living in this iconic city, there are bound to be whores in Lagos, its one of the oldest professions on earth, so much so that the question is no longer "are there whores in Lagos?", it is now "is there any girl in Lagos who isn't a whore?". The answer is "Yes, there are", but where are they? Banky W has been looking for love in Lagos for about a decade now and he still hasn't found it, despite the fact that he is a fine boy with millions of naira at his disposal, and fame to ice the cake, so many hoes but no love.

MY EXPERIENCE

I sat on the white couch of the exhotic club, that was my first time in a Lagos club, and I had my pocket full of curiosity waiting to be satisfied. first curiosity was what the club would look like, would it be different from what I've been seeing in Jos? no it wasn't different, but the people were. the girls that sat next to me were quick to rush to the dance floor as soon as a set of men walked in. the one with the fattest ass was the first to be picked, then the less fatter booty was next and so it went on in descending order. Ass shaking was the never fading hit dance, the men glued their fronts to the asses and sprayed some cash when a spot was brushed upon with the ass or boobs. In a few minutes, the first girl left  to the bathroom hand in hand with her dance partner, I don't want to jump into any  conclusions of what went down in the bathroom but when they came out, the man was adjusting his zipper and her make up was very sweaty...maybe its just the weather.

While I observed, the man I was dancing with sprayed me some cash, then whispered in my ears the following haunting words "how much for the night?",my respiratory system froze, I could not breath, I needed some water. "excuse me", I ran to the bathroom, unfortunately there was a more disgusting sight, a girl had thrown up in the sink. I pretended to still be calm, this is Lagos right?. "hey" a soft feminine voice said, I turned, she was an angel in black, a beauty beyond compare, thin, bold eyes and the most perfect smile. "I've been watching you back there, I came in here because of you" she said. "okay.." I replied rather curiously. "are you here with someone?" she asked.
"No"
"Can I take you back to my place tonight?"
I was taken aback by that polite yet scary request.
"oh, sorry, I'm here with someone"
I quickly replied,
"gosh...ok, can I have your number? you're so pretty"
she had this adorable look in her eyes, like a cat, a white cat, but I wasn't about to let that fool me"
"excuse me", I politely said and left the bathroom, back in the club, my costumer had found a new costumer, to my greatest delight.
just as I sat down on the chair, relieved from the pricing sessions of the night, a manly voice said in my ears "I want you for the night, I'll give you seven thousand"
at least he spoke good English...I"m arra here mehn.

MY YORUBA DEMON

Yes it was a Sunday and no I did not go to church. It felt like a Sunday however, Sundays always have a feel to them and this one was filled with that feel. My beans-seller costumer was not out yet, and I was very hungry, she probably went to church or took a well deserved day off. I walked all round to find something to eat, anything, but the future was bleak. I started my way back home, as I took the turn to my house, I spotted a bread seller in a lone convoy approaching. God is indeed good to us all, including non church goers. As she dropped the bread tray on the ground.

A Mercedes G-Wagon parked in front of us, spraying a good amount of dust on the bread. "What a fool" I cursed out loud. He didn't hear me. "Hello Beautiful" he said with a cunning smile, it knocked me out. "Hey" I remembered to reply. "I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to the bread seller". What! Nooo...not on a Sunday, this guy just fired open shots at me, point blank and left me to just die. "You are beautiful too" he added sarcastically, leaving me to die a second death. I locked up, put on my mean face and focused on my packaged agege bread. "Hi, I'm Lanre" he extended a handshake while still seated in the car. Oh my God. Behold my judgment day is come, Yoruba demons are after me. I stood there, log wood stiff, ignoring the swag out of him, his hands were almost freezing I believe, but he wouldn't mind, his confidence already seemed over the top, too much. As soon as I got my change from the bread seller, I turned to leave. "Oh hey, you're just gonna ignore me like that?" He raised his voice, now his feet touched the ground for the first time. "Oh, I thought you were talking to the bread seller" I fired back at him, and kept walking, knowing my bullets were much milder than he's. He walked after me, chasing me rather, I couldn't help but notice his crystal white baban Riga, and those brown Italian shoes were simply enviable. "I was just playing with you dear, you know I was talking to you. Uhm, can I get your phone number? Maybe call you later?" He sounded really cool, I mean really ice meltingly cool. I had to consciously stop myself from screaming my digits out. "I don't do playing" I replied with a smile, which he couldn't see from my back tho, but he saw it. "You have a beautiful smile" he gushed. He is really a demon, how did he know I was smiling.  "Why are you pacing me? "
"I want what I want"
"I'm not going to give it to you"
"Baby. Give it to me"
"No."
"Please"
It was almost like we were writing a song. I was kinda mentally jotting down some lyrics, you don't get to have good conversations like that everyday.
"I want to give you my number but pride won't let me"
"Pride, Ok"
He turned to go.
Wow.
"Wait, zero eight one, three six"
I noticed that he stopped and was typing. It was time to get a good laugh out of this whole thing .
"Bla bla bla bla" I continued
"Shit!, why are you so mean?"
I could tell he was enjoying my company. And I knew I was enjoying he's. I  really hope to see him again.

