2005 for Longman... Quarter I

In the spirit of the season, I am mentally re-tracking my journey in 2005 and raring to go into what looks like a potentially exciting year 2006.

2005 has been a great year for me in many aspects. I am happy I can say at this point in the year that it was a year of advancement in my personal quest.

From the moment I got into 2005 at Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos till now sitting in front of my own computer, in my own room now December 31st, I think to all the rivers I swam, mountains I climbed, valleys I crossed and I can say with intense satisfaction, IT WAS GOOD!!! I had a high flying year which I wouldn't take back if I could. Let's chart through the year together...

Jan '05

• I got into the new year at the airport in Nigeria flying back to Rotterdam after being away on country visit for 3 months (seeing 9 countries in the process)
• Applied for my residence permit once I got into NL and was given a submission date faster than any of my team mates who applied before me
• Reconnected with my team after being away from them for so long. We had an amazing team weekend in Maastricht (my second favourite city in NL after Utrecht)
• Got into the groove of IPM preparation. Applied for my Romanian visa and got it despite thoughts of the stress
• Took the final call to disconnect from AIESEC after the AI term and started my mental discharge process. After 9 years in the organisation, I needed all that discharge time.
  

Feb 'o5

• Made it to IPM Romania. Great conference from getting on the plane to the end. In typical Femi fashion, I made sure I had max-fun.One more country under my belt...
  
• I met with people on the best OC team in the world who did an amazing job yet had max fun and they inspired me a great deal
• I had better connection with a lot of MCPs on a personal level as well. I wished I had done that earlier though but better late than never.
• I completed my full circle of involvement in selecting AIESEC's Global Leadership team (in 2003, I was on the panel as MCP representing Africa, In 2004 I was being interviewed as Director candidate and in 2005 I was again on the panel as outgoing AI Director). It was a great experience and another opportunity to process my personal learnings from my term.I got a successor!!!
  
• I told the story of my AIESEC time to the Outgoing MCPs and AI team using the fish analogy which helped me get a better handle on it. I am still writing my fish analogy...

Mar '05

• Finalised planning for AfroXLDS...Got my Kenyan visa after so much unnecessary stress
• Packed up with Rajiv for our trip to Kenya to have the time of our lives.Met up with the MC and the OC and my facilitators team(Great bunch all of them).
  
• Went to my first nightclub experience where they played rock music the whole night IN KENYA!!!
• Met the conference chair, Mongy, again for the first time in 2 years. The last time we met he was AI Director for Africa and I was MCP elect of Nigeria. He was part of my inspiration to be AI Director for Africa and it was a great re-union.
• I came into Kenya on a "bad boy" bill and proceeded to keep up that reputation, but still was loved by all and sundry.Thrilled the honeys and had them thrill me to...
• Has an amazing conference with a great agenda, great atmosphere, shitty plenary, amazing delegates from every singl continent, amazing facilitators, AWESOME energy from start till conference end. It was arguably the best XPRO ever in Africa and it was great to hear news that it was the same feeling from all the other XPros around the world...Too much kudos to my AI team.
• Went on a Safari after the conference with Rajiv. Twas awesome from the seeing wild animals perspective. We saw 4 of the big 5 including the elusive leopard. The only one not seen was the rhino. Saw a lioness hunting in real life...Bonded amazingly with Rajiv...
• Visited rural Kenya courtesy of Martin with Jana, Terje and Rajiv. Twas a great experience and eye opener on rural African life. To think I had lived in Africa most of my life and had never appreciated this. Can't wait to explore same whenever I go back to Naija...
• Planned for country visit second round...
  

On the whole great 1st QUARTER '05

Salsa a la Longman

Last night Bosun (my MCVPICX when I was MCP of Nigeria), Natasha (an AIESEC trainee who just came into London fron Leicester) and I went to a Salsa bar and then a night club afterwards.

This post is actually about the bit in the Salsa bar. and it's about learning to dance by counting steps.

Now, I have been dancing since I was 5 years old, I think, and in my own way I am a HOTSTEPPER. I have rhythm, I can hear rhythm and I can move to rhythm. I have never learnt from a teacher how to dance. I can't!!!I get all clumsy when I try.

And so going to a Salsa bar that also included lessons beforehand perhaps was or perhaps was not a good idea. But I went anyway 'cos I kinda like the place plus it's full of honeys. It's called Fiesta Havana in Hanover Square, London.

I did try to join the lessons, but the counted steps all fade from memory when real music started and I fell back to my traditional home made salsa steps, Salsa a la Longman.

