its really crazy how lula was touching his hat wtf he dey craze

lula no fit try am to ghadaffi or chinco president

sbeezy8:

its really crazy how lula was touching his hat wtf he dey craze

lula no fit try am to ghadaffi or chinco president

Lula is just amazed by the hat. No wonder Brazil loves him though.

dayokanu:

Yes I agree with you, Those African attire get swagga die. Did you see OBJ and Jimmy carters picture? Carter looked like OBJ's chaffeur



You sef check am

That is one of the greatest pictures I ever seen of an African head of state with a Western head of state.

Now that is how we Africans should look like when we travel abroad. Not with Western outfits but as true Africans.

dayokanu:
Are you saying its conincidental that all 5 Igbo governors have foreign first names and No SW Governor have a foreign surname?

Well if you add Chibuike Amaechi it's no longer an issue.  

The 2011 administration just started, let's not forget:

Christopher Alao-Akala
Gbenga Daniel
Rauf Aregbesola
(is 'Raji' a Yoruba name? )

and. . .
Chimaroke Nnamani
Orji Uzor Kalu
Ikedi Ohakim

Cheers.

dayokanu:

Yes I agree with you, Those African attire get swagga die. Did you see OBJ and Jimmy carters picture? Carter looked like OBJ's chaffeur

But that would be the same as Jimmy Carter wearing this:

[center][/center]

I'm not saying don't wear native, but wear one that's a bit toned down.

Any clue where bishop adjai crowther hails from, ?

ezeagu:

But that would be the same as Jimmy Carter wearing this:

I'm not saying don't wear native, but wear one that's a bit toned down.

^^no, it's not the same because the monarch in that picture dressed appropriately for his era. His african equivalent then might have been clad in sombo or what do they call it.

[center][/center]

This is better.

Onimview:

Any clue where bishop adjai crowther hails from, ?

Isogun village near Oyo

[center][/center]

Or this. NOT a circus tent.

Onimview:

Any clue where bishop adjai crowther hails from, ?

I bet you can google his name (Ajayi Crowther) if that's what you meant.

ezeagu:

Well if you add Chibuike Amaechi it's no longer an issue.  

The 2011 administration just started, let's not forget:

Christopher Alao-Akala
Gbenga Daniel
Rauf Aregbesola
(is 'Raji' a Yoruba name? )

and. . .
Chimaroke Nnamani
Orji Uzor Kalu
Ikedi Ohakim

Cheers.

Raji can be both yoruba or Islamic. Rajishola, (wake up to wealth) but if you are talking of BRF then I think the Raji is his Muslim name not Yoruba

I don't know what is an "insult" about Clinton's light hearted comments. Besides, Bill 'the charmer' Clinton has long been reputed for his good nature and hearthy sense of humour - even at the highest levels of politics and diplomacy. If a person says "Your hats are always cool" and yet you feel insulted, then it can only mean that you believe your hats are really not that cool (which leads one to ask: if you're not convinced about their 'coolness', then why wear them at all?). Secondly, the excellently witty comment: "if I'd had a name like Goodluck, I might still be in office" can only be interpreted as a tribute to the extraordinary good fortunes experienced by the bearer of that name. Choosing to interpret such a comment as an "insult", essentially means that one considers the bearer undeserving of the name - or of the unprecedented good fortunes associated with the name. My God! Is that how insecure and paranoid we are as a people? Some of ya'll need a heavy dose of chill pill.

EzeUche!:

Let us get back on topic. We as Africans should be proud of cultures. Sometimes I have to laugh at Jonathan, Ijaws and even some foolish Igbos who choose to wear those hats.

This is what we should look like.

We shouldn't also type in english nor speak it cos language is part of culture! We must go back to our shrines, and expunge all our baptismal names! We must eschew everything foreign so as to preserve our culture
Just wondering aloud!!!

LOL  . . . Clinton is funny!!!!

It is obvious that the hat makes the president look funny. Clinton is not the only one who has been fascinated by the choice. Goodluck seems to enjoy the attention, so I don't see what the fuzz is about.

On the name, I don't think Clinton was insulting/poking fun at the name per say. I think Clinton is simply hinting at the fact that one of the only reason the man, Goodluck Jonathan, has been able to remain in office all this while is because of his name "Goodluck", which a significant number of Nigerians seem to think means he is some CHOSEN one of God. One only needs to visit Goodluck's facebook to realize how important that name was to his re-election. So many comments on there proclaiming that God selected him and gave him goodluck to rule over Nigerias  ,   . yada . . . yada . . . yada.  We are talking of a man who has accomplished next to nothing as a politician, even as we celebrate 12 years of his being in public office.

EzeUche!:

That is true about the coastal interactions. The only Igbo groups that really had interactions with the Europeans were my own group, the Aro Igbo. But we still have our Igbo names. Coastal people are more likely to have European names.

