ANNOUNCEMENT: The Nigerian Millionaire Prince is Dead – Long live the Nigerian Contest. LITTLE THINGS MEANS ALOT. I>PLAY.
Our three I>PLAYahs: Jokah, MythiRegaa, Djinneffa are having a few drinks in a local Nigerian bar. They're a bit tipsy when the-Fyooch arrives, his pocket bulging with SBDs.
Fyooch pulls up a stool and gestures to the bartender.
Joka: Hey, Fyooch. How goes it, man?
Fyooch: Good, good. How's the contest going? I hope my donation is being put to good use. I know it's only 40SBDs but...
Jokah, MythiRegaa and Djinneffa give each other sideways glances. Jokah stiffles a grin and sips his beer.
Jokah: 40SBDs is a great start. Little things means a lot, man. Yeah. For sure.
The others nod in agreement.
Jokah: Is it your round, Fyooch? Your pocket's looking a bit heavy there haha. Let me help you with that, haha.
Being a kind soul, Fyooch digs deep into his pockets.
Fyooch: No problemo. Anything to help the Steemit community. What'll you have?
After deciding on the most expensive items on the menu, they order the round, all the trimmings, sparklers and all. The bartender delivers an impressive tray of drinks and appetisers to the table.
MythiRegaa: Wooo. I hope to see more competitions like this. I've got a knack for winning. Such a great opportunity. So good for everyone.
Djinneffa: Yes, yes. This benefits everyone, the whole Steemit community. Such a beautiful way to bring everyone together. You should visit more often, Fyooch. It's so good. Err, for everyone.
Jokah: For sure. Everyone benefits. Not just Nigerians. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to develop a good reputation and build a solid profile on Steemit.
Fyooch: It's my pleasure, guys. And, yes, reputation is important. Enjoy!
Djinneffa reaches under the table and brings out a cardboard box. Inside is a red velvet cake.
Jokah: Djinneffa; that looks soooo goooood haha.
He reaches to grab a slice but Djinneffa playfully slaps his hand.
Djinneffa: Nah.ah.aaah! Fyooch first. He deserves it. Go on, Fyooch, try the biggest piece. I baked this just for you. You won't beee-lieve!
MythiRegaa: True. Her cakes are legendary.
Djinneffa: Oh MythiRegaa. You say the nicest things, sweetie.
MythiRegaa: Don't. You know I'll blush.
Djinneffa leans in to Fyooch, pressing a large slice of cake to his lips.
Fyooch takes a big bite from the cake.
Fyooch: Mmm. Nothing tastes better than good honest hard work.
Jokah: Amen to that!
IT ENDS. Or does it...?
That’s mah Savage girl and you have such a lovely accent too! If anything, you could be adopted and that would Be considered a true entry !? Right ... or Is it ...
Yeah, if people can change their gender identity why can't I change my nationality identity. Awesome. I now identify as Nigerian.
:D
It's not a good time to be a Nigerian, trust me. The kinda things happening over here wouldn't make you too proud
I even tell folks I'm a Ghanaian. (covers face)
I don't know too much about Nigeria tbh. The only Nigerians I 'know' are on Steemit. What's happening that's bothering you there?
Hmm
Snakes and monkeys are 'sallowing'monies (the kind of shameless lies we hear). Government says they've dealt with Boko Haram only for them to strike again, kidnapping more girls
Epileptic power supply, everyone practically has to provide their own security, power and water.
Civil workers haven't been paid salaries for months and internet fraud is rising each day (so much that it's becoming a norm)
Lemme stop at that.
I don't want to paint my country black
OMG the schoolgirl kidnappings. I heard about that! Jesus. Islam has a lot to answer for. Nasty stuff. Sorry you're having to deal with that. How scary and oppressive for people to live through this. Wow.
Sorry... this is mindblowing. I can't even imagine having to provide your own security, power and water. Wow.
Sorry, all I can say is 'wow'. Totally inadequate response, I know, but...
What can we do to help?
Lol. My friends need to see this. We're thinking of how to leave this country and you want to help? Wow! You have a kind heart Anj
I think this country has to sink first. There are so many lies we tell ourselves, so many false bonds that hold us together. Most people play lip service to nation building. The good guys with brains and the vision don't stand a chance. Because some other people are benefiting from the rot.
I've got great hopes for Nigeria. I just think she needs to see herself for what she truly is. Only then can true and long-lasting change occur. Until then, life continues as usual (and my friends and I keep thinking of how to leave this country)
That's awful, to be at such a place where you consider leaving your country. Sure, I'll help however I can but I'm pretty sure I can only marry one of you to get on a visa here hahaha.
