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| Posted By: Amadi Posted On: Jul 21, 2007 Views: 597 | Meditate "Men in authority will always think that criticism of their policies is dangerous. They will always equate their policies with patriotism, and find criticism subversive." "The trade of governing has always been monopolized by the most ignorant and the most rascally individuals of mankind." "Those in power need checks and restraints lest they come to identify the common good for their own tastes and desires, and their continuation in office as essential to the preservation of the nation." |
| Posted By: Amadi Posted On: Jul 21, 2007 Views: 586 | Ha ! Ha !! Ha !!!!!! Chief Ojo Maduekwe is the minister of Foreign affairs. The guy will finally sell Nigeria for a billion dollar to the wild west. |
| Posted By: Amadi Posted On: Jul 21, 2007 Views: 577 | Ha ! Ha !! Ha !!!!!! Chief Ojo Maduekwe is the minister of Foreigh affairs. The guy will finally sell Nigeria for a billion dollar to the wild west. |
| Posted By: Igbo Man Posted On: Jul 21, 2007 Views: 582 | Biafra Nation Fellow Biafrans: For the umpteenth time, the case of Ralph Uwazurike, the Leader of MASSOB, and other MASSOB members unjustly and illegally imprisoned by Obasanjos regime, an unconscionable incarceration now continued by YarAduas illegitimate non-regime of Nigeriathat casewas postponed by the Nigerias court handling it. Keep in mind that in less than a couple of months, it will be two years since Uwazurike was arrested and imprisoned by the shameless SSS posing as members of Nigerias National Youth Service Corp (NYSC). Note that the SSS posing as members of the NYSC is the equivalent of armed thugs hiding under womens wrappers to nab an innocent, unarmed victim. Keep in mind the fact of a previous order and injunction of a competent Nigeria Federal Court forbidding the SSS from arresting Uwazurike being in effect (and still in effect) at the time of arrest and violation of Uwazurike by the same SSS. Keep in mind that the SSS, in spite of the obviously limitless Resources of State available to it, still used the NYSC as a front to get close to, and arrest, Uwazurike. Anyone who knows the functions of, and the reason for, NYSC would be shocked at this gratuitous abuse and unconscionable desecration and rape of the spirit of a non-partisan, non-armed institution whose goal is peaceful community service and inter-ethnic National confidence-building and bridge-building carried out by the graduating youth in Nigeria. Keep in mind that the SSS imprisoned Uwazurike and other MASSOB members and held them incommunicado in SSSs special torture chambers until world opinion forced SSS to hand them over to the Nigerian Prison system. Keep in mind that for almost two years now, Nigerias courts have yet to decide on Bailjust bailfor Uwazurike et al; the real prosecution of the case has not even started. Thus, we point out the world-known pattern and profile of lawlessness of Nigeria and its institutions. The SSS is but one prime example; the Nigeria Police is another notorious offender; but, the shameful Prize For Lawlessness has got to go to the Nigerian Government itself, and personally, to those who run Nigerias administrations, now including YarAdua, as Obasanjo immediately before him. Lawlessness is a consistent and endemic trademark of Nigeria, its institutions and its so-called leaders, as Obasanjo and his cronies and his political party, have just proved amply. We can thus see the futility of expecting Justice or demanding Justice from Nigerias system. A system which operates and revels in lawlessness, starting from the top echelons and down to local operatives, does not understand, nor does it allow, Justice. The term and concept of Justice is completely alien to such a system. That is the reality of Nigeria. Nevertheless, fellow Biafrans, we must continue to demand the unconditional release of Ralph Uwazurike, Uchenna Madu, other MASSOB officials and leadership, and all other members of MASSOB being unjustly held in Nigerias prisons. These our MASSOB brethren have committed no crimes. For, the day it becomes a crime to leave a horrible and life-robbing situation in search of an alternative, on that day, the whole of humanity has been condemned to doom and gloom. The day it becomes a crime to leave a completely depressing and hopeless situation for a clear option full of promise and hope, on that day, the whole world is, for sure, damned. The day it becomes a crime to exercise the non-negotiable right of collective self-defense and self-survival, on that day, the world is already dead and finished. It is, however, clear that such a day is not part of the contract and appointment of Humanity: the Imperative of Life and the indomitable Spirit of Humanity does not permit such a day on its calendar. Uwazurike and MASSOB stand for one thing: Biafra actualization; and their agenda is non-violence. They act on our behalf, and we are in complete support, as well as being full and equal participants in the act of Biafra actualization. We are, in fact, in principle and in deed, MASSOB. Biafra represents the Hope which Nigeria is determined that we should have none of. Biafra represents the triumph of Self-survival and Self-defense over the dark emptiness of death and annihilationNigerias imposition on us. Biafra is on the side of Life and the Spirit of Humanity wherein the Imperative is life, as opposed to lawless and immoral Nigeria which finds it a crime to seek Hope, a crime to seek Opportunities, and a crime to seek Life. Everyday YarAdua and Obasanjo detain our people in their Nigerias prisons, more peoples in the world hear of the case and condemn lawless Nigeria while sympathizing with our case. Each day Uwazurike et al suffer in Nigerias jails, more people, even in Nigeria itself, understand and appreciate