Chicken Republic sacks two security guards - True test of Advanced Personnel Management

 Some weeks back in Nigeria, there was a wide spread discussion on on various of it's social media platforms especially on twitter. It is a case involving two security guards at Chicken Republic, a fast food company with locations across the country. A video surfaced online where two of the guards were seen dancing. The development seems to have triggered a negative reaction from the franchise and it was learnt that appointment of the two young adults were immediately terminated.

It cause an uproar as some condemned the company for taking such decision. They termed it rash and insensitive. On the other hand, some persons argue
d for the company, condemning the action of the two guards who they mostly termed careless and rude who have disrespected their job roles and their employee.

While certain narratives will mostly suit well for anyone who takes side in any side of the discourse. For me, I will think this situation exposes the personnel management issues Nigeria's public and private sector is currently experiencing. A very bad omen where an employee of a company will be relieved of his duties, not for outright and flagrant abuse of office but for a genuine invention that helps the business outlook.

One may not understand if there were laws made in the institutions I just talked about where it was specified that an employee cannot dance around in whatever form in and around the premises. It will be absurd if such laws actually existed in such an organization where entertainment is key factor in customer's patronage. Because their acts which might or might not be harmful, depending on what angle you look at it from, has the ability to change the mood of buyers and patronage for the given day.

This post is not for or against the institution. But one seeking to tell institutions to intentionally encourage employees to employ whatever means necessary that conforms to the type of business environment they are in, that will only invite more investors and patronage. Employees should not be made to live their lives on a straight line kind of job routine without inventing or contributing ideas for the organizational growth.

Captains of industries as well should encourage their workforce by looking at ideas that they bring, without tossing them aside almost immediately. Employees should be made to take part in the business. People always have a sense of belonging only when their contributions are appreciated. This people are not just the key policy makers but also include the other workers who their job descriptions might seem less important and irrelevant.

Happy soaring.

Amaka's Love Story

If fate could be lenient with her and her wish is granted, it would be for her to get married before June next year when she turns 38. After all, she has got all that will make a man want to marry her - A nice body, a great career and a good home management skill as a mother to be.

"I am not going to bother myself about anything involving relationships and marriage again, am just tired" She told Jane coldly after her 37th birthday last week.

"Don't say that Amaka", Jane cautions her. 

"Segun is not the only man out there; there are a lot of men who would gladly take you to the altar at the slightest opportunity. Why kill yourself about one Segun of blessed memory" Jane advised. "Oh Jane please, Segun is the seventh man in my life aside Odike. When will that man that will take me to the altar ever show up, when will he? Is it after I’ve dated the whole men in the country? No tell me! She queried as she burst into uncontrollable tears.

She has met Segun at a popular restaurant some nine month ago while attending a birthday party of a former classmate. He was having some drinks with friends when he spotted her from a distance and couldn't stop the chemistry he developed immediately from reacting. 

He got Amaka's number on a platter of gold since she was already looking forward to a man in her life after her relationship with Ijeobi ended three months ago. Their first dinner date was at the Elegushi beach at Lekki. It was a romantic fun fair. Their relationship kick started after then and it was all rosy. They always do things together and as a result he had to invite her to come over and stay with him at his place but she said no, preferring a weekly weekend visits.

Poem: Reaching The Promised Land

An elder's advice:

I Stand a little Amazed,

When All I do is phaze,

All those shiny promises from my face,

To see through the future like an open lace.4

I stand a little amazed,

When I cross life's perplexed maze,

To view across the blue sea,7

That which my future is eager to see.

I stand a little amazed,

When across the sea, I paced

To rehearse my future's echo

In stanzas of sweet melo'.12

I stand a little amazed,

As I rehearse joyfully, to find,14

Choruses of beauty, that suits my kind,

Leading zealously fast into my promised land.

The Nameless Woman at the Well

All hail Alphasoars . . .

How is the year going abi running at your end? Just yesterday we celebrated the New Year and now we are celebrating the end of January. For those on a white collar jobs, it is always a pleasure to see the 28 day of every month. It brings smilesssss, Hahahah. I know many people can relate very well.

