₦airaland Forum

Hmmm, Buhari. My misgivings are, one he is a recyled candidate, and 2, the mystery of those 55 luggages in the 80's have sort of tarnished his credibility.

Is Utomi still contesting?

Gbengaijot, Nas and Jayz are Nigerians, only if their fathers hailed from Nigeria. Akon regards himself as a Senegalese even though Missouri is his birth place. His parents are from Senegal, and perhaps, following the African tradition, he choosed his father's roots over his birthplace. The credibility of Nas's lineage to Nigeria, via his dad remains in dispute (not that I care really). Your discourse that our birthplace should determine our Nationality is quite reflective of the apathy that some Nigerians have towards their ancestral home. Is it any wonder that a kid, who was born abroad, but lived in Nigeria, would suddenly claim to be from America, "while my parents are from Nigeria"? If we are to abide by that ideology, then such kids may as well discard their father's last name to affirm their independence.


About the Nigerian music, what I was trying to emphasize, and RofImao got my views, was that some Nigerian musicians have strayed past our roots and adopted the Western rhythm in their music. Aint nothing wrong with that, but lets be original, in that case, be the best in your field, instead of trying to act all foreign in your way of life, and end up being confused. Those who are imbibing American music like rap and the rest of the genre are good, but they are some who may be completely off base, but would, rather stick with failure than to be associated with our regular tempo. While the world is constantly evolving, not everybody can rap, though some upstart Nigerian musician would like to be a rap musician to 'fit in' than to stick with the Nigerian genre. Now, I don't think it is that common with other African musicians. They stay close to their roots, and have achieved phenomenal success even though they are sticking to their own trado music. Would we do so? Some would, but others would gladly shed our genre in favor of rap.

Talk of people trying to be more American than the citizens.

Is homelessness that prevalent in Nigeria? I thought that our strong network of family unit would be a barrier to being homeless. I may be wrong though. USA is worse, because of the cold weather.

About the segment on Oprah's show about the homeless man, I culled this on the internet.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/95216/a_homeless_man_blows_100000_of_free.html

Please dont even think of abandoning your cushy life in Nigeria for a life of uncertainity abroad. Most definitely, you will live to regret it. I know of at least, an individual, (and they are many of them in the USA), who fell for the razzledazzle life of the Western world, only to find out that it is just a flash in the pan.

Why dont you just visit, like during the summer?

So, what if he was born in Nigeria? The fact remains, his dad was from Cameroon, so that makes him a Cameroonian. Abi, are we going to abandon our African tradition of tracing a child's heritage from his dad's genealogy, rather than his place of birth? My parents were Nigerians, so irrespective of where I was born, I regard myself as a Nigerian.

Alright, lets not deviate from this subject. I see the point that one of the writers is making, which almost corroborates my own assessment, that some of our Nigerian musicians always attempt to incorporate American musical rhythm, while abandoning our own native rhythm. Once, my cousin was telling me that he knows of some guys in Calabar, who can rap better than American rappers. He may or may not be right, but why can't we just be original? Look at their Senegalese counterpart, the Congolese musician and some of them, listen to Makoso, do you see any influence of the western culture in their music? Most likely not.

About Fela, he was old school, but that does not mean, that I am trying to diminish his influence in the African music. He was regarded as one of the best in the music genre from Africa. He eschewed the western values, while sticking to his roots. Today, our youths want to emulate the moves of 50 cent, Kanye West, and the rest of them.

Gbengaijot, Nico was from Cameroon.

Here is the link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Nico_Mbarga

Ok, in nearly all endeavours, Nigerians have made their mark. In the educational field, Nigerians are recognized for 'breeding' geniuses, in the movie industry, we have more than a fair number of actors/actresses with a respectable clout representing us in Hollywood. In Music, Sade Adu has crossed over into international stardom, with her hits played on at least one radio station in the USA.

Apart from Sade, I am now aware of any musician of Nigerian heritage, whose crossover appeal has received as much applause or adulation in the media, compared to their African counterparts. Several days ago, I was watching some of our musicians sing, and some of them, I noticed were imbibing American moves in their rhythm. Cant we all be original? I wasnt the only one who noticed it, for one of the ladies at the party also pointed that Nigerians are very good in emulating the western world (we tend to overdo, by the way, sometimes) and abandon our traditional moves, etc.

