WHY SEX SELLS

COPIED! I honestly have never paid much attention to her, but suddenly when I read that ‘someone’ in Nigeria – don’t worry it wasn’t Dare – paid $500,000 ( that is over N80 million Naira if you didn’t know) as appearance fee to have Kim Kardarshian make the briefest appearance in the history of Nigerian showbiz, I got interested in her, very interested. I was not as interested in the fee as I became interested in what a woman who could attract such a fee does and what she represents. What female personality will draw that kind of sensational attention from our garbage consuming Nigerian public? Kim – to any seasoned image manager – is the obvious choice! The real question then is, Who is Kim? Wiki describes her as an American socialite and TV personality who came to light in the event of winning a court case where she got awarded a $5,000,000 over the issue of a sex tape. Kim’s fame has grown on the followership she has garnered on her family reality show – Keeping up with the Kardarshians. Kim and her sisters also co-own a fashion line called D-A-S-H. In 2011, Kim got married to a basketballer and then sensationally got a divorce 72 days after. She is also in an ongoing relationship with Kanye West and expecting his baby. I am not going to bore you with stuff you already know about her, but Kim’s life does not read like one of an ideal role model. Yet Kim represents all that is trendy, entertaining and is considered the good life to us today – She is Sexy, and she represents Sensuality. Permit me take a quick detour to the real issue at this point. It has become weird what we term ‘fashion’, what we call trendy, and what is in vogue today – the things that ‘trip‘ us. It’s a wonder the phrase ‘common sense’ still exists especially as our sense of what is important, really has flown out of the window. Trends seem to havereplaced our common sense. This lack of common sense is most evident in our lifestyle, fashion, entertainment and moral culture. The sad thing is we really don’t realize that this is a war we are losing – The war to keep our sanity and our souls and those of coming generations. Let me take fashion first. Today it seems so normal that people consider ‘nakedness’ a fashion statement. Everywhere we go now, we see boobs and laps flapping around like flags in the wind. Ladies with cleavages as open as bedroom windows and clothes so tight, even their skin can’t catch a breath. Most of what we call fashion today 15 -20 years ago would have been referred to as outfits only fit for harlots. Men today are wearing skinny jeans that were called leggings back in the day, outfits only fit for faggots, boys sagging jeans and looking like touts out of American correctional facilities. We live with these things everyday, and it is no longer an anomaly. What am I saying that is new anyway? However, what it is doing to our minds is where the real problem is. Our minds have dulled beyond recognition, warped beyond conscious awareness. It seems we now think we live in a virtual reality, where what we do, does not affect our lives. We push the bounds of choice, daring to do anything in order to enjoy ourselves, get noticed, using the liberty and freedom we have to break all laws of moral restraint, and yet somehow we think we can evade the inevitable consequences of our choice? The biggest lie we tell ourselves is that it really doesn’t matter. Recently, I stood at the entrance waiting to catch an 18-year-old cousin of mine that I found out would sneak out of school to go celebrate her birthday party at a night club. As I stood there and watched the Lagos night life unfold, I saw several young girls of her age coming out of cabs in the most outrageous outfits. Skimpies, shorties, and slickies, clothes with more holes and see-through, that any rag would have seemed less torn. Young pretty girls between the ages of 16 – 21 entered the club in droves and, I wondered how so many fathers would be asleep thinking their daughters are in bed, while the girls are out at night selling sex. Did I hear you say ahan! Are they all having sex in nightclubs? No that is definitely not what I am saying but the clothes and lifestyle is one that sells sex, saying ‘Hey, I am old enough, I can have sex and I am available’. Again most nightclubs are filled with harlots waiting to pick up men for commercial sex. How then do we tell a harlot from a regular girl? Our fashion and clothes that we wear today leave no way for us to tell. No wonder the term lady and bitch can be used in one sentence these days. In entertainment, musicians seem to have nothing else to sing about. I bought an 18 track album released by Iyanya recently and all I heard was omoge oloson gbewa o!, ’your waist…your waist all I want is your waist’, Kukere kukere, I getti money o!, Sex mama oya kajo mama, her yansh dey make me maga. At the Africa Magic Viewers Choice awards AMVCA awards Ike, the presenter of the big brother Africa competition said he wondered what people liked about Iyanya’s music, especially as it seemed to have no evident message other than sex. In fairness to Iyanya, I once heard he said when he was making proper music, we the public, didn’t buy his tapes. His accusation means that we sub-consciously­ prefer obscenities in our music these days to sensible music. Today he dishes us crap and we lap it up greedily and he is not the only one. Is it Wizkid or the Ice prince or D’banj that has anything else to say? They all just sell sex, money, fame and sex again. Our movies are no better. The Tonto Dikehs, Ini Edos Uche Jombos and Mercy Johnsons seem to be trying harder and harder to reveal more and more. It is said that these things are a reflection of our society…a society constantly trying to copy and consume western culture without counting the cost. Our moral culture which really is what we call ‘common sense’- is a sense of right and wrong which we all commonly agree to. Did we all agree that nakedness and lewd dressing are the next level of sociocultural advancement? At what point in time did we all come to a consensus that sex and sexuality are the most important things to us in life? This uncontrolled consumption of sex and sexuality is the reason for the indigestion of social sicknesses we see in our environment. Rape, homosexuality, prostitution, child molestation, divorce, STD’s, broken homes, infidelity, to mention only a few are the order of the day. Today I woke to find trending, a video of another set of boys gang-raping a girl who was begging and wailing as the boys recorded their wicked lasciviousness.­ As usual the public outcry and the man-hunt for the perpetrators begin again until a few weeks from now when the public’s conscience settles down, we all forget and go back to minding our businesses until the next event that goes public happens again. We do nothing but bleat like sheep as the evil continues. Have we ever stopped to ask why these evils don’t go away? No, it is not only the devil that is at fault. We all are part of this vicious circle of evil. How are we complicit you may ask? Simple, because every man has refused to take up his communal responsibilitie­s and decided to mind only his own business. For instance, you may ask, what is my business with a road-side seller who has decided to pitch his tent at my junction to sell pornographic videos? Well, who do you think is going to buy those videos? Your friends, your sons, your house boys, your neighbours sons, your mechanic, your guard, your laundryman. Who do you think they are going to want to test it out on? Your daughters, your sisters, your girlfriends, or even your wife and possibly every lady you know. The truth is, every sexual vice we permit in the name of liberalism, sophistication and social tolerance will rear its ugly head in a place too close for comfort. The sexual perversion and subtle hints we permit in our movies, music, fashion and wave aside as no big deal, have their manifestations in the sexual vice in the environments we live in. The boys we see in the molestation videos today are a product of several hours and days on end, spent watching all the different forms of pornography, boys who feel the pent-up pressure of the social perversion we permit and now seek release in acts of rape and violence. I fear that sociopaths and psychopaths are soon to manifest in our society, a malaise that plagues the western world that we are so quick to emulate. What can we then do? We may ask how did our demon-believing­ ancestors keep the devil and his cohorts at bay in the dark ages. Why does it seem that our morals were better in the age of darkness than in the age of enlightenment? I will tell you why. When the villages were ravaged by diseases and death, the people would repent and together they would go and swear before their gods that they will not commit offences real or perceived anymore, and the people would hold themselves responsible by ensuring that whosoever grieved the gods were pushed or cast out or killed. This culture however barbaric and archaic, had its social benefit. This cultural mien is today called Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). All of us must understand that the solution starts with us all, realizing that we have a responsibility to be our brothers and sisters keepers, understanding that what afflicts one afflicts all. So if your neighbour’s daughter is behaving in an unbecoming manner, it is your responsibility to speak to her and where appropriate, reports to her parents may be required. We still have a lot to learn from the past, and if we were to ask what God’s opinion is about all this… this article will not end. Not all of our cultural heritage is bad, and God’s ways still seem most relevant, let’s not lose it all in the name of selling modern sensuality. My opinion, what is yours? Enjoy

MY LIFE, MY STORY… in 2012 (MY BIRTHDAY MESSAGE)