Yes, when countries are in chaos, the bad guys find a way to profit from the mess.
Have youz come up with any good solutions? Ideas that will help the most people? If all the good guys leave, it just gives the bad guys more scope to play what's left over.
i know many nigerians living in NYC doing great, they pile up on american goods and run back to nigeria to sell them at local shops. they wear beautiful clothes, marry american women and build gorgeous homes back in nigeria.
i have also been subject to scams via email and many other things where nigerians are involved. but then i reported them to the federal gvt here and they were taken care of. scammers will not get far with me ...
Aye to the first one. That's why we want to leave too. Maybe we can also "wear beautiful clothes, marry [...] and build gorgeous homes back in nigeria." Most importantly, we want to be published abroad.
About the scams, well, congrats. You're American so you're a choice target. I even get scam mails too. Over here, we call them 'G-boys'. G for Google/Gmail. It used to be Yahoo boys but...
I don't want to implicate myself but I can tell you that G-boys are in vogue over here. They don't even hide it. For some, it's a matter of pride, like its hard work. (and sometimes, it can be hard though). There are even songs about them.
Everytime people see me clacking against my keyboard, they assume I'm 'working'.
About reporting them, well, not this dude.
Yeah well to be honest that is why many of us Americans want to tighten our borders. It’s been done and played out. We have our own issues and our people need our economy to work for us. Our education and money need to be forbidden those to rebuild our own lives and the scams can stay in other countries.
Ive always wondered why other countries just don’t set up their own publishing.
Yeah I have no problem reporting to governments since it works.
Smiles
I get the sentiment. We did same for Ghanaians too at some point. Only that Ghana suddenly overtook us.
I know the US has issues. Funny, if I had a choice, I would choose Egypt.
About publishing, we have publishing firms over here, and good ones too. It's just the exposure that matters. Being published abroad gives you some kinda edge. The most popular writers in Nigeria made their names abroad and then were celebrated by the Nigerian community. It rarely happens the other way round (unless you're well connected)
About reporting in Nigeria, like I told you, almost everyone knows at least one G-boy over here. There's so much poverty and frustration that no one cares anymore. If only you know how many times I've been advised to join them, since I can spurn tales easily. I need to stop here before I indict myself
omg ovetook you? thats scary!! sad that each country doesnt have their own publishing or ways to help their own people, especially from those who “made it.”
hahahaha indict yourself ... how if you say you refused ...
I remember reading Ben Okri's The Famished Road. It won the Booker Prize. Awesome novel. Everyone should read it.
Yes, people do desperate things in times of high stress and poverty, that's for sure. Maybe they see the likes of us westerners living in luxury. But, often, the victims of G-boy scams are not rich. They're usually just normal people who work damn hard just to make ends meet themselves. They're lured by the idea of making a bit of extra money COZ THEY NEED IT! The scams don't touch rich people. They ruin other people who are also struggling.
I think you can make it honestly without damaging other people. For sure. People already have a hard time trusting Nigerians because of the G-boy reputation. Why not change that?
Yes, that happens here in the UK too.
We get people from all over the world coming here but instead of working, many just get themselves on government benefits, get free housing, furniture & clothing, free healthcare, free schooling, and live happily ever after without putting a damn penny in the pot.
Then try to change our laws! At the moment, some immigrants are pushing for Sharia Law in England!!!!!! Now that pisses me off. If they love Sharia so much, why not just stay in the country that already has Sharia Law? SMH.
yup! the usa is rather done with that one with this presidency and hopefully for eternity.
plenty of poor people in out own country that need help.
i totally agree about laws and how people feel they have a right to chnage things and not a citizen or having paid taxes ones entire life into the economy. smh
Lol yes, Trump put that one in order really quickly. Good job! He can see what a disaster the immigration policies in Europe are.
total Disaster, his exact words too lol
If only there was a word deeper than savage
She killed it!
why are you always trolling our posts ?? :p
Who?
Me?
🏃🏃
Ya! 🤖
Loooool...
But Now if you come first, there will be questions to ask... 😆😆😆
@iamthegray has a point though, sometimes you go through entries in a contest, and you just see "free sbds" all over. Some people dont even bother to read the rules, or perhaps they dont care....
But Sometimes it backfires though... I remember making the same "free sbd" assumption on @anikekirsten's contesy, my bad... Very last second, about three or four AWESOME entries poured in. I didn't know until i saw the results. I was going to cry foul, lol, then i read the winning entries... I never saw these i told myself, then i checked again, they came in just before the deadline... Alas, they were @iamthegray's kinda people... Lol...
