₦airaland Forum

Kobojunkie

I have myself heard of him . . . . universal grammar theory would not be where it is today if not for him. I am happy for his contributions in areas such as[b] languages, science and philosophy[/b]. That aside, his opinions, on issues, are that, his opinions.

@^^ You are very correct. Nevertheless his opinions are well grounded on "facts" which has come to pass, especially in relation to the "Media" who inadvertently have become part of the "problem" or negative propaganda machine of most governments just like our Naija media. I am not pro/anti this or that. A lot has happened during our life time as to make some of us to be very concerned and perhaps take another look at things through another prism. It's very easy to "whitewash" anybody with so called "conspiracy theory" brush, especially by some of our
"uninformed"/under/miseducated compatriots. I guess the Americas(north & south) are alike in the sense that information inflow is rather patchy and almost self censored albeit so called "free" press in the U.S.A. I find so much ignorance of the rest of the world far more pervasive in the Americas than anywhere else despite the self professed free press/media. I am not trying to denigrate anybody let alone accuse our people of "deliberately" being complicit to ignorance of the world beyond their residence/state. There's more about such a subject for another NL day/topic I hope.  I like your open mindedness and tenacity despite your detractors etc.

Kobojunkie

I have myself heard of him . . . . universal grammar theory would not be where it is today if not for him. I am happy for his contributions in areas such as[b] languages, science and philosophy[/b]. That aside, his opinions, on issues, are that, his opinions.

@^^ You are very correct. Nevertheless his opinions are well grounded on "facts" which has come to pass, especially in relation to the "Media" who inadvertently have become part of the "problem" or negative propaganda machine of most governments just like our Naija media. I am not pro/anti this or that. A lot has happened during our life time as to make some of us to be very concerned and perhaps take another look at things through another prism. It's very easy to "whitewash" anybody with so called "conspiracy theory" brush, especially by some of our
"uninformed"/under/miseducated compatriots. I guess the Americas(north & south) are alike in the sense that information inflow is rather patchy and almost self censored albeit so called "free" press in the U.S.A. I find so much ignorance of the rest of the world far more pervasive in the Americas than anywhere else despite the self professed free press/media. I am not trying to denigrate anybody let alone accuse our people of "deliberately" being complicit to ignorance of the world beyond their residence/state. There's more about such a subject for another NL day/topic I hope. I like your open mindedness and tenacity despite your detractors etc.

Olodostein

You are categorically saying Noam Chomsky-- one of the greatest living intellectuals-- has a disease?

@^^ I doubt it, if many people(NL) have heard of him either. He's certainly a great mind and thorn on the flesh of the "American 'WASP'/West establishment . There are not many like him anymore nowadays except his Jewish counterpart in Israel-(Finklestein)

@OPs

What's happening here? Have we lost our sense of humour? Even in so called "war zones" humour is necessary for our collective sanity . I'm rather surprised that some of us on NL are 'dying' slowly because they've lost their sense of Humour. Humour does not preclude lack of seriousness either. We should be a little civil and charitable to our fellow countrymen/women. Nobody has monopoly on knowledge and seriousness. Please we should "ease off the gas pedal" a little bit and let Kobojunkie be . Her opinions and humour within this context are very much in order . It's because we see things through the same prism no wonder nothing changes in our backyard .

Rhodesia

If everyone in brazil was fully African and all the whites left, it would quickly degenerate into a 3rd world shitip like Haiti.

@^^ I guess you've never visited Haiti let alone knowing somethings about her history. Ignorance is bliss indeed . A little humility is in order pls.

Olodostein

For the record, we the eastern businessmen are in the center of the largest city and market in Northern Nigeria. The fact that BH operates in fringe locations does not mean that the whole country is held at ransom, no matter what/how they want to make you believe. If the eventuality happens, we are ready to defend and protect our families, colleagues and comrades and what we have earned.

@^^I sincerely wish you well and luck. I hope that you are well stocked up with serious ammo etc. No shaking and cry babies either .

Kilode?!

Actually, the utterances from my leaders so far, sounds like we are ready to throw them a welcome party at the border.

@^^ . That's what it is bro!
Americans as usual will soon start throwing "money", "technical Advisers"/"experts" at local problems [/b]that deserve[b] local solutions not "international" solutions. It's obvious that Inertia is our problem and our endless ingenuity in milking dollars from gullible foreigners for local problems.