why a Biafran or an Igbo will choose to leave Nigeriaand agree with us. Each minute Nigeria imposes jail detention as such on Uwazurike et al, more Igbo and more Biafrans are jolted into the awareness that weUwazurike, MASSOB, pro-Biafran activists, our masses: weare on the correct path; and they want to join the movement to actualize Biafra. Now that those Biafrans sitting on the fence earlier, or in frank opposition to Biafra actualization earlier, are coming to their senses and joining in asking for Uwazurikes release, we have to press home the point: the cause which Uwazurike fights for is a cause which must be, and will be, taken to successful conclusion. In jail or outside of Nigerias jail, the correct path for us is the causeBiafra actualization. Uwazurikes mere release from Nigerias jails does not make Nigeria any less lawless or any less unjust or any less pernicious for our people: the fact remains that Nigeria is lethal poison for our people, and we are irrevocably committed to leaving Nigeria, bound for Biafra. Its Biafra, or, Biafra. Biafra. Biafra. Biafra. |
| Posted By: Dr. Mike Chidubem Posted On: Jul 20, 2007 Views: 629 | dear ofeke To be frank, the fun of the forum is no longer there, the reason is very simple. Let me give you little gist; when you jump and stand up as smart as Omokachi in the Olympics, you a truly smart indeed, but when you jump and jump and keep on jumping recklessly, I tell you, you may end up a frog. What I mean to say there is that 3rd term is over, election is over and finally the post election jagajaga has cooled down like ice water. A new government is on the process whether they call it GNU or Sleeping Yar'Adua SYA ( 2 month; less than 40 day to the 100 days Mr Yar'Adua may have to tell Nigerians what the hell he's doing in aso-rock.) It's not the end, in one of the meetings we held recently with an outgoing Nigerian senior diplomat, people were angry why Nigeria cannot develop when everything it takes to develop a nation is just on our doorstep. Angry over or should I say, why what is possible and simple in terms of development else where seems impossible in Nigeria! And, when almost, that's; over 80% of our politicians are expose, learned, with many years of experience with the developed world. To our utmost surprise, the diplomat told us not to take government to our hearts, that some professors and academicians friends of his nearly run mad as a result of such emotional attitude towards governance. We all burst into laughter b/c it's true (we're almost approaching to that). To be too mindful of our politicians and their behaviours can be equal to self destruction/Crucifixion and murder. Think about that. Not withstanding, I'm still very much around, certainly, not like the 3rd term or election era. I want to take my time, face my own wahala. only when necessary or the need arises that I wish to; so as not to over jump. Thanks for caring, also to the real people still on my bosom. It was fun then. |
| Posted By: Emeka Posted On: Jul 20, 2007 Views: 668 | Hmmn... "...The problem we have is this tendency to leave Nigerias restoration to one person at the top. It is a job for all of us at our various levels. There can be no alternative. As I say, its a job for all of us...." Dim Emeka Ojukwu. Hmmn..... thanks for the post, Alisigwe. Quick quiz to forumites: 1) Name of your local ward councilor?....... 2) Your local government chairman?....... 3) Your state house of assembly rep?.... 4) Your federal house of representatives rep?..... 5) Your senator?........................ 6) When last did you vote?........... 7) Ever paid tax?..... When last?....... 8) Ever proposed or contributed to proposing a bill for legislative consideration?........ 9) What bills are currently being debated/considered by your various levels of legislature?........... 10) Know where to find the Constitution of the Federal republic of Nigeria? ............ URL link?....... If you flunk 5 or more of the above questions, you are as irresponsible as i am, in the matter of individual roles and responsibilities in nurturing good governance. And we are all equally responsible, as the bad leaders, for the misrule, and the decadent state of government. |
| Posted By: Naijaman Posted On: Jul 20, 2007 Views: 677 | Igbo Ex Governors and EFCC I greet una my piple of obodo Naija. Sorry for the sabbatical leave I took from this forum. I thank God we survived the elections hulabaloo and brouhaha. The president is still settling down to master the reins of federal governance. We all hope Naija will be better (compared to OBJ) for it. However, a path is emerging - the President is calling and following the path of what he calls government of national Unity. I call this path the concensus of business as usual people, where perhaps, the president himself will be the only exception to the usual, that is until he is dragged down into the cesspool. My advise to the president is to scout for principled Naijas with proven integrity, to work with. These may not necessarily belong to the political parties or be politicians for that matter. Imagine the type of people who are jostling to be accommodated in the so called GNU. One is not unaware of the leveraging and the undertable deals in our politics - where actors expect to be compsensated one way or the other after an electoral victory, or even loss! But the president will do well not to allow this phenomenon to override and dominate his administration. This is just an appetizer by the way. Now to the business of Igbo Ex Governors and EFCC. It now no longer hidden that the Igbos generally have been given raw deal in Naija in the recent past. However, the more painful aspect of this raw deal is not the one that other Naijas inflict on us, but the ones our own people perpetrate on us. The Igbo ex governors (with exception of probably