Funny how life can be, I have been living with this grief and sorrow for over many months and I have decided to hold them back pretending and hoping everything will be fine. I know I am not the first nor I am going to be the last to experience failure, but belief me not, I have experienced some massive failure and draw backs in my life in 2012. My heart confronts me not to write these thoughts of mine down not even to post them to my friends and readers to have a pip into the life I am living and sorrow I have been going through. Actually, it is time to break that silence and cry out those tears stored in my tear bank until I have no reason to cry no more. I have been broken by my failures and I have fallen by my faults, really I need to pick myself up and mend my broken wings, pathetic how most times I see myself as a walking copse, because I see myself failing in most things I get myself involved in, whether; academically, emotionally, psychologically, spiritually and what have you. I choose to speak up because so many youths my age are facing similar psychological masturbation and depression and decide to keep it to their hearts and commit vicious act, but I don’t want my story to end that way. Sadly, how I was broken to the point to think that God is interested in punishing me and He careless about me. I am always also confronted by the fear of the future even after believing that I have a bright future set in place to assist my peers and helpless youths and children in the world, I still question my existence and His’ as well. Most times I am being frustrated into cursing the country and putting all blames of my shortcomings as the fault of the government. Every day, I erode my mind with thoughts of becoming successful, I develop the zeal of doing great things but most times I am pushed by my failures into thinking that God is not in support of making me successful either because of my sins or my fathers. This is not the way I want to live my life, sitting on the fence and folding my hands without moving things or making things happen I can beat my chest to repeatedly say. I am now seen as a laughing stock, mockery and tagged as a failure by my peers, friends and foes at school and at home. I have visited so many counselling centres in Lagos and Ibadan, I get the same rather pathetic advice and saying “keep doing what you do, it is just the experience and the storm you are supposed to face, you will end well to be successful in whatever you do…” And I still can’t figure out where the problem is coming from aside from the fact that something is wrong with me. I have heard and read about it, “nothing good comes easy” or “all success stories come with a prize or some challenges”; maybe you all don’t know when I have been on the street hustling or where I am coming from. My family and background is another kind of a rueful story, as we go through some ‘life painful experiences’. Talking about my dad( I will avoid talking about his academic qualification and background because it doesn’t flow with what he is going through today), all I can say is that, he usually sit on a chair located in one of the two rooms in our ‘face me and face me’ apartment, my dad sits there thinking and feeling pathetic about how life is treating him, he even gets frustrated to the point of accusing my mom as a witch responsible for his failure and shortcoming in life, what a gross depression he must be going through(intellectual masturbation I call it, despite his degree of education). He stopped fending for the family and stop paying his children school fees all with the excuse that he invested money in a business that flopped and he has to keep paying debts for the rest of his life, what a pathetic life you may say. Lets stop for now about my dad and begin talks about my mom, she is out there feeding four children of hers, I didn’t say five because one of us who is a lady after me have decided to feed herself and leave the house since she was fifteen(15), don’t ask me what kind of job she is involved in because I am not going to answer, but every day I pray in my mind that God touches her and bring her back into the family(maybe to continue suffering with us) so that my mom can be happy. Back to my mom, she is always stressed out and share in the frustration of my dad’s, even though she pretends to be fine so as not to make us feel sad, I can see them(frustration and unhappiness) in her face as she starts developing a black face with stress on it when things left frying pan to fire in the family. She earns around seventy thousand naira per months from her place of work and she has two kids who are in the university struggling to get a good grade and she have one who recently secure admission into a private college where he can study Education Management, while lastly she has her last kid in a private missionary primary school, I wonder how she can survive. Well, God has being providing and helping her in many ways to be able to get money to finance all her expenses and that of her children. Many a time she console my dad by telling him not to think of money as a problem but should be thankful and happy about the fact that the family has good health, i was almost in doubt of her claim or consoling words when myself and my elder brother had to go through a life and death illness. I can’t say what really happened or caused it but I can say it was God who rescued us and made us alive, my little sister (the last born) is not left out of this ill-fated sickness that has come to rob my mom and the family the last of our happiness and hope. Consequently, before now I use to read books and hear talks that opines that your background shouldn’t stop you from achieving your dreams and living your ideas, but apparently, those sayings seems to be false to me as even after ignoring my background and gathering resources for myself and decided to work on my ideas and my dreams I encountered the biggest failure of my life, ignoring my background and living by the words of some of these sweet talkers. ‘My life!’, I usually exclaim for every little thing that happens, it is very pitiable when I recall all the money, time and academic sacrifice I have put in the line to become successful in the publishing industry, only to lose all of them to challenges that I can’t pinpoint. But I am grateful today that I am alive, hale and healthy coupled with the fact that life has thought me lessons that I cannot forget. Conclusively, this is not a grief message or write-up but an essay filled with hope and great aspirations that the future will be bright for me as I undergo the process of learning life teachings. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME AS I CLOCK 24YEARS OF AGE TODAY MARCH 15 2013.

THE SHORT STORY WAS WRITTEN BY ME ABOUT MY SISTER (BOSE) IN 2005 WHEN SHE BROKE OUT FROM HOME.

THINGS I CAN REMINISCENCE ABOUT MY SISTER The year 1990, Nigeria during the military administration was filled with fraught antecedents. During this time the President General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida was the helmsman from the early 80’s and early 90’s. He was a con-man in his tyrannical dispensation; passing Governmental Policies. Thus the Military era was known for his dictatorship character especially to the democratic minded citizens. However, there was malfeasance and unbridle breach to human right, there was no respecter for fellow citizens in the country. The mentality they have is: “who his this bloody civilian, How dare you challenge me? “ The country was so enmeshed to a point that no man dear speak or write against the free-booter Government in power, they put the journalists and the press to their toes. The Pressmen and the media were so gaunt that many deft and finest journalist and Pressmen had to flee for their dear lives. Do you remember the sordid story of Dele Giwa? And the dauntless Wole Soyinka who almost lost his life to the Government at that era, the concept of armed robbery was newly born and erupting. The economy was dwindling while there was oil boom yet there was poverty in the land. What was in vogue was “Tintinnabulary” Telephone which was most found in the Government quarters in Lagos (i.e. as the then FCT). You also remember the desultory public statement David Mark made:”Telephone is not meant for the Poor; it is for the Rich”. The Military men were like Brawn gods to many Civilians. Then, it was rift for parents to send their sons to the Military so their sons can be in the affairs of the Government, it was as though the Military are the highest paid, most respected and most powerful men in the land. Since the civilians have lost their voice at that era, it was replaced with high lax spate of mundane hip-hop music that could corrupt the Young mind, it was as though there revolution in the air for change, Spearheaded by Fela’s Afrobeat genre of Music. Although, he sings against the Government in Power and yet he was beaten to stupor but never give up in the struggle in advocating for human right and abdicating justice in Government. I could remember the radio station shimmering different old songs on ray power. This particular day of the year which was not different from other days, there was slight woof of zephyr caressing the brown skin of those at Dolphin Estate. My young mind was still childish. In the year 1990, November on the 11th day, the news reached us that mother has given birth and some friends and relatives came over to congratulate her successful delivery. The people of the state were preparing their way to the Christmas eve. As usual the orthodox churches and the new generation churches were organizing Christmas carol concert and other blitheful merry events coming up at this time at very young age was becoming aware of some foreign obscene music. Modernity was beginning to creep into people’s mind. And people are now working hard to get more money and there were blatant misappropriation of Money in the Government in the full oil boom and all vices that one could think of was beginning to be the order of the day. The naira began to depreciate because of the international relations; it was not at par with dollars again. All of a sudden the rain started to cascade and it stopped abruptly. Father with Mother was carrying the baby tenderly, neighbours coming in dotting numbers sauntered in to block 22 block 1 to greet and pray for the new baby girl: “eku ewu omo o”. while the Father respond by saying: “ e se ma… e se sir….e se gan ni”. Thus the brothers seye and I were gleeful frolicking about mischievously. Ayo said: “…we now have sister”. Seye replied:” Yes” with a resorted childish nod. “ we’ll play with her when she grow…”. Some weeks after she was christened ABOSEDE YEMISI RICHARD with a baptismal name GETRUDE, she was cherubic pulchritudinous in nature. she was blemish to the extent that people started calling her Princess. Her immediate younger brother Seye was just a year older. Two months later she was already babbling! She was sharp than her pairs at one years old. She learnt how to stand upright and walk at a very early age. During her one year birth day she was adorned with clothing and style by putting a red spot on her forehead like and Indian and it was indeed apt for her as a child. They celebrated the birthday at her Grandma’s place. The party was known to be a big one for the neighbourhood children at that time, throughout the… (TO BE CONTINUED)

NIGERIA AT 52

Nigeria, a country not a nation as it claims to be celebrates her 52 years of independence from Britain who claims to be the nursing mother of this African country, ironically, a child given birth to since 1960 is expected to have grown up and successfully build a family, but it’s funny how our country is still struggling. It is not a new thing to know that on October 1st every year, Nigeria as a country celebrates her independence, this was a period recorded to be the time the “green white green” flag was raised. I sit wondering and pondering on the present state of my dear country and the journey so far, with great disenchantment and melancholy my mind bothers on what exactly we are celebrating. I believe this date should be tagged a day of sober reflection and an avenue for retreat of both leaders and followers, because I believe both the leaders and people are confused hiding under the shadow and pretense of a nation. With plethora of problems faced today in Nigeria, from the rise of militancy now at Boko Haram, from privatization to corruption, to underprivileged athletes who go around the world without winning any medals, privatization of the oil sector to increased price of fuel among many other issues, we can conclude that the country needs more than just what both the people and leaders are doing. I don’t mean to be cynical about this whole situation or talk about Nigeria, but I believe that if we get our priorities right, we can go beyond a fluctuating economic system, bad road network, corruptions both among government officials and in the academic environment. Nigeria they say is the ‘land of dreams’, but I ask myself, how could one possibly sleep in an atmosphere where explosion hits news headlines every week, or more so, how could I possibly sleep in a country where one sleeps with fear of increased fuel price or tuition fee for education. With a more sober reflection I weep for a country where the people do not govern in a democratic society rather a few people rule and dictate on what the future of Nigeria holds. Conclusively, I humbly sing again the tune of our heroes past ‘God bless Nigeria’.