Horus

And your point is?. So because there was a faillure to unite in the past does this mean that there will be a faillure to unite in the future?. With your skeptic and pessimistic thinking your are mentaly closing all doors in your mind for unity. A skeptic is stuck in a paradigm and closes all other possibilities. But this creation is of all possibilities. As one understands the paradigm shift and scepticism is removed.

@^^ I am very far from being a skeptic or pessimistic about unity of Black Brazilians . They have a greater chance of uniting to effect a positive outcome than Nigerians(Africans in the continent) . Please read my post again. Nowhere did it preclude unity of Black Brazilians getting together. I am only stating that certain conditions such as "Awareness of Self" and one's place in active history making process" must be present. It must be actively cultivated and nurtured for such enterprise to emanate/flourish within such diverse group as the "Brazilian Blacks". Their cousins - AA in North America have a different experience and rallying points like churches, schools etc as gathering/meeting points etc. There are no such exclusive organised social gathering places amongst our Black Brazilian brethren or anywhere in Latin America. The Latin experience is extremely insidious and disabling indeed.

BlackLibya

Look at their lady president, doesnt she look black to you?

@^^ She's not black at all. She's of East European ancestry(Bulgarian or Hungarian). Her roots in Brazil is very recent so she does not have the "benefit" of miscegenation. She's a recent immigrant.

Horus

Blacks being the majority [/b]in Brazil, if they [b]unite [/b]they can soon have a Black President.

@^^ You must have some consciousness of "self"(black) and the awareness your place in history making as to be able to "unite" for some "political" enterprise/Black President. Have we in Nigeria or the rest of Africa been able to [b]unite let alone make any viable/visible impact as so called "Blacks" politically or otherwise?

Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan certainly seems susceptible. Rather than focusing on addressing Boko Haram's grievances regarding underdevelopment and corruption, Jonathan — a Christian from southern Nigeria — describes his country as an unfortunate bystander [/b]caught in the cross fire of an international war. Boko Haram are "just like other terrorist attacks in the world," he said on Nov. 10.

If you [b]misread a problem, you can't fix it. If you mischaracterize a local Islamist rebellion as global terrorism, that's eventually what you'll face. "Left to stew, this trend of internationalization is inevitable," says a Western diplomat in Abuja. The Abuja bomb is proof that the causes of Nigeria's militancy have been left unaddressed for long enough that some fighters are now thinking bigger, and Jonathan's misperception is becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy.

@^^^ Lucky Joe would be susceptible after all he's playing the victim card in order to solicit for American/foreign support or "AID" to fight so called "terrorism", hence he's deliberately characterising the local problem as "global" terrorism as if our internal problems are not as old as Nigeria and certainly older than Lucky Joe . When you internationalise a problem you are deliberately seeking [b]misguided [/b]solutions for "local" problems peculiar to your own backyard/people which you've refused to address creatively, honestly and frontally. Lucky Joe is no fool but he's certainly lazy and lacking in inspiring ideas/creativity. He's not a nationalist let alone a patriot.

panafrican

Blacks being the majority in Brazil means nothing if the Black leadership there ends up conniving with western powers to attack and plunder Africa the same way african americans do.

@^^ yeah, they are the majority but very much invisible - economically [/b]and [b]politically. There's no such thing as black leadership in Brazil or anywhere in South America except in Guyana and a little bit in Venezuela since Chavez. The position of Blacks in south America is extremely terrible and vacuous indeed . Football and the entertainment industry are the only open avenues available. Majority of the people are uneducated and miseducated due to the peculiar "latin" history of Brazil and the rest of South America since slavery days till this day. Ignorance of Africa etc is not peculiar to AA but expected in the whole of the so called "New World". That's what conquest, capture and defeat by your "enemies" or "detractors" are about hence the miseducation and deliberate pervasive ignorance in North and South America. It's no different in Africa as well .

marabout

so no surprise that they share some common culture.

The problem I see is that nobody wants to admit that their tribe probably copied certain culture/fashion/religion/food/lifestyle from other tribes as they see it as a sign of inferiority.

Yet we gladly copy western lifestyle today. Why wouldn't have our ancesters copied the latest trend from neighbouring tribes/kingdoms etc, who were probably blood cousins anyway? Or you think they were much diffrent from us? If anything, they were probably more savvy than us and lived on their wits considering they didn't have all the comfort we have today.

