Nigeria Governance and Language of Public Communication

Introduction

Recent developments in geopolitics and foreign policy have refocused minds on the significant role language plays in influencing and modifying expectations. Even the most powerful players in the scene are very mindful of their audiences and duly address them in languages they understand. For example the opening session of the ongoing Geneva II conference exemplified the fact despite that geopolitical giants, it is an Arab affair. So much for English as the global language! My grudge is the difficulty in understanding and dealing with lack of linguistic nationalism in those who represent constituencies in and of Nigeria.

Who Speaks?

I used to take it for granted that English language is the medium of public communication despite experiencing and participating in my local parliamentary deliberations in the good old days. In those parliaments usually lead by the senators, all legal, economic, social and even spiritual matters are dealt with thoroughly in Igbo. For the most part majority population most times, nearly 100% of residents of the parliamentary jurisdiction are fluent in Igbo. I am certain this is or was the case in other Nigerian nations. Nevertheless within the same space, one was/is confronted with state/federal government communications undilutedly transmitted in English. The 1970s/1980s is poignant as majority seek for interpretation of messages behind martial music; coup d’état. Apparently this is increasingly the case at the state levels where majority population exists whose language is also vehicle of public communication. Somehow the recent gate crashers of governance & representation have turned into unwarranted zombie-apostles of English Language. I hear some weak mind arguing its incentive for cohesion or questioning its strategic usefulness!

I hear you!

While political independence conveys many things, the most important of its meanings are relegated and denied. Majority of Nigerians speak more than one Nigerian language. One would naturally expect that medium of public communication between representative/leaders and the people will be the ‘global’ majority tongue of the geography i.e. state and sub-state levels. They peoples have not rejected or discouraged listening to budget, anniversary message or holiday message in Igbo, Nupe, Ijo, Yoruba, Efik and so on. There is nothing puritanical in such expectation. Rather they are increasingly shorn of their patrimony as English language is ruthlessly re-imposed. This ontological assault has created confusing personalities who live in conflict of linguistic disequilibrium. For many, priority is given to the English with all sorts of unarticulated justifications.

All No be Zombie

One may argue if choice of language will bring food to the table. It will do better than that by reinforcing collective ontology and essence. It will force a re-thinking on our understanding of the function of language. Some of many leaders like Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, General Emeka Ojukwu and others appreciated and assimilated these values in their learning and speaking at least 3 languages of Nigeria with clinical fluency. Before the entity and concept called Nigeria emerged, interaction of peoples under its umbrella was active and sign-language was not the lingua franca. There were significant progress in trade, exchange and learning between various nations and empires, a case which is easily dismissed by those who claim peoples of Nigeria had nothing in common. At least they are all Africans! Various communities across the land have citizens of whose genetic origins are distances or nations away.  Even today the multinational and plurinational characters of the peoples cannot be denied but their interaction is no incentive for evangelisation of imposed imperial language(s).

Diplomatic Wahala!

Openness, greater interaction and reduced cost of travel have brought more exposure to wider use of language. It has also enabled appreciation that linguistic struggle of Europe, perceived as the epitome of development, remains unfinished business. European Union may be questionable in delivering neo-liberal economic agenda; however its language policy is active in broad representation of peoples.  At least over 15 languages are used as official medium of communication, presentation and documentation.

Nigerians are still struggling to articulate the reason for its existence talk less of finalising its policy on language. In the meantime they’ll continue reading the ‘gospel according to st English’. It is now business-as-usual observing Nigerian officials quibbling, struggling and faff around with English language for international media. The initial striking point is enormous energy, massive strain, discomfort and above all dislocation with the language each claims to be his/her own. There is no law that says that an official must communicate in a imposed language of difficulty, there is no code that banish using other languages (with interpreters) to communicate in diplomatic/international fora. By the way who is the audience? In most cases anyone speaking on international platform have his/her domestic audience in mind.

As a collorary, it is more likely that a Nigerian young woman in UK or US will scan and dismiss Nigerian young man for approaching ‘her majesty’ in their national tongue or questionable English accent.

Our Arab brothers/sisters in North Africa have greater clarity in the subject. Even the current president for all his qualification in formal education can at times appear like a rabbit before a head lamp in confusion, oral pugilism and mandibular contortion. For what? To live an examined life? Is speaking Ijo (with interpreter) anathema on international scene?

