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Sunday, September 30, 2012

Resources

Recently, God has made me aware of the raw talent Nigeria has.
I was exposed to a whole new area of talent, expertise and hard work.
It wasn't necessarily academic. Just a lot more creative.
A side of me was remastered, cultivated and left bare for the whole world to see.
When I say world, I mean at least a couple of Nigerians and a few other people.

Nigeria is a land of opportunity. There is so much out there, all we have to do by His grace, is to go out there and find it. Things are a lot easier to find at home.
Jobs, placement opportunities, business ventures, even marriage partners.
Yes, I said it, marriage partners.
I don't know about you, but I hear so many stories about one person or the other returning home and finding the love of his/ her life in a few months.

Crazy!

What I am trying to get at I guess, is that there is so much going on in Nigeria right now, that anyone, would be a fool to miss out on it. A wide range of all sorts.
In the creative sector I was shown possibilities in the Radio, TV and Film Industry.
Something I never thought was a possibility for me.
Nothing is too impossible.

I read a post on a friends blog recently,
and she was talking about the Resources that Africa has and its misuse.
Come to think of it...

Why is it that Africa as continent and Nigeria as a nation, has so many resources that are not put to use.

Your first thought, Corruption.
Second thought, Corruption.

Third thought, the people?

Yes, the people.

The people are our greatest resource. The plethora of ideas, backgrounds, skills set and talent is Nigeria's greatest resource. Why isn't it being used?

The people are scared. The people are greedy. The people are lazy.

There is a wide range of reasons. All of them however, are not enough to satisfy letting our country's resources go to waste. We have too much talent that is not being pushed in the right direction.
Especially, in the Artistic category. There is a lot more we can all do as a people, to re - educate ourselves, to educate those that are not able to afford it, and most importantly to stay informed.

I have come across something quite wonderful recently. It's a new website, founded by 15 creative geniuses who all focus on one area. Poetry, Film, Art, Drama and they have decided to create a platform for Africans to share their work with each other. It's an amazing website. Still in awe of such amazing ideas the youth are coming up with. Check it out!

http://sauti-zetu.com/




Friday, September 21, 2012

One for Naija

Is  a non - profit organisation with the aim of making Nigeria one.

They aim to promote unity and peace in Nigeria using various social networking platforms.

Great idea isn't it?

It was started by Banky W. It is great to see Nigerian artists taking interest in our great country.

They have a group on Facebook, please join: http://www.facebook.com/Onenaijagroup

They also have a blog which I love. They have posts ranging from Wole Soyinka, to anything about the current news in Nigeria. Please follow: http://onenaijagroup.blogspot.co.uk/

I remember Banky W being one of the forefront faces during the #occupyNigeria saga.

He spoke about the issues in our country on the news and he was one of the protesters that joined forces with other Nigerians in the States.

As if that wasn't enough, I know him to be an extremely passionate man that truly believes that change is not only necessary in Nigeria, but it is possible.

Musicians have so much power and influence in the world. They only need find the best way to use it.

Fela Kuti is one of the most popular, and the great ones that spoke about troubles in our great land. He travelled the world and did exactly the same thing, spoke about issues in Nigeria using his music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q76UngzHX5Y - Zombie

Miriam Makeba did the exact same. She went around the world, travelling to different countries and her music carried the woes of her people under the Apartheid reign. She has not only an amazing voice, but a great ability to capture her audience in song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Mwh9z58iAU - The Click Song

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

N.I.G.E.R.I.A.


