LEGENDARY TALES

UNTOLD Heartbroken, she was, as her parents wouldn't allow her to marry the man she loved. She cried all day and night; she emptied her ocean of tears. She starved and isolated herself from everyone else. She lost a reasonable weight. She had promised to take her life if she was not allowed to marry the man she loved: Romeo. All efforts by her parents to convince her not to marry Romeo but someone else, were to no avail. It was a tug of war between her and her parents. She was called Juliette. At the end, the parents gave in, gave them their blessings and they got married: Romeo and Juliette. Years later, they gave birth to a bouncing baby girl. She grew into adulthood. One day, as I stopped by a pharmacy to get some drugs, my eyes caught up with a lady, who was nothing but a fountain of beauty. When she ordered for her drug, she was told that the price had gone up by 120%. She was astounded and cried out aloud saying "I have been living in pains all my life; something I n...

THE JOURNEY TITLE: THE JOURNEY; A Flight to Greatness After a Long Walk AUTHOR: OGBODO ADIGWU CYPRIAN MARK PUBLISHER: ADEDOX PRINTERS PLACE OF PUBLICATION: BENIN DATE OF PUBLICATION: 2017 PAGES: 265 BOOK REVIEWER: PROFESSOR ABIMBOLA SHITTU Life is a JOURNEY; everyone taking his own path. To some, it is smooth; to others, it is rough; to others, it is delayed and to others, it is earlier than planned. Some divert and don't arrive at there planned destinations. Until one embarks on the JOURNEY, he arrives nowhere. THE JOURNEY is a beautiful story of a HERO called OLEWU. His JOURNEY started when over a million spermatozoa saw a vibrant ovum from afar and competitively rushed after it. They all put in their best, but spermatozoan Olw's  best out shone all, as it made it to the first place. Victory! At last, he screamed. After nine months, he saw the light of this world and gave his first cry as he was born to the father, Ochiwu and the mother, Onahi. Oh! It was a ...

NIGERIA: THE LAND OF MY BIRTH (by Ogbodo A. C. Mark) Oh! My Motherland; The land of my birth, The land of peace,  unity and prosperity, The land rich in culture and heritage, The land of wealth, The land that has no equal. Oh! My Motherland, Shining like the bright morning star, Radiating your light to all ends of the world. Providing us with immeasurable blessings: I would have wept bitterly, if I you had not begot me. Beauty,  there is. Everything good, you symbolise. Amused,  I was,  when I took a tour round my Motherland. Oh! Motherland, you are known as Beacon of peace, Fountain of wealth: adorned with abundance of natural resources, agriculture and conducive environment for animal rearing, Making you centre of world's attraction, A giant, Evergreen land, A land of no lack, The light of Africa, Mother of the best, My Nigeria. Oh! My Nigeria When I attempted to threaten the peace of my Motherland, You cautioned me,  livi...

A Tribute To My Late Mum: Lydia Ogbodo (by OGBODO A. C. Mark) Oh! My lovely and beautiful mother. The first woman I came in contact with. The first woman that smiled at me and blessed me. The first woman that cared for and showed me love. Oh! Sweet mother. Oh! Lovely mother. My Heroine. I remember your gorgeous smile, Your tender loving care, Your carefully selected and prepared delicacies, Your enduring ability, And above all,  your overwhelming motherly care. Indeed, you were a woman of substance and honour. A mother whose character was worthy of emulation; A heroine, A home manager. I can remember that cold winter night when I woke up in the middle of the night and penned down my rewards for you when I become a grown up man. I wrote thus: "Sweet mother! I will make you the envy of all mothers; you will be called 'mamma doctor' ; I will bring before you my missing rib and say 'mum, this is my missing rib,  I have found it' ; you will be tre...

A TRIBUTE TO MY TEACHERS BY OGBODO A. C. MARK Teacher! O my Teacher! You taught me the lessons of life, You got me informed, You equipped me with knowledge; Thus, power. You showed me the way to greatness. O Teacher, my mentor! How you never spared the rod when I derailed; Very bad I felt then, But now I know it was for my good. Thank you! Had you spared the rod, I wouldn't have thanked you today, Because, I won't be what I am now. I will forever treasure: Your kind words, Your amazing smile, Your enthusiasm, Your great charisma, And your encouraging words. At my adolescent stage, When I was at my most vulnerable state, Struggling to reconcile myself to the adult World; You stood by me and helped me through my moments of uncertainty. O my Teacher! In the days of my adolescence when the friends I was making were likely to be the friends I will keep; It was you who guided me on my path. When I fell often, It was you, who picked me up, Dusted me up...