https://www.polywork.com/simon_pamilerin

SimaDesigns, Ekerin Junction, Ologuneru, Ibadan (2026)

03/08/2025

DILEMMA

A mystery they call it, the way the mind works, two parts, one which you are aware of and the other you have no access to but yet is the core of who you are.
I always prided myself on being dynamic, being able to adapt and change on a whim, a Chamaeleon you might say. I always thought I could discern right from wrong and act accordingly. I always thought I had complete control of who I am, but it seems now that I played a massive joke on myself.
War stared me down - and I, the kingdom’s supposed genius, its orchestrator, could only stand frozen.
The wind howled, drowning the crows of the local C**k. It was mid morning already, but the dark clouds clothing the sky made it seem as though it was barely first light.
The chilling cold kept the children in their beds, and their parents didn’t dare step outside. Not even the street rats dare squeak as the rhythmic boots of soldiers hit the ground in unison, each step they take shaking the hearts of the citizens.
I looked towards the horizon, beyond the grey castle walls, past the white beach constantly being battered by angry waves, right there at the very edge of the furthest I could see, were their ships. Hundreds of them, holding an army of thousands with one purpose, to lay waste to my birthplace, my city.
“What do you propose we do, Hand?” The kingdom’s pathetic King asked me.
Yet I know he didn’t cause this war, I did!
I looked at him briefly, shifting through various emotions, from disgust at his cowardice, to pity, then guilt before settling on shame. I ignored him and continued with my thoughts.
Perhaps I should have never made the promise. I thought I could hold the peace between the two kingdoms but I lied to myself and to both kings. I thought I knew all about control, until I met her, the daughter of the King now seeking to destroy us, a beauty without equals. A classic love story as you might guess, I did all I could to have her, pulled all the strings I could to get her hand in marriage, but the King thwarted every attempt, every move, he was having none of it.
Even though she loved me as well, she was all but an helpless chick underneath the iron wings of her father nestling her.
At this point, what would a sane man do? Someone with a sense of right or wrong, a man with control, who adapts on the fly, a chameleon. You might think I would stop my advances, I owe my allegiance to my kingdom as the Hand of the King, and knowing continuing on this path would be dangerous for both Kingdoms, you would think I’ll give up.
But no, I made a decision, a grave one that is about to bring ruins to my nation, one I can still reverse.
I had my spies take her and bring her here, to me, forcefully snatching her from her father’s hold. She lies in my chambers, still sleeping.
Her father when he found out she was missing, knew it was me, having long known about my affections for her and hers for me. He wasted no time and promptly declared war on us, just one message, return my daughter and there shall be no bloodshed.
My King was bewildered, shocked by the sudden rash action by his ally. He knew nothing of my affections for his ally’s heir. He barely knows what goes on in his own kingdom anyways, he knows not that I have betrayed him, broken my promise to serve him and no one else. He knows not that I now serve myself. He knows not that what his ally seeks, is right underneath his feet.
I could stop this, return her to her father and beg for mercy, I could stop this war, stop the bloodshed and countless deaths by just letting her go.
But here I am ripping my skull apart trying to make a decision or do nothing at all. Am I being selfish? I love her and my heart will be all but ashes if I let her go. But my promise? Can I truly control my emotions or is that just a hoax my narcissistic self uses to make me feel strong? I can’t discern what’s right or wrong here as every path I take will lead to destruction, my heart and hers or an entire kingdom.

