TERRA BOTANICA, FROM A TOURIST POINT OF VIEW

By:  Seraphine Mbanefo Nwankwo

It was a pleasant Tuesday morning, with glittering sun rays from the sky. The summer was not hot after all, a bit of cool breeze could be felt now and again. The sky did not burst into tears as it is known to do once in awhile during this season. The weather was so adorable, no wonder the excitement that shown on our faces as we marched one after the other into the tourist bus that took us to TERRA BOTANICA, in Angers, a park simply known as a plant world chiefly for its vast range of vegetations drawn from six different continents.

The six continents of Africa, America (North and South America), Asia, Antarctica, Australia and Europe were richly represented by the vast vegetations proudly sampled within the walls of the park.

Let us examine a bit of history surrounding Terra Botanica. Terra Botanica was opened in April 2010 in the heart of the Anjou region (also Angers, in France). It is a plant world measuring not less than 110,000 sq. m of gardens, aquatic areas and greenhouses, laced with exactly 40 attractions and presentations. The park offers a multidimensional experience of plant life taken from all the above listed continents. This huge project cost €94 million and it took 10 years to conceive and design. However, it was eventually built within 2 years after the idea was conceived. It has 367 exceptional trees, 5,500 tropical trees and bushes, 510 rosebushes and 520 climbing plants. A tourist visiting for the first time will be amazed at the unique world he or she is served with, within the walls of this park.

It is such an exotic initiative which provides the public a rare opportunity to view the plant world from every perspective, such as the historical angle, geographical front, economic relevance or value, very symbolical too, as well as its scientific and aesthetic angle. What more, all these are well appreciated in a variety of ways, within a common location.

But why is this park located in Anjou region?

The answer is very simple; Anjou is a leading horticultural region in France. The entire space of the Anjou region is blessed with large nurseries, agricultural and horticultural businesses as well as a location where very serious research work takes place. It also houses the foremost training centers. Anjou is the leading European producer of hydrangeas and the leading French producer of medicinal plants, apples, cucumbers, dahlias and more.

It is simply logical to build a theme park of this magnitude so that it would benefit directly from the numerous earlier mentioned strength of the region. The capital of the region, Angers, has a track record of awards for best floral city year after year.

Travelling across space, time and the senses, this plant world, Terra Botanica constantly intertwines with nature itself and a refreshing ambiance of the real world. Yearly, the park is given such face lift that displays the various aspects of vegetation each season.

Terra Botanica is so well organised that a visitor could see through the four key areas of focus, to appreciate the various aspects of amazingly varied world of plants and water. These four key areas of focus notably in French are; ‘Le Végétal Généreux (friendly vegetation or generous vegetation; these are such plants that are not dangerous to animals, other plants nor even human beings; not acidic basically). ’Le Végétal Convoité (coveted vegetation or plant), The 'Coveted' plants section as a matter of fact features the plants our forefathers sought out for their medicinal properties and rarity. In this same area where the ‘coveted’ plants are found, one is opportuned to watch the film about the 18th-century Atlantic crossing to Venezuela of naturalist and explorer, Alexander Von Humbolt.

I enjoyed such excitement in the theme park, like the ride in a boat and pedaling a walnut over the tops of the trees overlooking the vast plantation below.

‘Le Végétal Apprivoisé (Vegetation that are not wild, they often radiate in rare beauty, used for fanciful irrigation purposes) and lastly, there is the ‘Le Végétal Mystérieux (these are vegetation known to be monsterous, sometimes believed to be interactive in nature; that is has the ability to actually talk and see. Example of such Mysterious plants is one called the Monster plant (l’ogre vegetal in French). This monsterous plant is also believed to be extremely carnivorous in nature with its labyrinth and eyes areas.

Also at the ‘Mysterious’ plants area, there is a 4D cinema ‘Bamboo Express- Nouveauté 2012’ a new dimension just added in 2012  that takes one through a journey to the heart of breathtaking lush.