Was the Nationwide Strike by NLC and TUC Called Off or Sold Out?RICHARD OLUSEYE

Pathetically and sadistically this is coming so soon, I long expect that all these ills will come long before now, maybe my thought was erroneous or their think is off beam. I slept, on my scrappy bed pondering about the drama my country Nigeria is acting for the past few days, I saw how Nigerians where being forced to pick several characterization on the scene in the name of fuel subsidy, some youths mention Arab Spring, while some argued that with will sooner than later occur in Nigeria, some other who are educated with foresight and vision beat their chest claiming that such will never happen in this multi-ethical country called Nigeria. People flagged the occupy Nigeria logo everywhere, in their cars, blackberry Display Picture, Face book Profile picture and wall photo and so on. The drama was as going on as if it were never gonna come to an end. Some Dedicated and fingered Nigerians where carried away, that they belief the time for revolution is here.
I was moved by the crowed that enthusiastically participated in the protest, from Lagos, Ibadan, Kaduna and others. I was poignant and filled with contempt when I noticed some people not coming out for the protest at the expense of other Nigerians who came out. I was wondering, are Nigerians not fighting for the same thing, and then I remembered, that I have not better understanding of what Nigerians are fighting for. So these set of questions began to rollercoaster right in my mind that I can’t still deduce the essence of the protest and nationwide strike. I wondered is it because of the removal of fuel subsidy or incompetence in government or corruption of our government and people that Nigerians are embarking the street amassed all in the name of protest. We have several civil societies coming up to address people and see reason why they should go on strike, it is pathetic that these civil societies successfully lure the market women and traders who manage themselves and family on the daily sales of goods and services, these people I belief depend so well on what they do on daily base to get money. I cannot forget a gentle man who approached me for money all in the name of treating his sick child who needed some drugs and I can’t shy away from the fact that my brother was also ill that my parent had to run hither scatter to get money to take him to the hospital that was billing over 70000naira, during strike! I cannot blame the hospital because I am sure they will have to pay their workers to fend for their families.
Far from this, many Nigerians had to sacrifice their time, job and listen to the appeal of NLC and TUC who jointly agreed that people should embark on strike, roads were scanty, protest ground were ample and people were dedicated, but many fail to understand what this was all about, many people were seen acting based on emotion and many see Nigerians to have woken up, even, international bodies were interested in seeing how everything ends.
As many people feel that the fight between NLC and the government is a fight against corruption many thought that the fight was for the government to reverse fuel price to its initial price. NLC reacted to the government not keeping to its word when government says that the removal of fuel subsidy will commence April. The NLC then said that government better reverse the fuel price to 65naira or nothing, it is however shocking that NLC is a victim of what it preaches against, NLC misled the people and lie to itself.
After long hours of meeting upon meeting that ends in a deadlock, NLC decides to call of the strike January 16, 2012, taking Nigerians for a fool and making many protesters look like a fools. Suffice to note that, many lives were lost in the protest; many citizens are in the hospital bed thanks to enforcing agents, like the Nigerian Police. It is pathetic also that what was brought to the round table by NLC to the government do not include ASSU strike and cut down of government allowance among many other things that the people of Nigeria demands from her government, rather, issue of fuel subsidy or no fuel subsidy was the issue of the day. I am lost to this kind of government and the various organizations that flaunt themselves as fighting for the people, as I have not trust whatsoever for these organization. Before the strike was called off, I had a report from an anonymous source that NLC has received a token from the government of the people to call off the strike, while others belief that the strike was a deliberate action to call for attention and all that, as we find many celebrities coming out to claim that they are against the decision of the government and for occupy Nigeria. Many folks claim they are ready for a revolution in Nigeria, but sadly, I see them not ready, because as we know the Arab spring people are drawing allusion to, was not triggered or done by any Union but rather by youths who feel they can die for a just cause for their country to “revolutionarize”. I have observed with great pain in my heart, that many Nigerians enjoy listing to sentimental words with baseless fact, they don’t only stop there, they allow their emotion to be the judge of their actions. I have watched with enormous lust, that the fight that we need is not against the government but we ourselves, for we make up the government and if we fail to be do away with corruption right from our intellectual capacity to monetary issues, Nigeria will continue to be where it is without growth in development and standard of living.
Let me say this in a conclusive note, that a fool at fifty is a fool forever, I belief Nigeria is old enough note to be fingered or intellectually masturbated. God bless Nigeria

HAPPY CHILDREN DAY FROM A HEART THAT CARES

The 27th of this month of may is a month set aside for total reminiscence, but most people take time out to either reflect or merry!
Once in our lifetime, there comes a stage that is so inevitable, that we never can escape from, this stage is tagged or mostly called the Childs stage.
Once in our lifetime there comes a memory that we do cherish and never want to do away with and that we never want it to fade away. That memory is what we call children memory.
I am very sure those of us who are adult and have misplaced our cherished photos of our childhood, will be ready to pay over a million dollars to retrieve them…..
HAPPY CHILDREN DAY TO ALL CHILDREN OF THE WORLD…
This period that is aforementioned is a very vital stage in every human’s life. It vital because it plays many roles in shaping the future of human person, I will love to make myself clear as much as possible. To great extent, our association as children, our environment our foundation our parent play major role in determining our destiny our future and our later life.
We ought to remember this that children are gift from God, no matter the shape or physical features they are born with; they are real gift of mercy from God. Another basic thing that parent ought to know is that, the tomorrow they clamor for is determined by how they treat their children or wards. It is our basic responsibility as a government as parents and as adult to develop these children in a godly way that they should grow.
In the world today, there are million of children roaming the street without no clear and elusive future or destination all because their predestination has been ridden off or influenced by many factors affecting our community. It is with pain however that I write this piece dedicated to all children of the world, especially the motherless babies, the young teenagers who have been forced into all sorts of crimes and prostitution. I really love them and feel their pain, they should never give up rather they should be strong and use their challenges as ladder to the apex of success and zenith of fulfillment.

HAPPY CHILDREN DAY FROM A HEART THAT CARES

The 27^th of this month of may is a month set aside for total reminiscence, but most people take time out to either reflect or merry!

Once in our lifetime, there comes a stage that is so inevitable, that we never can escape from, this stage is tagged or mostly called the Childs stage.

Once in our lifetime there comes a memory that we do cherish and never want to do away with and that we never want it to fade away. That memory is what we call children memory.

I am very sure those of us who are adult and have misplaced our cherished photos of our childhood, will be ready to pay over a million dollars to retrieve them…..

HAPPY CHILDREN DAY TO ALL CHILDREN OF THE WORLD…

This period that is aforementioned is a very vital stage in every human's life. It vital because it plays many roles in shaping the future of human person, I will love to make myself clear as much as possible. To great extent, our association as children, our environment our foundation our parent play major role in determining our destiny our future and our later life.

We ought to remember this that children are gift from God, no matter the shape or physical features they are born with; they are real gift of mercy from God. Another basic thing that parent ought to know is that, the tomorrow they clamor for is determined by how they treat their children or wards. It is our basic responsibility as a government as parents and as adult to develop these children in a godly way that they should grow.

In the world today, there are million of children roaming the street without no clear and elusive future or destination all because their predestination has been ridden off or influenced by many factors affecting our community. It is with pain however that I write this piece dedicated to all children of the world, especially the motherless babies, the young teenagers who have been forced into all sorts of crimes and prostitution. I really love them and feel their pain, they should never give up rather they should be strong and use their challenges as ladder to the apex of success and zenith of fulfillment.