21/12/2024

STILL

The chirping sound from a nearby bird slowly penetrated my eardrums as I sat motionless in the middle of a clearing. My eyes were closed and my nerves relaxed, every breath deep and true, calming me from my depths. The wind moved so slowly like a lover caressing my skin with its cool embrace. The loving scent of nature pervading my nostrils, it was going to rain soon, the smell was in the air, the dry slightly intoxicating breeze signifying its near arrival.
I opened my eyelids, my pupils slowly adjusting to the light with a bluish tint covering my vision as I turned my head sideways fixing my gaze on a lizard making its way around the bush, causing the rustling sounds that alerted me. It paused as it noticed my gaze, its head lifted up, body tensed and alert, eyes sideways fixed on me watching carefully for any sudden movement.
I didn’t look away from it, my eyes fixated on its slender body, a mental picture taken in my head. The lizard was beautiful, just like every other creation from mother nature, from its orange head forever raised in a prideful pose, down to its blue scaled body and its long still tail keeping its balance. I don’t know how long we stared at each other, locked in each other’s gazes, before the lizard decided I wasn’t a threat and scurried off into the greeneries, barely disturbing the leaves as it went.
The bluish tint was now gone from my vision and I was able to take in the glory before me, the beauty of a forest garden, untended and wild. At the edge of the clearing, attached and feeding from mother earth laid a beautiful clump of flowers, their pinkish petals waving at me, swaying their bodies in rhythm with the gentle flow of the wind.
In the stillness of the forest, my ear picked up the sound of bees from a nearby hive, the faint droning of their wings like a relaxing lotion on my eardrums. The sky grumbled at that point, obviously torn choosing between the rain and the sun. The sun today was like a friend, encompassing me with it’s warmth, working together with the cool breeze to create the perfect environment for my skin. I felt a warmth slowly rise up inside my skin, comforting me.
My brain relaxed in the stillness and comfort of the forest, slowly shutting down in the peace that only nature brings. I knew not when my eyes closed of their own volition and I moved on to a deep slumber of no dreams, a place of calming stillness.

01/11/2024

Title: Made Monster Part 2

Devastation as a word doesn’t seem right to describe what I felt at that moment I found the drugs all useless. Tears welled up in my eyes, anger, frustration, pain all combined into one cocoon and forced down my throat. I felt like I was choking, the air around me started feeling heavy, pressing me on all sides, I believe I was about to have a panic attack at that moment, until I felt her lips pressing against mine. The tears being held up by eyelids finally fell as her cold lips comforted mine, her right hand stroking my hair, calming me down. I pulled away from her after a while and I wanted to speak but before I could she cut me off.

Emily looked me in the eyes and smiled, her enchanting eyeballs captivating mine. She looked at me and told me that these past few months that she had cancer were the best in her life, that she would choose to have cancer every time just so she could live so happily with me. Her palm slowly caressed my jawline as she spoke, every word holding a massive depth to it. She praised me, told me she loved me and that she had accepted her fate, she was happy enough to die in my arms, to cross over to the unknown in the arms of the man that makes her world spin.

I just stared at her bawling my eyes out, who’s to say a man never cries, my brain was on overdrive with the complex emotions ravaging through it. Multiple thoughts ran riots in my mind, but one in particular stood out, I cannot lose her, I will not lose her, I must save her, she is my Emily not death’s Emily and I will do anything to keep him away from her as long as I could, even if it meant succumbing to him in the process.

Resolution filled my eyes, and I gently informed her that I was going back to the hospital, I would find her drugs and bring it to her, I would not let her die. Immediately I finished, I saw a side of her I have never seen, she immediately started screaming, begging me not to go, tears pouring out of her tear ducts like water from a broken dam. She hit my chest repeatedly, before hugging me tight screaming that she will not let me go, that I should stay with her, sniffling so much that her nose and eyes became a watery mess.

But I have made my decision, no matter what she says or does, I will save her, I must save her. As she showed no signs of calming down, I pressed on a particularly side of her neck for ten seconds, and in moments her breathing became regular and she fell asleep. I tucked her in on the bed, before writing her a letter.
I packed a bag with the necessary supplies to last me for days as well as a huge kitchen knife, before finally pocketing a pen knife and I left the house giving my wonderful soul of a wife one last glance before I went to look for salvation for both of us.

All of that, everything I did, the dangers I faced on the road, the people I had to send to their makers, it was worth it as long as she gets to live. I pushed open the door to the home I’d built with her, bracing myself to be met by Emily’s soft smile, her arms ready to pull me into her embrace, just as she always did. I took one step inside, then another, calling her name quietly, as if the walls themselves would echo it back to me.

