Whenever I read the comments on the social media, I marvel at the depth of wisdom, knowledge and understanding of life’s issues that reside in Nigerians.
Mike Awoyinfa
In a foreword, Professor Pat Utomi praises the book as “a sunny compilation that smells like a bouquet of a thousand flowers the wise words dispensed on the internet come alive and can serve as a companion for living in a challenged world.”
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He adds: “Technology such as the social media have enabled an aggregation of the wisdom nuggets possible. Oby Chukwuneta found Facebook a place to face many demons that torture existence with both wisdom nuggets of sages and simple words of caring heart.”
The book garlanded in flowery words by the eminent professor is a new book by Chukwuneta Oby, a newspaper columnist who sees herself as “a non-graduating student of life and one to whom writing is an accidental passion.” On Facebook, she has a forum called “Facebook Parliament” where friends send in their original proverbs, wisecracks, life lessons, plus letters pouring out their souls and seeking advice and comments from members of the parliament who all offer their counsel. Finding herself deluged with an avalanche of such witty words, she decided to compile them into a book.
A copy landed on my table last week. The book titled Vintage Quotes for Success Living from Chukwuneta Oby’s Facebook Parliament would be presented to the public on November 24, at Muson Centre, Lagos.
I ask the author what inspired the book and she replies: “It was the desire not to let words that I consider worthwhile, go to waste. Whenever I read the comments of friends to my posts on the social media, I marvel at the depth of wisdom, knowledge and understanding of life’s issues that reside in Nigerians. It would have been most regrettable to just read such punchy lines and just click ‘like’. And go.
Those words deserve to be given some timelessness.
“People contact me on their (mostly relationship) issues, which I edit and post (with their permission, of course)…for wider views from my social media acquaintances. Oby does not have all the answers…I always say. It’s in the course of reading the submission of friends on the various issues that we talk on that one often comes across brilliant views. It would be most unfair to humanity not to immortalize such views. They are the kind of words you inscribe (as TIMELESS) on the marble of life.
“Quotes are bursts of enlightenment in living. They are an eye opener to the bigger picture. Alley to ideas. Some quotes are also inducers of laughter in living.
“A good quote should be unambiguous, have practicality and some relativity to whatever situation it is seeking to address.
“Personally, a quote can give me something to write about. Some quotes are capable of striking one with ideas that can serve as a guide to a whole subject matter. No good writer can cheapen the importance of quotes in communication. Sometimes, you are at a loss as to what to write on but a quote can suddenly leave you bursting with notions. Quotes also provide a communicator with deeper insights on issues. Just as they equally jolt a writer into putting on a thinking cap.”
Below are some vintage quotes randomly selected from the book which shows that every man or woman is a natural philosopher:
“Life gives us all clean slates by the tomorrows that will come. It will be wise to take the clean slates and write the future you want.” —Okey Nwosu
“Kindness is never erased in the heart of God even if it is erased in our heads.” —Stella Ilorah Offor
“I prefer that while one has a choice, let him or her utilize it very well. Tomorrow is just there, yet tomorrow is too far.” —Chuks Man-Dore
“You don’t go asking for gifts you gave somebody just because you fell out with them. That’s low.” —Nneka Obiekwe Nwogu
“Be your own secret keeper.” — Cynthia Valerian Raphaels
“In every situation, maturity saves the day.” —Nneka Uzoma Ralu- chukwu Aroh
“Self-discipline begins with the master of your thoughts. If you don’t control what you think, you can’t control what you do.” —Adetokunbo Sowemimo
“Teaching someone a lesson might feel sweet at first, but eventually leaves the ‘teacher’ bitter, empty and unfulfilled.” —OluwaToyin Margaret
“The devil is the devil, whether it’s the one you know or a new one.” — Roz Ben-Okagbue
“I always tell people, all you need to succeed anywhere in the world is knowledge of yourself and the environment.” —Dayo Afolabi
“Some people prefer to pity you when things are not going well with you, than to rejoice with you the moment God changes your situation.” — Maryann Chinagorom
“Once boundaries are not clearly drawn in any facet of life, please expect problems.” —Nneh Kah Sensay
“Broken heart is sometimes necessary in life to teach and strengthen us.” —Festus Aleke
“Platonic love can sometimes be more enjoyable than conjugal love.” —Ufuoma Bernard
“Most Ex’s rarely have anything new to offer.” —Faithy Orohwomena
“Do not for any reason get yourself involved with a married man and expect nice ending, it has never worked and will never work.” —Frank Anosike
“The sign of a bad marriage are always there at the beginning.” —Mobison Obumson
“Where a lie came from, other hidden lies are still packed in there.”— Cynthia Valerian Raphaels.
“Unmarried ladies are usually objects of suspicion, to the woman in the home.” —Elizabeth Owoeye
“Whenever you are the giving type, most people around you usually develop the ‘Oliver Twist’ attitude.” —Odiraa Ibe
“The only language that women understand is ‘success’ and that’s why they will keep marrying the wrong men.” —Samuel Ijere
“In Nigeria of today, it’s not easy to be a man o. Sometimes you need a woman to help you become that man.”—Queen Ure Okezie
“A deliberate effort to return missed calls remains a culture of respect that most people take for granted.” —Ekwem Bizmarck Chinedu
“Sometimes when couples stay apart for too long, they simply become better at staying apart.” —Azosiri Chioma
“When you go into polygamy… the contract that you have signed is called LACK OF PEACE.” —Chinwe Echezona
“I have never seen or heard of a man who accepted fertility problems. It’s always the fault of the woman…” —Chinweike Norman Asogwa
“Women forget or may not know that one of the most unforgettable wrongsyoucandotoamanisto ridicule him over his sexual performance.” —Nwanedo Constantine Ugoeke
“Nigerian women have sex to please men—not to please themselves.” —Amanda Chisom
“Life is never as hopeless as we sometimes make ourselves believe.” —Chukwuneta Oby
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