two) governed their states like Mexican Bandidoes during their administration. It is not enough to cry of federal neglect when the statutory revenue coming to the Igbo states were administered as if they were the governor's inheritance from a rich uncle. As a result,the Igbos are today living like prisoners of war and endangered specie even in their own states, thanks to both federal neglect and local bad governance. Whilst federal policies ensure that we are prisoners of war, local bad governance make us endangered specie. There are both infrastructural and moral decay in Igboland today and those ex governors who played negative roles that contributed to these conditions, should be held accountable. The EFCC should do its constitutional job in this regard. However, the EFCC should prepare thoroughly in handling such sensitive cases. The EFCC should put its acts together before charging and arraigning any person before a court of competent jurisdiction. That way, the lies and crying wolves of those who have cases to answer will be dimmed. The EFCC is not in any way witch hunting the Igbo ex governors. Presently, not all Igbo ex governors are wanted by EFCC and not all ex governors who are in EFCC net are Igbo ex governors. Thanks goodness the judiciary is bouncing back as the last hope of the common man. Even though the ex governors are not common men, I have confidence in the judiciary to accord them fair hearing. Let them prove their innocence in court, after an accused is innocent untill proven guilty. Have a nice weekend. |
| Posted By: Saharareporters Posted On: Jul 20, 2007 Views: 653 | write from Newyork Saharareporters, New York Former Edo State governor, Lucky Igbinedion, who is listed amongst the second batch of former governors to be arrested and tried for corruption, has apparently fled Nigeria. Igbinedion was sighted in London last Sunday, July 15, where he watched a live football match with some of his colleagues including former Governor Victor Attah of Akwa Ibom. Our source indicated that the ex-governor of Edo State has chosen to keep away from Nigeria to avoid his certain arrest to answer to a lengthy corruption rap sheet. He now lives in his opulent Kenwood mansion in London. Also former Governor Victor Attah of Akwa Ibom State has opted to settle in Barbados and watch the corruption trials of some of his colleagues who have been charged to court. Mr. Victor Attah and his wife were recently sighted at the highbrow Cromwell Hospital in London where his wife was being treated. Sources told Saharareporters that the former Akwa Ibom governor, fingered by the EFCC as one of the wanted corrupt ex-governors, doesnt plan to return to Nigeria anytime soon unless extradited by the EFCC. Attah, whose wife was on admission at Cromwell, recently moved her out of the hospital and they made a trip to Barbadoshis wife's home country. The ex-governors wife is believed to be suffering from a kidney ailment similar to that of Umar Musa YarAdua. Our sources revealed that Victor Attah owns a five-star hotel in Barbados. He reportedly retrieved his passport by telling EFCC officials that he needed to take his wife out of Nigeria for medical treatment. Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara State, mired himself in corruption allegations, recently led a delegation to plead with YarAdua to spare serving and ex-governors the humiliation of answering for their corrupt acts. Saharareporters sources said that Igbinedion and Attah may not return to Nigeria unless Sarakis intervention yields them the necessary reprieve from trial. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, facing rising demands for his own trial, is reportedly working on YarAdua and EFCCs Nuhu Ribadu to soft pedal on trying some of the ex-governorsespecially those close to Obasanjo. |
| Posted By: EJIOFOR ALISIGWE Posted On: Jul 20, 2007 Views: 633 | EAGLE ON IROKO: A LIGHTER SIDE OF IKEMBA Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu in Conversation with Professor Nnaemeka Ikpeze and Nduka Otiono (PART 2) Continued from: Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu in Conversation with Professor Nnaemeka Ikpeze and Nduka Otiono (1) KWENU.COM/ACHEBE FOUNDATION A lighter side of Ikemba ON HIS CHILDHOOD AND IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT Let us take you back. You are the son of Igbo parents from Eastern Nigeria, born in Northern Nigeria, and educated in Lagos and England where you rounded off your formal education at Oxford. How have these varied cultural and social environments impacted your development as a person? I feel it would have been more appropriate for those observers of my life, having become aware of my antecedents, to examine my life among the Yoruba or Hausa for the impact those experiences might have had on me. Well, my father was a great figure; I looked up to him, and all that. However, I leave it to my biographers to reflect on the ways our relationship might have molded my character, had an impact on me. I certainly was born in Zungeru, Niger State in a railway community, which was what drew people to the town, at the time. I eventually went with my family to live in Lagos. I was very young then, perhaps, two and a half years old. I hardly remember the time I spent in Zungeru. An interesting coincidence is that Zungeru also happens to be the birthplace of the great Zik of Africa! I hold on to that firmly (LAUGHTER). I dont allow people to forget it. Its one of the little things one has. But in Lagos, I became a Yoruba lad, attending primary school at St. Patricks, Lagos. The thing I want to point out is that I spoke Yoruba long before I even spoke Igbo. In Lagos, I played with Yoruba children, and for a while was not aware of any ethnic or cultural divide. Of course, the Igbo were viewed with much suspicion, and referred to