One could also see greenhouses displaying strange green plants wrapped up in steam. There are beautiful walks over bridges also displaying clear cut nuances between cultivated rice fields and landscapes untouched by Man, a vegetable garden and rare plants you would not see in your back garden.

Notably are certain plants tagged ‘la serre abandonnée’ which literally translates abandoned greenhouse. Here, you would observe a world abandoned by man now recovered by plants.

It is with great interest to note that at Terra Botanica, there are wild and tame plants, just as in the world of animals, and these plants of such characteristics are drawn from the six continents of the world.

TEN MUST HAVE FASHION PIECES FOR MEN!

Written by: Chiude Nnajiofor

The saying, “Looking good is not just a good business but it brings good business”, is a fashion statement that shouldn’t be overlooked by every man whether fashion conscious or not and it has nothing to do with your age because fashion style has to do with your personal style. Our duty here is to help guide your style to fit the fashion of these days.

Sophistication is the key accessory to fashion statement, so no matter how unfavourable the economy might be, fashion can never get cold. This doesn’t mean “Thou shalt wear tuxes/suits with ties/bowties and oxford shoes every single time” in order to pull all the stops in the name of being “classy”. 

Recently, you will notice that classy men pay more attention to detail in what they wear as fashion creators and leaders has step up fashion items ranging from collections like all sorts of bold, playful clothes and accessories with an air of classic items such as leather bags, khakis, oxford shoes or anything that just gives that little hint of sophistication and class.  Thanks to all of this creative ideas put in place, it’s now okay to mix casual and formal fashion, and I think you men should take advantage of it and utilize it to make that bold appearance.

Everyone knows how difficult it can be to stay abreast of the latest trends, especially if you lead a busy life. So if you're efficient, you will have already done most of the dirty work by making sure your most important fashion pieces never go out of style.

These items are the wardrobe and accessory staples every man should own; the things so ingrained into our lives that even after one of them falls apart, we go out and buy another in the very same style.

Here are some Trend-repellant Staples for Casual Clothing

White shirt: The standard white shirt can be an invaluable clothing item in both casual and professional settings; the key is that it's subtle enough to withstand fashion trends. Its ideal for both suits and jeans of all colors, the white shirt is truly your closet's most valuable player.

Blue jeans: There probably isn't any modern man alive that does not own at least one pair of blue jeans. The original blue jeans can be slightly faded or a dirty denim, and yet they're still so programmed in our society that we continue to buy them, regardless of trends. Versatility is the name of the game when it comes to blue jeans and rightly so, as blue jeans looks good with nearly anything, from a blazer and dress shoes to a T-shirt and sneakers.

Black loafers: Most people assume these are not the coolest shoes around; black loafers often get a bad smack. Nevertheless, these are a certified male wardrobe staple, if only because of black loafers' true virtue: their simplicity. Free from laces, the loafer is the ultimate in slip-on, slip-off comfort. And because of their minimalism, they will never go out of style. Black loafers can rightly go Jeans, suits or anything else you're comfortable in.

White T-shirt: From thin undershirts to standard cotton white fitted T-shirts are a wardrobe staple that may never go out of style, mostly because of their year-round versatility. Provided you avoid overly large sizes, you can wear your trusty white T-shirt with jeans or shorts when it's warm, or as an undergarment under sweaters.

Blazer/Sports coat: Every man knows that, like the white shirt, a good solid-color blazer (preferably black) can be used in numerous situations and can often make shabby-looking ensembles respectable. Obviously, the simpler the sports jacket, the more likely its timelessness. Blazer can be worn at the office with a matching pair of suit pants, or in a bar with a pair of your most reliable blue jeans.

Sunglasses: Every man should have a pair in his car. When looking for something timeless, avoid big, clunky models, and those that wrap around. Oval-shaped sunglasses are your best bet especially those similar to aviator glasses, but smaller; these have been worn for years and odds are good this fact will not change. Not only useful on the beach and because of their practicality on sunny days, you can wear them with just about anything.

