7 SIGNS OF INFERIORITY COMPLEX

Inferiority complex is a feeling of not being competent in any given activity; it is a personal feeling of inadequacy arising from the overcompensation of other’s achievements /goals over yours.

Inferiority complex could also be said to be a conflict between the desire to be recognized and appreciated and the apprehension or anxiety of being humiliated. This feeling is often subconscious.

The seven (7) signs you have to watch out for to determine when you are exuding the feeling of inferiority complex are vividly enunciated in the subsequent paragraph(s).

1. Hypocritical Attitude (H.P.): People who do not feel alright about themselves have problem feeling good about others. They would always look out for loopholes in people’s endeavours to try to convince themselves that they are not bad at all. These people cannot feel comfortable as being attractive, intelligent and competent, e.t.c., they will only have the feeling of being good provided they are only one around exuding the aforementioned qualities.

2. Tendency Towards Blaming (T.T.B.): Some people project their weaknesses onto others in order to lessen and ameliorate the pain of inferiority. For instance, if a person shows his weaknesses or inadequacy to others in order to prompt them to noticing it, so that his perceived incompetence can be justifiable by his short story of woe. This is just a step towards giving the responsibility of their failures to others.

3. Feeling Of Persecution (F.O.P.): when carried to the extreme, blaming others can extend to believing that others are actively seeking to ruin you. If a student fails an exam he sat, it may comfort him to believing that his teacher hates him and would do anything to hurt him. This will only allow him to avoid personal responsibility for his action.

4. Inappropriate Response To flattery (I.R.F.): This works in two forms. Some may refuse to listen to anything positive about themselves because it is inconsistent with their interior feelings. Others may be desperate to hear anything good about themselves and constantly fishing for compliments.

5. Sensitivity To Criticism (S.T.C.): Although people who feel inferior ‘know’ they have shortcomings, they do not like other people to point this out. They tend to perceive any form of criticism, regardless of how sensitively and constructively it is presented, as a

personal attack.

6. Tendency Towards Seclusion And Sensitivity (T.T.S.S.): Because people with an inferiority complex believe that they are not as interesting or intelligent as others, they believe other people have the same feeling about them. So they tend to avoid speaking up in public because they believe doing so will create an embarrassing demonstration of their ineptitude.

7. Negative Feeling About Competition (N.F.A.C.): People who have inferiority complex like to win games and contests as others, but they will always avoid such situation because deep down, they know they cannot make an head way. Not coming first is an evident evidence of otal failure.

Do not worry if you have all or some of these signs, you can bring it to the barest minimum by telling yourself that no one is perfect, and that a mistake made is a correction gotten.