derogatorily as Kobokobos; in my youth, I did not realize that this term applied to me. I do remember being caned by the Principal of Grammar School, S. I. Kale, for insisting that I was Igbo. He had assumed not only that I wasnt Igbo, but that my name was not Ojukwu, but the Yoruba name, Ojikutu. Later, the fact that the Igbo were looked upon with some hostility began to affect me in sometimes, amusing, strange ways. There was an incident, I remember, involving an Igbo family -- that greatly upset me. Our driver advised me to mind my own business, but I took off down the street, inviting all and sundry, and yelling -- the Kobokobos have started again. (LAUGHTER) Everyone had a good laugh at my expense. Amusing as this may sound to you, I was re-enacting the prejudices and assumptions of the day towards Ndi-Igbo. But this story also illustrates the ability of the Igbo to blend into their environment. After this, my father decided that I would spend every holiday I had in Nnewi. I started becoming an Igbo; learning the language, speaking the language, learning the tradition, and getting to know the people I belonged to. I became very proud to learn who I really was. The next question we would like to ask you derives from the answer you have just given us; have you, as a consequence, experienced some conflict in identity arising from this and various encounters earlier on in childhood, towards the formation of your adult personality? I have questioned a number of things, but the easiest one I told you; I was brought up in Lagos, however, I picked up very early in life that, for some reason, theres been a rather difficult relationship between the Igbo and Yoruba and I believe that this has reflected on me personally as well. But this might not be the experience of all Ndi-Igbo in Yorubaland. I lived a very active social life in Lagos as a young man; yet I was viewed, always, as an outsider. I found that advantageous, in many ways, because I would be with my Yoruba peers, and I would listen in on their thoughts aware that they did not realize what I was. I would say then that I had the privilege of peeping into Yoruba life. An important anxiety for a lot of people living abroad is the question of identity. One would be interested in knowing how much of Igbo traditional life you were able to absorb before traveling to England. How much has this helped you to stabilize and contain the social changes that you experienced away from home? Before I go into that, it just occurred to me that I have talked about the Igbo, about the Yoruba, but have said nothing about the Hausa. The Hausa, I have always looked upon as an exotic lot. Being young, as I had said, I was born in Hausa land. I was very curious about that because, I must confess, I looked upon them as a different people Now to your question How much of traditional life did you absorb? I recounted the incident with the Kobokobos; how I had to go home to Nnewi for all my holidays So, I was provided with a system of traditional values to fall back on. It was actually my fathers eldest sister, Nneoma, a wife of the Odimegwu of Nnewi, in whose care I was confined to during these holidays. There were other aunts, two others; but this oldest one was the matriarch of the family, and so I spent my formative years in the compound of Eze Odimegwu. Luckily, I was favoured in that family as a particularly interesting, and welcome in-law; the child of the matriarchs brother. My aunts husband was a superb individual, a wonderful in-law! He encouraged me to participate in all that happened in that compound and it was a huge family, indeed. Of course, as Eze Odimegwu, he had several wives, and I remember that at every meal, he would not eat until we were all summoned to the supper table (figuratively speaking) because everyone just sat around. We children would be summoned with a song that I shall always remember (He sings) Umuazi bia nu gbaa azi (Children, come and eat) (laughter) Once you heard that A clarion call Exactly. Once you heard that, no matter what you were doing, you had to go to the table. He was quite old, my uncle, and he had his unique ways. I still remember how he would ask in Igbo (imitating his voice), O bu onye? (Who is that)? And Id answer, Nnaa, o'u mu (Father, its me); and hell say, O nwa m, o bu onye?(O my child, which one?), and I would reply Its Emeka, and he would ask again: One Emeka? (which Emeka is that?) Then I would have to say my mothers name. Satisfied, he would breathe deeply: Omm, embrace me, then take some pounded yam, dip it in the bowl of soup, and place it in my outstretched hand (demonstrates). I would then run off licking the soup off my fingers (LAUGHTER). That was great fun, particularly for me, because I knew he reserved be the biggest treat, deliberately stuffed full with meat. I was very popular with the other children for obvious reasons... And that was the way it went. I felt very special on such occasions, and especially when everyone came home. It was in that compound that I began to appreciate Igbo tradition; the deference with which everybody treated the patriarch. You only mention the head of the family in whispers, even when he was far away. Traditionally, respect for elders in Igbo culture is profound. The head of the family might be wrong, but that did not detract from his authority For my uncle to run an entire household, and when I talk of someone marrying many wives lets face it; this is someone who had over thirty wives a very large family. So if I learnt anything traditional, it was in that household that I picked it all from. You seem to be describing what Senghor, the poet-president, would describe as the Kingdom of Childhood. Was your childhood a happy one? Well, it all depends on what one means by the term happiness; I think we chase after a notion that is difficult to define; it