A short note/ takeoff on Pa Google daring to suggest "Nazi" when Chidi absolutely meant "Mazi"
This evening, I found myself checking out the word "Nazir" and "Nazirite" as in "Nazirite vow". A colleague at work once told me that she had taken a "Nazarite vow" and from that day forward, I started looking at her as if she was from another planet, like Mother Teresa.
(You have of course heard about this miracle?)
For the bookworms, wordsmiths, etymologists, Ifa priests, poets, struggling students, and wannabe presidents who have the time to spare it's all here in the latest issue at
TheTorah.com - Torah and Academic Biblical Scholarship 👍 :
What Is a Nazir, and Why the Wild Hair?
The Sotah Ritual: Mistrusting Women and Their Torah Study
The items discussed above in connection with the SOTAH ritual should interest e.g. Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju, who is interested in comparative mysticism , and should of course, also interest some of the jealous men who suspect their big booty of committing adultery / zinah / fornication outside of holy matrimony…
On my first encounter with the description of the ancient ritual known as " Sotah", I was sure that the equivalent of that ritual or very similar practices could be probably found (from a Western Missionary point of view) ín some primitive African religion/s
The Sotah ritual has fallen into desuetude, since very long ago; and the rabbis say that the ritual has lost its efficacy because the people nowadays are not as pure as they used to be
Chidi, consider: Joe Biden fell yesterday -we all wish him a speedy recovery, and today we read this kind of headline:
Don't be fooled – Trump's presidential run is gaining more and more momentum
Biden falls and Trump's run is gaining more momentum.
Early this morning in my dream (I Remember all the details) Pope Francis took both of my hands in his and told me a few things; he also explained to me, matter of factly, why one of his predecessors committed apostasy…
BTW, I believe that Ojogbon is going to write a book about you and the other phenomenon we know as Adepoju and please, don't say I didn't warn you. If Adepoju hasn't already done so, I suspect that he's also writing a book about Ojogbon, and another one about Abiola Irele. The one about Ojogbon will probably be poetically titled " A Mouth Sweeter Than Honey"
You know how it is: Jesus talked about his Heavenly Father, all the time, and as soon as he was gone (to heaven) the apostles started talking about him (Jesus)
If only Jesus had written a book about himself...
--On Sunday, 28 May 2023 at 15:54:45 UTC+2 Chidi Anthony Opara, FIIM, CDOA wrote:Mazi Cornelius(anytime I type "Mazi" and click, my gadget would return "Nazi", so don't be angry anytime you see "Nazi Cornelius")In the film when Field Marshal, Dr. Alhaji Idi Amin Dada, CBE(Conqueror of British Empire) made the referenced statement, the urbane medical doctor he was talking to asked him "but why?", Idi Amin replied "that is what we call kakwaka storm".The "kakwaka storm" has already reached Lagos. The head of one Peter Obi's godfathers is already rolling (metaphorically, that is), the godfather's name is Bode George, who said that he would go on exile if Bola Tinubu becomes president.The man just told Vanguard newspaper that he has forgiven Tinubu, insinuating that exile is no longer on his immediate plans.By evening tomorrow, you maybe surprised (I won't), on the number and calibre of heads that would roll in Abuja(metaphorically also).Most of the professional opposition loudmouths would be in Abuja personally or through proxies pledging loyalty to President Bola Tinubu and pleading to be "carried along".-CAO.Chidi,
"For them that must obey authority
That they do not respect in any degree
Who despise their jobs, their destinies
Speak jealously of them that are free" ?
I was only trying to tickle your funny toe. In my view too, the people perish where poetry does not flourish.
You do make a very succinct point there that "Poetry, at least generates reactions from many quarters". I think that on a personal level the main impulse that dominates the self-haters, the haters of themselves, haters of humanity and haters of poetry is that they reach for the delete button, the way that the gunslinger/gunrunner reaches for his gun.They say that they don't want their peace of mind to be disturbed by whatever, it may even be Shakespeare.
It does reek of calumny, but we don't have to go too far back in history to find precedents such as " Muhammad's Dead Poets Society"
Fast forward : Do you remember the furore over " The Satanic Verses"?
I suppose that nowadays in some dictatorships the prevailing atmosphere is what you friend Wole Soyinka termed "Climate of Fear '' where the very idea of " poetic licence" is anathema to the ministry of misinformation and state propaganda, and where freedom of expression can be violently suppressed ; you may not be in love with violent suppression by the miscreants but to some extent you may unwittingly find yourself on the same side , find yourself in bed with them as a consequence of say, " One can have any affiliations one chooses to have, I don't care, but I care about misinformation via dissemination of half truths." I'm afraid that sounds like a Nigerian Joseph Goebbels saying no to the freedom given by " poetic licence" , by using your very words: "One can have any affiliations one chooses to have, I don't care, but I care about misinformation via dissemination of half truths.", even though here, in the Nigerian context - in Wole Soyinka's Republic of Liars, you say half truths in the sense that a half truth is equal to a whole lie
Satire can be used as a useful weapon.
