van bonattel: Sagging rules, saw one girl today who sagged her jeans and the dirty undies were showing, she bent down to buy vegetable, come see black dirty looking craw-craw infested yansh! Chai, some guys dey suffer o!

Achebe: Exit of a literary giant Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Chinualumogu Achebe, Professor of English, father of modern African literature


Professor Chinua Achebe had left the University of Massachusetts about a decade before I joined the same University in 1983 as Professor and Director of the Automation and Robotics laboratory. At the time, Achebe's reputation was still looming large at UMass. On realizing that Achebe and I came from the same country and the same state in Nigeria (old Anambra State), students and professors as well as non-academic staff ceaselessly asked me questions about Achebe-about his health, his family, his books and, of course, about the legendary village of Umuofia in his epic novel, Things Fall Apart. Poor fellows! My only contact with Achebe then was only through his books which I thoroughly enjoyed reading while in high school.

The ceaseless questions about Achebe, speaking with the benefit of hindsight, often remind me of the story told by Michael Thelwell, a renowned Jamaican professor of literature at the W. E. B. Dubois Department of African American Studies at UMass and an eminent authority on the Achebe oeuvre, that once "a person tells some Jamaicans that he or she lives in New York, they would reply, 'you must know my cousin who lives in New York, too!' ".

As fate would have it, Professor Achebe and I would meet in flesh and blood in the United States when he came once more to UMass as a visiting professor; more importantly, we worked together on a critical Africa-centered project — the founding and publication of African Commentary. At the inception of African Commentary in the late 1980s, the investors and promoters of the monthly magazine had no difficulty making Achebe both the chairman and publisher of the monthly, while I served as the president. The magazine was a combination of intellectualism and journalism designed to bridge the communication divide between the African continent and the African Diaspora and offer a most rewarding black perspective on the global issues of the day. Well received no sooner than it hit the newsstands, African Commentary deservedly won a lot of recognition in the US media. It was also used in some universities for teaching African history and literature. Interestingly, almost all of us who invested in the magazine were academics with no practical experience of how to run a newspaper business. We consequently took certain steps, which, in retrospect, were pretty funny. For instance, some board members used to attend meetings with their spouses who did not make any investments in the enterprise, yet they actively participated in the board meetings and vote on fundamental issues! In spite of obvious governance and management issues and liquidity challenges, the monthly lasted a whole two years.

Professor Achebe was an exceedingly wise man, not just an intellectual or writer. All of us always profited from Achebe's sagacity. In fact, he was a born teacher. For instance, it is normal for people to state in conversations and meetings "I do not know how to present this matter", thus leaving the audience rather confused and sometimes embarrassed. Achebe would carefully guide any person who made such a statement to think through the subject, form his or her thoughts properly before rephrasing and presenting them in a logical manner. This would normally force the individual to be clear in stating issues, and not give excuses. Achebe had a wonderful gift of clarity of thought and clarity of expression.

It is truly amazing that his first novel, Things Fall Apart, was published when he was merely 28 years of age. In other words, the classic was written when he was not more than 26 and conceived when he was even younger. How did someone of such callow or young age come up with this great novel, which has been translated into dozens of languages and sold over 12 million copies globally? This is a book of fiction, yet historians, sociologists, anthropologists, psychologists, literary stylists, etc. constantly cite it. The truth is that the young Chinua was a child prodigy. His elementary school teachers recognized early enough that he would go places, and so never hesitated to say so. As his childhood friend, Chike Momah, the retired diplomat, has informed us, their common elementary school teacher used to tell the very brilliant Momah that Chinua would beat him in class if they both should meet at Government College, Umuahia, in today's Abia State. They did meet, and the teacher's statement turned out prophetic! We understand that after only the first term, Chinua was promoted to the next class where he maintained the first position until he left high school. At the University College, Ibadan in today's Oyo State, Achebe's record was not different.

Mabel Segun, the Nigerian writer and Achebe's classmate, has regaled us with stories of how Achebe was a father figure even when he was a young student at Ibadan, ascribing this attribute to Achebe's long and deep association with elders of his native community in Ogidi, Anambra State. Achebe was always ahead of his generation in both intellect and mien and carriage. Okey Ndibe, editor of African Commentary, and C. Don Adinuba, the journal’s West African bureau chief, once confided in me how they gave Achebe the sobriquet of grandpa when he was only in his 50s. They were visiting Achebe in his residence at the University of Nigeria when his elder brother, an engineer and retired director in the public service, came to the place. The engineer was older than Professor Achebe, yet he was looking quite younger. Out of an interesting sense of humour, the two journalists nicknamed Achebe “Grandpa” and fondly called him that for decades-though always in his back.

