Food for thought!

My friend sent me this video and I really liked it. I think its really thought provoking and important to know about. I have not analysed what I have heard properly but I think they are good 'listens'.

I have often wondered if elite participation is all you really need to bring about change and have concluded this to be true. Funmi talks about the people saying they have had enough but in the end if the elite don't care to really listen and even when they hear don't do anything all we will and can have is chaos. This chaos however does not always mean bad for everyone, natural disasters are the only disasters that don't know class, face, gender or person! Man-made ones like bad governance, corruption anarchy etc do know face. What is my point amidst the chaos and anarchy, there are people who will be comfortable, infact they can sink into the pretence of not seeing the chaos because they are not fully open to it. Yes the militants have kidnapped people but anyone who comes to the area where they are kidnapped is being used by someone else, he is not the elite, he too like the kidnappers is just a worker who is well-paid. Same as the man who is robbed. The elite kill the elite, the masses don't...If someone didn't pay hoodlums to kill Funsho Williams, he could still be here today, Bode George has the followership of his 'touts' enough for them to throw things at the judge and protest his much deserved arrest...

Having mused all of that in a total of 3 minutes, I think I am now of the opinion that if the Elite i.e. the ruling class say NO, no one but God can say YES! But we will not lose hope or resign to having no say because sometimes, there is that one sensible elite who looks around himself and wants to better the lot of his people. That is how any country that has decided to provide for its people is run...the elite bother to be compassionate and hide their greed and selfishness in providing some form of security...That is all Nigeria needs, for some security to be provided. We have NONE...

Blank reaction to a Strong reaction

I am having mixed feelings about something I just read this morning. I will copy and paste then maybe have a reaction that isn't *blank*. I apologize in advance for the length!Its freaking long!couldn't cut it short because I don't want to leave any points out and present a biased view...

It's the biggest joke that crackers talk of giving aid to Africa when for every dollar given, $10 have been extracted through controlling our oil (which they sell back to us for more), our gold, diamonds, cocoa, rubber, palm oil (a key ingredient in the production of chocolate) & many other resources. Africa has been for many years britains gold mine. You're only rich because you've made us poor through your Exploitative deceitful relationship based on white supremecy. An ignorant and arrogant and very destructive virus on the planet. Speaking of virus' the only thing you've ever given us is AIDS, engineered to target black & oppressed people everywhere but particularly in Africa. Africa has always been britains cashcow and these vampires want to totally suck all the life out of us while milking this metaphorical cow.

This was someone's facebook status. Immediately I thought what a rant, but then I read it again and thought, hmm there is a point but then I smiled and moved on to stalk the reason I went on facebook in the first place. No reaction per say which is unusual for me. Maybe I agree to an extent that's why. Anyway so he got 3likes and 14 comments! Some of them made me really mad because it was white people who put them up and sometimes I get really angry when a 'white man' tries to say something about my continent or country(and he doesn't sometimes know the difference). But then when I thought about it, I saw their points and that angered me even more. I will post some of them now, and the only one which truly struck me is the last one I will put up. It made me sad yet I see the truth in it.

1. will your hatred ever stop?>>>>>>I agree there was some hatred in the status and the oyinbo was right but it annoyed me first that she pointed it out. I'm glad I moved past it and could agree with her without disliking her honesty.

2. its too bad all your leaders dont seem to mind it!>>>>>spoken like a true disgo. However this is true, our leaders don't mind and to an extent neither do our people, because rather than hope things change positively, they hope hands turn...we can't progress if we all want to get 'our birthright' and say God's time is the best not for change but for our own turn to make money.

3. and i wonder who sells it to the west! i think u'll find that its the greed of the local rulers that catalyzes such exploitation. Its a two way street buddy, and u have to acknowledge both sides inadequacies if you are going to make any contstructive progress, as opposed to stagnant criticism. There is much evil, of this I have no doubt, but complaints without action dont ameliorate the situation. x >>>>He too was right in my opinion!

