₦airaland Forum

Sooner or later, the children of Niger Delta in general and those of Ijaw in particular are going to ask for the legacy of Ijaw President that most Nigerians clamored for as reflected in 2011 votes North and South across the Niger. The easy undisputed answer is the President created more millionaires than any other President in history. Who these millionaires are is a different question but the lives of those in environmental polluted swamps remain unchanged. See Here!

The children that lived and play by the rules, went to schools and graduated from universities are left by the wayside while thugs, vagabonds and militia that can hardly read and write have been turned into political allies and billionaires. Their cohorts that grow up with them beg for money, wondering where they went wrong! Indeed militia are so rich they do not know what to do with the money other than buy arms and ships to patrol and police themselves on high seas.

azzima:
efcc is now taking actions when election is around the corner What happens to partnering 4 years ago?? GEJ is a goner!!!

Mowire:
@banku, lo wa'se se. Oja eleyi o ta mo.

Another head (member) of that same Edu family also made a counter-claim. S'otan.

adaweezy:
stale gist since April 2014

iamodenigbo1:
is he not a Yoruba and a Nigerian ?

iamodenigbo1:
Good governance and not where he comes from matters

Lagos 2015: Tinubu’s annointed, Ambode, lied about state of origin

The indigeneship of Akinwumi Ambode, a former Accountant General of Lagos and a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has taken a new turn. Edu Morohunfayo Olakunle, a member of the Edu family in Epe, in an exclusive interview with P.M.NEWS in Lagos, western Nigeria, on Monday said Ambode is not from Epe as he claims. The controversy comes only a week after the king of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, Eleko Of Eko, endorsed Ambode as the next governor of Lagos. The Mogaji of the Edu family had said in an interview with P.M.NEWS that allegations that Ambode is not an Edu indigene are false. The Edu family had also in a release signed by both Alhaji M. Oladeinde Edu and Alhaji T. A. Edu, and made available to some journalists on Friday stated that Ambode was an Ilaje man from Ondo State and not from Lagos State as he claims. But Adekunle, who visited P.M.NEWS office on Monday, said he decided to speak up to clear his family name. He said the Mogagi of Edu family lied. “Ambode is not from the Edu family. I am a bona fide member of the family and I know he is not and has never been from our family. Mogaji knows this and we are not happy with what he is doing,” he said. “We have a palace in Epe and Mogaji cannot say there that Abomde is from our family,” he sai

Thank God for our born again President, otherwise crazy man may take over. Kick out Attorney General Adoke dedicated to the rule of law and due process, send back Ngozi Nweala to World Bank to be congratulated for job well done and Segun Aganga back to international investment bank. But please, not our Diezani Madueke Minister for oil. The lady is too pretty to fire. It will be an insult to lady’s liberation to send back Darisgod O, to State Ministry. What a tough job, eh!

Why are the looters taking covers, reallocating their families and running helter skelter? There is an Igbo proverb that when you see a toad in the afternoon, something is after its life. It could be because of the new found dedication of President Jonathan to fight corruption if given four more years. After all we learned from Ibori that you are better off fighting to stay out of jail in Nigeria than running out. You see, Akingbola just won his Appeal at home. Enough is enough.

egift:
The writer accepts PDP failed in Abuja and wants to install that failure in Lagos. Never.

APC in Abuja and Ikeja this 2015. PDP should be sent back to the Drawing Board.

#Change.

Let us cast our ethnic fears aside, there is no ideological party in Nigeria. Otherwise, we would vote for Labor Party. We can vote for Agbaje PDP in Lagos and vote for Buhari to capture Abuja without contradictions. Those familiar with chicanery Tinubu played as NADECO member, to outfox Funso Williams knew he broke the soul of Pa Dawodu. Not Buhari, he will pay Tinubu with his own coin. As Obasanjo told sponsors, they might as well consider their investments lost.

President Jonathan has already shattered born-to-rule mentality and Nigerians, wherever you come from can become the President of Nigeria. It does not sound like a big deal now, but older Nigerians understand what that means. Unfortunately, good intention of Ebele is not enough in a country like Nigeria. Problems did not start with Ebele but it must end somewhere. No matter our empathy for Ebele; he tried but his best was not enough. Not even Babangida can help him.

Agbaje, not in this writer’s circle, represents the soul of Lagos, not a party since godfathers have no ideology to present. You may not like Bode George or Ogunlewe as PDP stalwarts; they are no different to Tinubu as godfathers. This coming election is not about Any Party in Power, PDP or APC bereft of any tangible sincerity to rid a country on its knees the yoke it carries. The only concrete surety Nigeria has to decent life, right now, is whoever is going to get rid of corruption.

We also know what aches Buhari’s heart to make him cry! Agbaje and Buhari may be in two different parties judging by their godfathers, but do not forget that the fish rut from the head. Buhari will set the example for all to follow and Agbaje has the tendency and predisposition to be clean. He is not hungry and he was not born in the gutter. He cannot disown his home!

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DATE AND STAGE RAPE

Whenever an older woman tells the story of how she had to submit to unwanted advances or rape by men in the position of unequal discretionary power over her, we wonder why anyone has to take that much abuse. Taking advantage of people in any situation is bad enough, that one has to participate in it as if she was willing in order to secure a favor is demeaning. Even worse is rape in any situation. Rape must never be trivialized and must be jealously guided.

