When Borno state is mentioned, images of war, blood and towns ravaged by terrorists comes to mind as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency.

However, Fati Abubakar, a photographer from Borno wants to change the war narrative and show the world the real people who have survived the crisis.

via Fati Abubakar

With the ongoing military onslaught against the Boko Haram terrorists, Borno has slowly started coming to life.

via Fati Abubakar

Fati wants to show how the people of Borno are starting over, healing and ultimately building their communities from scratch.

via Fati Abubakar

Some of her shots include children and adults, including these little girls at a mini fashion shoot.

via Fati Abubakar

And little Maryam, who was excited about her new dress and toy.

via Fati Abubakar

Schoolchildren aren’t left out too.

via Fati Abubakar

Acording to her, the people of Borno still find it difficult to get clean running water.

via Instagram

However, this problem is gradually being solved with the construction of a number of UNICEF boreholes.

via Instagram

Some of the internally displaced people even produce hand-stitched caps for sale.

via Instagram

And the Kanuri people just know how to get down.

via Instagram

Even after losing so much to war, their spirits remain unbroken and they will continue to rebuild their community one piece at a time.

via Instagram

1. You have to come out of the womb knowing how to wash dishes and sweep the house.

Why else do you think you were born?

2. You have to be very talented but you cannot become a musician.

Use your talents to entertain us around the house.

3. If you are having academic issues, keep it to yourself.

All your parents want to see are those As.

4. As a Nigerian child, your career options are limited to Doctor, Engineer, Lawyer…maybe Accountant.

In that order. The lower you go, the more disappointing you are.

5. You’re a child, so everything that goes wrong in the house is your fault.

…even when it isn’t, just accept the beating.

6. As a Nigerian child you need to be self sufficient from babyhood.

Wake yourself up, dress yourself up and drive yourself to school.

7. You should have no social life, but you must get married at the appointed time.

No one cares how you do it, just make it happen.

8. Remember to never ask questions, challenge your parents or disagree.

You’re a child, you have no opinions.

9. Don’t try to have a conversation with your parents. You should be seen not heard.

Okay?

10. Anticipate your parents’ needs, so that you can fulfill it before they even ask.

That’s a good boy!

11. You should have all the available meanings of ‘kini’ at your fingertips so that when your mom says “Bring my Kini”, you’re there.

This is it!

12. If your mother ever has to make her own meals or wash a dish, you have failed as a child.

Just so you know.

Most Nigerian guys have similar techniques when it comes to talking to girls. So here’s a list of the most common lines used by our beloved Naija boys:

1. “Eskiz me sister”

I’m not your sister, please go and be unfortunate somewhere else.

2. “So where do you base?”

MTV base ni.

3. “Can I have your contact?”

Yeah…. No.

4. “Send me your pix”

Oga, respect your life.

5. “What are you wearing?”

The blood of Jesus please.

6. “How many boyfriends do you have?”

Is it your boyfriend?

7. “Have you eaten?”

Yes, I have. Can this conversation like end now?

8. “So what are you doing?”

Sigh.

9. “Tell me about yourself plix”

Kuku kill me.

10. “You look very familiar, is your name Yvonne?”

Now walk away slowly.

1. When your co-workers ask for your holiday plans.

Gats pray.

2. When your friend calls you to come and hang out.

This one is not serious.

3. What everyone else is eating during Sallah vs. What you are eating:

The struggle.

4. You, during the public holiday.

No money, no turn up.

5. When you want to leave your house but your account balance tells you:

Let me respect myself.

6. You, waiting for one of your Muslim friends to invite you over for chow.

Epp me, please.

7. When someone asks you “anything for boys?”

You cannot see me looking hungry.

8. You, waiting for any kind of credit alert like:

Baba God, do it for your child.

9. When you see people turning up on social media.

Na wa oh!

10. You, when people start making plans around you.

Not today, Satan.