A warmth that wasn’t welcoming met me—sticky, sharp, like copper. The air, once familiar, now felt heavy, clinging to my skin like a suffocating weight. My entire being and sense of self shattered at that moment.

Thud! It was the sound I heard as I felt my knees hitting the ground, my mind went blank, the insides of my head became silent so silent that my ears started ringing, I felt nothing as I knelt there taking in the scene before me, without processing any of it. My trousers at the knees started getting soaked with the fluid that grants life, the same fluid that now forms a pool around me.

Emily lay still as a board, her wide open glassy eyes staring at the heavens without blinking, her body pale as chalk, with a pair of scissors protruding from her chest, driven all the way to the hilt with her soft palms still wrapped around it in a death grip. The sharp smell of warm blood pervaded my nostrils, as it continuously flowed out from her chest filling the entire room.

There was a piece of paper right next to her stained with her own blood. I never bothered to read it. I remember the cooler I held in my hand containing her three drugs slowly slipping before finally making contact with the ground in a sharp thud that immediately penetrated my skull, acting like a bell, giving rise to a primal beast that lives within every human. I slowly stood up, my eyes bloodshot, my emotions and thoughts completely silent and I walked out of the house. This marked the beginning of a murderer, a psychopath, a serial killer that took no pleasure in killing but does it anyways, men, women, children, they were all the same to me and I slaughtered them all. Blood was my peace, the only time I heard somethings was when my victims were screaming. In the space of two years that war ravaged through the country, I was one thing that people feared to pay them a visit more than missiles. How many people have I harvested their lives? I never counted!

“Kraaaarrr!” Lightening struck jolting me up from my reverie as I slowly looked away from the fire and onto what I held in my trembling hands, a piece of paper with dried up blood stains at the edges, ironically the one thing that brought me back from the dead. I was never a monster; I was Made Monster.

29/10/2024

Title: Made Monster

I sat there in my lonely cabin staring at the fire crackling, the wind was howling as the heavens poured out its grievances upon the creatures of the Earth. The sound of the rain was somewhat muffled by the walls of my wooden cabin, but the thunder strikes were not, my lips counting the seconds before each strike as I stared absentmindedly at the fire burning through the wood I just fed it.

The fire is similar to how my entire life is, begins as a bright beautiful unstoppable flower destroying anything it comes across only to die a lonely and sad death when there is nothing to destroy, slowly flickering out of existence as it begins to lose its shine and vitality.

Everyone hates me now; I can feel the unreserved anger in their eyes as I work amongst them. The only word echoing through their minds as they set their gaze on me: “Evil”. I try to ignore it, oh I try, I try to do my part in my service to the community to earn my place amongst them, but no matter what I do, it just wasn’t enough to wipe clean the robe of blood I wore, it’s not enough to give them back what I have taken from them, the people I have taken from them and I don’t blame them.

But I just feel like I am trying my hardest to fit in but it seems like all my efforts are like water poured into a basket, a waste. What really aches my heart though was that no one seems to understand that I wasn’t born like this, I was never this heartless monster whose only way of bringing “peace” is through violence and destruction leaving a trail of blood in my wake.
This monster that you see now trying to be a human, was made to be this way.

I shiver subconsciously as another thunder struck, the strikes seem to have taken a rhythm of its own, dancing its way through the skies in uninterpretable sways and footwork. My eyes began to unfocus, the eerie love ritual of fire enticing it and taking it to a time before the beginning, a time before the blood, a time before my broken heart.

Her name was Emily, she was my wife and I was an as***le. Emily is not a jaw dropping, dead gorgeous kind of woman, her beauty was simple, normal, average, average to the point you might call it boring. Why did I fall for her though? It was her eyes, she had these captivating eyeballs that once you are held in its gaze, its like falling into a tunnel of light without no end, you lose sense of time as you stare mindlessly observing her pupils dilate.