depends, I think, very much on the individual context. Personally, I denounced the possibility of becoming happy, a long time ago. Can you elaborate? Well happiness, everybody goes for; yet happiness is the one quality that seems to be somewhat elusive, ephemeral. One might possess a chieftaincy title, great dignity and all that; but happiness? Very difficult thing to hang on to I see the idea of happiness mainly as a fraud; in many ways, its very 419. So when did you develop this consciousness; certainly not as a child? Em I think that from quite early on, when I was in England, actually. There, I was strongly reminded of the things I missed about home. But, at the same time, I was so busy living! Though I missed Ofe Okwulu; it just wasnt part of my life, anymore and then I was growing up. So, happiness as a child, ehm lets put it this way its an interesting concept. Everyone looks out for you, and after you: Nwa Ojukwu, nwa Ojukwu (Ojukwus child) And so, in a way, as a child, one enjoyed that. Many of the material things that one required, I didnt have to go through a lot of hassle to obtain. You know, I remember once, when I was at Kings College (and it was quite an accomplishment in those days), my father refused to buy me a new pair of shoes; canvas shoes that were required. I was so angry I refused to go home on Saturdays, as was the practice. Then one day, I was in class, and a big car drove into the school compound with everyone wondering who it might be. I was summoned to the principals office, and there was my father. He said: Boy! Even when I was a Governor in Enugu, my father always referred to me as boy he said, Boy, and I answered, Sir? Come here, he said. With great trepidation, I moved forward, thinking I was surely going to be punished. Try on these shoes. (LAUGHTER) I guess he must have felt my absence. I had even forgotten it was my birthday; instead of the one pair of shoes that had caused the problem, he bought me four, and suddenly he was the best dad again. This sort of thing often happened. But I also remember coming back from England, and going up to my father to ask him a question that had been on my chest for some time. In those days, when you came back from England, you had moved up in the eyes of society, and you could sit down and chat, man to man, with your father. So I asked, Papa, are you a wicked man? He was startled, and asked bemused, Son why do you ask me that? I replied, Just answer me. Are you a wicked man? Then he said, You know, I am not at all sure what you want me to say... So I said, Let me help you. Why is it that you never pay our school fees until we are driven away from school? I remember whenever I was sent to your office to ask for our school fees, rather than listening to me, you would pull open a drawer in your desk, looking for your cane. You would cane every part of my body, because I came to ask for school fees; a school you sent me to, and insisted that I attend. Do you remember? He said, Of course, I do. And I added: So thats why I am asking if you are a wicked man? He thought for a while, and then said to me, I wouldnt say I am wicked, my child. You see, when you were growing up, you had the best of everything, and my biggest worry was that this young son of mine would grow up thinking that money was very easily come by. Therefore, I created a situation where I associated money with pain. (pause) When I went to ask him my question, I was up in arms, as it were; but his reply made me understand that his behaviour to me was something he felt was necessary in order for me to learn a valuable lesson. From what you have said, it would appear that some degree of material comfort is a condition for happiness. How do you see that? I didnt say so; but if you claim that, fine. If you think further back, you will recall that I said that the whole idea of happiness is 419. One might think of happiness in a material sense; certainly some associate happiness with revelry. A plate of rice at Christmas might bring someone starving some happiness; but this is, in itself, is fleeting. One cannot hang on indefinitely to the feeling that these incidents bring about. I think that what one should aim for is self-contentment, not necessarily contentment with even bad situations, but in the fact that one has done ones best in the best possible way. REMINISCES ABOUT HIS ENGLISH EDUCATION What memories of your sojourn in England will you recall for us? Well I came from Nigeria where English is spoken as a second language, and I went to school in England with English boys. I remember an occasion where the teacher asked a question, and the rest of the class didnt know it. It had to do with the term, puny. He wouldnt ask me, so I raised my hands, and he asked irritably, What is it, what is it? I said to him: Puny is a term used more in Law; you have puny judges, and the meaning is -- lesser judge. He nearly fainted, and of course, as always, he gave it to the English boys: You idiots. (LAUGHTER) Look at him. He came all the way from Africa, through the Limpopo River to teach you your language. And this I used to enjoy so much. So I used to do this in the classes where I excelled in the subject. The British child rarely studied grammar until much later in life; he simply spoke it. Whereas we had to study grammar in our very early years, in this country; so this is part of what I enjoyed. My classmates often called me Juke; the reason being that the middle syllable in my name Ojukwu was easier for them to pronounce. The other is the first, Oji. So it was either Juke or Oji. But one early morning, on my way to the chapel, one of the boys walked up to me, and called me a monkey-- What a punk! He said: Wouldnt you feel more comfortable on top of a palm tree? I resented that greatly; this particular boy would often come up behind me to kick me on