Lessons in Ignorance

Our Asian brothers/sisters have made greater strides in the language sphere and they have babels of it. They have contentment, maturity, metaphysical astuteness and confidence to deal with anyone in their own tongue when it matters. Time has passed when eloquence and command of English language is a measure of intelligence, actually in many cases it is a measure of stupidity and ontological dislocation. Those who erroneously harbour in their mangled minds that many Nigerians who relish their national languages anywhere are inferior only ignorantly express their comfort in the mire of arrogance. This is more so with those who are brain-washed with a virulent type of religious abuse that diminishes, retrogresses and distorts essence and origin in various forms of suffocated christianity.

If one don’t know himself/herself, cannot communicate trully with oneself and to other in teh confidence of his/her original tongue where applicable, doesn’t examine his/her live thoroughly, I doubt his/her life will be worth living. I am doubtful that the descendants and successors will easily reverse what was lost in language in an intergenerational quagmire.

Cold realities of Africa – China Relationship

Introduction

The break out of China as real geopolitical giant with economic clout in the last decade is resonating across the world most curiously in the continent of Africa. While babel of opinions ride the waves in favour and in opposition, there are fundamental enablers for this development. Beneath and with these fundamental enablers are cold realities which may remain inert nevertheless irrefutable.  These realities are clear to Beijing and chancelleries across Africa.  Some of the points below highlight the issues at stake;

·         Regardless of the increasing geopolitical profile of Beijing, it remains a state be it nation-state or civilisation-state. It is just another country on the Asian continental mass including her disputed territories and disputed continental shelves. Africa is a continent made up of many states with similar/dissimilar policies, institutions, government and strategic objectives.

·         The communist party rule that commenced in 1949 brought a lot of international reversals and rejections for China including the abominable crime of being the only United Nations Security Council member to be deprived of her rightful seat (by United States). This situation was corrected by concerted efforts of African and Asian countries who lobbied for China’s UNSC to revert from Taipei to Beijing in 1971[1].

·         Chinese government and Chinese Communist Party strategic objectives are to hold on to power unchallenged and to maintain internal national security (by any means necessary)[2]. This implies using the newly available enormous resources at her disposal to provide over a billion citizens with infrastructure, services, facilities and incentives to ensure high standard of living. By so doing potential internal tensions, political recriminations and power struggle are nipped in the bud.

·         Chinese investment in Africa are part of strategic objective to readily access and purchase resources required to maintain her increasing economy and burgeoning consumption. It is not a moral venture to reward Africans, power elites and privateers.

·         There are favourable conditions and attractive incentives in Africa open to every geopolitical power[3] which only Beijing saw fit to pursue further for a number of reasons including but not limited to gradual weakness of European Union, United States ambivalence on Africa and Russia clear avoidance of Africa in foreign policy. There is no evidence that Beijing is challenging the named powers which may suggestively lead to erroneous justification of Africa as battleground of geopolitical ambitions. These regressions open window of brinkmanship among African elites to deal with Beijing with freer hand.

·         China is not ready and may never become an independent dominant geopolitical colossus. There are many reasons for this scenario. The decline of the west in real terms is currently restricted to Europe (an Union)[4] with the haemorrhaging of astute political leadership and increasing economic regression. United States remains and will remain in the scene as the undisputed geopolitical (economic & military) although limited power for at least 2 more generation as she possess the knowledge base, resources, institutions, vibrant population, and large economy if defence budget is trimmed considerably[5].  Nevertheless US eyes on Africa remain focused in large on her mineral resources and in limited spaces like Uganda, Rwanda, Egypt and Ethiopia. Even these capitals have increased their trade ties with Beijing which implies that Middle East distraction of Washington DC is an incentive to African chancelleries.

·         Real benefit to Africa from trading with China will take generations to delineate clearly because most capitals and African governments have no public support, lack popular base, suffer from institutional decay, ravaged by conflicts and run like nepotistic enterprise.  While the number of Chinese grants and loans are increasing with what seems like favourable conditions, evidence is lacking on the ability of various African governments to take real advantage with Beijing[6].

·         Lopsided deals, weak foreign policy initiatives and lack of strategic vision dominate most of the bilateral agreements between Beijing and African capitals. With money paid for resources ‘flowing with pressure’ into elite coffers, wider populations within and beyond national capital do not benefit from the largesse. Internal divisions, political intrigues and ego clashes between elites are indicators for unsustainable dealings with China. Of course for no fault of Beijing.