 

A tired Jesus needed to rest. He has need for food - He is hungry and thirsty. The almost helpless disciples have abandoned him without a company to fetch victuals. He is sitting weary at his great-grand-father's well, anticipating a miracle to himself (Someone to give him water from the well), that's going to be a life saving miracle too.

Someone is already asking me if Jesus actually needed the water to keep fit, have strength, can't he just command supernatural strength?

Well, I don't have your answers yet, let's concentrate!

And within minutes of anticipation, his much needed energy giving food arrives; a soul to feed his thirsty heart for man's eternal salvation. He cannot wait but to grasp this opportunity. He already knew what women want; "Tell me something new and hidden" is always a curiosity spirit that must be satisfied is you want to get to a woman's heart. (Did I reveal a secret?).

Three Momentous moments in My Life I Will Not Forget in a Hurry

All Hail Alphasoars . . .

Happy new week to you. Today I shall tell you three incidents that happened to me that I may not forget in a hurry.

Car fire incident

It was November 2006 we have just finished the wedding ceremony of my elder brother and were returning to base. Boarded a taxi and was on top speed. I was young and have not been involved in any accident before. I almost slept off because of tiredness but managed to stay awake.

Almost twenty minutes gone into the journey, all we could see was people waving at us to stop the car. Our taxi has caught fire burning seriously at the bonnet and we never knew.

We got to know when we started having smoke inside the car and finally had to stop the taxi. Lo and behold, the car was on fire and we never knew. 

We came out, and did I mention, my mother was in the car as well as one of my elder brothers. Almost a family oh and the devil want to use us that Ember or year ending to do Christmas.

We came out safe and put out the fire, hopped into another taxi and got home safely at around some minutes after eight in the night.

8 Awkward things worshipers do!

All hail Alphasoars . . .

Steadily we will soar, no matter the economic and political brouhahas that we might be witnessing in the country at the moment.

Today I want to talk a little bit about some eight things that are awkwardly awkward to me that worshipers engage in.

Sighing before praying.

I don't know why, but it seems so awkward to me oh. Your prayer leader will just introduce a prayer topic and tell everyone to pray, immediately before the prayer, you will just hear echo of sighs everywhere. Like seriously, who are you sighing for na? The person you are praying to is he the one that put you into any problem you are trying to pray on.

Shouting when praying

Some people will just start shouting like people who are quarrelling with unrepentant conductor. I wonder why it is so. The last time I checked, MY GOD hears even the most silent prayer. So I ask, do you have to shout. Let's say you are talking to your biological father, you are making a request then you start shouting, like seriously, will even listen to you if he doesn't even give you a resounding slap.

Giving offering when message is on especially when Pastor is preaching 

I don't know if it is bad oh, but all I know is that the BIBLE tells me something very clearly in two separate quotations that 1. There is time for everything and 2. let everything be done decently and in order.

So I don’t usually get it when the person is praying and you are going to give offering. Is the offering meant for God or the Pastor?

I think Ecclesiastes has something to say on this. Read chapter five and the first verse. It says something like, "Walk prudently when you go into the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil".

Short Story: Wahala X Palava

All hail Alphasoars . . .

Let us tell a short story today. Read below!

*****

Audu has not been himself lately. He has lost his job and the signals from his home drags him back every time he was about to retire to his house after each unfruitful day’s adventure. For the very past few weeks, his chain of meetings had yielded nothing new to him except for frustrations and ill lucks.

His wife, Halimattu, has also had her own fair share of the forgoing and ongoing frustrations. In fact, the previous two nights, they had gone in without food due to harsh decision by her neighbour who sells food stuffs but refused to lend her items to prepare for the evening meal pending Audu's return from his journeys.

Chief Okanta has been faithful in advising Audu about how to go through life happy, lively and free but had never giving him any financial assistance. Audu remembers him and decided to try his luck today. He already knew full well of what Okanta always offers - unending advise and counseling.

"I have heard you perfectly Audu. Our relationship has lasted these past years, and cannot be despised no matter what. I won't bore you with another series of counseling since your disposition shows that of a dying hungry man in front of a hungry lion". Chief Okanta said after listening to Audu's tales.

"Oka, please just help me" Audu pleaded.