@^^Gbam!!! Very on point!. We are inherently very lazy and ignorant to see the[b] bigger[/b] picture of similarities than divisions/dissimilarities if  any. We seem to be animated and agitated enough by mundane issues than about things that will change our condition as a people hence the politicians are very comfortable in the knowledge that Nigerians will never revolt against them because "nobody wants to admit that their tribe probably copied certain culture/fashion/religion/food/lifestyle from other tribes as they see it as a sign of inferiority". It isn't of course, but a sign of the openness, creativity and adaptive nature of the copying society. Culture like any of the qualities bolded above is not static let alone immutable. After all Nigerians have adopted Jollof rice eating as part of our national staple dishes, but it isn't originally ours as the name denotes obviously to any discerning/informed traveller in Africa.

aribisalaO

why is point B electoral commisioner

@^Gham!! I wonder OOo? Is there no "democracy" or "self restraint" on self promoting "dictatorship"/imposition in Igbo culture anymore? Na waoo

egift

Alternatively, you could go for Igbo Representative (for ceremonial purpose) - Truth be told, that person[b] will not speak on my behave or that of a true Igbo person[/b] (considering the complexities and divergence of issues here daily).

@^^ You may be right but there's such thing as "voice of the people" or " spokesperson of the people" by consensus. After all, that was Ojukwu's actual and initial position, besides being the military commander by virtue of his being at the "right place at the right time" .

Amokwe

The pains of Biafran/Nigerian civil war had made us to be more cautious and  loosly united, if not, the Nigeria of today would not have been better than present day Sudan, DRC or Somalia,   think about it

@^^ Do you sincerely believe the above bolded? Do you think Nigeria is actually better than Sudan, DRC Congo or even Somalia? In these three countries mentioned, the citizens are not having a feeling of pervasive insecurity in the day let alone after sunset as most Nigerians in the south of the country feel. They may be materially poorer because of some obvious reasons, but they are much more relaxed as normal human beings in their own land should be, outside of the actual war zones. The DRC Congo, Sudan and war torn Somalia incidentally have the lowest robbery rates if any, than "cautious and loosly united" Nigeria in your view. We should all be a little mindful and humble when looking and comparing Nigeria with other countries. It's not always black and white or obvious as we may think it is. Nigerian media is very much like the British and parochial U.S.A media in a lot of ways - gross propaganda for internal consumption that make the citizens feel very good and 'blind' to anything inherently better than their own. Our collective aspirations after over fifty years  should be better than comparing Nigeria to War torn countries. Nevertheless, we still have our own internal actual low intensity wars raging on - Fulani herdsmen invading/trespassing/ killing farming communities almost everywhere they go, BoKo Haram, Niger Delta and trigger happy and contemptuous police men on our roads etc.  Do such crises not matter or count as[b] wars[/b] and source of immeasurable insecurity to every Nigerian including the so called ruling elite? it's no wonder Nigerians are amongst the leading places where Religious fervour has risen over a thousand fold than anywhere else in the world. We are truly lost and confused indeed.

buzugee

it would have been in the man and the[b] nations[/b] interest to fight a war of inclusion and not a war of secession. he would then be viewed favorably by history and by all.

@^^ bolded- That's a classic sentiment of an insensitive, cowardly and timid African who refuses to understand the meaning of Genocide/ massacre. It was an actual mind set/policy of the northern Nigerian soldiers at that time. It's obvious you'll never appreciate the enormity of the problem called "Nigeria". We do not have a nation yet. We have consciously and actively refused to have a so called conversation as to how we cobble up a semblance of a nation fit for purpose. Perhaps if you survive a massacre [/b]by those who want to maintain the hegemony over the rest of the country in the name of "one Nigeria", you'll understand why it's impossible to be 'unemotional' or even "objective" about anything Nigerian. I guess you'll understand the Jewish stridency about their 'national/peoples' security and Paul kagame's(Rwanda) strident and a times authoritarian actions. 'Democracy' does not always solve all of our problems hence "Wars are necessary" and we cannot abdicate our responsibility because some of us may die in warfare. It's best to die honourably than to sit and die like a slave. It's not everything we can pseudo-intellectualise because [b]reality is very objective and personal indeed.

rdokoye

Do you think Nigeria would be safer without any police?

@rdokoye - ^^ Yes,- in the light of their total lack of respect for human life especially in the Southern part the country. They are inherently[b] contemptuous [/b]of the populace and trigger happy

morpheus24

i once asked an AA to name 5 African empires he was aware of, he looked at me in bewilderment. I asked him about Greek mythology and he could name as many gods and conquests of the greek as they come [/b]yet he proudly advocates the use of the term AFRICAN AMERICAN in allegiance to his heritage. isn't there something wroing with that picture.

