Descent of women, children and men

Stop it!

Remove these chains!

We are suffocating!

Enough of these humiliations!

The groaning voices across Europe

Drowning citizens whose crimes are their citizenships

Writhing in pain from the new spectre haunting Europe

Ingloriously called austerity

That senselessly lunges into innocent children with regressive excuses

Reducing Herod’s massacre centuries ago to child’s play

That viciously attacks ladies purses

Hollowing out both their essence

That twists the hopes of the weak and vulnerable

In an immoral campaign of dishonour and high treason

That violently decimates pockets and kitchens

Reducing them to useless rubbles of deprivation

That unashamedly skins our dignity

In puerile swansong implemented by privileged brothers

So much so that foreign domination and existential impunity

Become charitable options in the face of corroding fabric of hope

Negation of knowledge and meaning in the battle of linguistic legitimacy

Introduction

Anyone who learnt Igbo in Alaigbo and speaks it with relish will surely acknowledge its dynamism and the context behind words and phrased used or ‘deleted’ over time and place. An assault on a people is equally an assault on their language so much so that it is their definition. In this article attempt is made to use an example to highlight how religious imperialism i.e. imposition of Christian religion by force enabled reconfiguration of words and their meaning to the point of causing serious deficit of positive collective self-appreciation.

While the position of this piece is not an advocacy for Igbo’s puritanical linguistic supremacy, nevertheless interaction allows the language to set the foundation and compass for its survival beyond pedantic colloquialism. One must also acknowledge that interference with ontological cores of a people including but not limited to their belief in the name of ‘civilisation’ and ‘evangelisation’ only wins a massive battle over generations without firing further shots. By extension it must be asserted that Igbo language and culture doesn’t need or required validation of external knowledge system of any shade or colour including but not limited to Judaeo-Christian constructions. This doesn’t diminish the responsibility of Ndigbo to sustain, maintain and extended the functions of their language.

Divided House

There is no doubt that in many cases active use of Igbo language is given 2^nd base treatment even by foremost Ndigbo including Chinua Achebe. Examples of these can be found in those days when pupils and students are penalised for speaking the language in school/class. While there is no law against it, many so called learned individuals frown upon their colleague who ‘don’t conform’ by speaking Igbo is select places and spaces. This is mostly characteristic in urban spaces in Igboland, Nigeria, United Kingdom and United States. One is looked upon as ‘ancien’, out-of-touch and backward. Many parents at home and in diaspora have no clue of passing the language to their next generation. Within many Christian denominations baptism is likely to be denied if the chosen child’s name is Igbo rejected on the basis that such is not a saint name. Only God know Ndigbo will get their own saints. What is wrong with Onwuchuruba, Agbawodike, Agbakwuruibe, Akalikpo, Okunamiri, Adanwanchaghara and etc? What is less theological and spiritual than Ekeledirichukwu, Chinasa, Chukwuma and etc?

Unfortunately the holy rollers leading these myopic campaigns aren’t those who brought the first instance religious package, rather the sons and daughters of the communities who have been ‘saved’ to see everything negatively including themselves by subtle proxy. Afoanu! The champions of devilishisation of Igbo essence including language!

Example

Igbo words associated with the profession focused on maintaining and restoring well-being is acutely under attack. No one has issues telling another they have an appointment with a doctor. But once an individual mentioned an appointment with Dibia, heaven muscles suddenly develop contractions. The first reaction is that of surprise, facial contortion, gradual distancing and then extended lips for the curious question. It doesn’t matter if the appointment is with Dibia Ogwu, Dibia Nshi or Dibia Aja? Even Ogwu in its state is equally under siege. What is wrong the word Dibia?  While the origins of these reactions are known what is less known is the etymology of these beautiful words. Di denotes a root adjective indicating expertise or professional excellence in any field of human endeavour. Many have heard and used words like Dioche (wine tapper (irrespective of kind of palm), Dinta (hunter), Dim/Dinwanyi (husband) and Dinweulo (head of household). It is clear there are many derivatives of Di including Dibia which suggest expert at emergency or rapid response. Is this not what Accident & Emergencies around the world do?

Di is a powerful evocation with far reaching spread of positive meanings and influence on the material and immaterial, individual and collective, visual and visual experiences.  Blind intolerance of Christian structure (not faith) based on hollow a-contextual re-interpretations which started with imposition on the back of unprecedented and timeless multipurpose violence and imperialistic impunity continues till this day.  There is no doubt that this has borne positive fruit, for now.