I have talked too much, buh bye...
Wait, awesome entry by the way... 👊👊
Mwahaha lol, it should win, right? :P
Yes, that's true... people don't read the rules. I know this coz of the contest I run hahah.
Luckily, I checked over all the entries over the last month. Yes, I am that anal. You should've won one of the weeks, hands down.
Thanks for your comments lol
Anj :D
I should have won? Did i participate? Cant remember... lol
You're welcome 😌
Yes, you should've won Week 4. Hands down it was the best entry IMO. Comedic and ironic. Awesome entry. I loved it.
Lol, thank you :D
Oh, you meant the iplay week 4 right? Lol, I was a bit surprised too...
I simply assumed i did sumn wrong, or maybe it wasnt that good (to the judge)...
I get you now, lol... I didn't read the other entries, only read @iamthegray's... his was why I considered it a matter of perspective, plus it was my first attempt at writing a play too (hence my title)...
Judges gotta judge though, WahWeGonDo... 😁
lol yes, iplay week 4 :D
If you look at the other entries that won over yours you may be tempted to cut off your own hands and never write again :P
WahWeGonDo? Write a bitchin' post like I did. But I'm not bitter. Noooo, not me :P
You really can't remember? The one where you talked about your girlfriend and steemit?
Rubbish boy. Remind me to give you a spanking the next time you're in Ife
But really, your piece was good. (except of course, your gf is now hanging out with me. Sorry)
🏃🏃🏃
Lool, crazy somebody... Don't go and finish ya project work...
Plus check very well, hope you ain't hanging out with a dude, bae is right next to me sleeping... And I'm currently debating whether to write the atory in my head, or just go cuddle.... Bottom line, i just wanna rub it in your nose that you ain't got a gf yet... Lol
I ain't running away... 😄😃
Oh, I didn't tell you? No project until next session. Project Supervisor is giving me hard time. Yeah, maybe I'll just drop put of school instead. Tired already
And dude, did you have to announce to the world that I don't have a gf? Argh!
You had better run. If I catch you ehn, I will transfer my anger and aggression with SBD's falling price on you
Dude, you can't blame me. Half of the time, my muse isn't interested in playing. So I roam through @moneyinfant's list looking for entries that'll end in a day or two and then force my muse to create something, anything. (from experience, such entries rarely win)
And yeah, the play on the prompt "little things mean a lot" (no pun intended) is mind-blowing. Unfortunately, I found it hard to laugh at the satire as I was partially indicted (sulks)
You can't force the muse as she's a bitch and will respond by ignoring you. You have to woo her and bring her gently to submission. Something I haven't been able to do because I am so rushed with everything. You can't rush the muse...it's like making love...it has to be slow, sensual, and at least with focus and eventually sonorous. Hell I haven't even time to read, let alone write...other than what my clients want. I think I will begin to post that here as well...cheetah be damned.
Aye, you're right on that one.
I like the imagery there, lol. But really, you're right. Sometimes, it also seems she wants to tell you what to write and not the other way round. You could suggest to her though by focusing on a particular theme or prompt
And about cheetah, goodluck with that! (I think a bit of formatting will throw it off your scent)
I want cake too. Where do I sign up?
Cake? Whose got cake? I want some!
Oops, sorry. I ate it all. :P
Lol, that cake though!
It's easy: you just have to hand over some free money as prizes. Then, don't bother reading the competition entries, or even think of new names... just circle the winning names. Easy. I can be one of the judges if you like :D
I like your stamp!
Thanks Eon. I made it with my drawing pad :P
Smiles
When I saw the title, I wondered what you were up to. Then I read, looked for the contest post and then return to read again.
Considering I've come first twice and third once, I wonder if I have the moral right to say anything. Well, I'll say something anyway
Its glaring that 'Nigerians' always win. But this is partly due to the fact that more entries come from Nigerians. (I don't know why this is so)
I've got my reservations too. I'm not the best but I noticed that both times I came first, @the-future was the judge. Apart from the first round (where you also sent in an entry), I don't think I had much of a challenge. In fact, my entries for the last three rounds were sent on the last days. I simply went though the entries and saw 'Free SBD' all over. (So you can imagine my disappointments when I came fourth, third and then first in the last round where @the-future was the judge)
At this point, I'm wondering why I wanted to comment in the first place. Aha! I felt indicted. (a bit though)
I believe if there were more entries from 'good' writers, it wouldn't matter what nationality always come first. @mctiller hosts a contest every week. I participated in the last four rounds and I came first twice. (No free SBD in this one. Everyone puts in maximum effort.)