ALMOST IN

I crossed the road very quickly, it would be a terrible day to get hit by a car, not by those types of cars that passed through my hood. I was on my way to see a friend, I had heard his name on radio, his songs too. I can't remember how we started talking but he invited me to his house, I agreed to go. I must say at this point that at that point I was still at a very naive point in my life. He came out to get me from the estate gate. I never knew we lived so close to each other. I appreciated his one room that had the kitchen and bathroom outside, but I had expected to see better, based on the hype. He had a large TV though, it kind of absorbed my shock. I sat by the corner of the bed, he was a bit nervous,  I could tell because he said "feel free" with a voice that sounded tensed. I was soon to realize that no one would need to tell me to feel free in an environment where I should actually be free, telling me to feel free was a set up, I was soon to discover...the hard way, I might add. I relaxed, though my non-elastic high waist jeans kept me sitting upright. He asked me what I wanted to drink. I said Malt. He apologized for not having my choice drink because he had already bought Bullet drink for me. Now as I write this,  I'm thinking if he knew he didn't have what I wanted, why ask me what I wanted? and who gives a girl bullet if he doesn't have plans of using his short gun on herher? Anyways, he served me some, I took a couple of sips, and I was already feeling knocked over. He drank two cans, I was half way down with mine. That was when he came and sat next to me, very very next to me. He started talking into my face, he said something like "when I saw you, I wondered where you've been?" I smiled, I was uncomfortable, but that was classic Joleeta, still respecting him. He started trying to kiss me, his large lips forcing themselves against mine. I no holy pass, but I give it up only when I want to, I didn't want to. Things were getting a bit early,  that was when my high waist jeans proved defensive,  he struggled to pull it down,  I was struggling to pull it up, we kept going back and forth, both fighters sweating profusely, I kept saying "no, please, stop," he didn't stop, I even added a lil bit of "I'm on my period" here and there, but he didn't listen. I was already getting drained, after a furious yet silent struggle, he pulled down my jean, then my pants. I don't know how, but something came upon me, or maybe he grew weary, he just layed down there. I pulled my pants and my jeans up, and fell back on the bed. The next time I was aware of anything was around 9pm. I woke up,  picked my bad, wore my shoe and left. I still can't believe I didn't scream out help, for the simple fact that I was considering his career. Women!

MA FKING MAN!

He looked sober, Tunji hardly looked sober, sober wasn't his thing, it has never been...oh but strong is his thing, confidence that always tiptoed around the borderlines of arrogance was his thing. I had made it clear, I didn't want a weak man, I wanted a strong man, he was such, physically and emotionally, sometimes I wonder if he cries, did he cry when his beloved mama passed away? I loved that about  him, I loved his fire, I'm a very  powerful  woman and I would have never even looked at him twice had he been weak. He subdued me. I looked on in shock that afternoon, we had not seen each other for three months,  it was long for both of us, we loved closure together. He loved kissing  my neck as much as I loved his lips on my neck, he gave commands in the bedroom, he would say something like "take off your G-string, take off your shirt", I gave commands  too,  but I won't share  that with you.  Well, that afternoon  he was humble, it irritated me. He sat on the red chair,  he had a bottle of wine in his hands, his brown eyes hid behind  some black shades.   He came to apologise, he slept  with my friend,  she told me, we kept  on being  friends with her,  but he knew that he had lost a dime.  My heart is like a diamond,  precious, yet hard, only a heart as strong as its kind could penetrate it. I listened to him blab about  how he was drunk and lonely and upset with me typical!  I would definitely have to strike back,  and it has to be terrible, like giving  his friend a sensual lap dance . I pulled him by the arm to my bedroom. We have done a lot of filthy things there.  He was gonna have a taste  of what he will be missing. We made love. He was pleasing me. I can't believe I was going to get back  with him. Why does this man get to have it his way every damn time!  My Fking Man!