Prof. Ogungbemi.
Sometimes, I am appalled at the reasoning of the Professor. A person born in a place other than his local government and who has worked strenuously and contributed his/her quota to the development of that place is not qualify to belong there? Ah! The indigene-settler controversy all over again! Does citizenship apply in part or to the whole? Do you talk of a citizen of Lagos State or a citizen of Nigeria? If I am a citizen of Nigeria, shouldn't I be able to range far and near according to my socio-economic desires?
I fear that your reasoning to the moral justness or unjustness of someone living in another place other than his/her local government area is seriously warped and detrimental to the hope of national integration (if it is to happen). Citizenship in Nigeria, though based on a wrong foundation, is supposed to serve as the basis for a national conversation amongst ethnic groups and nationalities. This implies that I shouldn't be limited to my LGA alone. In 2000, I witness the reoccurrence of the eternal violence in Kaduna and saw those who have contributed economically to the economic development of that place, mostly Igbos, fleeing with their families back South. Their children were born there and had remained there before they were forced to flee. By your reasoning Sir, it is justified that they should flee if they can take with them what they are entitled to, not so?
Once you begin to mention identity, citizenship collapses. Citizenship is supposed to mediate identity hurdles and facilitate national conversation. If I am a Nigerian citizen, the logic is that it allows me to enjoy certain trans-locale democratic privileges like voting and being voted for. I agree it doesn't perfectly up till now because of the wrong colonial foundation, but it's still a nucleus of a good idea. Tell me how your reasoning about the immorality of someone claiming to be part of a place which isn't his/her LGA can make it more perfect as a democratic practice? Like Prof. Mobolaji remarked, the British left long ago. And some little postcolonial migrationary concessions to integration, like living and contributing to a place other than my own, exists as a counteraction to the colonial logic. Yet, you are arresting that. I strongly suspect you-and that nimcompoop Fani-Kayode(who claims to be half Lagosian-within your logic of identity, where does a half-Lagosian belong?)-are part of that old school nationalists who were ignorantly inducted into the divide and rule logic. Proof? The merely exhumation of that Yoruba proverb of 'Nda ni yio pe'ra re l'eru' is enough complicity for me. With that proverb, you have unfortunately but successfully adapted an heinous colonial logic to an indigenous wisdom. I prefer to go with 'B'ewe ba pe l'ara ose...' It is a signal to the future, to what must be done within the ambit of the regenerated order rather than whatever logic has been detrimentally planted in our psyche.
Adeshina Afolayan
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN
From: Segun Ogungbemi <seguno2013@gmail.com>
Sender: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Date: Sun, 4 Aug 2013 17:35:36 +0100
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com<usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
ReplyTo: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: [Naijaintellects] Re: Recovered Human Heads: Wife Of Hotelier Cries Foul
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We tend to forget that the colonial master, Britain never wanted a united Nigeria. The country was divided into three regions on ethnic rationalization that enabled the British to optimally apply its divide and rule strategy. The nationalists were schooled in the same tradition and they were allowed to operate on ethnic and divide and rule system.
The fact that one was born in Kano never made that person a Kano citizen. If a Yoruba person was born in Onitsha that did not qualify him to be a citizen of the place. He has no entitlement there apart from what he makes for himself.
At independence every regional premier had his focus on the development of his region. It is morally unjustifiable for a Yoruba person to go to northern or eastern region to enjoy the development of either of the two places simply because his western region was not developed. Similarly, it is morally unjust for anyone from the north or from the east to go to the west simply because the west was best developed by its premier. One could only be tolerated in any of the regions insofar one lived according to the norms of the place.
That was why a certificate of northern status was given to those who came from the north in those days. And I am sure other regions had a similar form of certificate for their citizens then.
You cannot go and deface a developed area where you are only tolerated and expect the owner of the place to give you a pat on the back. In fact, the Yoruba will tell you that Nda ni o pe ara leru. That is: the person who has been accorded good treatment in the society, it is his character that will make people to know that he is a slave.
That is the way we should understand what has happened to the so called deported Ibos from Lagos State. So the idea that ewe to pe lara ose a dose does not apply in Nigerian situation because the social structure from the past to the present does not allow it. That is why Pa Awolowo said that Nigeria is not yet a nation. The ingredients to make it a nation is not yet being purchased.
We cannot for now be like America because our common backgrounds are not the same. If all the present geographical and political zones have almost the same impressive development in terns of economic and basic infrastructure with competitive education in humanities, sciences and technologies the oneness of Nigeria can be assured.
Now, I think what Governor Peter Obi did can be challenged in the law court. We should allow justice to take its course without necessarily overheating the polity.
Segun Ogungbemi.
Sent from my iPhone
Otitigbe:
You are right: there should be a simply-written actionable Nigerian Magna Carta - transcribed in as many Nigerian languages as possible - of rights, responsibilities and prohibitions of life, limb and property of Nigerian citizens.
At present anything goes in Nigeria, and so most things happen that make one want to wonder and holler. People react based on who did what to whom, rather than without regard to circumstance. These are the people who hypocritically bleat at actions to their ethnic comaptriots, to which they are blind, deaf and dumb when it happens to others, as if their own lives are worthier than others.
To say something is "un-American" is most powerful - but is there something "un-Nigerian". - except order?
I would like us to agree on a few - some things that unborn babies, or children, or women, or old people, or students, or the destitute/poor, or the accused, or students, etc should NEVER have to face in Nigeria, and if they face them, that would be positively "un-Nigerian".