I have already pleaded with you that outside of freedom of speech Nigeria, you have to be as circumspect as possible - you cannot use that " poetic licence " of yours as a driving licence for all occasions in Saudi Arabia, Thailand, or even Japan where the Monarchy is above criticism. You know as well as anybody that there are certain half-truths and even full truths that can get you into a whole lot of trouble, and that then Ojogbon Falola & Ken Harrow's pleas via Amnesty International , P:E,N. International, Human Rights Watch etc won't be able to help you. Or Assange. Or Snowden. Or Evan Gershkovich
I'm not too happy about your ultimatum to Dear President-Elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu. You say, " The next 100 days would determine my relationship with Bola Tinubu, Nigeria's incoming President"
Which means that you expect him to hit the ground running. What if he doesn't " hit the ground running"? We've got to be patient. Consider all that Chairman Mao said, about " The First Step"
Consider the tens of thousands of pieces of advice being thrown at him from e.g. Augustine Togonu-Bickersteth and others, from left, right and centre!
Something else that is a cause of concern, your ominously quoting Dada Idi Amin, that "whenever there Is a change of government in Africa, a few heads must roll"
Heads rolling here of course doesn't mean the guillotine in a non-poetic sense ?
People going to face the firing squad for corruption?
On Sunday, 28 May 2023 at 11:44:23 UTC+2 Chidi Anthony Opara, FIIM, CDOA wrote:Mazi Cornelius,Re-"Chidi was probably being Nigeria-specific...."Context should always be taken into consideration in all situations.By the way, if "Poetry makes nothing happen", why then are we always saying it?Poetry, at least generates reactions from many quarters.Warm regards,-CAO.Chidi was probably being Nigeria-specific, but more generally speaking, would Chidi care to express an opinion on "Poetry makes nothing happen" ?
Whilst in his own eyes he may think that it's kosher for him to say that he "cares" ( deeply?) "about misinformation via dissemination of half truths",
is he simultaneously aware that some poetry, including his own, not to mention some of the contending scriptures, have sometimes unknowingly or
deliberately set out on the path of unintentionally / "inerrantly" misleading people by disseminating misinformation and peddling " half truths" or outright lies?
Consider the proposition that " Jesus never existed"
When seriously investigated what does that make of e.g. "The Holy Trinity" ? The Virgin Birth? All that "New Testament" poetry?
Some food for thought , an opinion attributed to Imam Ali ( alaihi salaam) :
" Only an ignorant person is proud of his own opinion"
May The Almighty save us all from ignorance…
On Saturday, 27 May 2023 at 13:37:21 UTC+2 Chidi Anthony Opara, FIIM, CDOA wrote:One can have any affiliations one chooses to have, I don't care, but I care about misinformation via disemination of half truths.-Chidi Anthony Opara (CAO)
--
Chidi Anthony Opara is a Poet, IIM Professional Fellow, MIT Chief Data Officer Ambassador and Editorial Adviser at News Updates (https://updatesonnews.substack.com)
--Listserv moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at AustinTo post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
To subscribe to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue+subscribe@googlegroups.comCurrent archives at http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
Early archives at http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "USA Africa Dialogue Series" group.To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to usaafricadialogue+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/usaafricadialogue/bd8e2a0c-33b7-4fe0-a2e6-0a1455222a01n%40googlegroups.com.
--
Chidi Anthony Opara is a Poet, IIM Professional Fellow, MIT Chief Data Officer Ambassador and Editorial Adviser at News Updates (https://updatesonnews.substack.com)
--Listserv moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at AustinTo post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
To subscribe to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue+subscribe@googlegroups.comCurrent archives at http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
Early archives at http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "USA Africa Dialogue Series" group.To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to usaafricadialogue+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/usaafricadialogue/c406eb36-4bf3-41b2-9d95-4bb4a85d581bn%40googlegroups.com.
--
Chidi Anthony Opara is a Poet, IIM Professional Fellow, MIT Chief Data Officer Ambassador and Editorial Adviser at News Updates (https://updatesonnews.substack.com)
Listserv moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
To subscribe to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue+subscribe@googlegroups.com
Current archives at http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
Early archives at http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "USA Africa Dialogue Series" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to usaafricadialogue+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/usaafricadialogue/c1496b93-2d49-411a-8ada-13bdc0e55211n%40googlegroups.com.
Listserv moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
To subscribe to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue+subscribe@googlegroups.com
Current archives at http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
Early archives at http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "USA Africa Dialogue Series" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to usaafricadialogue+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/usaafricadialogue/CADQbxp%3DEvoFK7e6d3K2-Wy3kEoXc-Fw2QBc6VxyDFAR0F10qWg%40mail.gmail.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment