Nigeria: Why Black Africans may never have a revolution

Some stark truths

Every once in a while, the need to address controversial issues are pertinent, if only to start a conversation on certain unpalatable matters that in these times might be politically incorrect but nonetheless true on closer scrutiny.

In this blog, I take 6 paragraphs from Lord Lugard’s book, The Dual Mandate that I covered in my Apes Obey Series a few years ago; then, I excerpted phrases and used them as topical pointers to contemporary issues in Nigeria.

With the kinds of political upheaval around the world and the agitation for more representative democracy along with the apparent docility of our people allowing for moribund, clueless and unaccountable governments, profligacy that serves the elite with impunity and the way religious ignorance allows for people to be herded as sheep, cattle or goats, it is necessary to revisit the observations made almost 90 years ago.

This time, within the text of the paragraphs I will offer some commentary in parenthesis along with my observations which I do not expect many to agree with but that is a matter of opinion.

Happy, but why?

In character and temperament, the typical African of this race-type is a happy, thriftless, excitable person [As far back as 2003, Nigeria topped the list of countries with the happiest people, the same still finds true in 2011, though there is no reason in the midst of its problems, poverty, violence, corruption and attendant issues why it has been identified as such.]; lacking in self-control, discipline, and foresight [Everyone knows that the development of infrastructure will make a difference to Nigeria’s economic growth and the welfare of the people, the government just seems to lack the will, the resolve, the ability and the drive to implement such.]; naturally courageous, and naturally courteous and polite, full of personal vanity [The politicians are an example but religious leaders seem to exemplify a level of hedonism that is sickening.], with little sense of veracity, [The matter of character and how the corrupt find much respect within society and the community when they should be shunned.], fond of music and loving weapons as an oriental loves jewellery.

Hedonists and materialists

His thoughts are concentrated on the events and feelings of the moment [Sadly, this suggests the inability to be objective, like working with ideas or logic, we'll rather engage in ad hominem attacks than address the issues.], and he suffers little from the apprehension for the future or grief for the past [Our sense of history is poor and the way people do things with impunity suggests we are not afraid of the consequences of our actions.]; his mind is far nearer to the animal world than that of the European or Asiatic [Many of the things we deign to imitate are poorly adapted or managed, we give those adaptations a local interpretation to suggest difference and still fail at it.], and exhibits something of the animals’ placidity and want of desire to rise beyond the State he has reached [It is any wonder that our desire for material prosperity is exploited so well by the powerful?].

Losing our sense of history

Through the ages the African appears to have evolved no organized religious creed [Our animist traditions are somewhat inherently evil and those we have acquired are badly followed.], and though some tribes appear to believe in a deity, the religious sense seldom rises above pantheistic animalism and seems more often to take the form of a vague dread of the supernatural [The superstitious element of our psyche is ready material to be exploited for gain by many religious cults and leaders masquerading as purveyors of solutions to our problems as we are enticed, cajoled and fleeced.].

Suited for the mob

He lacks the power of organization [This might explain why we might never have an Arab Spring but there are other issues about organisation too that plague us in terms of order, meticulousness, following rules and much more.], and is conspicuously deficient in the management and control alike of men or business [Except cynically where a mob is aroused or religious fervour is excited for sometimes illogical ends.]; he loves the display of power [Everyone who seems to have power almost always allows it to corrupt them.], but fails to realize its responsibility [This will require a treatise but it is self-explanatory.]; he will work hard with a less incentive than most races [The many times we have tolerated, endured and condoned abuse for little or no reward and still do.].

Braggadocio par excellence

He has the courage of the fighting animal, an instinct rather than a moral virtue [Even when offenders are caught red-handed, the bluster, effrontery and brazenness expressed feigning innocence is breath-taking.]; in brief, the virtues and defects of this race-type are those of attractive children, whose confidence when it is won is given ungrudgingly as to an older and wiser superior and without envy [This appears to inform the cult of personality that surrounds the powerful be they political or religious – a sense of fawning and obsequiousness that is uncharitably sycophancy.].

Impunity without consequence

Perhaps the two traits which have impressed me as those most characteristic of the African native are his lack of apprehension and his lack of ability to visualize the future. [Probably, the most damning conclusion after this assessment.]

It goes without saying that a good deal of this observation made in the 1920s finds true today and sadly, I sometimes find myself exhibiting certain traits that appear to belie a cultural predilection to type, something one strives hard to be rid of and in the process be a better person.

Nigeria: The need to arrest the spate of religious vampires

The gospel meeting needs

The airing on Channel 4 in the UK of Seyi Rhodes' Unreported World - The Making Of … Nigeria’s Millionaire Preachers [1] did not include other footage that would have been more representative of the gospel because it did not appear as spectacular and outlandish as the subjects in that show.

In an accompanying article [2] that should have had a modicum of proofreading [This is a blog, Channel 4 is a professional news channel, such must be better catered for.] the ministry of Rev. Mrs. Chika Oluchi is spoken of.

She is the overseer of The Mountain of the Lord Ministries International: Centre for Liberation which runs a widow’s fellowship catering to the needs of these women who apparently have no means of material or spiritual support.

Almost inexcusable gullibility

Most touching is the story of Therese who is mistakenly identified as a widower rather than a widow, just as the confusion of numbers is used to describe Rev. Oluchi as a remarkable women [sic].

Therese lost her husband some years ago and apparently fell into the hands of rotten preachers who convinced her that her husband was a member of a devil worshipping cult persuading her to dispose of all her late husband’s property and give the proceeds to the church leaving her and her children destitute.

To crown this wickedness they said God will kill her and her children if anyone found out. Those preachers have now been apprehended and Therese appears to be rebuilding her life untouched by the supposedly wrathful God ready to murder her and her children for being inadvertently married to a devil worshipping husband.

Held hostage to their ignorance

Herein is the deeper problem with religion in Nigeria, the ability for the unscrupulous, dishonest and Machiavellian to prey on the gullibility and apparently vague dread of the supernatural of people to exact them money, property, blind allegiance and followership.

People get held hostage to their fears perishing in their ignorance and inability to independently seek out the truth of their beliefs many of which have been foisted upon them by merchants of deception masquerading as religious leaders.

Sadly, there is no indication that many can emancipate themselves from this enslavement as these religious confidence tricksters trot out every kind of corporate or personal message along with false prophecies purporting to be of God to feed on the anxieties, fears, uncertainties and doubts of the sometimes vulnerable, sometimes stupid and usually both.

Taking advantage

Religious vampires with fangs long enough to sink deep into the heart to feast on the blood of those beholden to their whims, drawn away from the truth by the spectacular and paralysed by the fear of the retribution of blood thirsty animist gods in the misrepresentation of the Christian God.

It takes one back to those unsightly but horribly truthful paragraphs reproduced below from Lord Lugard’s book, The Dual Mandate that I covered in my Apes Obey Series [3].

Revisiting Apes Obey

In character and temperament, the typical African of this race-type is a happy, thriftless, excitable person; lacking in self-control, discipline, and foresight; naturally courageous, and naturally courteous and polite, full of personal vanity, with little sense of veracity, fond of music and loving weapons as an oriental loves jewellery.

His thoughts are concentrated on the events and feelings of the moment, and he suffers little from the apprehension for the future or grief for the past; his mind is far nearer to the animal world than that of the European or Asiatic, and exhibits something of the animals’ placidity and want of desire to rise beyond the State he has reached.

Through the ages the African appears to have evolved no organized religious creed, and though some tribes appear to believe in a deity, the religious sense seldom rises above pantheistic animalism and seems more often to take the form of a vague dread of the supernatural.

He lacks the power of organization, and is conspicuously deficient in the management and control alike of men or business; he loves the display of power, but fails to realize its responsibility; he will work hard with a less incentive than most races.

He has the courage of the fighting animal, an instinct rather than a moral virtue; in brief, the virtues and defects of this race-type are those of attractive children, whose confidence when it is won is given ungrudgingly as to an older and wiser superior and without envy.

Perhaps the two traits which have impressed me as those most characteristic of the African native are his lack of apprehension and his lack of ability to visualize the future.

Without doubt there is a need to review each of these traits as identified by Lord Lugard and see how certain who have acquired power by all sorts of means have been able to subjugate others so easily because therein lies the root of many of the problems Africans face today, a fifth of those Africans are apparently Nigerian.

