An Open Letter to Dr Chima Matthew Amadi (Mazi Gburugburu)

 

Dear Dr Chima Matthew Amadi (Mazi Gburugburu),

I am writing this letter at a time when your name is travelling from one community to another, from one conversation to another, and from one gathering to another. You have chosen to enter a political contest that will demand much from you, but before politics becomes about numbers, meetings, posters and the final decision of the people, I want to speak to the man who has chosen to take this journey.

There is something courageous about putting yourself forward for public service. It means accepting that people will look at your life from different angles. Some will admire you, some will question you, some will support you because of what they know about you, while others may form opinions without knowing your story. Once you step into the public space, you cannot control every opinion about you. What you can control is the kind of person you choose to remain. That, perhaps, is the most important part of this journey.

Dr Chima, as you travel through Owerri Zone and meet different people, I hope you remember that every face you see carries a story. The woman who welcomes you at an August meeting has her own struggles. The young person who approaches you may be carrying a dream that he has not told anyone. The elderly man who shakes your hand has memories of a different Nigeria and may have watched many political seasons come and go. The mother who smiles at you may have worries hidden behind that smile. You may meet hundreds of people during this campaign, and it may not be possible to remember every name, but for some of them, meeting you may be a moment they remember for a very long time.

That is why I hope you will never underestimate the importance of kindness. Politics can make people forget the simple things. It can make every gathering feel like a contest and every conversation feel like an opportunity to gain an advantage. But beneath all of that is humanity. People still want to be respected. They want to be heard. They want to know that those who seek to represent them understand that their lives are real and their concerns are not merely campaign material.

You have chosen a road that will place you among people from many different backgrounds. Some will welcome you warmly. Some will ask difficult questions. Some will disagree with you openly. Some will not understand your intentions. Do not allow any of these things to make you lose the patience to listen. A person does not become weaker by listening. Sometimes, listening is the strongest thing a person can do.

There will also be moments when you will be tired. There will be days when the journey from one engagement to another feels long. There will be evenings when you return home and realise how much energy a political campaign can take from a person. When those moments come, remember that you are not the first person to discover that public service comes with sacrifice. The road to public office is never only about the destination. It is also about everything the journey teaches you.

You will learn about people you might never have met otherwise. You will hear stories that may change the way you look at certain issues. You will see the strength of communities and the determination of people who continue to build despite difficulties. Allow those experiences to shape you. Do not let politics harden your heart. That is one of the greatest dangers of public life.

It is easy to become surrounded by people who tell you only what you want to hear. It is easy to believe every cheer means agreement and every criticism means hatred. But a person who truly wants to serve must be able to separate praise from truth and criticism from malice. Keep people around you who can tell you when you are wrong. Keep people around you who will remind you of the promises you made to yourself before the applause became loud. Keep people around you who will never allow public office to make you forget where you came from.

And when you meet ordinary people, never treat them as ordinary. The trader who leaves her shop to attend a meeting is important. The farmer who works under the sun is important. The student worrying about tomorrow is important. The worker struggling to provide for a family is important. The woman building a small business with little support is important. Their lives are part of the reason public service exists. This is why your political journey should always remain connected to the human beings behind the statistics.

One day, this campaign will be over. The meetings will end. The speeches will stop. The vehicles will no longer move from one gathering to another with the same frequency. The posters will gradually disappear, and people will return to their ordinary routines. And when that happens, what will remain? Your title may remain for a while. Your photographs may remain in people's phones. Your name may remain in political conversations. But the deepest thing that will remain is how people remember you.

Did you make them feel respected? Did you encourage them? Did you keep your word? Did you remember the people you met when there was no camera present? Did you remain accessible after the excitement had gone? Those are questions that no campaign team can answer for you. Only your life can answer them.

Dr Chima, you are now asking the people of Owerri Zone to look at you as someone who can carry a responsibility on their behalf. That is a serious request, and I hope you carry it with the seriousness it deserves. Do not be in a hurry to prove everything. Let your actions speak. Let your character speak. Let your consistency speak. Let time speak.

There will always be another slogan, another speech and another political argument. But there is only one you. Protect the person you are beneath the politics. And if the road becomes difficult, do not be ashamed of the difficulty. Some journeys are difficult because what lies at the end of them matters.