11. When someone tells you “do Sallah for us.”

Better leave me.

12. When someone offers to come and take you out instead.

Now you’re talking.

13. How you eat when someone else is paying:

Can’t carry last.

So you are minding your business, scrolling through Instagram during working hours (as you do) and you see another wedding hashtag:

Ayyyyy weekend rocks don set!  

“Ahn ahn! Is that not our former neighbours aunty’s, cousin’s brother in law’s daughter with a man?”

Wawu! Small girl does your mother know you’re here?

“Ah see how she’s carrying her hand as if it’s paining her. Because of engagement ring?”

Na wa o!

You do some more amebo to find out aso ebi colours.

Which one is “pungent asexual turquoise” or “freckled pastel champagne” for goodness sakes! Ahn ahn?

Then you remember your cousin has one dress you can borrow like this.

We move!!

That day of the wedding, you open Youtube and start copying one look your favourite vlogger created.

#Facebeat #Yasss

You call your neighbour to help you take “unlooking” photos.

“I didn’t know anyone was taking my picture that’s normally how I am”

You and your crew arrive in grand style:

Baddest guys!

Only to see that there is entry tag.

God is this how it all ends? What a betrayed.

Then you recognise one of the bouncers from a wedding you attended last week (and the week before that and 3 weeks before that).

Look at God!

So you greet your guy and enter the place with confidence.

Kent stop me abeg!

Because you don’t want to look like you don’t have home training you only eat a little … of each option on the menu.

Balanced diet!

Photobooth dey? Time to give them your best poses!

#WeddingFlow #WeddingStyle #WeddingRocks #AsoEbiBella #HimHer2016 #WeddingGuest.

Then the live band packs their load and your favourite DJ starts to do his thing.

Gbedu time!

You gathering all the souvenirs you’ve collected:

“I must carry my load go.”

Then over the next one week you upload different pictures from the same event till the next weekend when you can do it all again.

Because every day for the guest, one day for the wedded.

1. When you hear Ramadan, and you’re already thinking of the 2-day public holiday at the end of it.

God bless you guys!

2. And all the food that you’ll be going around eating.

Imma need these days to move fast.

3. When they finally announce the public holidays and it’s not a long weekend.

What’s all these?

4. How you greet all your Muslim acquaintances.

Where that meat at?

5. When you dress up on Eid day and people start asking if you’re a Muslim too.

No, I’m just going to eat.

6. When you see your Muslim friends receiving Sallah money from their relatives.

Y’all get Sallah money? Why don’t Christians give Easter money though?

7. When you’re keeping an eye on your neighbor’s house to know when they start serving the meat, so you’ll ‘unintentionally’ walk past.

Don’t mind me. Just running an errand.

8. When you hear some people saying this is not the ram holiday.

Are you kidding me? Are we here to joke?

9. You, yesterday, when the government added one more day to the public holidays.

Yass!!!

10. When you secretly wish that they won’t still sight the moon so that Friday can be a public holiday too.

The moon should lost please.

11. But now you’re confused about which day to go about eating.

Is it today or tomorrow?

12. When your boss calls to ask if you can manage to come to work on Thursday.

NO!

13. When you finally get the reward you’ve been waiting for.

Happy Eid!!!

1. You wanted to sharply leave Lagos so you took this wonderful expressway.

The greatest expressway in Nigeria.

2. Then you hear MFM, RCCG, Deeper Life and NASFAT are holding programs in one night.

It has ended.

3. When it’s midnight and you haven’t even reached Mowe.

Hay God!

4. You asking God to part the traffic for you just like Moses parted the Red Sea.

Father be a miracle provider.

5. When you see people parking their cars and preparing to sleep on the road.

See these ones.

6. You, gisting with the people in the car next to you.

As per, we’re all in this together.

7. You looking for a place to make a U-turn.

No time for stress abeg.

8. When you see people strolling down the expressway as if they’re in their houses.

You people have mind sha.