What Maheeda posing nude as Catholic Nun, Kim Kardashian and AfroCandy have in common is their ability to control their own financial exploitation. Roman Polanski and Bill Cosby also have in common the introduction of teenage wannabe actresses, sometimes by parents knowing full well the sleaze, drugs and sexual glorification in the entertainment industry. Successful actress such as Jennifer Lawrence cried foul if their past showed up. If unsuccessful some may bite back.

If Monica Lewinsky had claimed she was rape, her interrogators could have been happy to go easy on her and she could have received more empathy than she is getting today. The case of Roman Polanski and Bill Cosby are different in the sense that entertainment industry is known notoriously as sexually pervasive in real life, act or when staged. Unlike gymnastics where little children are groomed into mature athlete, Nollywood, Hollywood and Bollywood are different.

Who does not know that Bill Cosby was a member of Playboy Club and a well-educated man that prefer the entertainment industry? Barbara Bowman one of the wannabe actresses that never made it, appeared on many television stations claiming she now realized that she must have been drugged but knew she was raped after she turned eighteen. From the age of 17 Cosby and her agent paid her rent and probably got pocket money too. Sounds like a kept lady.

Entertainment is notably a sexually provoking industry but so are violent, horror and historical acts that appeal to many and variety of audiences. It is not an excuse to be violent or sexually explicit to children or even teenagers but as a fact, teenagers are exposed. One would expect that in such cases, parents of children and teenagers wishing to be actors and actresses would be diligently involved to watch out for these abuses. These are not places of higher learning.

While colleges are a good place for young men and women to keep their eyes open for future spouse they did get admitted wishing to be raped. Parents have a right to expect their young ones to come out unscathed and well groomed for future tasks. Students go to campus to learn skills, how to live and cope with acquaintances and mates they are going to deal with in life.

The same is true when women start their career outside home in any position at work. They are there to earn a living. These days, some of the women are the main bread winners in the family. Pressuring them for quid pro quo as in sex for promotion, salary raise and any other favor has been promulgated and banned by law in most countries. Since it is easier to take advantage of a subordinate with less bargaining power, we accept complaint until it is proven otherwise.

It does not mean that there are a few or some ladies that would not take advantage of the law or the zero tolerance for sexual abuse. However, the high cost of reporting abuses by ladies are high. The embarrassment and shame during the process of fact finding prevent many from coming forward. Some repress it and many blame themselves. No matter what, those that want revenge after affairs went sour, spurned or desired more than they can get; cannot be ruled out.

Every profession has its good and bad characters but the entertainment industry have certain attraction for extroverts or introverts that want to act the role they cannot possibly display in real life. Indeed, that contributes to the quality of being a good actor. There are many roles that are explicitly outrageous but totally inappropriate for children and teenagers. In fairness to the industry, adults have been cast in children’s role but not always.

In Nigeria Nollywood, actresses have played many roles including some as university students or teenagers. Many actually looked young and believable. In USA, there was an advertisement when Brook Shield as a teenage wore a sexy jean pants saying nothing comes between her and her jeans. Some of the actresses are so young playing sexy parts that one has to wonders how many takes it took before the final cut. The point here is that children play too many sexy roles.

Their mentors take advantage of this and order more practices sometimes with these teenagers leading to sexual proximities and trials. Actually some of the male actors have complained that during the different takes, they are aroused by female’s touch: damn if you do damn if you don’t get hard. As good actors they are suppose to bring the audience along and espouse the feelings. Those acts that are believable get better rating.

If all this is true, there are actors and directors with reputations. They are well known within the circles, yet these are the ones parents introduce their children to. Polanski claimed he was not dealing with a virgin. Bill Cosby claimed there were many ladies out there trying to blackmail him into giving them more money than he was willing to. Some of the actresses never made it to the point they expected. It is a very competitive field with many falling by the wayside.

There were rumors that Baba Suwe killed his wife for another woman. Another rumor that he carried drugs for money to live a fast life. He sued and won. As it turns out in Nollywood or Hollywood those that were married to one another end up falling for their partners in movies, almost like exchanging partners while others lose their husbands and wives to actress and actors. Moreover, these actors are so popular, teens and admirers follow them everywhere.

Source: Farouk Martins Aresa
Story from The Nigerian Voice News:
http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/162135/1/there-is-a-difference-between-date-and-stage-rape.html

Published: Sunday, November 16, 2014

Alarms at Ebola first diagnosis in USA

What is the connection between foul corps of looters, Ebola and Boko Haram? Chasing calamity we could have prevented. We always have heated discussions about how our African professors training medical students have failed us since our medical schools rated below world standard. We glorify international hospitals that rejected rich and famous corpses aggrandized back home, to vilify standard that could have prevented Ebola or anticipated Boko Haram daily dead bodies.

United States have imported Ebola virus afflicting their own citizens to save only two valued lives. Africans cannot expect U.S to fly them in too. We do not have to be a Tola of all trade and master of nothing. We have diseases in our environment we failed to specialize or train for ages.

It is better to explore what we already have and might have worked for a few than to sit on our hands waiting for miracle from heavens or western countries. The concept is a step in the right direction. U.S. Center for Disease control is working on vaccine. A serum that is now cloned for treatment is based on some plants, probably from Africa. Of course we’ll see false starts. Efforts on Ebola cure by Pro. Maurice Iwu, an ethnophamacology with bitter cola-nuts, was a sham.

Each of the African countries is now barring one another from crossing through porous borders into territories as if border cousins care. Mobilize public health information by health aides and educated traditional workers; integrate it with diseases as AIDS infectious only through bodily fluid and bodies must not be abandoned on the streets: call local councils. Opportunist, preachers, or witch doctors commercializing it, must be warned that aberration will be severely dealt with.