Your journey has only begun, and nobody can predict every turn it will take. There will be unexpected doors, unexpected friendships, unexpected challenges and perhaps moments that will test you more than you imagined. Meet each one with wisdom. If you succeed, remain humble. If you are criticised, remain calm. If you are praised, remain grounded. If you make a mistake, have the courage to admit it. If you are given an opportunity to serve, remember that the office belongs to the people, not to the person occupying it. That is the difference between holding a position and leaving a legacy.

I hope that years from now, when you look back at this period of your life, you will remember more than the political outcome. I hope you will remember the people you met, the hands you shook, the stories you heard, the communities you entered and the lessons you learnt. I hope you will remember the faces behind the crowds. And most of all, I hope you will remain the kind of person who understands that public life is ultimately about people.

Dr Chima Matthew Amadi (Mazi Gburugburu), this is an open letter, but it is also a simple reminder. The road ahead is yours to walk. Walk it with courage, walk it with humility and walk it with a heart that remains open. Walk it knowing that people are watching, but also knowing that beyond the eyes of the public is your own conscience, which will one day ask you whether you truly gave the journey your best.

May you have the strength for the difficult days, the wisdom for the important decisions and the humility to remember the people who make every political journey possible. And when this chapter eventually becomes history, may it be a chapter worth remembering.

With sincere wishes for the journey ahead,

Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

 

 

An Open Letter to Hon. Odunze Kingsley Chinonyerem

 

Dear Hon. Odunze Kingsley Chinonyerem,

There are people who discover public service after they have gained everything they want for themselves, and there are others who begin to understand responsibility while they are still finding their own place in life. Your story belongs more to the second group. Long before the present political journey, you had already found yourself taking responsibility among young people and within your community. At an age when many young men are still trying to understand what they want from life, you were already learning what it meant to bring people together, listen to them and work with them. Those early experiences may have seemed ordinary at the time, but they became part of the foundation on which you stand today.

I think that is something worth remembering as you continue towards the Imo State House of Assembly. The Assembly may be a bigger stage, but the people remain the same people. They are still the mother trying to provide for her children, the father working to keep his family going, the young person searching for an opportunity, the farmer returning from the farm, the trader opening her shop each morning and the elderly man hoping that the younger generation will build something better. These are the people whose lives will give meaning to whatever position you eventually occupy.

You have known community life from close range. You have sat with people, worked with young people, participated in community activities and experienced the responsibilities that come with trying to bring people together. Do not lose that closeness simply because the responsibility before you has become bigger. Sometimes, the people who need a representative most are not the ones who can reach you easily. Someone may not have your telephone number. Someone may not know anyone in your circle. Someone may never have the opportunity to sit in a room with you. But that person may still have a genuine concern that deserves to be heard. Always leave room for such people.

There is also something I hope you will protect as you move forward: your ability to listen without immediately trying to answer. Not every person who comes to you wants money. Sometimes people want to be heard. Sometimes they want someone to understand what they are going through. Sometimes a person simply wants to know that somebody cares enough to listen. Politics can make people very busy. Meetings follow meetings, people make demands, and there is always another place to go. In the middle of all that movement, it is easy to forget the quiet conversations that often tell you the most about a community. Do not let that happen.

You will also meet people who will expect a lot from you. Some expectations will be reasonable, while others may not be. Some people will understand the limits of your office, while others may expect you to solve every problem they bring before you. Learn to be honest with people. If you can do something, do it. If you cannot, say so. A sincere 'I cannot do this' is better than a promise made simply to make someone happy.

Your political journey will also bring people into your life who were not there before. Some will genuinely believe in you, while some may be interested in what they can gain from being close to you. It will be your responsibility to know the difference. Choose your company carefully. Keep people around you who can speak honestly to you and who will tell you when you are making a mistake instead of applauding everything you do. Public life becomes dangerous when a person begins to hear only praise.

And when criticism comes, as it certainly will, do not allow it to change your heart. You will not please everyone. There will be people who disagree with your decisions, people who question your intentions and even people who criticise you without knowing the full story. You do not have to answer every voice. Sometimes, your best response is to continue doing what you believe is right and allow time to speak for you. But where criticism is useful, listen to it. Nobody enters public life knowing everything, and one of the greatest signs of growth is the willingness to learn.