We were a normal family, well as normal a family as it can get, we had a mortgage, had bills to pay, had to worry about credit card limits, just trying to get by. We never had children though, not once, and it didn’t really bother us, I guess it just wasn’t in our heads at the time. I never really treated Emily right, we fought a lot, arguing over the littlest of things and my rage flaring up every single time. But one thing about Emily is, she never let our fights get past a day, she always prepared my dinner before I got back from work, boiled water for my shower, kissed me welcome and goodbye whenever I am going or coming back from work.

All she ever wanted was my attention, all she ever wanted was for me to love her the way she does, all she ever wanted was to have a flame burning in my heart just for her, all she ever wanted was to be a splash of color in my greyish world. Despite all she did to get me to open my heart to her, it just never fully happened until it was too late and the clock had started ticking.

It was a sunny day, no clouds, all was bright and all smelled right. I was in the sitting room watching my favorite Tv Show and laughing my heart out, smiling like a blubbering idiot at the color screen, my feet on a stool and I just soaking all the happiness the day could offer. I then heard my wife’s car engine spluttering as she drove the old rusty can into the garage, I vividly remember the sound it made that day, just like the sound a bunch of nails in a can will make when rattled. She came in and gave me the news that started the molding of who I am today. She was just coming back from the hospital and she had been diagnosed of first stage liver cancer. I remember just sitting there staring at her oddly smiling face as my brain went to sleep, forgetting just how to react. I stared at her with my mouth slightly ajar and tears began to fill my eyes. It was at that moment I realized just how much she meant to me, how much I owe her for loving me, it was at that moment I realized just how much of an as***le I had been to her.

Over the next couple of months, I accompanied her everywhere, to the doctor’s office, the kitchen, the church, even to the toilet, I did everything I possibly could to make it up to her, but every single night, I felt a stabbing pain in my chest as I regret how badly I had treated the wonderful woman. I know what you are thinking right now, and yes, I am an as***le, I said it at the beginning, I only started loving her when she got cancer, when she was about to lose her life but what you don’t know is I have always loved her and she knows it. I just never learnt how to love a woman, I was never taught how to treat a woman, I just didn’t know how to. She knew this which was why she stuck with me all these years, trying to guide me to love her, praying to God to teach me, but her prayers were only answered when death had come to pay her a visit.

I know you might be confused, the cancer is only at its first stage, surely there has to be a way to defeat and you are right there is. We started chemotherapy and we were given a calendar, once we had finished the therapy in accordance with the calendar, she should be free from cancer. I remember smiling like a fish when we got the news with joy exploding like a nuclear bomb in my heart as hope was reignited in my heart that my love won’t die.

Chemotherapy is definitely not cheap but I worked my ass off to pay the bills, working 3 jobs a day just to make sure her medical bills were paid, not just that though, every single day I came back from work, I made sure I got her something to make her smile, to make her eyes shine like the moon in a dark night. Tacos, chocolates, roses, teddy bears, enticing undergarments, a new thing every day just to keep her happy.

When her hair started falling off due to the chemo and we had to shave it off, I started getting her new colorful wigs every new week on Monday. I remember vividly the first day I got her the first one, she had just had her hair shaved the day before and was still gloomy and moping around the house touchy and sensitive. When I came back from work that day, I didn’t receive the happy smile she used to have whenever she opens the door for me, she just kissed me on the cheek and turned around. I smiled and called her name bringing out the purple wig from my suitcase. When she turned back to look at me and saw the wig in my hand, I saw a smile that I would kill for to keep it there, it was not just her lips that was smilingly, her entire face was, her eyes like two crescent moons glowing in the sky. She ran and jumped on me, kissing my entire face, tears streaming down her face at my little gesture, she was all over me for about five minutes before muttering the three magical words in my ear and meaning every one of them before I muttered them back. That night’s dinner was the best one I and She had ever had, it was like we were dating again, the food tasted sweeter, everything looked brighter, our love became anew. We spent the entire night interlocking fingers, not letting each other go until we slept off.

