STOP TELLING ME LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL

DEDICATED TO THE VICTIMS OF TANKER EXPLOSION IN LAGOS, NIGERIA @ OTEDOLA BRIDGE ON 29TH JUNE, 2018.

How can one measure such grief
The brutal demise that fell upon us
As the flame burn high above the sky
The sun could not wipe away the tears in our eyes

She also fell down on her knees and cry
For many, the world came to an abrupt end 
But how much torture must a child go through?
Before we come to aknowledge that life is awkward 

I can not imagine how it feel
Knowing that a beloved father is gone
The sudden sadness over losing ones best friend
The tragedy of a mother whose child has become an orphan 

How can I go to sleep tonight?
Knowing another day will pass by without your smile
I will be broken and miserable the rest of my life
The burden is too enormous to bear

It is disheartening when the news broke last night
It is so sad, I wanted badly to die with you
The pain is tearing my world apart
Life I knew and cherish is now in disarray

I was born to believe life is beautiful
But someone took out the diamond in the sky
It is wrong to assume I would again find love by my side
Who is going to fix the things life has broken?

All Rights Reserved © Akan Udofia 2018

MY STORY

My story is sad but true
Not the life of someone beautiful
I was born without a home
Became a man since I was four

Hawking daily on the hallow street
Tattered cloth and tattered shoes
The world left me with a broken dream
Said I do not stand a chance 

It is like no one loved me
Life never gave me the answer I seek
I did not choose to be here 

But I have to protect my interest

I do not expect you to understand 
But believed I can make it to the end
Never stopped walking 

Until I saw the stars smile

All Rights Reserved © Akan Udofia 2018

18 Things You Need To Give Up To Become A High-Achieving Person

A secret about success is that it is just as much about what you give up as what you gain.

Are you willing to give up late nights out for late nights in working? Are you willing to turn a deaf ear to blind criticisms? Are you willing to listen to helpful ones? Are you going to be able to give up the doubt, the resistance, the uncertainty, the avoidance mechanisms? As Mastin Kipp says: Are you willing to live as other people won’t, so maybe you can live as other people can’t?



High achieving people understand that the foundation of life is the white space – and that because our energy is limited each day, what we spend it on will define us in the future.

1. The fear of uncertainty.

Nothing in life is certain. There are no guarantees, ever. Building your own business or embarking on a side project or trying a whole new career doesn’t mean you’re diverting from the path of certainty and into a life of the reckless unknown. It means you recognize that certainty is largely an illusion, and clinging to it can ultimately hold you back.



2. Ignoring your feelings.

Your anger? It’s telling you where you feel powerless. Your anxiety? It’s telling you that something in your life is off balance. Your fear? It’s telling you what you care about. Your apathy? It’s telling you where you’re overextended and burnt out. Your feelings aren’t random, they are messengers. And if you want to get anywhere, you need to be able to let them speak to you, and tell you what you really need.

3. Pretending your problems don’t exist. 

Make a spreadsheet of your debt. Write a list of the habits you know are detrimental to your health and reflect on what discomfort they help you to avoid. Think about the people you owe apologies to. Envision what it would take to transform your life. Be honest with yourself. Sticking your head in the sand is actively making things worse.



4. Avoiding discomfort.

All of the “bad habits” that are holding you back from your potential you adapted to as coping mechanisms, and what you were trying to do is avoid discomfort. Most people build their lives around just doing what makes them feel most at ease without realizing that trying to avoid inevitable feelings is the fast track to complacency and actually facilitates deep, prolonged anxiety.

5. Your most unhealthy habits.

Real success is a holistic thing, and it isn’t going to happen when you feel like crap all the time. It’s unrealistic to assume you’ll never have a glass of wine again, so rather than trying to eliminate everything that isn’t perfectly healthy for you, identify your worst habits and work on those while allowing yourself other vices here and there. It’s not about achieving perfection, it’s just about facilitating your health so that you can get out of your own way.

6. A victim mentality.

Your backstory will not define your life. Your current circumstances will not define your life. The only thing that defines your life is what you choose to do in response to them. Everyone has a story of struggle to share – some people define themselves by it, others act in spite of it. Your past will only be your future if you carry it there.

7. Your excuses.

It’s okay to want to explain why you aren’t where you want to be. But you also have to realize that justifying it won’t get you there any faster. In life, you either do or you don’t.  You either waste time placating yourself into stagnancy, or you get honest about where you are and make change. The validity of your excuses only serves to make you temporarily feel better about why you aren’t doing what you know you want and need to be.



8. Learned helplessness.

Learned helplessness is when people have faced so many challenges in their lives that they begin to believe they are powerless in the face of their external circumstances, and therefore, they just stop trying to change them. Re-learning that you are in control of more of your life than you’re not is imperative to moving it forward.

9. Defending your problems.

If someone offers you advice on how to change a problem that you’ve been complaining about for a while, do you consider it, or do you respond with an excuse as to why they don’t understand, why it won’t work, or why you are ultimately helpless? If so, consider why you are defending your problems more than you are your potential. This is a symptom of learned helplessness (see above).

