#olabimpe

[olabimpe]

In Between Around and Beyond

It's grief season for me, and the week before the anniversary of my dad's death is always the hardest - everything about Thanksgiving triggers my grief.

It was our main family holiday.

We had no family traditions more consistent and persistent than thanksgiving- where we would invite 50+ international grad students to our home for a fully home-cooked meal that my mom, sister, and I would prep for extensively.

The driving force, of course, being my parents' memory of being young and in a new country, trying to manage academia and marriage and children. 

Trying to do this while writing and teaching and grading? Sometimes it feels like it shouldn't be a priority. But taking the one day to rest and spend family time is the perfect refresher before the end of the semester. It was a reminder of why they worked so hard in the first place.

Holidays are so locally cultural, and if you're new and don't know it's coming, you just have to hope someone "in the culture" will take you in and show you what it's about. Otherwise you're alone and isolated while others get to bask in community and love.

There was a professor who did that for my parents-- invited them into the experience while they were in the middle of building themselves. When my parents had the means, they decided they wanted to do that for their students.

We would start cleaning the house a week early (with my dad, hilariously, vacuuming stairs that would not even be used or seen).

We would scan our lives for anyone who might need a place. My dad's grad students in English and African Studies. My mom's law students. Bola and I would pick peers and TAs of ours to invite as well. We would cook 3-4 turkeys. We would prepare enough food to send everyone home with trays full of leftovers. We would plan seating and music and decor. It was a family production.

For the people that wonder why my nuclear family can pull off any event on any scale together- this is why. Practice of course, but between work and school and life, we made space for this ritual.

We took some years off, but not the year he died. In 2019, we put on as big of an event as ever. I took some more ownership over the music. My dad gave a slightly different speech.

He always spoke, while the food was ready and everyone was smelling the love we cooked, about the land we were on and how it had been plundered. How any bounty we experienced had an unspeakable cost. But the year he died, as if anticipating this as his final broadcast, he looked at everyone and told us how we had the right to take up space. That as not-yet Americans, or new-Americans, we had every right to exist, to contribute, to make ourselves whole here.

He died the Saturday following that Thanksgiving. I was the last person to speak to him earlier that morning and I was the one to find him.

So, I'm sure it makes sense why this time of year feels particularly empty now. Life in general feels emptier without him, but around Thanksgiving, my body prepares itself for a tradition I can't bear to uphold yet. And instinctively, my body braces for tragedy. I can so rarely rest or sleep or relax. My body tenses up and I lose hours every day to anxiety management.

Recently, I've reached a somewhat awkward stage of acceptance of my grief. it feels better than the shock I experienced initially. It feels better than the guilt I've felt for not becoming more of myself faster, so he could witness. It feels better than the pressure of trying to become him. But at the same time, his death is as inescapable as ever in acceptance. 

I do not have any more lofty goals that would make grief easier to bear because I know nothing will. The gifts he gave me will continue to fade. My memory of his voice and his gait will become less reliable. The grief is now mundane, and simply a part of my character. It is here to stay.

So now, I leave myself breadcrumbs. I create new things that are rooted in my grief, so that as some artifacts and experiences fade, others are just being born. This is as close as I can get to keeping him with me.

I've done major projects (my apartment, some essay writing, some fashion/textile design), but I'm also seeing the value in the incredibly small creations. Most recently, I had the opportunity to design a travel credit card, and I used it to commemorate him.

My dad was a traveler. He was the most well traveled in our family, and the ease I travel with now is based on watching him navigate any space.

On the card, I chose a hot air balloon icon - because I was notoriously obsessed with hot air balloons as a child, and was routinely teased for as long as I can remember about how I would relentlessly beg to be in one.

Earlier this year, my mom revealed to me that when I was 2 years old and we were visiting Paris, my dad was actually going to humor me. He had pulled my mom aside to suggest he call their bank in the US to transfer the funds needed for us to go on this hot air balloon ride together. My mom refused, because we didn't have the money. When she told me this, I was shocked and felt so thwarted (28 years later 😂).

I had always felt so dismissed about this dream growing up. Being the youngest and therefore fully unaware of the dynamics of age at play, I just felt like I was never taken as seriously and I wanted to be. To find out that my dad even intended to take me- that he saw this desire of mine to be in the sky as relatable and worthy of investment- just made me feel so much more validated and seen than ever.

So as basic as it may seem, the hot air balloon to me now signifies that aspiration, that almost-shared experience of seeing the world together.