Since 1976, Ebola was noted or discovered in East Africa. As soon as world organizations came and helped us contain it, African politicians went to sleep and continued wasting our resources on prestigious projects and wars that have no meaning to the increasing poor. Instead created a fertile ground for recruitment by militias like Boko Haram, some called the brother of al Qaeda, resulting in preventable deaths, wounded and broken hearts. If it is not Boko Haram, it is Ebola.

Before we condemn everyone, we must give due respect to African medical pioneers that killed small pox, saw Ebola, Cholera, Onchocerciasis, other viruses, bacteria and parasitic diseases. Instead of arguing about world and international standards, Africans like Adeniyi Jones, Olikoye Kuti and Adeoye Lambo, others too many to mention argued for standard that could have made us experts at least in our endemic area. They did not call it local standard but it was obvious.

Our problem is not banning dead bodies of Ebola we know but hug with open arms or kiss dead bodies of plunderers we know little about since we are more interested in aggrandizement even in death and replication of standards that are unsustainable. No matter the cost, when we acquire prestigious device, we buy and discard, never use and maintain. Such culture of neglect cannot support international standard we yearn so much. Even little Cuba trains good doctors.

Our medical students and graduates cannot compete with international medical students that are trained for their local diseases. Today acupuncture is internationally accepted and Chinese medical professors are invited worldwide to train European and American medical students. Indeed, it would be strange to graduate from Chinese Medical schools without acupuncture. But it is acceptable for our students to graduate without any training in traditional medicine.

Oh, they always pay lip service to inclusion of traditional medicine in the curriculum of schools but the conservative British trained physicians and teachers would not let it stand. At the same time, some of them are children of Babalawo that personalize their knowledge, sell the father’s combination of herbs to their patients selfishly without publishing them in medical journals for others to learn and repeat in separate laboratories. Recall snow as example in physics in Africa.

There are some academic looters looking for grants. Prof. Isaiah Ibeh, Dean of Basic Medical Sciences University of Benin, also claimed to have found AIDS cure until he was denounced by his colleagues. Gen. Malu even vouched for Doctor Abalaka’s treatment of soldiers. So was Kofi Kankam, Sefwi-BoakoHerbalist, in Western Ghana. All claims for AIDS cure so far are elusive.

There are so many traditional remedies that the schools of pharmacies should have studied for their efficacy and regulated by dosage while eliminating impurities in their laboratories. There is nothing about Bunsen burner or Petri dish that cannot be locally replicated or even improved on. Take dialysis machine for example, it has changed so much over the years that if you trained ten years ago, one would have to go back to school again. It’s enough time for local replication.

If Africans cannot boast of international standard, we can be known as world experts in tropical diseases. So many African students trained in Europe and American universities are specialists in their fields. Most of the old universities teaching hospitals in Nigeria have first class and fully equipped specialist wards at the top of their hospitals that many of the looter’s corps sent back home, refused to patronize. That is after spending so much on equipment and specialists.

Africans always complain about the lack of equipment and international standard laboratories in our schools. As long as we want their standard, we will never be well equipped. Africa has the biggest laboratory in the world for field study in infectious diseases. This is an advantage we refuse to take into account, but widely used by world scientists during their summer vacations to update and learn more about infectious disease. Ours learn standard to abscond abroad.

We can seek cooperation from outside just as outsiders can seek our cooperation in solving endemic problem but relying on outsiders to develop cure for our tropical diseases that we are more familiar with, is no different from children begging others for food on European and American television. After these years, Nigeria should be able to demonstrate some discoveries.

This is not the time for Africans to start feeling sorry for themselves waiting for help. They must push politicians into action for this outbreak and future one, so that they do not react after the fact. They must be proactive and willing to show diligence.


By Farouk Martins Aresa

EkoIle1: To start with, Nigerians die everyday because of kidney and heart disease while many many more Nigerians spend billions every year going to places like India including the Lagos state government paying for and sending 300 Nigerians abroad for medical treatment and even saving the lives of many Nigerians from others where their own governors refused to save their lives or lift a finger.
The governor then said promised to establish such facilities here in Nigeria to curb medical tourism and capital flight to other countries meaning no more spending billions sending 300 people abroad for treat and and local and easy access to the same life saving facilities here in Nigeria.
This is what he promised and this is what he delivered
When you talk about stealing our money and accountability, why not ask the hundreds of people that benefited from the state's efforts and interventions?
Fashola paid N4.5 million to have Ngozi Nwosu’s sent to the United Kingdom for kidney operation so why not ask her for accountability?
8000 Lagosians have benefitted from the Lagos State Government Limb Deformity Corrective Surgery Programme so why not ask them for accountability?
Ask the Lagsians in the picture getting a helping hand for accountability.
This is what we elect leaders to do, not sit on their hands and do nothing. We elect them to save lives and develop needed infrastructures to do just that.
But if accountability is more important to you, why not approach the necessary entities for help? Is NL ministry for health? Is NL the state government or Fashola's office? Is NL EFCC?
It's only in Nigeria doing something means you are stealing, corrupt and must account while doing nothing means you are not accountable and off the hook for doing nothing.

The voiceless survivals and silent majority could care less about longevity of oil politics. They discuss the voices of MEND followed by those of OPC, MASSOB and Boko Haram demanding contracts and compensation. Some at National Conference want theirs written in constitution. Even the Afenifere went to Abuja claiming marginalization while Ohanaeze want reparations from civil war.

