The Chick's Demise by Makinde Damilola

“Seun,” my mum called. “Come and throw this dirt into the bin for me.”

I ran to the kitchen, hoping to get back fast to the cartoon I was watching on television. I collected the dirt in the basket and raced outside our unfenced house. When I got to where our central waste bin was, what I saw almost made me scream.  I saw a Mother hen feasting with her newly hatched chicks. Believe me, I had a phobia for cocks and hens generally, and that fear was aggravated with the abhorred sight of the hen and its chicks. I retraced my steps and thought of what to do. The cartoon was ongoing, I had to dispose the dirt, but the hen was ready to attack me if I dare neared it, believing that I wanted to hurt its chick.

Pensive, an idea popped up in my mind, I picked up a stone, to scare it away, but instead it ferociously cackled, opened its wings in an attempt to attack me. I was so scared that I shed a little urine in my pants. Just then, I summoned a bit of courage, stood back and hurled the stone at it, not to harm it but to scare it away. Alas! The unexpected happened; it hit one of its chicks and it wriggled, wriggled and wriggled before heeding death’s clarion call. I had killed a chick not ours. Even the cartoon I wanted to get back to, had escaped my mind. Just then, a mischievous thought crossed my mind and I immediately carried it out by disposing the chick together with the dirt. I ran back inside feeling safe and smart.

MALARIA by Tejuoso Olamide Mary

Mustn't you quit, O’ mosquito?

A malignant chase I'll give you this day,

for my skin you kissed with probing lips;

               you laid your hunger-stricken limbs on me               

and profusely drank out of my red wine

to infuse ‘iba’ into my armless system-

this evil shall not go unpunished,

you and your likes, be damned!

                                

My blood flows in its veins infected

all thanks to your sensational venom

my skin bloated from the scratches

you graciously but selfishly built on me-

for this great evil,  I detest forgiveness,

you and your likes, be damned!

The loathful liquid you skewered

spreads freely and rapidly like a waterfall;

my throat sore, head hurts all night;

my joints ache; my body trembles

yet I shall never submit to your will,

and if you think you have won this fight

in the pit of lies and deceit- defeat awaits.

You and your likes, be damned!

Malaria,

beware! I have conspired with your foe – herbs,

and the boxy net has agreed to be my guide-guard:

henceforth, trouble head mine no more,

you shall  work-up my heart beat neither.

Oh, rejoice o stomach, for the end to hunger comes

for I have conquered you, malaria…

You and your originator, be damned!

*Iba – Malaria

Biography

Tejuoso Olamide hails from Abeokuta in Ogun State. She loves reading, researching and writing. She is an aspiring journalist who believes in the philosophy of ‘writing to right’. She presently studies Communication and Language Arts in the University of Ibadan.

Art is the Heart by Famuwagun Festus

Some time ago, there was a disagreement in an eminent family. World, the father  had just titled himself  The Body and wanted his wives, Science and Arts and the children, human beings, to choose for themselves anything in the body they deem fit to be their title.

                Everyone saw themselves as being important. Hence, their zealous quest for an enviable title. Science was the first to talk.

“Being an inevitable member of this family, I’ll like to be called The Nose.”

“Mum, the ear is more important,” one of the children opined.

“You need your nose for respiration,” Science replied.

“Not necessarily!”  He argued, “One can also breathe through the mouth.”

Seeing how disputable her stance was, Science agreed to be called The Ear.

“If I go deaf, you can still communicate with me,” countered another.

Argument from various angles saturated the room like a gaseous substance. Every child became vibrant in debating over which is more important – the nose or the ear.

                “Alright, I shall be called the eyes,” Science resolved.

There was no argument this time. Everyone agreed that sight is of great use. Then, Arts, who had been silent all along said, “I choose to be called the heart.”

 Pin-drop silence ensued. Science was displeased. Although, she hadn’t thought of it, she believed the title was hers.

                “How can you choose to be the heart?” She shouted in anger.

Arts seemed unperturbed and others remained quiet. Then, she walked out in anger.

                For weeks, Science raged so much that home became hell. “That name is mine” was all she kept saying. Everyone was uncomfortable.  Art was concerned but there was nothing she could do. She felt she was really the heart and, giving it up was tantamount to disposing one’s identity.

                All effort to pacify her was futile. So, World decided that both wives should go and live with their parents in another planet for six months.  This won’t run concurrently because he wanted to determine who truly the heart was. 