Look at their Senegalese counterpart, likewise the Malian , the Congolese and perhaps the Guineans. They are quite popular in the western world, despite retaining their own cultural rhythm in their music. Cant we do the same too? Attend a Nigerian party as one lady told me, Makossa is played, with much excitement, while our own hits, that are played are usually oldies, like "Sweet Mother (by the way, the musician was from Cameroon). We have talented musicians like Okosun, Essien-Igbokwe, Sunny Ade, and the rest, but what of the newer generation? Tuface and BankyW are quite popular in the Nigerian community in the USA, but really, how popular is the Nigerian music in the Western Nation?

The only difference in this saga is that James Brown was not legally married to that woman and as such, she has not legal right to contest his property. This is quite unlike the Nigerian milieu, where a widow, legally married to the deceased can be usurped by her inlaws over her property because of tradition.

It's all the same, they belong in the same category. Nobody can accurately pinpoint who is really the most corrupt of the pack, but I can clearly recall that in the late 70's/early 80's, eating 3 square meals a day was not really a challenge for the middle class. It wasnt a problem at all. The economy started deteriorating in 85 when IBB took over power. SAP was introduced, which was a collosal failure, and led to the destruction of the middle class in the society. From there, things just went downhill, SAP, then the devaluation of our Naira, which was a setback to us, complete ban on the importation of goods. Yeah, Shagari and his cronies may have stolen a lot of money, but the prices of food commodity was at least reasonable for the common man. Life was better for the common man till the mid 80's. What was 10 Naira then, when you could purchase provisions for boarding school? What was 100 Naira for feeding money? Lets leave Shagari and Umaro Dikko for the time being (I know that I am in the minority), food was affordable in their era. IBB, Abacha, Obasanjo are the worst. OBJ probably has tried to forestall corruption by introducing EFCC (abi, that's the name, right), but that could just be an attempt to glossen things over to trick Nigerians.

Is it true that some of his inlaws were involved in some shady deals in Real Estate in Lagos? Might have been either Ikeja, Ikoyi or VI.

Desist from arguing with some folks here about the Deity of Jesus Christ, because by doing so, one may tread on the path of blasphemy. We can only pray, as humans that would realize the truth during their lifetime.

My parents were very nice people. They sacrificed a lot for my future. Though I sometimes get sad that they are no longer around, I am thankful to God for keeping my mom alive to reap the fruits of her labor, no matter how short it may have been. I count my blessings everyday.

I have heard of their existence, but how can it be proven? I even heard from some relatives about a certain girl who was kidnapped by mamywater, and was subsequently released. A childhood friend of mine told me that her elder sister was stoned by mamywater and she sustained a wound. I highly doubt if they exist, and would relegate such stories as fables, meant to either entertain or scare individuals. Not that I don't believe in the existence of evil forces, but as for mamywater, their existence get as e be.

One story that I heard is that you could be 'lucky' to stumble upon one at the stream. The version is that they are afraid of human beings, and usually, when you see them, they are usually engrossed in taking care of their hair. Upon seeing you, they will flee into the river, leaving behind their combs and other belongings. If you take any of their items, they will harrass you in your dream, pleading with you to return it, in exchange for any amount of money in the world. Of course, the end of the story is that, you could capitalize that as a one way ticket to riches.


Fables indeed!!!

Ushergirl, do you live in Senegal? What are the tourist attractions that Senegal has to offer? Do you live in Dakar, if you dont mind? Is it a conservative society, since it is an islamic country? I understand that there is a heavy influence of the French culture in Dakar. Let me know. I wanna visit there someday.

For companionship and to have kids. There is a certain degree of respectability that comes with, when you are married. But as a caution, I'd rule out marriage if it constantly breeds friction, drama, wahala and the rest. Aggression does not bode well with me.

The American Educational system is constantly evolving due to globalization in the world. The curriculum on campuses, are top notch. Fortunately, they have an independent body like the US News and World reports that assigns a certain score to reflect the coursework of the campus. There is no way to compare the US and the Nigerian educational system. One is way ahead of the other, and the Nigerian system is far lagging behind. As absurd as it may sound, it is indeed true that some computer science graduates are not adept at using the computer, neither can a Mass Communication graduate cwrite a press report. But that is the scenario back home. I graduated from Uniuyo years back, and the coursework that I underwent has very little bearing with my intended field. It was like almost starting from the scratch again with my education. What a waste of time?