THE IRONY OF E-PORTAL

E-portal is something that rings bell in the ears of almost all youths in higher institutions and those seeking the Almighty admission. Majority of students can simply define the computing term (E-portal) based on the function they used it for in their various universities. Some will tell you it is the icon they click on when they want to check their screening results in their aspiring institutions of learning. While those that have scaled the hurdles of UME{University Matriculation Examination} and Post-UME will tell you it is a link on their institution’s website which takes them to the registration page each time a new semester commences.
The tale of woe in the mouths of majority of Nigerian students in various universities, and the prospective ones, has always been similar in all institutions (Polytechnics and Universities). E-portal has become the bane of students (both intending and bonafide). It is now an insuperable and recurring obstacle that students now fast and pray to overcome. The worst hit in this electronic endemic, called e-portal are students still vying and milling to get a space (an admission) in their chosen schools. Their subconscious has been stacked with it without their knowing. If only they had known that it is not any evil-day that they should loathe. Facility E-portal is a web programming that comes with comfort in data management, thereby making it easier for an administration and its stakeholders to access information without the exertion and boredom of rummaging through avalanche of files.
Facility E-portal is a powerful web-based facility that allows institutions to access and manage a variety of administration; it enables stakeholders to keep track of their resources. It allows students to check their academic performances and teachers can also reach accurate facts about students immediately (www.sero.com). But this has never been the story when students try to access their results online. With E-portal, students have got the rungs in their admission ladder total four. It is one that has become a daring examination conducted by no mean body, which intending students have to write without the aid of various forms of examination malpractices that give respite to the seemingly academic numb-skull. It is one pit that various institutions has indirectly dug to give students a run for their admission. It is what successive admission-seekers experience with patient anxiety of what their results or admission list holds for them, each time it is released.
Some weeks ago, Obafemi Awolowo University broke rare ground by releasing the Post-UME results of over 40,000 prospective students within 24 hours. This gesture was lauded and gladly received by all, as they perceived it as a welcome development which will dispense away with the unnecessary stress prospective students get subjected to when accessing the school’s E-portal. Some had even been downbeat about it, saying that like limited vehicles that convey people to their various destinations, the E-portal will soon wear the garb of sluggishness in answering to every student’s click and electronic knock. This was trenchantly reviled by the upbeat; they posited that due to the glaring technological advancement of the school in releasing the result within a day, their (the pessimist) opinion may be far from the truth. As if on the pessimists’ cue, students were once again at the mercy of this ‘great’ E-portal. Some who got their results printed very early were tagged and counted as the luckiest. The rest were subjected to Post-UET (Post University Examinational Trauma). Those who got illegally helped by their ‘mercinaries’ during the said examination, could not get the same succour that was given to them during the said examination. They were also part of the struggling pack
The intending students of Federal Polytechnic Ede, Osun State became a willing audience in the e-portal saga. Theirs was quiet humorous, which pitched their tents against the wrath of the school’s authority. The school authority announced through their e-notice board that registration of chosen applicants closes after two weeks from the date the admission list was uploaded on the school’s website. The said list had been declared released by the school authority through their website few weeks ago. But the announcement seems to conflict with what was actually uploaded on the site, only scrap of the list could be found on their e-portal. This has given rise to purported spurious speculation. It was presumed that the school might have refused to pay the programmer of the website what is due. Some students of the institution, who were forthright in their views, confirmed the claim as a recurring decimal in the institution. This they hinged on the indebtedness of the institution to its web-programmer, leaving the students to bear the ultimate doom.
University of Ilorin’s case was one which would make anyone laugh till his eyes get swollen with tears; theirs {University of Ilorin} was a sorry state. Since the applicants of the institution wrote their Almighty entrance examination, the facility e-portal had gone on sabbatical, it could no more be visible on its site, even when it has been reported in some quarters that the result had been released. Students are left to form a search party in recovering the e-portal from where it had mysteriously gone to.
With its (e-portal) feat in the educational sector of our country, it {E-portal} has bravely won for itself an anthem:

E-portal, How Great Are Thou!
No Examination Impersonation or,
Examination Malpractices,
Could Ever Make Ye Succumb,
Ye Are Great!