4.the only reason we have corrupt, greedy leaders in Africa is because Europe routinely supports them.. It is a practice that goes back to the days of chattel slavery where bad chiefs and community leaders were bribed into selling their people into bondage. Yes it's bad for someone to accept a bribe but then again if Satan didn't test them in the first place by offering a bribe then they wouldn't have succumbed. The person who offers the bribe is far worse, more calculative and manipulative. The man who accepts a bribe is simply weak minded and ignorant to his foolish ways. Forgive them lord for they know not what they do. But also your point about complaints and talk with no action, valid as it may be in many circumstances isn't really appropriate here. Because there is a purpose to me writing these status'. One of the biggest problem Africa faces is the problem of our ignorant, black elite minority not understanding who they are and their connection to all the indiginous people of the continent and the world. There is no spirit of Umbuntu (Oneness). We do not see ourselves as brothers and sisters, all children of the sun. We are divided so we are easily conquered. The purpose of me writing these status' is to wake up our sleeping continent. I have rather a lot of facebook friends many of them of African descent and many of them the so called elite who although they have eyes cannot see the destruction and rape of their homeland right in front of their eyes. So on the off chance that they may read one of my status' maybe it will change their perspective a little more and they may realise that being comfortable is not the same thing as being free and being comfortable is a temporary state of which you have no control over. I'm sick of us not having control over our collective destiny. Our minds are totally enslaved to bullshit western illusions of success and happiness and so my aim is to wake people up.. To raise the consciousness. Words alone may not do much but then again they can move people to action and that is the ultimate goal because no one is going to save us but ourselves.Africa/Africans have always been rich.. We were never poor before the white man arrived with his rifles and bibles. Before WE had the land and THEY had the bibles now we've got the bibles and they've got the land.. Africans are the most fucking religious people on the planet and it Is not solving any of our problems.. So when I see children aged 10 years and younger sleeping under bridges in Lagos, homeless with no food, no clean water to drink I undestand that the simple reason for this is colonialism and imperialism and subsequently capitalism which Africans are the worst off for. We never had children starving and dieing in western orchestrated genocides. So Europe has clearly not benifitted Africans in anyway. Before we even talk of all the deforestation and contamination of our waters by greedy oil companies and all the pollution. The acidity in the rain in certain parts of Nigeria is the worst in the world. Not to talk of aids of which I happen to personally know people who were murdered by this biological weapon attacking our immune system through our reproductive organs so we stop reproducing in the natural way that we do. Africans have always been naturally very fertile and productive and have favoured large families. >>>>>He had really good points but was still making excuses for the mediocrity of the African person himself. I have mixed feelings about this response...

5. u are a mad man..>>>I laughed and laughed and laughed because I know this person and he is one of the 'elite' friends the status owner was talking about and this was his response. Then it struck me why I had mixed feelings, the elite in Nigeria or Africa as a whole won't change nada because they're ok, but then they feel compassion like every other elite and do something, run NGOS, give money to the poor, 'raise awareness' like the status poster. His rant wasn't more than another elitist move to 'raise awareness' within a circle that is aware but then don't give a crappy shit?and why should they????

6. go and read a fucking book about your history and stop being so bloody ignorant. You are clearly very ill-informed and mis-educated like most Africans in your position. Read about Patrice Lumumba, Thomas Sankara, murtalla muhammed, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo and perhaps most importantly my names sake Kwame Nkrumah.. You need to know where you're coming from to have any real idea where you're going. Most of you Nigerians live totally purposeless lives, no direction. Aimless existances. Because you do not know who you are..>>>>My response, why so angry, you and him are thinking the same thing innit bruv so why so angry???

7.crackers"-no....stay focused on the issue. imperialism not racism - a thin line between the two but stay on the right side. dont make it a race thing otherwise you are no better yourself. x>>>I liked it because it was simple, don't join them to beat them I guess!!!