THE ENDS JUSTIFIES THE MEANS: EXAMINATION MALPRACTICES IN NIGERIA

T
he issue I am about to bring forward to you at this point in time is not a new one, as you might have stumbled upon it in any way, manner or time, either by way of discussion, debate or argument. Examination malpractice has become pervasive in Nigeria, the information that there is examination issue of examination malpractices is generally a stale news in Nigeria as the “syndrome” as eaten deep into the educational sector of Nigeria. This syndrome of examination malpractice has no other effect on the country’s educational sector than making it epileptic and crippled, the development of our intellectual capacity are derail. A number of factors are responsible for this taste and hunger for examination. These agents include; parents, teachers, student and government (they are primarily focusing on the end result of our education which is certificate)
The parents in Nigeria have been a major stakeholder in promoting the sin of environmental malpractice; one might wonder what do parents stand to gain in promoting exam malpractice to their child or children? Parent who finds out that a child is not as brilliant as to be able to pass an exam will in all way and manner want the child to pass that exam without preparation. In a bid to make sure a child does not repeat a class and in a bid to save them from paying school fees twice for the same class a parent might go all the way to bribe out the way of a child into being promoted to the next class and in a bid to make sure a child end up collecting the certificate that other child collect. This act can be tagged an act of selfishness and mistrust.
Other agents responsible for examination malpractices in our country are the teachers, the teacher play numerous and major roles in leading the students into the act of examination malpractice, this is done by not teaching the student what they should know. Most times teachers fail to complete the syllabus which student are meant to cover to move to the next class. In most cases also, teachers or lectures find it real hard to give a student follow up, for instance in the university, the lecturers don’t care if the students in his or her class understands a course or not. The issue at hand as lead to student creating options for themselves to pass an examination, diligent students take the attitude of the lecturer as a challenge and read so wide so as to be able to tackle any question the lecturer might want to ask in the exam, but some student will still be left with the option of exam malpractice as the last option of resort.
The government as contributed little or nothing to improve academic excellence in the educational sector as the education system of 6-3-3-4 adopted by Nigeria as not being maintained well, The management of the system is low compare to other country who adopt this system. For instance country like the US which Nigeria borrow the system from have been doing well in their education sector. Aside this, the government has failed to provide funds to the educational sector and even if they did all have ran into corrupt hands.
Our plea as student is that various agents responsible for this eccentric menace to in all way recoil from the act as it as lead to the detrimental of the image of those of us student who willing to travel abroad to show what we are made of. Also examination malpractice as left the good ones who are brilliant to fighting against the wall, as the bad ones have been seen to excel excellently well in an exam than those who sat to do the exam with their hard labour of studying. I will end my article with a story about a friend of mine who was so brilliant while we were in secondary school, he got no admission into the university despite is hard work. He was made a laughing stock for not getting admission into the university while his mates were. He remained diligent in his work and got admission into the university after many tries. But now he is doing well irrespective of any odds.

CAN WE BUILD A NATION ON GOOD LUCK

The present tension generated in the country, over the general election that is coming up on April is something worthwhile to write about, Different issues have to be made clear and addressed, one of such issue that needs attention, is the way some frantic and ravenous politician, are going about politicking. The idea of politics in Nigeria has been defaced, in the sense that we no longer see politics in its intrinsic self, which is politics as a way of governing effectively, efficiently and elusively, for the people. Politics here (I mean Nigeria precisely) as now been turned into a do or die affair, quoting the words of a major stakeholder in the country, Olusegun Obasanjo, he said and I quote, politics in Nigeria is a do or die affair”.
Our so-called politicians have been brain washed with this crazy idea of politics; this is responsible for their untamed attitude. Lies now seem to be the order of the day in political propaganda, they promise you something before they get their, they get their and do the otherwise. One stroking thing however, is that, do we need to be promised anything before we as a legalized and legitimate citizen get our rights. One of such annoying promise is saying; “when elected in I will provide light, provide water, provide jobs and all sorts of…” These promises are our rights and we do not need to bargain before we get them, the only bargain we needs do is promising to give or play our responsibilities back to the state. Nevertheless, it is pathetic how citizens of this country Nigeria do not consider things, we are so engross to solutions without identifying problems.
Even in the university, we do not need to demand for something before what is needed is provided. The mentality developed in this claimed good universities has passed on to the larger society. I will like to say in a broader note that the university or academic institutions in the country have played major roles in destroying the country. With less digression, most Nigerians are of the mindset of voting for a candidate based on sentiment. Some of them claim that, they will vote for a candidate just because he or she hails form a certain community or such candidate is related to one person or the other. The criteria for voting for a person based on credibility have been exchanged for sentiment.
Some aspirants or political candidates even go further to give baseless reason why we should vote for him/her. For example the incumbent president Goodluck Jonathan,is said to have good luck right from his childhood days, i advice he do not incucate such into our political sysytem. Some of his campaign representative even went far, to claim that from his stay as a deputy governor in Bayelsa he has always meet Goodluck and has become successful on good luck even to his present position of being a president. Nevertheless, the big question is; can Nigeria be built on good luck instead of hard work?
However, we will like to employ all citizen of the country Nigeria to be well convinced of the candidate they are voting in. as their decisions might make or mare them for the next four years. Because, good governance is not about individual it is about a system. We should avoid voting for voracious leaders who loot in times of famine instead of saving in times of harvest. LET US BE WISE, THINK WISELY AND VOTE WISELY AS WE GO OUT TO VOTE.

SPIRITUALITY AND VIOLENCE

 

Spirituality and violence are two terms that find themselves very close, on the contrary; they are like two sides of a coin. In recent times, violence as always been linked to spirituality, I am not saying that spirituality can be replaced with violence, but all I am saying is that most violence in the world today is due to some spiritual difference and misunderstanding among different race of people this is not to say or suggest that human being have a violent nature but to make know the extent at which religious violence has changed man into a great beast that will go extra miles to kill so as to convert an alien from his/her religion.

Before commencing my paper or article on the gravidity of spiritual or religious violence, I will like to conceptualize the two terms, spirituality and violence. Spirituality according to Merriam- Webster’s Dictionary, means something that in ecclesiastical law belongs to the church/Mosque or a clergy, it also mean sensitivity or attachment to religious value. Spirituality can also be taken to mean the quality or state of being spiritual. While violence on the other hand according to the same dictionary is define as; exertion of physical force so as to injure or abuse or an instance of violent treatment or procedure, it can also be taken to mean an intense, turbulent or furious and often destructive action or force on people. Violence can be caused from political, social or religious difference. The cause of violence that we are concern about in this article is the violence caused out of religious differences.

In the world today, there are diverse religions being practice by different people. Some of the religions that are being practiced by different people in the world today include; Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, African Traditional Religion (A.T.R), among others. In recent times, people who practice these pluralistic religions engage in violence against each other. Spirituality in the Islam settings is taken to mean living a godly life according to the doctrine and teaching of Islamic law. While according to the Christian setting spirituality is taken to mean leading a godly life in a Christ- like manner that aims at worshiping God. Knowing fully well that spirituality as to do with ones relationship with the Supreme Being or ones way of showing homage to God, it is not far from certain hence to note that people worship God or the Supreme Being in their own like manner and in their own cultural understanding. These diverse way of relating to the Supreme Being or worshiping God has lead to diverse violence that we face in the world today; as it is linked to one race or set of people trying to impose is own way of relating to the supreme being or worshiping God on another set of people. The truth is that; the sacred texts of revealed religions may be eternal and unchanging, but they are understood and applied by human beings living in time.

Consequently, in this piece of writing I will like to use two set of examples to illustrate the trend of violence in our world today. One set involves the Muslims and Christians while the other trend as to do with Christianity and Judaism. Digging deep into history, we shall find different account of violence that has erupted due to Christians and Muslim clashes; an example of such account is the recent Jos crises in Nigeria, where Muslims attack Christians faithful in Jos the northern part of Nigeria. The clash or difference between the Muslims and Christian faithful is an age long phenomena that as resorted to many bloody violence. Recently, in Nigeria, there was these crises that erupted in Jos, Nigeria; a set of Muslims known as the Bioko-Aram attacked Christians, this thus, lead to several killings, about five hundred people were reported to have been dead in that crisis. In one of his article, Chris Ngwodo writes this in effect of the religious crises in the northern part of Nigeria:

…in Northern Nigeria, religion, ethnicity and politics are intimately bound up in ways that Nigerians living south of the Niger may find difficult to understand. This is compounded by deep rooted animosities that date back two centuries. In Northern Nigeria, Islam is the religion of the politically dominant Hausa and Fulani peoples little wonder we see violence go bang from such a location.

It is the religion of the Fulani Jihadists from the far north who once plundered the Middle Belt for slaves and then subsequently dominated hundreds of ethnic minority groups in the area. Stories of wars with Hausa and Fulani Muslim invaders and of people taking refuge in the hills endure in the cultural memory of many Middle Belt tribes. For these ethnic minority groups, Christianity is the faith of emancipation, liberty and progress. In these parts, religion is as much a badge of cultural, political and social identity as it is a form of spirituality. Consequently, churches and mosques are not simply places of worship; they are talismanic symbols of identity charged with immense cultural meaning. This explains how a political fight or a marketplace altercation quickly degenerates into a religious war with churches and mosques being torched. The number of Muslims and mosques or Christians and churches in a community informs its socio-cultural character. When looking at the differences between Judaism one will not stop to wonder. Judaism is a religion practiced by the Israelites also known as Jews, they so much hold to this believe that their messiah is yet to come this is in contrast to the Christian believe who see Jesus as the messiah of the world. Christians believed not only that the Jews had misunderstood Scripture, thus justifying the Christian reinterpretation of Jewish Scripture, but that all of Jewish Scripture had to be understood as containing only partial truth. The whole truth was comprehensible only when Jewish Scripture was interpreted correctly, in what Christians called a “spiritual” rather than merely a “carnal” manner. In the 1100 period, there emerged what some historians have termed “chimeric” anti-Judaism, the conception of the Jew not only as ignorant of spiritual truth and stubbornly resistant to Christian preaching but as actively hostile to Christianity and guilty of ugly crimes against it, such as the ritual murder of Christian children and the desecration of the consecrated host of the mass. This form of anti-Judaism resulted in massacres of Jews, usually at moments of high social tension within Christian communities. One of the best documented of these massacres took place at York, Eng., in 1190.