Can you believe that there are some people with a four year degree from Nigeria, whose credentials, (irrespective of their high grade), cannot place them in their prospective field? Some have had to give up completely on education and follow the nursing route, or other fields. There is no way that I would advise a relative (especially if they are rich) to school in Nigeria. Not being critical, but being realistic. We may be "worth our salt", as someone asserted on the board, but when you are not in an environment that cant nurture you, your creativity becomes obsolete.

Linda, I am not disputing the fact that America is one of the greatest countries in the world. At the same time, I had to point out the ironies that has shaped the development in this country. The subjugation/destruction of the Native Americans, while the leaders of this country are advocating for an equality in today's world. I would not sit back and condemn America, for all its cause, it has been a wonderful experience living in this country, so far, and for those may have some negative feelings about the country, an alternative suggestion would be to relocate to another country.

Your experiences with Nigerians is very unfortunate, and I can assure you, there are Nigerians who are nice people.

This site may contain useful information on how to make body ordor history.

http://www.otan.dni.us/webfarm/emailproject/hai.htm

Same with Africans, and likewise some other Nationalities, or did you not read about the dispute of the Bakassi land between Nigerians and the Cameroonians? Land issue is a very volatile topic in Africa, like Zimbabwe, South Africa, Kenya, and even in Nigeria, where lives have been lost and blood lines have been overlooked in favor of land. So sista, Europeans are not the only ones in history that are land grabbers.

Another weak attempt to malign the Deity of Jesus Christ, and as usual, it wont be defeated like the devil.

Seriously, R, what is your beef with Christians, because your campaign of calumny against Messiah of the World is getting a bit too personal.

ghosts are actually manifestations of evil spirits to deceive people into believing that it is their former loved ones appearing to them in that fashion. Read the Bible more on it.

Proof that some homeless people have jobs, but are edged out of the housing market, because of astronomical prices.



Christine, left, Jhavona, center, and Bebe Fuller accept gifts from bus driver Ted Smith. Being homeless during the holidays can be particularly grim, but this month Fuller and her children have received several gifts from charitable residents.
By Wendy Koch, USA TODAY
FALLS CHURCH, Va. — Christine Fuller finds holiday kindness at unexpected moments, such as before sunrise at a bus stop 7 miles from the White House.

A bus driver sees her switching buses each weekday morning at 6:15 with four neatly dressed children, ages 6 to 10, as she escorts them to a before-school program. The driver lauds their behavior and says he wants to give each child a Christmas present.

Fuller doesn't know his name. He doesn't know hers. She says presents would be fine.

The bus driver also doesn't know that Fuller and her children are homeless. They've been living at a shelter since September. Fuller has a full-time job that pays her $23,000 a year but says she can't afford an apartment in this affluent suburb of Washington, D.C., where a typical two-bedroom apartment rents for $1,225 a month.

The problem of poverty and homelessness — and how difficult it is to escape — is poignantly illustrated in the hit movie ThePursuit of Happyness, which stars Will Smith and his son, Jaden.

At least 2 million Americans, many of whom have jobs and families, are homeless at some point over the course of a year, says Philip Mangano, executive director of the White House's Interagency Council on Homelessness.

"It's very traumatic for children," Mangano says.

It can be particularly so in a place like Falls Church and surrounding Fairfax County, one of the nation's wealthiest areas with a median household income of $94,600.

Fuller, 32, tries to ward off any trauma by focusing on routines and maintaining dignity in tough circumstances.

Her day starts at 3:45 a.m., in the two-bedroom, 300-square-foot unit her family occupies at Shelter House, a county facility that can house seven families.

Fuller gets ready for her job as a dispatch assistant at a courier service, then at 5 a.m. wakes her boys, William, 10, and Isaiah, 7. After she gets them going, she rouses the girls, Beatrice, 8, and Jhavona, 6.

"Mom, our life is so boring," she says the kids tell her. "You sound like a drill sergeant."

They're out the door by 5:45 a.m. with a snack in hand to catch the first public bus. They switch buses before arriving at a before-school program that opens at 6:30 a.m. The kids have subsidized breakfast and lunch at school.