Early Female Sex: Parental Negligence And Economic Penury

Despite their (the female) frailty and natural vulnerability, the female has always been the worst victim of any reprehensible and brazen societal act of any society. Could this be the orientation of the objectification of the females? Only the basis on which dastardly acts are carried out on them could tell.
The females have always been the participants of unpleasant sexual activity like: vicious rape, early marriage and the exchange of sexual pleasure for money and positions. A survey of girls that live in Itupate, Ota-Ona, Gbogbo, Obaale, dormitory suburbs of a city (Ikorodu) in Lagos, the former capital of Nigeria, shows that 75% of young girls never further in their education from O’ level, 35% couldn’t scale the hurdle to the Senior Secondary level, as they were stalked in Junior Secondary School 1, 2, 3, while 55% of those that made it to Senior Secondary level never got good grade when passing out. This leaves them to result to learning one or two vocational skills to get empowered for the seemingly bleak and uncertain future ahead of them. The reason for this lull that might lead to a permanent stop in their educational carrier can only be attributed to one factor – early sex which resulted to early maternity
The last time I paid a visit to one of my relatives that stays in Ikorodu on September 21, 2009 to be precise. My ears were filled with what I could not utter; my eyes say what would always linger in my memory. This moral disorder (early sex) has become a commonplace in the social activities of this suburb. Young girls now tout pregnancy as an expensive jewel that adorns the neck. They walked shoulder high with as if it was going out of fashion. Some will back their circumstance up by telling you that: “it is an ‘investment’ that would later bear fruits in the future. They have caved a niche for themselves in this societal immorality by flaunting their pending womanhood in the face of those that seek the Lord’s face night and day to be called by their baby’s name. The causative agents of this social thoughtlessness can not be distant from the inattention of the parents, who are to serve as a guide and watchmen to the young and the economic inability of the latter, which renders them ignorant and helpless in the face of this shameful act.
85% of the parents in this place have much of their physical exertion and attention put in their various trade and businesses, which they believe if okay, could put smiles on the lips of the family. Thereby, caring less about the fruits of the home (the children). This only reason keeps them far from home six days in a week as they spend many hours on their businesses. Seven o’clock p.m. has become an odd time of arrival, because business activities has just started.
During this time of the absence of the parents at home, children are left to meander from house to house, in order to overcome their loneliness. This places them (especially the females) at a close range for the predators’ catch. Some go to houses under the guise of watching latest home videos and they never live better to tell the story. In absence of parental watch and security, men old enough to sire them, who cannot control their libidos, lull them into coerced sex. There was even a story of a man who cashed in on the innocence of a young girl by telling her to help him with the buying of the popular noodles called Indomie and some eggs in a nearby grocery stall, to make for his breakfast. The girl later came out of his room with a profusely bleeding virginal. But for the people that rescued her to, she would have given up, becoming a total victim of coerced sexual irresponsibility.
Parents are now left with bitter pill to swallow as option to save their faces from shame
(abortion). A girl (name withheld) which is believed to be 15years of age, who lives in one of the suburbs (Itupate) in Ikorodu, banked on the confidence of a brother mine to (name withheld) reflect her sexual ordeal and the penchant she has developed for the act. In her words: “The last sex I had resulted to pregnancy after it had evaded the effectiveness of the pill which was given to me by the boy who had it with me. The thing later made me pregnant, if not for the conscious and spirited move of my parent who took me to where I aborted it; I would have been its ‘candidate’ by now. Can you believe it? The aborted pregnancy was almost two months old. The doctor warned my family to tell me that I should stay off sex for six months, that due to the multiple abortions I had had before the recent one, I might risk my life if I had one again. But I can’t just stay off sex for a week, my body tempts me.

……to be continued.


• This true life story was compiled by Joseph Omotayo.

UNDER THE BROWN RUSTED ROOFS

UNDER THE BROWN RUSTED ROOFS

(Abimbola Adunni Adelakun)

SUMMARY:

Even though the story mirrors Ibadan as a city with her peculiar characteristics, it is a tales of a family and how education or the lack of it can shape lives. Under The Brown Rusted Roofs is a prism of the dynamics of a polygamous family. It reflects the intrigues, politics, joy and pains of being a father; or mother in a polygamous set up. It is a story of collective living. It is an individual story. It is the biography of Alhaji Arigbabuwo. It is the itinerary of Rafiu. It is a map for the mass of brown and rusted roofs of the city of ‘Oba Odan’.

CHARACTERISATION:

ü Alhaji Arigbabuwo

ü Afusa

ü Sikira

ü Baba n’sale

ü Alake

ALHAJI ISIAKA ARIGBABUWO

As his name denotes, he can never be a good custodian of a basket filled with goodies, as he will never hesitates in taking the share that pleases him- Arigbabuwo!

Arigbabuwo, A-ri-gbabuwo! He is a man who knows what the future holds for him, he knows what the capacity of his wit is. He never wants to go to school; he (Arigbabuwo) minces no words about it to his father (pg 7). Unlike some (Rafiu), his (Arigbabuwo) fame spreads across the ‘agbooles’ through the path he deems fit for himself. Alhaji Isaika Arigbabuwo is the first son of his mother (Ibilola Ajiun) whom she bears at the time when life is about putting paid on her (Ibilola) procreating ability. Alhaji Arigbabuwo hails from ‘Agboole’ Labeni in Ibadan. He is a prosperous merchant in ‘elubo’ transaction, alongside his brother, Alhaji Kareem Elelubo. Alhaji Isiaka Arigbabuwo and his brother inherit the business from their mother, as they maintain the feat of their mother in it, which sees them to prosperity.