However, one way we can cub these violence here and there is by understanding ourselves and by having numerous religious dialogue in most of the state and cities that are violence prone. Though it seems hard to achieve serenity in an ethno-religious community like Africa or the world at large it is still possible to cub out this violence erupting from religious clashes or differences.

 

Richard oluseye Anthony

University of Ibadan Nigeria.

THE CRASHING EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

By: Richard Oluseye Anthony

university of Ibadan, Nigeria

“The system is good on paper, but its implementation is bad, is it not the same system that America is using and it is providing efficient results even the constitution we use in Nigeria is been practice by other countries like USA and it is giving a good result contrary to the inefficient”, this were the words of a secondary school teacher in one public school.

The 6-3-3-4 system of education, gives every Nigeria a chance to contribute his worth to the nation’s development at the level commensurable to his mental ability. The seeming unanimous acceptance of the introduction by the highly critical Nigeria public, I assume, resulted from the potentiality of the system to ensure a streamlined admission process while ensuring that every Nigerian is educated according to the dictates of his cognitive, psychomotor and affective ability.

In practice, the system means that the child aged three to five is educated prior to his entering primary school. Primary education is a 6 year affair. Secondary education is also a 6 year period divided into two parts: junior secondary and senior secondary. The junior secondary is made up of JSS1 to JSS 3, while the senior secondary is made up of SSS 1 to SSS 3. The third tier of the system is the tertiary level which is, 4, 5 or 6 year depending on the course of study. At the end of the first six years of elementary school, the candidate or student is expected to enroll in a secondary school of his choice after he must have written and passed the national common entrance examination. The junior secondary certificate examination is taken at the end of three years of junior secondary. It is prescribed that those who passed the examination should proceed to senior secondary at the same institution or an institution of their choice. The senior secondary school examination is written at the end of SSS3. The general certificate of education (GCE) is conducted as a supplement for those students who did not have the required credit from their SSCE. Candidates who are able to have the required credits can proceed to the tertiary school of their choice. one puzzling question that one is forced to ask after looking at the well articulated and laid system of education borrowed from the Americans, Nigerian students in the tertiary school according to Professor Soji Amire, “finds it difficult to understand what they are taught and so become aggressive, ready to intimidate lecturers to extract pass marks from them.” one would further wonder if the fault is inherent in the system of education (6-3-3-4) or its implementation. Again, why is the Nigerian trained professional treated as an outcast internationally while his counterparts from other part of the continent is seen as pure or base? As Adewale Dada puts it in his article: Reinventing Education In Nigeria, “with all the pictures of poverty from India and many of our uniformed perceptions of Asians as lacking the intellectual capacity to compete in the global marketplace, it would do us reasonable justice to know that many Americans are considering the option of studying in India mostly technical courses, because of the reputation their universities have garnered over the years…” when will a Japanese, an American or a British citizen want to come to Nigeria to study a course because of the impression and expertise the course has imbued in the world as a result of how seriously and thoroughly it has been handled in Nigeria by Nigerians?

Sincerely, it will be an understatement for one to claim that the system of education being implemented in Nigeria today has lost the quality of 6-3-3-4, looking at the handful of Nigerians who, through dint of hard work, still reflect the indices of being educated. This discourse aims at unraveling the root-cause of the decay that laid a destructive siege on the system of education in Nigeria.

Nigeria Irony at 50; The argony of every Nigerian

I have heard that the behaviour of our leaders are incorrigible, that corruption on our land is irresistible, that the spoilt things in our nation are irreparable, that our lost resources are irretrievable, that the situation of Nigeria is irredeemable. All I was told was of TRAGEDY. This seem to be the words and hopes of those with the loftest souls they habour no hope for a brighter future or a better tommorrow. Sincerely, in affirmation of what those with the loftest soul said about our dear country, I see a nation where mismanagement is the key, instead of saving in times of harvest, we loot even in times of famine, the citizens are eagerly pious and anxiously sinful, i see calm citizens as well as adamant ones, positive pessimism and negative optimism being the order of the day, not tø late to opine yet too early to conclude, that Nigeria can not change for the best... To be cont.

i lost my foe!!!

I LOST MY FOE

Sitting on the fence without a stitch on,
With one leg in one leg out
Don’t think I am between Scylla and charybdis,
I was just wondering and pondering
About my experience in the Peloponnesian war
400bc I saw Achilles fight with so much enthusiasm
How I wish you were there to see the zeal
Displayed by my “young” Socrates against the shopkeeper (sophist),
How young was he then? Pellucid!
I lost my foe

Hence, I mingle with the baby Plato,
Not the counterfeit this time!!!
I mean the pukka and kosher Plato.
Watching him display his brilliancy at school
Teaching the young Aristotle
How I wish you were there to see his avidity.
How mischievous were the sophists,
They try tampering with our heritage and but it abate
With so much skeptical questions
I lost my foe.
Here I am today,

I have lost that spirit of fervency
For I have lost a sage...Dipo
The spirit of Dipo is sagacious…Dipo
He showed his prudency to all
What a wonderful friend we pine for.
(These are the word of the tactless human)
I lost my foe!!!

YORUBA TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE

INTRODUCTION:


I will give a preamble of the course ‘ANTHROPOLOGY AND RELIGION’.
The course anthropology is a study of the primitive societies. Lewis an anthropologist opines that anthropology is the humanistic and scientific study of human existence; hence, it is a study that looks back and examines the way of life of the primitive societies. And it also looks at how the modern society has been able to improve as against the primitive societies. Thus, anthropology uses many methods to study this primitive societies; the field work method, historical method, comparative method, case study method, phenomenological method, speculative method, research method and many more. The discipline anthropology is an important and in evitable one that bring to our knowledge how our society looks like in the past. Like evans-pritchard claims that, getting to know a primitive people in its own community will reveal the uniformities and regularities of social life. Anthropology in another hand, brings to focus the challenges ahead of a society and at the same time let us understand the common sense meaning of other ethnics or culture in which we may call nonsense when we look at them without scrutinizing the basis of such custom and beliefs.


EXPLANATION OF TERMS;
Religion, the central piece of study for anthropology is religion. The term religion don’t have a universal definition, but one thing is clear and that is; it involves man total submission to God or total submission of the creature to the creator. Without this religion is not completely defined. It is important to note that religion is a sub field under anthropology which studies the origin of man.

Wedding ceremony which is also known as marriage, in western societies is about a man and a woman starting a life together and is often done under Gods will. But weddings in Africa are seen more like a way of combining two families together. Even though the African societies have different ways of looking at wedding and marriages they still is constantly influenced by the
Traditional marriage it should be noted is the indigenous marriage ceremony of the African societies that is highly recognized by the primitive African societies (Yoruba). To the African primitive societies, marriage is an essential ceremony as this is a step towards the emergence of a family formation which also holds great importance among the Africans. In African primitive societies, marriage was a ‘must’ and still regarded as a must for all men and women this also include the able and the disabled these varies in different societies or cultures. In the African primitive society, the family is the most sacred and significant institution.
This is also so among the Yoruba who are child centered, ruled by the elderly, and controlled by adults. The family is an effective unit of political control, religious affiliation, resource allocation and assurance of safety. It is also the most effective agent of socialization. The family teaches the first lessons in discipline, personal gratitude and affection.
“Yoruba children in Ibadan, Nigeria Many Yoruba proverbs stress that the dead give birth to the living and the living are responsible for nurturing the children who represents the future.”
The family is where young people are exposed to their first preference and prejudice. Many individuals are involved in a successful marriage ceremony between the spouses. They include both spouses families hence, both families will visit themselves to exchange words on whether the both are interested in putting down their daughter or son for marriage. We also have the kinsmen in the society these individuals are highly involve in the success of marriage in the African context. Thus, before any marriage is considered complete, rituals or rite need to be done or observed and this include; the payment of bride wealth (bride prize) or dowry this must involve the man paying or giving items to the lady and her parent this actually vary from society to society. Also, invocation of the supernatural power to bless the marriage is also an important ritual in the African traditional marriage. At this period generally in the African primitive societies, the ancestors or ancestress of both spouses are involved through liberation and prayers to participate in the marriage ceremony and to bless and protect the union created by the spouses and their families, hence, this is a mandatory religious activity that need to be carried on before the spouse are said to be legally of fully married.
At this point it is important to note that there are different types of marriage in the African primordial societies they include; polygamy, levirate and ghost marriage.
The polygamy form of marriage, to the Africans it is belief that the more wives you have the more wealth you bring on yourself. This belief however vary in different societies but it is held by the Yoruba’s which serve as a case study for this assignment (article).
The levirate form of marriage is found in almost all culture in the African primitive societies, this is a form of marriage whereby the brother of a dead man is compelled to marry the wife of his brother who is now dead.
The ghost marriage is a form of marriage which is found in most part of the country but this varies in different societies.

