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Wise Words by Thomas Jefferson

Posted on by Noel Ihebuzor

Compiled by

Noel Ihebuzor

(with bias “before and afterthought” and some off the mark comments on the side!)

“Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.” (is freedom without limits possible?)

“Where the press is free and every man able to read, all is safe”. (state governments that fail to provide for literacy sow the seeds of “unsafety and chaos”. Look around you)

“No government ought to be without censors; and where the press is free no one ever will”. (Censor and enemy no be the same thing-o)

“An enemy generally says and believes what he wishes”. (And She/he often insists on the truth values of propositions that she/he knows to be false.)

“Bigotry is the disease of ignorance, of morbid minds; enthusiasm of the free and buoyant. Education & free discussion are the antidotes of both.” (Told dem-o!)

“He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors”. (Thank God say me I no sabi nothing and say I sabi say I no sabi)

“He who knows best knows how little he knows”. (God create in me and in naija tweeps humble minds)

“It is always better to have no ideas than false ones; to believe nothing, than to believe what is wrong”. (I no call pesoni dem name-o but dem sabi dem selves naa!)

“To penetrate and dissipate these clouds of darkness, the general mind must be strengthened by education”. (EFA na AFE)

“Educate and inform the whole mass of the people… They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty”. (Gaskiya)

“Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government”. (true talk, but well informed and pesoni wey go school no be the same-o!)

“When angry count to ten before you speak. If very angry, count to one hundred”. (Best way to avoid Twitfights)

“Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances”. (Jide uche gi aka mgbe dum)

“Delay is preferable to error”. (no be how fast but how well)

“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock”. (avoid the herd mentality)

 

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The Little Prince 3

Posted on by Noel Ihebuzor

mcliterature's avatarMr. Curtis' Class

In The Little Prince, the fox and the prince have a conversation about what makes that one particular boy, or that one particular fox, or that one particular flower special.

In the end, the fox told the prince: “Here is my secret.  It’s quite simple:  One sees clearly only with the heart.  Anything else essential is invisible to the eyes.”

In your own words, what does that quote mean to you?  Apply it to your own life or other pieces of literature if you need to give examples in your explanation.

Be sure to type out your answers in complete sentences.  Be sure to back up your ideas with some examples, evidence, or proof.  Be sure to check back and see what other people say too.  Be sure to comment on what they say.

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[Guest BlogPost – Professor Bernth Lindfors] Chinua Achebe, a Puzzling Pioneer

Posted on by Noel Ihebuzor

A Fitting Tribute

Ikhide R. Ikheloa's avatarPa Ikhide

Bernth Lindfors, Professor Emeritus, Department of English, University of Texas, Austin, Texas

 (Keynote speech delivered on May 3, 2014 at the 2014 Chinua Achebe Colloquium held at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island)

 “Bernth Lindfors is one of the most renowned critics and historiographers of African literature, and also one of the most prolific writers on the subject…”

   –  Chris Dunton

 The first thing that comes to mind when I reflect on the extraordinary career of Chinua Achebe is that he was a true pioneer. I suppose that could be said of many other African writers as well, not only those who preceded him but also those of his own generation who, rather unexpectedly, helped to launch vigorous literary movements throughout the continent in the middle of the last century by expressing themselves creatively in European and indigenous languages. All of them, individually and collectively, were vital contributors to the modernization…

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Frame and Focus – #ReturnOurGirls

Posted on by Noel Ihebuzor

By

Noel Ihebuzor

The   campaign has been a huge success in calling the attention of Nigerians and the international community to the abduction of Nigerian school children from their school in Chibok. Thanks to this campaign and to its organizers, the world is now aware of what, in reality, is a savage affront to human dignity, decency and freedoms, symbolized by this act of terrorism against innocent and defenseless school girls!  Global reaction to this dastardly act by Boko Haram, a group born from religious extremism and bigotry has been one of shock and outrage. President Obama expressed that sense of outrage and shock clearly in his TV interview on the abduction. Expressions of shock and outrage continue to be heard from all around the world, and understandably too. The abduction and continued captivity of the girls are in utter violation of all international human rights conventions. They also violate all the provisions regarding the protection of civilians in general, and women and children in particular, in situations of conflict. The abduction shocks. The continuing captivity  of these innocent girls is both agonizing and sickening. Their captors should hear this loud and clear – all well meaning Nigerians are united with the rest of the world in wanting these girls returned, safe and sound