Alhaji Arigbabuwo is an able-to-do polygamist, the father of legion. He tries as much to be impassive when hell is let loose and caution thrown to the wind between his wives (Afusa and Sikira), but he will not condone any dastardly attitude when he gets to his tether’s end (pg 17). He is never stingy to dashing out punches, especially when the occasion calls him to reinstate order and shore up hid image as the head over them (his wives, Afusa and Sikira) (pg 17&40). He is not less generous in satisfying his wives’ sexual desire, as their time table puts them on queue. He quenches their canal thirst at turns. He still instills his position on them when the lascivious sports is on, however, this is not unconnected to the story of once upon a time Alaafin of Oyo (pg 36-37))

He carries and maintains his sense of responsibility in the political scene. He is a political party member of an oppositional party during the regime of Bola Ige as the governor of Oyo state. He is once nominated by the party, but he is later knocks out by a well fortified favouritism that flanks the political terrain.

Alhaji Arigbabuwo discovers earlier than never that education is the inheritance parents can ever bequeath on their wards, he shares similarity with Afusa (his second wife) on this, and would rather refutes any contrary notion about education (pg 50-51). He has the makings of a good father and husband, in absentia of his polygamy attitude.

AFUSA

She is Alhaji Isaika Arigbabuwo’s second wife. She is ubiquitously refers to as ‘Iya Alate’ (Provisions seller), the immediate consumer’s needs. The one who has successfully and bravely been the keeper of three mouths’ food, she is the mother of three – Jimoh, Kazeem and Sikiru. She is second to Motara in hierarchical order in Aribabuwo’s house, but the one and only of the latter when it comes to passion. Little wonder she is always at the front burner of her contenders’ (Motara and Sikira) jealousy.

She must be a good cook with a delightful sense of culinary expertise, she does this with the treat she is always giving her own (Arigbabuwo) when it cones to her turn. This she does to the detriment of the other wives, especially Sikira without knowing it. Sikira, her keen competitor, will rather she kicks her delicious kitchen outcome (food) to the floor, than Alhaji Isiaka Arigbabuwo being swept by it (pg 28-29)

When it comes to education, give her a respected accolade for that, as she will never stop being up and doing about it. In spite of her academic shallowness, she tries her possible best to give her children (Kazeem and Jimoh) a befitting education (pg 48). She is an iconoclast in Arigbabuwo’s house, and a mother to be emulated.

SIKIRA

She is a perfect ‘anatomasia’ of a typical African woman, who will never let the saviour pass her by, she is very sure of a grip of his (saviour’s) garment. She will surely do anything to get her desire, even if it means relaunching Adolf Hitler’s war.

She is the last skirt of Alhaji Arigbabuwo, the mother of his children. She is very ingenious in poking nose into people’s affairs, as she is always flanked by her friend (Alake), who is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. She is the bottleneck to Afusa and the bane of Alhaji Arigbabuwo. She is a peace maker in the house, but her name is never omitted in troublesomeness’ profile.

BABA N’SALE

Like ‘Flash’ in the exaggerated movie, he will be there in an eye blink to asses the situation, even before it (pandemonium) starts. Like the trees whistle in the whirling wind, he will be there to give a verbal lashing to the erring faction. Baba n’sale will always be there to witness the event, judge and reprimand, especially a fight involving couples. He is always frequent to grace such occasion. When he speaks, his voice belies his age, he speaks with a well refined legato.