Next to the hot air balloon, I chose some of my dad's words. In his book on Fela, he wrote quite a poetic dedication. I have read it many times and it strikes me differently every time. The line "in between around and beyond" has always echoed strongly, and somehow fits in this travel context, perhaps a life context, of continually searching for new perspectives, of never being satisfied with the perspectives already experienced. Maybe that's the common drive he noticed in me when I would stare at the sky and ask to be transported anywhere and everywhere.

This card, the design, the reminder of his poetic spirit in this new context... It's not the same thing as having him here, but it is *of* him, it is new, and it has a whole life to live.

[afriupdatenews]

WAEC apologises to Ekiti over delay in release of candidates’ results

WAEC apologises to Ekiti over delay in release of candidates’ results

Blames delay on technical issues

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has apologised to Ekiti State government over delay in release of the 2020 results of public schools’ candidates.

The Council also debunked the rumour that the results were delayed owing to huge debt owed by the state government.In a letter dated November 5, 2020 and signed by WAEC’s Branch Controller, Alhaji Olajide…

[washwashgalaxy]

VICTORY IN THE BATTLE OF LOVE••• By Mukaila Habeebullah (Wilden pen) & Olabimpe Oduntayo (Olabimpe's pen)

VICTORY IN THE BATTLE OF LOVE••• By Mukaila Habeebullah (Wilden pen) & Olabimpe Oduntayo (Olabimpe’s pen)

••••VICTORY IN THE BATTLE OF LOVE••• A collaborative poem between ©® Mukaila Habeebullah ( Wilden pen ) & ©® Olabimpe Oduntayo ( Olabimpe’s pen ) Wilden pen ✍️ Many birds are on the trees Singing different romantic song With their sonorous voice Before I choose to be you You’re the Queen in my palace, Bullet in my woeful gun That I used to fight the foes, Can I ever response to other birds again…

[quotidiantimes]

Nigeria: Funeral mass held for victims of Owo church attack

Nigeria: Funeral mass held for victims of Owo church attack

Among those paying respects to the 40 people who died was Laide Ajanaku whose parents John Adesina Ajanaku, 67, and mother Olabimpe Susanah, 64, were killed when a group of armed men stormed the congregation during a Pentecost mass the St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, south-western Nigeria. There has been a discrepancy in the figures given to media by authorities, with a local lawmaker Adeyemi…

[sayflexxyblog]

Ekiti Education Commissioner charges parents, teachers on provision of qualitative education

Ekiti Education Commissioner charges parents, teachers on provision of qualitative education

As Primary and Secondary schools in Ekiti State resume academic activities, today, Monday 6th September, 2021 for the 2021/22 academic session, the State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Dr. Olabimpe Aderiye has charged both parents and teachers to be focused, diligent and alive to their responsibilities in the task of ensuring qualitative education for school children in the…

[globalgistng]

Ekiti govt speaks on School resumption date

Ekiti govt speaks on School resumption date

The Ekiti State Government on Sunday has announced the reopening of all public and private nursery, primary and secondary schools in the state, with effect from January 18. The State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Dr Olabimpe Aderiye, announced the reopening of the schools in a statement in Ado Ekiti. “The Ekiti Education Ministry wishes to announce that, with the approval…

[ijtsrd]

Impact of Taxes on Revenue Generation in Nigeria (A Study of Federal Government)

by Olaleye John Olatunde | Salome Olabimpe Ajayi "Impact of Taxes on Revenue Generation in Nigeria (A Study of Federal Government)" 

Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-4 | Issue-1 , December 2019, 

URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd29514.pdf  

Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/economics/other/29514/impact-of-taxes-on-revenue-generation-in-nigeria-a-study-of-federal-government/olaleye-john-olatunde

peer reviewed journals, call for paper chemistry, ugc approved journals in mathemetics

This paper investigated the effect of taxes on revenue generation in Nigeria from 1981 to 2016, a period of thirty five 35 years and the data for the analysis were sourced from Central Bank of Nigeria's CBN, 2016 Statistical Bulletin. The variables used include total federally collected revenue as a proxy for revenue generation, labour, gross capital formation, company income tax, petroleum profit tax, personal income tax, value added tax, custom and excise tax, direct tax and indirect tax. Fully modified ordinary least squares method FMOLS was employed to determine the direction and the magnitude of impacts. Based on the effect of direct tax on revenue generation in Nigeria, both company income tax and personal income tax boost revenue generation in Nigeria while petroleum profit tax discourage revenue generation in Nigeria. Also, model on the effect of indirect tax on revenue generation showed that the two variables used as indirect tax variable value added tax and custom and excise tax have positive and significant effect on revenue generation in Nigeria. Lastly, the researchers found out that the estimated result on the effect of direct and indirect tax on revenue generation in Nigeria showed that indirect tax lead to revenue generation in Nigeria while direct tax does not and this is so because most people pay indirect tax in Nigeria than direct tax. Also, tax evasion and avoidance are very minimal in indirect tax and this lead to more revenue which encourage economic growth in Nigeria. The researchers recommended that it is important that efficient and effective tax policy be implemented to ensure that enough revenue is generated for growth purposes like strict penalties should be meted to people who avoid and evade tax payments. Government should base her taxes on indirect tax because this will not create any burden on the citizen and in this way, it will lead to growth. 