"My 7-year-old knows every bus route," says Fuller, sitting on a vinyl couch in her unit's small living area.

After dropping off the kids, she boards another bus to get to her job, which she has held for three years, by 7:30 a.m. She works until 5 p.m. and then takes a bus to pick up her kids at an after-school program. She pays $177 monthly for the child care. The unsubsidized cost for four kids in similar programs in Fairfax County is $1,500.

Being homeless during the holidays can be particularly grim, but this month Fuller and her children have received several gifts from charitable residents, from dolls to firetrucks to a microwave oven. Such gifts reflect both the generosity of individuals and the same community wealth that has hindered Fuller's ability to find her own place to live.

"Apartments cost a lot here," says Fuller, a never-married high school dropout who has six children in all. The two oldest — a 16-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl — live with a family friend in a nearby town and are in their high school's marching band.

Fuller says she can't move to a more affordable city or distant suburb because her job is near downtown Washington and she has no car. Despite the difficulty of living in such an expensive area, she's also reluctant to go elsewhere because she grew up here, and her mother and grandparents live nearby.

Fuller receives child support from the father of one of her children. She doesn't know where one of the fathers is, and another helps out with child care on weekends. But when it comes to finances, she's largely on her own.

Families without homes

Families with children make up about 40% of the nation's homeless people, according to a USA TODAY analysis of government data. Those in homeless families represent about 55% of the roughly 2,000 homeless people in Fairfax, which has about 1 million residents.

More than half the single homeless adults in Fairfax are white, while 65% of those in homeless families are African-American, according to a county report released this month.

Two of every five homeless adults in Fairfax works, says Gerry Connolly, chairman of the county Board of Supervisors. "A lot of people benefit from our vibrant economy, but others are cut out," he says. He cites the loss of hundreds of affordable housing units during the recent real estate boom.

"When you meet the (homeless) children, your heart breaks," Connolly says, "because they haven't done anything to deserve it."

He says Fairfax, like many jurisdictions across the nation, has stepped up efforts to find more places for the homeless to stay, either through their friends and relatives or churches, motels and shelters. It doesn't always work. He says some people live in their cars.

"We've even had people living in the woods under tarps," he says.

For most of her life, Fuller lived with her grandparents in a three-bedroom house in nearby Arlington County. When the grandparents moved to a two-bedroom apartment in Arlington, officials said it was too small for Fuller and her children to also live there, so she spent six months in a shelter. She moved into a three-bedroom basement apartment in Fairfax County, but officials there deemed it a fire hazard.

Fuller and her four youngest children then spent three months in a motel room paid for by Fairfax County before a unit became available at Shelter House.

"We're helping the working homeless," shelter director Joe Meyer says.

The children "know this isn't their own place," Fuller says. They can't invite kids over for play dates or birthday parties. She adds that like many youths who struggle to cope with the trauma of being homeless, her children have suffered from mood swings, depression and other problems.

"I know I have to better myself for my kids," she says. She tells her kids to "stay in school, … stay out of jail, stay out of trouble."

Fuller says when she sees her 14-year-old daughter, she warns her: "Don't make the mistakes I made" by, among other things, getting pregnant while in high school.

At Shelter House, government workers make sure homeless families get food stamps as well as benefits from Medicaid and mental health and social services agencies. Parents such as Fuller must attend evening workshops on parenting, alcohol and drug awareness, financial planning and job-seeking skills.

Families are expected to stay no more than three months, but they can stay longer if they have no other housing options and make progress toward self-sufficiency, Meyer says. He says Fuller's family will be able to stay until she can get a subsidized apartment.

"They've been a great help," Fuller says. She initially chafed at the shelter's 10 p.m. curfew and visitor restrictions, but says she's learning to manage money better and pay off $5,000 in credit card debt.

Fuller says she's not buying Christmas toys for her children, only necessities. Sometimes they tease her, calling her "the Grinch."

Fairfax board Chairman Connolly's concern about the impact of homelessness on families is reflected in the waiting list for the 32 units the county has available at Shelter House and two other facilities. The list is approaching 90 families.

A report released last week by the U.S. Conference of Mayors that analyzed homelessness in 23 cities said that in most of the cities, some homeless families have to split up in order to find shelter.

