Mother's Advice: Do NOT Marry a Musician

Of all the professions parents (especially Nigerian parents) advice their children to pursue, music ranks low on that all-too-familiar list.  I bet some kids were born clutching "Anatomy" textbooks in one hand, and "Civil Procedure" casebooks in another.  Oya, deny that your first word was not "A-M-O-E-B-A" (which somewhat rhymes with Amala)? Um-hmm! I thought so! 

Naturally, as soon as a baby jumps out of his/her mother's womb, the child is fed on a strict diet of limited professional choices.  You might recognize some of them:  Medicine, Law, Engineering, Accountancy ... and when all else fails, you can get a PhD in any field.  That way, you can have people address you as Professor XYZ, rather than just (God forbid) "XYZ."  Believe it or not, it is not exclusively a Nigerian thing.  It's pretty common in other parts of the world as well.




THIS FRIDAY'S Free Downloads | Featuring: The Movement by VC Perez, J.Clone and B.O.U.Q.U.I

The three songs that are available as free downloads today have this in common:  I got "word" on them via Twitter.  I would like to specially thank each of the artistes for sharing their music with us.  Special thanks also to Gospogroove, Olatunji Olasehinde (Manager for Take Phive) and JClone (Featured Artiste) who notified me.  Thanks for giving me the heads up.  What else was I going to add? Oh yes! Hit the download button and enjoy.  Have a great weekend!

1. The Movement by VC Perez

The Movement | Gospogroove

THIS Friday's Free Downloads | Featuring: Lily Perez (My Life), Dach-Mo (Babu Kamarka), Gold Help Owen (Wait)

I hope you've been enjoying the assortment of free downloads offered here every Friday.  If you have, please take a few seconds to leave a comment.  The artistes will surely appreciate it.  Furthermore, if you have any artistes you would like to recommend for this series, please send me an e-mail with the link to the MP3 file download at relentless@therelentlesbuilder.com

Having said that, here are This Friday's free downloads, courtesy of three different Nigerian gospel artistes.  Click the Download button at on each widget, and enjoy!

1.  Lily Perez

Lily Perez / Facebook

What Watermelons can teach you about Hymns and Church Choruses | Featured Artiste: Glowreeyah Braimah

One thing I have probably never mentioned on this blog is that I have been privileged to be a member of a few choirs.  Mostly church choirs, of course, and the experiences I gained were invaluable. For the most part, there would be rehearsals for the hymns and/or choir special (typically some 'raining' gospel song like that).  However, there were those few nightmarish occasions where the choirmaster (or mistress) would pick a song (or hymn) that I had never in my entire life heard of. In the middle of the church service.

Under such circumstances (I was a teenager for some of those years), I would be worried about how to avoid being detected by those members of the audience who were experts at fishing out poor, clueless, unfortunate "I-don't-know-the-lyrics-Jesu-Gba-Mi-type" choir members.  Not that I fell into this category, of course *pops collar and adjusts blazer* In fact, I  refuse to re-live the horror of those moments. If you have ever been in that situation, you know precisely what I mean.  The good news is that there is finally a solution to this outrage.  To avoid moving your lips indiscriminately, thereby making a person look like a goat that is still chewing the cud, you can actually chew some gum do this instead: Adopt the "Watermelon" strategy. (I don't mean you should copy our little friend in the picture below.  You can do that after the service). Read on to find out more :-)


[Image Source]

JULY GIVEAWAY: Three Free Copies of Atilola Moronfolu's "Antonyms of a Mirage"

For the month of July, I will be giving away three free copies of Atilola Moronfolu's "Antonyms of a Mirage." Atilola is a fellow blogger, and also one of my readers. This is her first book. There is also an excerpt from the book for your reading pleasure, below, after the rules.

[Book Cover: Image Source]


THIS Friday's Free Downloads | Featuring: DeSam, Ikpemhosi Amakhabi, Cute Sagay

In continuing with our new series, This Friday, I have three Nigerian gospel artistes to share with you.  Check out their music and more useful information on them below.  And as usual, click the Download button on each widget to get your free copy of their featured singles.  Happy Clicking (so cheesy, I know)!

1. DeSam

DeSam / Facebook

Women are more spiritual than Men

In primary school, we learnt that Nigerians practiced three different kinds of religion: Christianity, Islam and Traditional Religion/Worship.  But as it turns out, that was just a tip of the iceberg.  My social studies teacher  (because that was indeed the class where this "knowledge" was imparted to me) did not tell me what I later observed in life.  And she (or was it a he?) could not even have explained this to me.  I am referring my personal observations on spirituality, i.e. women are more spiritual than men.

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SCHOOL SPIRIT: Do Nigerian Students Show It? | Featured Artiste: Ogecha

According to Wikipedia, School spirit is "emotional support for one's educational institution." [Source] Contrary to your opinion, it is has NOTHING to do with Madam Koin-Koin, bush babies, and other unexplained mysteries that plague the Nigerian school landscape.  (Really, Relentless? School and landscape in one sentence? Must be this heat wave).  Madam Koin-Koin would win the title for The School Spirit, which is not what I wanted to discuss here today.  (Aside: I wonder if she wears Louboutins.  If you see her, you can ask her).  I was thinking of school spirit in terms of showing support for your school.  
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THIS Friday's Free Downloads | Featuring: Simi, Joan Paul, NollyNolz

Every Friday, I will share three (or less) Nigerian gospel songs that are also available as free downloads so you can expand your music library. *wink*

To start this off, please check out the following artistes and click the Download button on each widget to get the free downloads.  Enjoy!

 Simi

Simi / Facebook



Artiste's Stage Name: Simi

Artiste's Real Name: Simisola Ogunleye

Connect with Simi: Facebook | Twitter 

Listen to more tracks from Simi: ReverbNation

Featured Song: Chocolate Brown

Fedoras, Fine Men and Wrappers | Featured Artiste: P.I.T.A

[Image Credit]
I own just two fedoras.  One is gray (like the one in the picture), and the other one is red.  Unfortunately (for me or you?) I am not about to delve into details of the places I have worn these fedoras to, and people's reactions to me (and my sister) wearing fedoras.  #TrueStory.  Does it help that we wore them with suspenders too? Move over Janet Jackson!  Neither am I  about to give you my top ten reasons for why I think every man (and woman) should own a fedora.  *wink* Rather, I shall .... Okay read on.