9. Gala and lacasera hawkers when there’s traffic on Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

Ope o!

10. When the traffic is terrible but there’s a potential bae in the car beside you.

This traffic must be a sign from God.

11. You, whenever someone tries to cut in front of you.

Where are you rushing to in this traffic!?

12. When you catch up to that car that tried to claim road.

After all your oversabi, we’re still in the same traffic.

13. You when you first got on the expressway vs you when you finally get to your destination

One million years later…

Dating in Nigeria is a battle so you gats be prepared! Here are all the types of Nigerian men you are bound to meet:

1. The young man – He texts like spelling is something of a struggle and has to ask his mum for permission before he takes you on a date.

Which one is “wots popn?”

2. The silver fox – You know you are wasting each others time but it’s ok like that.

Sighhh!

3. The one with international exposure – Always making reference to his days back in “da unaded keendom” or “U S of A”.

Let us hear word oh!

4. The local champion – He doesn’t even bother speaking english.

And he’s okay like that.

5. The one that is always too serious.

Not everyday parables, sometimes just talk normally.

6. The class clown – This one thinks everything is a joke and refuses to be serious.

If you don’t joke will you die?

7. The one that always has “money issues”.

He’s not broke, he’s just upcoming.

8. The rich man – Nobody knows where his money comes from but it’s there sha.

Na Baba God.

9. The troublemaker

One day, one trouble.

10. The lover – all he knows is late night calls and pet names.

Oga wake up, this is not telanovella.

11. The regular nice guy – He’s single, kind, funny and responsible, hardworking and really likes you.

He also doesn’t exist. Wake up.

1. When you get your employment letter

We are not mates anymore.

2. First day of work and you hear you can only leave at 8PM

Sah, did you say eight as in 8PM?

3. During your training and you hear the kind of target they have

It’s not me that will go to the marketing department abeg.

4. When they end up putting you in the marketing department

Nobody said the road will be this rough.

5. And they tell you your target is N350 million

Must be a mistake, prank, or an expensive joke.

6. But you hear Chioma in marketing brought N400 million last quarter

Na jazz?

7. So you start wondering if bank work is worth it

My photographer and fashion designer friends are not having this stress.

8. You and your social life

Because no time to even sleep properly.

9. Waking up at 4AM and still getting caught up in traffic

This is just pure stress.

10. When you get to work 200% frustrated and Shola from customer service wants to crack jokes

Please, not today or anyday this week.

11. When one customer is getting impatient after only two minutes

Eskiss sir, you need to calm down abeg.

12. You, when people come to withdraw N500 over the counter

Are you being serious? For real?

13. When customer Musa always fills tellers wrong and runs away with your biro

What sort of people are in this world?

14. When your coworker removes his shoe and you can’t breathe again

My God, what is this stench?

15. You when your balances are not matching at the end of the day.

This is the end.

16. When they tell you your major account holder wants to close his account

Please sah. Epp.

This post was inspired by everyone who contributed to this trend.

1. When you had to go to the beach, but it wasn’t for fun.

via @YeahThatsMike

I’m not crying.

2. When being a child didn’t stop you from being a soldier of Christ.

via @omozay

Never too early, bruh!

3. When it looked like attending church was all you ever did.

via @Polonium__

Sigh!

4. When you hear the song, “Jesu ja” and you lose all home training.

via @lxlabrxwn

Give me space to dance plis!

5. When a Woli is beating you and your siblings and your mom just unlooks.

via @Smurfy_kush

<_< >_>

6. When you already bought your ticket to travel but a new prophecy says you can’t.

via @Oyin_Ni

Jeso Kreste! Who will refund this money?!

7. When the person delivering messages starts walking towards you.

via @AddyO_OLuyi

*replays entire life in 5 seconds*

8. When they mention your name during Visions and Dreams.

via @bemmy_

Me?