It was just three months left until she completed her treatment, when disaster struck. The whole country was thrown into chaos as war ravaged through the land, people started looting, crimes went up and through the roof, everything went to s**t. The hospital nearby shut down and the roads to travel to any other place was blocked. But that wasn’t the disaster, the true disaster came when electricity was cut off and the entire country was thrown into darkness. This was the true beginning of the monster I am today, the beast who ravaged through entire communities.

Before the hospital shut down, we were given her drugs and drips for the chemo with instructions to administer it and she only had three left until she would be whole again. I learnt the process, trying my darndest not to make a mistake and administered the first one to her successfully. We were at least happy that we were able to do it on our own. The problem arrived when the electricity was cut off completely, the drugs were one that needs to be kept below a certain temperature, if not, they would be rendered useless, and that’s exactly what happened, there was nothing I could do to salvage them they got expired.

Stay Tuned for part 2...

20/08/2024

Today was the first physical class I had with my students of UI/UX Design, and it was an experience that I had been eagerly anticipating for quite some time. Up until now, we had been conducting our sessions virtually, relying heavily on video calls 📹, screen sharing 🖥️, and various online collaboration tools 🛠️ to communicate and share our work. While these digital methods were effective to a certain extent, they could never fully capture the essence of in-person interaction.

It was a refreshing and invigorating change to finally meet everyone in person, to see their faces not just as pixels on a screen but as real, living individuals 😊. The opportunity to interact face-to-face allowed for a level of engagement and connection that is difficult to replicate in a virtual environment. We were able to engage in hands-on activities, such as sketching out design ideas on paper ✏️, brainstorming together on whiteboards 📝, and physically moving around the room to view each other's work 🖼️. These activities are integral to the creative process and are challenging to execute effectively through a computer screen 💻.

The energy in the classroom was palpable, a vibrant mix of excitement 🎉, curiosity 🤔, and eagerness to learn 📚. It was wonderful to see the students' enthusiasm and creativity come to life in a more tangible and immediate way. Their ideas seemed to flow more freely, and the collaborative spirit was stronger than ever. The physical presence of everyone in the room added a new dimension to our interactions, making the learning experience richer and more fulfilling for both the students and myself 🌟.

27/07/2024

Today, I began the process of teaching my students about the concept of variables. We delved into the basics and explored how variables can be used to store and manipulate data. I must say, Python is quite enjoyable and it offers a lot of flexibility and power. The students seemed to grasp the initial concepts well, and I am looking forward to seeing their progress as we continue to explore more advanced topics in Python.

26/07/2024

Had an online Figma class with my students today, teaching them the tools of Figma and how to use them.
/UXDesign