Nigeria,
The great country I come from, where men say “Baby how are you?”
Where the bus conductors screech “Obalande, Obalande, Yaba, Yaba,” at the top of their voices.
The country with great wealth and expertise that is manhandled and refused to progress at the hands of the fortress.
The fortress that holds what people describe as the government, yet nobody hears a word or feels their worth.
We send our children abroad to be educated by who we describe as the “Oyinbo’s.”
Why? Because they provide the land of opportunity and education that our great country does not unfold.
We read stories from a man called Dickens and a woman called Austen, Great British Classics they are titled, to educate us about money, sex and love.
Back home we have writers like Achebe, that spell out the name of the game.
The game that so desperately needs to change in order to ensure progress in our homeland.
He writes about the Igbo tribe and how developed we were before the white man came.
He speaks about the tragedy of our great land at the hands of the fortress.

Nigeria,
The great country where there are traffic jams and the drivers yell, "Orioda!"
The land where we never abide by the Zebra Crossing for fear another gets an advantage.
Nigeria, the land where corruption spews out of very tap and palm kernel.
The land where its people never choose to revolt for fear that they will be taken away.
Away into the jail cells we call “Panti,” where the police officers will handle them shortly.
Their fingernails might be ripped out of their hands by the hands of the “Teata.”
I tease, it's not that extreme, but whoever goes in sha, never comes out.
Again, I tease, it’s for dramatic effect, but I hope you get the point, excuse me I digress.
Going back to the point, a rich man in his car slips the LASTMA a few hundred so he can be direct.
Directly on his way he goes, meanwhile he doesn’t face that he’s screwed up on the road.

Nigeria,
The land I come from, where we wait for the UK, to try all our criminals.
Those that should face justice, slip away like a whore in the daylight.
They run away to a country with no jurisdiction, but are later caught and found by the British police.
Recently, they stated they shall reform our jails so that they can return the shmucks.
They say they don’t want to infringe their human rights, “Oh how kind, I don’t give a fuck!”
“I don’t give a fuck!” Because why should we wait for other countries to make a change in ours.
A change in the country I come from, where the people shy away from the kingdom.
The kingdom of a right and true Nigeria. 
Instead all their education goes to waste as they become one of the damned ones.
The ones that slowly become a part of the fortress and here we go, we never progress.
I think it’s about time that we evaluate our stance in this world,
And not only think about saving the human race, but remember our country with all the lost souls.
Lookie here, I’m done with my words, but I hope it gave you another option, it’s not a hearse. 

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Church

Happy Sunday everyone!

Going to Church this morning suddenly sparked an idea for this post. To God be the glory!

Churches have become very influential in society!  Even in some cases, pastors and priests have advised Presidents on their personal issues, dealing with stress etc. They are human, like us, after all. Sometimes, it doesn't seem that way because they are seen to be powerful sub - humans with the ability to make or break a nation. But at the end of the day they are mortals - like us.

Bishop T.D. Jakes has advised Clinton, Bush and Obama on their struggles. We all know how the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope is very influential in GLOBAL politics. So one can safely say, the Church is a very important element of society and the government. One can even go so far to say that they are quite powerful.

In Nigeria however, it seems to be a different case. Going to church, at least the Catholic Churches, they have a special prayer set aside for Nigeria and the parishioners all end up reciting it at one point in the service. It is called, 'Prayer against Bribery and Corruption in Nigeria.' It is a very important prayer. Very well written, but at the heart of it, something is still lacking. Something is missing. The fact that we could be worshipping with governors and ministers, it is obviously a good idea that we have such a prayer readily available, but so far, it doesn't seem to have done much good.

I am NOT stating that God has given up on us or on Nigeria, but it seems like the people have given up on Him. They have decided to turn their backs to what is morally right and true. They have decided that their love for money is so much more important than the millions of people that are starving in their country.

I guess what I hate is the hypocrisy of the whole thing. You claim you are a Christian. You claim you are a  Muslim. (Two dominant religions in Nigeria, almost anyone you meet is affiliated with one of the religions) Yet you forget that there is a God when you steal, lie, cheat, and swindle millions. If you are asked , 'Oh, how did you manage to get that bag, belt or that shoe with the red sole?'

"Oh, God has been good oh!"

What God? Why bring God into this. You obviously know how you arrived at it!  YOU stole the money that managed to buy it.