This last one was the killer, I laughed, laughed laughed until it made me sad. His view is the view of most Nigerians and Africans, abeg make I chop my own go. And that is why we cannot change...our selfishness...so in the end everyone in this post had a point that was true to home. The ranter is right to point our flaws out but then don't blame the white man, blame your people who believe what they believe. and honestly, don't blame, its not progressive, do what you can without blame because as I say all the time, it is 'OUR' fault. everyone plays a part in the destruction of our home. It is really sad. Another thing which made me sad is that this last comment(er) is from the lineage of a prominent political family, IBB caused their unhappiness yet they (the family) have all rallied round supporting him for the 2011 elections- their excuse 'at least we can gain something again'. WOW...

8. LoL! you're such a character! Your views are somewhat extreme, BUT regardless,I must admit you've got some valid points.You are correct that alot of us Africans dont really know who we are - I definitely concur.

It sounds like you plan on becoming a revolutionary,but just remember that most pple who have taken that path and tried to challenge the established order (status quo), have been exiled or killed - with the help of the west. Lamumba,Sankara,Muhammed and Nkrumah are prime examples.

So if you wish to become a matyr,you're going about it the right way.Be warned.If i were you ,i'd make my money quietly and die of old age.Your choice !

It killed me that last line, shattered me completely, I laughed till I cried because what else do you do when the 'elite' believe this?Shaking my Damn Head!!!

I have hope that we can and will progress!

We all have a part to play

This whole week, I have come across various comments, countless broadcasts and newspaper opinions about how DaGrin's death is the government's fault. I have tried not to comment because I find his death painful and wouldn't want to offend myself or his memory.
But I have to say, his death has only brought on new excuses by the Nigerian people on how 'The system made me do it'. For all of our existence, we all blame the government for all of our woes, I didn't pass WAEC, the government did not give me light, I failed in university because I cheated, the government did not help me pass. I agree that the government should provide various things for its people and Nigeria's government does fall short but then who are the govt?? They did not drop from heaven or rise from hell(I think ppl would like to believe they came from hell), they are members of the Nigerian society and they have being through the system too. So did the system make them or do they make the system...a bit complicated?I agree. We all go around not taking blame for our actions and its easy to blame a stupid system which we all contribute too. I know its easier said than done but how many of you would admit that paying bribes and knowing someone makes your life that tad bit easier and for those of us who live in structured societies, we wish sometimes we could hasten long processes like seeing a GP on the NHS.
My point is as a group of people, we all need to start accepting blame for what has become of our country. It is not the government who made you dig holes in the road so you can attack poor travellers, it is not the government that caused you to drive under a trailer drunk, it is not the government that caused the trailer to park stationary in the first place(tankers have motor parks), it is not the government that made you climb poles and steal bulbs from the street lights, it is not the government that caused you in the little village in port-harcourt not to have tarred roads, it is not the government in some villages that rejects technology thereby rejecting electricity, the government did not tell you to cheat on those final exams thereby ending up rusticated and unemployed, it is not the government that pushed you to travel in the tyres of an aeroplane, it is not the government that made you go on a one way road and get caught...the list is endless...it is all YOU, YOU did these things...take responsibility...

I don't want to come across as saying that everything is right with the Nigerian government because that is far from the truth but I dare say that everything is wrong with the Nigerian himself because he will not take responsibility for his actions...Bad governance or not, we contribute to the state of our society and until we stop, our country will continue to degenerate.

Goodluck for President?

Firstly I must say, you need to watch his interview if you haven't seen it and read his acceptance speech if you haven't done so either. I love this man.Like I really do. He is the beginning of a true breed of politicians to come into power in Nigeria. Unfazed, yet he doesn't seem unconcerned. Nigeria is his country,that is all. He is not a one tribe leader, he is 'the people's man'. The beautiful ones will be born in his time...Amen.