Black leather wallet: Knowing how important wallets are to guys, you should get one that will never go out of style. Stay away from anything with slogans on it. And remember that nothing works better than a simple black leather bi-fold wallet, as this is a great mix of traditional style, minimalism and practicality. You can wear anything with this wallet as long as you don't leave home without it.

Watch: Not having a watch is like not having a right hand. Therefore, you need something that will last. Forget digital watches or those with flashy colors or designs. Round shapes, subtle numbering and colours (think silver, black or gray), and black leather or steel straps are stylish enough to look great, but restrained and traditional enough to buck the trends.

Cologne/After-shave: For most men, cologne and after-shave application is such a daily routine that a particular scent becomes part of their identity. For something that won't fall out of fashion, stay away from strongly scented colognes. A bottle of Giorgio Armani's "Aqua di Gio", for example, always seems to do the trick. From a bathrobe to a business suit, your cologne should fit you like a glove.

Black belt: It’s difficult to find a man who does not own a black belt; it's just one of those staples that all men have. They are at their best when you don't notice them that much. The key to a classic belt is to avoid anything that disrupts its slight concealment among clothes, meaning anything that jumps out, like large ostentatious buckles or shiny, flashy leather.

Sports bag: For the man who likes to stay in shape, a versatile gym bag is a necessity. Making sure your bag is strong and understated in terms of color, style and design is your best bet. If you've chosen well, this should look good with your professional or casual wear.

Perfume: Remember that the fragrance you settle on will represent you, so choosing a scent that reflects your personality is important. Choosing cologne is not a task to take lightly. Much like choosing the proper suit, cologne must fit you and your lifestyle. When it comes to knowing how to pick cologne, choose a base scent you feel comfortable wearing. Almost every cologne designed for men is based on a strong note of musk, sandalwood or citrus, which provides the foundation for lighter notes of spice and floral options. Finding the right combination to complement your lifestyle enhances your presence in the room or group and often makes a better first impression than any handshake.

So, to learn how to pick cologne that best suits your lifestyle.

TWELVE REASONS MANY NIGERIAN LADIES REMAIN UNMARRIED

Naturally, any lady could be admired, approached, dated and even hugged intimately but just about a few seemed qualified for the next crucial level – marriage. WHY?!

This is one fundamental question that goes through one’s mind whenever one sees them still single, especially at that very ripe age. Pretty, educated, good diction, and so on; yet they still wait for MR. RIGHT.

Below are some reasons attributed to this delay. They could be more than these.

Ready-made man

One major reason we still see many ladies unmarried is because they just want to be ready for marriage and walk into it immediately, with the right man. To many of them the right man is he who is gainfully employed or doing well in his own business; he must have all luxury and necessities of life and should be ready to provide for all her needs.

Commonsense should tell everyone that beside every successful man is always a woman. The one who struggled and endured the stormy days and years with him.  No man in his right senses will think of discarding his lady for any gold digger.  Many who do not reason in this direction get themselves used and dumped.

Religion

At times, one wonders if religion has done more good to the society or more harm. Before the coming to Africa of Christianity, Islam and others all the parents needed to know is family background. They ask questions and sometimes send out spies to investigate the other family. Once parents are sure the other family are not relatives, does not have some nasty habits, diseases in their lineage the marriage is consummated.

These days what do we have? Christians and Moslems even of the some community or village do not inter-marry.  Parents encourage this. This problem is also commonplace even among Christians of different denominations.

Hence, our young ladies who grew up into this tradition would also want to imbibe it and possibly pass it on to the next generation.

Physical Attributes

This is a funny one! More often than not, visualizing the dream man and his fantastic attributes start from an early age. This starts, in most cases, in early adolescent. A time when the physical attributes of the female are gradually surfacing, when romantic novels becomes part the reading culture.