And there you have it.
Bolaji Aluko
On Sunday, August 4, 2013, Otitigbe Obadiah Oghoerore Alegbe (The Okatakyie Otitigbe of Africa) <otitigbe@oviri.com.ar> wrote:
> Mobolaji.
> Your input is very correct. "The values we all must share ". Well written. It was just few hours ago that I downloaded the English Magna Carta which points to what you wrote in the case freedom for all in England. It is a pity that Fashola is a lawyer in a Commonwealth of Nations country ,how sad if he is not aware of the Magna Carta and that values we share make us a great nation. I read part of the beautiful masterpiece written 800 years ago which share a lot with our African traditions and also made me shake my head to say our ancestors were very wise in their family values. Maybe Fashola does not know the Yoruba saying "Ewe ti o ba pe lara ose, aa dose". If St Mathew Daniels, Da Silva , the Johnson that we know are of Brazilian root can claim Lagos, why not Igbo that have been there 7 generations? Senior Advocate of Nigeria, surely a title arranged for by friends.
> Otitigbe.
> From: Mobolaji Aluko
> Sent: Sunday, August 04, 2013 2:20 AM
> To: naijaintellects@googlegroups.com
> Cc: Naija Politics ; nigerianid@yahoogroups.com ; Ra'ayi ; Yan Arewa ; OmoOdua ; ekiti ekitigroups ; USAAfrica Dialogue
> Subject: [Naijaintellects] Re: Recovered Human Heads: Wife Of Hotelier Cries Foul
>
> Segun:
>
> Impunity ("Just do it, nothing wil happen") and Hypocrisy ("Look at what he has done, not mine") and Party-san-ship ("How can we make PDP or APC lose face maximally on this?") rule our land, whether in Fashola's internal deportation order, or Obi's reaction to it, and now Massob's reaction to Igbokwe's justification or Obi's demolition of a hotel. Reaction by/to Ngige in this silly political season waits in the wings.
>
> We are yet a country of peculiar ethno-geography, not a nation of shared values. Until we fully sit down to formulate and accept those values that we all must share, how we treat each other as Nigerians, and which values are inviolable one to the other, we will continue on this rickety bridge to an uncertain future.
>
> And there you have it...we shall see.
>
>
> Bolaji Aluko
>
>
> On Saturday, August 3, 2013, Segun T. Dawodu <stdawodu@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Nigeria is a jungle where everyone is lord unto himself.
>> IG of police is now a tool for personal vendatta.
>>
>>
>>
>> Segun
>> On Aug 3, 2013, at 4:28 PM, Dododawa <dododawa@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>> Imagine if an Igbo person's hotel in any of the SW area is demolished and suspicion of a human head being found on the premise. Imagine that --- all the "igbo" quasi lawyers on this forum will be up in arm with all types of illogical insinuations. But Obi, can unilaterally demolish someone's place of business without a court issued warrant. Obi is the prosecutor, they jury and the judge. Go figure this people's sensibility ...
>> *** what happened to innocent until proven guilty???
>>
>> Recovered Human Heads: Wife Of Hotelier Cries Foul
>> By 247ureports
>> 91 Views
>> Posted In
>> News
>> Tagged as
>> <http://247ureports.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/anambra-demolition.jpg>
>> Demolished Hotel where human heads were alleged to be found. No court warrants were issued for the demolition.
>> —appeals to President Goodluck Jonathan, Senator David Mark to intervene
>> From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Onitsha
>> Wife of Chief Bonaventure Mokwe, the Proprietor of Upper Class Hotel, Onitsha demolished Friday by Governor Peter Obi led Government for allegedly discovering of two fresh human heads, Mrs Nkiru Mokwe has raised alarm that the life of her husband is in danger.
>> Speaking to newsmen, Mrs Mokwe, a lawyer appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan and Senate President, David Mark to intervene and ensure her husband is not killed as they pursue justice.
>> ''My husband was arrested and detained at Central Police squad Onitsha and when the commissioner of police was petitioned he was moved to Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Awkuzu. My husband is being detained in a very de-humanizing condition at SARS Awkuzu, and the police have denied him access to his lawyer and relations.
>> ''My husband's hotel at No 8 Old Market Road Onitsha which he inherited from his father Chief G.C Mokwe have been demolished.
>> She alleged also that the government threatened to demolish his plaza at Ose-Okwodu and oter properties belonging to him and his family and confiscate all his assets. She appealed for intervention of the Presidency and Senate to the jungle justice against her husband without hearing from him.
>> She raised alarm that her husband was set up and the police invaded her husband's hotel to effect his arrest claiming that they acted on a tip off.
>> She wondered why the police formation in Anambra state was not reported about the matter until police from IG's office came down to Anambra based on a petition written on 2nd July, 2013 to effect arrest on 1st August,2013.
>> She claimed to be conversant with the facts of the matter that brought about what she described as trumped up charges against her husband in order distract people from the main issues of contention.
>> She said her husband deals on estate and there were lots of conflicts and skirmishes over ownership of lands between him and some persons which led to the shooting of her husband on 9th March, 2009.
>> Mrs Mokwe informed that about four of the disputes are pending in court and wondered why the masterminds of her husband wrote a petition to the Inspector General of Police alleging that her husband stores human heads and arms in his hotel.
>> She further alleged that the masterminds of her husband's arrest got approval of their petition and arranged and smuggled in two rusty objects which the police claimed were human skulls and arms in one of the comm
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