BUILDING A NIGERIAN DIALOGUE
This article was compiled for the Institute of Black Academics concerning Black Under achievement.
PUBLISHED 19 AUGUST 2014 13:26
Despite the high levels of PhD attainment and degrees awarded to Savvy Nigerian’s on the continent, it seems that 35% of Nigerian’s can not read or write? Hart Culture C.I.C. held an International Symposium to draw attention to the low levels of literacy and academic achievement by ethnic minorities in the UK back in May 2012. The Urban revelations exposed, that less than 65% of Black Ethnic Students passed their A Levels or graduated with more than 7 A - C GCSE’s. A series of Ground breaking Research and Academic Papers that were read out and garnered up response of no less than a ‘we have lots of work to do’ reaction; resounded across the delegates. At question time, the floor was ablaze with an outpouring and gratitude to the young leader of Imhotep Foundation that presented his paper about ‘self confidence’ and ‘self esteem’ from a concerned parent of two and other members of the community. Further to the London Quadrennial International Reading Symposium 2012 (QIRS) The 2014 World Book Fair in Earl’s Court earlier on in the year saw Port Harcourt become the new World Book Host City. 36 new African Sub - Sahara writers were unveiled where the River State Governor was also in attendance.
It was attended by Professor Wole Soyinka and set alight the Social Media Platforms. This is a major achievement, but most importantly, it is an indication that adequate attention needs to be given to the next generation to ensure that reading for leisure is attained and sustained. Leaders are Readers.
CHANGE FROM THE GRASS ROOTS
Change will not come from the ‘top’, but rather from the ‘Grass Roots’. And this is something that is finally taking place within the mindset of the African Diaspora, as the situation is the same across the board. This lays testimony, that a ‘system’ has been executed on a mass scale, which affects each and every one of us from China to South America. It is the Rosa Park’s that say “I refuse to stand up” that is all we need? Doing the total opposite of what is ‘prescribed’ by the European witch ‘Doctor’ and Grand Master Wizard CEO? We all want to ‘Fix it’, we all want ‘change’, however, we can not change the things we do not know? It is established, that mediocrity is as dangerous as War and Conflict. We need to take to the root as far as the mind can take you and reach for solution after solution. It seems, that the delaying of these ‘solutions’ to arise are wasting the potential of Nigerian’s. Chinua Achebe quotes . . . “keep asking questions until someone comes with the solution? Which is not a bad place to begin with, when half of the world’s knowledge and African history is buried in un - touchable vaults, out of sight and out of mind.
GRAPPLING WITH OUR OWN REALITIES
The truth is, we have to grapple with our own realities in terms of who we are and where we have the capacity to go together, unaided by economic growth agendas and divine foreign financial intervention. No one can solve our problems for us. The best solution is always one that is tailored to one’s own particular needs. We need to chuck out the notion that ‘Westernization’ is ‘Civilisation. Civilization is not ‘Westernization’. This has taken us next to 5 decades to get this message firmly rooted into the minds and hearts of Africans and the Diaspora. We need to engage on lessons that actually ‘work’. No one has done a thorough enough analysis to look at the effects of Westernization on the average African, and what our own specific solutions could be and chart its progress? The effects of Westernization has been restricted to the elite few, rather than the common knowledge of every African Family across the globe, again contributing to that fact that less than 75% can read or write.
Therefore, what is African Education and what is African Leadership? And where are the institutions leading in this divine combination? There is none in existence. Every Institution and University works to take advantage of African resources at the lowest ‘unit price’ and with the least amount of fuss.
Surely, it should be in the realms of the ‘Divine’ (not to be confused with the Diviner) and not in the vicinity of Tribal domination? As there would surely be a natural ‘biased’ and this is what the continent has been experiencing in the world of ‘Democracy’.