Mainly influenced by these books, they begin to envision what and how she wants her man to be. A lot of times, they want him tall, handsome, light complexioned, gentle, curly hair, broad-shouldered, thin moustache, etc. These ideas are engraved on the mind and outside the books, they start looking for these men, looking for the impossible. All the attributes cannot be found in one single person! But they spend a better part of their adult years looking for them.

 

Tribe

Before now, inter-tribal marriages were seriously frowned at, especially if both parties/ communities do not speak same language or are distance apart. But contemporary Nigeria seems to be relegating this attitude to the past.

Some ladies through parental influence still hold this as key criteria for marriage.

Trust Issues

Some young ladies find it difficult to love again because of bad experience from past relationships. They fail to realize that water can take and water can give life. What is paramount is the way and manner one handles and manages a relationship.

Domineering Nature

By nature, some girls always want to be in-charge. They want to dominate anyone in anything. It takes a pretty or rich lady to exhibit this attitude without negative response from the man. But one thing this lady has to know for sure is that that man is definitely not thinking of taking her to the altar.

He will just hang around a bit longer, catch more fun, enjoy the wealth as much as possible before disappearing into thin air.

Career Consciousness

Some ladies tend to believe that getting married is a sort of bondage. To them their job comes first before anything. Unfortunately, this belief seems to be associated with the many working class ladies; especially those who see themselves as ‘career ladies’.

However, what they fail to realize or choose to ignore is that marriage precedes career in the realm of respect and responsibility both in the short and long run. No man, with intentions of marriage would compromise a marital happiness for a self-centered and irresponsible partner.

Independence

This is related to the last point. Due to certain incomprehensive influences these ladies do not believe men should provide for them. They do not want to be subservient. They always want to have it their own ways QED.

We know the average African man wants to be respected, consulted and looked up to in all family-related matters. Any babe showing signs pointing to the contrary would hardly transform to becoming a wife. Ladies just have to watch it!

Naivety

One popular wish and prayer I have heard people say is for God to give them the grace to recognize fine opportunities whenever they come knocking. As Christian, I know opportunities come in different guise. In most cases repugnant.

For our lady, the right man, the God sent one could come at anytime and would meet with her anywhere. We have heard many stories of men proposing marriage to a girl that believes she is not ready. She is never ready because she is either still too young (at 22, why the rush?), still in school and wouldn’t want her studies to be disturbed or she wants her elder sister to get married first even if she is reluctant.

Bad Manners

Notwithstanding beauty, knowledge, status or family background, any lady with nasty attitude would have her marriage dream truncated. Many a times these nasty attitudes come in different forms: rudeness, arrogance, laziness, pretentiousness, self-centeredness, flirtatiousness, and so on.

Nasty Past

Yes! This one is very important. More often than others, even in African movies, we have seen how past lifestyle of ladies ruin their happiness. At every point in time, on should always think and consider the future in all our actions and inactions.

Some ladies decide to feel free and have all sorts of fun with every man that approaches them. They want to have all the fun under the sun because such opportunities ceases after marriage. Their excuse is that life is fun! Hence enjoy while it last.

Poor Hygiene

Though rare these days, there still some ladies one could still refer to as dirty. Their clothes, living environment, arm-pit, the mouth and other private areas are no go areas. Cleanliness is next to Godliness. It is also a major criterion for long-lasting relationship and possibly marriage.

ROMANTIC FICTION- I'VE NEVER THOUGHT LESS OF MYSELF OR FELT MORE LIKE TRASH!

By Chiude Nnajiofor

At the beginning of this year, I had a friend named James.  James and I would talk forever. We became so close that our feelings developed into more romance than just a friendship. We started dating, and one thing led to another. I often wondered how far was too far, but I had decided I could stop whenever I wanted to.

