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Showing posts with the label People

Wealth Before Welfare: Nigeria’s Tale of Misplaced Priorities

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The quote “when wealth is first, the people are destroyed” suggests that when the pursuit of wealth becomes the primary focus of a society or its leaders, it can lead to the detriment of the general populace. This idea is rooted in the belief that prioritizing material wealth over the well-being of people can result in social and economic inequalities, corruption, and the erosion of moral and ethical values. One nation rich, one nation poor. “ Okpa Aku Eri Eri (The Miser) ,” written by Ude Odilora in 1981, is an Igbo novel that presciently forecasts Nigeria’s trajectory over the years. It delves into Nigeria’s deeply ingrained obsession with accumulating wealth and material possessions, almost to the point of veneration. In the preface, Odilora asserts that desiring wealth and possessions is not inherently wrong, but when it becomes an obsession that overshadows essential values, it leads to tragedy. While hard work is commendable, the relentless pursuit of wealth at the expense of

Musesophy – The Concept of Ajambene in Igbo Culture

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Overview The term ‘Musesophy’ was first used in Osita Osadebe’s Agadi Nwanyị na Inine to describe the Musesophy of his  (Onye bili ibeya ebili)  ‘Live and Let Live.’ The author describes Musesophy as “the art of communicating wisdom or inspiration through songs, stories, or literary works.  In the context of Igbo highlife musicians, it is the ability to use songs to communicate words of wisdom, guidance, or knowledge to the people.” Etymologically, the word “Muse” is rooted in different ancient languages: in Latin, it is Mūsa , a derivative from the ancient Greek word Mousa . Based on various Greek dialects of the word Mousa (for example, mōsa and moisa ), it is argued that the word Mousa might have originated from an earlier form, montwa . As a noun, the word Muse can be viewed as a source of inspiration, especially for creativity or intellectual achievements. And as a verb, it can mean to think deeply or meditate about something. It is in this context that the concept of Aj

Twenty-First Century immigrational Utterances: Nationalists vs Internationalists Peripheralism.

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Overview The twenty-first century has witnessed unprecedented levels of global migration, reshaping demographics, economies, and cultures worldwide. This phenomenon has sparked intense debates and divergent perspectives on immigration, often polarizing societies into two distinct camps: nationalists and internationalists. Nationalists advocate for stringent immigration controls, emphasizing the preservation of national identity, security, and economic stability. In contrast, internationalists champion open borders (with controls), celebrating cultural diversity and the economic benefits of a globalized workforce. This writing delves into the complex discourse surrounding immigration in contemporary society. It explores how these opposing viewpoints manifest in political rhetoric, media representations, and public opinion. By examining the peripheralism inherent in both nationalist and internationalist narratives, it aims to uncover the underlying motivations, fears, and aspirations

Gender and Sexual Alignments: Equality, Inclusion and Belonging

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Overview The aim of this writing is to examine the various gender identities and sexual alignments from the perspectives of equality, inclusion and belonging. How is the socio-political, religious and economic spaces view other non-traditional gender identities in gender equality discourses? Do the current environment guarantee all genders and sexual alignments the emotional, personal, and social feelings that promote and encourage sense of inclusion and belonging? To answer the above questions, the following outline will be followed: What is gender identity? Types of gender identities Gender identities for entertainment and Self-expressions Sexual Alignment Types of Sexual alignments Yes, to equality: No to equality! Inclusion and Belonging What is gender identity? The word gender has its root in the Latin word, genus . Both the word ‘gender’ and ‘genus’ mean ‘kind,’ ‘sort,’ or ‘type.’ The word gender comes from the middle English ‘ gendre ’ which was borrowed from the Anglo-N

President Biden’s Age is now the problem! Where’s the ADA?

After the first US presidential debate, and the slow start of the incumbent, President Joe Biden, the democrats lost their minds. The democrats started to play with the acronym “SCAMPER.” They wanted a ‘substitute.’ They felt like ‘combining’ forces. They sort to make some ‘adaptations’ in their campaign strategy. They ‘modify’ the President’s schedules and so on. They wanted to ‘put into another use’ some tactics and styles. They outrightly wanted to ‘eliminate’ the President’s candidacy in the bid to ‘rearrange’ the campaign strategy to win the election come November 2024. Are you sure about that? Why all these jostles, sniffing and gossips? His crime is that he is 81 years old. They fear that he will lose them the presidency to an opponent whom the law has christened felon, the supreme court anointed a king through their presidential immunity verdict, and most Americans consider a venal potentate should he be re-elected as the president. I believe the people who criticize Mr. Bi

The Gi-ant of Africa and the goddess, Nemesis

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Overview Nigeria is popularly known as the giant of Africa perhaps because of its population estimated at over 250 million people. It is a country with the largest concentration of black people in the entire world. In her halcyon days, the oil boom of the 1970s, with an unparallel rapid revenue expansion, peace and happiness, Nigeria began to enjoy the reputation as epitomized in the statement by the erstwhile Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon: “Money is not Nigeria’s problem. But how to spend it.” Such a statement was reflected in their leaders’ behaviours and thinking. From the 1970s to 2024, Nigeria’s leaders have not shifted from such mindsets. Both her military and civilian leaders continue to entertain careless, unaccountable, and foolish behaviours that brought a jinx upon the nation. The oil boom became a curse to the people by the Nigerian goddess called Gi-ant .   Gi-ant stands for “government issues – accountability, nepotism, thievery.” These are the three manifes