29/05/2024

The Hurdles of Adulthood
In a quaint little village nestled between towering mountains and serene rivers, lived a young dreamer named Elara. She spent her childhood in a cocoon of simplicity, where her biggest worry was whether she could catch the last ray of sunlight for her evening play. But as the years rolled by, the cocoon began to unravel, and the daunting reality of adulthood loomed on the horizon like an impending storm.
Elara's first encounter with adulthood was akin to being thrust into a churning sea. The waves of responsibility crashed against her, pulling her in every direction. No longer could she rely on the gentle guidance of her parents; she had to steer her own ship through the tempest. The initial hurdle she faced was the weight of expectations—society's, her family's, and her own. These expectations wrapped around her like invisible chains, heavy and constricting, making each step forward a struggle.
One chilly autumn morning, Elara received her first job offer. It was a victory, albeit a bittersweet one; Always it involves a struggle. The workplace was full of deadlines, the projects, and the interfaces of people at different rank. She felt like a stranger in the strange new land she found herself in and the burden of performing, succeeding and surviving landed on her shoulders with all the force of an unknown law. She wanted to scream, to shout, and cry with rage, but instead she choked with anxiety – her thoughts were filled with doubts. Could she ever stabilize herself in what seemed to be turning into a life of chaos? Could she turn them into real life within the confines of this corporate domain?
As Elara navigated this professional maze, another hurdle emerged—finances. The once distant concept of money now dictated her every move. Bills, rent, loans, and savings became the new vocabulary of her life. She learned the harsh lesson that financial stability was not a given but a goal, one that required meticulous planning and relentless effort. The carefree days of spending without consequence were replaced by a tightrope walk of budgeting, where one misstep could lead to a fall.
In the midst of these struggles, Elara faced yet another challenge—maintaining relationships. Friends from her past drifted away like leaves in the wind, each pursuing their own paths. New connections were harder to forge, as everyone seemed ensnared in their personal battles. Loneliness often crept in, a silent companion during late-night reflections. The realization hit her that adulthood was not just about independence but also about finding a balance between solitude and companionship.
But amidst the storms, there were moments of clarity and strength. Elara discovered the resilience she never knew she had. Each hurdle she overcame became a testament to her growing fortitude. She found solace in small victories—a project completed, a debt paid off, a heartfelt conversation with a friend. These moments were like stars in her night sky, guiding her through the darkness.
One day, as Elara stood atop a hill overlooking her village, she reflected on her journey. The hurdles of adulthood had not broken her; they had molded her. She realized that every challenge was a lesson, every setback a stepping stone. Adulthood was not a destination but a continuous journey, one that required courage, adaptability, and unwavering hope.
Elara's story is a mirror to all who venture into the realm of adulthood. It tells a story of even when faced with something almost beyond relief – a fight can be put up, getting better isn’t entirely out of the question. It also brings out the message that many a times the challenge looks so daunting yet we have within us the capacity to achieve success. It is a voyage and the boat encounters storms but it is the storms that define the ‘being’ of what one is destined to become. And so it is that we go through our lives, not just seeking our positions in the broad social fabric, but also our identities.
The Merithe Hub Abiola Tomi Grace

25/05/2024

The Unexpected Twist
A typical day in the bustling city of Lagos, Nigeria. The sun beats down relentlessly, casting harsh shadows on the crowded streets below. Amidst the chaos of honking horns and street vendors, I find myself lost in the rhythm of everyday life.

As I make my way through the crowded market, my mind wanders to the pressing matters awaiting me at the office. Little did I know that fate had a different plan in store—a twist so unexpected, it would shake the very foundation of my reality.

It started innocently enough—a chance encounter with an old friend from university. We exchanged pleasantries and caught up on lost time, reminiscing about the good old days. But as our conversation deepened, a sense of unease crept over me, like a dark cloud looming on the horizon.

Suddenly, my friend leaned in, his expression grave. "There's something I need to tell you," he began, his voice barely above a whisper. And with those words, he unraveled a truth so shocking, it took my breath away.

As it turns out, the job offer I had been eagerly anticipating—the one that promised to catapult my career to new heights—was nothing more than an elaborate hoax. My supposed employer, a well-known company with a sterling reputation, was nothing but a front for a sophisticated scam operation.

My heart sank as the reality of the situation dawned on me. Months of meticulous planning, countless interviews, and sleepless nights—all for naught. The rug had been pulled out from under me, leaving me reeling in disbelief.

But amidst the turmoil, a glimmer of hope emerged. My friend, ever the optimist, offered a lifeline—a chance to start anew, free from the shackles of deceit and deception. Together, we devised a plan to expose the fraudsters and seek justice for their victims.

And so, armed with nothing but our determination and resolve, we embarked on a journey fraught with danger and uncertainty. But with each step forward, we grew stronger, united in our quest for truth and redemption.

The unexpected twist had turned my world upside down, but it had also revealed the resilience of the human spirit. In the face of adversity, we find the strength to rise above, forging our own path towards a brighter tomorrow. And as I look back on that fateful day, I am reminded that sometimes, the greatest revelations come from the most unexpected places.
The Merithe Hub Abiola Tomi Grace

SimaDesigns

03/08/2025

21/12/2024

01/11/2024

29/10/2024

20/08/2024

27/07/2024

26/07/2024

29/05/2024

25/05/2024

Address

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Share

Category