Watch out for Arewa demand. Poor Nigeria with her loyal voiceless citizens!

Militias plant anger into everyone so that we can scatter helter-skelter; it will not prevent war. Violence: either unites or breaks a country into Somalian pieces. If you want oil income, trade or negotiate with 99 year safe access lease to your land. The focus of
Boko Haram like MEND is on spoils of war they want to create. It worked for Usman dan Fodio to capture our Hausa bothers, but
not work for Maitatsine or for Moroccan Army of 1591 that wanted Songhai gold.

The North and South need to join forces and use that anger to defeat these malignant cancers in our land. If they can kidnap
their own children, sisters, mothers and fathers within reach, we must not give in to them so that they can get more. If a region
needs oil resources from Niger Delta, they must work hard in exchange. Yes, land is also a viable legal exchange, even on 99 years
lease, as long as peace and security are guaranteed in any region as practiced in the West.

No peaceful existence, trade or safe access to land, no oil money. We must barter our resources to sustain our future. Ijaw nation
within Urhobo, Itsekiri, Anang, Ibiobio and others can’t unite, a wishful thinking, to fight invading Army. The oil income will never
last or be useful forever, we need a country not only in times of prosperity but also during hard time to fight every fanatic. If oil
ran dry today, common folks would rely on one another. It is the meaning of commonwealth.

We have leaders from both North and South whose only contribution is oil politics and how to get more into their pockets. This
oil income pursuit has become the major problem and some would argue led to the civil war. Just as Niger Delta wanted out of
Biafra; Ijaw cannot lure Urhobo, Itsekiri, Ibibio and others into a nation since they are not the only ethnic group in Delta.

We have been through a war before and most of those that fought and saw wars never wish it on Nigerians or anyone in general.
What is different about Nigeria compared to all other civil wars is that until oil became a promising commodity, we have got along
relatively well but still with a few regional fights far in time and periods. After the declaration of war as No Victor No Vanquished,
spontaneously “soldiers from both warring sides embrace in tears after the war”.

Nigerians have never, will never stop loving. Stories of people hiding those they consider enemy from soldiers and hostilities
started coming out. Mind you, just as much as story of inhumanity. But it was surprising that people on both sides of the war
could hide and feed “enemies” inside their homes at the risk of their own lives knowing what could happen to them if they got
caught.

In spite of a few misgivings, inter-ethnic marriages survived on both sides. The war period was a trying time for this types of
marriages because some people believe oppressors do not mind taking the oppressed as wives. Unknown to them, were discreet
powerful women that took husbands from the oppressed. If anything, these marriages solidified both the oppressed and the
oppressors. After the war, we heard so many trying stories and also kindness on both sides.

Ojukwu’s grand return after 13 years to Lagos was just spectacular. The whole City stopped. If this guy was a rebel, it was a good
day to admire and be one. He toured the whole Country visiting those he missed for those 13 years and reacquainted with
colleagues and friends inside and outside the Army. Every party wanted him to join them but he was wisely counseled and
begged not to join any of them and remain neutral. He could have easily played the kingmaker.

Despite the war and more unfriendly religious fanatics in the North; many of the initiations and propagation of business
enterprises at home and abroad still sought Nigerians from North and South in particular, and Africans to collaborate with since
most of their customers are Nigerians and Africans. We learned population gives us a wide potential customer base as an
advantage.

Despite denial of basic life, Nigerians will still rely on one another. It is not that we do not have some people that actually hate one
another but most Nigerians are at worst polite and at best kind to other ethnic groups. The hatred created by sub ethnic group
related to another is more violent in neighboring communities than amongst separate and far ethnic groups. In fact some of
these detachments are so wide; the same ethnic group may refuse to marry one another.

Case in point was this lady that raised her daughter almost alone abroad because the father was estranged. During graduation,
we were all looking forward to see the mother and daughter. It was a shock when our niece told us her friend’s mother would not
be coming because she did not approve the boyfriend of her daughter from a neighboring community. Any other Nigerian could
have asked for her daughter in marriage but that one, from the same ethnic group.

Interethnic marriage is a given. In the first place, the new generation learns but does not inherit their parents’ prejudice. They will
marry anyone including any African. Some children here or abroad will even marry outside of their race. There was this mother
warning the son not to fool around certain blacks because they were trouble makers. He quizzed: Mum, all of them?
Yet, some children that have never seen war, were not old enough during the war or were not born during the war are beating
their chest calling for one. The scary part of it is that, all regions of Nigerian are now fed up, calling for separation while their
young militias are calling for war. They have never seen or fought one, so they want their own war.

Those from the West claimed they have never been part of Nigeria and have never formed alliance at the center. Ijaw claim that
they can survive as a nation with their oil income. The North claimed they were ready to stand alone before Azikiwe and Awolowo
begged them into the Country. The East does not want anything to do with all these because they should have let them go as
Biafra when they seceded. But they relish their new friendship with Ijaw.

However, the amount of technical expertise and equipment needed to safely extract oil and turn it to marketable gas and petrol is
beyond local control. Nevertheless, when international companies are involved, the real exploiter, local communities need their
sovereignty as a country for an agreement. If Niger Delta can achieve that, Nigeria will not be needed to dictate term and
conditions of what percentage of the income the Niger Delta community gets.

Written by Farouk Martins Aresa.