Whenever I was at James's house, we would always go to his bedroom to be alone. He had such a large family that his room was the only place we could talk. Innocently, we would sit on his bed. After we started dating, it was harder to just sit there with each other. Kissing came first, and we found it harder and harder to stop there. Even after we became involved in heavy petting, I still believed I could stop before we actually did it. After a few months of this, I found that I didn't want to stop. Then one night it happened—we had sex. It was worse than I could even imagine. I felt dirty and very separated from God. I hated myself for doing something I've grown up believing was so wrong. I had the guiltiest feeling I've ever had on that day.

James walked me to my car and asked me what was wrong. I burst into tears. I told him that I hated it. I never wanted to do it again. Then James told me that he loved me, and the weirdest thing was that I couldn't tell him I loved him back. I had no feelings for him anymore. We sat in front of his house for a long time. We both cried. We knew what we did together was wrong.

I didn't see James for three weeks because he was out of town. During that time I prayed about it, not knowing what else to do. While we were separated, I realized that I was pregnant for him. I went through misery the next 10 days, being away and knowing I was carrying James's child. I wasn't real sure, but I knew something was up. How was I going to explain this to Him? Then I began to scheme. I got excited and thought, "Sure, he'll want to get married." Finally I had him, and if not him, I had a part of him anyway. I wouldn't have an abortion—that was out of the question. I'd either marry him or run off and have the child myself.

Funny, how James controlled my mind. I told him one night after we had made love down in his basement. I thought since he was so in love with me, that now was the time to break the news. He really lost it—he got all defensive and said that there was no possible way he could marry me and that he didn't even want to. I got scared and told him I was just kidding. He breathed a sigh of relief but remained cold.

It was not too long after that I told him the truth and had the pregnancy confirmed by a doctor. James had stuck by his guns about not marrying me and said if I kept the child, we were through. At that point, I was helpless. I wanted more than anything to talk to my mum, but I could not hurt her with this kind of news.

Looking back now, I should have talked to her. James stuck by me long enough to make sure I had the operation. He called me every day or wrote and made me feel like he still cared. I went in that day by myself to do the one thing I was most against [abortion]. I talked to James that night, and then he took off. He stuck around long enough to make sure I got rid of the evidence, and then left me on my own.

I can't explain the feelings I have inside me now. I've never thought less of myself or felt more like trash. How could I have been so naive? I loved him, but he never knew the meaning of the word. I still have nightmares, and at times I hate myself. Abortion is much, much deeper than scraping of that uterus lining. It involves the destruction of one's whole being, the loss of any self-respect, and, the saddest of all, a guild-ridden existence.

  I realized that the relationship James and I had had been the total opposite. I learned what was right and reassessed my morals. I asked God for forgiveness and promise not to trust or have anything to do with any man again. I decided to start my life over again until I met Christian who taught me what true love is all about and our wedding is less than two weeks now and the relationship is embedded with respect and concern for ones emotions not the kind of relationship I had with James whose relationship almost caused me my life. 

MOTIVATING KIDS TO CLEAN UP

When it comes to getting your kids to help with chores around the house, it's critical to consider
the age of the child. At first, very young children are going to need lots of direction and specific,
step-by-step instructions on what to do.
For example, with a 3-year-old, you might say, "Lanre, I need you to pick up all of your Toys
and put them into the Toy box in the next 10 minutes. I'm going to set the kitchen timer and
when it rings, all of the Toys need to be in the box. If they aren't, you won't be able to play with
them tomorrow." Then set the timer and follow through.