Hon. Odunze, you are still young enough to have many years ahead of you. That is both an opportunity and a responsibility. The decisions you make now can shape the kind of public figure people will know you to be years from today. Do not rush the process. Build slowly. Learn from those who have experience, but also know when to create your own path. Respect the wisdom of elders, encourage young people and remember that every generation has something to contribute.

And perhaps most importantly, do not allow politics to take away your humanity. There will always be politics. There will always be elections, parties, campaigns, meetings and contests. But before all these things, there are people. Your neighbour remains your neighbour after the election. The person who supported you remains a human being after the political excitement has gone. The person who disagreed with you is still part of your community. Never allow political differences to become personal hatred.

Mbaitoli is bigger than any individual politician. Its future belongs to all its people, and everyone who seeks to represent it should understand that they are stepping into a story that began long before them. You are now writing your own chapter, and I hope you write it carefully. There will be opportunities to make a name for yourself, but there will also be temptations to forget why you started. When those moments come, remember the young man who began serving before he had a political title. Remember the communities that gave you the opportunity to learn. Remember the people who trusted you when you were simply Odunze, before the 'Hon.' became part of your name. That person is still important.

As you continue your journey towards representing Mbaitoli in the Imo State House of Assembly, I wish you wisdom more than applause, courage more than popularity and good people around you more than a large crowd. May you always know when to speak and when to listen. May you have the courage to stand for what you believe is right, even when doing so is difficult. May success never make you look down on the people you met on the way up.

And when you finally look back years from now, I hope you will not measure your journey only by the positions you held. I hope you will remember the people whose lives you touched, the young person you encouraged, the community you helped, the person you listened to, the promise you kept and the difficult moment you handled with wisdom. Those are the things that will remain long after the political season has passed.

Hon. Odunze Kingsley Chinonyerem, the road ahead belongs to you, but you will not walk it alone. Many people will watch, many will hope, many will support, and some will question you. Take it all as part of the journey. Walk forward with humility, stay close to the people and, above everything else, remain a good man.

Yours sincerely,

Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

 

Work Smart

 

 

By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

Last week, an undergraduate student studying Microbiology walked up to me with her friend. 

'Ma, I need your advice,' she said. 'What should I major in within Microbiology?'

I told her, 'ENT - Ear, Nose and Throat.'  

She looked confused. 'Why?' 

I answered plainly. 'Look around you. Everyone has earpieces in their ears from morning till night. Loud music, calls, TikTok. In the next few years, many youths will start having hearing and ear problems. If you major in ENT now, by that time you will be one of the experts everyone will be looking for. You will cash out.'

Her friend then asked, 'What about Gynecology?'

I smiled and said, 'By the time you finish school, 99% of women may not even want to carry pregnancy. Technology is moving fast. They might perfect robots to carry babies. Maybe you should study ‘Robot Medicine’ if there’s such a thing.' 

She frowned. So I explained, 'Women today are already choosing surrogates and having just one or two children to keep their shape. Imagine what the world will look like 20 years from now.

Then I looked at both of them and said, 'Wait, let me give you more examples so you understand what I mean by 'work smart.'

The world is changing fast. Look at the problems coming:  

First, Mental Health: Social media pressure, unemployment, loneliness. In 10 years anxiety and depression will be the #1 issue for youths. If you go into Clinical Psychology or Mental Health Microbiology, people will pay anything for peace of mind.

Second, Cyber Security: Everything is online now - banking, school, even church. In 10 years fraud, hacking and AI scams will blow up. Cyber Security and Digital Forensics experts will be in every company.

Third, Environmental Health. Pollution, flooding, contaminated water. New diseases will come from climate change. If you major in 

Environmental Microbiology or Public Health, governments and NGOs will be looking for you.

 

Then I dropped my final words:  

Stop working hard. Start working smart.

Study the problems people will have tomorrow, and position yourself to solve them today.

ENT and Women’s Health are not going away. They are evolving into fertility, IVF, audiology, and reproductive technology.  

And the same with every other field. The future belongs to problem solvers.

That’s how you stay relevant.  That’s how you win.

#WorkSmart #CareerAdvice #FutureOfWork #Students #NightengaleBenOnyeukwu #Microbiology #ENT #MentalHealth #CyberSecurity`

 

 

Proprietor, Lydia Kogah

TEACHERS WANTED!

