ON THE STREETS OF CALABAR – NTEN MPAMA
Nten is a teenage girl who loves putting her thoughts to paper. Writing is to her what food is to the body. She is a ferocious reader and an avid lover of poetry. She also loves to bake and eat what she bakes. Her faith is probably the most important part of her life. She lives in Calabar with her family. Grace knew in her heart of hearts that the dress she was wearing was inappropriate for the streets of Calabar. But what could she do? Ken had cancelled on her at the last minute; he had some errands to run. “What could possibly go wrong?” She thought. “I’ll just walk a short distance to the road then pick a cab to Marian. How hard could that be?” So she said goodbye to her elder sister who gave her a look that said, “Girl, are you sure you wanna wear…
Nten’s Lessons From 2016
I had already decided that I wasn’t going to write this. Because really, what lessons did I learn in 2016? But right now, as I write this, I’m thinking really hard. What did I learn through 2016? ° I learnt the importance of friendship. I know sometimes with the way friendship is hyped it seems a little overrated. But, trust me, it’s not. Last year was really depressing but I was able to pull through largely because of the help of a certain group of people who made my wellbeing their concern. ° I learnt that prayer is a very important tool for survival. In 2016,my faith became all too important. I needed it to be so and I still do. Only someone who prays can understand the peace you feel inside after pouring your heart out to God. It’s simply indescribable! ° At the beginning of 2016, there were…
Lessons From 2016 By Godwin Ovat
2016 was a challenging year for all of us, the emergence of the recession in the country’s economy amplified the anger, tension, confusion and pessimism in us. But despite the transient setback, 2016 taught me lessons which I reflect upon today. The number one thing I learned is to believe in myself. We all deal with vulnerability, uncertainty, and failure, but it should not one from believing in himself. I learned to believe improvement was even when trouble escalates. I also learned to adopt new things, to raise a bar in my life even when everyone accepts average. The list may not long but I thank God for helping me unlearn certain habits that massaged my weakness.
Blessing’s Lessons From 2016
Happy new year everyone, my 2016 was a year I never wish to experience again, but it taught me how to have more faith in God than man. Things were very difficult my family. If both your parents are retired you should understand what I mean. I remember one time in the month of may (my birth month) I could not even afford a sanitary towel of # 200, a pen or even transport to school. I trekked for two weeks and used tissue paper for the first time in my life. I am not really good at asking people for help but I did and I was promised so I put all my hope and faith in it and up till date I have not seen 1 Naira. I told myself I will never lose faith in God anymore and put it in man. I didn’t even have any…
Ekene’s Lessons From 2016
2016 was a challenging year for all of us, the emergence of recession in the country’s economy amplified the anger, tension, confusion and pessimism in us. But despite the transient setback, 2016 taught me lessons which I reflect upon today. The number one thing I learnt is to believe in myself. We all deal with vulnerability, uncertainty and failure, but it should not stop one from believing in himself. I learned to believe improvement happens when trouble escalates. I also learned to adopt new things, to raise a bar in my life even when everyone accepts average. The list may not be long but I thank God for helping me unlearn certain habits that massaged my weakness.
Amaka Ekezie’s Lessons From 2016
2016 was a beautiful year. I had my own fair share of experiences and several things left me in awe. So, when I got the invite to write a round-up of lessons learned in 2016, I thought really hard for days what to put down. That wasn’t because I learned no lessons during the year or because I was oblivious of all that happened to me but because I tried to think of a way to translate these experiences into lessons I should learn from. Well, finally, I’ve been able to come up with these two important life lessons 2016 taught me. GRATITUDE: Often times, we (especially young people) get lost in our endless wants and desires that we begin to lose touch with the things we have and should be thankful for. All my life, I heard sermons and people talk about gratitude, appreciation, contentment, etc and even though…
Ofem Ubi’s Lessons From 2016
16 It’s sad to watch you board your flight to history Slip off my fingers like spilled red wine And 365 moments of you were nothing but joyful crucifixion Cause you were a tale that ended with tragedy and happiness You gave me my first birthday cake And flipped my life’s book to the new page You made my pen fly without feathers The very moment you introduced me to Mz.Blankpaperz I thought I was Sampson Until you broke my bones by seizing breathe off granny’s nostrils You made me a man You taught me patience You taught me that I was just too tall for the box of expectations people try to fix me in You told me love was a song I was yet ready to sing Even though I thought I knew the notes, chords and progressions You gave me amazing friends You told me I wasn’t…