·         Most the investments, deals and agreements across Africa seem to be large construction and consumption projects where knowledge and managerial input of locals are severely limited (by Beijing).  Knowledge transfer and sharing of research & development are limited in action and scope. Of course China is still sending her experts for further training in United States and Europe. The large African infrastructural complexes will surely require huge resources and expertise for maintenance.

·         Another example of China’s loose bargain is population transfers to African countries. This is another evidence of African leaders’ inexperience in foreign affairs as potential explosion of tension from dumping of inexperienced, unqualified Chinese and poor-quality products in various markets overhangs.

·          Finally for now China harbours superiority complex which may be tried out beyond her shores in Africa. For Chinese elites and most of the Chinese people, their origin is unique and separate from the rest of humanity. For these mindsets, Africa is not the origin & home of man[7].

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[1] Clegg, J (2009) China’s Global Strategy Towards a Multipolar World. Pluto: London p.51

[2] Salisbury, H.S (1993) The New Emperors Mao and Deng. HarperCollins: London, Chapter 49

[3] Simms, B (2013) Europe The Struggle for Supremacy 1453 to the Present. Allen Lane: London p.257-259

[4] Connolly, B (2012) The Rotten Heart of Europe. Faber and Faber: London

[5] Bacevich, A (2008) The Limits of Power: The End of American Exceptionalism (Macmillan, USA)

[6] Cardenal, J.B & Araujo, H (2013) China’s Silent Army. Allen Lane: London, Chapters 2 & 16

[7] Jacques, M (2009) When China Rules the World, The rise of the Middle Kingdom and the end of Western World. Allen Lane: London, Chapter 8

Quenelle – the nadir cum collapse of French politics

Introduction

One wouldn’t be condemned if they were lost and later found on a landscape dominated in the last few weeks by the current never-ending development in France. If one is ‘wise’ enough to admit the complete dominance of European politics by the right intellectual poverty for now, then the question would be why is the irrelevant made relevant in the French political landscape?  This question points directly to the heart of the issue, quenelle, currently raging in France between the powerful elite and majority poor French.

The last few weeks has seen serious emergence of action by the French state since the ill-fated election of Mr Normal, Francois Hollande. Some may take issue with the word ‘ill-fated’ and rightly so. For common French citizens i.e. the majority poor he is a continuation of delusion, hopelessness and poverty of leadership that can be traced back to former president Francois Mitterrand.

Elite Failed Seduction vs. Power Potential of the Multitude

On all counts of his election promise, Mr Hollande’s government has failed to the point that he has been honoured with the lowest presidential poll rating since such record began in France. While that may not be a serious indicator of performance there is no other figures pointing him in positive light. Unemployment numbers have not changed and the so-called holy grail of economic performance in triple A+ lost by the previous government remains unrestored. The question now can be rightly posed, what is the current French government up to?

Before dissecting the question it is important to address the quenelle issue. Not so much on the etymology, morphology, description or essence as I have no time to regurgitate extremes of shallowness or sagacity of many ‘experts’ on the matter. Nevertheless the crucial point is acceptance that finally the government has bared her teeth in an infamous way to distracting citizens and population from pressing ahead with focusing. That is focusing on the poverty of leadership, intellectual hollowing out and administrative meltdown of the French elite. The quenelle debacle is part of the lengthy final lap of dishonour of the French elite who have finally confirmed their impotence, inability and unwillingness to rule.

Neoliberal Allergies

On another level it is also a confirmation of a pattern making round in Europe in the last decade that democratic process and elections are simply tools by the elite to dominate self-deflated majority. The fact that the European Union is a bastion of neoliberal ideology is not lost on citizens across the continent but there is special resonance when it comes to France. Therefore the French elite decided to make an example of an individual, a comedian and a citizen whose only crime is reminding citizens of their right of awareness in a civil space.

Now that the full force of the state has come to bear on the ‘problem’ what next? Will the economy improve? Will the fortune of neoliberal agenda be rolled back? Will any sense of being special be felt by ordinary French men and women? No, is the answer on the three counts; rather the austerity homily will continue without soft belly. The French population will continue to haemorrhage from leadership poverty of elitism and political retrogression.   

Therefore the current French leadership personalised in Francois Hollande has failed with no success in sight till the next election when hopefully the candidate, Mr/Miss Abnormal may enter the Elysee Palace.