The saddest aspect of these experiences now and in the future is that those at the forefront of delegitimising and eradicating Igbo words have not made extra effort to appreciate and understand structure, process and challenges of meanings. Rather negative generalisations continue to dodge the landscape. Some of these flawed individuals are ready to travel to China, India and Cuba to obtain the best treatment from their Dibia forgetting that whatever they paid for and receive in treatment is not wholly narrow in content and context. There is nothing wrong calling a medicine man/woman, doctor. There is also nothing untoward regarding appendix as mkpuru nke afo, afterall where is it located in the anatomy?

Reflect

There is no justification for self-destruction in delegitimising Igbo words, phrases and sentences. These are the essence of our collective existence and experiences passed from one generation to another in dynamic openness to wider interaction but not at its great cost. Languages die each die but their deaths are not hastened only be depopulation rather by the depopulation of their usage. One of the great legacies of former Soviet Union is the recognition of peoples based on their linguistic geographies. Not so bad for those who rejected belief in a higher being!

New effort must be invested to advanced contexts, meanings and legitimacy of Igbo words, phrases and general language anywhere at any time. As for those who are more focused on accent, this includes those plying their trade outside of Igboland, they should be reminded that the next big thing in global language is not European in nature or Latin in script. For the 1.something billion who use it every day it is perfect and complete so much so that if your interest collide with their needs, short cuts surely diminishes.

Deconstruction of some perceptions of knowlegibility in Igboland & Diaspora

Introduction

Like previous articles, this is another exploration into knowledge sources and their expression and awareness in the post-colonial community. Knowledge may seem like a simple issue but it is indeed a complex component of human being including but not limited to Ndigbo. In the background of civilisation/asset stripping function/goal of colonisation I want to look at various ways post-colonial generation of Ndigbo have handled knowledge (amamihe) at the individual and then at the collective scales.  There is no suggestion or conclusion that colonisation is the culprit of dynamics of current epistemology of Ndigbo nevertheless such conclusion will suffice when critical analysis of colonisation by Ndigbo bears fruit.

Why Knowledge?

Knowledge is beyond definition while being preponderant to human existence in his/her awareness of individual and group, personal and collective, material and immaterial, fact and fiction, contingent and metaphysical. Irrespective of context this view of knowledge is found in any community of humans at any stage of their civilisations. It is knowledge that allows individuals and community to proudly claim or lay claim to their ontology, identity and originality which is constructed effectively in language, idioms and proverbs and ideas.  

This is the beauty of a people.  Built environment is an extension of the testament of this beauty and its expression. The quality, nuance and scope of knowledge of various communities are not static in time and space. So is the source considering the level of intra, inter and extra community interactions. Something to happened to appreciation of knowledge sources in Igboland.

What is Knowledge?

While amamihe represents to a great extent knowledge ima ihe replicates the verb to know. Amamihe represents general articulation of knowledge devoid of attention to specialisation by any individual. This must have formed the structural benchmark to grading awareness and understanding in pre-colonial times. Of course specialisation was part of the experience which is best captured in the phrase/question, “imarana ihe?” The best illustration is captured in the specialisation of medical/health professions classified into Dibia Ogwu, Dibia Nshi and Dibia Aja. Therefore context defines where answer to the question comes from hence identifies the true professional.

Conquest of colonisation opens another door of knowledge creation, knowledge imposition and knowledge creativity including dynamism in conceptualisation and language. Example is the phrase, Ishi Akwukwo. While the etymology is less fuzzy its origin is less than 150 years ago which aligns with nascent time to cement re-introduction of written or recorded knowledge. On its own the phrase is harmless however in reality it creates a new trajectory of discrimination, evaluation and devaluation. 

The new imperial institutions in the politics, religion and military re-configured the knowledge landscape to serve their strategic goals. By so doing communities where summarily divided into 2 major groups while ishi akwukwo became status symbol in the creation or making of new Ogaranya. Nuclear and extended families became not fatally divided albeit divided between those deemed intelligent and bright, and those who are deem not.  

The speed of this change was fast in a single generation but the effect was felt and is still felt. For reasons which cannot be explored here, many gaps opened up including the exuberance of the ndi nwere ishi akwukwo with all the perks and the lack of nuanced discussion in communities on the implication of the new knowledge definitions beyond the perfunctory focus on the anticipated  individual/family/community benefits.  

Outcomes

What became apparent is that new knowledge definition gradually took root, those who were deemed unsuitable or unresponsive were pushed aside in a Darwinian fashion hence a value system focused on ishi akwukwo. There is also evidence where certain knowledge, skills and professions were obliterated through ignorant zeal of new religious fervour. In any case the erstwhile knowledge sources where deemed unsustainable and incompatible to intolerant ‘Christianity’. 