Assuming that Lanre gets his toys put away to your satisfaction, you can move on to another
task, such as putting his picture books on the shelf or placing his dirty clothes in the hamper.
Although this approach will demand more of your time and attention, it's much less frustrating
and anger-provoking than repeatedly yelling, "Clean up this room, or you've had it!" You'll also
find that giving specific, step-by-step instructions, backed by consequences, will yield much
better results.
With older kids who can read and write, it can be helpful to write their daily chores on a small
white board that you hang on their wall or to give them chore cards that spell out the specific
actions they need to take in order to complete a task. Again, be specific about the deadline for
completing the task and what the consequence will be if they don't get the job done.By the way, when using consequences with kids, it's most effective to balance both positive and
negative consequences. If we simply punish our kids for bad behavior or failing to follow
through, they can easily become discouraged. It's just as important to praise and reward our kids
for their good behavior. So when your children consistently follow through on their chores, such
as cleaning their room, they should receive verbal praise, a hug and even an occasional small
reward.

Many parents have found that sticker charts can also be a great motivator. Each time a child
follows through with a task, he receives a sticker. When he earns a certain amount of stickers, he
then receives a special privilege or a treat for his efforts.
Source: Focus on the Family

ENHANCE YOUR BUSINESS VIA SOCIAL MEDIA

By Ayo Odusolu

Have you heard of any of these: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Blogs, Wikis, RSS Feeds, Delicious, Flickr? If you have, then congratulations and welcome to the world of Social Media.

Hearing about them and knowing what they really do are two different things and so this article will not only highlight the different types of Social Media available for the Small Business Owner to make use of; it’ll also explain the merits and likely de-merits of using such media.

First a few basic questions to guide our discussions – What is Social Media?

Social media is not a strategy or a tactic – it’s simply a channel. A channel through which millions are conversing, interacting and inter-phasing with themselves online.

Or put another way, Social Media is about having conversations online with other people. These people range from your customers, your employees, your investors, your critics, your fans and even your competition....in a nutshell, anyone who has internet access and an opinion is actively engaging in online conversations.

Why bother with Social Media?

It’s all about Connections!

You need to seriously consider getting involved in Social Media for the following reasons:

1.      Most of your audience is already online:  People are actively using social media (Social media sites are the fastest-growing category on the web, doubling their traffic over the last year- Source: Universal McCann’s Comparative Study on Social Media Trends, April 2008)

2.      It’s an inexpensive but accurate way of getting feedback or hearing what people are saying about your Business vis-a-vis your Competition.

3.      It can help you in all stages of marketing, self-promotion, public relations, and customer service

4.      Create awareness for events & campaigns

5.      Increase your brand exposure

6.      Find new opportunities and customers

7.      Support your products and services

8.      Retain clients by establishing a personal relationship

9.      Be an industry leader – not a follower

3 examples of Social Networking Sites and how to use them

1.      Facebook:  

arguably the largest Social Networking Site in the world with about 110 Million Active Users. Though it has membership spread all over the world, its users are primarily in US, Canada and UK

Facebook also provides the added benefits of ability to interact with current and potential customers at anytime and anywhere they are.

A small business owner on facebook can also make use of this medium for highly targeted advertising and social interactions

2.      Linkedin:     

 Another massive Social Networking Site with about 35 Million users worldwide, Linkedin is a great platform for the Business User. It shows you which of your own contacts can introduce you to their connections who know them.

You’ve heard of the “six degrees of separation” right? Well, with Linkedin you can now leverage on the power of your existing contacts to introduce you to their own contacts at the press of a button!

3.      Twitter:

 Not yet as popular as the first two above, twitter is rather unique in that it is a micro blogging platform that only allows you to compose your entire message in 140 characters! You can easily “follow” people you are interested in and have others “follow” you as well.

With Twitter you can

Tweet about company news and tit-bits 

Special offers or discounts for your Twitter “followers” to drive sales.

Provide real time updates about your company’s events

Get immediate feedbacks about your business from customers following you.

Provide personalized customer service to customers experiencing good or bad service delivery from your company.

So, there you have it- the world awaits you and your business online. Social media is the future- your customers are already there. The ball is therefore firmly in your court.

To get the best from your Social Media Plan however, you must remember that, the key is to

have content that “engages” others (potential and existing customers) and makes them want to link to your site.

See you at the top!

