By Rolland Nwanua
Africa educated Europe.
Now Europe is educating Africa.
How did the first come to be the last?
Where did things go wrong?
Where did we fall?
If we can recognize where we fell,
How we fell,
And why we fell,
Perhaps we could find how to rise again.
Let’s go back to the past.
From there we can control the future.
The key to unlock the future lies in the subconscious of the past.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Until about 332 BC, the great land of Africa had her glory shinning so bright. It was the light by which the world could see. Men traveled from all over the world to learn the secret of their success.
Every traveler who visited this land had sweet story to tell, the merchant who traveled to this land left with great riches and, every man who sought knowledge, reaching this land, would return to his homeland a great man of knowledge.
Now this glory has become dim. And the entire land has fallen into depression.
Several centuries have passed and, this land that once reigned in great splendor keeps sinking and sinking. For this reason, some thinkers came together to redirect the destiny of their cherished land.
In order to do this, they founded a movement by which to gather men and women that will embark on the great mission of finding the LOST GLORY.
Generation of Domination…
We live to redeem the LOST GLORY of Africa.
Every traveler who visited this land had sweet story to tell, the merchant who traveled to this land left with great riches and, every man who sought knowledge, reaching this land, would return to his homeland a great man of knowledge.
Now this glory has become dim. And the entire land has fallen into depression.
Several centuries have passed and, this land that once reigned in great splendor keeps sinking and sinking. For this reason, some thinkers came together to redirect the destiny of their cherished land.
In order to do this, they founded a movement by which to gather men and women that will embark on the great mission of finding the LOST GLORY.
Generation of Domination…
We live to redeem the LOST GLORY of Africa.
By Rolland Nwanua
For the lost glory that we seek to rediscover;
For the honour that we hunger for;
For the immortality that we crave;
This fire will not be put out.
For the Black people whose course we fight;
For the tears in their eyes;
For the lamentation on their lips;
This fire will not be put out.
I shall fan the flame with all the energy in me.
I shall fuel it with my blood.
If the heavens will require from us a sacrifice,
I shall lay myself on the alter.
This fire must not be put out.
For the lost glory that we seek to rediscover;
For the honour that we hunger for;
For the immortality that we crave;
This fire will not be put out.
For the Black people whose course we fight;
For the tears in their eyes;
For the lamentation on their lips;
This fire will not be put out.
I shall fan the flame with all the energy in me.
I shall fuel it with my blood.
If the heavens will require from us a sacrifice,
I shall lay myself on the alter.
This fire must not be put out.
SHE WAS CALLED A GIANT
By Rolland Nwanua
The strangers,
One after the other they came;
Arabians,
Persians,
Greeks,
Portuguese,
Spanish,
French,
British;
Over and over they conquered her;
Militarily,
Missionarily,
Intellectually,
They penetrated;
Continuously they shoot their poisonous arrows into her heart.
Bit by bit her energy dropped.
Her eyes became dim,
Her head bent in weakness,
Her shoulders dropped,
Her knees were too weak,
They could no longer sustain her weight.
She fell.
First on one knee,
Then the other.
Because she’s too large to fall flat,
With her last strength she maintained her balance on her knees.
For how long will she remain down?
It remains uncertain.
But by her very name, GIANT, she must one day pull herself up to her feet again.
The strangers,
One after the other they came;
Arabians,
Persians,
Greeks,
Portuguese,
Spanish,
French,
British;
Over and over they conquered her;
Militarily,
Missionarily,
Intellectually,
They penetrated;
Continuously they shoot their poisonous arrows into her heart.
Bit by bit her energy dropped.
Her eyes became dim,
Her head bent in weakness,
Her shoulders dropped,
Her knees were too weak,
They could no longer sustain her weight.
She fell.
First on one knee,
Then the other.
Because she’s too large to fall flat,
With her last strength she maintained her balance on her knees.
For how long will she remain down?
It remains uncertain.
But by her very name, GIANT, she must one day pull herself up to her feet again.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
EXPLORING THE MIND OF A MADMAN
With deep curiosity, I’ve wondered what goes on within the mind of a madman. From observation, they appear to be constantly absent-minded. Absent-mindedness also being one of the attributes of a genius means that this is one of the things that a madman and a genius have in common. To be absent-minded means to be lost in thought. I have the knowledge of what a genius thinks when he is lost in thought; but what does a madman think when he is lost in thought?
SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE GENIUS AND THE MADMAN
1. Both are calm and quiet.
2. Both often wear a straight face; they seldom smile.
3. Both are physically disorganized (not minding about appearance).
4. Both are nonchalant about their surrounding and all; the genius is only concerned about that field in which he has passion.
5. Both madness and genius are most often engendered by some distress. E. B. White said, “Genius is more often found in cracked pot than a whole one.”