The professional, skilled, artistic and eccentric were pushed down the river of expectation in a renewed zeal for inflexibility. By so doing a proverb confirmed itself, “Aluto agbogho achupu agadi.” The implication is that success is based on acquiring ‘book knowledge’ and thus became the focus of many investments without proper evaluation. Many families wasted resources and continue to do so till the present day.

If you peruse current formal knowledge landscape of Igboland you’ll be struck with the minority of attention to professional and vocational education. Most secondary schools have only one linear career path that is academic, which is flawed in principle. One can safely conclude that in Imo State there are less than 50 vocational schools. This short fall is complemented by private skill acquisition and training schemes in car repairing, electricals, computer hardware, air-condition & refrigeration and etc. Even in the post-secondary sphere, polytechnics do not receive the investments they deserve to transform the economic and knowledge landscape.

In a way this is a contribution to the over bloated universities which function as glorified conveyor belts churning out graduates rushed through curriculum without accompanying tutorials and guidance sessions hence with limited prospects only and high inflated expectations.

By the time you confront the ‘privileged’ diaspora especially in the English-speaking temperate lands then another penny drops. While an absolute minority are apt to denigrate another that their alma mater is not in the top 50 world recognised ivory tower as another cluster literally harangued those who did not choose IT profession. There used to be a cluster of ambitious Igbo young men and Igbo young women in London UK few years ago whose narrow worldview revolves around the supremacy of IT. The intoxication to this lunatic expression of professional 5^th column is something to behold as every other individual or profession is relegated to the gutter of hopelessness.

The relegation of core Igbo knowledge sources and knowledge system can be perceived strong in the way experiences, cultures and traditions are appreciated in expression. Even Igbo Language is perceived as a colloquial tool devoid of any other function. Even Chinua Achebe couldn’t see what the fuss is all about. You begin to wonder why there is almost no Igbo Language Departments in Igbo Universities.  Of course these are sustained by a shallow intelligentsia and ruling elite whose sense of knowledge and culture lacks sophistication and pride. Apparently one can appreciate that sectins of Igbo populations are transforming into hybrids of nothingness were grasps of core Igbo knowledge has ceased to exist while total integration into the new one seem almost impossible.

Forward March
It will be irrational to revert to the pre-colonial world. Nevertheless the confrontation between Igbo and imperial knowledge systems/sources needs to be critically analysed, discussed in depth and re-emphasised with nuanced and view toward praxis. Part of this discussion should focus on the role of Christianity on elevation/devaluation of Ndigbo. That a people can only be consumers of knowledge products/sources received from outside is counter-productive. Passive consumption doesn’t attract greatness.

One of the benefits of greater interaction is the ability and opportunity of travel afforded to those deemed ndi n’enweghi ishi akwukwo. This has added new layer of complexity towards understanding of knowledge and more so the measure of knowledge. The inflexibility of colonial Igboland experience have contributed to many young people traveling to different parts of the world with positive and negative experiences.  Evidence abounds of the industry, innovation and creativity of many these men and women including but not limited to becoming proficient in extra-African languages and cultures. United States singularly is the hotbed of transformation for many who were condemned previously.

As the world geopolitical landscape is being reconfigured with non-European and non-Atlantic powers projecting influence across the world there is greater incentive for Ndigbo to revisit Igbo knowledge, values, knowledge sources, ontology and origin in the bid to bring it up to date as a force of concentration and dynamic rallying point. History may be re-written by the conquerors but time has come for the formerly vanquished to truly answered their father’s name.

Internal geopolitics and complexity of advantage in embattled Nigeria

Introduction

The current state of Nigeria and her expression of constitutional power at federal, state and local levels provides an interesting backdrop in chronic misreading of history, fatalistic disposition to self-destruction and sustained identity crisis. Bearing in mind that the above are not new elements in the political spaces, this piece makes an attempt to draw out historical niches supporting inability of figures heads to making the most from absence of war in parts of Nigerian geopolitical space.

In the beginning

The journey of becoming Nigeria can at best be compared to River Nile in complexity nevertheless we must acknowledge that the latter is a natural phenomenon. It is interesting that Nile possess the unique feature of being one of few rivers in the world that flow from south to north. It is a feat of natural ingenuity to sustain continental flow over thousands of kilometres in unprecedented assent before dropping off gradually towards the last 500 km in present day Egypt. It is important to re-emphasise that the world is not flat and south – north flow is close to anomaly nevertheless Nile has thrived across millennia.