Baba n'sale is a person thin on the ground in all the ‘agbooles’, his age is incomparable. He is a man, whose genitals has ‘tastes’ the clitoris of eight women. The numbers of his children can not even be ascertained ‘Birds of a feather flock together’ they say, he is also a polygamist like his bosom friend (Alhaji Isiaka Arigbabuwo). But contrary to the latter, he (Baba n’sale) sleeps with his wives on spikes of thorns, so far they are well positioned to satisfy his insatiable thirst for coitus (sexual intercourse) (pg 83)

He is such a miser, no wonder five of his wives left him for greener pasture, leaving with him Alake and Risi. His miser-attitude is not extended to his children (pg 77). Luck runs against him when he applies his stingy approach to himself when he was on the hospital bed (pg 197).

THEMES

* Polygamy

* Political Violence

* Survival

* Superiority Complex

The four themes listed above will always ring bell in the ears of every African. It is a pain in the neck of the Africans. To say they are the catalysts that empower the Nation’s (Nigeria) gloomy state is like stating the obvious.

POLYGAMY

All characters in this novel, except those that are incapacitated financially, plummet in the ditch of this plague. They gratuitously gulp and slurp the drink of polygamy with brazen exictment, oblivious of its side effect. The general concept on which the tenet of this polygamy revolves on is simply the fact that; the numbers of woman a man possesses shows his financial ability.

Alhaji Arigbabuwo never falls short of expectation, as he is seen championing the amorous sport, owing to his financial strength. He is a father of legion and the lover of four (Motara, Afusa, Sikira and Moriyeba). He (Alhaji Isiaka Arigbabuwo) hesitantly marries Moriyeba to replace Sikira inorder to show the latter that he has enough resources to keep more wives and cater for them as well. This is because Sikira leaves him (Alhaji Isiaka Arigbabuwo) for a more wealthy man.

Contrary to the common factor of financial buoyancy, Baba n’sale is a quintessential figure of those diseased and intoxicated under this epidemic. He believes that a man’s physical strength makes way for him in the world of women. This is why he tells Alhaji Isiaka Arigbabuwo when he (Baba n’sale) is on the hospital bed that: ‘There’s no death in my eyes. “Gunugu” does not die young, I won’t die now. I’m as strong as iron. In fact, when I get home, I will marry a new wife and still have more children’. This he (Baba n’sale) says in spite the hordes of children wallowing in abject poverty under his brown rusted roof (pg 212)

POLITICAL VIOLENCE

Violence is never a-do-without instrument under military rule. They cast caution to the wind with pleasure, and subjecting their ‘subject’ to all manners of obnoxious treatments. Overtake the government with the feign aim of maintaining peace, order and revamping the economy from obscurity. They (military juntas) skillfully put these aims and objectives to act by beating the governed blue-black. This is seen in the book as ‘Iya-loja’ is lashed beyond recognition (pg 113). The economy they are trying to protect from cankerworm is chiefly housed by locust and worsened beyond resuscitation. People’s wares are given at prices that do not commensurate with the capital of the business.

Mulika, Rafiu’s wife, is never exempted from the hit meal; she is tortured into unconsciousness, beaten alongside women who have come to fetch water. The cause for beating them is nothing near justification of the hell mete to them. (pg 108-109)

Considering the naivety of these ‘khaki boys’, their political misdemeanor can still be forgiven. But not to the so called democrats, who are the claimant of democracy. Democracy government which is fundamentally meant to give respite after the pain inflicted by colonialisation is also featured in this political degeneracy. They use this ludicrous stratum to achieve their political aspirations. The case of Eru O b’odo and his political opponent, Chief Olatunbosun is a good example. The duel between them aids the journey of Chief Olatunbosun of his fatherland (pg 90-91)

Alhaji Kudeti believes in the ‘do or die’ tactic, he (Kudeti) believes that only violence and bloodbath can bring out a victor from any political contest. Little wonder he tells the National Chairman of his party that: ‘Do they think the other party will strip babies to their backs and watch us win just like that?’(pg 209).

