Kingsley Ukwueze @kingsleysom

We were outside, engrossed in a lively game of football under the pouring rain when we sensed the thunderstorm. At that point, I had already managed to score two goals, securing a solid lead for my team. Suddenly, the earth beneath our feet began to tremble and a lightning bolt struck nearby, sending a jolt of fear through our bodies.

Although we observed the lightning, we assumed it was a distant occurrence. To our astonishment, it was much closer than we had anticipated.

In a split second, we all understood the grave danger we faced and, in an instant, our amusing football game turned into a mad run for safety.

Abandoning the football and the field, we fled helter-skelter to seek refuge in different directions. Looking back, it was a funny sight to behold. Each one of us ran wildly, leaving the game behind, heading for cover. I couldn't help but ponder that it might be the last time I engage in such a wild football match under the rain.

It had just stopped raining when we all set out to head to school. The streets were in a mess, paints of mud littered the whole roads, but we walked carefully, mindful of the potential disaster if we decided to walk faster acknowledging that we were late for the class. We figured the teacher would be lienient.

Kently seemed oddly indifferent to the conditions. Despite the mud and slippery surfaces that lay in wait, he forged ahead, leaving the rest of us behind. As he hastened, it appeared as though he had effortlessly scaled through the muddy trap, and for a moment, it seemed like he might indeed make it to school ahead of us

Kently was still walking with vigour when his feets were swept from the ground, letting out a grunt, he landed on the muddy pool.
We couldn't hide our laughter at the hilarious sight, yet we extended a hand to help him to his feet as he struggled to regain his balance, and helped him brush off the worst of the mud. Realizing the need to return home to clean up, Kently had no option but to retrace his steps.

We arrived at the school, and dutifully reported his (Kently's) unfortunate adventure to the teacher. Miraculously, despite his unfriendly response, the teacher excused Kently, allowing him to sign the attendance sheet after he arrived later in class.

When I was in high school, I had a rather unique morning routine. Early in the morning, just as the world was waking up, I would venture out to hunt for snails. It seemed that in the early hours when the air was still cool, these little creatures would come out of hiding, perhaps migrating or seeking moisture, but whatever the reason, it made them easy to find.

I would spend my mornings scouring for snails, and within a week, I had amassed quite a collection. Meanwhile, my sisters and siblings would sleep peacefully, unaware of my early morning adventures. When they did wake up and find me engaged in my snail hunting, they thought I was wasting my time on something frivolous and fleeting.

It was a few days later when a neighbor paid us a visit and stumbled upon my snail "farm" – a small enclosure I had set up in a pent-up bucket. As he peered inside and saw the quantity of snails I had collected, he was impressed. To my delight, as a small child, he slipped me a 500 Naira note, which to me felt like winning a million dollars. My sisters were astonished by this unexpected validation, and they didn't hesitate to join me in my snail hunting efforts in the days that followed.

They were even more determined than me. Turning every stones and uncovering all uncovered.

Today my MP3 player started malfunctioning. It was as though it suddenly became louder and then it kept tripping off. I suspected it was the battery causing these issues. In a rush of desperation, I decided to try an unconventional fix. I remembered a spare battery from another MP3 player I had lying around. I decided to attach it to my current one in hopes of restoring its functionality.

To my surprise, after connecting the spare battery, my MP3 player not only started working again but it sounded even better. The only downside was its appearance. The spare battery was attached from the outside, with the wire neatly inserted inside, but people often looked at it and assumed it had been damaged or altered. Regardless of its unconventional look, it continued to work just fine, playing my favorite tunes and keeping me entertained.

Sure, the battery's longevity might not follow the standard, but I'm just happy that it's functioning. I learned to embrace its unique appearance, and most importantly, it's still doing its job. After all, it's all about the music, not just the look.

So instead of wasting transport money and other expenses to go have it fixed, I could use that money for something more important.
My steez still remains 100%.

I've always been an active member of our church community, and today was a special day as we celebrated the completion of our church building. It was an unforgettable event, filled with joy and gratitude. People came together to donate generous amounts in support of God's work, as they always do. I've always had an excuse handy whenever donations were mentioned—I would play the student card to ease the guilt of not contributing.

Today, however, something inside me stirred, an inner spirit that urged me to step up and join in. I couldn't ignore it. Despite being a student living on a tight budget, I made the decision to contribute. It may have been just 2000 naira, but for me, it was a significant amount. I couldn't help but think of all the blessings God had bestowed upon me. In light of that, I felt compelled to express my appreciation. Besides, if I had saved that money, it might have been squandered on something frivolous in the future.