THE PRUDENT LEARNING HUB (Aunty Lydia's School) is inviting applications from qualified, dedicated, and passionate teachers for the following subject areas:

Basic Science / ICT (Junior Secondary)

Civic Education (Junior & Senior Secondary)

Christian Religious Studies (CRS) (Junior & Senior Secondary)

Igbo Language (Junior & Senior Secondary)

Location: Old NEPA Office, Ifakala, by Police Junction.

If you are committed to academic excellence and passionate about shaping young minds, we would love to hear from you.

For enquiries and applications, please contact: 08034411263

Kindly share this opportunity with qualified teachers who may be interested.

THE PRUDENT LEARNING HUB (Aunty Lydia's School)

Committed to Excellence in Education.

 

 

Today, 28th June, is my birthday.

Every year on this day, I find myself sitting quietly, thinking about how far life has brought me. Sometimes I smile, sometimes I laugh at old memories, and sometimes my eyes become wet because not every part of my journey has been easy.

Life has taught me so much. It has taught me how to love people, even when they did not love me back the same way. It has taught me that being loved is one of the most beautiful feelings in the world. I have met people who became family without sharing my blood, and I have met people who walked away after promising they never would. That is life.

I have struggled. I have failed. I have been disappointed. There were days I felt like nothing was working, days I wondered if all my efforts even mattered, and nights I cried myself to sleep, hoping that tomorrow would somehow be different. But after a while, I realised something. Crying makes the heart feel lighter, but it does not change the situation. So every time I cried, I wiped my face, stood up, and tried again. I kept telling myself, ‘One more time, Nightengale. Just one more time.’ That has become my life. People see the smile, but they do not know how many battles it has survived. They see the confidence, but they do not know how many times fear sat beside me. They see the writer, but they do not know how many stories were written with tears in my eyes.

Sometimes I think I am like a phoenix. Life burns me, but somehow I rise again. I do not know where the strength comes from. Maybe it is God. Maybe it is hope. Maybe it is because I still believe my story is not over. Looking back now, I realise that every difficult season left something behind. Some taught me patience, some taught me to be careful, and some taught me that not everyone who comes into your life is meant to stay. Those moments hurt, but they also helped me become the person I am today.

I am just me. My name is Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu. I love writing. I always have. It is the one place where I can pour out my heart without anyone interrupting me. I love singing too. I may not know how to dance, but I know how to speak from my heart. I enjoy meeting people, listening to their stories, and learning from them because every person has a story, just as I have mine.

People always ask me what my favourite colours are. I tell them white, blue, and pink because they remind me of peace, hope, and kindness. Yet, somehow, I always find myself wearing red. Maybe I never noticed that it had quietly become the colour of my strength. I do not really have a favourite food, but if you serve me boiled potato, I might politely leave it on the plate. I still do not know whether it is the sweetness or those little strings that come out after it is cooked. I just know we have never been friends. Apart from that, if the food is delicious, I will gladly eat it.

I also love travelling. I have always wanted to see different parts of the world with my own eyes. I want to experience different cultures, meet new people, hear different languages, and see the places I have only read about. I believe every place has something beautiful to offer, and I hope that, little by little, I will get to see more of God's wonderful creation.

As I celebrate another birthday today, I am not celebrating because life has been perfect. I am celebrating because I am still here. I am grateful for every prayer that carried me through the days when I felt like giving up, for every lesson life taught me, and even for the tears that nobody saw. They became part of my story. If you are reading this and life feels heavy, I may not know what you are going through, but I hope you do not give up. I know what it feels like to wait for better days. Sometimes they take longer than we expect, but they do come.

Happy Birthday to me. I still have dreams to chase, books to write, songs to sing, places to see, people to meet, and so much life ahead of me. As long as God gives me breath, I will keep moving forward, one step at a time.

With love,

Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

 

Happy Children’s Day To Every Child In The World

 

There is something so beautiful about children. From the very first day they are born, they bring a different kind of happiness into the world. A baby cries for the first time in a hospital room, and suddenly tired mothers smile through their pain. Fathers become emotional. Families rejoice. People pray and thank God because a new little life has entered the world. A child may be small, but the joy they bring is always big. Sometimes, just one tiny baby can fill an entire house with laughter, love, noise, and happiness.