YORUBA TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE

The carbon date of the Yorubas date far back as 9000BC, while the language Yoruba is reported to have been spoken 4000 years ago.
The traditional marriage of the Yoruba which is a case study at this point is a wide one. Marriage for the Yoruba man or woman is a necessity. As Nathaniel Fadipe noted:
“For a man or a woman who has reached the age of marriage to remain single is against the norms of the Yoruba. Men get married even when they are sexually impotent in order to save either their immediate relatives, as well as to get one to look after their domestic establishment.”(1970, p. 65)
Superlatively, marriage should establish the foundation of the family in which we have earlier stated is a very important institution in African culture. When it does, marriage is a union not only of the two spouses, but the two extended families to which they belong. Marriage is a proof that both spouses are good products and ambassadors of their families. By successfully going through the demanding steps to the Yoruba marriage, the spouses are a good reflection on the quality of character of their families. They have shown restraint as people from good homes and members of the Yoruba culture. But before one is qualified to be married he or she must have reached the adolescent age which the Yoruba mostly refer to as “Balaga”.
In the process of getting married in the primitive Yoruba setting, there are few norms which are in most cases observed and which have, in no doubt, been erased from the culture of the Yorubas.
One of the key practices which is observed, is that before marriage there is always an intermediary which is also known as ‘Alarinna’ in Yoruba language, when a man sees a lady he likes and he intend to marry, instead of the man going to meet or approach the lady he simply send an intermediary to the lady. This intermediary is always a link between the man and woman who are to get married. In most cases the man and woman don’t know each other or have never seen each other it is this ‘Alarinna’ (intermediary) who sees both spouse and pass information from one person concerned to the other. This is a practice that is common during the prehistoric age of the Yoruba; it is an important norm then that it makes each family know about themselves intimately. The intermediary bring to the knowledge of the family of the woman if the man is a capable and worthy person and he also bring to the knowledge of the man’s family if the woman is a worthy and capable person hence, he (Alarinna) visit the two spouses often. One other thing which the intermediary has to do is to investigate the background history of each family and report, if there is any bad records among them he give the information to the family that is more concerned. If the marriage works out well gratitude is always given to the intermediary for linking both families together. But if things work out bad for the couples or spouse the intermediary is always the one to blame and he’s always hated by both families because he brought disgrace to both families. Hence, in the Yoruba a primitive society the intermediary holds a higher ground in marriage and his responsibility is to the see to the success of the marriage between two spouses.
NOTE: In most cases, there may not be need for an intermediary as most families usually choose the man they want their daughter to marry or vice versa, from birth.

In another vein, before the man decides to marry the woman there is always an introduction ceremony which involves the two families; the families of the groom visit the family of the bride with their dowry which must include alligator pepper and kola nut. In the marriage introduction scene there will be the present of ‘baba iyawo’, ‘iya iyawo’, ‘baba oko’, ‘iya oko’ and ‘alaga iduro’ which will stand as a master of ceremony. During this process of marriage some items like yam, kola nut (obi) bitter kola (orogbo) salts Adun, honey (oyin) which they are all symbolic.
Payment of dowry which is also known as bride wealth is one other important norm among the Yoruba; the dowry must include yam, kola nut (obi) bitter kola (orogbo) salts Adun, honey (oyin), alligator pepper etc. if this is not done the family of the lady will not accept the man to marry their daughter. Payment of dowry has to be made before a contract of marriage is reached, but one things is unique about this norm is that so much is not demanded from the man as it is been done now. After this a sacrifice is made which is known in the Yoruba term as “ebo iyawo”. And if it happens that the lady is in any debt, the man has to pay so as to free her from insult, this is the normal norm in the Yoruba traditional marriage.
Thereafter, the family of the bride fixes a date for wedding ceremony proper. On the D-day the two couples wear their native cloth which is known then as “iro and buba” for the lady and “buba and shokoto” for the man.
After the wedding ceremony on the same day one important event need to be noted and that is the woman entry into the home of the man for the first time but before she enters the house of the man, her foot will have to be watched with water and cloth place underneath it, in order to bring success, peace and tranquility into the house. She is mostly accompanied by her friends who sing for her on her way to her husband house and wish her marriage blessings and to wishing her good bye to her husband above(ghost husband), this practice is known to the Yoruba as “ekun iyawo” it is also known as epithalamium is English.
At night that same day after the wedding ceremony the man and woman both ‘mate’, that will be there first love since they began their relationship it is a practice that need to be observed. According to this norms, when inside the room the man mate with the woman to confirm if she is a virgin or not, if he the man finds out that the woman is a virgin he stains an handkerchief with her blood, he carry a calabash filled with fresh palm wine and he take along with him a matches box filled with matches sticks. Villagers are gathered outside waiting to see the couple come out. But if peradventure the lady is not a virgin what the man simple do is come out with an empty calabash and an empty matches box and smash it on the ground at the home of the parent of the lady saying “omo te fun mi korofo ni” this can be translated to English as the daughter you gave me is empty, this act brings ridicule and shame on the family of the lady. After this all he has given to the parent of the lady will be returned back to him, this is a strong norm and belief that the Yoruba hold daring to before they consider any marriage to be successful.

WESTERN MARRIAGE AND ITS IMPACT TO YORUBA TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE
Western societies otherwise known for bringing civilization to Africa, Marriage in this society is understood to bring two people together and form a family. Marriage ceremony among this society is commonly regarded as white gown marriage. It will be of tremendous value if we can bring to lame light the two dominant religions in the western world or societies; Christianity and Islam.
Christianity is one dominant religion in western society that belief in God as the ultimate and Jesus Christ as their savior. Marriage in this religion is conducted in the church and is administered by a minister of God. In this religion it is mandatory for the couples to come to church cooperate; the man wears a suit while the lady wear a white gown mostly.
Islam is another religion that is also introduced by the westerners. This is a religion that belief more in Allah as there God and Mohammed as their one and only prophet. Marriage in this religion is conducted in the mosque. One norms of the Yoruba is also found in this religion as it (Islam) encourages polygamy marriage just like it is been done in Yoruba society or Africa at large.


IMPACTS OF CIVILIZATION (CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM) ON YORUBA TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE

Western religion has effectively made changes on the practice of the Yoruba traditional marriage both positively and negatively, some out of the many impact include;
1. One of this effects which western religion had on Yoruba traditional marriage is the exclusion of an intermediary in the running of a successful marriage. This is no more found in the practice of Yoruba culture or norms. And also at this present age a man will see a woman which he likes, he just go and approach the lady himself erasing the norm of calling an intermediary to talk to the lady for him.
2. The act of friends leading the wife to her husband house for the first time and washing of the wife foot is no more in existence. As, a woman can stay in a man’s house even before marriage, mostly the lady might be pregnant for the man or may have given birth before the marriage ceremony is conducted. This act is not accepted by Christians this is one similarity between Christian and the Yoruba culture of marriage.
3. The issue of marring a lady as a virgin is no more active, as the issue of love have blinded so many people nowadays and as such it as erase the norms in Yoruba culture. This is possible because the two religions don’t take the issue of chaste a mandatory or hold it strictly as the Yoruba do in the prehistoric period or era.
4. Western religion marriage is meant to connect two individuals together as such emphasis is not place on introducing two families together, this is against the norms of the Yoruba culture which take is as a compulsory issue for the two families to meet before marriage. During the primitive period for the Yoruba without the consent of the two spouses’ families, marriage cannot be carried out but at this era of civilization two couples can get married without their parent knowing or supporting it.
5. One other advantage these religions have on the culture of Yoruba is the freedom to marry anybody one likes, the issue of not marring a lady or a man from one family due to the sin or past history of that family has been lost in tranquility through the doctrine of both religion which preaches forgiveness.
6. One other impact this religions has in one way influence the culture of the Yoruba regarding marriage is the fact that Catholic which is a branch under Christian is known for preventing her priest from getting married. This norm in the Catholic Church is in lieu to the norms of the Africans who take marriage as mandatory.
7. The issue of divorce is rampant now unlike during the primitive period of the Yoruba who really divorce their wife for any reason except if she is found in the act of adultery. Marriage can exceed the highest level of radiance if wise decisions are made by slowing down on the path for divine or spiritual and cultural directions.

In conclusion, it is important for us to note that not all norms or culture as been lost as individuals in the modern state still carry out introduction ceremony before marriage proper. More so, the idea of paying bride wealth known as dowry is still in place but this modern time it is either paid in cash or kind. To conclude this essay I will like to say that civilization as really influenced the norms and culture in the aspect of marriage, in Yoruba culture and societies.