Ok moving on, many people feel that politics and participation in politics is a right. I disagree(Hannah Arendt,I'm sorry, gotta leave you on this one).. I believe that everyone should have minimal involvement i.e. vote etc but truth be told,its discussion is not for every John and Joseph. Nigerian and African politics is the way it is because we think that we all know,when the truth is we don't. We don't know what its like to rule or control a country with 250 ethnic groups and 520 languages(with only 9 extinct). If you can't control a class of 50 students, how much more a country with such diversity? I don't want to make excuses for the state of our nations but I don't want to excuse all the nonsense being said by people who do not know either. Those who know,know...let them progress as for those who don't know,please vote, voice your concerns but don't talk like you can do it better because you can't unless you're willing to learn...

There I have said it, POLITICS IS NOT FOR EVERYONE.find your own calling in life!

On bright note, GOODLUCK FOR PRESIDENT 2011!cast your vote.

Specifications: The ass or boob man

So this is a quick post! Hopefully it won't turn into another rant! Anyway I stumbled on a comment about how if a man tells you he is an ass or boobs man, he is shallow...I disagree...

Everyone has their specifications in life about certain things...and in the boy-girl relationship this applies to... Essentially I don't think you should take offence to knowing that you're not a certain person's specification(its easier said than done,but it's still done!!)

I have come to realize that looks or appearance in a way matter to some men more than others...I know a boy who only likes pretty girls(yeah I know its relative but their some girls that are pretty and you can't deny it unless you want to hate!!) and their mannerisms, character etc don't bother him much...so he'll go out with a dumb bimbo or a high-handed bitch as long as she's pretty...IS he shallow, maybe(that's me hating) but is he allowed to have specifications, HELL YES!!

All I am trying to say is that we all have specifications be it physical or internal(i.e. behavioural characteristics), its unfair to judge people just because their's lie in the physical most times!

Having said that, I will put some of my specifications down and I like to think I have a good mix...

1.Must be taller than me and I am not 5'2 or 5'5!!

2.Skinny but not thin or lanky, a built kinda slim...good body not necessarily gymed up and muscular(I find that unappealing-Tyson Beckford,eew)

3.Good features,eyes, cheeks,lips,eyebrows nails, feet,hands...I hate hate hate,ugly features...I'm not attracted to pretty boys unless they have the rest of my specifications...

4.Has an air of confidence bordering on arrogance

5. Witty and charming

6.Smells good..I once followed a boy round a club at 14 because I loved his perfume,he never became my friend though...DAMNIT!!

7.Wears beautiful shoes(OMG, when I was 13, I used to stare at boys shoes before I spoke to them,if it was a fail to me, that conversation was not starting...I thank God I have grown out of it and now I just won't talk to you often or anything like that,we remain acquaintances)

8. Looks good in shirts and tee-shirts- some people only look good in one or the other not both, I have to have both...*shrugs*

9.Has a nice bum, I hate ugly bums...*shrugs again*

10.Ambitious but not to the point of killing people or causing pain to people because he wants something...I hate such people...I think one should have a balance between money making and humanity...

Ok so this is all I could think of, I can see some people thinking, no God fearing, well I think if you love humanity, you will be God-fearing...I hate when people describe their potential spouses as he/she is a God-fearing,God-loving wo(man), wevs, its the Nigerian in us that makes us think we have to say that, sometimes those people don't even know God(This was a sidebar that was unnecessary in the context of this post,but it popped into my head as I was typing and so I felt the need to just put it out there...I may never blog about the issue so hey ho!!!)

Happy April,its my favourite month of the year!I'm a spring/easter baby!

Our priority

Its funny how I find that as a people, we Nigerians don't prioritize and have no real sense of urgency. I feel like we have a long-winded way of reaching an end because we fail to plot logically. For example, a woman who does not have a job will borrow money to look pretty but not eat to attract a man, who will take interest in her, introduce her to people so she can finally find that man that will provide her sustenance. Long-winded, I know, it does not make sense to me either what I just wrote! What am saying is that, we live above our means in order to find our means. Another example, it is more urgent to distribute flyers on swine-flu than to tackle the increasing rate of AIDS and Meningitis or Polio in Nigeria. It is more urgent to bury Babangida's wife than to find out if the president will be alive. It is difficult to even have a decent sense of urgency if we have such warped sense of priorities.