Élan Genealogy

None of these unfolding events is either new or crept in by surprise if you are patient with history. Like I stated earlier various previous French presidents have used grandiosity and questionable decisions to bamboozle the electorate. Even General De Gaulle was in the act by pretending to punch above his weight while reality presented a contrary narrative. One must understand the attempt by Napoleon to turn France into undisputed power ended with him in defeat. Jacques Chirac charm and apparent Gallic prowess only consolidate charismatic delusion devoid of increase in quality of life or real prestige in the international arena. Nicolas Sarkozy finally tilted the balance by among horrendous things dismantling French ‘uniqueness’ for a lapdog patch on the altar of US hegemony. Re-joining NATO high Command finally laid De Gaulle to rest in peace.

Francois Hollande simply took over the baton from another elite to continue the policies of his predecessors. What many refused to acknowledge it that elites dominate European political landscape via parties as much as there is no need for difference in policies, opinions and strategies. It is a battle between ‘powerless’ majority and the minority with power. Either the majority put up or shut up. Power cannot be given up without a fight and at the moment French majority are seduced, deluded and confused.

Loser (Client) Projecting Power at the Periphery

Inability to sustain expected change at home has pushed Paris on constant misadventure abroad especially in Africa in the bid to knock London off the perch of 'special relationship' with Washington DC. As the new underling of the State Department it took the lead in 2011 Libyan destruction, Malian invasion and now Central African Republic invasion. All to enable US global capital masked as AFRICOM to extend its sphere against Chinese interests through recolonisation. Evidently and over time there will be nothing to show for it except the usual nibbles of defence contracts for the elites. This pattern of external and southwards vision indicates fundamental failure in Europe where Germany has got back everything she lost without firing a shot in almost 2 generations.  Paris is no longer an equal of Berlin. There is one European economic and political power, Germany, and Paris knows it and its architecture. The EU Paris worked so hard to set up as a bulwark against Germany has failed both French elite in a way and truly the French people. Hence the new African adventures! Poignantly Bismarck said his Africa is in Europe.

Historical Bookmark

The trail of failures of French elite is almost genetic and intergenerational in significance. The biggest of it was rendered clearly and emphatically. The result is Germany. Otto von Bismarck, Prussian Chancellor, spent most of his career attempting to forge Prussia and Germanic principalities into a unified powerful state in the centre of Europe to counter Britain, Russia and France. By twist of French elite incredulity and incompetence, Bismarck joined a conflict in which Napoleon III was taken prisoner by Prussian forces. This defeat was consolidated in the Hall of Mirrors Versailles and Germany was born in 1871, with sclerotic consequences for later generations.

Conclusion

French state reaction to Quenelle is a distraction per excellence a la French elite.  It is a fitting conclusion to remind the French elite to avoid crying like a woman for what it failed to hold like a man.

Unconscious implementation of self-rejection: Examples

Introduction

As we match into the New Year with all the hopes and expectations, one or two will unconsciously malign the context with unwarranted uniqueness. At the individual level it may suffice but collectively some in the current and or previous generations have successfully overcome. Therefore attempting to re-invent the wheel as a New Year template may not be wise. The suggestion is clear eyed seeking for information even when the context seems too foreign to believe. A respected personality told me towards the end of last year that each person spends half his/her life sleeping. True! So waking up is crucial. Many of us are in deep sleep without knowing why or even dispute we are so.  Our children and their successors must not.

Salient Points

Some examples can be found below.

·         Allergic to village/origins – there is greater tendency that individual members of the current generation possess higher attraction to so-called cities/urban areas than the villages, their origins. Villages are now associated with the negative, unproductive and unsuccessful. Why is this? This is in part the result of formal education that at its heart dismantled and relegated our view of our collective origins. In the previous decades, these origins were condemned more for lacking infrastructure, restricted access to clean water, lack of electricity and lack of telecommunication. As many communities have achieved high penetration of modern facilities the winds starts blowing in another direction. Village then became the unsafe bastion of evil, unfit for children, destructive to young people, unfit for graduates, unfit for globe-trotters and a den of retrogression. Just a place to be buried! For those who claim to find ‘new faith’, their origins have become the point of separation between their old and their new. Even when there is agreement on safety insurmountable conditions are constructed before positive can be associated with the village. I must admit many of our sisters occupy high places here.