Bibliography:
www.Wikipedia.com
Nathaniel Fadipe- “Yoruba tradition” (1970)


Written by Richard Oluseye Anthony
Social Network: Twitter, Facebook and Google+; @Roluseye

Nigerians Celebrate 49 years of Hide and Seek game.

I am here again; to write about this country I call my country. Thou, I am writing this time but it is not to denounce my loyalty to the country, but to list out ways in which the past and present government of this country Nigeria as forced this country of mine to act disloyally to me as a person and as a citizen. This is the better time to say it I suggest, because there is no better time than this which I have. In previous years, article upon article as been writing, edited and published on a local, national and international newspaper by numerous activist and golden people who take the ware fare, success and peace of their dear country a “to die priority”. But a question always resound in my hear drum which is; why does the country still remain constant and keep reversing backward? This actually as turn out to be two questions against one which I said it was, but that is not a national concern as the national concern should be why is their a why in the issue of Nigeria? Leaving the servile citizen on a dreadlock that is harsh, you find these words coming out in the lips of every citizen; Oh God! Why me, Why us? The present and previous situation which this “poor” country as fallen a victim of is enough to make this profane statement come out from the blessed lips of every citizen. From the educational sector down to the health sector, down to the financial sector all this I have mentioned among others are all butt of this “ national malnutrition” which as left the country under a deck status since independent.
As the year runs past each one of us, we all have one story to tell regarding our standard of living and the impact of the law to us as a citizen. My story is lengthy and at the same time it as always been repeated from year to hear among major people who intend to listen to my own story. I could recall in 2003 I told a story regarding the then ongoing strike, which left the Nigerian university under a paralytic state and now I am here again to tell the same story. We need a change as the USA president Barrack Obama put it “change we need” so also I am putting it to the leaders of our country Nigeria “A Change We Need” we don’t want to be saying the same story again. Nigerians’ “we really and always bury our heads in the sand and that as really kept us behind”. This as really been a bur under my saddle and I sincerely find it hard to let go. The burning question is that; corruption is now the order of the day in every hide and crack of the country. And the only way to free ourselves form this mischievous bondage is to realize that we are under the bondage of corruption and we really need to free ourselves from it by reorient ting our selves. The leaders are corrupt we say but there is one thing we fail to understand we are the leader of our land, so the success of our country is in our hands. As I was saying earlier we always bury our heads under the sand by indulging all type of mischievous and chalets attitude displayed by the people we appoint to represent us in government, as I usually say about the statement uttered by some unscrupulous element in the government who clam to be representing the people but meanwhile they represent their own lost for power and mammon for their families. The secret I see behind this corrupt leaders is that ‘they store up wealth for their children, grand children, great grand children and great great grand children cause they are not confident on those children to get power and wealth or get the opportunity they have now in the future’.
Nigeria celebrates her 49 years in grand style today I employ you to think of this a child was giving birth to in the year 1960 would have grown up to be what kind of man? The answers to this question is obvious, would he have grown up to be like Governor Raji Fashola or like a sacked bricklayer? Or like the likes of barrack obama or like an insane man walking on the street of New York without no job to rely on or home to rest his head?
Moreover, we need prayers and not churches which serve as a financial institute for the ministers and to some prominent rich people, they leave the poor congregation who are finding it hard to either secure a job or get admission into the university at the expenses of paying offerings and tight. we need to change the way insight are been passed and created.

CHILDREN THE KEY TO DEVELOPMENT.

children as we all know are more than “useless” to the society. they tend to be a key trend to every developed nation. there is no doubt about the fact that “children are the future of tomorrow” so before i commence with my write up i will want to plot out a little poem which goes like this:

little wonder, the children play all day

shouting, chanting and screaming all day on top of there voice.

the grass was green, their foot were dirty with so much mold from the soil. the sky was blue and smiling on the children, like a mother sitting right at the corner of the garden watching her children play with much love.

their eyes were blue, looking as thou they see a brighter future ahead of them. the cloud changing as thou it was going to rain. the children still playing not minding if it was going to rain or not.

there came a loud thunder, shouting so loud than a gong can. the thunder was like shout of a father, asking his children to get in and read and stop the playing.

then the children who acknowledge the fact that was going to rain, start shouting on the voice with this popular melody; rain way go away……………

to me they seem as thou they were pleading to their dad, they want to play more and continue their fun in the garden. but the rain started falling and they all ran inside and start reading poems and stories. truly they were really obedient to there parent, they could here the massage passed to them by this beautiful nature. 

 

Back to my write-up, i think it is better for a nation to pave a place in her policy to cater for this children. So i was so astonished when i went through a daily newspaper and i found a page dedicated to the children, to me it a fascinating idea i will employ all government to practice. so before one can think of development in a state or any nation one should pave and create a standardize future for this children. sincerely, if the past generation really train our present generation on how to handle economic problem i am certain this global meltdown we are experiencing now will never come to place because they would have been taught on how to tackle economic recession when it come to place. so i will like to urge every country of the world and all cooperate organization to invest tiredly on this children. it is really an obligation and a responsibility impose on us all from God. with reference to the bible i will like to draw your attention to an incident in the bible due to that lead to the punishment of a reputable priest which name was Eli. his children where not clean in the sight of God, so God decided to punish him and his sons. to avoid the rot of God i guess we need to create time for this children since they are the future of tomorrow.

without this children  i see no existence of a state, because it is because of this children we are happy of tomorrow so why don’t we create a better tomorrow for them? the children surely hold the history. without you there is no history for them to talk about, likewise without them there is no history to pass on. so it is really what we teach them they pass on. presently Nigeria is faced with problem and that is taking control of this present leaders of tomorrow who are taught on how to lute money once they are in power. sorry to say this is what will be passed on if nothing is done to address this issue.

furthermore, i will like to plead on all this war fighting nation to at least clear the air peacefully, so as to save our children from learning “warism”. vividly, this word can’t be found in the advance English dictionary put i bet you it is an ideology that can be used by children who are exposed to it. so employ all developed and developing nation of the world to strive hard and build great children as wonderful leaders of tomorrow……..

So i will like you to always stay on to this blog as the continuation to this drastical article will be completed soon. Thanks for reading.

ME,ME AND ME.

I am glued to the chair and I can’t help myself taking my eyes off the television. I was ‘impressed’ rhetorically to what I see and just heard on this device. It was written boldly as an heading “activities in the varsities is now paralyzed due to ASUU strike”, then a taught stroke me that what is the meaning of all this? I ask myself. Then I increasing fixed my eyes on the television like I was going to get an answer I glanced more, suddenly there was news ‘that government as granted amnesty to the people of Niger delta’. Then I came to realize that the government dually doesn’t care for her citizen, I stood up and made my way to the bedroom to sleep over it having it in mind that I am going to put all in my mind to writing tomorrow morning.
I tiredly woke up and quickly looked at the wall clock seeing that it is past eight I said my morning prayer and made a quick gripe to my towel then made my way to the bathroom where I had my bath and get my tooth brushed. I seem to be prepared for the task ahead of me today.

ASUU STRIKE

ASUU strike, again!

THE yearly arm-wrestling tournament between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government underscores the degree of contempt which the government and ASUU leadership have for each other. ASUU's latest decision to drag its members out of university classrooms and laboratories, as well as the government's nonchalance over the adverse impact of that ASUU decision, show quite clearly that neither ASUU nor the government cares about the consequences of constant disruptions to university education across the country.

In the current dispute, ASUU seems to be holding the moral high ground, if we believe its key argument for declaring an industrial strike effective from this week. At a press conference in Akure on Monday this week, the national president of ASUU, Professor Ukachukwu Awuzie, exposed the backside of Umaru Yar'Adua's administration when he contended that ASUU was forced "to take the painful decision to declare a total and indefinite strike to compel the government to take the path of honour for once and sign the agreement reached after more than two years of painstaking and scientific negotiations".

It is indeed absurd and utterly unacceptable that a government which proclaims itself as a product of a democratic process has continued to apply underhanded strategies normally associated with authoritarian regimes. When the Federal Government signs an agreement with any organisation, group or agency, it is expected that the government should abide by the terms and conditions of that contract. However, it is a mark of arrogance and small-mindedness for a government to deliberately ignore, dishonour or desecrate the same agreement it endorsed without justifiable reasons.

The Federal Government's evasive attitude to complaints about crumbling standards in the universities is evidence of an adult behaving badly. And it is that bad conduct on the part of Yar'Adua's government that has given ASUU the upper hand in its latest fight with the government. ASUU's decision to go on "a total and indefinite strike", despicable as it might appear, should be perceived as the unintended consequence of the Federal Government's obstinacy and flagrant refusal to honour an agreement the government signed with ASUU nearly 24 months ago.