9. When C&S people come to the Celestial Church for harvest and it’s time to clap.

via @Cinegra_

Lord!

10. When you invite your friend to church & 3 prophets prophesy about him that day.

via @Meldo_10

Lmao, what?!

11. When you bow at the wrong time during the 7 Hallejuahs, Hosannahs, and Ebenezers.

via @dbob__

Please don’t judge me.

12. How people from other churches look when you tell them about your church.

via @Top_dramaqueen

Ah pele oh!

13. ‘When you hear “Jerri ri mo ya ma”, and you’re happy because service is almost over.

via @Rockhead_Dafool

Thank God!

14. When the Olusho is preaching and one of the choristers hits the keyboard, and you’re in the choir.

via @Newton_Samson

Wasn’t me!

15. When the Woli says someone is going on Ori-Oke for 7 days.

via @AddyO_OLuyi

I don’t want it.

16. When you hear “the time has now come for 7 elders prayer…”.

via @MILANOPUCCI

This is where Monday will meet us.

17. When people are starting to go into trances and you’re just wishing your mum isn’t one of them.

via @omozay

Please now!

18. When you turn to the wrong corner of the earth during Halleluyah.

via @MILANOPUCCI

Sorry neoww! So many bad eyes.

1. The eba stick that doubles as a weapon:

Your mother’s favourite.

2. The iron sponge that is always on the brink of death:

Your only friend when washing that evil pot.

3. The Nylon bag full of even more nylon bags:

For what? Only God knows.

4. The only seasoning that matters:

More important than water sef.

5. The bowl every visitor uses to wash their hand before they eat:

Because God forbid they enter the kitchen to wash their hands.

6. The almighty microwave cover:

Nigerian mothers swore it would prevent cancer.

7. That bowl with a wedding or burial sticker:

If not for Owambes would Nigerians even have kitchen utensils?

8. That handle-less pot that is “older than you”:

You mother had the pot before she had you. Show it respect.

9. The eva bottle filled with palm oil:

The realest oil ever made.

10. The infinite number of unwashable plastic containers:

That stain will NEVER go out.

11. Those plastic covers with their matching bowls nowhere in sight:

Always more covers than actual bowls.

12. The blender that smells like pepper no matter how much you wash it:

Can even try and blend anything else without tasting pepper.

13. The morning fresh that is more water than actual morning fresh:

It always lasts longer than it has any right to.

14. The ice-cream bowl full of disappointment:

It will never not hurt,

15. The “there is rice at home” bag of rice:

How rice is not on the Nigerian flag is beyond us.

1. When they refuse to eat rice for the 70th time in a row.

They are not hungry because they have gone to eat with their gang.

2. When your son refuses to barb gorimapa and shave his beard.

He doesn’t want to look smart because he has joined cult.

3. When your daughter’s weave has started passing her shoulder.

She has finally joined runz girl gang.

4. When you see them resting on holiday instead of reading their book.

When did holiday become for resting?

5. When they start popping collar and wearing spaghetti strap.

Ah! That is their gang uniform. It’s all over.

6. When their curfew is 7pm and they are just strolling in by 7:05pm.

They cultist meeting must have ended late. Only explanation.

7. When they want to go and live on their own even though they are only in their early thirties.

They want to go and be fornicating up and down.

8. When you make a mistake and they have the mind to correct you.

It’s the gang that has taught them to think they know more than you.

9. When you wake them up by 5am to pray and they are frowning face.

Why are they frowning? They don’t like Jesus again.

10. When you see them drinking anything with more than 0% alcohol.

They have started drinking hot drink, next thing they are carrying cutlass.

11. When they start befriending the opposite sex instead of facing their book.

They will now bring home grandchild you did not ask for.

12. When you ask them a question and they answer you or worse, they don’t answer at all.

Their cult is doing silent meeting.

13. When they say they don’t want to go to church because of small sickness.

Small sickness? Child of Belial.