The genius employs thinking as a problem solving tool; the madman is not solving any problem; but he thinks. What, then, could be the content of his thought? Could it be that he is thinking up some brilliant ideas but lacks the capacity or the ability to get them out of his head? Perhaps he only entertains some disturbing thoughts. These disturbing or worrisome thoughts could be partly responsible for his physically disorganized nature. But the genius who entertains creative and constructive thoughts is equally physically disorganized.
The sane will call the madman “mad,” the madman will call the sane “mad.” Who exactly is mad; is it the man that walks about the street in tattered clothes or you and I who claim to be sane?
The madman, unlike the genius, may not be able to think constructively since he is devoid of logic, but considering his attributes, I suspect he must have strong capacity for hunches. If this is any thing to go by, then, this is one useful contribution he can make to society.
Psychologists have said that the only difference between a genius and the madman is that the genius has a sense of judgment. This being the difference between the two men, then, we can say that the state of genius and the state of madness are closely related. With the genius being superior to the ordinary man; and the genius and the madman having great resemblance, I am tempted to assert that the madman is equally superior to the ordinary man.
Before you attempt to raise objection to my reasoning, may I quickly ask: sanity is the opposite of insanity, therefore, one has to be good and the other bad; which of the two is good and which is bad? What exactly is sanity and what is insanity? What is the demarcating line between the two?
Psychology aims at finding cure to some personality traits such as isolation, absent-mindedness, soliloquy, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) etc. These traits in the sphere of psychology are known to be “mental disorder.” Why would psychology suppress or remove these traits when it knows very well that these are attributes of a genius? If you suppress or remove the traits, then, the world might just stop producing geniuses.
They say that the genius does not share the same state with the ordinary man (the sane) and he is not necessarily insane; where then does he belong? Perhaps he is somewhere floating between sanity and insanity?
In the University of Benin, virtually every session, a student or more will run mad and be rushed to the psychiatric home. Often times such students are scholars. Frederick Nietzsche went mad towards the end of his life due to excessive intellectual work. I suppose the state of genius is close to the state of madness that is why it is easy for a scholar to drift into the state of madness. There must be an open door between the two states.
Consider the possibility here: If we have a tendency of a scholar drifting into the state of madness, do we not see the tendency of having a madman drifting into the state of genius, at least with our conscious direction?
If the ability of the genius to make a reasonable judgment is the only difference between the two men, that, then, is the demarcating line between the two states. But this demarcating line is a very thin line. The sense of judgment belongs to the genius. To achieve the drift of the madman into the state of genius, perhaps all we need is to help him develop this sense of judgment. Now, whether we will have to cure him to establish the sense of judgment or we have to find a way to bring in the sense of judgment while he is still in the state of madness will be a question we must answer.
Suppose we decide to bring in the sense of judgment while he is still in the state of madness we shall face great obstacle. Though it’s not totally impossible because the madman, depending on his level/extent of madness, is not totally devoid of the sense of judgment. If on the other hand we decide to cure him so as to take advantage of the sense of judgment that has come in now that he has regained his sanity, we will still face some obstacles. This is because, as the doctor will advise, a man who is cured of madness has to avoid psychological and emotional pressure, for that will trigger it again. Therefore, the fear of having him drift back into the state of madness may cripple this experiment.
There may or may not be prove for this but by the sheer nature of a madman, I do believe that he is vulnerable to hunches. If he is, then, that is a plus for this experiment.
For the madman to be in the presence of poise often; for him to be lost in thought and absent-minded often, he should almost certainly be a deep thinker.
Some day we might just find a way to make a genius out of a madman. When that day comes, the same man that has been rejected by society will become the engine that powers the progress of society.
SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE GENIUS AND THE MADMAN
1. Both are calm and quiet.
2. Both often wear a straight face; they seldom smile.
3. Both are physically disorganized (not minding about appearance).
4. Both are nonchalant about their surrounding and all; the genius is only concerned about that field in which he has passion.
5. Both madness and genius are most often engendered by some distress. E. B. White said, “Genius is more often found in cracked pot than a whole one.”
The genius employs thinking as a problem solving tool; the madman is not solving any problem; but he thinks. What, then, could be the content of his thought? Could it be that he is thinking up some brilliant ideas but lacks the capacity or the ability to get them out of his head? Perhaps he only entertains some disturbing thoughts. These disturbing or worrisome thoughts could be partly responsible for his physically disorganized nature. But the genius who entertains creative and constructive thoughts is equally physically disorganized.
The sane will call the madman “mad,” the madman will call the sane “mad.” Who exactly is mad; is it the man that walks about the street in tattered clothes or you and I who claim to be sane?
The madman, unlike the genius, may not be able to think constructively since he is devoid of logic, but considering his attributes, I suspect he must have strong capacity for hunches. If this is any thing to go by, then, this is one useful contribution he can make to society.