@[b]morpheus24, ^^ bolded - That's very good "education" by the "enemy" at its most insidious [/b]and [b]best. The conquest and accompanying propaganda was thorough indeed . The victim rarely can see beyond "one's nose"/ "imprisoned" world view, as planted or promoted by the so called "enemy" without and within.

morpheus24

PS AA history did not start on slave ships and it is insulting to both your intellect and your ancestors to continue to perpertuate that concept.

@ bolded ^^ Gbam!!!! . I have always wondered about such shallow and foolish sense of history. It is almost like someone attracting opprobrium to oneself. by promoting such "half baked" incomplete [/b]and [b]false history - with all due "respect" to promoters/writers of such falsehood.

@OP Well, it's no different from our looting lootocracy from Nigeria who ship their loot offshore(U.K., USA and South-Africa)etc. Also the legacy and effect of colonialism cannot be under estimated on the Africans anywhere. The daughter of the president actually owns/runs a Portuguese Bank without qualms or scruples. It's Africa where anything goes and Leadership and patriotic qualities are lacking in the populace . The so called mythic growth of Angola is just what it is amidst monumental corruption that make the Nigerian variant seem rather tame and indeed small fry.

truefact

Ojukwu at age 11 slap british teacher because he insulted a Nigerian woman, [/b]this shows he hate injustice, he fight for the cause of ordinary people,  Ojukwu has everything life could offer,

@^^ I hope NLs and the rest of the black race can reflect seriously on the above actual history of the man. It is a true indication of his true character and Greatness. We cannot depend on made up slanderous stories about the man [b]Ojukwu since insidious colonial period. How many so called adult Nigerian men today, will be able to defend/protect the[b] honour [/b]and dignity [/b]of the African woman let alone slap a white man in colonial period at such tender age of which he was charged to court/imprisoned by the colonialists?.  Sincerely, sentiments or not he achieved [b]greatness before adulthood without knowing it a very long time before the rest of us became aware of him as the so called warlord or voice [/b]of his people(Ndigbo) "post colonialism". It's a shame that the true history of actual Great Nigerians like Awo, Ahmadu Bello, Zik, Boro and Ojukwu will be lost because we are inherently [b]unserious [/b]about the place of [b]national History and proper[b] Education[/b] in national development/cohesion. We are generally and instinctively animated and agitated by vacuous tribal mundane issues by so called leaders of tomorrow. How are we going to ever have a proper national conversation with such pervasive disparate shrill voices everywhere and on NL?. Are we inherently lazy and dumb as Lord Lugard has defined Nigerians in his diary? I am beginning to have second thoughts about it .
R.I.P.  His life actually was a fulfilling life and eventful too. He must be laughing at the ignorant small minded NL tribal warriors.

@Op
Truthfully, it's a little difficult to identify with Africa if you are born black/African in the new world of "slave" ancestry. Africa has not been a model and encouraging inspiration for such emotional attachment hence the pervasive reticence to shout it out that one is black and proud let alone identify with Africa whole heartedly anywhere on the planet. It's no wonder that the African Americans are unable to muster a viable Africa lobby group despite resources(money) unlike the Jewish lobby group in the US.A. Nigeria has been a big disappointment to the so called black cause and race worldwide. Nigeria herself is full of so called intractable problems and shameful stories emanating from Africa etc is not encouraging either. It's equally understandable that the[b] brainwashing[/b] process was very thorough indeed on the African at home and abroad. It was War at its best and we can't blame our detractors or enemies for that. That's what enemies do or should do if you are in competition for supremacy . Everyone wants to be on the "winning" or "powerful" side whatever colour or not. The human mind/psyche is wonderful indeed.

Horus

In Brazil 80% of the population in the city of Salvador da Bahia is black.

@^^ Well, Salvador was the [b]main port of entry/landing [/b]for the slaves brought from Africa directly to the so called new world .

morpheus24

he's probably speaking of the naija "expatriates' that call that place their new home

@^^

BlackLibya

Morpheus people in Bahia identify themselves very strongly with African culture. [b]You can go there and hear people speaking Yoruba and Igbo. [/b]They have the legend of Princess Anastasia(not the russian anastasia), and the music shows strong angolan influences.

@^^ It's really amazing how myths and false stories have gained currency in Nigerian collective consciousness. They may use some west-African and Central African words in their Santarias or worship houses/places, it does not equate to them clearly understanding and speaking Yoruba or Igbo . Bro check your facts and talk to the people yourself to verify the veracity of your assertion. Maybe most of us would wish it to be so but it isn't!

morpheus24

Afro- Brazilian pride can go pretty much any direction in terms of its native indian, portugese or African heritage.