·         University degree is ultimate – there is nothing wrong with formal education but for many those who lack it (villages and urban spaces) are inferior. In this view they cannot compete, have inferior opinions and deserve rear seat in public events. This is the new craze. Of course graduates can live in villages and do their business and professional affairs therefrom especially with electricity, water and telecommunication in place.  Graduate can interact with non-graduates without problem and with spirit of humility share knowledge and wisdom instead of running away from one’s origin. There is increasing evidence that acquisition of more degrees doesn’t translate to access to expected destination. Many in Europe and Americas can testify. By the way many graduates have Europe?

·         Thinking is vague, fear is not real – it is very clear that many of us accepted the conveyor-belt assembly line education system in our various countries without question. The main objective of these systems is to extract unalloyed submission and eliminate dissent. In a funny way, if one get all answer with As then he/she is top dog. There is nothing wrong with high grades but when you ask the same high flyer about applying the subject to local examples, he/she barks because one is fed on foreign examples. For example many like me received Comparative Advantage as conventional wisdom of Economics. So how can China be explained? Rostow’s stages of economic growth is another one. Lenin’s Imperialism, Last Stage of Capitalism is another as if any stage of imposed capitalism is not imperialistic. You marvel as some of us revel in their understanding of austerity. Should we be afraid of critical thinking? Should we be afraid to ask tough questions? Yes, raising hand in schools wasn’t seen as cool for many! Will the children be encouraged down that ugly line? Where will liberation come from? Eating and throwing to go back to it again? Of course in fear! Imposed education system will never encourage or teach thinking. Certificate and degree don’t make one, once a human being nothing else is required to be complete. No one is born stupid but on adulthood the right to build an altar to stupidity cannot be challenged.

·         Leadership & management is hmm – conveyor-belt assembly-line education system is a followers game. Zombie a la Fela! Do as I tell you, absorb all you heard! So everyone is working hard to obtain the high grades and rush out to the best job in the best establishment. Fine. Our children are surely going through similar ropes. No one received lessons in leadership, provided with resources to manage expectations of other men and women. Probably one thought that degrees and certificates will take care of it. This is not just about promotions and pay rises. Not about Mandela style; leading from the front and selling out those behind or vice versa. This is the onus to accept responsibility that in your full consciousness you are sufficient and capable to take a giant leap in every situation. It is not about aggression and hard-power confrontation. You can reverse the trend that expects your submission and confront your ‘real deal’ in any establishment or institution.  Not a submissive leader though. Self-employed or master-servant showpiece, it all applies. This is the fact that allows us to reclaim ourselves and our histories. It allows us to shine our dignity even when it is denied and also to anticipate new arrivals of imposition on the scene. Europe is no better than China and India. China and India will do no better than Europe.

·         First language is not vernacular – many carry vivid examples of structural obstruction to speak their first languages in schools and on-going restriction to colloquium in the religious sphere. Classical example of continuation is prevention of children to learn/speak their parents’ language because ‘English is more important’. However when they are at school they easily pick up the local slang/dialects. This mean no stories, proverbs, poems and linguistic puzzle in the first language. This is called ‘development’ but to all and sundry it is ontological blindness. The breast that provided milk is responsible for delivering language(s). Matters will continue to arise! Please let stop killing our first languages with different convenient excuses.

·         My neighbours are not tribes – without thinking we refer to our African brothers and sisters as tribes. Are they? Do you like to be referred to as a tribe member? Have you thought about it for few seconds? Why are Europeans not referred to as tribes? Instead nations? Nationalities? Hmm, my worry doesn’t mean that the trend will change positively tomorrow. It took a long time to arrive and will take more time to be dented.  Interact with your neighbours seriously without supervision because you’ve much in common before the imposition, so says the laws of geography.

·         Foreign Investment is the key to development – What does it or doesn’t mean? If I attempt to reduce to basics. How will it go for a family leadership to be overthrow by an external entity for a few extra currency?  This new ‘investor’ will surely reconfigure his assets (human and inhuman) as he/she saw fit. Will the ‘investor’ reconfiguration of human assets/liabilities go down well with local observers/stakeholders if it include but not limited to ‘touching up’? What are the legal/actual limits? Where does the investment favour or empowered the seller post-sale?

·         Church is good and indigenous laws/traditions are evil – if you are not a true reflection of your ontology, traditions and heritage; you’ll make not a good church person either. Trees don’t grow with roots in the air. Tell it to your children.

Like I stated, these are few example. Though points of contextual conflict but not for strategic condemnation. Hope is not a word, it is life. Life may be addictive, good health ever greater. Still an examined life is worth living.