Psychologists have said that the only difference between a genius and the madman is that the genius has a sense of judgment. This being the difference between the two men, then, we can say that the state of genius and the state of madness are closely related. With the genius being superior to the ordinary man; and the genius and the madman having great resemblance, I am tempted to assert that the madman is equally superior to the ordinary man.
Before you attempt to raise objection to my reasoning, may I quickly ask: sanity is the opposite of insanity, therefore, one has to be good and the other bad; which of the two is good and which is bad? What exactly is sanity and what is insanity? What is the demarcating line between the two?
Psychology aims at finding cure to some personality traits such as isolation, absent-mindedness, soliloquy, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) etc. These traits in the sphere of psychology are known to be “mental disorder.” Why would psychology suppress or remove these traits when it knows very well that these are attributes of a genius? If you suppress or remove the traits, then, the world might just stop producing geniuses.
They say that the genius does not share the same state with the ordinary man (the sane) and he is not necessarily insane; where then does he belong? Perhaps he is somewhere floating between sanity and insanity?
In the University of Benin, virtually every session, a student or more will run mad and be rushed to the psychiatric home. Often times such students are scholars. Frederick Nietzsche went mad towards the end of his life due to excessive intellectual work. I suppose the state of genius is close to the state of madness that is why it is easy for a scholar to drift into the state of madness. There must be an open door between the two states.
Consider the possibility here: If we have a tendency of a scholar drifting into the state of madness, do we not see the tendency of having a madman drifting into the state of genius, at least with our conscious direction?
If the ability of the genius to make a reasonable judgment is the only difference between the two men, that, then, is the demarcating line between the two states. But this demarcating line is a very thin line. The sense of judgment belongs to the genius. To achieve the drift of the madman into the state of genius, perhaps all we need is to help him develop this sense of judgment. Now, whether we will have to cure him to establish the sense of judgment or we have to find a way to bring in the sense of judgment while he is still in the state of madness will be a question we must answer.
Suppose we decide to bring in the sense of judgment while he is still in the state of madness we shall face great obstacle. Though it’s not totally impossible because the madman, depending on his level/extent of madness, is not totally devoid of the sense of judgment. If on the other hand we decide to cure him so as to take advantage of the sense of judgment that has come in now that he has regained his sanity, we will still face some obstacles. This is because, as the doctor will advise, a man who is cured of madness has to avoid psychological and emotional pressure, for that will trigger it again. Therefore, the fear of having him drift back into the state of madness may cripple this experiment.
There may or may not be prove for this but by the sheer nature of a madman, I do believe that he is vulnerable to hunches. If he is, then, that is a plus for this experiment.
For the madman to be in the presence of poise often; for him to be lost in thought and absent-minded often, he should almost certainly be a deep thinker.
Some day we might just find a way to make a genius out of a madman. When that day comes, the same man that has been rejected by society will become the engine that powers the progress of society.
Friday, March 12, 2010
SACRIFICE TODAY FOR TOMORROW
By Rolland Nwanua
No one begged to come into this world. I believe that a man does not deserve to bring a child into this world until he has created a favourable ground for the child. If you think the atmosphere in the society, in the country is not favourable for you, why bring someone else to suffer the same fate?
You desire so much to leave the country to a place where you can accumulate riches for yourself. You may actually succeed. But no amount of wealth you accumulate can really guarantee the future of your children. Material wealth have no reality of their own, they can fade away at any moment.
I know of a billionaire investor who lost his investments in 3 months. He committed suicide because he couldn’t stand it.
And if you succeed in staying on top through out your lifetime without falling, what guarantee do you have that your children – who don’t know all the pain it took you to accumulate the riches – will be able to manage what you left for them?
The most formidable guarantee you can give yourself is to build a nation rather than build a man.
Let us sacrifice today. Let us use today to appease God so He can bless our tomorrow.
If the economy is buoyant and, there is political stability and, everything else is in its right proportion, the only labour that the next generation will perform will be that of harvesting.
Men and women of my generation, let us sow the seed, even if we have to do it in tears; let us water it, though it may be painful to our body; let us, then, wait patiently for our crop to mature, even if we have to do so with hunger in our stomach; we shall then get the reward of harvesting with smiles on our faces. Our children and children’s children will not suffer the same fate that their fathers suffered. They will harvest with smiles on their faces the ripe fruits.
This was what some men did that made some nation to be known today as developed. This is what men with reason do. It is the attribute of wise men. Men and women of my generation, let us sacrifice today for tomorrow.
No one begged to come into this world. I believe that a man does not deserve to bring a child into this world until he has created a favourable ground for the child. If you think the atmosphere in the society, in the country is not favourable for you, why bring someone else to suffer the same fate?
You desire so much to leave the country to a place where you can accumulate riches for yourself. You may actually succeed. But no amount of wealth you accumulate can really guarantee the future of your children. Material wealth have no reality of their own, they can fade away at any moment.