[wothappen]

FUTA expels 6 students involved in beating schoolmate

FUTA expels 6 students involved in beating schoolmate

The Federal University of Technology Akure, FUTA has expelled the six students involved in the beating of their schoolmate.

In a statement released by the school, the students – 1. Popoola Olaniyi Agboola IDD/ (300L) 2. Oluwadare Faith Tobiloba FST ( 200L) 3. Nandi Yohanna Jessica IPE/ ( 200L) 4. Ajuwon Tolani Emmanuella FAT/ (100L) 5. Emmanuel Funmilayo Taiwo FAT/ (100L)and 6. Alao Olabimpe…

[kenzymirror]

Tiwa Savage Leads The Start Of A New Era For Women In Nigerian Music – “49-99” Video & Audio Review Olabimpe The audio is a bump already and having a mad video like this is a plus to it.

[ysmarttech]

Fayemi reshuffles exco, submits nominees to Assembly

Fayemi reshuffles exco, submits nominees to Assembly

By Rasaq Ibrahim, Ado-Ekiti

Ekiti Assembly on Tuesday received a request from Governor Kayode Fayemi for confirmation of seven commissioner- nominees

The request was contained in a letter sent to the Assembly and read during plenary session by Speaker Funminiyi Afuye.

On the list read by the Speaker on Tuesday include: Otunba Diran Adesua (Ekiti East); Prince Olabode Adetoyi (Moba); Dr Olabimpe…

[lyrical4ces]

VIDEO: Mr. Iyanu – Eko Miami

Watch @iyanu83939958's #EkoMiami Video

Multi-talented Nigerian acclaimed singer, Mr. Iyanu, premieres new music titled ‘Eko Miama’.

The new single, ‘Eko Miami’ by Mr. Iyanu is his comeback music after a brief hiatus to focus more on background works of his career and to put perfection into his craft, succeeding his 2017 hit single ‘Olabimpe’.

Mr. Iyanu has never failed to creatively deliver quality, on ‘Eko Miami’, he upped his…

[iporich-blog]

VIDEO: Mr. Iyanu – Eko Miami

VIDEO: Mr. Iyanu – Eko Miami

Multi-talented Nigerian acclaimed singer, Mr. Iyanu, premieres new music titled ‘Eko Miama’. The new single, ‘Eko Miami’ by Mr. Iyanu is his comeback music after a brief hiatus to focus more on background works of his career and to put perfection into his craft, succeeding his 2017 hit single ‘Olabimpe’.

Mr. Iyanu has never failed to creatively deliver quality, on ‘Eko Miami’, he upped his game…

[aniekanekah]

[Music & Video]: Mr. Iyanu – “Eko Miami”

[Music & Video]: Mr. Iyanu – “Eko Miami”

Multi-talented Nigerian acclaimed singer, Mr. Iyanu, premieres new music titled ‘Eko Miama’.

The new single, ‘Eko Miami’ by Mr Iyanu is his comeback music after a brief hiatus to focus more on background works of his career and to put perfection into his craft, succeeding his 2017 hit single ‘Olabimpe’.Mr Iyanu has never failed to creatively deliver quality, on ‘Eko Miami’, he upped his game and…

[kenzymirror]

After A Year Without An Official Release, Wizkid Makes The Weakest Of Comebacks || “Ghetto Love” Review

After A Year Without An Official Release, Wizkid Makes The Weakest Of Comebacks || “Ghetto Love” Review

Olabimpe – Has Wizkid really lost his touch? What exactly went wrong? Could this be his first bad song? Wizkid actually owes me an explanation for I am in a state of wonderment. After listening to the 3-minute track, these were the questions floating in my head.

“Ghetto Love” no doubt is a great bop with a sick beat but not what I expected after being starved for almost a year. The concept of…

[amazingreveal]

Ondo State: INEC Creates New Registration Centers, Appoints New REC

Ondo State: INEC Creates New Registration Centers, Appoints New REC

SOURCE: saharareporters.com The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ondo State has created an additional six voter registration centers to ease the registration process of new eligible voters in the state. Olabimpe Awoniyi, the head of INEC’s Voters Education and Publicity department in the state, disclosed this in a statement issued and obtained by SaharaReporters in Akure, the…