I won't be participating in contests this month though. This writer needs to work on himself.
I guess I'm out of rounds. Say something Anj.
Blessings
Thanks for having the balls to comment, Gray. You know I think your writing is great, better than great. And, I'm hoping you weren't as involved in the decision making as it appears.
The first week had a great mixed bag of entrants, from all over the world, it seems. After the winners were announced, fewer people wanted to play. You noticed? One week, there were just the 3 winners and one other, if I remember correctly. This is because people can smell a scam a mile off.
Good writers: I got anal and looked through all the entries. I left my thoughts at the i>play page. Not saying I'm the best judge or should have the final word but I know about writing and I know good from bad writing. Some winners submitted writing that was well below parr and good writers were overlooked.
Blessings to you too.
Anj x
Sincerely, I hope you weren't involved.
First, it hurts that you think I could be a part of it. At the very least, give me the credit of knowing how to cover my tracks if I wanted to be involved in something like that. 😁 Alright, enough of the fun
No, I wasn't involved. I actually don't judge my own contests so why should I want to judge others'? I'm a terrible judge married to indecision so I either enlist others or just declare everyone as winners.
Furthermore, I don't know why @seesladen wasn't picked. I'm not saying this because he's my guy; I sometimes stray into his blog and he writes dope stuffs too. Plus, he actually goes though the writing process and not the fire brigade thing I'm always doing.
Lastly, I think if I win a contest, it's based on 'merit'. I've won a few contests on steemit so I don't see why this should be an issue. I don't know why I'm dragging this but I feel like my writing is being called into question. Hell, I know my writing is becoming bad. That's why I took a break. Too much Steemit and I'm losing my juice.
Beyond that, I honestly don't know what to say. Writing for me is beyond just earning SBD and Steem. It's the only form of expression I can boast of. Reading and writing are central to my life. That I would scam fellow writers for 5 SBD is... I don't know. It's just not me. I have forgone a lot for writing. Before I came here I make a minimum of $10 a day from fiverr. But I hated selling my works. It was like selling my own children. I felt like Esau everytime.
Anj, believe me, I had nothing to do with this.
Hiya Gray
I'm so glad you had nothing to do with the decisions. You know I love your writing and I think you're good enough to win the contests you do on merit. In fact, I nearly didn't call out the anomaly in i>play because your name featured so heavily in the results, but my conscience got the better of me and I had to say something. I hope you understand that. Even in my own contests, my close friends never get to win because I'm obsessed with being fair with the results.
I didn't know @seesladen was one of your guys :D. Small world, eh.
You should deffo continue to write. I hope you find your juice to keep going but I know how draining this place can be.
What's 'fiverr' and 'Esau'?
I believe you and am so glad you're not involved.
First, @seesladen is supposed to be 'my girl'. I didn't know he was a dude. He just kept commenting on my posts and congratulating me each time I won contests. I thought he was a girl, and since I wanted a writer gf, I thought I was in luck. I started a conversation only to learn that he is a guy and a graduate of my school. The dude even knew me, just didn't know my name. You can imagine my disappointment
Fiverr is a platform where you advertise your services, deliver and get paid using their escrow service. The minimum pay per job is $5. There are writers, programmers, artists, almost everyone. For instance, I write. So I'll create my account, describe my services and set my rates. Then someone comes along, gives me a brief, I deliver and I get paid. Typically, a job of about 500 words goes for $5.
Esau is from the Bible. Dude sold his birthright to his younger brother for a meal. He was hungry and desperate at the time but he regretted it. So each time I was broke, I'll look for a job on fiverr and give my all. And later, when I look at what I wrote, I would hate myself for selling it for mere $5. I rather publish it free and have my name on it
About writing, nah. I'm focused on reading and working on my magazine. Maybe I'll send you a copy of the last one via discord
Lol @ him being your writer girlfriend hahaha XD
Ah, the online auction sites for writers. Thanks. I'm aware of those. yes.
I know what you mean about having your name on your work. That's the most important thing of all.
Yes, I'd love to see your magazine. Thanks
:D
Sent
Got it.
You know, it made me realise I know absolutely next to nothing about black hair -- that advert at the beginning. Some of those things I've never ever heard of.
I read the beauty one and the one on relationships. I skipped the footy one -- I live in Liverpool and am surrounded by it 24/7 aarrrggghhh lol.
It's good. What are you planning to do with it?