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Brown sugar biscuits
Ingredients
Plain flour
Brown sugar
Butter
Soy milk
Method
In a bowl, quickly mix butter and flour together, then stir in brown sugar, combine thoroughly before adding just very little soy milk. Tightly pack together then refrigerate for a few hours. Cut into thick discs and bake for 10 to 15 minutes on 180 degrees. Enjoy!
Summer fruit salad
This is a perfect “pick me up” and easy to prepare salad. Just a combination of whatever delicious fruits you can find. My choice of fruits includes…
Mango
Banana
Pear
Pineapple
Grapes
Homemade lime syrup
Chop, combine and pour…. Enjoy!
Fraud – 419
When I hear “fraud”, I immediately think of 419.
419 is a section of Nigerian law that covers fraud and is associated with Nigerian 419 scam. These scams come in many variations, some of them suck in the victim by promising a large share of money in return for an advance (upfront) payment. While others might claim to be in dire need of help to survive. Some scammers even go further by professing their love to the victim in other to weaken them.
There is no doubt that so many people have fallen victim to this. 419 fraud not only affects the individual on a personal level but also financially (the person is completely left scared, mistrustful, hurt and broken).
419 fraud has become so prolific that it has affected Nigeria on a cultural level; so when you hear of 419 fraud, you probably immediately think of Nigeria…yikes.
The sad thing about this type of fraud is that the perpetrator egotistically thinks that it’s the victim’s fault for being too trustful and not savvy enough. Therefore the victim deserves to lose his or her money.
They are called “mugu”
Ascend
So let’s see… definition of Ascend is “to move, climb, or go upwards, mount or rise”. Hmm…. That might as well be the one of the many definitions of being human.
Everything about Mankind screams ASCEND. From the moment we are born, we grow to become who we are as adults. Some are groomed through nurture to become the best, while others were already born to be best.
Whether you are crawling, walking or running; moving on and up is what everyone wants to do.
Unfortunately, the need to rise often leads to ugly competition, envy, greed and destruction. It’s everywhere you look; the news, social media, people’s careers, etc.
… And then it happens (Bam!) ; politics, war, religion….. All wanting to be superior amongst the rest….. Think!
Nigerian (Igbo) traditional marriage, what to expect..
Ever wondered what goes behind a traditional marriage?, the rules, customs, traditions and generally, what steps are taken before man and woman can be seen as married in a traditional setting?
Usually, when people (who are not familiar) describe traditional marriages, the first things you hear are the colourful clothes, jewellery, food, drinks and decorations. It sounds so exotic and different from the all too familiar church weddings.
I doubt if any of the other important things comes to mind; such as bride price, kinsmen or the numerous traditional rites that has to be observed first, before the day.
Before church marriages, there were local marriage ceremonies performed in all parts of the world. Nigeria, alone has numerous tribes and languages, all of whom have their different ways of performing or celebrating a marriage.
As much as I would love to know what makes them all different or similar, for now, I will share the one I am familiar with…..”Igbo traditional marriage” (South east of Nigeria).
My beloved brother and his wife got married few weeks ago and has volunteered to use their colourful pictures as an example of what it might look like.
So for those of you who are falling in love with an African girl or thinking of marrying and venturing to the unknown, below is what might lay ahead.
So it starts with “Iku Aka” (Introduction)…..This is the first step. It means the man letting his intentions known to the future bride’s family. Drinks, garden eggs, peanut butter, etc are used for this.
If they accept your marriage proposal, the second stage is getting a list from the bride’s family. In this case, the bride is from “Imo State”, so it is slightly different. Two lists are given out (Only one list in Anambra state) to the groom’s family. The first is a Female list and the second is a Male list. The list (money is also paid to get a list) is a piece of paper containing all the stuff you are required by the custom of the tribe to provide for the groom’s family and the Kinsmen.
A date is agreed for when the the groom comes back with all the items on the list. On that day, there are more introductions and negotiations. The wife to be, takes this opportunity to come out officially and greets her future husband and his family when they arrive.
Finally after an agreement is reached (including a closed door session with the bride’s dad and how much the “Bride Price” will be), the deal is done. The bride’s family makes a loud noise, hailing the groom. And the women in the bride’s family, make their own noise and chantings too. The faith of the future bride and groom is sealed with a prayer ; they are officially engaged!! Refreshments commence.
After the above, you are well on your way. The next is “ewu nna” (Goat for the Kinsmen) and “Igba nkwu” (Traditional marriage ceremony). To cut it short, the BRIDE PRICE is paid at this stage.
On the Igba nkwu day, the bride comes out to greet her in-laws before every other thing commences. During the entire ceremony, the bride usually shows off her beauty by changing into two to three traditional outfits.
