Ladies and Gentlemen:
I would like to restate that the notion that once you have criticized Zik or an Igbo person in the past you cannot be an honest partner in today's effort to glorify Zik or empower Ndiigbo in general is FLAWED and unprogressive.
Second, it is IMPORTANT that we understand that there are times when it is appropriate for us to stand on principle against a general attitude or practice and become suspicious about certain things that come with it; an example is colonization; and in that case, we can take steps to question every move potential colonizers make in the form of Greek gifts, friendly gestures etc that could be interpreted as means to a suspicious end. However, the debates and differences we regularly have on the egroups do NOT rise to that level of antipathy or present sufficient threats and basis for a conspiracy theory that will prevent us from doing something good for Nigeria.
If Nigeria goes on well, you could easily find Prince KC and Bolaji serving on the floor of the National Assembly or as ministers in the Executive Presidency, doing all they can to collaborate and interact to move the nation forward; so these egroup debates don't rise to any significant level of inter-personal differences that would lead to long-term distrust, bitterness and acrimony.
Finally, I bet you that the next time Bolaji is in Prince KC's neck of wood in Canada, he will look him up and wine/dine with Prince KC. I believe Prince KC will do the same as well. So all these differential outlooks should not be stretched beyond their meaningful boundaries, that is the Cyberspace Njankiri and shakara. Anything more is UNPRODUCTIVE AND UNPROGRESSIVE FOR NIGERIA and her people. Take care. JUI
From: NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com [mailto:NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Alabo Opubo
Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 7:14 PM
To: NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com; naijaobserver@yahoogroups.com; naijaintellects@yahoogroups.com
Cc: IDU USA; asa-usa@yahoogroups.com; ANAMBRA FORUM; IGBO EVENTS; IGBO FORUM; WORLD IGBO CONGRESS; Bolaji Aluko; talknigeria@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [NIgerianWorldForum] RE: [asa-usa] The Updates on Zik Statues and Mausoleum with current pictures
Greetings KC,
Since your posting, intimating the fora that the statues of Zik were in
fact in full/repaired form, I have consistently read your posts waiting
to note when you would finally ask the question of "why Bolaji Aluko
would even dare to assume control of a project suggested for undertaking
by Azuoma Anugom? After all Azuoma Anugom came up with the idea of
repairing the statue so when did this project become Bolaji's project?
Then, something else worries me about all these development, when did a
friend wail over and mourn the dead more than the family members of the
dead? Why is Bolaji Aluko crying so much louder than the Igbos, after
all Zik was first and foremost Igbo before he became a Nigerian. Besides
the statues are in Igbolands, would Bolaji with his over-vaulting
ambition have allowed an Igbo person to take lead of the suggestion of
an Yoruba woman to repair Awolowo statue? I just do not understand the
posture of the Igbo men on this forum to allow Bolaji Aluko with his
amply demonstrated despise of the Igbos to let him take lead in the
restoration of Zik.
Where is Vin, that cosmopolitan Igbo and his Igbo pride? Where is that
so vociferously proclaimed Igbo pride that is thrown at my face all day,
everyday on this forum? There is just no way Bolaji Aluko would even
dare to do something similar in the RS Ijaw area and I would let him, so
where is the Igbo pride, I ask again? Then, why would the Igbo governors
not recognize the need to have an Igbo lead this project and push Bolaji
aluko to a second tier, even third tier position? where is the Igbo
pride?
Regards,
Opubo G Benebo
There is no earthly hope for a man who is too lazy to acquire enemies
[be forthright and you will acquire enemies, be truthful and you will
acquire enemies] -- a Noble Canadian.