Like I said at the start of this write up, the campaign and its hashtag  have been successful but I believe that time has come now for another hashtag  to be added to the existing hashtag. The reason is simple. Both in Framing and Focus, the  hashtag fixes attention and minds on government’s (federal and state, but largely federal) responsibility to do all in its power to bring back the girls. There is also the hint of frustration and anger at government’s slow and ineffective response in the immediate aftermath of the abduction, emotions which are also largely understandable and justifiable. However, the largely government focus of the hashtag takes minds and attention away from the perpetrators of this infamy. It takes attention away from this violation of rights, from this act of sheer terror by a bunch of extremists, the Boko Haram, who are willing to burn and butcher and who will stop at nothing to advance a religious agenda.

It is now time for attention to be turned to and focused on this Boko Haram group too. They invaded and took away the girls. We and the entire world shall hold them together with their sponsors, supporters and apologists responsible for any damage done to any of these girls. They should therefore return them, safe and intact. Returning the girls may even obviate the need for any military engagement and any fire fights that may arise in any efforts to secure the release of these girls.  Military engagement is a strong option in a # mode. Such a mode leans more towards a “search and rescue” mission approach. Such missions have inherent risks of casualties and collateral damage and history is replete with examples of such consequences and societal reactions to them. We want the girls back, safe and alive. Appealing to their captors to return our girls presents therefore a safer option. Incidentally, It is also a strategically more beneficial route for Boko Haram in the long term in terms of image redemption, pardon and possible reintegration into society.

So whilst we encourage our security forces to , we should also frame and focus our tweets on Boko Haram and their sympathisers, sponsors and supporters and ask them to . Let us then adopt this additional hashtag  today and use it not only to appeal to Boko Haram but also to apply pressure on it!

NAI

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Pain as Gain

Posted on by Noel Ihebuzor

By 

Noel Ihebuzor

 

The confusion and pain
some chillingly feel
become for some joy, gain
and bubbling thrill,
Levity over gravity
jumping with joy 
Hearts of lead
laugh easy before a tragedy
and visit our sad space
with the horror of the truly hollow
Posted in Prose

The Abducted Children of Chibok

Posted on by Noel Ihebuzor

By

Noel Ihebuzor

 

The abduction by Boko Haram of children from Chibok is the issue occupying centre stage in politics right now in Nigeria.  Government response to and management of this abduction have not been effective – a large number of the children , we are told, are still with their captors and locating them continues to be a challenge.

Very far away from the scene of this affront to decency and female dignity, especially in Abuja and Lagos, demonstrators and marchers have mobilised under very arresting logos to demand that immediate action be taken to ensure the safe and immediate release of these girls. Dialogues have been held by some of these marchers with government security agencies and a modus operandi for engagement and information sharing was tweeted to have been agreed upon by one of marchers’ spokesperson. But marchers and demonstrators are also using social media to give their cause (and a very legitimate cause for that matter) and themselves considerable visibility. And here they are several steps ahead of government, and whether deliberately or by inadvertence are making government look bad, insensitive and unresponsive.

And this should not and need not be so. Government must join up in these marches and demonstrations, and for two reasons. No wise government should allow itself to be “caught” and cast in adversarial posture to a movement to free children who have been kidnapped by cruel, heartless and scheming persons. So, Government officials, spouses of ministers,  legislators etc should join these marches and protests. Join, ride on the public outrage at this violation of the innocent and channel the outflowing energy to the benefit of your programmes and the peoples. Secondly,  If you are not in a march, your agenda and point of views will hardly ever be recognised nor projected. So Government officials must join up. Strategic considerations suggest joining up.

Joining up will also enable a second and equally important message to be given greater orchestration. “ABDUCTORS, FREE OUR CHIBOK CHILDREN”. This message is just as important as the first which can be summed up as “GOVERNMENT, RESCUE AND FREE OUR CHIBOK CHILDREN”. Whilst the current primary message focuses on the government and therefore presents a good handle for its indictment for its inability to assure the safety and security of persons living within its space, the second opens the way for reaching out to the captors, either directly or indirectly through their community and religious leaders, to free children they have taken captive and hold against their will in violation of all the laws of decent conduct.