the heels. When I stumbled, hed go: Oh poor boy; is it because you cant wear shoes properly wouldnt you prefer to remove them? And this was the sort of thing that I went through. At the chapel, while saying prayers, the other boys mimicked my accent, and everyone would s****. On another occasion I picked up my books, and this same boy kicked my heels again, and I fell. My books were scattered everywhere, and I felt there was nothing for it, but to fight back. But my friends held me back, and the boy stood there laughing. Poor Oji cant wear shoes, he taunted me. In anger, I broke away, and hit him; so hard, he went flat on his stomach. I dont think I have ever hit anyone like that before, because I was scared that I had killed him. The boy was taken to our medical center, and as I had learnt to be a gentleman, I paid him a visit. He seemed happy to see me, so obviously he had begun to think better of the incident. I remember that as soon as I came into the room to shake his hand, he said, Oji, I was wrong, and you gave me a walloping. That ended our warring. I never heard anything from the authorities even though he stayed in the hospital for about three days. It was much later that I had to see the headmaster; at the end of the term. He went through all the exercises in my notebooks, gave me instructions on where to improve, and just as I turned to leave, he tapped me on the shoulder and said, My boy; dont ever hit anyone as hard as that again. I just said, Yes, Sir, and that was all. Now you have young children; would you like them to have an educational experience similar to yours? I am not a sadist. But, if they can benefit from my experience, then I would be doing the right thing in allowing them a similar experience. If what you are saying is, will I let them attend school in England, then I would say, yes; let them absorb everything of this world that they possibly can. But I insist that they must have a focus; an African focus, a home focus, a family focus. I will not consider them going abroad if they will only end up looking forward to holidays as a time of alienation. They must desire to come home for the experience to be full. They must want very much for the school term to end, get unto the train or plane, and back to Nigeria to eat garri. Education actually, to me, is more a question of sharpening ones choices and consciousness. How would you compare the kind of education you received as a child to the kind of education your children (cuts in) What we have in Nigeria can no longer be referred to as education; so what can it be compared to? Nothing, I am afraid. People simply go through school in Nigeria. There is no disciplining in schools, anymore. This is a very serious matter. It is. I remember my Latin master, G. Percy Savage of Kings College; once you forgot a word, or missed any part of the Latin grammar, he would say: You are not taking your lesson seriously, and I am now going to take up a strategic position. As he said that he would be moving into a position behind you with his cane. It is amazing how quickly you remembered the elusive word. That sort of thing was necessary. Maybe that is the reason they called canes Dr. Do Good. Sure. Can you briefly sketch the changes you have observed, both in the physical environment and your interaction with people, over the years? Now, when you talked about whether I would want my children to have the kind of education I had, I think that in the search for a Western education, I missed out on a very important aspect of growing up Nigerian; I had no classmates at home. Even though there were people in my class, like Alex Ekwueme, who was my classmate for a time at Kings College, the fact is -- I didnt have those bonds of friendship that would carry me through life. Those who were my classmates are long forgotten in England; so no matter what happens to me in Nigeria, I am to a large extent, a loner. I make good of my experiences, my knowledge, no doubt about it; but I am still a loner. If my children are going to live in Nigeria, then they must have Nigerian friends, classmates; a connection in Nigeria. Even so, what elements of your British education do you think will prove useful to contemporary Nigerian education? As a nation, we must watch what we teach, and how we teach. We have debased degrees, enthroned certificates. We have to be made to understand that ones certificate can only be worthwhile when it is linked directly to knowledge and what is achieved with it. I have friends today who have never seen the four walls of a secondary school; yet they add the prefix, Dr, to their names. (LAUGHTER) I feel very sad that such things are encouraged. Years ago, there was a close friend of mine whose cousin was supposed to be receiving an LLB; I was excited about this, so I did a write up on it in England. Now, I was well known for having studied at Oxford. You can imagine my great disappointment, then, when it turned out that the fellow I had accorded so much space was taking an honorary degree. I refused to attend the ceremony, and I dont know if he ever understood why; but he was quite downcast when I told him that this was one occasion I couldnt attend. How could I? People ask me why I couldnt have indulged him, and I explain that I would be insulting my fathers sacrifices on my behalf, trivializing his efforts to educate me. As a matter of fact, people say that I am uncompromising, because I insist that if I must speak English, then it must be the Queens English that I speak. I never, because I am talking to my steward, speak pidgin English. He should learn from me, not the other way round. And those are the little things that make or break my life. I like being a Nigerian. I like Nigeria because I dont think its a hopeless situation. The problem we have is this tendency to leave Nigerias restoration to one