Thanks, professor Aluko, for another sound data crunching and analysis, but there is something that I still do not get. When will our children, born here in the US, begin to be perceived (by us) as Americans than as Nigerians? Is it in their best interest that they are considered Nigerians by us, their parents?Why did I ask the above questions? If an Igbo had regaled on the fact that of the 68 Nigerians (69 had you not counted Peace Amukamara as an African other than a Nigerian -- Amukamara [mastering wisdom to perfection; philosopher] is Igbo), 41 are Igbos (6 other names are possibly Igbos but since I was not sure, I counted them as not being Igbo), most of you would have denounced the Igbo as indulging in ethnic irredentism or tribal championing. How does a hypothetical celebration of Igbo's predominance, over other Nigerian ethnic groups in this list, different from your celebration of Nigerians' participation in this American tournament? Why would an American not denounce you for indulging in ethnic irredentism, as you would dub an Igbo had s/he done as you did?These youngsters, had they lived in Nigeria, possibly would not have gotten admissions into universities. The main reason would have been, since they are almost Southerners, that quotas were lowered for other Nigerians in displacement of their meritorious chances. Why should Nigeria be ascribed any credit for their accomplishments?My questions are not criticisms of your analysis, I just need answers because I am getting confused about what constitutes Nigerian, why it should be celebrated, and why ethnic pride is anathema to those of you One Nigerianists who celebrate Nigerianism within America that should be a melting pot. Why are you not ethnic champions to those who cherish American exceptionalism, in the same vein that anyone who celebrates her ethnicity is an ethnic irredentist to you One Nigerianists?I am all for Nigeria if we will fix it, but I despise what Nigeria of today embodies. We should be careful in ascribing nationality to our children whose generation is different from ours. Do these kids consider themselves Nigerians? A few years ago, Iguodala of Golden State Warriors, who won the MVP for the NBA Finals of last year, felt insulted when Nigeria invited him to play for it at one of the Olympics games. He flatly refused:
Reject Religion; Relive Reason!In a message dated 4/4/2016 8:32:42 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, alukome@gmail.com writes:--My People:One hundred and four (104) American Universities have been involved in this year's NCAA Basketball tourney, with twenty-four (24) of them offering up their men and women's teams (otherwise there would have been one hundred and twenty eight (128) teams.) Nigerians in all of those teams are forty-six male and twenty-two women - quite a high number, bearing in mind that there are a total of only nineteen other African-sounding names (five of them females) in all the teams. However only twenty-five males and fourteen females (including my niece Ayoleka Sodade) actually featured in the tournament - you can figure out all of that from the table below..Six Nigerian males (Toby Egbuna, Daniel Ochefu, Bola Alade, Michael Gbinije, Daniel Akintobi-Adeyeye and Chinonso Obokoh) and the inimitable one female (Chantel Osahor) have featured in the Final Four - but today now we are left with only the Final Two - Daniel Ochefu (No. 23) of Villanova and Toby Egbuna (No. 34) of North Carolina.I had previously predicted that North Carolina would win it all - with UConn DEFINITELY winning on the Women's side tomorrow Tuesday, despite the Black Coach of Syracuse - but I am no longer sure about North Carolina, with the way the outstanding Ochefu and his team mates have been playing.
But we shall see in a few hours time.So enjoy - but one thing that we can be happy about is that there will be a Nigerian on the winning team of the Male Big Dance!Bolaji AlukoTABLE 1: ALL-NIGERIANS in the 2016 NCAA TEAMS – M & W
Sources:
http://www.ncaa.com/interactive-bracket/basketball-men/d1
http://www.ncaa.com/interactive-bracket/basketball-women/d1
S/N
University
Men
Women
African
1
North Carolina (1)
Toby Egbuna (34)
---
2
Villanova (2)
Daniel Ochefu (23)
---
3
Oklahoma (2)
Bola Alade (14)
1
---
4
Syracuse (10)
Michael Gbinije (00), Doyin Akintobi-Adeyeye (34), Chinonso Obokoh (35)
2
---- Syracuse (4)
5
Kansas (1)
----
---
Cheick Diallo (W)
6
Notre Dame (6)
3
---
7
Virginia (1)
----
---
8
Oregon (1)
----
---
9
Maryland (5)
----
4
---
10
Duke (4)
Sean Obi
Oderah Chidom
11
Miami FL (3)
Ebuka Izundu, Tonye Jekiri
5
---
12
Indiana (5)
O.G. Anunoby
6
---
13
Wisconsin (7)
----
----
14
Gonzaga (11)
----
----
15
Texas A&M (3)
7
16
Iowa State (4)
----
---
17
Connecticut (9)
Nnamdi Amilo
8
---- Connecticut (1)
18
Hawaii (13)
---
9
---
19
Wichita State (11)
---
---
20
Iowa (7)
Okey Ukah
----
21
St. Joseph (8)
---
---
22
Yale (12)
----
----
23
U. Northern Iowa (11)
---
---
24
VCU (10)
---
Jessica Ogunnorin
25
Providence (9)
---
---
Junior Lomomba (M)
26
Kentucky (4)
---
10
Evelyn Akhator
27
Stephen F. Austin (14)
---
---
28
Xavier (2)
----
----
29
Arkansas (Little Rock) (12)
---
---
Kemy Osse (M)30
Butler (9)
---
---
31
Middle Tennessee State (15)
----
11
----
32
Utah (3)
Kenneth Ogbe
---
33
Texas (6)
Prince Ibeh
12
Olamide Aborowa, Diani Akigbogun
34
Michigan State (2)
----
13
----
35
Iona (13)
Kelvin Amayo, Benjamin Nwokeabia
14
----
36
Pittsburgh (10)
----
----
Yacine Diop (W(37
Austin Peay (16)
---
Jennifer Nwokocha
Assane Diop (M)
38
Colorado (8)
---
---
39
South Dakota St. (12)
---
15
--- (???)