So the place is teeming with honeys, none of whom was saying no to a dance. but my brand of home made Salsa just always seemed to clash with their schooled traditional salsa steps.

Now I know Salsa is not an African thing and I should be humble enough to learn it from the Latino owners. But I just can't seem to...

I'll keep trying!!!I will, I will, I will...And at some point "One - Two - step to the right, step to the left..." will come so naturally that my moves will sychronise perfectly with that of the honeys...

Next week Thursday, I am definitely back at Fiesta Havana...

In 2006...

I made me a New Year Resolution for 2006!!!

Now, normally I don't do New Year resolutions. I believe they are just attempts at change that ends up not being kept.

Don't get me wrong, I believe people should make resolutions and keep them. But I am against making them only at the start of the year.

But in this case I think the timing is merely coincidental. I made this resolution in December anyways but it is convenient to carry it into the new year as a NEW YEAR RESOLUTION.

MY RESOLVE: "In 2006, I will WRITE what I feel. Everything about it."

I guess this resolution came from my realisation that even though so many thoughts go through my intelligent (permit my modesty) brain, I lose most of them because I am too lazy to write.

I can express myself clearly when I speak and I know lots of people can testify to that, but when I write, I feel that most of my thoughts are left out of the peice. I still seek a way to add my body language, voice tone, passion etc into what I write and somehow, the result always seems inadequate.

For long enough I have let that stop me from writing but now it's time for me to take charge.I have gotten some books to help me and I am making more effort to write and so far I am doing well...

I am determined to share what I think. I am determined to have it immortalised in written words. I am determined to capture Femi Longe's unique way of thinking and viewing issues.

From now into the new year 2006 and beyond I am willing to do this. And I know at some point I will get tempted to falter. But I know nothing can stop me.

This is my resolution, and I will bloody well keep it!!!

Christmas eve get togeder...

On the 24th of December we had a mini-AIESEC Naija alumni reunion at Kene's house. There were7 of us (Bosun, Kene, Eche, Folake Olusanya, Taata, Isaac and I) there even though we were expecting slightly more than that crowd.

I guess it had to do with having all London transport stopping at midnight probably had it's effect on people coming over.

It was interesting though that even Ladi who organised the whole thing was not there. It was interesting to see Kene tongue-lash him over the phone.

Uzo called in during the night and then we had the interesting process of handing the phone to everyone for him to speak to.

More interesting for me was taking the decision on the spur of the moment to go spend Christmas day in North London with Bosun and Taata. The though of no transport the next day anyways, aided the decision...then getting caught with the need to take a piss urgently while in the cab was hilarous...I REALLY NEED TO SORT MY PISS THINGY!!!

I guess it was cos of all that beer I had guzzled like I was drinking water. I really need to get a grip on my beer consumption though the thing hardly hits me. It's almost like water...

Great day...Twas good seeing all the people again and we made the decision to organise something again, this tme with me hosting. We need to look into that!!!

Central London wakabout...December 23rd...

On the eve of Christmas eve, Isaac and I met up with Taata and Bosun at Central London...

It was funny to see the Nigerian timing at it's best.

"Let's meet at 9pm in front of Picadilly Circus station" we concluded on the phone.

There I was rushing out of the house to be at the place by 9pm without fail. I guess being out of Naija for 2+ years has had it's effect on me and time - and that's not a complaint. Only to get to Picadilly Circus to call and hear the guys were still in Taata's flat in North London...Damn...well it's a night out so it doesn't matter.

I proceed to walk around Central London with Isaac. The boy is acting like a complete JJC (Johnny just come) it's so hilarious. At one point I tell " Come if you will make a comment on everything , maybe u should cross and walk on the other side of the road" To hear him, you would not realise he has travelled to 17 countries outside Nigeria. He is still the consumate bushman despite AIESEC's attempt to expose him.

So finally after walking for 40 minutes of walking with Isaac, I check my phone and see 2 missed calls from Taata. I call him and ask where he is "Oxford Circus". But we said to meet at Picadilly Circus. Anyways, we just passed there anyways so we walk back to Oxford Circus and meet them both...

"Ok, so what do we do?"
"Let's go find a pub to drink and talk, but first we need some food"

So we go grab food. Or no, Bosun and Taata go get food. Isaac and I had eaten at home so we just ordered drinks while they ate.After they ate, the bar scouting starts.

1st Place: "No, it is member only tonight" Yeah right!!!

2nd Place: "You need to be on the guest list" Tell me about it!!!

3rd Place: Closed

4th....7th,8th...10...