person at the top. It is a job for all of us at our various levels. There can be no alternative. As I say, its a job for all of us. Would you comment on the impact of your English education on your total development? I remember when I first went to Oxford; my dad called me, and said that he wanted me to be a lawyer. But I had already decided that I wanted to study History. This was, on some level, snobbery on my part, because everyone else wanted to be a doctor, a lawyer, or an engineer. However, society always has a need for professionals. Someone recently asked me: do you regret anything? And I said, Yes, not having become a lawyer. You say that seriously? Seriously...I feel that it would have been much better for me, when I came back in 1952, to have practiced as a lawyer, and gone on to become a Senior Advocate. ON BECOMING A SOLDIER You may not have become a soldier... Perhaps, in the end, that would not have mattered; what matters is the progress of the nation. Can you quickly trace a connection between your studies in history, and your choice of a career? Not really; I rationalize my choices. When I was in Oxford, I loved anything with an English connection. Even so, I became a devoted member of the Students Union, and pushed my nationalism to the extreme; I joined the Communist Party. As students, we demonstrated a lot; we decided that it wasnt a question of coming home with a profession in order to become a big shot. If you were going to be part of that caucus seeking to effect change, then you had to dedicate the first five years of your return home to the service of your country. I came back faithful with that mantra, and decided not to join my fathers business empire. That is actually what led me into the civil service, and ultimately the military. I joined the Civil Service, moving to the Eastern region with the hope of serving Nigeria. There, I met a police man who asked if I would choose the police as a career You forged new ground; at the time you chose to join the military no sane graduate would have done so. Thank you very much. In the military, I never considered the fact that I, a graduate, was serving Nigeria in that capacity. This is one of the reasons I never attend the Oxbridge (Cambridge and Oxford alumni) meetings. I refuse being regarded as a breed, even if select. Ones education is something one always has. The value in it is the effect one has on ones people. COMMUNITY SERVICE AND ACTIVISM You mean knowledge in the service of community? Yes. Education is not elitism and yet every group, through education, may create its own elite. The important thing is whatever elite class there is, it must remain true to its vocation, not serve selfish interests. It must aspire to true leadership. Would you blame the racial discrimination you suffered in England on your activism? Perhaps; however I was no victim I was never a victim. I always fought my way back, and that is how I learnt to survive, to grow. What you refer to might even have served as a point of triumph for me. ON GLOBALIZATION Sir, what is your attitude to globalization? Do you agree What is globalization? In a sentence it is the concept of the world as a global village made possible by ever advancing information communication technologies I asked you that question deliberately, because very often in Nigeria, we go off on a tangent on the terms we use without making evident what we understand by them. In fact, I shall use this opportunity, also, to state that once I was told I was going to be part of the conference to hold a dialogue, I advocated very strongly, from the beginning, that it should be characterized by one word: Definitions! Terms used in the Dialogue need to be interpreted and defined so that misconceptions do not arise. Do you agree that globalization is the final phase of a neo-colonial plot by well-to-do nations to dominate the economies of the Third World? There are a growing number of African scholars who hold such a view What we should do is make the term meaningful to us; own it, and make it our future. Where do we fit in the global situation? That the world has become smaller does not mean we should abandon diplomacy; however, it could mean that we dont appoint too many ambassadors. Do you understand that? Sure. If the world has become more contained, through globalization, we should be finding a way to cut down on the time we spend obtaining travel visas Are you in any way anxious that you could lose your children to the West given the difficulties in our home country? I hope not, because I battle it. LOVE AND THE PASSION FOR WRITING At what stage did you develop a passion for writing? (laughs) My publisher would disagree very strongly with the idea that I have a passion for writing. As a matter of fact, he often says that the sad thing about me is that I do not have any passion for writing. Now, I prefer to read; my real passion is the English Language. I love and cherish it, and do any amount of gymnastics with it. Would you briefly sketch what you consider the highlights of your life since your arrival from exile? Theres only one thing, which is at the pinnacle of all -- marriage to Bianca. Thats very interesting; love... Love You re-discovered love? Not only that, I learnt, also, that it can be re-capitalised throughout life. Well, you talked about your great uncle, the Chief, having had so many wives; how come Eze Ndiigbo, Dim, has only one wife? I keep asking myself that (LAUGHTER). Have you been conquered domestically? Oh, that! I tell people I am a four-star general, and shes a Field Marshal (LAUGHTER). And I say it with pride; now isnt that a sign of conquest? How did it feel to do battle in bringing Bianca to your house? What battle? There were reports that you had to contend with her father before marrying her? My father-in-law is a great man, and I can assure