Agreed.
However, if you're Igbo in Port Harcourt or any other hostile city during the 1967 to the 80s, it will be quite tempting to adopt an English last name or re-arrange your name to sound like those returnee inhabitants with known last names.

I can't believe some of us are so crude! How can we take this joke as an insult? Some of us would have replied Bill Clinton with a slap abi? Or frowned and cursed him! I guess a lot of us do not know anything about the Americans. No wonder we have so much hate within us leaving no room for humor.

I believe that it is in the light of friendship and good humour that Clinton made that remark, we have more important stuffs in our lives to deal with as to begin to get mad at Clinton for saying that to Jonathan. Na Wa o!

I didn't realize that Obasanwa (Obasababy) is that handsome, that picture really depicted a very handsome youngman and his carriage is excellent, more of the swagger somebody hinted here stems more from Obasanwa himself than from his clothes even when his traditional wear retained its sophistication inspite of the years that has passed by after that picture was taken.
He looks sweetly obstinate as in "Nobody messes with me" and has lots of confidence. His look in that picture is very cool .

Honestly guys, this is not mockery or insult or whatever u think. Its just a harmless little goodnatured joke that signifies admiration, goodwill and what have towards our president.
Haba, una no fit enjoy small joke again?
All those our comedians wey dey "yab" goodluck, yaradua, baba obj, etc.
U guys are sooooo, ehn, infact. Abeg mak una calm down.
Person wey vex mak him go catch transformer or KISS LION. Me, i enjoy d joke o! I mean, there is nothing to it than just a goodnatured joke. PERIOD!

the hat is a fedora of italian origin and has a notorious history in the US.
it is up to delta people whether now or in the future to design a hat that is truly traditional.
in the delta the history of those hats is interesting very expensive during the slave trade and exchanged for several young men a time.

zikclassiq:

Honestly guys, this is not mockery or insult or whatever u think. Its just a harmless little goodnatured joke that signifies admiration, goodwill and what have towards our president.
Haba, una no fit enjoy small joke again?
All those our comedians wey dey "yab" goodluck, yaradua, baba obj, etc.
U guys are sooooo, ehn, infact. Abeg mak una calm down.
Person wey vex mak him go catch transformer or KISS LION. Me, i enjoy d joke o! I mean, there is nothing to it than just a goodnatured joke. PERIOD!

pro01:

I don't know what is an "insult" about Clinton's light hearted comments. Besides, Bill 'the charmer' Clinton has long been reputed for his good nature and hearthy sense of humour - even at the highest levels of politics and diplomacy. If a person says "Your hats are always cool" and yet you feel insulted, then it can only mean that you believe your hats are really not that cool (which leads one to ask: if you're not convinced about their 'coolness', then why wear them at all?). Secondly, the excellently witty comment: "if I'd had a name like Goodluck, I might still be in office" can only be interpreted as a tribute to the extraordinary good fortunes experienced by the bearer of that name. Choosing to interpret such a comment as an "insult", essentially means that one considers the bearer undeserving of the name - or of the unprecedented good fortunes associated with the name. My God! Is that how insecure and paranoid we are as a people? Some of ya'll need a heavy dose of chill pill.

efisher:

I can't believe some of us are so crude! How can we take this joke as an insult? Some of us would have replied Bill Clinton with a slap abi? Or frowned and cursed him! I guess a lot of us do not know anything about the Americans. No wonder we have so much hate within us leaving no room for humor.

Really sad I had to read almost to the end before I got to see any sane comment. Judging from what I read here, one can conclude that over 80% of Nigerians are re.tards. If Clinton has little or no regard for Jonathan, he would simply ignore him. The fact that he spoke of what he thinks of his name and the "good luck it would have given him", and what his wife thinks of his attire, even if they are all lies, are attempts to accord him recognition. Why is that too difficult for folks to understand? These guys need to learn a thing from other cultures.

i think people need to distinguish between teasing and insults one tends to be friendly and sometimes helps to break the ice of course there are cultural variations there is a bit of power dynamic there so goodluck would NOT dare to make such a joke but perhaps he should have said something about CIGARS

goodluck

Bill and Hillary Clinton both admire Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan — but for different reasons.

At a U.N. AIDS meeting Thursday, the former U.S. president shared the stage with the Nigerian leader, who was dressed in the traditional caftan and black bowler hat of his Niger Delta home.

Clinton congratulated Jonathan on his recent election.

"We wish you well," Clinton said. "I can tell you the secretary of state tells me your hats are always cool."

The ministers, diplomats, AIDS activists and VIPs at the meeting burst into laughter and then applauded loudly.

"And I envy your name," Clinton went on to more laughter. "If I'd had a name like Goodluck I might still be in office."

i hope this is just banter

you realize the rest of the world leaders may see gej as a huckster in a hat?

On a lighter note, How do you say goodluck to a man called Goodluck?

If you just say goodluck, he might just think you are calling his attention, so you have to say

goodluck Goodluck or better to say All the best Goodluck, which even getter better for the man, from good to best.