So as a result, our government is exactly the same. It lives above its means, it does not even produce means because this has become more difficult as its feeding mouths above its capacity. We have free education, free health, but then we can't afford it because we don't really pay tax and if we do, some scmuck steals it because he needs to live above his means and show off in some sick way. *breathless*

We can now only pray or act, there is no need for verbal criticism of our country anymore. Look at it at the moment- people are dying in a state and our priority is that a Hausa man must remain in power. We need to move past our ethnicity and religious bias for politics to be sane and for the economy to progress. We need to decide what's more important. Personally, the well-being of the Nigerian people is more important to me than that of an Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Ijaw or Kanuri man. All I want in life is to be able to live in a safe country. And safe as in I can rest assure that no one will look at me and say, 'fucking christian off with her head', or 'bastard muslim let's kill her, she's not worth much'. I am worth something, I am human and so are the people in Jos and the Niger-Delta- killing us won't make us a happier or more progressive nation.

Our lack of prioritizing and lack of a sense of urgency is killing us and we are watching it happen.

Revolt?REvolt??REVolt???REVO????REVOL?????REVOLT??????

Irrespective of my status of residence,it is possible for me to see the positives and negatives of a country I grew up in...I am stuck in traffic, I live in darkness and I have had to queue for fuel, I have even been subjected to not going to school because of strikes, I think I qualify as one who suffers the insecure state of my country.

And so when you do all this talking, who is listening exactly, fellow 'clown masses or the clown government'. Anywhich way no ones hears,clearly they don't care and your revolution will be futile... In military rule, who talked and lived it through. And upon all the talk, we got Obasanjo and a bunch of other military men, how was that progressive?We lie everyday about how we are now democratic therefore we deserve better, we are not. We are an oligarchy and that's all...

All I want to know, is will YOU be the revolutionary, will YOU DIE for YOUR cause, because let's face it, its not the talkers that die, its the doers. Will YOU do that?and will YOU take the jugdement of killing these clowns. That's why I say its easy to talk the talk, its harder to walk the walk and Nigeria is not at the point where talking the talk matters, its about walking infact jumping and the truth is, we as a people, see violence and we RUN, we KILL it because we are afraid(sensibly enough).

Sorry I am not a supporter of revolutions because its not the talkers or the privileged who suffer,it will be the masses you're fighting for who will. I support evolutions,no blood, just time consuming but eventually will happen. Your talk ain't gonna do much for an evolution especially when no one is listening and you are attacking!

Sorry about the epistle, but I am genuinely pissed off when Nigerians just quote out of theories that don't hold any water for our country. We are not a normal country contrary to popular belief therefore 'international relations' norms do not necessarily apply well to us.

In the new year I will be patient!!

Ok so my first blog of the year and I am purging hence the title but OMG!!!


So everyone knows how Haiti is in trouble and they are fighting in Jos yet again and over Christmas we even exported our first terrorist (well i say that tongue in cheek!!)
anyway this friend of ours is convinced that there is a conspiracy theory about Jos and tbh its a pretty baseless theory, its not even a conspiracy!! so there is an intellectual discussion going on and you know we are trying to be progressive young ones and the following crops up as a means of argument

1. When MFM catches them...WTF WTfreakingF, MFM really...this was an intelligent response how?? It irks me that he tried to bring such into a political argument, what was his aim, what was hoping to achieve, like its completely beyond me...what the hell MFM is meant to do for an argument about a baseless conspiracy theory...

2. We are all one...and so, what does that do for the argument...asin what exactly is we are all one...we are all one so we shouldn't kill each other or we are all one as in in this argument...we are all one, soooooooooooooooooooooo??

Ok so basically, nothing is more irritating than trying to shy away from an argument because you are losing by making such loose meaningless points...we are all one..let MFM catch them...eew!!!*DEAD*

On a brighter note, HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone, may this year be filled with progress in all spheres of our lives especially when we speak!!!

peace,love, progress and NO TO BAD ARGUMENTS!!!