[1] 4oD – Channel 4 – Unreported World - The Making Of … Nigeria’s Millionaire Preachers

[2] The Making Of … Nigeria’s Millionaire Preachers – The Widows’ Fellowship and Therese’s story.

[3] Introducing the Apes Obey! Series

Thought Picnic: Cometh the moment

Unable because he could not

When Yakubu Aiyegbeni missed that shot [1] for an open goal in the Nigeria v South Korea World Cup march, I believe I was one of the few who could really understand what had really happened.

It was not that Mr. Aiyegbeni was not a fantastic footballer but that the unfortunate and inevitable ravages of the length of existence on earth had impacted on his agility and reflexes when opportunity demanded of them most.

For a sportsman, Mr. Aiyegbeni is extremely fit for his age and quite a envy of any of his real peers but between the reality and the legality of what he portends to be, he can attract both sympathy and derision – on that day, the moment came for the man to be there but he could not be there to seize it.

Unable because he did not

Yesterday, the hopes of the whole of Africa fell on the ability of Ghana to make history in their game against Uruguay.

Regardless of the dishonest activities of the Uruguayan player, they were presented with the golden opportunity in the dying minutes of the game to seize the moment, a penalty following the sending off of a player for handling a ball that was destined for the goal.

A cool and collected player knowing what was at stake could have shrugged off the weight of expectation and done what is usually expected of a penalty kick – sink it into the back of the net and receive the laurels of glory from that day henceforth.

Asamoah Gyan stepped up [2] to take the last kick of the march and sent it to the bar, bad luck, tough luck or lacking a sense of the moment – the rest is history, Uruguay went on to take the march in a penalty shoot-out.

That was not the moment

Mr. Gyan, who eventually scored a penalty during the shoot-out must have thought he had redeemed himself but really when the moment came, he was not there and having another opportunity is not necessarily passing the test of the original moment.

It then the makes you wonder how the moment came for the continent of Africa to host the World Cup and 6 African countries had the moments of their footballing representation to send the word out that we had arrived.

It would appear Africa had just been hired to host the World Cup jamboree and we are nowhere near where recognition can have its due significance matched with results.

On reflection with sadness

It saddens me to recall a few lines from what Lord Lugard said of Africans [3] almost 90 years ago in his book, The Dual Mandate - His thoughts are concentrated on the events and feelings of the moment, and he suffers little from the apprehension for the future or grief for the past … He lacks the power of organization, and is conspicuously deficient in the management and control alike of men or business; he loves the display of power, but fails to realize its responsibility; he will work hard with a less incentive than most races … He has the courage of the fighting animal, an instinct rather than a moral virtue.

In conclusion, this is what was probably the most interesting - Perhaps the two traits which have impressed me as those most characteristic of the African native are his lack of apprehension and his lack of ability to visualize the future.

Cometh the moment...

Without contention, some teams really did put their backs in it with very little reward for their pains, a football team requires most of all, organisation; the coach can only do so much from the side-lines, the team must work as one.

Did Ghana not exhibit the courage of a fighting animal but somewhere in the scheme of things which might have included not practising spot kicks, the future was not visualised and when the moment came, history was made for entirely the wrong reasons.

There are many perspectives to these events and this might be one of the least charitable of them all, but well, that is just the way things are – these thoughts were inspired by a conversation with a friend.

Cometh the moment but where is the man?

Sources

[1] YouTube - Nigeria vs. South Korea- Yakubu Aiyegbeni misses shot, makes penalty kick

[2] Asamoah Gyan will never forget his missed penalty in the World Cup for Ghana | The Sun

[3] Introducing the Apes Obey! Series [akin.blog-city.com]

A contractual dilemma

Pay me peanuts

The rage in me has barely been contained as I have tried to comfort myself that all will be well and things will turn out right.

Leaving the assumed security of contract that was in many ways grudgingly extended by fits and starts that it lasted two years, where the longest extension was 3 months; and that happened twice in that whole period, it looked like a relief.

Each time the contract was being extended I was subtly reminded that I was expensive and needed to be replaced with cheaper permanent staff, when in fact the people (other contractors) I was helping in my team who had considerably lesser responsibilities and clout than I had were paid on a whole a lot more than I was – it is debatable whether they took home as much money, but that is beside the point.

I had been caught in an Apes Obey [1] net of my own making – I was willingly working hard with less incentive than most races – as Lord Lugard [2] had so aptly observed some 86 years ago about people of my race.

