Being "BROKE" can rob you of many things, but it must never take away your self respect. If you don't respect yourself, no one else will respect you - Spikevictor
“Make sure you don’t sleep,” one trafficker belted out. “If you sleep, you fall off. And if you fall off, you die!”
Part 1 of my latest investigation for @fijnigeria.
UNDERCOVER: Europe Through the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea (I) https://t.co/EfKYGPGz5t
A lot of you will misunderstand this thread, so let me say it carefully.
But I don't care because it's not the first time that I will be talking about it.
This time, I want to be more detailed on it.
A man who has long left the university environment and fully entered working life should think twice before dating a university girl.
And this is not primarily about age.
I want to take age out of the discussion for the purpose of this message.
But a man MUST be older than his wife.
It is about life stage.
A working man wakes up thinking about rent, deadlines, promotions, taxes, family obligations and long-term plans.
A university girl wakes up thinking about assignments, exams, projects, hostel issues and graduation.
Nobody is wrong.
They are simply carrying different burdens.
One is building a life.
The other is building the foundation for one.
And that difference matters.
People connect most naturally when they are solving similar life problems and carrying similar responsibilities.
There is a reason classmates often date classmates.
There is a reason colleagues often date colleagues.
Similar life realities create natural understanding.
University life is also a season of discovery.
Priorities change.
Ambitions change.
Worldviews change.
And please note, this is not a flaw.
It's a form of growth.
Then there is the question of power.
The man often has more resources.
The girl often has fewer or none.
What begins as a relationship can slowly begin to look like sponsorship.
And this is mostly going to be the case.
And once dependence enters the room, honesty sometimes leaves through the back door.
And that's why cheating is more prevalent in such relationships.
A healthy relationship requires freedom.
Freedom to disagree.
Freedom to speak honestly.
Freedom to walk away if necessary.
Because she is not mostly dependent on you for survival.
Another truth many people resist is that university life is one of the most transformative seasons in a person's life.
The person you meet today may not be the person you meet at graduation.
Growth has a way of changing people.
And it's perfectly normal.
Can such relationships work?
Of course.
Some do.
But like I always say; do not pray to be the exception because that exception may not be you.
Wisdom is not only asking what is possible.
Wisdom is also asking what is probable.
Let me make something clear:
Do not date someone simply because they are attractive. Date someone because your journeys can travel in the same direction at a point in time.
Beauty may attract.
Chemistry may excite.
Intimacy may be excellent.
But similar life stages often sustain a relationship.
So, that's why I said sometimes the issue is not age.
Because a young man of 26 may have graduated at the age of 21, and a young girl of 24 can still be a 100 level university student.
Sometimes the issue is timing.
And that timing can be the difference between a relationship that struggles and one that thrives.
If you don't understand this thread, go and smoke igbo.
End.
@jon_d_doe A working man wakes up thinking about rent, deadlines, promotions, taxes, family obligations and long-term plans.
A university girl wakes up thinking about assignments, exams, projects, hostel issues and graduation.
This is exactly the thought process💯 .
@jon_d_doe When choosing a wife, a man should evaluate qualities such as:
1. Character.
2. Kindness.
3. Emotional maturity.
4. Wisdom.
5. Loyalty.
This is the sweet spot.
Good morning Agba
This thread is going to be long.
So please take time to read it when you're able to.
Every generation is meant to stand on the shoulders of the one before it.
A good father desires his son to become not merely a copy of himself, but a better version of what he started.
Likewise, a loving mother hopes her son grows into a man of integrity, wisdom, and responsibility. The purpose of family is not stagnation but progress.
A father is often a son's first example of manhood. Whether through his successes, sacrifices, mistakes, or virtues, he teaches lessons that no classroom can fully replicate.
Looking up to one's father does not mean believing he is perfect. Every father is human and will have strengths and weaknesses. Rather, it means recognizing the value of his journey, his sacrifices, and the wisdom gained through his experiences.
A son who respects his father gains several advantages:
1. He learns discipline and responsibility.
2. He understands the value of hard work and perseverance.
3. He gains insight from lessons already paid for through his father's struggles.
4. He develops a sense of identity and belonging.
A wise son studies both what his father did right and what he did wrong. The father's victories become examples to follow, while his failures become lessons to learn from.
To become better than one's father is not an act of disrespect. In fact, it is one of the highest forms of honor.
A father who built a small business hopes his son builds a larger one. A father who attained a certain level of education hopes his son goes further.
A father who overcame poverty hopes his son experiences prosperity. Progress is the natural goal of every healthy family line.