Then comes the sleepless nights. The nights when mothers stay awake carrying babies in their arms while gently singing them to sleep. The moments when babies cry because of teething pain and cannot even explain where it hurts. The little fingers holding tightly onto their mother’s clothes. The little mouths trying to bite everything because their gums ache. The stress, the tiredness, the waking up at midnight again and again, yet parents still smile because love makes everything worth it. Children may not remember those moments when they grow up, but parents carry those memories forever in their hearts.

Then comes crawling, one of the most beautiful stages of childhood. Children crawling slowly on the floor, falling down, standing up again, trying to move around the house with curiosity in their eyes. One minute they are beside you, the next minute they are already trying to touch something dangerous, climb chairs, scatter books, pour water, or run outside happily without fear. Sometimes they fall and cry loudly, and a few minutes later they are laughing again like nothing happened. Children have a way of bringing life into every home. Their little footsteps, their laughter, their innocent questions, and even their stubbornness become memories families never forget.

Children are soft hearts living in a hard world. Some children are lucky to sleep every night with love around them, while some children are struggling quietly. Some are hungry. Some are sick. Some have lost their parents too early. Some are sleeping in hospital beds today instead of playing outside. Some children smile outside while hiding pain inside their small hearts. That is why children should always be loved, protected, listened to, and cared for. No child deserves pain. No child deserves to feel unwanted. Every child deserves love, safety, education, happiness, and the freedom to dream.

Sometimes adults forget how special children are. A child can make you laugh on your worst day. A child can hug you and suddenly make your stress feel smaller. Their hearts are pure. Their love is real. They forgive easily. They smile easily. They believe easily. Children are one of the purest gifts God gave this world.

Today is not only about celebrating children, it is also about remembering how precious they are. To every mother carrying her child with love, to every father working hard for his children, to every teacher, nurse, guardian, and caregiver taking care of children every day, may God bless you. Raising a child is not easy, but the love children give back is something truly beautiful.

And to every child reading this or hearing this somewhere in the world, never forget that you are important. You are loved. Your smile matters. Your life matters. One day those tiny crawling feet will grow stronger. Those tiny hands will build dreams. Those little voices will become powerful voices in the future. The world of tomorrow is resting quietly inside the hearts of children today.

Happy Children’s Day to every beautiful child around the world.

— Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

 

Hon. Odunze Kingsley Chinonyerem Emerges as Action Alliance Candidate for Mbaitoli

 By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

Hon. Odunze Kingsley Chinonyerem has expressed deep gratitude and joy following his emergence as the Action Alliance candidate to represent Mbaitoli in the Imo State House of Assembly election.

Speaking shortly after the primaries, he described the victory not as a personal achievement, but as a victory for the people of Mbaitoli, the youths, the women, the elders, and everyone who believes that better representation is possible.

‘I sincerely thank the leaders of Action Alliance, the delegates, my supporters, friends, family members, and every single person who believed in this journey. Today’s victory belongs to all of us,’ he said.

He congratulated the people of Mbaitoli for what he described as ‘the beginning of a new chapter built on unity, hope, and people-centered leadership.’ According to him, the outcome of the primaries shows that the voices of ordinary people still matter and that the dreams of the younger generation are still alive.

Hon. Odunze also appreciated the efforts of party stakeholders and everyone who ensured a peaceful and successful primary election process. He called for unity among supporters and members of the party, stressing that the journey ahead would require collective effort and shared commitment.

‘This moment is bigger than politics,’ he stated. ‘It is about our people. It is about the mothers who want better lives for their children, the youths searching for opportunities, the traders, the workers, and every family hoping for progress in Mbaitoli.’

He further assured the people that he would remain committed to accessible leadership, honest representation, and grassroots development if given the opportunity to serve in the Imo State House of Assembly.

Hon. Odunze Kingsley Chinonyerem also used the moment to encourage young people never to lose faith in leadership and participation in governance, noting that dedication, consistency, and service can still open doors for positive change.

‘As we celebrate today, I congratulate the entire people of Mbaitoli. This victory is for every community, every ward, and every person who desires a stronger voice and a brighter future. The journey has begun, and together, we will move Mbaitoli forward,’ he added.

The atmosphere following the announcement of his victory was filled with celebration, excitement, and renewed hope among supporters, many of whom described his emergence as a positive step for the future of Mbaitoli.