I know of a billionaire investor who lost his investments in 3 months. He committed suicide because he couldn’t stand it.
And if you succeed in staying on top through out your lifetime without falling, what guarantee do you have that your children – who don’t know all the pain it took you to accumulate the riches – will be able to manage what you left for them?
The most formidable guarantee you can give yourself is to build a nation rather than build a man.
Let us sacrifice today. Let us use today to appease God so He can bless our tomorrow.
If the economy is buoyant and, there is political stability and, everything else is in its right proportion, the only labour that the next generation will perform will be that of harvesting.
Men and women of my generation, let us sow the seed, even if we have to do it in tears; let us water it, though it may be painful to our body; let us, then, wait patiently for our crop to mature, even if we have to do so with hunger in our stomach; we shall then get the reward of harvesting with smiles on our faces. Our children and children’s children will not suffer the same fate that their fathers suffered. They will harvest with smiles on their faces the ripe fruits.
This was what some men did that made some nation to be known today as developed. This is what men with reason do. It is the attribute of wise men. Men and women of my generation, let us sacrifice today for tomorrow.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
BOLA IGE
By Elvis Abu
He was a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and a politician. He was born September 13, 1930 in Zaria, northern Nigeria. His parents were of Yoruba tribe from Esa-Oke village, in the old Oyo State (now in Osun State).
He studied at Ibadan Grammar School between 1943 and 1948 and, the University of Ibadan. He proceeded to London where he continued his education at the University College London. In 1959 he got a degree in Law in this university. In 1961 he was called to bar in London’s inner Temple.
At age 31 he was at the frontline of the action group crisis; this was during the first republic 1963-1966.
Between 1967 and 1970 Bola Ige was the Commissioner for Agriculture in the western region of Nigeria. In the early 1970s, he gave his energy to the anti-racism campaign of the World Council of Churches.
In 1979, during General Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, Ige was elected governor of Oyo State and he served until 1983. He had become friends with the General some year earlier.
When General Olusegun Obasabjo came to power again in 1999, Ige was appointed Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He opposed the idea of Sharia Law being imposed in the Northern Nigeria.
When president Obasanjo went on official visit to Oyo State, he was received in a presidential reception at the liberty stadium, joined by Bisi Akande, the governor of Osun State, Lam Adesina, the governor of Oyo State and Bola Ige. Bisi Akande narrated how the crowd welcomed Ige, who entered after the others, with “a jubilant and deafening shouts of Ige! Ige!! Ige!!!” The love the people had for him made him steal the show in a presidential reception where the president of the country was expected to get the highest attention.
While in prison, he wrote a book titled: People, Politics and Politicians of Nigeria: 1940-1979, among others.
A man loved by the people; he was a patron of the arts, a mentor to the youths.
On 23 December 2001, he died by the bullet of an assassin right in his own home. He was mourned by Nigerians all over and, justice was demanded for his murder.
References: www.wikipidia.com
www.dawodu.com
He was a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and a politician. He was born September 13, 1930 in Zaria, northern Nigeria. His parents were of Yoruba tribe from Esa-Oke village, in the old Oyo State (now in Osun State).
He studied at Ibadan Grammar School between 1943 and 1948 and, the University of Ibadan. He proceeded to London where he continued his education at the University College London. In 1959 he got a degree in Law in this university. In 1961 he was called to bar in London’s inner Temple.
At age 31 he was at the frontline of the action group crisis; this was during the first republic 1963-1966.
Between 1967 and 1970 Bola Ige was the Commissioner for Agriculture in the western region of Nigeria. In the early 1970s, he gave his energy to the anti-racism campaign of the World Council of Churches.
In 1979, during General Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, Ige was elected governor of Oyo State and he served until 1983. He had become friends with the General some year earlier.
When General Olusegun Obasabjo came to power again in 1999, Ige was appointed Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He opposed the idea of Sharia Law being imposed in the Northern Nigeria.
When president Obasanjo went on official visit to Oyo State, he was received in a presidential reception at the liberty stadium, joined by Bisi Akande, the governor of Osun State, Lam Adesina, the governor of Oyo State and Bola Ige. Bisi Akande narrated how the crowd welcomed Ige, who entered after the others, with “a jubilant and deafening shouts of Ige! Ige!! Ige!!!” The love the people had for him made him steal the show in a presidential reception where the president of the country was expected to get the highest attention.
While in prison, he wrote a book titled: People, Politics and Politicians of Nigeria: 1940-1979, among others.
A man loved by the people; he was a patron of the arts, a mentor to the youths.
On 23 December 2001, he died by the bullet of an assassin right in his own home. He was mourned by Nigerians all over and, justice was demanded for his murder.
References: www.wikipidia.com
www.dawodu.com
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