"Just so simple a task, Audu and I shall shower you with all you'll want in riches." Okanta started, "I shall give you enough help as I could but are you ready to do just a simple thing for me?"

"Anything, Chief"

"Alright, I shall give you financial assistance based on the number of wealthy people you know and have made friends with"

"Chief, you are sounding childish a bit, am dying already and you know it"

Idiosyncrasies of Social Media

All hail Alphasoars . . .

How has the soaring gone? I hope good.

Social media has gone from communication to confusion. When Daniel in the Bible said, Oh Lord, to us belong confusion of faces" (Daniel 9:8), I think he was actually referring to this age. The time where what we see in the media is either the adulterated or fake of the original.

I joined Facebook in 2012 (guess so). I never thought it was something used not only for information and message sharing but for show of whatever nonsense one have got (food, cloth, property). Is this the real reason why Facebook was created.

As the days go by, we find that social media channels are becoming funnier and dirtier. It has been a means of many social vices which might not be committed in actually sense.

Respect died many years ago since we can always sit at the back of our mobile devices and use our fingers and insult our elders without nothing happening. This in real sense has made the respect known in Africa to just die. Where elders talk in real life and little kids will never show face, on social media it is entirely a different ball game. Youngsters engage in conversations never meant for them. Social media has degraded decent social interactions.

The Ageless Story

Hi Alphasoars. How has the soaring gone? I hope progress is counted positively as you soar. Keep up.

Let's tell a story. It has been told some centuries back but I do not really know how they talked about it back then. For all I care, am born a 21st centurian so spare me the past century tales.

Oh well, it is not a moonlight tale, though, for some of us that write, we like to see the moon up there for us to write CLEARLY! LOLZ...

His name is Jesus. The only one who has existence not visible even before Terah gave birth to his first son. But wait, this write up is a little about him and more of what happened that neccesited his emergence.

And thus it went . . .

It happened in the morning of this fateful day in Eden. Eve had discussed with her hubby, Adam about what she considered the health benefit of the tree in the middle of the garden. But Adam convinced her that despite the fact that the tree was medicinal, the consequences of eating it was grievous.
She agreed without further questions then the morning arose.

Adam lifted his crude tool, his hoe, hanging on his shoulders, he leaves to care for the garden - so happy he went.
"Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the works the hand hath made. . . Then sings my soul, my saviour God to thee. . ." Eve sings happily doing her chores.
Meanwhile, Lucifer had set up plenaries at the red parliament earlier seeking for vote of either the man or woman to start his awful mission in the world. If he gets any to vote on the matter, to convince the other partner would be easy, he thought, knowing full well that having both parties(Adam and Eve) sitting for plenaries, it would highly be unfruitful.

At this time the woman is less busy and relaxing with some freshly pressed fruit juice. Then the plenary kicks off. Can I mention thaat the plenary startes actually under her nose known only to Lucifer and presided by him.
He approaches her with some good tricky smile,
"Hi", he said to her.
"Hey Luci, how you doing? Its been a while I saw you around here. How's everything" she replied.
"Am good", Lucifer responded.
Looking carefully and analysing her responses, Lucifer concludes that she must have been wanting to have some conversation. He looks down into the cup of juice Eve was sipping without a word. Eve became worried and asked what the matter was.
"I thought it was the juice from the tree in the middle of the garden" he replied.
"oh come on, you know I can't even touch it because we have been given command not to. And also warned that it we fault that, we are dying straightaway" she explained.
"For where" he asked and ran towards the tree and plucked out one and comes back.
"You can observe this one" he said and hands over the fruit to her.

"See, there is nothing like that oh" he continues, "its just that HE wants to command obedience from you and your hubby" he concluded.
"Like seriously!" Eve exclaimed.
"Yes of course, there is no way you will just die like that for eating ordinary fruit" Lucifer answered.
"You know", he continues, "HE said don't touch and now you've touched and carefully observed it, now tell me, have you got a headache?" He asked.
"Ya making sense Luci', Eve cuts in, 'I spoke to my hubby yesternight about this fruit o but he was still afraid of touching it" she said shaking her head.
"You know, she continues, he is the head and am here just to obey and help him submitting to his will. And now I don't know what to do Luci, maybe I'll just keep this and see what he will say when he returns from the field" she concludes.
"Come on, it will still be the same story, what I'll suggest is you take a bite of it and reserve some for him and when he returns you lovingly presents it to him" Lucifer adviced. "See, you will thank me later because you guys are going to be gods, knowing left and right and commanding undisputable authority" he concludes.