10. Distractions.

Everything that isn’t helping you move forward or build a life you’re proud of is simply a distraction. Whether this means streamlining your wardrobe, decluttering your home, parsing down on your project load, or even downsizing your social obligations, eliminating distractions is absolutely essential.

11. The need to be liked.

Nobody is universally liked, largely for reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with them. You are going to be liked by some, loved by others, criticized by a handful, and disliked by a few basically regardless of what you choose to do with your life. Therefore, it makes the most sense to do what you want regardless of how other people will respond.



12. Trying to do everything yourself.

You are not meant to take on every role, job and responsibility in your life. High achieving people don’t inundate themselves with work, they hire the right people, streamline and surround themselves with experts who can handle what they are not best equipped to. You are not stronger for refusing to rely on anyone else, you’re wasting your energy and weakening your potential.

13. Resistance.

Resistance is a normal response to stepping out of your comfort zone, going out on a limb, or trying something new. However, if you have more resistance than you do productivity, there’s something that needs to be addressed. You have to learn how to show up and do the work even when you don’t “feel like it” (see below) and to recognize that sometimes, too much hesitance is actually a message that you aren’t quite on the right path yet.

14. Quick fixes and shortcuts.

Building something lasting and meaningful won’t happen overnight, and you should stop expecting it to. Real change happens gradually, and one habit at a time. Rather than trying to exert enough willpower to change something 100%, focus on how you can do 1% better each day, and over time, the effort will compound.

15. Waiting until you “feel like it” to get started.

Motivation isn’t something you wait for, it’s something you build. Passion might have told you what you want to do in life, but it isn’t going to be the thing that propels you through late nights of work and difficult days that make you just want to quit. To become a high achieving person, you need principles and you need habits. What we feel strongly about does not ultimately define our lives – what we do every day does.



16. The fear of failure.

The fear of failure doesn’t make you more successful, it severely holds you back. It makes you unwilling to take chances, leave situations that you don’t want to be in, or change your circumstances. Failure isn’t a finality, it’s a learning opportunity. It is your life telling you what is and isn’t working. Honoring it and adjusting accordingly is essential to thrive.

17. Envying those who have what you want.

The way that you speak about those who have achieved what you aspire to will either enable or hinder you to getting it yourself. If we start to pick out the flaws in those we envy because deep down, we really wish we had what they did, ultimately we begin to associate having that kind of success with being disliked or unworthy. It sets us up for self-sabotage. The more you judge others, the more you put yourself in a box. 

18. Waiting for your circumstances to change before you do.

It can be tempting to be allured into destination addiction, or the idea that once we have achieved one more thing, or have a new relationship, or are handed some degree of success, life will change and we will feel better. The reality is that life unfolds from the inside out, and that we don’t change when our circumstances do, our circumstances change when we do.

© Brianna Wiest

I CAN NOT ERASE YOU OFF MY MIND

I have plans to put your pictures on the frame in my heart
It does not matter how long the moon stays up
I love to see your pretty face at sunrise
You are the one I have been waiting for

For so long I have been praying for a miracle
That is why I have been dreaming
I am sorry if I am overreacting
Hope you have a moment to look into my heart

While I watched you sitting in the bus a forth night
I knew my life will never be the same
Loving you is worth everything I have in life
Contemplating about it is futile

Please do not treat me as someone that is selfish
Searching for you is all I have ever craved
Truth is, you are the center piece of the puzzle
The answer to the questions lingering in my heart

I am not asking you to love me back
But to be a friend who care and understand
Just enough for us to get by
I hope this is not too much to ask?

All Right Reserved (c) Akan 2018

Sleek Modupe: NO ROMANCE WITHOUT FINANCE.

Sleek Modupe: NO ROMANCE WITHOUT FINANCE.: I, my sister and a childhood friend were invited to a social wedding of one of the youngest Commissioner in Nigeria, we are all single ...

INSURRECTION

Tell me, is it worth it?
Living in a world crashing down
All your dreams static
Losing every battle without a crown

We all have love ones to protect
But the urge got to be strong enough
To withstand a fall from a thousand feet
Not been resentful but living an authentic life

Out on the street, it is a different world 
It is a total blackout, where is the sun?
If hope and dream of youths are trashed?
What then is the future of the unborn?

Why are there no jobs? 
Why is insecurity on the rise?
Why is human right jeopardize?
Why do we keep corrupt leaders?