"This is just unacceptable," says Trenton, N.J., Mayor Douglas Palmer, the conference's president.

The Conference of Mayors report says requests for shelter rose 9% last year in the 23 cities surveyed.

Housing affordability is the top problem, says Dennis Culhane, a University of Pennsylvania professor of social welfare policy. He says the government needs to use tax credits to push more investors and developers to build affordable apartments. He says it's much cheaper to give a housing subsidy to a homeless family than to put the family in a shelter, which can cost $50,000 for a 14-month stay.

Mangano says federal spending on housing subsidies has risen in recent years, but the number of available units hasn't increased because of rising real estate prices.

Adding holiday cheer

While communities struggle to find solutions for homelessness, people such as Ginger Mahon are helping make the lives of homeless families a little better this time of the year by playing Santa.

Mahon, a PTA president in Great Falls, Va., a half-hour drive from Shelter House, asked her neighbors to "adopt" a homeless family for Christmas. She asked several shelters for wish lists of items that homeless people wanted and matched them with donors.

The Fullers are receiving not only a microwave but also an air hockey table, a $100 Target gift card, a blanket, pots, pans and dinnerware. Other families at the shelter are getting presents, including hundreds of dollars in gift cards.

"During the holidays, the community really reaches out," says Meyer, the shelter's director. He says people wanted to donate iPods last year, but he reminded them that shelter residents don't have computers to download songs.

On Thursday, Ted Smith, the bus driver who sees Fuller and her children each weekday, gave the kids huge bags of toys that he and his wife had bought. "You do good in school and thank the Lord for all you have," he told the youngsters.

Fuller says Beatrice and Jhavona had wanted dolls, and Isaiah asked for firetrucks. William wanted a Sony PlayStation 3, which costs at least $600, but he knew his mom couldn't afford it.

Fuller says William told her: "All I really want for Christmas is our own place."
Posted 12/21/2006 11:42 PM ET


http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-12-21-homelessness-cover_x.htm?csp=1

How about the girl ask the guy's parents for his hand in marriage? Afterall, what is good for the goose, is good for the gander. Yeah, pay your way to the village of the guy, talk to the father of the guy that you are interested in becoming the spouse of their son and that you were seeking permission. Afterall, in most cases, women are the ones desperate to get hitched, so why cant they just take the bulls by its horn?

Y'all see my point?

My mom had a maid who was a member of that organization. The girl was always excited when their program would be on TV, and as soon as their leader appeared, she would kneel down to pay obeisance/worship him. My sister was annoyed at one point, and questioned why she would worship a mortal instead of God. My mom forbade her from attending their service, for fear that she might take my younger sisters with her to their service. She eventually left us.

May God deliver us from false prophets in the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Jesus Christ had forewarned us on the surge on false prophets to deceive the public.

What I read on the website was spooky.

Hello Nancy,

Abeg, one question, did you grow up in Calabar? I had a primary school teacher at UNICAL staff school named Mrs. Ekpoh. My favorite teacher, and I have lost touch with her. She and her husband lived in State Housing, Calabar.

True, Sista, America is a land of contrasts, professing to give peace to the subjugated ones, while its past has been replete with violence against its inhabitants. What an irony. Is this hospitality exhibited to Americans towards immigrants their own way for atoning for their past misdeeds?

http://www.amren.com/mtnews/archives/2006/11/teachers_emphas.php

Trust in Jesus Christ, for only He can save you.

Neither can voodoo nor the rest of them ,

We should not give, to expect any reward from God, but let it come from the sincerity of our heart.

About sowing of seed, a practise in some Churches, I don't know if it is Biblical or not, but to be frank with all of you, lets all strive for contentment. Dont be a slave for money. In today's world, a lot of emphasis is being placed on the accumulation of material goods, sometimes at the expense of God's Salvation. To me, God's Salvation should come first, and we should strive to obey Him at all cost. It is better that way, choose the Salvation of God, over money, than to be awashed with money with a false sense of importance.

Another blessing from God, that people at times overlook is a peace of mind. Riches without peace of mind is unfulfilling. Others may be rich, and reside in mansions that would definitely merit a place in Architectural digest, but lack peace in their life, and as such, cant enjoy their money. Contentment is the key. Dont ever slave for money, or else it may gain control over your life.


Cheers.