If you’re still not sure if your child has spoilt finish, let Ajebutter22 and Falz educate you small:

Only 6 months after getting married, a 36-year-old Nigerian man was murdered during an attempt to defend his wife against a racist attack in Italy.

On July 5, Emmanuel Nnamdi and his wife Chinyere were walking through Ferno, in northern Italy, when an Italian man, Amedeo Mancini, called her an African monkey and tried to grab her.

As expected, Emmanuel came to her defence but lost his life from the resulting fight that broke out.

People who witnessed this horrific event stated how Mancini attacked first and continued to beat Emmanuel with a street sign until he lost consciousness.

Mancini, who was described as an extremist football fan with links to a far-right political party, claimed he only insulted them because he thought they were stealing a car.

What makes Emmanuel’s death more unfortunate is, he and Chinyere left Nigeria in 2015 after Boko Haram terrorists set their church on fire, killing both their parents and relatives.

After embarking on a dangerous journey to Italy through Libya, the couple were housed by a Catholic organisation that joined them in marriage in January 2016.

Italian interior minister, Angelino Alfano, condemned Emmanuel’s death with a promise to grant Chinyere refugee status .

Although Emmanuel’s wake was attended by many sympathizers, the political leader of an anti-immigrant party still blamed his death on immigration.

This goes to show how racism affects every person of colour in all parts of the world. Nigerians are entitled to live in a safe country and shouldn’t have to look for security outside the country.

July 8 makes it 20 years after Spice Girls blessed the world with their hit single, Wannabe,  and the iconic video has been recreated.

The remake of the girl power-inspired video was done by The Global Goals Campaign for Project Everyone.

The video featured Seyi Shay, Gigi Lamayne and Monoea from South Africa including other international female artistes across the world.

The campaign #WhatIReallyWant addresses issues like quality education, equal pay and an end to violence against women and child marriage.

It’s amazing how Seyi Shay got to represent Nigerian women in such a positive light. Watch the video here!

1. You, going to the ATM to withdraw your last 1k.

God help me.

2. You, calculating how you’ll use the money to survive till salary enters.

Garri, garri, and garri.

3. When you reach the queue and ask the necessary question:

“Amatyour back, please.”

4. When you try to use faith to withdraw N1,500 instead and you see “insufficient funds”.

Hay God!

5. You respect yourself and just jejely choose the 1k that brought you there.

Let me not shame my ancestors.

6. When you’re waiting to hear the “krrrrrr” sound and the ATM resets.

Chineke!

7. You, begging the ATM to respect itself:

Just don’t.

8. When the ATM that just swallowed your card is still asking you to “insert card”.

See me see trouble.

9. How the people behind you on the queue look at you:

E pele oh!

10. When the branch has closed and you remember it’s Friday.

Who did I offend?

11. When you call customer care and they start asking you if you are sure.

See question sha.

12. When you go back to retrieve your card and they tell you it takes 7 working days.

That what happened?

13. When you hear you’ll have to pay to get a new card.

Is it that 1k I want to use to drink garri?

Following the death of the two African-American men, Alton Sterling and Philando Castille, who were both shot by police officers in less than one week, the internet was thrown into major mourning and outrage.

The Black Lives Matter movement was very much active and many Nigerians shared their concern on this.

And it was in this moment that Nigerian musician, Brymo, chose to share another dose of ridiculousness. According to him, the black man ‘likes to suffer’.

Just a few weeks ago, he told someone who begged him to help fund his education to drop out of school.

And in this sensitive moment, he decided to blame black people for these killings.

Brymo has kuku shown his true colours.

When someone that says school is important says something shows us the importance of school…

Brymo needs to probably take history classes and learn what racism is really about.

And if he was trying to be Fela, he has obviously failed, woefully.

It’s rather unfortunate that some random Nigerian artist believes black people like the racism and prejudice they face.

1. When your coworker wants you to come and pick him/her every morning

Are you buying me fuel?