SURVIVAL

‘Man must survive irrespective of all odds’ is the common mantra. Alhaji Isiaka Arigbabuwo plays a dominant role in the course to survive with hid family, despite the military made economy meltdown. He is shown as a hero, who in spite the frosty hospitality and inhumane attitude of the military juntas, still stands up to give his family a worthy shelter and welfare. He tries his best to give his family a befitting ‘Ileya’ festive treat during the military regime. Food never runs short in his house the Ramadan Period, as the whole house goes agog and excited when the faithful month commences (pg 125).

Kudos to Afusa, she never relapses in giving her children a good education. She sponsors Jimoh in his schooling days before he (Jimoh) suddenly answers the eternal call of creation. She does this in spite of the stern military dispensation that has taken the economy to the doldrums.

‘Man go maintain now’ is the slogan Rafiu (Alhaji’s first born) joyfully sings. He (Rafiu) fights for survival, although his own style of getting one is totally unconventional and detrimental to the society. He goes seeking one from Kudeti, an Oyo political godfather. This he does when he ‘markets’ himself as one who is dexterous in political fratricide, having killed and maimed under the authority of his former master (Eru o b’odu) (pg 203-204)

SUPERIORITY COMPLEX / MALE CHAUVINISM

This is the feeling of egoism, the fact of being better than others. While male chauvinism is the egoistic of the male which makes them to think that they are to be more valued to their counterpart (female). This theme caught across this fictional book (Under the Brow Rusted Roofs), the male characters in the literary piece share this similarly in the way they deal with their female characters (wives).

Alake (Baba nsale’s eight wives)severely suffered the pain of the epidemic which pandemic among the male characters. She is recipient of this (Superiority Complex / Male Chauvinism) when she is newly married to Baba n’sale, she shoulders all the responsibility of the household and get no reward, other than being pounded upon by Baba n’sale, who does this with extreme enthusiasm. Thanks to the recourse she takes to by getting pregnant incessantly and feigning sickness always.(pg 38-40).

Superiority complex / Male Chauvinism exhibit itself boastfully in the way Alhaji Isiaka Arigbabuwo sleeps with his wives at designated turn. He does not go all naked when the canal sport is on. Contrary to the women (his wives) who get totally nude before being slide into, he (Alhaji) only brings out his erogenous zone. This attitude is based on the story he hears from his father about a once a time king of Oyo (Alaafin of Oyo), He (Alaafin of Oyo) is ridiculed by one of his wives loosed tongue due his act of total nakedness during love bath. (pg. 36-37)

When the honey, is sweet in his (Rafiu) month, he (Rafiu) didn’t know it is gotten from the bees now-sting him (Rafiu) that he begins to cause the day the bees is created. Rafiu’s door is always flung open when he getting good return, but when the result (Pregnant) comes out, he never wants to have anything to do with her (Mulika). Through, she possesses a disfigured leg, she (Mulika) is seen as an angel from the Cupid‘s world. Now that her flower has withered away, she is like a rag that is not suitable keeping in the house. (pg. 31, 68 and 75).

STYLE

Introduction:

Style can be seen as a language habit of a writer, which is peculiar too a text or any work of art. It is the derivation from the norms and rules that guide English.

Ø SINGLE DICTION (LANGUAGE)

Ø PHALLOCENTRISM

Ø DIARCHISM

Ø PROVERB

Ø NOMENCLATURE /SONGS

SIMPLE DICTION

This artistic work is written in a simple language which could be easily understood by its reader, without being overwhelmed in the ocean / sea of grandiose words.

The psychological and moral impact of language-simplicity relates to our most highly developed awareness, knowledge and insight unto our domestic ways of life! (pg.27and 70).

PHALOCENTRISM

This is the power a literary work possesses to succinctly belittle and denounce its male character in such a way that it will stir pathos in the mind of its readers.