It is regrettable the Nigerian political class did not allow itself to profit well from Achebe's tremendous wisdom. The writer foresaw Nigeria's first military coup which occurred on June 15, 1966, but also the counter-coup of July 29, 1966. His fourth novel, A Man of the People, released on January 2, 1966, ended on a note prophesying a military coup d'état. When the putsch took place, some people suggested that Achebe was probably privy to it; all the more so since the majority of the leaders were of Igbo extraction like Achebe. The suspicion was utterly misplaced. This excellent novel on political corruption also predicted a counter coup. If Achebe was privy to the first coup because of his ethnic background, was he also privy to the counter coup that was by soldiers of northern extraction?

Characteristic of his modest nature, a key feature of wisdom, Achebe insisted on playing down his farsightedness in recognizing that a coup was inevitable in Nigeria. In an interview with Nkem Agetua, the Nigerian journalist and literary critic, Achebe in the 1970s compared his foresight to that of a person observing someone driving recklessly. "It is just like saying," Achebe, noted, "this drunken driver would have an accident, and it happened shortly after". It is a manifestation of Achebe's prophetic gift that a few months after he published a famous treatise on the Nigerian political condition entitled The Trouble With Nigeria a popular military coup took place on December 31, 1983. If only the political class had listened, the course of Nigeria's political history could have been different.

Professor Chinua Achebe was a wise man, a thinker of the finest hue, a seer and prophet who saw tomorrow today. He was ahead of his generation. His place in world history is assured. He has educated us and his memory will ever remain green in our minds.

Professor Nnaji, winner of Nigeria’s highest intellectual award (the Nigerian National Order of Merit) was Minister of Power.

Achebe: Exit of a literary giant
Tuesday, May 21, 2013

BY Uduma Kalu

President Goodluck Jonathan has said Professor Achebe's truthful interventions in Nigeria’s affairs will be greatly missed.

Speaking yesterday at the evening of tribute for Achebe at the International Conference centre, Abuja, the President who was represented by the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, said while others may have disagreed with his views, most Nigerians never doubted Achebe's immense patriotism and sincere commitment to building a greater, more united nation that all Africans and the entire black race could be proud of.

President Jonathan said Achebe was the quintessential literary icon of superlative brilliance, merit and repute, who received the national's highest honour on intellectual output.

Praising Achebe for his academic and literary output, Jonathan said Achebe was a social critic, and unparallelled courage, of singleness of purpose and steadfastness of conduct, adding that though “he has passed on, he lives in his numerous works which will continue to illuminate the dark confines of the distorted history of the black race.”

Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi, in his remarks, noted that the way to immortalise Achebe was to imbibe those principles he believed in while former Anambra governor, Dr. Chris Ngige, said Achebe spoke truth to power.

The senator said it was when Achebe spoke against the thuggery in Anambra state during his regime that Achebe became his friend.

Former senate president Dr. Ken Nnamani described Achebe as Nigeria's greatest ambassador who brought honour to the country. Achebe, he went on was consistent in his writing and helped to give a clear direction to the country. Former Chief Justice of the federation, Justice Alfa Belgore, in his comments, remembered his lifelong relationship with Achebe and said his principles will help Nigeria, just as he said the late literary icon spoke the truth. "Achebe never lied. He never lied," he said.

Other personalities at the event were Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu, Prof. Chudi Uwazurike and former minister Dr. Jerry Agada.

babe_online: This is a very stupid move. It seems like in Nigeria there is money but the government is just anti growth and development. How will you be giving people that are not working monthly allowances when you can use that money to build stores like shotrite where people will be working, boosting the country's economy, and getting paid?!?!?

Sunday, May 19, 2013
From Madu Onuora (Abuja), Saxone Akhaine (Kaduna) and Njadvara Musa (Maiduguri)

Insurgents Near Emir Of Daura's Palace


LESS than 24 hours after its camps were bombarded by the military, the Boko Haram Islamic sect Saturday staged a desperate, but weak, fight-back, detonating a bomb that killed two Maiduguri residents and injured two others.