- See more at: http://thewillnigeria.com/news/opinion-our-voiceless-without-oil-income-mainly-survive-as-loyal-citizens/#sthash.vFSxH5HJ.dpuf

ECONOMIC SALVATION: CASE STUDY IN NOLLYWOOD CULTURAL ORIGINALITY

Africans finally realize that fake and broken European or American that we used to call Akada can never successfully compete with the original. Akada will always remain second class. The simplest case in point to African originality is Nollywood example from original African culture, swiveled into economic success by entrepreneurs increasing middleclass. It is an educational model that had little government input or grants which could have killed it at inception.

If this initiative is repeated into industrial spectrum across Africa in the field of agriculture, the legitimate weapon against Economic Salvation, dividends could be enormous. Looking back at Hubert Ogunde that initially turn our cultural ceremonies into fees for shows, you must wonder why we would pay him to watch casts do what we all do at festivals, wedding or ceremonies. Young people ran with it and turned it into industries as Ghanaians, South and East Africans etc.

But wait, what is the big deal? We watched Indian, English and American plays as films on small black and white televisions, in theatres and we played roles there as clowns or uncle Tom. We were not in control, just consumers. Before getting carried away with Nollywood as a creative source of economic take-off, we must not discard the example of communication industry that OBJ deregulated. The difference is: Nollywood is African originality while cell phone is not.

Africa's most convenient base for sustainable lift-off as a rocket is still agriculture and the magic product remains corn, cassava or sugar cane. Out of each we get grains for consumption, sugar or starch for other industrial uses. Demand within Africa like Nollywood is guaranteed. It is up to each individual entrepreneur, group or technical colleges to develop varieties to African taste. Otherwise foreign land grabbers cannot wait. See Foreign Land Grabbers

Despite government subsidies, we still have hiccups in cassava demand and supply. Some of us must accept our individual fault, including the writer. Most of us study in order to get good jobs. It is interesting when Africans introduce one another in a gathering. We are always heavy on qualifications but short on what we achieved in the community apart from government jobs.

Government jobs are noble by their inherent service to the people. Though they pay less, they are highly rewarding. Wealthy people encourage their children into those services to create opportunities for others. But in most African countries, you cannot dream of a better paying job where you can amass as much loot as you want, even in retirement. National Conference noted this aberration and proposed political jobs as part-time to dissuade greediness and kleptomania.

While many of the Nollywood actors are exposed or educated, the cultural thrust in their plays overshadow their foreign taste. As much as we want our educational institutions to contribute to their final products, it is not the domineering force that turned Baba Suwe into international demand from Diaspora Africans. If anything, it resurrects the point Ogunde made that if he had got more exposed to western education, as his dad wanted, it could have diluted him culturally.

This is by far not to diminish the role of higher learning but it has to be in African universities with cultural ingenuity and originality that can't be perfectly imitated anywhere else but Africa. Most of the foreign students that come to African universities for adventure, do not want what we value as competing to be top ten world colleges in medicine, engineering or gadgets.

Some of us may remember that European and American professors would come to University Teaching Hospital Ibadan, University of Ghana, Fourah Bay College Sierra Leone or dilapidated 1st world University of Timbuktu to study tropical diseases from local patients, African literature or archeological findings damaged by damp weather that Africans pay little attention to. Most of what they were interested in were unknown to our medical or graduate students curriculum.

One of the greatest achievements of African fighters for Independence is massive creation of teachers and free or affordable schools with the hope that out of original task, some indigenous discoveries were all that was needed to lift the masses into sustainable economic salvation. But if the professors are frustrated by politicians who are the beneficiaries, they join the rat race. Those in the rat race do not possess any special skill other than that of greed and selfishness.

While foreign land grabbers design economic exploitation for Africa arable lands, we are busy thinking on how to swindle one another. Whenever we are preoccupied with how to steal, swindle and defraud; our attention is diverted away from economic salvations take-off. No matter how great an idea, it still takes humans to carry it out. If one cannot find honest workers willing to carry out a task without any short-coming, the project will not achieve its desired goal.

In Nigeria everything is inflated contracts, not economic salvation. Those who cannot get their hands on government money, look for other source of 'contracts'. Money has to come from parents, close or extended families or friends; otherwise they are mean or stingy deserving hell.

The flow of many Diaspora entrepreneurs home with their savings, to build or buy houses and start business at affordable cost has slowed. Ten percent Vagabonds in power have driven cost of everything up with easy loots chasing materials and services for 90 % of people. Indeed, it is easier to make American dollar or British pounds in Nigeria in one scoop than to labor for in US.

Bottom-line, it is not about the money but about originality of how easy accessible products are marketed for supply and demand according to African taste for economic salvation. Colleges or entrepreneurs have not been able to develop products that are commercially attractive enough for either local or foreign market. Most of us including our universities compete, copy and paste foreign ideas. Without cultural originalities as Nollywood, we are as good as others' dependable.

Source: Farouk Martins Aresa
Story from Modern Ghana News:
http://www.modernghana.com/news/551422/1/economic-salvation-case-study-in-nollywood-cultura.html

Published: Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Radoillo II: Mehn, I can't believe there are Nigerians, educated Nigerians, who cannot grasp the basic history-textbook concepts of BC/AD. Blind religious fundamentalism is apparently a bigger problem than I thought.