For Baba N’sale, a wife’s protest or threat of leaving him will never pull a strand of hair from his flesh, because he firmly believes that women can be substituted / replaced at any time just like any other available goods in the market. He is a staunch supporter of the objectification of women. This is why he advises his right-hand friend (Alhaji Isaika Arigbagowo) to take another wife in place of Sikira. He says: “If I were you, I will take another wife! Do you hear what I said? Take another wife!.......” (pg. 83)

It is the most irresponsibility of Rafiu (Alhaji’s first son) that spells doom for him (Rafiu). He (Rafiu) can’t put in control the flesh in his middle, and as a result of this, he is shouldered with the responsibility (Mulika) he is not capable and ready to take up. Rafiu is seen as a dangerous animal lving among human hood, he unreservedly churns punches to Mulika, the woman who goes through rigour to bear his ‘female‘child each time she (Mulika) irritates him (Rafiu). He almost beat her to death on a fateful day as she lost consciousness. (pg.101).

DIARCHISM

This is the artistic combination of two languages in a sentence in any literary piece. The premise of diarchism in a work of art is to accentuate the setting or the background of the particular work. One of its main functions is to make capacious the trait of each character in a literary work.

A good instance in Abimbola Adunni Adelakun’s work (Under The Brown Rusted Roof) is on page 120…. “Our father were right, they say there’s a rush of feet in Anjefe’s house; now that Anjafe’s dead, we see no one any more”.

It (Diarchism) is used for proverb or anecdotes which cannot be interpreted in other languages, except from its originated language. Such proverb loses the meaning it carries if it is shifted to other languages.

PROVERB

A proverb is a popular word among particular ethnic groups which expresses the belief they hold about a particular norm or convention.

Adunni (Author) freely used this to spice and beautify conversations among the characters. A vivid example of this is on page 25: “it is only on ‘Omo Ole’ that uses the left hand to point the way to his father’s house”

The author does not only spice and beautify conversations with her proverbs alone, she also bolsters conversation with it. “Yes! The rain can beat you into the same house twice”. (pg23).

Compiled by :Joseph Omotayo, Badmus Kabeer and Adebiyi Rasheed A.

MOBILE PHONE AS AN INTERNET TOOL

There is no doubt the advent of mobile telecommunication in Nigeria has put smile on people’s faces. It has even replenished the pockets of those it owns their livelihood. It has made the communication over short and long distance with loved ones possible and effortlessly. Since its inception in our country, there has been a drastic reduction of the encounter we have with the proverbial witches in our villages. Thanks to the breakthrough of GSM.
Over the years, mobile phone has witnessed an unimaginable appreciation from the primary functions it is known for (calling and mobile messaging). It now complements people’s dresses, as battered and worn-out phones could contradict one’s dressing. It is now a mini and mobile club for some, where they could access their favourite tracks on the go, some even regale themselves with the games it comes with. Mobile phone has really made its users’ upwardly mobile in there lifestyles. To say it has actually fulfilled its functions by the foregoing, would amount to stating the least in the way it touches lives.
Sophisticated phones as it were are not only to add more colours to one’s status in the society. It is a pity some people only acquire them to follow what is in vogue. Mobile phone now serves has a tool / mini-computer that delivers information to one’s finger tips within some seconds of connection, with the aid of packet-data-switching protocols, subjected to radio technological coverage known as General Packet Radio Service (GPRS).
Little time and sweat is spent scouting for information on the web with the help of Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), which enables mobile users to access and interact with information. JAVA backs GPRS and WAP up with the simplification of data sent and received on your phone. The more to mobile phones is the data services it renders, which takes its users to the larger world. The sending of pictures, videos and sounds via Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) would not have been possible without the help of GPRS and WAP.
Our mobile phones are good substitutes to our computers with the mobile application that could be installed on it via the internet. Just like we have applications like Mozila, Explorer, Adobe Reader on our desktop and laptop computers, the same can be done on our mobile with the aid of JAVA.
The good news about using your phone maximally is that it saves you the time you spend in a cramped room called cyber café with crawling Internet Service Provider (ISP), it reduces your susceptibility to mobile theft, and also makes your academic wall sturdy as it becomes a tool for scouting for information. This is therefore a clarion call to youngsters out there that mobile phones shouldn’t just be bought because of the sophistication that comes with it, but because of the functions it could render.