2. When Wale from head office is always coming 40 minutes late for every meeting

We that came here early, do we have three heads?

3. That coworker that is always over excited

What is always “sweeting” this one?

4. Monday morning and someone has body odor enough to suffocate

My God. Has water finished in your side of this country?

5. Office people and minding their business

They don’t go together.

6. When one of your coworkers is always asking you out to dinner

You’ve been getting ‘no’ since 2014. You no dey tire?

7. When one of your coworkers is always coming for advice

Every time one problem or the other.

8. When you realize you actually wasted your time advising them

Please don’t come and disturb me ever again.

9. When someone removes his/her shoe and renders the air unsafe

Why do you do this everyday?

10. When Emeka from customer care is never at his desk but everywhere else

Is there soldier ant on your seat?

11. You when the SU of the office is always trying to invite you for fellowship

Ahan, is it not the same heaven we are going?

12. That coworker that is always kissing the ass of all the ogas

You no dey tire?

13. When Haruna always shows up with Sallah meat

SURE GUY!

14. When you see the serial money borrower coming to your desk

I’m not even here.

15. Those coworkers that want to take the shine when they didn’t do anything

If you don’t get out.

Nigeria’s colonial years saw the building of several classical buildings that still stand till this day. A Twitter user, @Kelechinaba, over the past 2 years took pictures of some of these buildings across Nigeria.

1. He was captivated by this church in Umuahia.

via Twitter

2. These colourful wooden windows of a house in Lagos.

via Twitter

3. He captured this pink building in Ota, Ogun state.

via Twitter

4. The beautiful Cathedral Church of Christ which is about 70 years old.

via Twitter

5. This landmark in Ibadan.

via Twitter

6. This ancient church in Lagos.

via Twitter

7. The Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization, built in 1925.

via Twitter

8. The famous UAC building that stands tall on Tinubu street.

via Twitter

9. Doherty House which now houses a betting centre.

via Twitter

10. The over 100-year-old Nigerian Railway/Legacy mini museum which was restored in 1995.

via Twitter

11. This orthodox church in Ibadan.

via Twitter

12. The famous Cathedral of Saint Peter in Ibadan.

via Twitter

13. The monumental Mapo Hall of Ibadan.

via Twitter

• If you want to see more pictures from Kelechi’s collection, go to his Twitter page here.
• Featured image credit: @Kelechinaba

This week has been a tough one! The murders of two black men by police officers in America have got everyone talking.

And we have some things to say about them too:

But American police officers are not the only ones that behave unlawfully, our own Nigerian police are lacking serious home training too:

Have you had a bad experience with police officers in Nigeria or abroad? Share them below in our comments section.

Alright so one day I was ironing my dad’s shirts and watching the TV. A Christian show was on. Interesting one.

• A bunch of sick people were gathered in this church awaiting healing from the pastor. The place was electrified! Screams and shouts, rah.
• The pastor towered over them, muttering in his sweet voice. You could say the atmosphere was feeling miraculous at the time.

Bodyguards everywhere. Anticipation was crazy. I was watching with rapt attention.

Next thing: whoosh. The healing began. People were crying, laughing and screaming.

Bad ass. Pastor was wading through people and curing them like whoa. And he looked cool doing it!

…then he arrived at this woman standing at the back of the line.

• “What do you want the Lord to do for you” he said, I guess.
• Woman said “Healing for my son.”
• “Where is he?”

She removed the baby from under her blouse. The only way to describe the is…his head had a head.

Pastor was like:

Baby was like:

I was like:

Pastor laid hands…

…sprinkled anointing oil…

…covered as much of the head’s surface area as his holy mantle could accommodate…

While this was happening, I was all like:

After a while the pastor moved on oh. Went to cure people with AIDS and blindness and cancer but as for that tumor?

• The end. I burnt my father’s favorite shirt too, in case anyone wondered.
• SMH