Moderator TF:
First, congratulations on your birthday today! You share the first day of your life with the first day of each year.
As to your birthday wish(es), I will try:
(1) not to insult, but if I do, it will e with civility. You know that there are some insults in which the target asks himself, "Did Aluko just insult me....or I did not quite understand his English?"
(2) not to be "tribal", but I get accused of that all of the time. What I will not allow is to be intimidated NOT to support a position SIMPLY because some people think it is BECAUSE I am of a6n ethnic group. At that time, I try to re-emphasize that I know where my father comes from.
(3) to continue not to send you private email. I always call you instead! :-)
(4) anti-this or anti-this. Actually, I belong to everybody and am owned by nobody.
(5) to continue not to exaggerate. In fact, I detest the exaggerations that characterize both our Nigerian press and those who press for certain privileges through exaggerated blackmail. I do use a lot of facts and figures - and pledge to continue NOT to inflate them for an agenda.
(6) - and this is important - to continue to join you to call out those who live in the privilege of their far-away places in Florida and Massachusetts and Michigan and Illinois and Texas and California and Canada - their images swimming in my head now - to use English grammar to promote acrimony in Nigeria where I currently reside and have done continuously for five years now. Ironically, during the Abacha period, I was one of those "armchair Diasporans" - and I used to be angry when the pro-Abacha people in Nigeria used to so accuse us - so they have their usefulness. But please, we Nigerians at home do need a lot of cheer.
And there you have it. Have a glorious and Happy New Year....and greetings to my sister your Ekiti wife - the only wife you have by the way, in case some people think that you have some other ethnic wife! :-)
Bolaji Aluko
On Fri, Jan 1, 2016 at 2:34 PM, Toyin Falola <toyinfalola@austin.utexas.edu> wrote:
--Greetings to you all in the New Year! Silver and gold have I none…but words of affection are plenty, from me to you.Today is also my birthday and if you are considering a gift, here is what I want:
- Civility: do not insult anyone, either directly or indirectly. Supply your arguments, and let it rest there.
- "Tribalism": Create your own "tribal list" and do your insiders' talk, even plan your wars if you want one, but there are some of us who think beyond this, who see all individuals as humans and citizens, who want everyone to live well and in peace. If you want only your "tribal fellow" to be the center of your life, generate your own list, leave this list, and respect some of us.
- No private email to me: Due to declining energy, it has become difficult for me to be replying private notes. I receive almost 200 E-mail messages on a daily basis, and replying to them all, which I do, has taken a heavy toll on me. I am in good health, but there is no more high energy level to sustain many activities. I wont be replying to private email messages regarding the dialogue other than on subscription matters. No more such things as "why did you reject the post" or messages from me for you to re-write certain portions.
- No anti-this or anti-that: There is no need to be anti -Islam, anti-Hutu, anti-Zuma, anti-this, anti-that. Give us ideas; tell us how to translate the ideas into practice; if you criticize Africa or a government, tell us how you will do things differently.
- Exaggerations: Caution is needed. I have declined posts that say 1000 Igbo were killed at Onitsha; 400 Hausa traders were killed at Aba. A reasonable person must not say something that is not correct and one that could let mobs organize to kill others. One time, I panicked over this kind of information, calling people all over the country to prevent conflict. It turns out that the postings are not correct. Exercise caution.
- Armchair Diasporans: Many Africans abroad are now to be counted as among the enemies of Africa. You cannot be enjoying the comfort of your London or New York home and be talking about creating wars and conflicts in your places of birth, be abusing people who struggle to survive; traders who parade their wars; suffering poor, etc. If you cannot contribute to their lives and struggles in positive ways, just watch television in your private homes and let them live their lives in peace.
All best wishes for 2016.
Toyin FalolaDepartment of HistoryThe University of Texas at Austin104 Inner Campus DriveAustin, TX 78712-0220USA512 475 7222 (fax)
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