Eve took the fruit and carefully bite into it and enjoyed it as she went.

Adam came back later in the day, tired and hungry and was served a nicely cooked meal.
"Darling please, before you eat, why ont you take this fruit first" she requested.
"Hey come on, this looks like the fruit in the middle of the garden. Why did you eat of it without my consent and I hope Boss have not been around today" he requested mildly.
"Oh spare me the headache, he hasn't" she replied.
"I mean, just take it, this stuff is medicinal. Something I considered scales, left my eyes after I tasted it an I feel after a day's work like this, you'd surely need that" she cuts in lovingly.

Meanwhile Lucifer had ran back to the red parliament to continued his under-cover plenaries and was about to say the 'ayes, or 'nays' have it when Adam returned from work. So he came back and watched the dialogue that he planted within the couple. As soon as Adam ate of it, he heads back to the red parliament and didn't know when he said, "the nays have it".

De fin du mois!

That's how it went, the nays having it nessecited the emergence of Jesus. So I think.

What do you think?

How did you read this story?

P.s. no editing, I typed with my phone so edit please, in your head.


Happy soaring!

First Book Launch. The Portrait

The Portrait

Title series 1

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or otherwise kept in a retrieval system without the prior consent of the publisher.

This book is a fiction; therefore the names, places incidents and characters are products of the author imagination

Author’s blog: Alphasoars blog

For comments, send mail to: uchukwuma@rocketmail.com

Chapter one

It has been a hectic day for the citizens of the country recovering from the shocking strike of the allied force against the city. The riot resulted in the abduction of the city’s mayor.

“Morning sir” Barry greeted.

“Is everything ok?” Mr. Kelvin asked.

“Yes sir” Barry replied “My Gabriel will like to see you” he said.

“Welcome Mr. Gabriel, you arrived early enough” Mr. Kelvin said as he welcomes him to his office.

“Yes mayor, I rushed in with my soldiers for the march” Mr. Gabriel replied.

“Alright, let me see your map” the mayor demanded.

Mr. Gabriel stretches out his hand and hands him over the neatly drawn map for the attacked and total destruction against the allied forces of the southern sea pirates and the drug cartels of san pro vio.

He quickly glances through the map and returns it to Mr. Gabriel. “I need a clean job, and by that, I mean my wife will be back here in this city safe” the mayor demanded.

“I will make sure of that, Sir” Gabriel replied.

“Good morning captain” Felix greeted as he walks closer to his father.

“I’m going to Jane’s home now” he told his father.

“Be sure you are conscious of the environment” his father warned.

“I will” and he rushes out of the house.

The captain moves out and led his soldiers to the battle field while the mayor remained in the city.

#          #          #

Felix had planned his marriage for next weekend before this tragic incidence took place. Jane was in her father’s house when he entered. He touched her backed and she suddenly turns for fear and discovered it was her fiancé.

“Why are you here this morning” she asked.

“You don’t want to see me? I just dropped by to say hi! He answered.

“No not at all, oh . . . look, there’s my mother, she just returned from the city yesterday”. She said.

“Wow, I didn’t know she was your mother ‘cause, I saw her yesterday at the square before those hooligans struck the city” he answered going towards the direction of the mother.

“Good morning ma” he greeted.

“Welcome my son and my son-in-law” she replied. They sat down and talked for a while and then after that went on to the beach.

#          #          #

The soldiers got to the base camp of the allied forces later that even and were confronted by the forces of the sea pirates at the coast of the atlantics. “What do you want from us” they asked.

“Release the mayor’s wife so that we all don’t count the cost of wasting a single precious seconds” Mr. Gabriel replied.

“Not so fast, captain” their leader answers from within as he comes out of his chamber. “You will sign a treaty with us to release our warriors in your prison, and if not, then the mayor’s wife will go for their lives in the next few seconds”. He said smiling.