In the case of Nigeria, it is started as a business deal between London and Unilever for a few pounds. Of course before that was the total pacification of the various peoples and nations currently under its leaking umbrella. By ‘total’ I mean deployment of religious, political, economic, cultural and military forces to destabilise and overhaul indigenous peoples and their civilisations. Ever since its emergence in 1914 it continues to be problematic which her colonial investors managed with aplomb while the indigenes or rather their figure heads handle with pretended stupidity. Without robust critical evaluation and historical amnesia, various figureheads continue to defy logic in the attempt to maintain a flawed architecture. Contrary to the success of Nile, blowing hot against gravity can only lead to disaster despite the best intentions. Intentions cannot conspire against history successfully.

If it is not reception of imposed political system without modification to accommodate unique local idiosyncrasies, it is preponderance of fear to discourage pluralistic endeavours across nationality lines and worse pretending that universalist foreign religious groups are indigenous despite their rank-and-file taking orders from outside. Remember that indigenous religions thrived on accommodation, ecumenism and tolerance; all of a sudden they are marginalised as satanic protégés of the same people who were in the beginning created in the ‘image of God and his likeness’. The result has been preventable conflicts and destruction of lives and property almost every 5 years. Surely Nigeria we hail thee!

Real Imbeciles

The conflicts and destruction perpetrated by the figureheads in politics, military and religion is mindboggling because they are indigenous. What is curious is that even in instances where the conflict theatres and destructions are geographically restricted, political operators in non-conflicts areas fail to take advantage in advancing strategies, make real political investment and meeting basis need of peoples, populations and electorates.  Ugly precedence can be relayed back to the 1950s when Nigeria was ready for or was offered independence only to be declined on the preposterous reason that ‘everyone  is not ready’.  Even if these were sufficient what was the internal geopolitical design to allow it to stand? Was anything extracted from the party seeking delay on the future strategy whenever the country became independent? Politics is about opportunity and speed. If Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and Chief Obafemi Awolowo were eggheads of their time, why is there no record of their understanding of colonial strategic design and zeal to shape the future according to their designs? Or even an alliance between them for extended strategic control of Nigeria’s affairs? The got it wrong and still want future generations to do so; epitome of failed and flawed politicking. Is it to be believe that the north is not born to rule from sand to sea when the south threw away their opportunity into the sea? Is there any legitimacy for southerners to claim marginalisation when the so-called smart minds in Azikiwe and Awolowo woefully failed to read geopolitical wind directions and take advantage?

Matters continuing

The current leadership in Abuja will no doubt be impressed to be compared with Jurassic Park Town Council as it revels in the doldrums of both internal and external affairs. Its lack of touch, lack of focus and inattention is now legendary as the implications mounts. For those who clamour for their questionable turns on the presidency, it is my fervent hope that South-South group are in buoyant mood. For the figureheads who continue to fail tests of expectation at local and state levels in Igboland, one can only be reminded that there is time for everything. With nothing to show for effective leadership and strategic implementations after the 2^nd republic, Igboland is now a mangled space of undeserving putrification. In the PDPstan, most LG Chairpersons appropriate public resource for next gubernatorial ambition and most governors perform abysmally for the next presidential race. Sad!

As recent conflict combusts the north epicentred in the North East one would have imagined attractions of the opportunities for areas in non-conflict zones. Lack of imagination and intellectual poverty have taken hold! Particularly this confirmation that absence of war is not peace is perfectly illustrated by Nigeria. As the north burn, the south has failed to take advantage to lap the race of development and advancement especially in Igboland despite hyperbolic drool of contested collective intelligence. Provision of basic infrastructure and public service is now confounded with emasculated expectation from proverbial 10% sorry 100%. An old son of a gun attributes it to leadership crisis, hmm! Identity crisis, QED!

Not even the sacrifices of generations past and those who particularly ran the river of hope in the Nigeria-Biafra War figure in political and geopolitical calculation of the figureheads including those in the religious sphere. Those who continue to delude themselves that indigeneity of structure is the same as control of decision making. Churches that lost touch with real people and real problem solving instead waste resources on incredulous philosophies and theologies devoid of addressing of self-same conquered peoples.  The sad part is the these church figureheads fail to realise that the institutions they represent continue to reflect strategic rear-guard actions against our peoples ontologies which cannot be shaken off by mere platitudes cloth in new status, foreign Northern degrees and enhancing built environment on donated lands. Blindness comes in various forms and shapes.

Any hope? Of course there is abundance of it in its immateriality. However one must acknowledge that the current generation is fast reaching its death when new unexpected positive rigour whose foundations were laid before will take off. Maybe at that time the concept, territory and continental shelves of what is currently regarded as Nigeria will be swept into oblivion.