All the Clinton stuff is charming and not insulting at all. Youhave to have a rapport with people. Prince Phillip, the Queen Husband will have say something worse 10 times but he still doen not mean any harm.

@ Andre Uweh. How could you be saying such a thing? Majority of Rivers people bears their surnames unlike what you think. As for mr president, his names ges in line with its meaning. What mr clintion said cant be described as MOCKERY but honest recognition because no president has ever dressed like that to the UN meeting except in suit or agbada. But in your local mentalities you said they are mocking mr president. I wonder you guys reason upside down. Imagine how he got the attention everybody thats because he's a SPECIAL PRESIDENT, DRESSED IN AN UNCOMMON ATIRE, WITH A SPECIAL NAME AND THE PROVE OF IT.

I HAIL YORUBAS FOR UPHOLDING THEIR CULTURE FIRMLY ,IN YORUBA LAND YOU HERE FINE AND INTERESTING NAME SLIKE.

OLAJAINGBESE

GBAJABIAMILA

OLUWABAMDURO

ONIKUMEKU

DUROJEKPE

WHAT A SWEET NAMES UP YORUBAS.

Why una dey hate on Alabo hat na?

I'm one of those Ijaws with English first name and surname, and even ma middle name is not Nigerian. Hehehehehe.

Don't be surprised that a lot of these Ijaws answering Igbo names are actually slaves who having lost their Igbo identity preferred to take English names than Ijaw names. It wasn't worth taking Ijaw names since the Palm oil trade brought them to Ijaw land, they might as well find an English name that would make trade with the gringos easier. Such is the case with my family.

Good comment/compliment from Mr. Bill Clinton.

From the comments of those of you who see this as an insult, i have come to these conclusions; You think GEJ's hats look ridiculous, and you dont like his name. I see nothing wrong with his names. Bearing english names doesnt make one less Nigerian than those who bear Nigerian names. Its a matter of choice. Besides his names have very good meaning so what's your stress? What if Bill actually love s the hat? The fact that it doesnt look cool to you doesnt mean that it doesnt look cool to Bill. So speak for your selves and stop trying to interprete Bill's comments.

It is a pity that many Nigerians have lost touch with reason. It appears you don't understand what "diplomatic" is. This joke is by no means an insult on GEJ. On many occassions when world leaders come together as in G-8 or G-20 meetings, they crack jokes. I have read of many of such scenarios myself. They are no insults. It's just some group of important people having fun. Please Nigerians, cool ya temper!

I must confess, something is wrong here. Colonialism is long gone and we have to do away with colonialism. This idea of people in Riverine areas with double foreign names or foreign last names has to end. In Igboland, all this our first names that are foreign are shameful.
I feel ashamed of people caling me Andrew at work or when I was in school.
During my undergraduate years at Unibadan, about 12 of 15 of us of Igbo origin had English first names while the Yorubas, apart from one William, the rest had Yoruba surnames.
Even at the NATIONAL TEAM, check out those who come from Igboland
Christian Chukwu
Stephen Keshi.
Sunday Oliseh,Henry Nwosu, Alloy Agu, Alloy Atuegbu, David Adiele.
Ben Iroha
Emmanuel Amuneke
Augustine Okocha
Compare it to Segun Odegbami, Folorunsho Okenla, Tunde Bamidele, Ademola Adesina, Adeolu Adekola etc.
Even lately, we have Michael Obi, Victor Nsofor, Victor Anichebe, John Utaka compared to Taye Taiwo, Dele Adeleye, Sey Olofinjana, Ayo Makinwa, etc.
This nonsense really has to stop in Igboland as I thank God my son does not have any foreign name.

You peeps should stop these nonsense thoughts and feelings of yours, apart from his names (goodluck and jonathan) can you guys point out any other thing foreign in him, i guess no, cos he like his pre-decessor, Yar-Adua portrays the true Nigerian he is, by dressing Nigerian and acting Nigerian, he showed it by resuscitating the textile industry in Kaduna state, in the meeting, he is the only one in native attire as shown in the photo, just like his pre-decessor, look fellow Nairaland members, the era has come when Nigerian leaders show their love and pride for their culture and are even more proud selling it to the rest of the world by wearing them to any occassion, be it local, national or even international, check these out 1999-2007- Obasanjo was a proud lover of his nigerian culture, he not only showed it by his dressing but also showed it by speaking the yoruba language sometimes, 2007-2010- Yar-adua was also another proud lover of his nigerian culture, he also did not only wear his native attires to local, national and international forums, he also went as far as using his hausa assent to speak, it may be embarrassing, but i think these are true Nigerian leaders. Azikiwe and Awolowo were trained abroad, but wore their native attires, cos it's their culture and they were proud of it, Tafawa Balewa, Ernest Shonekan, Anthony Enahoro, great Nigeria leaders, {freedom fighters} who loved and were proud of their cultures.