Mr. Gabriel gave his men signal and they immediately seized their leader and placed him under a count of three and if not he will die. He resisted and flunked aside his two attackers and there was a heavy downpour of gunshots from the pirates’ camp against the soldiers. And the soldiers returned fires as they set ablaze their camp in search of the mayor’s wife. The pirates attacked fiercely that most of the soldiers were wounded. Two soldiers moved to a tight corner of the camp where they overheard a voice. And on getting there it was the mayor’s wife. So they rushed in and untied her and as they came out the pirates’ leader appeared before them with his pistol pointing at them. He shot at the mayor’s wife but one of the soldiers drew her aside leading to the soldier’s right arm been shot and paralyzed immediately.

“Run” they told her. And she runs to the sea and finds a boat tied to a stake and drove out. The pirates’ leader tries to run out to stop her but the two soldiers restrained him and pointed their guns at him. He immediately shot one of the soldiers to death, remaining one of the soldiers standing in front of him in confusion. So he quickly shot the man on the stomach and he immediately shot back at the soldier and fell flat on his face dead. The soldier also fell and died. The mayor’s wife drove through the waves and was double-crossed in the middle of the sea by two boats of armed men. They were the force of the san pro vio. The most powerful and organized drug cartel in the district. They again abducted the mayor’s wife and tied her mouth and put her in their boat and zoomed off to their camp. The soldiers burnt the pirates’ camp and arrested about two dozen of them. But couldn’t find the mayor’s wife during the raid. They immediately took their prisoners to the boat and put them in and drove to the city. On their way they saw the boat on which the leader’s wife was riding in before her abductors took her away. They looked in the boat and found a small piece of long cloth that the mayor’s wife always wears on her outings. They searched through the bushes

Alphos and the Computer Wizard

Alphos:                        Good morning Sir.

Computer Wizard:      how are you today Alphos.

Alphos:                        Am fine Sir.

Computer Wizard:      so what brought you to my computer centre today?

Alphos:                        Sir, are you a computer wizard?

Computer Wizard:      yes that just my field. I treat computer like no man business. I am a lecturer in youmeyou Computer University, you understand?

Alphos:                        do you believe yourself Sir, as computer wizard?

Computer Wizard:      yes!

Alphos:                        can you defend this now?

Computer Wizard:      yes!

Alphos:                        hope you wouldn’t mind I’ll like to know a few things from you?

Computer Wizard:      alright go ahead.

Alphos:                        what is a computer sir?

Computer Wizard:      it is an electronic device that accepts data and manipulate on them.

Alphos:                        okay, but that answer is not satisfying, I’ll manage it though but if this computer accepts data and manipulates on them without producing information, has it fulfilled its purpose?

Computer Wizard:      No!

Alphos:                        then you missed it and I caught you on that one. Next question Sir. Someone that writes is called a writer and a person who publishes is a publisher. One who types is called what.

Computer Wizard:      (thinks for a moment) a typewriter!

Alphos:                        caught you again no. 2. You didn’t get the answer. The answer is a typist. Typewriter is a machine. Data are transferred in ……………..

Computer Wizard:      flashers, compatibility diskette aka CD, external hard CD and so on. I can list them up to hmmm, in fact they are more than numbering.

Alphos:                        firstly, you talk barbaric. And secondly you failed beyond notice. Before I explain let me make some corrections. Flash drives and not flashers. Compact disk not compatibility diskette which is CD. External hard disk and it is not hard CD. Take note. Transferring of data in your system is beyond your observance and it is done in bits or junks, the materials listed above are used to store these data. Can we move ahead?

Computer Wizard:      have a little headache, tomorrow please. Let me ask you this last question, what is HTTP.

Alphos:                        Simply hyper text transfer protocol.

Computer Wizard:      now you see how you failed it.

Alphos:                        how Sir? (Looking confused)

Computer Wizard:      you put s, that is ‘SIMPLY’, while there was no s’

Alphos:                        good day sir, I think you need HTTP.

Computer Wizard:      which is?

Alphos:                        hyper tension treatment plant.