It disgusts me.

The Churches in Nigeria, save from the prayer embedded in the service, don't do much else for the country. I don't mean the charities, and the outreach programmes the churches do aren't beneficial. What I am getting at,  is their lack of influence in politics. Some claim politics and religion shouldn't mix, but then I argue that the law and morality shouldn't either - but yet it does. Whether we like it or not, morals are and will always be part of any society, so why aren't the Churches and or the Mosques, doing enough to deal with the government?

The Boko Haram attacks. That is a great tool to incite havoc in the government. The head Bishops and others should meet with members of the government, get them talking about inciting change. Perform cleansing remedies with them to get rid of the crazy mentality this government has.

I just want the Church leaders or the Mosques to do more...

Not only them, but the people who attend their services. We need to fight for a right and true Nigeria. If you know your friend is in government and isn't acting as they should, apart from praying for them to see the error of their ways - talk to them, caution them. Do something. If you know your parents are swindling money then do the same to them. Threaten exposure. Airing their dirty laundry. Shout, scream. Don't accept the LV belt or the Loubout shoe. Don't accept the fancy trips abroad until they come from clean channels. A simple sacrifice for you to maintain your dignity and integrity. So many friends of mine all have very wealthy parents. Have you ever questioned where the money comes from? So many have parents involved in politics. Have you asked your parents why they haven't tried anything revolutionary in their position?

It's about time Nigerians do something.

Make a change.

NOW.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Hope

It is so easy when you hear all the negative things about our country that you can just as easily give up hope.

'There is no point trying to save a country that the people no longer believe in.'

That is, until you meet a few like minded individuals like yourself, who believe that Nigeria can and will change.

But Nigeria can only really ever change unless YOU do something about it.

All my life, as my friends will testify, I have detested negative energy. In fact, I was part of a school play when we were days away from the first public performance. All the cast sat in a room to deal with costumes etc.  All of them in that room decided to 'bitch' about the play. How badly it was going to turn out, how we would never do well, and for that second, it seemed like I was the only bright light in the room. As old as I was, I remember looking up at the ceiling telling my tears to go back from where they came. I didn't like feeling choked by all the negativity. I thought we needed a more positive outlook, so I spoke to a couple of people, got them thinking about how everything was going to turn out, and at the end of the day, they thanked me for giving them a chill pill.

Recently, hope, is a word I have become all to familiar with when discussing the problems with Nigeria.

Not because it is used in a positive context, but because it is used in a negative one.

"How can I believe in a country that is as messed up as it is?" Someone will say.

"There is no hope for Nigeria." Another will add.

I read an article recently, which I put up on the Facebook page for this blog: http://www.facebook.com/Unspokenwords93, and this is the very important quote that resonated in my mind:

"As long as we are in Nigeria, as long as Nigerians live in Nigeria and work in Nigeria, and fight for Nigeria, and refuse to give up on Nigeria, there is hope." 

There is hope. There is nothing wrong with arguing to and fro about the positive and the negatives found within Nigeria, but there is also another factor involved, what do we do to change it.

The person who wrote the article above, was a man called Chude Jideonwo and he believes that hope lies with the younger generation.

He believes in the hope that the youth will not turn out to be like those that have come before them.
They will practice clean politics, and not be persuaded by the greedy and the dirty dealers.

I want to tell you that there is still HOPE for Nigeria.

Call me naive, call me stupid, but as long as there are people that still believe change in Nigeria is possible, there is hope for our country.

Monday, September 3, 2012

Facebook

To those that don't already know, I have a Facebook page for this blog.
It is another very important way I choose to discuss Nigerian politics and recent developments.
These developments can be positive or negative, but all do concern Nigeria or Nigerians.

Please check it out, please take notice of the links and please DO like and share. It's important that we spread the word.

http://www.facebook.com/Unspokenwords93

Many thanks and Much love,

Georgette
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