So we start a a long and extensive walk around Central London for the second time of the night...Damn!!!

After another 45 minutes, we find a bar finally that is open, has good music, has no guest list, has great ambience, is free to get in and sold beer in jugs for £10. So we sit in drink and chat about whatever for 90 minutes till they are about to close. They offer for us to get into the club below at £10 per person...

"At 2am, AM I MAD??? Why will I pay £10 to party for 1 hour. Definitely not worth it"

We change scenes, walk around a bit and head for the bus stop. It's been a great night besides putting in so much exercise (wakabouting for 90 minutes)

It's time to head home...In the night bus, the urge to take a piss grips me...Damn!!! Had to endure the pain for 40 minutes.Twas hell...Finally got off and the relief afetr doing my stuff was priceless!!!

Stunbled into my bed - Gudnight

Only second Christmas ever...

This is only my second Christmas away from home and family...

I can very much recollect the first one 2 years ago. I spent 2 glorious weeks on the beaches of Mozambique with Trxy, Arthur and Waweru.

-Sitting in the cafe by the road in Maputo, drinking cheap beer, watching beautiful woman passing by and trying to chat them up without knowing a word or Portuguese
-Fighting off a mugger on the beach on Christmas eve - I got his knife, shirt, cap and a beautiful girl to boot.
-Eating glorious sea food served to the best of Mozambican service (getting your food 1 hours after ordering).
Swimming in amazing smooth sea while avoiding the evil blue bottles
Walking endless mile on pure white beach front that I still personally consider th best beach in the world (Tofu rocks)
-Seeing the new year come while sitting on the beach with my arms around a beautiful woman...

Hmm, Nostalgia!!!

This year is only my second Christmas away from home and family... and I wonder what excitement is in stock for me in London. I WONDER!!!

I don't want a lot for Christmas...

Cold winter and Christmas time is here and I am single. SAD, ISN'T IT???

Well, my guys are coming round to London from all across Europe which should be lots of fun. I need to create lots opportunities to meet great people this holiday season so that chances of meeting and knowing "HER" increases...

My DREAM GIRL, wherever you are, all I want for christmas is YOU!!!

THE BURNING QUESTION!!!

Questions, questions, my personal favourites - QUESTIONS!!! Delegates and facilitators at the Leadership Development Seminar of AIESEC in Romania which I chaired 2 weeks ago(topic of another post when I get round to it) heard me say a lot about questions and maybe as well ask so many questions.

I guess this is going along with my personal philosophy and preference for questions over answers. "I prefer questions to answers because answers are a dead-end while questions are a start to explorations which life more fun and adventurous..."

'Nuff said, the purpose of this post is not to discuss this personal philosophy (that's for another post), it's to explore my own answer to a BBC program The Burning Question which is on presently. And the gist is "For the next two weeks, the BBC World Service's World Today programme is asking a number of high-profile figures what they would ask if they could ask just one question - and who they would put it to". I decided to throw the same question at myself and post my answer here.

Personally, I'll ask my burning question to God and it would be "What would it take for EVERY person in the world to be happy?". The smartest people in the world have not answered the question so I'll turn it over to a higher being.

I see more technology, more understanding of science, more understanding of the way the world and nature works,more understanding of human pshychology and reasoning, easier transfer of people and information across the world etc. yet a SADDER world for it.

It strikes me people are smiling less than they did years ago. There are more terrible and paralysing diseases for every advance in medical science.

If the purpose of life work of the smartest people is to turn the world into a happier place to live, alas I must conclude, they have failed at it.

My personal conclusion therefore is that with every advancement in knowledge, we find out that there is so much we do not know and this has made us SADDER yet...

Ignorance is bliss they say...PERHAPS!!!

Dear God, I await your answer...

Back on the BLOG...This time for real!!!

It's interesting that every so often I decide to become a faithful blogger and not have this obscure blog that I rarely fill. I hope this time I am better than the previous times. I know I am a lazy writer (perhaps a better reader) but for once I want to change my ways. Someone up there HELP ME!!!

The determination to start this time is not a New Year resolution. The New Year is not for another couple of weeks and I am not so good with damn New Year resolutions (which I believe are mostly set when people are ghastly drunk) anyways. You most probably only stay with them till the 4th of January then you return to your old ways(or at least I do).

So again, Mr. Longe's son, WELCOME BACK TO THE WORLD OF BLOGGING.We sincerely hope you'll stay more than 4 days this time. The world wants to hear about your ramblings...And remember, short and regular is better than long and infrequent (except in some cases, premature ejaculation to be more specific)...

Expect more.....Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!