@^^ you may be right but Brazil is so unique/peculiar that most so called Afro-Brazilians and other non-white rarely identify with the native indians or the portuguese who they hold in utter contempt as being silly etc. I think that the Afro-Brazilians and other "minority" non white people do not openly identify with the Indians because they are basically considered as "primitive" and powerless in real terms unlike the northern Indians who fought valiantly against the colonisers/Europeans hence most AA would gladly identify with them for obvious reasons besides some biological reasons. Most people want to identify with "winners" or power  Their northern cousins will gladly identify with the native Indians/first nation etc and the one drop ruling helped to neutralise/simplify the confusion in their(AA) heads.

morpheus24

THe question you need to be asking is are my assertions incorrect. If so then why are they. If not then what is the problem. People tend to over simplify these issues for what ever political or social motives yo wnat to conjur up. To see the world in black and white is simplistic. . However simple you want it to be and no matter who is tryng to define it doesn't make that the TRUTH in absolute
terms

@^^ You are very correct but you have to understand that our condition as a people has made some of people(black) to see the world in such narrow absolute terms and you can't fault them most especially as our experiences are very diverse and varied indeed. I'll rather shrug my shoulder instead of engaging in strident combativeness . Trying to convince NLs to think deeper/ differently is a very hopeful wish indeed. Do you really have that kind of surplus energy?

Seun

If you like the car so much, why not buy it for yourself instead of asking the govt to do so with valuable funds?

@^^ How did other countries support their auto industries? Is it by buying/importing everything outright? The Japanese, Indians, South-Africans, Malaysians, Koreans and Chinese have not always produced very good vehicles and products but that did not stop them from looking inwards or supporting local industries. We should try to be a little charitable to our own, valuable funds or not. That's what economic nationalism/patriotism is about. It's a universal virtue . You try to incubate and protect some of your home grown industry. Every serious country implements such policy formally or covert. After all, we are on NL because it is home grown and we can identify with it hence our support despite the numerous tribal based topics.

Rossikk

at least see what some of them look like,  They're not all like the little huts in your village.

@ ^^ Gbam . Thank you for such beautiful pictures. It's amazing how ignorant a lot of Nigerians are about local architecture and materials available for local production. We've become addicted to everything "foreign inspired" or modern to "Leadership" style which I believe the topic was about. As usual lazy bones have managed to turn the topic into "Mud" and 'modern' homes. Please post more of such photos. They are inspirational indeed. Perhaps it will educate our multitude of mis-guided/mis-educated Nigerians .

ekt_bear

but what has replaced it

@^^  Finance industry and other services
Actually they still make a lot things which may not be too obvious to us. Besides, smoke stack industries are no longer in "vogue" and the market place have shifted to other producers whereas the Finance capital have moved into the London square mile as the centre- about Thirty(30)percent of British National revenue.

eGuerrilla

It is not!

@ You may be right as it's the first official census of black or African Brazilians. My own personal experience and observation of Brazil and her population is "technically" it's the biggest black/African population outside of Nigeria but virtually "invisible" unlike their noisy "cousins" in north America(USA) who have managed to corner the 'black' experience market space in our collective consciousness.
Brazil like the rest of South America where "black" people exist is very unique because of the peculiar minority(Portuguese) language which shuts them away from the rest of the world in terms of 'information' inflow and outflow, Racial classification in Brazil is also very insidious, peculiar and unique. They have officially over thirteen classifications/words to describe whatever race you belong to. The wonder of it all is the majority of so called blacks mixed or not, identify themselves as anything but Negro(black) because of the usual negative connotations associated with being seen as black no matter how obvious and  silly it seems to a stranger like me. It is a sad experience indeed hence I was very optimistic when Obama became the President of the U.S.A., I felt that it will have an enormous Psychic impact and Shift some of their self negation by our kith and kin "lost" or still in 'slavery' in the whole of South America especially Brazil. The Portuguese had as official policy, actively wanted/encouraged miscegenation to eradicate or lessen the black population a lot similar to Angola(mestizos)i.e. mixed race population. The story of Brazil and her complexities is too large for a forum like NL to accommodate/permit.

eGuerrilla

I hope Nigerian embassies overseas have also been issued the same directive

@ ^^ Old habits die hard so do not expect miracles or sudden changes after all they are a true reflection of our country. Talk is cheap but action speak louder and charity begins from home .