The Godmother Of Cocaine Gunned Down/Griselda Blanco

About a week ago, I saw this head line on yahoo page and thought it interesting. For me I had only know about godfathers and drug lords not godmother of cocaine, so I googled as I always do, for more information. Lo and behold, a woman named Griselda Blanco born on the 15th of February, 1943 in Cartagena Colombia, was known as the godmother of cocaine. Well she was gunned down, September 3, 2012 in Medellin, Colombia at age 69. She even did live long for a world with so much violence attached to it.

You will not believe that this lady had four kids, today only the last of her sons, which she named Michael Corlene in tribute to the godfather trilogy, is alive. She had these kids for her three husbands, whom she ended up assassinating. According to the DEA she was responsible for 250 murders potentially including three of her husbands. Even though she was arrested and served almost a decade in jail, they couldn't pin any murder to her, as the evidence was being tampered with. So after a decade of being in jail she was released, even though she was still running her drug cartel from her prison cell. It was said that she would kill anybody that tried to double cross her, in fact she killed for whatever reason and wasn't sympathetic about it. She was an inspiration in the drug world and was making close to $8 million every week in cash.


I will not tell a lie, when I read about Griselda a part of me was impressed or should I say amazed. I guess all the emotions ran through me. For me I thought for a woman, she really did succeed in a male infested organisation. Also I always will attribute the wild life of drugs and killings to men, but here is a woman who was called the godmother and was feared by both males and females alike.

Anyways after reading her history I was shocked that she grew so cold hearted within years of her being born into this world. Her first murder was committed when she was 10 years old in Colombia, she had an abusive mother, as well. By age 14 she had gotten into prostitution,etc.

If I could have had an interview with her I would have asked her whether it devastated her when she found out her sons were dead (drug related deaths). I would ask her, how she could kill her three husbands? Didn't she love them? The fathers of her kids, cos they doubled crossed her? and still live to be 69.

 Well I guess determination is the key to everything. But I will not do anything that will jeopardize the lives of my kids or other people.

N/B: Just thinking what it would have been like if Griselda was a female advocate, fighting for the rights of women? She would have been a formidable force.

Let me know what you think. Do take care of yourself and .have a lovely day.

Ciao.

Democractic Convention

I am sure every one has heard a lot about the current Democratic convention going on. Even though I try not to get into politics, I have found myself drawn to it. I love the speeches so far, I loved Castro's speech. I loved Michelle Obama's speech, Joe Biden, President Bill Clinton etc.

One thing I have found out, is that a lot of these speakers have one thing in common, they have gone through a lot of challenges at one point in their life. I didn't know until today that Vice President Joe Biden lost his first wife and daughter in a car accident when they were going to get Christmas tree.That must have been traumatic and to think that he was able to pick his life back up, get back into the system and then fall in love again to a wonderful woman, who took care of his kids.

Castro's speech was so touching. I felt goose bumps all over my body as he talked about his grandmother's journey to America. How she came to America as an orphan, how she slaved, cleaning houses in order to make a better life for her daughter, who went to college. How she prayed everyday for her daughter to give her a grandchild and she was blest with two grandsons. How she taught herself how to read in English and in Spanish...
Wow.. I was so touched. Hearing all these stories I really don't have an excuse in life why I shouldn't succeed in whatever I am doing, don't you think?

These stories have made me realize that everybody going to the top had to go through one hurdle or the order, thats just the circle of life. Yours may be different from mine, but it is there to make us stronger and be encouragements to people.


P.S. " I have finally bought a note book and a pen and I have began writing my short story. I hope to be able to finish it soon.Ii actually want the book to be a collections of short stories. Right now I have three stories, as I write I may have one or two more stories, who knows. I hope to get this one out there and published as soon as I am through. I hope I  make it, cos I just have to come out with a book before the end of next year, if not I will stop telling anybody that I am a writer...lol.

P.S. (again).. I wish our politicians will be as affectionate as the American Politicans and their spouses. Imagine Michelle introducing her husband to the whole world as the love of her life"....Awwww I am such a romantic.

Anyways do take care of yourself and have a lovely day.
Ciao 

Marketing and Giving

Hi folks!! Hope everything is k.
Today I decided to deviate a little bit from the inequality in Nigeria and talk about business.

Watching daytime TV in America has made me realize that Americans can advertise. OMG... This even makes me remember a comment Myne whitman posted. She said that her mother complained about the same thing. Even though it can get tiring, it baffles me that big companies like Walmart, Macys, Cocacola etc, make sure they market their products. Why do they spend millions of dollars on advertisements, when they are one of the strongest brands in the world?

 I think the reason is that they don't want you to ever forget that they are there/around. They want you to know that they will always be around if they can afford it. They try not to let it get into their heads that they are to big to be pulled down. This is a very good lesson for new business owners and vice versa. No matter how big your company is never forget to always be out there. When you get to the top is it very hard to stay there, cos you have a lot of competitors.

Millions of companies and people want to get to where you are. This also goes hand in hand with talents and careers. Not because you were the best in your field last year, there is a garantie that you will remain the best next year. If you don't keep on improving yourself you will never get better, only go stale. I always say this:

Micheal Phelps says no matter the day, the time, the whether, if its a holiday etc, he makes sure that he must swim. Talk about improving oneself. 

My question: why is it that when Nigerian companies stop advertising when they presume they have become the big names in the industry? In fact they actually think that they have arrived and leave the adverts for the smaller companies. Like I am trying to remember the last time a Nigerian product was in my face.

Secondly I will like to talk about giving: " I hear that in America as kids you are taught to give. What a lot of the companies have in common is giving. A lot of them give to society, help the community etc. You hear stories of children getting scholarships to go to schools, or companies rebuilding a community that was just stuck down by fire, hurricane etc.

My question: why is it difficult for companies in Nigeria to give. Will it hurt if 5o children are given scholarships? Will it hurt if a whole community is rebuilt and maintained properly, after all the resources you get, you get it from the community. I remember how long it took, The oil company to give the bonny community 24/7 electricity. Fights between the Nigerians that only wanted to get the money into their pockets, the companies wanting to run away from it.....

Lesson learnt: " no matter how little, one should give, and one should start now. Cos its a circle. Once you give you receive.
It's time Nigerian companies start giving. Its time we forget about our government and work to make our nation better.

I hope I didn't blab today, but passed the message across.

P.S: "please this is not a means to insult any company. We all are guilty of not giving, from our governement-compaines and citizens. And I will like to use this opportunity to say thank you to the Nigerian companies who have started giving back to soceity.

N/B: there is a garage sale on the 15th of September, 2012
Venue: Bibi's cottage, Admiralty way, Lekki Phase 1,
Items for sale: Vintage items clothes, shoes, accessories, books and so much more.
Time: 10 am.
All proceeds go to Bethesda Child support Agency and other Charitable causes.

Please if you are in Lagos and free do go and buy something. Your purchase will help a child.

Ciao