That said, the Ooni's claim is a bold one, to put it mildly. I doubt that many historians will support his statement. 10,000 BC is a long time ago. Even if we accept that people have been living in what is now Ile-Ife for 6,000 years, that still leaves a gap of another 6,000 years to take us back to 10,000 BC. He should have at least stated his evidence for such a claim. He is not an archaeologist. So it looks like he just plucked that figure from the skies.

In any case, there are historical reasons why its most unlikely (I'm trying not to say 'impossible') that the city of Ile-Ife was founded that far back in time.

Yoruba World Exploration And The Loss of Dynasties
By
Farouk Martins, Omo Aresa

faroukomartins@netscape.net

August 7, 2006

The ancient Yoruba were one of the most accommodating and the most adventurous people on earth. They were the explorers, the traders, and the Oloko (boat people) who traveled by ships, animal carriers and on foot. They traveled north and south of the Nile, from one coast to another, to Asia, Australia and the Americas. We all agreed that mankind started from Africa, see Dr. Spencer Wells research on Y and X chromosomes, but vacillated on the spread of civilization.

The Yoruba left marks by spreading their genes, arts, sciences, culture and religion. They are born out by ancient artistic stone monoliths dated before Christ and later by terracotta. Thanks to archeology, arts, sciences and devoted scholars that are still unraveling these past accomplishments. The history of the Yoruba before present era (BC) and their cousins can be told intelligently even by what we know now.

I have always wondered why Yoruba wrote on people’s arm and body and devised systematic numbers by tens, twenty and hundred but restricted them to a few who could read and write. A book brought back to IFE by Oduduwa on his sojourns on the Nile Valley can still not be interpreted?

Many Yoruba do not know where the name came from. Every Ethnic group in Nigeria (their cousins) has taken the advantage to interpret the name, Yoruba. Even before, they came in contact with one another, in the recent past.

Combination of OYO and OBA gives YORUBA: OYO-OBA, OYO-ROBA,
OYO-RUBA

These were words that were taken from different orikis in Yoruba that we hardly connect together. There is no need to look outside the language itself for where Yoruba name came from. “Omo Karo o jire” (Good morning) is understood by most Yoruba, from Lagos to Sierra Leone, Cuba, Brazil, and Americas. Yet, there are some who have lost it and even deny their own identity. Mix Africans in Europe, Asia, Australia, America and Africa refer to their white blood. Including those with skin darker than char coal, ignore the threat of one drop of black blood rule.

My own name is so foreign, one has to be familiar with Lagosians to know that I am a Yoruba. One important identity that my family has, as all Yoruba, is oriki. It takes me back home to Enu Owa in Isale Eko and Popo Aguda in Lagos. I will leave it as “Omo Aresa.” .Yoruba Lagos original connection. So, please understand my biases. Yes, I am the same person who refused to join Yoruba organizations in the seventies, because I am a NIGERIAN! I can be a proud Yoruba and a Nigerian, no conflict.

ILE IFE has been the ancestral home of Yoruba and most of their history begins from there. It is the religious, spiritual and artistic home. There are important people revered by the Yoruba who marked critical landmarks in the history. Some are even delegated as messenger of Olorun (God).

Olorun the only God, has always been the belief of the Yoruba before Christianity and Islam. He created mankind through Orunmila. The point of this paper is not to deal with myth or gospel of the Bible, Koran, Tora or Ifa. The rift between evolution and creation is very strong regarding what to teach in elementary school, not only among parents in the United States but in other countries including Nigeria. This paper will assume scientific facts and oral history.

There were generations in between the heroes or icons the Yoruba revered in history. So there were Obatala, Moremi, Oduduwa, Okanbi, Oranmiyan, Sango and others. These generation gaps can be born out by the time difference between Orunmila and Obatala. It has been postulated that there were ninety rulers before Obatala. Assuming that Olorun created Orunmila from the beginning. That is, before or around the Bible time of Adam and Eve. If Obatala came after ninety rulers, he must have been around before Christ.

Most Yoruba will agree that Awolowo was the most recent icon, popularly called the son of Oduduwas, regardless of the generation gap between them. Others may regard Herbert Macauley, Adelabu, Akintola, Ajasin, etc as the heroes of Awolowo’s time. They were all Yoruba of significant achievements.

Obatala’s work was never completed, not because he got drunk or big headed as oral history told us. But each of these icons advanced the cause and the civilization of the Yoruba to the next level. Who took the banner from Orunmila before it got to Obatala or whoever takes it from Awolowo from now on will be remembered in history as the son or daughter of Obatala, Moremi, Oduduwa or Awolowo.

Moremi was a very brave woman who saved the Yoruba from midnight marauders. In the midnight hour, the marauders came from bush (igbo) to pester the Yoruba, they fell in love with a beautiful woman who revealed their strategies and saved the Yoruba. Some Igbo figured they were the ones because the spelling matched. Even if they were, they were cousins in the rain forest at an earlier point in time.

Oduduwa must have been here before Christ, going by parallel archeology of the Yoruba, Egypt, Greece and Rome with the history in the Bible or the Koran. Unless those before him were many centuries old before he was born! He traveled through the Nile river, spread Yoruba civilization and religion. Yoruba, named in Arabic writing noted them for their religion, before their present country brothers became aware of them. See Beginning of Ethnic Formation. During Oduduwa’s exploration, he had children Yoruba usually name AdeTokunbo, Omowale, Magbagbeile and others overseas. He was revered because his descendants were kingdom builders and they also unified the Yorubas. Oduduwa proved his Ife royal blood by displaying his crown, a book in verses and an obelisk. Zo Giwa mentioned these three items in his article.