One of the most important thing during the “Ewu nna” and “Igba nkwu” is that the husband accepts his wife. A cup of palm wine is given to the bride by the eldest male in the Kindred, to give to her husband. When he accepts the wine from her, he feeds her a small amount of it and then drinks the rest. It signifies that they are both in agreement to marry each other. The marriage contract is sealed and official. Every other thing happens…..drinking, eating, dancing, loud music, pictures and much more….
About time -A movie to watch when you have lost a loved one.
There are so many movies out there that have depicted time travel in a very light hearted fashion. Examples include; “Back to the future”, “Hot tub time machine”, and “Billy and Ted” movies. These films, although fun to watch, they do not make you feel like “time travel” is possible.
I recently watched a film called “About time” that definitely struck a cord inside me. Maybe it was because the narrator’s tone (Domhnall Gleeson) was melancholic or perhaps, the theme of the movie was close to home; either way, the movie felt powerful and entertaining.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all doom and gloom. There is a nice injection of levity (especially by “Harry”) played by Tom Hollander.
If you are like me and millions of people who have lost somebody dear and close, I feel this might be a movie for you. Although “Time travel” is not possible yet (lol), this movie gives a message of hope and definitely makes you wonder If only…….
Craft Beer’s – Tried and Tasted!
Craft Beer’s are very popular at the moment. It seems to be the “thing” for people who are passionate about beer and brewing. There are micro breweries making lots of varieties of beer’s, ranging from Ale’s to Lager’s and Stouts.
You can not seem to miss the small (but ever-growing) sections dedicated to these beer’s when you enter a supermarket’s off-licence. The bottles are not only attractive, but the names are also very catchy, thus , drawing the customer to view the product.
The curiosity for new craft beer’s has encouraged the increasing demand for micro- brewing. The availability of home brewing kits also means that everyone interested in creating their unique tasting beer, can indulge in experimenting.
Below is a list of craft beer’s that you might like and I have tried and tasted.
Don’t worry, I do not have a drinking problem (lol), this is strictly for research purposes only. It took 4 years.
4 things migrants will miss from their home country.
We all probably know someone who might have emigrated to another country; it could be your family, friend, neighbour or even you. There are many reasons why people move around – from the need for discovery and exploration of new things (leisure) to perhaps, more serious reasons such as escaping poverty, war, discrimination, unemployment and so on. One thing for sure, is that a migrant is leaving a familiar surrounding to a whole new world of uncertainty, fear and a hope of a better life.
I moved from Nigeria to Ireland 8 years ago and as I look back from when it all began, I marvel at how much I have changed and the transition I went through. It’s almost like becoming a new person. Your experiences and knowledge are combined; old and new becomes one. I will stop myself from digressing and focus on the topic (lol). From my experiences, discussions and what I noticed from other migrants, there are 4 aspects that were always mentioned.
Weather
Obviously, if you moved from one place to another that are world’s apart (e.g, Europe to Africa, Asia to Europe or Australia, New Zealand to any where! and vice versa), there will be a huge difference in the weather. So for instance, the first time I stepped my feet on Irish soil, it felt like I was climbing into a refrigerator (it didn’t help that I arrived during winter, Jayus!, someone should have warned me, lol). Although it was cold, the air felt fresh, clean and I was a long way from feeling so hot, sticky and sweaty. Little did I know that I would once again crave and beg for hot sun (not blinding winter sun) shining down on me like an angel.
Food
Ahhh! this one is very understandable. Yes, yes, I know there are food everywhere you go; but you would not believe (or maybe you would) the satisfaction you get when you fill your belly with traditional food you grew up eating. It’s like home cooked meal, just how you like it with all the trimmings. The smell, taste and look of your traditional food, creates a nostalgic feeling that is sure to bring a smile to your face. Who wouldn’t want to feel that way?
Family, friends, well wishers
This is the most obvious one. If you are a migrant and you are lucky to have moved with at least your nuclear family, the impact of being very far away from your extended family, and friends might not be as grave. Although in a new country, you have familiar faces close to you. But if, like a lot of people, you are one and alone,(Phew!) it is very hard. I have spoken to people who said they suffered depression among other things. But migrants soon learn to adapt, (and even love the new place!) especially with technological advancements: They are able to communicate with people back home.
Culture
Families and friends are not the only ones that are thousands of miles away; way of life-such as social gathering, dressing, language and culture have probably been left behind too. Nevertheless, new migrant communities are soon formed with a hope of preserving the culture they are used to. However, it is never the same as the original. For instance, children of migrants born in the new country, might lose their parents culture and sense of identity.