Mirabelle’s 2016 Lessons
Somewhere in the last quarter of 2016, I felt like I had wasted my entire year. I was heartbroken about certain issues. During my first semester exams, I couldn’t even concentrate. One time, I nearly gave up on reading anything for my exam, my heart wasn’t in it, I guess it was somewhere outside Nigeria. Anyway, I wrote about it and titled it Flashback to My Exam Experience this Semester. But I’m happy those days are past me. These are the lessons I learned in 2016. 1. Communication is key! It is vital! It is important! You need to communicate with people. Speak your mind (tactfully). Tell people what you need. Don’t be afraid. If you don’t like something, say it. If you feel down, speak to someone. If you like someone, say so. If you admire someone successful and would like to connect with them, walk up to them…
Ogala’s Epistle on His Lessons from 2016
So today 28th December 2016. It’s a couple of days to 2017, and while a lot of people have not failed to express their enthusiasm, I do not think I am so excited about it, though. Do not get me wrong. I am quite optimistic about the New Year, but you know that feeling you get when you about to start a new project you know you are going to have to fail at before you can eventually succeed? That lump in your throat and that sickness in your stomach? No? I guess it’s just me then. My 2016 was a very bitter-sweet experience and I have learned a series of lessons. In fact, When Mirabelle asked me to write this, I was really excited as I had been thinking of the year in such a way as a man thinks of his past, in order to decide his future.…
Tales Of A Mad Black Girl – Kammie Nsa
Down in illusions, Living in depression. Faked emotions. Miserable Situations. She’s losing her mind. Drowning in the lies she tells, She lost her home, living on the cold hard streets, She has no claim to her name. Her deep buried secrets threaten to expose, To tell of a life She once lived. In her madness, She’s found a home. Letting her insanity clothe her, a wrap against the cold.. She once had love so good, A place so warm, A home so secure. But her sanity she lost to it. She once had family so tight, Friends so right, And a place to call hers. But now, She’s got no claim to her name. So She rolls around on the streets, Yelling and Telling to who may listen, Saying truths and giving out secrets, They stole her sanity, Left her in a place of False happiness, But of course, no-one…
Gilda’s Lessons From 2016
I’m Gilda Opoku. I’m a Ghanaian and God girl. I love to write and motivate. The year 2016 wasn’t all smooth for me but it was a great success. I went to a lot of discouragement and disturbances that probably aimed at affecting my ministry but the Lord God was good and his arm was and is a good place of refuge. I don’t know about you. Probably, you’ve gone through similar or even far worse than my 2016 experience. I urge you not to waive hope. God is a POWER SUPPLY that charges his instruments. The instruments may get hot in the process of charging but in the end, it gets ready for action. So as we are, we’ve been charged and made hot(to suffer)and ready for use in 2017. #Remember your present sufferings(the heat) are nothing to be compared to the joy that is being set before(2017) you.…
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE QUESTIONS FOR THE JANUARY BOOK GIVEAWAY
Welcome my people! Welcome to the BLANKPAPERZ JANUARY BOOK GIVEAWAY! I am so excited to have you here. Without further delay, here’s what you need to know. There are only 100 winners is ONLY 1 WINNER and this winner is anyone who sends in the most correct answers first. No need to send us a mail, just type your answers here. SIMPLE! Here are the 4 chingum questions. Hurry! 1. Who is the founder/mastermind behind Nigeria’s online e-book store, Okadabooks? 2. What is the name of the prince who marries the character, Miranda in Shakespeare’s popular play, The Tempest? 3. Who wrote the book, The Thing Around Your Neck? 4. In your own few words, no need to blow big grammar, don’t even bother trying to impress me I’m lying: a. Do you think literature such as books, articles, poems, stories, etc have the power to influence our society? b.…
Ishoyor’s Lessons from 2016
It’s all a matter of perspective or so the bookworms would say. What did I learn from 2016? Oh well, I’d say it was the best worst year yet, I’m equally torn and I can’t play partial and say it was perfect or disastrous like that… No. I’m an on the fence sitting kinda person. 2016 said to me that I’d do anything to survive, whether its turn my eyes to Zion’s peak, play slave to undeserving masters, act dumb so dumber people could feel smart, or break scriptural dictates. I’d do almost anything so that my flesh could at least have shelter and glucose to plunge forward. From joyful to depressed, in love to heartbroken, academically upright to dumb as shit, undergraduate to hopeful working class, writer to budding photographer… 16 simply played it forward that nothing was permanent and change was going to keep tossing me in its…