                Science went first. She was terribly missed but it was soon discovered that she was not indispensable. Almost all her constituents were replaceable. In the absence of automobile; aircraft and ship, foot, animals and canoe were used for transportation. Herbs were used in place of medical care. Traditional means substituted many scientific means.

                Soon, it was Arts’ turn.  Languages for conversation were declared missing. Music, theatre and other dramatic arts became extinct. Records of history were gone.  Even literature and philosophy could not be seen and sensed. Painting, sculpture and other handcrafts that used to make world beautiful were unavailable. Art was indeed indispensable.

                World, the father, became dull. Human beings, the children, were uneasy. Even science was really incapacitated. There was no means to display talent and dexterity. Everything became redundant. After just two weeks, all - including science -   called for Arts’ return.

                Science’s absence was colossally felt; Arts’ was indispensably missed. Everyone therefore accepted that Arts is The Heart.      

Biography

Famuwagun Festus was born in the 90’s in Kaduna state, Nigeria. At present, he is a first year student of the University of Ibadan where he studies Communication and Language Arts. As a prospective author, Festus’ delight is rooted in writing stories. He also sometimes dabbles in poetry.

Poetry : In Her Prime by Kolade Olanrewaju Freedom

Photo credit: Olasubomi Cole, BeautySplashAfrica & Bunmi

The breeze swirls around her elegant gait;

a dance to the rhythmical beats composed

in the studio of her youthful figure –

echoes of the timeliness of her comeliness.

In her prime,

the doors of admiration, once stiff,

are flung open for eyes- mine, theirs

to explore the treasures buried beneath

the soil of her sacred being.

In her prime,

her beau hews the stone of death

for infidelity, his desires pollinated-

alienated from treachery's lustful calls.

In her prime,

her structure, structured like a sonnet,

screams God's dexterity - an artifact,

proudly displayed in God's showroom –

incandescent!

In her prime,

this question, a Messenger's icon,

pops up on the screen of thoughts,

'When her prime elopes with time,

will her beau still be for her?'

Kolade Olanrewaju Freedom, who has authored two poetry collections, The Light Bearer and Punctured Silence, studies in the department of Communication and Language Arts, University of Ibadan. His works have appeared in diverse global anthologies, magazines, websites and blogs.

The Beauty in Arts by Aladesuyi Seun

Frank Lloyd Wright said, “Art is a discovery and development of elementary principles of nature into beautiful forms suitable for human use”. When art is mentioned, most people restrict it to just drawing and painting in their mindless minds – a narrow way of viewing arts. Art is life itself. It is a sine qua non for humanity’s sustenance. Art is put to use in the simplest and most complex of ways. For instance, the crafty combination of colours on our clothes to give a pleasing appearance depicts how simple but indispensable art is to humanity.

Have you ever paid close attention to the aesthetic state of nature? Have you ever read a book that touched the inner core your soul? Have you ever seen a page on a website and the design intrigued you? All these border on arts. In the education sector, higher education to be precise, arts is paramount as it encompasses other notable departments varying from theatre arts, graphic designs, creative writing, music, languages and others. The beauty of being a student or product of arts is beyond description. You tend to appreciate things better and dexterously influence your society.

Art meets our psychological needs. A student having a bad mood can just listen to music and feel happy. This is as a result of the beauty in arts. Inspirational books have been known to cause positive change in the lives of people and inspire them to achieve their dreams.

Scientists also appreciate arts as being essential to life. After experimenting, they use arts to pass their message across through images. Inventors employ arts to create beautiful designs that attract attention. Even in mathematical patterns, physics and chemistry diagrams, there are elements of arts.

More so, art creates a channel for the expression of emotions. According to Thomas Merton, “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” Art has helped most people to find their path and bearing. Also, once you appreciate arts, you lose yourself in its beauty.

The beauty in arts and humanities can’t be expressed. 

Art makes life colorful. You see a better world when you see the world through arts. Elbert Hubbard said ‘Art is not a thing – it is a way.’ A way of expressing emotions, a way of touching people’s lives, a way of passing messages, a way of gaining self-satisfaction, a way of earning a living and a way of making everything beautiful. It is of little surprise that God was encouraged to create the world when he saw the beauty in the art he has created. In the Bible, Genesis 1 verse 49, ‘And God saw the light, and saw that it was good.’ The beauty in arts made the world today.

Biography 

Aladesuyi Seun Oluwatimilehin hails from Akure in Ondo State.  She is passionate about maximizing her writing potential. Despite being a student of Communication and Language Arts, University of Ibadan, she dedicates some of her time to watching movies and reading novels thereby striking a balance between education and entertainment.