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [NIgerianWorldForum] RE: [asa-usa] The Updates on Zik Statues
and Mausoleum with current pictures
From: "Asagwara, Ken (EDU-ECY)" <Ken.Asagwara@gov.mb.ca>
Date: Wed, August 25, 2010 2:44 pm
To: <asa-usa@yahoogroups.com>, "ANAMBRA FORUM"
<AnambraForum@yahoogroups.com>, "IGBO EVENTS"
<IgboEvents@yahoogroups.com>, "IGBO FORUM"
<igbo_forum@yahoogroups.com>, "WORLD IGBO CONGRESS"
<WorldIgboCongress@yahoogroups.com>, "Bolaji Aluko"
<alukome@gmail.com>, <talknigeria@yahoogroups.com>,
<NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com>
Cc: "IDU USA" <idu-usa@googlegroups.com>
Dr. Okenwa Nwosu/Folks:
I did observe with some concern as Bolaji Aluko did "the
pitch-fork-like staff in the Inisi Onira statue" of the Great Zik.
Me thinks that a staff in the form of the "ancient Igbo nobleman in
his burial chamber (carbon-dated 8th-9th Century AD)" would be more
appropriate.
KC Prince Asagwara
From: asa-usa@yahoogroups.com [mailto:asa-usa@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf
Of Okenwa R. Nwosu, M.D.
Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 4:25 PM
To: ANAMBRA FORUM; ASA USA; IGBO EVENTS; IGBO FORUM; WORLD IGBO
CONGRESS; Bolaji Aluko; NaijaPolitics@yahoogroups.com
Cc: WIEF FORUM; IDU USA; Zik Project
Subject: [asa-usa] The Updates on Zik Statues and Mausoleum with
current pictures
Graphic depiction of ancient Igbo nobleman in his burial chamber
(carbon-dated 8th-9th Century AD)
Bolaji,
Bearing a staff of authority is an ancient Igbo cultural practice as
shown in above graphic depiction of an Igbo nobleman. All the
paraphernalia and appurtenances of authority shown in picture were
actually recovered from an archeological site in Igboukwu, Aguata LGA,
Anambra state in early 1960 by Professor Thurstan Shaw and his crew. The
staff impelled in front of the Igbo ancestral nobleman was cast in
bronze and was retrieved intact. The ivory tusks, though degraded, were
still recognizable.
Having a great Igbo leader like Zik to bear a staff of authority, even
if just in form of artwork, is nothing unusual in the authentic Igbo
cultural practice. Perhaps, we need to engage the sculptors of Zik
statues, if they are still around, to explain why they chose the
specific staff designs they used in their work.
I concur entirely with your observations about the lack of
proportionality in Zik's features as shown in the rehabilitated statue
at the Onira Retreat.
Okenwa.
From: NaijaPolitics@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:NaijaPolitics@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Bolaji
Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 4:27 PM
To: NaijaPolitics@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [NaijaPolitics] Re: The Updates on Zik Statues and Mausoleum
with current pictures
Ike Agbor & Okenwa Nwosu:
Since both of you have mentioned it, let me give you some concerns that
I have about both statues, independent of their un-edifying
surroundings:
1. Why does Zik carry a spear-like weapon? cultural staff? in both
statues?
2. I am troubled by the pitch-fork-like staff in the Inisi Onira
statue. It is similar to what the devil is stated to carry, short of a
middle prong. I EXHALED when I first saw it.
3. The DMGS statue is MAJESTIC - with Zik looking up and forward, but
the Inisi Onira statue looks forlorn, with Zik looking down.
4. Most importantly, indeed the Inisi Onira head is MIS-SHAPEN, out of
proportion with the rest of the body, and the face looks TOO YOUNG for
the full body. Quite frankly, if you ask me, I do not think that the
sculptor did a good job.
But those are just my opinions....and there you have them.
Bolaji Aluko
From: wief@googlegroups.com [mailto:wief@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of
Okenwa R. Nwosu, M.D.
Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 1:11 PM
To: ANAMBRA FORUM; ASA USA; IGBO EVENTS; IGBO FORUM; WORLD IGBO
CONGRESS; NaijaPolitics@yahoogroups.com
Cc: WIEF FORUM; IDU USA; Bolaji Aluko
Subject: [WIEF FORUM] The Updates on Zik Statues and Mausoleum with
current pictures
Original Zik statue at DMGS Roundabout
Newer Zik statue at Onira with reattached head
Abandoned Zik Mausoleum exposed to the elements
Umuibe,
In spite of the poor image quality of these recent pictures posted by
Azuoma, a careful observer can easily notice something queer in the
restored Zik statue at Inosi Onira Retreat. The neck looks out of
proportion with rest of the body. The restoration work was mostly in the
neck which, of course, had to be severed when the initial statue at the
location was vandalized by decapitation. Compare the Onira statue with
the original creation standing at the DMGS Roundabout since the early
1960s which was the handiwork of master-sculptor, Prof. Enweonwu.
The question that still needs to be answered is whether the Onira Zik
statue was properly restored close to what it was before being
decapitated. This can only be ascertained by comparing the restored
statue with the original one which was vandalized as far back as 2003.
The restored statue was unveiled by Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred
Achebe, on Monday, January 1, 2007. Almost four years lapsed before the
decapitated statue of the Great Zik was "rebuilt by a prominent
Onitsha philanthropist, Mr. Henry Onukwuba". The unanswered question
is why did it take this long to amend the vandalized memoriam of
Nigeria's first President and Head of State? Who supervised the
restoration work in order to assure that the rehabilitated Zik statue
would not end up being a distortion of the true image of Nigeria's
premier leader?
My contention here is not to dispute whether or not Zik's "statues
have been restored". My point is that it may be premature to regard
the whole statue saga as now moot. As one would say, it is not over
until it is over. The ambience in which these statutes are displayed as
well as their maintenance schedule are still of major concerns to those
committed to optimal restoration and completion of abandoned Zik
memorials in Onitsha and elsewhere. By the time the mausoleum gets
completed most of the building's substructure might begin to
disintegrate and crumble due to lengthy exposure to the elements in the
past 14 years.
Let the pledges keep on coming because there is still a whole lot of
work that lies ahead…..
Okenwa.
-----Original Message-----
From: Azuoma Anugom <adaejiagamba1@aol.com>
To: igbo_forum@yahoogroups.com; IgboEvents@yahoogroups.com;
igboworldforum@yahoogroups.com; NIDOA@yahoogroups.com;
nigianworldforum@yahoogroups.com; naijaobserver@yahoogroups.com;
ORAUSA@yahoogroups.com; imostatecongress@yahoogroups.com
Cc: alukome@gmail.com; zikproject@googlegroups.com
Sent: Wed, Aug 25, 2010 6:56 am
Subject: NIDOA | The Updates on Zik Statues and Mausoleum with current
pictures
Dear All,
As promised I called Onitsha and my contact got a photographer to take
the pictures of the current state of Zik statues both at DMGS and Inosi
Onira Retreat and the mausoleum. Here are the pictures with dates and
the name of the photographer. He took the liberty to decorate the
borders but aside the flowery borders you can see the pictures clearly.
As you can see these pictures were taken on August 17, 2010. The
statues have been restored and we have two statues both at DMGS and
Inosi Onira Retreat which the photographer dubbed Roundabout. However,
the mausoleum is still uncompleted. So, for full disclosure purposes,
the fund raising is for the mausoleum only--as the other issue is now
moot.
We don't know the estimate for the completion yet and we have formed a
committee which will look into the modality of tackling this project. I
will be calling a meeting of the Comittee members for this Saturday. I
will be sending out an email to all the people that pledged so that you
can participate and/or join this committee if you so wish. I believe in
doing everything worth doing properly. One of the things we discussed is
forming a non profit organization that will carry out this project as
well as keep the vision of Zik (democracy and pan Nigerianism) alive.
So, I thank you for rising to the call of duty and I'd crave your
indulgence to join us in keeping this vision alive. Let's this not be a
mere knee jerk reaction, let this be the beginning of a great movement
in Nigeria. Like I shared with some folks, if we succeed in galvanizing
the government to complete this mausoleum then we have accomplished a
lot indeed.
I shall be back with more comments. Thanks and God's bless.
Azuoma Anugom
~~Adaejiagamba
Life shrinks according to one's courage. Dare to be remarkable.
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