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with the intellects 2020

IS YOUR STYLIST AN ASSURANCE or AN INSURANCE? IS YOUR STYLIST AN ASSURANCE or AN INSURANCE? " data-src="https://theintellectsmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/IMG_20200501_225513_889.jpg">

Featured with the intellects 2020

IS YOUR STYLIST AN ASSURANCE or AN INSURANCE? IS YOUR STYLIST AN ASSURANCE or AN INSURANCE?

written by Odilichukwu Frances

Did you know what I missed most this Easter and Lockdown?

It’s that I didn’t see clown (horrible) attires that trigger unending laughter any time I remember the design, courtesy of the tailors and seamstresses who are supposed to clothe us in fitting attires for events.

Thinking about that now, you also missed that especially when you are not the person in the attire. We have all had a fair share of that, at least once.

To usher you into the moment we decided relive a few moments. Grab a drink because it’s INTELLECTS and chill time!

PRIZY:

I was to go for Kay’s wedding, then I decided to sew a style I had admired for a long time. I relocated temporarily to Anambra state from Cross River, so I needed a new seamstress. I found a particular shop attractive and it seemed to be worth the try. After a little chat, I showed her the style and she assured me it was a done deal, I gave her my material and paid. Confidently, she called me to pick my dress. What I saw was like the case of ‘what you ordered versus what they delivered’. I wore it that way.

HOPE:

Last December, I was only interested in having something to wear for my parents Chieftaincy Installation. I trusted this seamstress with the only attire I needed for the season. The day we were to travel to the village, I went to pick my dress. The woman had not even cut the materials (perhaps she was planning to help me resell). I just wore a jean and top in low spirits. Till this day, even the shoe I bought for the attire is lying untouched.

EUPHEMIA:

I fell in love with a fabric I found in the market, so I bought and thought to add a new dress to my wardrobe. I went to my seamstress and gave her a style as usual. The day I went to fit and pick my dress, we exchanged pleasantries as usual and she asked if I came visiting since I had no material. I laughed it off, meanwhile at the entrance was the same material I gave her but a different style and size. To cut the long story short, my seamstress used my material for another client. What manner of act is that?!

EMMANUEL:

My birthday was on a Saturday last year, and same day was a friend’s wedding, and I was in the league of his groom’s men. I looked forward to the day in high spirit. I decided to gift myself a customized suit which I will be wearing to the wedding. My tailor gave me an assurance that all is well. For some reasons we agreed I will pick it the early that morning; I wish I could see the future because that was a real wrong decision. So, on Saturday morning, while the boys were teasing our friend in church, and the wedding was going on, I was dressed in a casual wear, sitting in the tailor’s shop and waiting for him to finish my suit because going home was going to get me stuck in traffic.

NKEM:

I belonged to the girls’ guild and we were preparing for a march past to celebrate the girls’ week in the church. Marching was an activity I enjoyed and I was very good at it, so I joined the girls’ and was behind the flag bearers but I needed a uniform. The uniform was a white shirt tucked in a green skirt, a cap and a tie. Every member had one, I had one but my white shirt was old; so I got a material and took the shirt as a sample to a seamstress that always beckoned on me to patronize her. A day to the march past, I went to pick my shirt, it looked beautiful but the collar was nothing to be a seamstress for. My friend encouraged me to try it on with the tie. I almost choked that day, looking like a ram being dragged to church for a child dedication. The group provided with a shirt I could use that evening.

GLORIA RUBY:

It happened sometime last year. I had a function to attend and needed to be nicely and stylishly dressed for the occasion. Nigerian stylists and their usual disappointments, I wasn’t going to take chances so I got the fabrics and gave them to my seamstress ahead of time. I made sure to call from time to time to supervise the making of my outfit and for each call, my seamstress gave me an assurance that all was going well. The due date for collection was here, I was in her house by 9:30pm to meet the highlight of the day; she had just finished cutting my fabric! And was yet to sew it!! I felt my world crumble because I had no alternative wear and I had to leave for the neighboring town very early the next day for the occasion. I left my seamstress’ place after much arguments but of course without my clothes.

VERA:

A certain seamstress convinced my mum to convince her and my material was the first trial. First, she missed the style, but my sisters said it wasn’t so bad, so I wore it to granny’s house we had a little family event. After the meal, the dirty plates were quite much so we had to wash them outside; my cousins (peers) and I. As soon as I bent to wash the plates, I heard a cracking sound, it was my dress. I stood up to see the part that covered my stomach was torn. I would have been better off wearing a crop top than that dress. I told mum patronizing that woman was going to be an error and it did happen.

We draw the curtain here!

Make sure your fashion stylist is an assurance not an insurance except you want to make it to The Intellects’ Magazine screen in the next episode.

May 1, 2020 41 comments

Featured with the intellects 2020

WHY NOW?

written by Odilichukwu Frances

Before the end of year two thousand and nineteen (2019), the two thousand and twenty (2020) calendar was almost ticked; at least from January to Easter or even Summer as the case may be for institutions and the world at large. A lot was said about two thousand and twenty, but right now, the world is not sure any more what to do or where to turn while still making plans for next year.