Clouds of Courage by Bamidele Seth Oluwadamilola

The early morning breeze

Tapped my rusty door;

On my bed I lay being stirred

By the silent symphony of the sun rising

Suddenly, I hopped out of bed like a frog

To behold what the day held in its wry arm.

I fell off the rock like a waterfall

Only to walk on a quicksand

Left with no choice – damned

I beheld the river of hope,

Foolhardy; I jumped into it.

The storm of adversity spiraled down from hell

Retreating, I saw the bear of doom behind

Jaw dropped, blood dripping from its monstrous mouth

Nearer and nearer, it came

Thirsty for blood, hungry for flesh

Fear circulated through me like current.

Frozen, I summoned all my resolve to fight fate

I have all but nothing to lose; I either die or die

Death with an unbowed head would be epical.

Rains of strength dropped on me

Pains of fear evaporated

Soothed by the sun’s smile

Clouds of courage enveloped me.

I tackled fate right at the 18 yard.

Life’s referee waved play on… fair play

I dribbled with dexterity as I beheld the goalpost

With a powerful shot, I hit the net of success.

I was celebrated, but scarred

I was elevated having deflated the balloon of fear

I became a hero,  

I fought the battle from Z to H.

 Biography

Bamidele Seth Oluwadamilola is a God-fearing, promising, young writer who hails from Ilero, Oke-Ogun, Oyo State. He studies Communication and Language Arts at the University of Ibadan. He loves reading, playing football and public speaking.  He is an essayist who sometimes dabbles in poetry.

A Wonderful Night by Tomiwa Adeosun

Photo Credit: Olasubomi Cole

 Rolling up the windows' blinds,

I shoot a gaze into the distant night,

enslaving my eyes to pulchritude;

the meek moon and the showy stars

welcomed me to join their jocund fiesta.

Rat-like creatures with leathery wings

flew slyly towards the East;

restless, big-eyed creatures

croaked from the dams while

the night resounded the crickets’ chirping,

to the delight of the glowing fireflies.

I wheeled my eyes out of the window,

into a funnel-shaped garden,

the sight of which made me gleeful

as big almond fruits shone in the silver moon.

I peeked out of my window,

on a knightly night -

Oh! What a beautiful world!

Oh! What a celestial world!

Biography

Adeosun Tomiwa hails from Ilesha, Osun State, Nigeria. He expresses his creativity via writing and drawing. He is presently studying Communication and Language Arts at the University of Ibadan where he hopes to fully optimize his potential.

Elements of a Great Photograph by Femi Kuti

“A photograph is not an accident – it is a concept,” said Ansel Adams, a U.S photographer. A good photograph is like a well-written story – it presents information that is free of clutter and distractions. The following are the elements of a great photograph:

I. Good photographs are well exposed

 

Light is the heart of photography. Therefore, a good photographer must be versed in the use of light metering, must be able to perfectly control the three elements of exposure (aperture, shutter speed and film speed) and must be adept in flash photography. A poorly exposed photograph will never make a great photograph.

   

 II. Good photographs evoke feelings

A good photograph stirs up emotions in the minds of viewers by capturing the prevalent atmosphere of a story. Is the story about happiness or sadness? Does it portray determination, contentment or feeling of horror? It is essential that the photographer decides the emotion he wants the image to evoke before releasing the shutter.

III            Good photographs tell stories

The major difference between photography and photojournalism is the fact that photography presents an image of a subject or an object while photojournalism attempts to make that image tell a story. Whether a photojournalism piece displays a sport event, an accident scene or an award, the photograph must tell a story to the viewer before he/she reads the article.

IV. Good photographs say something about life

A good photograph shows more than just how something looks; it presents an image in it aesthetic quality. A truly good photograph says  something about life itself. Cute animal pictures, beautiful landscape view and the likes have enormous appeal because they tell us that life can be playful, beautiful, innocent and full of life.








        V. Good photographs are well composed

 “There is a vast difference between taking a picture and making a photograph,” said Robert Heinecken. The overall quality of your photograph is a function of how carefully you arrange your subjects or elements in the picture. This careful arrangement or pleasing selection is known as composition.

Composition is the artistic aspect of photography, unlike exposure which is scientific, here; the creative ability of a photographer comes to play.

Biography

Femi Kuti, who hails from Ogun State, teaches Photojournalism at the prestigious University of Ibadan. As a photographer with ample years of experience, he has garnered high praises from photography critics over the years. He holds B.A and M.Sc degrees in Mass Communication.