Join me in praying for the safe of these children and for purposeful, effective and targeted intervention that would ensure this in the very near future.

Noel

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Reflections on Naija Twitter 2012

Posted on by Noel Ihebuzor
I found this in my archive of unpublished stuff and I am sharing them as written then! These were my reflections on Naija at the end of December, 2012. Those were bad days for Twitter in Nigeria. The streets were mean and brutal. Luckily, things have changed for the better on Twitter since then – there is certainly more civility, less passion and less poison now!   May these positive changes perdure. 
 
But here then are my reflections on Naija Twitter in 2012 
 
  • Passion often crowded out reason.
  • The noise and friction of faction often drowned the voice of reason.
  • Deliberate distortion of facts was a regular feature of most blog.
  • Evidence was constantly sought and used to support particular courses
  • Sensationalism and capacity for outrage appeared to be highly valued and blogs tuned into this.
  • Two blogs constantly provided evidence that suggested they were sponsored by persons with political ambitions. 
  • A number of “activists” gradually unraveled to reveal themselves as twitter foot soldiers of two major parties not in power at the federal level
  • The temerity of the aggressive few bred the desired timorousness in the aggressed majority and a noisy and aggressive few managed to intimidate the silent majority.
  • A number of decent folks simply steered clear of discussions on twitter to avoid being gashed and gored. With the field cleared of dissenting voices, the noisy few then had a field day ridiculing and terrorizing defenseless choice targets.
  • The president continued to be the softest and preferred target for our “activists”. The most used expressions in efforts to deride him remained “clueless” and “shoe-less”.
  • Twitter was gradually transmuting from a place of engagement to one of enragement as fire fights continued to be a major mode of engagement
  • Dog fights and snarls became regular occurrences. 
  • The use of proxies to fight Twitter wars increased and paid hands and agents fought their master’s battles.
  • Corruption continued to be a major  preoccupation on tweets. Consistently,  attention was focused at the federal at the expense of the state and LGA levels.
  • The corruption focus was selective and the focus was more on corruption by persons belonging to a particular party. 
  • Cases of corruption by persons in favored political parties were swept aside
  • The EFCC announced a number of arrests and arraignments but cases of successful prosecution are so few.
  • Two Nigerians , a female in her twenties and a male in his forties win my awards for the most insensitive and agressive tweeps for 2012.
  • A Nigerian saint wins my award for the most slippery and and manipulative of tweeps for 2012
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Shamhat

Posted on by Noel Ihebuzor

a beautiful and engaging song, crafted by a great poet and subtle feminist! So proud of Susan, my duet partner.

Susan L Daniels's avatarSusan Daniels Poetry

Two miles away from you may your lover tremble with excitement,
one mile away may he bite his lip in anticipation

I would have journeyed to him unbidden,
my path from the temple fated and traced
by sandaled feet, dusty but eager
in their purpose, the way we find our gods.

What lives in him would spark
the fuse that drives and draws me
beside the spring where he comes to drink,
where I will lie down, naked and spread under sun
for the man who runs with deer.  

I have an appetite for gods
or the man ridden by them, still smelling
of the clay that shaped him, struck with light;
a man with hair longer than my own,
whose kisses taste like wild grass.

I am the one who opens and is taken
but when he stands again and turns
back to the deer, they no longer know him.
Like Delilah, I…

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Asking too much

Posted on by Noel Ihebuzor

Simple but deep!

Mohana's avatarinsanebloom

I want you to tell me about every person you’ve ever been in love with.
Tell me why you loved them,
then tell me why they loved you.

Tell me about a day in your life you didn’t think you’d live through.
Tell me what the word home means to you
and tell me in a way that I’ll know your mother’s name
just by the way you describe your bedroom
when you were eight.

See, I want to know the first time you felt the weight of hate,
and if that day still trembles beneath your bones.

Do you prefer to play in puddles of rain
or bounce in the bellies of snow?
And if you were to build a snowman,
would you rip two branches from a tree to build your snowman arms
or would leave your snowman armless
for the sake of being harmless to the tree?

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