Okanbi, one of Oduduwa’s descendants, may be some generations from him. It was Okanbi children or grandchildren that built empires and further united the Yoruba with their neighbors. Oduduwa descendants met civilization in Ife and propagated it but might have started empire and kingdom formation during their sojourns on the Nile River.

Civilization has a very simple meaning but today it has exotic attachment for self gratification. It is the ability of people to live amicably among one another. It is not modernization, invention of weapon of mass destruction or the ability to destroy the world in a second. The Yoruba were farmers who had enough to eat and drink because they lived on fertile soil in the rain forest and might have changed locations to take advantage of fertile environment. See Professor Ade Obayemi about eight locations of Ife. This gave the Yoruba the time to think, reflect, engage in Arts, build, organize a civilize community and practice their religion that was known through out Africa in ancient time. Those looking for solutions, predictions, cures, wisdom, artists and rulers went to Ife.

Oranmiyan, one of the grandsons of Okanbi became the founder of Oyo and Benin Empires. He was the one who wanted to go back to the Nile on his return from Benin to avenge those who kicked Oduduwa out. The history of Egypt and Nubia was that of changing rulers. Rulers (Oduduwa) returned home (Ife) whenever another power took over, in Nubia (Sudan). Akhenaton who preached one God in Egypt, like the Yoruba was also sent packing southwards, where he contacted his Nubian belief.

I have to emphasize a point Professor Jide Osuntokun made many times. Dynasty and the people may not necessarily be the same. In the case of Benin, there were Ogiso rulers before the Obas came. The Benin Empire and influence came under the Oba rulers. It is this influence that was developed by the descendants of Oba which grew from the 13th century. This remarkable much later achievement, rivaled their Yoruba predecessor, but presented no conflict with Ife. Some have speculated that the transition from Ogiso to Oba was not so peaceful, autochthonous chiefs undermined Eweka’s authority. Up till today, the land is leased from the Ogiso descendants during the crowning ceremony of Oba to dampen the rivalry between the two dynasties. This rivalry, is still in the folklore and still generate some hard feelings.

Another landmark figure was Shango, the Alafin of Oyo whose mother was Tapa. He was credited with creating gun powder from kola nuts. After his death, he became a demigod.

He was well known beyond Africa and stories were told about Oba Koso. Pedral quoted Morie’s work in Coptic text - “Obba Kousso” as he was known, was King Shango and a king of Kush who ruled north and west of Africa but was born in Ife. Morie had no idea where Ife was.

Somewhere in there was the Bilikisu Sungbon, whose travel and exchange of gift, in gold, ivory, spices and the number of eunuchs that followed her to King Solomon tally with Queen of Sheba Bible story that happened before Christ. She gave birth to her own AdeTokunbo who might have started the line of Emperor Hailey Salashi of Ethiopia. More research is needed here because the most remarkable wonder she left in Ijebu was the greatest monument in the world. According to Professor Patrict Darling of Bournemouth University, U.K, the construction was greater in size than any pyramid in Egypt. It can still be observed near Ijebu Ode today. So far, the dating has not matched the Bible story.

IFE has been studied extensively by foreigners and less by Nigerians. This is a culture that has been nearly highjack and labeled the work of whites or black whites. What! Professor Wole Soyinka noted the irony in the words of the German scholar, Leo Frobenious, looking at the Yoruba chiefs at Ile Ife, wondering if they were the descendant of the lost civilization of Atlantis. Sir Flinder Petrie, world renowned archeologist noted the similarity between terracotta head of Ife and that in Memphis. Osun staff is a serpentine staff crowned by bird, carried by initiates of Obatala, it is the same medical symbol of Caduceus.

Africans scholars like Professors Peter Eke, Cheikh Diop, Frank Snowden, Dr. W.E.D DuBois, Marcus Garvey and John D. Balwin e.t.c worked tirelessly to prove that Egypt was and is in Africa. This may sound strange to a student new in the field, but a paper such as this can not do justice to their work. Anyone interested must pursue their work.

In Egypt we see evidence of earlier civilization of the blacks from Sudan of today (Nubia), Nok culture, Ife stone, terracotta and language known before Christ (B.C), Igbo Ukwu 10th century, Sugbon Eredo, old Oyo walls, Benin Iya ditch, the Great Zimbabwe. There were the Wolof, Mendes, Akhan. The Shaka Zulu, and the 16th century Queen Nzinga of Angola who fought against slave trade. An objective scholar would see these cultures reproduced in Egypt, but not those who wanted to claim Egypt for the white race. Indeed, those who painted black civilization white are still working at it vigorously.

African travel by boat or ship has been demonstrated by the advanced construction of Dafuna Canoe recently excavated near River Yobe dated 8,000 years old while the oldest boat in Egypt is 5,000 years old.

Nazlet Kater, an African skull, the oldest human found in Luxor in 1980 is about 35,000 years old. There were also other white scholars who had made observation of the Egyptians as blacks. Greek historian Diodorus Siculus of Sicily, 1st century B.C, credited the Ethiopians (blacks) as the first of all men created by the gods and founders of civilization and religion in Egypt imported to Greece. Greek philosopher, Aristotle 384-322 B.C.E described the Ethiopians and the Egyptians as blacks. Greek writer Lucian 125 B.C, described the Egyptians with African features. The father of History, Herodotus 490-425 B.C.E, describe the City of Meroe, religion, food, valuable metals, burial ceremony, elephants and offerings (ebo). Their first God was Min (Emi Mimo) and that the Greek gods came from Egypt. French writer Constantin-Francois Volney 1757-1820, claimed that Ethiopians were the first to attain civilized way of life and worship.