This strike is a public relations disaster for Yar'Adua's government. But, would the Federal Government care? For a government that has developed exclusive rights to sluggishness as a way of doing business, the ASUU strike may not show up in Yar'Adua's consciousness radar as a sensitive issue to be resolved immediately. Going by the lethargic pace with which the government has been approaching issues of national significance, no one should expect Yar'Adua to hurry up to resolve this industrial standoff. In Aso Rock, it could be business as usual, whether or not ASUU holds on to the strike till the next election.

In the past, during the overbearing rule of Olusegun Obasanjo, the nation was led to believe that constant industrial disputes between ASUU and the government was due to Obasanjo's intolerance of alternative viewpoints, not to forget his legendary dislike for university teachers. Now, we know that Yar'Adua, the controversial political offspring of Obasanjo's government, has adopted wholesale the abusive character trait which Obasanjo passed on to him on May 29, 2007.

For failing to honour its agreement with ASUU, Yar'Adua's government has cast itself in the image of a termite that destroys higher education standards across the nation. Yar'Adua seems to have this weird idea that the nation can limp on with or without life in the universities. As a former academic, Yar'Adua must be ashamed that he has not shown goodwill to the ASUU leadership.

Here is how ASUU president Awuzie captured the protracted nature of the rounds of negotiations with the Federal Government, including the cagey strategies adopted by the government. Hear him: "...in March, we were told that the agreement would be signed before the end of April. At the end of April, we were told that it would be signed on May 7. On May 7, we were told the Permanent Secretary, who has no role in signing the papers, was not in the country. On May 10, we got a text message inviting us for the signing on Tuesday, May 12 at the NUC. When we got there, there was no programme. The event turned out to be a classic case of deception. Enough is enough."

Awuzie also told journalists at the press conference in Akure: "... the negotiating teams searched for, and arrived at minimal conditions for reversing the decay in the university system and these include an agreement that if Nigeria is to get to where it ought to be, a minimum of 26 per cent of the yearly budget of the states and the Federal Government should be allocated to education... With this level of funding, we can halt the growing inability of the children of the underprivileged to get education. The teams also agreed that, in line with what the Nigerian Constitution allows, the Federal Government should as appropriate, provide assistance to states in areas of higher education."

Four days since the allegations were made, the government has chosen to keep mum. In the past, I had written articles critical of ASUU's decision to adopt strikes as a major weapon to achieve its goals. My position has not changed but I am miffed by the degree of arrogance that continues to ooze from the government team negotiating with ASUU. To be certain, ASUU is justifiably concerned by the lack of faith and commitment shown by the government toward its complaints about the disintegration of equipment in the universities, including falling standards of teaching, research and community service.

As I argued in an article written on May 2, 2008 when ASUU observed what it described as a "warning strike" designed to force federal education authorities to recall the dismissed 49 academic staff members of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN): "How can scientific research and knowledge be advanced in the universities when basic equipment and infrastructure are unavailable or have since decayed? ASUU has an obligation to ensure that teaching and research at the universities are conducted in an environment that promotes learning." In the current climate, ASUU can't do much without financial and moral support from the government.

I have heard the argument that there is nothing to lose if ASUU pulls down the university education system that lacks quality. Advocates of this view often contend that it is better to incinerate a flawed education system in order to build a stronger and more robust tertiary education system that everyone - students, parents and education administrators - would gladly associate with. It is a reckless argument. If Nigeria's higher education system is faulty, pulling it down is not the best way to rebuild or restructure it.

For a long time, the Nigerian public assumed that the ASUU leadership went on regular strikes because they were terrified by the prospect of the Federal Government introducing radical changes in the university system, particularly changes designed to promote accountability and enhance academic standards, as well as expose the flaws in the system. The issues that underpin this latest ASUU strike show quite clearly that it is the Federal Government that is scared of improving the university system.

Whether this ASUU strike is resolved sooner or later, there will be consequences for the endless interruptions to teaching and research, including community service rendered by academic staff of universities. For every day the strike is sustained, the nation loses in terms of hours of productivity. Not only will universities record a significant decline in the quality of teaching and research, the graduates of Nigerian universities will also lose their appeal and competitiveness among graduates from other overseas countries. In terms of job opportunities, overseas job recruitment officers will avoid rather than rush to Nigeria to recruit our graduates. Who wants to hire graduates of a university system that constantly experiences disruptions to academic schedule?

Whenever ASUU coughs in its campaign to entrench high standards in teaching and research at the universities, it is the university students and graduates who will be in the frontline of the victims of ASUU's cold and flu - in a metaphoric sense. ASUU strike, whatever its objectives might be, is a double whammy that undermines the academic progress of current students and job prospects of graduates. When ASUU goes on strike and the nation gasps "ASUU strike, again!" it is necessary to understand the underlying reasons for the strike, even if we do not agree with the use of strikes as an instrument to resolve
industrial disputes.







UPDATED AT 18.15GMT
Senate panel to meet Egwu, ASUU over strike
The Senate Committee on Education will on Tuesday meet with the Minister of Education, Dr. Sam Egwu and the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) which has been on an industrial strike since last week. According to a statement by secretary to the committee, Mr. Felix Orumwense, the meeting would allow both parties to exchange views on how best to put an end to the strike. Chairman of the Committee, Senator Joy Emodi had suggested that the Education Trust Fund (ETF) be made to devote its resources to the funding of tertiary institutions in the country.

No swine flu in Nigeria, govt assures
Minister for Health, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin has assured Nigerians that there was no case of Swine Flu in the country, noting that the disease was "now a close call to home." Addressing reporters on Monday in Abuja, he said surveillance had been beefed up at all major entry points into the country to forestall any possible outbreak, alerting state commissioners of health and training epidemiologists to identify the disease. The assurance is coming as the epidemic fears hit the Wimbledon tennis championships on Monday with WHO figures on the disease showing increase, leaping past 70,000 while Australian researchers said a vaccine could be ready in months. Osotimehin said it was management of the disease that mattered but its prevention, noting that Nigeria was one of the first countries in Africa to have accredited laboratories for the diagnosis and treatment of pandemic. The minister reiterated that Africa has recorded 10 cases in four countries.

ASUU, UI management disagree
The striking teachers of the University of Ibadan (UI) and the management are now on war path over the institution's directive to staff and students to proceed on a two-week compulsory leave. The teachers, under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), said since they were already on strike, the decision was illegal and an attempt to infiltrate their ranks. ASUU, in a statement made available to reporters and signed by the chapter president, Dr. Ademola Aremu, said the vacation was meant for workers on service and not after the strike had been pronounced by the union. "The purported emergency Senate Meeting attended by 26 out of not less than over 500 men is a violation of the strike which is total and indefinite," ASUU said. Aremu maintained that the imposition of a two-week leave on staff by the institution's management was dictatorial and a betrayal of the ongoing strike. "Leave is meant for workers on service and not for workers, who are already on strike, the directive feigns ignorance of national strike which has been communicated to the management, such pretence is tantamount to a denial of the right of our members on strike. Furthermore, the purported Senate decision that teaching and non teaching staff should proceed on involuntary leave is nothing but a negation of one of the affirmation of the Governing Council that workers have a right to embark on strike," Aremu noted.

AC accuses PDP of undermining democracy
The Action Congress (AC) has accused President Umaru Yar'Adua and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), of undermining the country's democracy and the rule of law by aligning with elected officials who are cross- carpeting. In a statement issued in Lagos on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party criticised the President for personally witnessing Bauchi Governor Isa Yuguda's crossover from the ANPP to the PDP, even when the people of the state who voted him into office on the platform of the ANPP did not approve of the move. "Carpet-crossing is undermining democracy. Therefore, openly aligning with those engaged in it undermines the nation's democracy. It is worse when the President, who is an apostle of rule of law, is the one encouraging such illegality,'' AC said. The party warned that it would head to court to seek judicial interpretation over the decision of an AC Senator in Plateau State, Satty Gogwim, who is decamping to the PDP.

Madoff bags 150 years prison term
Convicted swindler Bernard Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison on Monday for fraud so extensive that the judge said he needed to send a symbolic message to those who might imitate his fraud and to victims who need relief. Applause broke out in the crowded Manhattan courtroom after U.S. District Judge Denny Chin issued the maximum sentence on the 71-year-old defendant, who said he sought no forgiveness and knew he must live "with this pain, this torment, for the rest of my life." Chin rejected a request by Madoff's lawyer for leniency and said he disagreed that victims of the fraud were seeking mob vengeance. "Here the message must be sent that Mr. Madoff's crimes were extraordinarily evil and that this kind of manipulation of the system is not just a bloodless crime that takes place on paper, but one instead that takes a staggering toll," Chin said. The Judge said the estimate that Madoff has cost his victims more than $13 billion was conservative because it did not include money from feeder funds. "Objectively speaking, the fraud here was staggering," the judge said. Before Chin announced the sentence, Madoff, wearing a dark suit, white shirt and a tie, sat and listened as emotional witnesses described how he spoiled their security.