A DATE WITH JANE

By Vwede OVERAH
As a young man, what would you do if a young lady you never knew before suddenly emerges from nowhere, seizes you by the collars or trousers and start attracting the attention of the public with curses and cries that you didn’t pay for taking her to bed?

This was the kind of nasty situation Emeka foresaw happening the day he met Jane…or rather the day she intruded into his privacy. Recalling that one of his close pals, Jude recently found himself in this kind of messy situation, Emeka resolved to be gentle; calm and take things easy. He wondered why ladies choose to embark on this method to extort money from innocent and unsuspecting men.

But for the height and maybe the complexion, this lady matched with the description of the one that accosted Jude. Meanwhile, while Jude was ‘attacked’ in a supermarket, Emeka found himself caged in a popular restaurant.

It was a different story some two hours earlier.

Suddenly jolted to consciousness by the small alarm clock placed near his head, Emeka quickly took his towel and jumped into the bathroom. It was 3.00p.m and in less than forty-five minutes he was suppose to be with Bola. Bola was a lady he admires and had been wooing for quite some time. Agreeing to take her out on a date, he thought, was all he needed, at least, to kickoff a relationship.

The excitement that filled him as he hurriedly took his bathe and got dressed-up would better be imagined. It was a D-day.

Within forty minutes he was in front of the restaurant. Alighting from the taxi, he sauntered into the premises. Hands akimbo, he waited awhile at the car park before it dawned on him that he should be inside. The car park wasn’t the right place for a decent looking gentleman to wait for a date. The fact that one had a designer’s perfume and suit on made it look more embarrassing.

Emeka was lucky to get a place for two in the almost crowed restaurant. With a glass of wine in his front, he unconsciously looked the way of the entrance whenever the doors slide open. Anxiety got to fever pitch when he took a glance at his wrist watch and noticed that Bola was ten minutes behind schedule. Just as he wondered reason(s) for her lateness, the least expected happened.

From the blues, a scantily dressed lady appeared and gently sat on the other seat. She hardly got down before passing pleasantries.

“Hello there! You look so good in that outfit”. Touching the lapel and simultaneously taking a deep breath, she continued. “Hmmm, fine texture and I like your perfume. It must be Pierre Cardin”.

“I beg your pardon! Who are you?! And for your information that’s my spouse’s seat. Get up! Emeka yelled. This had no effect on her as she looked around, giggled and pushed her busty chest towards him. “That’s how you men behave at times, and yet you’d say it’s ladies that are full of shakara. I saw you alighting from the taxi alone; you came in alone; you have been here alone for about ten minutes and yet you say this is your spouse’s seat. Which spouse?!

Emeka, seeing that his words didn’t move her, thought of Jude and concluded that he has met another Jezebel and the only way out for him was to move elsewhere. He looked around but, voila, everywhere was filled up.

“Haba! Gentleman, feel at ease; stay cool; you are in safe hands. I am Jane”, she said as she stretched her hand over the glass of wine for a handshake. He snubbed her. She laughed noisily as she picked up the glass, took a sip and continued. “Yah, this is fine wine. I hope you wouldn’t mind getting another one for yourself.

Catching her eyes looking the direction of the security agents, Jane quickly retorted: “I don’t think you would want to do that; at least not to a beauty like Jane”.  Emeka watched her gulp down the whole content of the glass as he wondered where this spotlessly pretty and lousy prostitute fell from. More astonishing to him was the ease with which she spoke flawless English language. He thought of Bola and why she decided to stay away. He wasn’t even sure whether this was a set-up. Three taps from Jane’s long nails on the glass table brought him back to consciousness.

“We have been here now for about twenty minutes and yet we have not seen your spouse. Anyway, I am not surprised. That’s the way it is with some of you men. The next moment you would be asking me if I wouldn’t mind a night out. Besides, you behave like my Psychology lecturer. He remains quiet as if he is dumb but surprises all whenever he speaks.”