Those who have watched the Zar ritual dance conducted by special women among Fellahin in Egypt saw the replica of Yoruba dance during worship or Haitian Voodoo dance. But if you ask them or tell them, some might deny their identity. The Belady who were the original black settlers of Egypt have been oppressed by different powers but still hang on to the African tradition which is different from those who rule them. The culture remains with them. See Gamal Nkrumah on the Bedja.

They still have melanin in their skin layers, their genes are related to Africans, still carry the sickle cell trait, practice circumcision and totem. An X-ray on Pharaohs done by James E. Harris of Michigan University proved the same. Egypt Arts, Religion, Oracle and the original language of the Beladi mirror that of Africans in general and Yoruba in particular. The work of Dr. Lucas has been quoted many times.

These similarities between Egypt, Sudan, Yoruba and other African cousins are not coincidence. It establishes the rightful place of African civilization. The Yoruba civilization has been studied extensively because of their ancient way of life which predates the civilization in Egypt. We knew that even Egypt got its civilization from Sudan. An observation that must be noted carefully is that the Ijebu and the Sudanese have the same ethnic face mark. I have already stated that it is the Yoruba who traveled north.

There are some three controversies among the Yoruba that I can not ignore: Ijebu, Ilorin and Benin. Threats, intimidation, trading insults and ultimatums will not help. While history is subject to research, sheer convenience of ethnocentricity will not stand up to scrutiny.

Some Ijebu claim that they are not Yoruba, they came from Waddai. Others claimed that Awujale, Ilari named Agbejaile or Alajaile himself came from Oyo to make peace between Ife and Owu. There are other speculations I will not even touch. If you walk like a duck, look like a duck, speak like duck, you are a duck! That should end it. But there is validity about Wadai and the Ijebu. The Ijebu said their Oba was some generations senior to Oduduwa because they showed his child his way to the Ocean when he got lost. He wanted ocean water to cure Oduduwa’s blindness. If my assumption of Oduduwa before Christ is correct, they might have dealt with Oduduwa descendant not necessarily the son. As for Waddai, most Yoruba explorers and traders pass through Wadai, Danfor, Thebes, and Owodaiye in today Ethiopia on their way to and from the Nile. Not only the Ijebu.

The similarity between the Ijebu dialect, Itsekiri dialect and the Yoruba palace language of Benin might have to do with Prince Inigua who led the Itsekiri away. That may disprove any notion that the Ijebu were sacrifice or slave to other Yorubas.

Oni of Ife position must be respected. No ancient Yoruba would crown a usurper Oni if he did not deserve to be there. Let us separate personal grudges from the unity of the Yorubas.

The Afonja of Ilorin controversy is more pathetic. Today, we misplaced blame on the Fulani who were invited to help Afonja against Alafin of Oyo. Afonja became ambitious and wanted to undermine the Alafin. The story was that Afonja thought Alafin was going to move on him with an impossible task to accomplish. Afonja then got help to overthrow the Alafin. Afonja found himself at the mercy of the Fulani and lost it all, because Alafin put a curse on him. Where is the blame? The problem today is that the Fulani have rightly assimilated into Ilorin so much that the Yoruba find it difficult to be the Oba of Ilorin. They have lost the supremacy of Oba and there is confusion in a Yoruba land. How do you get someone whose father or mother is a Fulani to deny their birth?

In the case of Benin, all due respect must be accorded the Oba of Benin as one of the descendants of Oduduwa. He wrote that one of the kingdoms started by Oduduwa was Ado. He has a brother in the person of Ewi of Ado Ekiti who is now embarrassed by the controversy. Oba of Benin told us the meaning of Eweka, Owo mi ka, line of descendant. That is in the same lingua fraca of his palace up a point in time. Nobody has so far denied that the head of former Obas of Benin were buried in Ife. How can the Oba query the facts of Egbareva’s book based on his mother’s relation to Yoruba? It is a popular saying in Edo that only a son of Edo culture can be a ruler of Benin. Oranmiyan was not, so he married into the culture to produce a ruler from that culture.

Ekaladerhan was a man of the culture, Benin historians still have to settle on if he fought to death when Benin soldier went after him in Ughoton the same way they went after Inigua in Warri. By the way, this was centuries after Oduduwa.

In view of these controversies, their subjects who have unflinching loyalty to Yoruba must be in a difficult position. Embrace novel theories or walk a fine line. It has been said that special ceremony or ritual is needed to reverse the curse of Alafin. The none-Yoruba theory of the Ijebu is hardly taken seriously since majority of them see themselves as nothing else, but will not stand for any insult. More problematic, is that of Oba of Benin. He is highly respect and rightly so. Others with the same theory can be ignored, not him.

One can tell the difference between the comments coming from the Ogiso and that coming from the Oba descendants. None of the Oba line can reject Yoruba connection: “How safe is Ife” is still the greetings. While the Ogiso trumpet the influence and achievement of the Oba, they missed the opportunity to educate us about that of Ogiso. Indeed, Professor Eke did more to educate us about Ogiso, only to be chided for not distorting Yoruba influence.

Yoruba must stop fighting one another. Those who have made it in other lands – Cuba, Brazil, Benin Republic, Europe, Asia and other America must not severe the bridges they crossed. Oduduwa came back home and proved himself, one day your children will come back home. YORUBA RONU!