you, no matter what anybody thinks, when the history of this part of Nigeria is written, his name will be fore grounded. He is very much respected by people. Sometimes, he is misunderstood, and, in fact, that is what happens to all of us. But I am proud of him, that the Onoh family complements my own. GENDER INEQUALITY You have mentioned the importance of the woman in your life, and we would like to dive off this and on to the question of progress in Africa, and the role of women on the continent. Our development has been markedly sluggish because of the tendency to neglect human capital, especially with regard to the input of women; do you agree? If you do, can you suggest strategies to ensure rapid development of womens potential through education, science and technology? We often take the world as a homogeneous whole; however, we are diverse peoples, and our lives and concerns must, and will, differ. For instance, are the difficulties women are facing in Africa, the same for those in Europe? I ask this question only, because I find that we tend to take situations that are entirely discernible elsewhere, and immediately draw parallels with the situation here. In Africa, I should think, we have very different problems. However, I do agree that women have a highly significant role to play in the progress of the continent. Right now, I have, as you know, a problem in the APGA (All Peoples Grand Alliance) it would be preferable, I think, if women acted the role of chairperson It is my opinion that we are better off with nne anyi (our mothers) who are not so hasty with judgment, and offer incisive solutions. They are, on the whole, much more desirable than nna anyi (our fathers) who often leave the business of administration to go after personal interests. So I just throw that in. Women need to do more for themselves, however; because no matter how much I may claim to understand them, women understand themselves better. They, only, can make the propositions that will work for them Now, as a male, men are part of my political theorem. But both women and men must be included in any dialogue concerning our development. I say this very strongly; both genders must be accommodated, and no one dismissed. I dont know if anyone of you men cares to remember, but there were girls who beat you in class; oh, yes at one time or the other. So let them come out in force, and declare their willingness to fight and join the struggle. It is not an easy thing to do, and this, I hold against Nigerian women; they seem to take the easiest way out. As soon as they come together, they begin to look for male patrons to validate their female concerns! But this is not necessary, because they should fight their way out not always rely on handouts by men. THE ELDER STATESMAN Recently you turned 71 (and thats more than a coming of age even by biblical standards); youve experienced a great deal, been through the Nigeria/Biafra war, now Nigeria is deeply mired in troubled times. What does attaining 70 and becoming an elder statesman in a country like Nigeria mean to you, especially when the general life expectancy is much shorter than that? There is nothing I love more than being a Nigerian elder, because it means I can say anything I like to anybody at anytime. There is nothing freer than that. At this point, I can comment on Nigeria, and people will listen. At 70, I might not even be there at the next election, so you cant talk about ambition. I like white hair too. There is a respect Nigerians give to old age, so lets put it simply: being 70 confers upon one a unique freedom, and it is my wish to use that freedom. I have no reason to lie to Nigerians about any situation Finally, sir, at 71, you are still very much involved in active politics, when will Chief Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu retire from politics? Correction number one, I am not a Chief; it rhymes with thief. Im sorry, sir, His Excellency, Dim-- Actually, Ive been thinking about this. When will I retire from active politics? When Im 101? 30 years from now? When one starts getting tired, one should retire (LAUGHTER). Well, thank you very much for taking out time to receive us, and providing very forthright and insightful answers to our questions. You are welcome. You got me rather cheaply, because Chinua Achebe is championing this project. I shall always be readily involved in anything hes doing". |
| Posted By: ofeke Posted On: Jul 20, 2007 Views: 610 | Recess I can see that the most honorable members of these forum like Dr. Mike, Ejioffor, Ken Okeke, Sheriff Emekas and many more are on recess like the senate. I will like to see you guys back so that we can discuss the problem facing our dear country. In my next article, it will be a lot of why why why why why. So please look at for my why questions. |
| Posted By: EJIOFOR ALISIGWE Posted On: Jul 20, 2007 Views: 611 | Ogbonna Anasi Asisi, Asikwa nka asikwa nke ozo Ogbonna Anasi, osikwam n'osi ne Egbe fere na Ugo. Madu noro O gaghi iche ife gbasaru ya. Kama O je chebe ife ozo bu na ka ara si agba. I no kota I je welu nkpulu ogwu isi owuwa na anugh maka na isi n'awa onye ozo. Biko tukpa afu. I nu go. Sun News bu akwukwo tabloid. |
| Posted By: Omo Posted On: Jul 20, 2007 Views: 625 | RE:Mandela launches elders' council OBJ member of african elder's council kee ! Who dash monkey banana. |
| Posted By: Amadi Posted On: Jul 20, 2007 Views: 630 | I won't shield Ex-governors- YaR'dua Certainly ,I will shield my maker. |
| Posted By: Amadi Posted On: Jul 20, 2007 Views: 623 | Mandela launches elders' council OBJ has applied to be a member |
| Posted By: Amadi Posted On: Jul 20, 2007 Views: 606 | Tribunal nullifies Anambra governorship polls Andy Uba and Dr Peter Odili are already political garbage after they have been used. |
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