With the typical zeal the majority of Nigerian children, who have been brought up at an early age face to face with the horrors of poverty, who exclaim "Up NEPA" when the erratic electricity is suddenly on, the little ones around shouted "Up NEPA". I quickly rose to my feet and switched on my fan so that I would enjoy the unexpected blessing because it was not our turn to have electricity on that lovely night. So I had almost sound sleep as I was lying face up in my little bed blissfully luxuriating in a fantasy world.

I saw myself rise to my feet and got clad in an immaculately tailored agbada and beside me stood a fine figure of a queen with fabulous legs, equally dressed in the latest fashion. Friends and foes; brothers and sisters; acquaintances and strangers-- all were swarming around us both. None could disguise their mirth. "It must be a wedding," I said. "It's high time we should invite the bride and the groom to cut the wedding cake," a voice announced. For this announcement, the groom did not hesitate a milisecond far too long to do the cutting. So he tilted a head forward like a dull lover and the bride, on the other hand, was posing a romantic stance as though she were not green in the act. "Grin...grinn...gringing" was the hoasky sound that brought me short in my eager attempt. So I woke up. JuneBridals latest graduation wears chic style

I woke up on this fine morning with a start from this lofty dream only to see some missed calls on my mobile from Osho, a buddy with whom I have of late not been on good terms. Though I have many people in my life, I call a few "buddies". Yes; Osho is no doubt a true buddy to me! The tiff made me hesitant to pick up my lazy pen and scribble down some few words in honour of Osho, coupled with the fact that his calls jolted me out of my reverie. However, the content of his call later, to all intents and purposes, made my day much finer: today is his graduation!

Osho, this battle of love will continue to rage between us both so long as Bucchianer's saying holds water to me:
"An acquaintance merely enjoys your
company, a fair-weather companion
flatters when all is well, a true friend
has your best interest at heart and the
pluck to tell you what you need to
hear."
However, below runs a short poem in honour of my buddy, Osho who has today recorded, against all odds, a very remarkable academic accomplishment:

Troughs and peaks: the badges of life,
Ups and downs: the burdens of life,
None is spared to bear the badges,
None is spared to bear the burdens,
For few so light are the burdens,
For few so beautiful are the badges,
For a decade plus you walk in the troughs,
You bear the badges of troughs,
You bear the burdens of downs,
But in your troughs you record a feat,
But in your downs your toils bear fruits,
Osho,in you I behold a real great,
Your latent lights grow more patent,
Your silent satellite wax more potent,
O Allah! Do not hide his glowing lights,
I beg, under a bushel for no might
Can eclipse Your brightest lights.
Yusuf Bolakale writes.

I never set out to write this but it thrilled me to bits when I saw that I wrote a little thing for a very close friend of mine. I found this in a rough sheet this morning. "Kale, you couldn't present this to Osho. Can't you post it here?" So it goes,my pals.