As I dropped my modest donation into the collection, a sense of peace and contentment washed over me. It felt right. The smiles and gratitude from the church members cemented my belief that I had made the correct decision.

Looking back, I'm glad I listened to that inner voice. It's true what they say—no gift is too small to make a difference. God has done marvelous things in my life, and I was grateful for the opportunity to give back, no matter the amount.

remember last November when my roommate came back home very sad and anxious. He told me that his phone had stopped working earlier that day. He was really worried because he was almost late for an important exam and he had to put his bag down quickly. He didn't realize that his iPhone 11 was in the bag.

After the exam, he looked for his phone in the bag but it wasn't there. He asked people if they'd seen anyone near his bag, but no one had any helpful information. His phone was gone. It felt like something you'd see in a movie, and he started crying again as he told me the story.

He felt really upset and gloomy after losing his phone. His parents got him a new one, but it was different - it was an android, not an iPhone. He started to feel a bit better, but he wasn't as happy as before because he really missed his old phone. The change to an android phone made him feel a bit sad, even though he tried to feel better. The memory of his iPhone 11, and the switch to a new phone, made him feel a bit sad for some time.

Well, I don't blame him too much for having felt that way. IPhones boosts a person ego and status and I know what it feels like to use an android after being known as an iPhone user.

I had never been one to follow fashion trends, but there was something about the cargo pant craze that caught my eye. Everywhere I looked, young people were sporting these baggy trousers, and they seemed to be all the rage.
Even though the price tag was a bit challenging, my curiosity got the better of me, and I found myself wanting to join in on the trend.

After some haggling with the sellers, I finally managed to negotiate a pair for myself. Excitement bubbled within me as I slipped the cargo pants on, but as I gazed at the reflection in the large mirror, my heart sank. The trousers seemed to engulf me, and the style was a far cry from my usual wardrobe choices. I felt like a clown in an oversized disguise.
The flair end was it's regular style but it wasn't working for me.

With a heavy breath, I resignedly hung the cargo pants in my wardrobe, silently acknowledging that they would remain nothing more than an addition to my collection.
Despite their price and popularity, I couldn't see myself ever donning them again. Some fashion trends, it seemed, were better admired from a distance.

I woke up this morning, I heard the sound of raindrops hitting my window. I opened my eyes and looked out. It was still drizzling heavily outside. The rain had started last night and continued into Sunday morning.

I usually love going to the early morning church service, but looking at the heavy rain, I knew I wouldn't be able to make it. I pulled my warm bedsheet up to cover my cheeks, and soon I was back into a cozy doze. The cold weather made my bed feel even more comfortable, and the soft sounds of raindrops on the roof helped me fall back to sleep.

As the morning went on, the rain continued to pour down. It was a perfect day for staying indoors. I spent the morning reading a book and enjoying a lazy breakfast. I really missed the early morning service, but I knew there was an evening service at 8 pm. I made a mental note to go to that one.

By the time the evening rolled around, the rain had finally stopped. I decided to go to the 8 PM service. As I walked to the church, I could feel the freshness in the air after the rain. The service was really nice. It felt great to be back in church, surrounded by the warmth of the congregation, and the rainy day made me appreciate the beauty of coming together for worship even more.

The rain might have kept me from the morning service, but it couldn't stop me from finding peace and joy in the evening one. It turned out to be a wonderful day after all!

always saw my music box (mp3 player) as the best. it was a limited edition, mind you it wasn't that expensive. when I saw the music box online, I had to quickly call the seller, I didn't have money, except for the few pennies left.

I needed a music box, it fills in the mood when its boring, it keeps the room lively and moreover, it entertains a visitor rather than a quiet atmosphere. There were many things that I needed a music box for and it wasn't a bad or reckless expense to me.

until I got the music box in my hands did I realize that it had not a good bass, it wasn't up to size to what I saw on the picture displayed online. But then, it had some unique features also, it's battery lasted extraordinarily more than the regular and it had this spectacular display of light display when on. I had to content myself with the its good side

Well, I assumed myself a contented, but deep down, I knew that I had made a bad choice ordering a product that wasn't tested and trusted, all for wanting to stand out. Till now, I am yet to know the name of the music box that I bought with my innocent money.

Two days ago, I visited a friend and he had this Zealot speaker. I stood in awe as the room lit up in the most energetic uproar of its bass.
It left me to know that its always better to go for things that have already been tested and proven good than going for something you have no knowledge about.

As for my own music box, it is still serving its purpose though.