40
California (4)
Kingsley Okoroh
Kristine Anigwe
41
Buffalo (14)
David Kadiri
16
Ayoleka Sodade
42
Temple (10)
Obi Enechionyia, Chima Nwakpuda
Ugo Nwaigwe
43
UNC Asheville (15)
---
17
---
44
Holy Cross (16)
---
---
45
Cincinnati (9)
---
---
46
Baylor (5)
---
18
---
47
U. Wisconsin, Green Bay (14)
Henry Uwadiae
19
---
48
Oregon State (7)
---
20
--- Oregon State (2)
Cheikh N'diaye (M)
49
CSU Bakersfield (15)
---
---
50
Dayton (7)
---
---
Jeremiah Bonsu (M)
51
Fresno State (14)
Karachi Edo (?)
---
52
Purdue (5)
---
21
---
53
Weber State (15)
--
Regina Okoye
Sira Toure (F)
54
Arizona (6)
---
---
55
FGCU (16)
---
---
56
U T Chattanooga (12)
Justin Tuoyo
22
-
57
Stony Brook (13)
----
Ogechi Anyagaligbo
Roland Nyama (M), Akwasi Yeboah (M)
58
Hampton (16)
---
---
59
Seton Hall (6)
---
23
---
60
Holy Cross (16)
---
---
61
West Virginia (3)
----
24
---
62
UNC Wilmington (13)
Chuck Ogbodo
--
63
USC (8)
Chimezie Metu
Temi Fagbenle
64
Texas Tech (8)
65
UWashington
---
25
Chantel Osahor (00) - of UWashington (7)
66
Tennessee
---
26
---
67
Robert Morris
---
27
---
68
Duquesne
---
28
---
69
Mississippi State
29
Chinwe Okorie
Fallou Ndoye (M)
70
Belmont
Amanze Egekeze
30
---
71
South Florida
---
31
---
72
Colorado State
Emmanuel Omogbo
32
73
BYU
---
33
---
74
Missouri
---
34
---
75
Alabama State
Folorunsho Akande, Robert Ojeah, Chidozie Omile
35
---
76
Idaho
---
36
---
Paulin Mpawe (M)
77
St Johns
---
37
Sandra Udobi
Felix Balamou
(M), Abdul Dial (M) , Kassoum Yakwe(M)
78
Auburn
---
38
---
79
Florida State
---
39
---
Jean Marc Christ Koumadje (M)
80
Missouri State
--
40
Onye Osemenam
81
James Madison
---
41
---
82
DePaul
---
42
---
83
Central Arkansas
Otas Iyekekpolor
43
---
Mathieu Kamba (M)
84
Louisville
Chinanu Onuaku
44
85
St. Bonaventure
---
45
---
86
Oklahoma State
Igor Ibaka (???)
46
Diana Omozee
87
Troy
Aaron Ariri
47
---
88
Jacksonville
Josh Adeyeye
48
---
89
South Carolina
---
49
Sarah Imovbiohm(???)
90
George Washington
---
50
---
91
Kansas State
Wesley Iwundu
51
---
92
Albany
52
Bose Aiyalogbe
93
Florida
John Egbunu
53
---
94
Army West Point
John Emezie
54
95
Princeton
---
55
---
96
Ohio State
------
56
Theresa Ekhelar
Keita Bates-Diop
97
New Mexico State
---
57
---
98
Arizona State
Obinna Oleka
58
---
Peace Amukamara (F)
99
NCA & T
Ede Egharevba, Mike Owona
59
----
100
Georgia
Osahen Iduwe, Derek Ogbeide
60
----
101
Stanford
Ayo Adedeji
61
---
102
San Francisco
Uche Ofoegbu
62
---
103
Penn
---
63
Princess Aghayere, Michelle Nwokedi
104
UCLA
Ikenna Okwarabizie
64
----
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