Also, the Joint Task Force (JTF), Saturday, imposed a 24-hour curfew on 12 wards and other areas of the metropolis with immediate effect.


Areas affected include North, Northeast and Southeast flanks of Maiduguri metropolis, including three Housing Estates on Bama and Gambouru/Ngala roads.


JTF spokesman, Lt. Col Sagir Musa, announced the indefinite curfew.


In Katsina State, where the insurgents raided three police stations, banks and a prison in Daura, the home town of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) chieftain and Former Military Head of State, Gen, Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), security operatives combed houses near the Emir's palace in search of wounded insurgents.


This came on the heels of Saturday's announcement by the Nigerian troops that they had arrested 65 Boko Haram terrorists attempting to infiltrate Maiduguri, while fleeing from various camps now under attack by Special Forces.


The troops also combated another batch of suspected Boko Haram insurgents and in ensuing crossfire, a total of 10 insurgents were killed while weapons, including Rocket Propelled Grenade launchers, assorted ammunition and rifle magazines were recovered.


Eleven vehicles, four tricycles and 24 handsets found with the infiltrating terrorists have been confiscated in Maiduguri.


Director of Defence Information, Brig Gen Chris Olukolade also announced that government troops have occupied the camps and bases abandoned by the insurgents.


Following the attack on Daura, armed soldiers intensified search in several houses close to the Emir"s Palace, where those who sustained bullet wounds were said to have taken refuge.


Sources told journalists that armed soldiers were seen combing the community where the gunmen engaged soldiers in gun battle. The troops carried out house-to-house search within the vicinity of the Emir's Palace to fish out fleeing but wounded criminals.


Addressing journalists yesterday, the Katsina State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Magaji, said that the incident in Daura was the handiwork of armed robbers, who invaded police stations and banks.


He added that some of the criminals have been arrested face the full weight of the law.


The Police Chief confirmed that two soldiers and two policemen died after the gun battle.


Sources told The Guardian that the Commanding Officer of the 31st Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Lt. Colonel Ayodele, who led troops in the shoot out had a surgery, yesterday, at the Federal Medical Centre, where two bullets were removed from his body. He is said to be recuperating at the hospital.


Meanwhile, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) One Mechanized Division of the Nigerian Army Headquarters, Kaduna, Major General Garba Ayodeji Wahab, who also addressed journalists on the Daura battle, said the Military would not watch criminals unleash terror on Nigerians, stressing "80 percent of those insurgents are not Nigerians."


He said the criminals adopted the tactics of invading police stations, banks and other public places to divert attention.


"The criminals, while attacking police stations, and banks always want Nigerians to believe their actions stop at that, diverting attention and killing the ordinary citizens. As far as we are concerned, they have declared war against the state and we shall not fold our arms; we must ensure law and order in Nigeria".


Residents of Maiduguri metropolis in Borno State were, yesterday, jolted by a bomb blast, which went off at the Kasuwan Shanu areas at about 6.45am, killing two persons, and injuring two others.


According to a witness, an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was planted in a roadside gutter, at the expiration of the 9pm-6am curfew in


the Kasuwan Shanu areas; and it exploded while some traders and butchers were going to their shops and abattoirs for the distribution of the day's meat for sale.


At about 8am, the Major Ibrahim Kashim Way and all other roads leading to the affected areas of Gambouru ward of Kasuwan Shanu were cordoned off by men of the JTF to prevent further attacks and killings.


Motorists and pedestrians in Gambouru, Lawan Bukar and Customs wards of the metropolis were also asked to "go back" to their respective homes, as the affected roads remained unsafe.

Obiagu1: The UK knows this because they actually created the formula used to project Northern Nigeria population.
This same formula has always been used by the North that's why Northern States are not discrediting each others population projection.

redsun: This frog looking thief.When will a scum like him realize nigeria is at war?The only way one can explain off the war situation in nigeria at the moment is that the opposition created the scenario to intimidate the people into voting for them.And that maybe when they win the war will suddenly disappear.

Texas.Cowgirl:
Wen SW's cocoa money was feeding Nigeria, no one talked.




ND oil also feeds the SE, by the way

eko ilee:


What exactly have you manufactured? You don manufacture electricity? Even the generators you suffocate yourself with you no sabi manufacture..