Why is life painted so wrong? 
There is so many questions to ask
It taste awful, the recipe is misplaced
The world is asleep, she needs to be awake

All Rights Reserved © Akan Udofia 2018

NO ONE HOME

I watched the stars fall out of existence
Time creeping further into obliviousness
Breath of forlornness I feel
No ships sailing on the sea

It is like from January to July
The birds could no longer fly to the sky
The world lost her trails a fortnight
And could not make it home tonight

I called out names of loved ones
All I hear are echoes
Voices whispering to the heart
Driving insane the thoughts of the mind

Who took out the light?
Life nowadays seem to be timid
The silence I could not comprehend
A broken spirit I could not fend

All Rights Reserved © Akan Udofia 2018

WALKING THE DISTANCE

It sounded easy at first
When told I will grow up to be a man
As a kid I never knew how far the journey
The distance I had to walk through  to get here

Coming home late from work
Exhausted yet able to spare some love
This and other sacrifices you made that can never die
I had the best gift any child could ever ask

Always supporting my dream since I was a little child
It is true there is no sacrifice without pain
I learnt to take responsibility for my actions
Grateful you allowed me in my youth to make mistakes

I realized the best place you can find love
Is laying in your arms at home
It didn't take me quite a while
To appreciate what it means to have a father's smile

You are there when I needed someone to talk you
Today I made a promise in my heart
To teach my kids never to despise God
To be patient, understanding, deciplined 

Learn to forgive when been hurt
Life is sorounded with many stars
But a humble heart will shine even brighter
Thank you for not holding back your love

All Rights Reserved © Akan Udofia 2018

BANDIT ON THE RUN

Oh baby sister
I can not believe you are gone
Last night I saw a falling star
Drifting away from the sky before dawn

In nature, we were opposite 
Yet perfect together in every match
You were like a mother to me indeed
Always conscious of the things I need as much

First it was Ini, my beloved brother
I knew from that moment
My world came to an end before september
If not, how can I return back to sanity?

You knew I was ready to fight for you until the end
Why did you have to go without saying goodbye
Why did you had to let go my hand
I am as guilty as a murderer, watching you slip by

My regrets can not bring you out of the sand 
Please allow me to wander endlessly
Is this the best life got to offer to a weary mind?
The moment you went away, I lost my insanity 

This bring back pain to an already inflicted heart 
Wish I could borrow your smile 
Your smile is the only thing that makes me happy tonight
It is difficult for me, but I had to say goosbye

All Rights Reserved ©Akan Udofia 2018

ALWAYS BY YOUR SIDE

Last time when we were strolling together
I noticed the stars twinkling high above
I was jealous, my heart is very fond of you
You mean so much to me

I know life robbed you off a mother's love
Nothing in the world can ever replace that
I know what it feels to loss someone dear
It's like the world is falling apart

You are stronger than you think you are
Be bold, wipe away the tears from your eyes
That is the right thing she will want you to do
Did you noticed how amazing you look when you smile?

A day at a time, that is all it takes
If you need someone who truely care
I will be here offering my love for free
All I want is what is best for you

While you go to sleep tonight
Know that you can still find love
It is alright if you have nightmares
I will be here by your side to ease away the fear

All Rights Reserved © Akan Udofia 2018

THE DAY OF THE LORD

Oh Lord, I plead the blood of Jesus 
Please hear my humble cry
In your infinite mercy, forgive us
Cause not the souls to perish and die

For generations you have been faithful
To man despite his insipid nature of mind
We broke our vows, yet despised you
For a mere piece of silver, the house of God turned blind

The prophecies of old are upon us
We mock the grace of God, slaughtered one another
The church of God is not as sacred
But a refuge for thieves and a muderer

In the clouds I see your glory 
I will serve thee because you love me
My song of praise, your amazing grace will be
You have giving life to me, I will praise thee

Tonight as I lay on my bed to sleep
I confess my sins to be washed away
I forsake every act unclean in my heart
When the trumpet sound, Lord take me away

All Rights Reserved © Akan Udofia 2018

I MISS YOU

DEDICATED TO BABY SISTER WHO PASSED AWAY NOT LONG AGO

We shared many secrets
Despite we often don't get along
It is difficult to sleep in the house
It is been empthy since you are gone

I thought the pain will go away
Instead there is a big hole in my heart
Wish I could have persuaded you to stay
It is unbearable, a world without you around

I still wake up in the middle of the night in tears
Turned on the light, hoping to see you lying on the bed 
You are the joy of all my happiness
A baby sister with a very big heart

No woman alive can ever take your place
You light up the house with smile in a special way
We had arguments, a lot of fight, each ended with a truce
I remembered the good times we had yesterday

Wish I can see your face, hug you one more time
Life is going too fast, wish I could hold your hand

To everyone you are kind, always lending a helping hand

You are mom's precious gem since you were a child

Time disappeared, my heart died
The moment I looked at your casket
Farewell beloved sister, you are now in God's hand
You are now in a better place at rest

All Rights Reserved © Akan Udofia 2018

TWISTED LOVE

I woke up in the morning 
Can not find the right sense of mind 
Emotion twisted come daylight 
With feelings empty and bald 

I could not detect where to find you 
I looked for you 
In the center of the world 
But someone took away the sun 

Just when I was trying to be bold 
I have been seeing you 
Laying in my dream 
The cloud took off her cloth 

Showing off to the world 
How you are beautiful 
To hold your hand
I have to contend with the world

All Rights Reserved © Akan Udofia 2018