Like an ice hit Titanic, a pandemic hit the human race. There have been so many speculations about the virus on social media.

In the beginning, it was considered a virus contracted from aquatic animals in Wuhan, theories that postulated some virus and bacteria are harmless to animals but could be harmful to humans. Some consider it a bio weapon, perhaps the type that can replace nuclear weapons and grant one country the plaque of world power; yet there are still others who consider the pandemic a punishment for the evil man has perpetrated on planet earth.

To accept one of these could be accepting all because there is a common ground for them all. One of which is for such pandemic to occur despite of artificial intelligence, the advancement of technology and a few forecast by data analysis it shows that something is not sitting right on the human planet.

Inevitably, countries are on a severe lock down because people are expected to sit at home to reduce the spread of the virus in affected areas; except an occupation or vocation does not involve any throng.

By implication there are few or no producing companies working, retailers are probably not able to sell, wholesalers possibly have their money in the clouds from trying to strike a deal with manufacturers and retailers. Consumers are not left out of this chain because those who are not economical could be running out of supplies if that has not happened already and if the lock down persists. Well, digital learning has really been promoted and a good tech savvy educationist can find a good ground online.

While there is doubt in the report of countries and the cause of covid-19, one is certain, that there is a huge imbalance in the world, ranging from recession, global warming and the advancement of technology; and this happened to create balance. Yes, balance and shift to give who wills an opportunity to start afresh or to advance to a more fertile ground.

Of course, it is always good to have a plan, so that opportunity becomes more revealing except where opportunity requires a fresh plan. Look within, there is need for a fresh plan in your area, and in Nigeria generally.

However, while waiting for the government to initiate good policies for socio-economic growth, there is need for subsistence industrialization. Start small scale farming, and other vocations. Meanwhile, take a leap to the digital world for more efficiency; as long as you keep trying, your efforts will take power and make demands the law of attraction will supply. Don’t forget that Titanic did sink but everyone did not sink.

Remember this, power is rarely given, it is taken and the ecosystem is providing a balance for financial, socio-cultural, relationship, physical, spiritual and political growths.

This is happening now for you to make a demand!

April 9, 2020 31 comments

Featured with the intellects 2020

TO WHAT END?

written by Odilichukwu Frances

TO WHAT END?

We begin this year confronting the issues that matter!

A few months ago, the world witnessed the trial, impeachment and acquittal of Donald Trump. The American citizens and how America should be seen posed the real center of the discourse. People have their reserved view on what should be or not be, whether the discourse was political or religious, at the end of the day the citizens were the main focus.

Hitherto, in Nigeria there are so many discourses on going, but where is the center?

The essence of government is that everyone be protected from the state of nature which Thomas Hobbes described as brutish, nasty and short lived because violence and oppression to gain absolute control was the order of the day.

Scholars perhaps saw a glimpse of the future and came up with theories they believed to be instruments necessary for a humanity enabling environment.

Today, the Nigeria political system says we practice democracy; government of the people, by the people and for the people. This is vague in practice and in describing the true essence of democracy; hence I like to elaborate democracy in Rousseau’s theory, ‘general will’.

Rousseau in his discourse said: “I give up my will, that every man gives up his will, and we all have a collective will. We have an all-powerful sovereign whose main aim is to express the general will, and each obeys himself, thereby obeying the general will and everyone is free.” (paraphrased)

Consequently, the idea is to provide constitutional stability legitimacy through universal participation and every country who adopted democracy, cannot feign ignorance to the implication of this. It includes lives and properties!

New business policies that do not favour the tax paying businesses are made.

Ranging from the ban on foreign goods without enabling factors to encourage local made goods to rejection of Nigerian made cars and vehicles over foreign made cars, to a monopolizing and a competitive cement market. Today, there is a value added tax attached to phone calls and text messages.

Apparently, it seems the 2019 elections remain inconclusive in some states, and that the electoral rules and what the constitution says about elections are not quite clear considering the interpretations and application or that perhaps in Nigeria, Oligarchy is the practice and democracy, a mere name.

In states like Anambra, citizens who have paid for road worthiness are made to pay for the loads in their tricycles, vehicles and even trucks. Failure to do so, the driver becomes a victim, and the vehicle or items become subject to destruction as the oppressor claim to be following the directives of the government.

More so, the charade that takes the cake is the issue of security. Heads keep rolling, pools of bloods flood around the streets of both the northern and southern protectorates. During the killings of Nigerians in South Africa, only the victims and refugees were heard wailing until Allen Onyema of Air Peace came to their rescue. The government or the voices of the Nigerian diplomat to South Africa and the Federal government were not clear on the issue.

To what end is the will of Nigerians trodden and neglected? To what end is the rising insurgency?

Chinua Achebe could be right in asserting that the center cannot hold!

One of the aims of the government is to secure the territory and protect her people. If the government cannot do that, if Nigeria is drowning in imperialism, her citizens need to know!

Nigerians try to get by everyday with the little value attached to naira. The least the government can do is to provide security since making good business policies are hard and the devaluation of naira seems to irreversible.

Get Nigerians security on all sides and watch her industrious nations grow!

To what end do we lose lives to insurgencies?

February 20, 2020 29 comments