Being "better" does not necessarily mean earning more money. It can mean:
1. Having greater emotional intelligence.
2. Being a better husband.
3. Being a more present father.
4. Living with more integrity.
5. Making wiser decisions.
The true measure of success is not merely wealth but becoming a more complete and mature individual.
If each generation only equals the previous one, society stands still. If each generation improves upon the last, families flourish.
A mother often makes sacrifices that are unseen and uncelebrated. She carries, nurtures, protects, teaches, comforts, and often puts the needs of her children above her own.
Honoring a mother involves more than words. It means:
1. Speaking respectfully to her.
2. Appreciating her sacrifices.
3. Supporting her when she grows older.
4. Protecting her dignity.
5. Showing gratitude for her role in your life.
A man's treatment of his mother often reveals much about his character. If he cannot appreciate the woman who raised him, it becomes difficult for him to fully appreciate other women in his life.
Honoring a mother does not require agreement with every opinion she holds. Mature honor can coexist with independent thinking.
A son can make his own decisions while still showing love and respect.
One of the most important decisions a man will ever make is choosing a wife.
A wife becomes:
1. A life partner.
2. A confidant.
3. A supporter during difficult seasons.
4. A co-builder of the family.
5. The future mother of his children.
A good wife contributes not only to a man's happiness but also to his growth and stability.
When choosing a wife, a man should evaluate qualities such as:
1. Character.
2. Kindness.
3. Emotional maturity.
4. Wisdom.
5. Loyalty.
Beauty may attract attention, but character sustains relationships.
A wise man understands that the person he marries will influence the direction of his life for decades. Therefore, choosing a spouse should be guided by wisdom rather than impulse.
Fellow Nigerians, good morning.
I woke up this morning after my church service with a deeply reflective heart, and despite every constraint, I felt compelled to share these thoughts with you.
Many people do not truly understand the silent pains some of us carry daily—the private struggles, emotional burdens, and quiet battles we face while trying to survive and serve sincerely in difficult circumstances.
We now live in an environment that has become increasingly toxic, where the very system that should protect and create opportunities for decent living often works against the people—a society where intimidation, insecurity, endless scrutiny, and discouragement have become normal.
More painful is when some of those you associate with, believing you would find understanding and solidarity among them, become part of the pressure you face. Some who publicly identify with you privately distance themselves or join in unfair criticism.
We live in a society where humility is mistaken for weakness, respect is seen as a lack of courage, and compassion is treated as foolishness—a system where treating people equally is questioned simply because you refuse to worship status, tribe, class, or power.
Personally, I have never looked down on anyone except to uplift them. I have never used privilege, position, or resources to oppress others, intimidate the weak, or make people feel small. To me, leadership has always been about service, sacrifice, and helping others rise.
Let me state clearly: my decision to leave the ADC is not because our highly respected Chairman, Senator David Mark, treated me badly, nor because my leader and elder brother, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, or any other respected leaders did anything personally wrong to me. I will continue to respect them.
However, the same Nigerian state and its agents that created unnecessary crises and hostility within the Labour Party that forced me to leave now appear to be finding their way into the ADC, with endless court cases, internal battles, suspicion, and division, instead of focusing on deeper national problems and playing politics built more on control and exclusion than on service and nation-building.
Even within spaces where one labours sincerely, one is sometimes treated like an outsider in one’s own home. You and your team become easy targets for every failure, frustration, or misunderstanding, as though honest contribution has become a favour being tolerated rather than appreciated.
And when you choose to leave so that those you are leaving can have peace, and you step out into the cold, you are still maligned and your character is questioned. Despite all your efforts to continue working for a better Nigeria and engaging people with sincerity and goodwill, those who do not wish you well continue to attack your character and question your intentions.
There are moments I ask God in prayer: Why is doing the right thing often misconstrued as wrongdoing in our country? Why is integrity not valued? Why is the prudent management of resources, especially when invested in critical areas like education and healthcare, wrongly labelled as stinginess? Why are humility and obedience to the rule of law often taken to be weakness rather than discipline?
Let me assure all that I am not desperate to be President, Vice President, or Senate President. I am desperate to see a society that can console a mother whose child has been kidnapped or killed while going to school or work. I am desperate to see a Nigeria where people will not live in IDP camps but in their homes. I am desperate for a country where Nigerian citizens do not go to bed hungry, not knowing where their next meal will come from.
Yet, despite everything, I remain resolute. I firmly believe that Nigeria can still become a country with competent leadership based on justice, compassion, and equal opportunity for all.
A new Nigeria is POssible. -PO