“Don’t tell me that you are a student”. “Yes, of course I am. I am in my final year in the faculty of Education. Are you surprised?”  “But what are you doing here?”, he asked. “Haba! That is a funny question. This is weekend! Besides, even you, what is your business here?”

Emeka stared at her curiously as she made her way towards the sales girls at the counter. He wasn’t sure whether she was telling the truth. Finding out the truth would be easy, he thought. Easy because he also studied Education and had electives in Educational Psychology in the university. He intends to ask her some basic questions.

Turning around to take a glance at her, he noticed for the first time that Jane was equally as pretty from behind the way the way she was from the front. Her eyes caught him as he stared at her sheepishly. She giggled and winked at him. For a moment, he hated himself, felt ashamed and somehow became uncomfortable. He fiddled with his cell phone for a while before deciding to call Bola again.

“Hello Lady B”. I hope all is fine? You ‘ve kept me here for about an hour now. What’s happening?

“I am indeed very sorry”. Her voice pierced through the earpiece.

I have been in a terrible traffic for over an hour. Please, I am sorry. I am almost there. Please, wait”.

“Okay”.

Jane arrived with a tray filled with assorted snacks and two packs of fruit juice.

“Don’t tell me you just spoke to your imaginary spouse” she said as she descended on a beef burger and took two sips from her glass.

Pushing the tray towards Emeka, she continues. ‘I think it would be proper to have this on the table while we wait for her”. He ignored the offer.

“You said you are an Educational Psychology undergraduate.”

“Yes. What about that?”

“ I also had my first degree in Educational Psychology but that was a long time ago, when men were boys. Now tell me, what you understand by Field Learning.”

She cast a distant look at him as she picked a doughnut from the tray. For a moment silence reigned. It was an uneasy one. While he wondered the reason for her sudden change in behavior, she could not fathom the motive for this unusual academic question in a restaurant of all places.

“You are a very funny man! I don’t even know your name or who you are and yet you are asking me many questions. You know my name already; you know I am a student. Who are you?

“Paul. Paul Wilson.” He lied. “Now let us continue from where we stopped. Elbows on the table, and interlocking her red long finger nails under her chin. Jane started what turned out to be a twenty minute mini lecture on Field Learning. Though brief, she touched on all the major fundamental theories of learning: classical conditioning and many others.

The mere mention of exponents like Wolfgang Kohler, Ivan Pavlov, Max Wertheimer, Kurt Lewin and Jerome Brunner and their contributions to psychology of learning was enough to convince Emeka that the lady was grounded in the field. To Emeka, it was like a refresher course. He was impressed. But one riddle he found very difficult to provide an answer to was her mission in the restaurant.

Jane was still talking when a waitress came around with a bill of almost nine thousand naira. It was placed before Emeka as both ladies stared at him for a while. Again, silence reigned.

A visibly confused Emeka couldn’t understand why a glass of wine would cost that much. But a closer look at the slip showed that Jane’s expenses were also incorporated. Irritated, he reluctantly brought out his wallet, paid the bills and got a noisy giggle and a tap on the shoulder from her. Just then, the young gentleman realized how dangerous it would be for his sweetheart, Bola to come in and meet this lady. Anything can happen. Moreover, he wouldn’t want to be taken unawares again. Parting with another nine thousand naira or thereabout would render him koboless.

Hence, he decided to call it a day. Waiting two hours for a date and getting something else was bad enough.

While waiting for a taxi one stopped right in front of him and behold, Bola alighted. In a swift move, he stopped the driver before he could step on the accelerator.

“Bola, I think it would be better if we spend the time at the National Theatre.” Just then, she sighted Jane at the entrance of the restaurant calling.

“Emeka look around. It seems someone needs your attention.”

“Please, ignore anyone for now. Our outing is more important.” He retorted.

“Oga, to where?” The cab man asked. “To National Theatre” Bola replied.

Posted by: Splendid!