RE: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Fela: International Thief Thief

"we cannot be stuck in the past with a limited and unevolved view of heroism."

 

Bode

 

 

It bears reminding that the past matters which is why history matters.

It bears reminding also that the end does not and should not justify the means. There is right and wrong.  The intention to be contrite or to do good in future is no reason to commit criminal acts in the present.

Colonialism and imperialism create wealth for colonialists and imperialists who turn around and become "do-gooders". Doing "good" after, does not justify mindless exploitation of the resources and people of the victim-countries of colonialism and imperialism just as the crimes of robber-barons are not less crimes because of the "good' that the robber-barons do after.

Privileged Nigerians have looted and continue to loot the country's treasury. They have visited the country and fellow citizens with unconscionable misrule. Is it the case that the suffering and misery that their actions breed are ameliorated by the egoistical "benevolence" and "philanthropy" that they may practice later? Is a robber-baron capable of altruistic acts?

 

oa

 

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From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Olabode Ibironke [ibironke@msu.edu]
Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2012 3:17 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Fela: International Thief Thief

we cannot be stuck in the past with a limited and unevolved view of heroism. heroism does not mean sainthood. it means action performed at a level beyond what we normally expect in everyday life or the capacity of most people that we know. in every capitalist system, there is always deal-making between the money class and the ruling class. this was why Marx called government the committee of the money class but the same Marx also talked about class suicide in which a member of the money class renounces the privileges of his class and joins with the people. this is the humanist form of the story of redemption. for you, it seems, even when a rich man has gone through the eye of the needle and lost his life in the process in the course of the people he can never do enough to redeem himself. whatever deals Abiola had with one of the most radical governments in the history of the country, Murtala's Government, he was playing by the rules of the capitalist ethos, something that will be familiar to anyone with the least knowledge of the history of capitalist societies. Go and read about Rockefeller, Carnegie,  who built American public libraries, and are revered  figures in American capitalism and you will see the value of celebrating human redemption through public service after what seems shady, and appreciate better the Abiola story. and there is such a thing as redemption in this world. if one gives ones life, that should be enough repayment for whatever sins one may have committed against society. But for some, there can never be redeemption for the rich, heroes cannot emerge from out of this class!

Bode

On 5/31/12 2:10 PM, Chidi Anthony Opara wrote:

"Then start start to steal money
Start start them corruption
Start start them inflation
Start start them oppression
Start start them confusion
Start start them oppression
Start start to steal money
Start start to steal money

Like Obasanjo and Abiola

[Chorus]
International Thief Thief!"

------Fela.

And suddenly, they become Icons, symbols and heroes of democracy, etc.

-----CAO.

 

Publisher At PublicInformationProjects

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From: Funmi Tofowomo Okelola <cafeafricana1@aol.com>
To: Funmi Tofowomo Okelola <cafeafricana1@aol.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2012 6:07 PM
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Fela: International Thief Thief

Youtube: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BofSwLXktA

Nigerians....

Fela: ITT (International Thief Thief) Lyrics

[Chorus]
International Thief Thief!

I.T.T.
International thief
I.T.T.
International rogue

Well, well...
Ha!
Well, well...
Ha!

Motherfuckers, bastard motherfuckers
We yab dem, yeah
Hurry up there
Say "yeah"

[Chorus]
Well well!

Well well, na true I want talk again o
Na true I want talk again o
If I dey lie o
Make Osiris punish me
Make Ifa dey punish me o
Make Edumare punish me o
Make the land dey punish me o
Make Edumare punish me o

I read dem for book ee-o
I see so myself ee-o
Well-ee well-ee o
Well well... well well!

[Chorus]
Well well... well well!

Long time ago
Long, long time ago

[Chorus]
Long time ago!

Long, long, long, long time ago
African man we no dey carry shit
We dey shit inside big big hole
For Yoruba-land na "Shalanga"
For Igbo-land na "Onunu-insi"
For Hausa-land na "Salga"
For Gaa-land na "Tiafi"
For Ashanti-land na "Yarni"
For Ethiopia-land na "Sagara-be"
For Kagyu-land na "Cho-Cho"
For Bemba-land na "Chimbuzi"
For Tunga-land na "Echibuzi"
Long, long, long, long time ago
African man we no dey carry shit
We dey shit inside big big hole

[Chorus]
Long time ago!

Long, long, long, long time ago
Long, long, long, long time ago

Before them come force us away as slaves
During the time them come force us away as slaves
Na European man, na him dey carry shit
Na for them culture to carry shit
During the time them come colonize us
Them come teach us to carry shit
Long, long, long, long time ago
African man we no dey carry shit
Na European man teach us to carry shit

[Chorus]
Say am, say am!

Many foreign companies dey Africa carry all our money go
Many foreign companies dey Africa carry all our money go
Them go write big English for newspaper, dabaru we Africans
Them go write big English for newspaper, dabaru we Africans

I read about one of them inside book like that
Them call him name na I.T.T.
I read about one of them inside book like that
Them call him name na I.T.T.

Them go dey cause confusion (Confusion!)
Cause corruption (Corruption!)
Cause oppression (Oppression!)
Cause inflation (Inflation!)

Oppression, oppression, inflation
Corruption, oppression, inflation

Them get one style wey them dey use
Them go pick one African man
A man with low mentality
Them go give am million naira breads
To become of high position here
Him go bribe some thousand naira bread
To become one useless chief

Like rat they do them go do from
Corner corner, pass-ee pass-ee
Under under, pass-ee pass-ee
Inside inside, pass-ee pass-ee
In in, pass-ee pass-ee
Out out, pass-ee pass-ee
Peep peep, pass-ee pass-ee
Up up, pass-ee pass-ee...

Then he gradually, gradually, gradually, gradually...
Then he gradually, gradually, gradually, gradually...

Them go be:
Friend friend to journalist
Friend friend to Commissioner
Friend friend to Permanent Secretary
Friend friend to Minister
Friend friend to Head of State

Then start start to steal money
Start start them corruption
Start start them inflation
Start start them oppression
Start start them confusion
Start start them oppression
Start start to steal money
Start start to steal money

Like Obasanjo and Abiola

[Chorus]
International Thief Thief!

I.T.T.
International rogue
International thief
We go fight them, well well

[Chorus]
Well well!

Well, well...

We don tire to carry anymore of them shit
We don tire to carry anymore of them shit
We don tire to carry anymore of them shit

Well, well...

[Chorus]
International Thief Thief!

(((((H))))

Funmilayo   

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