LEADING A GOLDEN ERA IN ARTS & CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT
It is like putting a square dish into a circular parameter half its size and expecting it to be a ‘perfect fit’. Africa lives in the ‘9th dimension’ and the West exists primarily on the ‘6th’ dimension. Therefore, to truly see progress in African for African’s, the West would need to scale up another 3 dimensions spiritually and mentally, to catch up with Africa and be ‘on par’ with those realms of understanding or understand it in no less than 150% in order to be of any ‘benefit’ to African Nations. Anything less than 30% would mean that a ‘parasiting’ sensation would take effect, where African Folklore is rubbished, and African resources depleted. Lack of understanding makes way for ‘outsiders’ to establish something ‘Alien’ to African’s that they don’t understand and would therefore, be obliged to ‘subscribe’ to it as it is too difficult to ‘restructure’, reorganise and rebuild? The earlier example is a ‘perfect match’. Less than 15% of Europe can say ‘Ekasan’ or recall a modality in an indigenous African Tribal language, but control the ‘educational curriculum’ of those people and then say that government is set up to serve their interests? Essentially, African and African - Caribbean Graduates are not teased out to be Leaders. Leaders that can produce well today are not engaged on the National grid of forward movement. The legal system ”Listens to the mules that no one understands”. If as individuals we don’t change our minds, we can not change anything.
EDUCATION WITHOUT POWER?
Therefore, are we willing to take a revolutionary path? And how can people be educated without ‘power? Lack of energy in places of residence? How can we compete on the world stage as a force to be reckoned with? That debate goes on . . . However, maybe life should be tailored to the African’s needs and establish that which Africa already has, and how Africa can make that situation ‘work’ for itself, without resorting to the ‘export resource thieving Western economy’ or ‘globalised resource milking solutions’ under the guise of ‘trade and commerce? The ‘West’ has the luxury of applying ‘Globalised solutions’ due to the fact that they ‘put the time in’ at the private laboratories. The tests and BETA Programs have been trialled and equated down to the very last Kilo Jules, Millimetre and Voltage. If Africa is not willing to set up its own laboratories for positive ‘African prospects’, which may involve a dash of “Enchantment” and deadly Alchemy, then how can Africa come out ‘on top’ as Victors of stiff Global competition? ‘Enchantment and Alchemy may not sound appealing to people already trying to protect themselves from the snare of old school village witchcraft and incantations of witch doctors, however, if Africa wants to ‘stick with the currency’, then this may be a useful place to start.
We are now at the 2nd parenthesis of the Nigerian Dialogue with the N/D Team at the UCL University Campus, presenting intelligent arguments for the reasons of Nigerian’s failure to exceed at basic tasks such as delivery of consistent energy services. The collective of Talented and prominent Nigerian personalities attending the ‘Dialogue’ have asked that all important question - What is more important? “Saving a Childs life” or ‘holding an election? Which one comes first? If we lived in 3,500BCE, then this would be a no brainer - however, we live in the age where Petroleum has more value than human life and conditions of human habitation. How do we manage this transition? In the Culture Clash (Or rather the unexpected cultural synergy) of East meets west? Apparently, Nigeria scores high for holding one of the longest standing track records for making the wrong decisions over and over again? No, it is not ‘the holding of election? Over the welfare of ‘Children’, however, in comparison to 55% of the world’s dictators, regimes and ethnic cleansing track record, Africa is a beacon of hope in comparison. Europe has been slaughtering each other for gold bars for the good part of the last 100 years.
The challenge is, how do you get police to back you, when previously they have been jailing you? Testimony shows, that they do not feel part of the judicial system and alleged system of justice at the moment. They are just collecting the due, which may go back to the theme of ‘Rented power’ yet again. People do not seem to recognise them as a state in their ‘minds’. And are definitely not in the right ‘state of mind’ to apply solutions that would serve the interests of the populace of Nigeria. The two go hand in hand indeed. However, we seem to be big fans of Inorganic chemistry these days and would rather make new hybrid problems than invest in straight to the point useful solutions?
REVIEWING A BROKEN ‘SYSTEM’
We have inherited these problems along with our Kingships and Royal lineages (those that managed to hold on to them by the skin of the teeth). But what does it really take to look after the populace of Nigeria? What does that star governance look like? What is that positive plan of action for 170,000,000million Africans? The British are now employing an ‘Exit Strategy?
People have come into common agreement, that this day, July 2014, the ‘system is broken! You can not make anything happen in this current period of politics. The system is ‘defective’. However, people continue because it is too difficult to rebuild. The system is wired against change. The forward approach is too ‘dismantle’ that ‘system’ altogether and take away from this centre all that is killing the people and their dreams. 6 panel speakers at the Nigerian Dialogue discuss the affects of miss - guidance of the Critical Mass. The dialogue continues . . .
- -
RETURN