Brutalised by opportunists

I was at a disadvantage where I could not promote myself any longer as a Solution’s Architect if I was charging 2^nd-line Support rates, there would be some wondering if I was genuine or a fraud and others thinking they had a bargain whilst pitying the fool I was – amends had to be made.

Generally, my demands have been modest and I have been most content trying not to allow the issue of remuneration to becloud the purpose for which I have contracted out my services. I had been seriously brutalised by opportunists in Nigeria years before where I was offering unique, expensive and rare desktop publishing training and when I gave a quote for my services I was called greedy to my face.

Not impressed

Normally, the “typical” young, up-and-coming Nigerian would listen to that and then negotiate the terms to a paltry fee because the man has a big car, he holds a doctorate, he is the director of projects in some grand firm, his sister was an executive in the diplomatic services, her husband was an ambassador and they lived in some swanky neighbourhood able to afford luxuries like kids in the best universities abroad.

To be candid, I have never been impressed enough with that sort of thing to allow myself to be insulted by anyone when in the act of providing services I am professionally able to offer with market-recognised expertise.

I do not think the conversation lasted another five minutes – I simply told them, they knew full well that they could not get that service and attention for less than three times I had charged, they were trying to take advantage of me and finally nobody calls me greedy and then has the opportunity to use my services – they tried to retract and apologise but I was out of the door and never looked back.

The scars endure

I now believe I was scarred by that affair and not long after that, as a partner in another firm where my partner was twice my age, had 70% of the concern (I had 30%) and was a director of the United Bank of Africa – again, this was because people recognized my desktop publishing expertise but felt they could both patronize and belittle me – money was thrown at me derisively across the table on matters that concerned the firm rather than my personal situation.

People just have the tendency to think their positions confer on them the right to be downright obnoxious and we the “underlings” are to accept such treatment as masochists, laid out on the altars of humiliating abuse, begging for more – No! I did not receive an upbringing or education to endure that kind of treatment from anyone.

That business relationship did not last much longer even though I had on the auspices of the firm visited the United Kingdom to purchase equipment for our business – You just do not give a 24 year old 30% of a firm and think it is the end of his ambition and life, he would throw it away and start over again – that is what I did.

Pay me enough to shout expletives at me

Many years on, I found myself working on a trading floor where men were treated like tin-gods, handled by everyone with undue deference because they made money and used to stupid technical people quaking at the sound of their voices, yielding to commands barely better than “lick my boots”.

Before I knew it, this man had a serious problem I could solve quickly but in relaying his problem suddenly spewed out a train of expletives longer than an old West wagon train. I gave him one look and told him, I was there to solve his problem if he took the time to calm down but I did not get paid enough to take expletives in my job.

He should contact me later when he was ready to have the problem solved – he was shocked at my reaction but he called round later, apologized and had his problem solved.

There is no reason why anyone at work should not expect to be treated with the utmost respect and courtesy regardless of your position at work.

The contract debacle

As I submitted my statutory one-month’s notice to end my last contract I was waiting on the affirmation of the contract terms that had been agreed in conversation just about a week before.

There was some movement a week after when I received an email first saying the contract was being arranged on short-notice but I had to provide all sorts of pertinent information necessary to draw up the contract.

I filled in the form, responding immediately asking other questions and got no response for about a week after other phone calls that ended up on answering services.

A few other phone calls to the people I was going to be working with and they were also frustrated with a lack of response, when I finally got to speak to one of the managers of the project I categorically stated that I would refuse to work for a company that does not treat me with courtesy – in this case, the courtesy of acknowledging my emails or responding to my phone calls.

Assurances, assurances and more assurances

I received assurances that all will be well but really nothing happened that I found myself writing one of those emails that I hate to read again after clicking on the Send button it stated I would not resume for work on September the first if I did not have a contract for my assignment – meanwhile I was winding down my activities at the firm where I had resigned.

More assurances where given with a deluge of emails and a phone call from the coordinator of contracts who was mad to call me under great duress where we discussed the agencies to handle my payroll and other issue, still a week before the commencement of the assignment – I relented and started eventually started the new assignment without a contract.

I was able to request all the access I required but no legal document showing the terms and conditions agreed for the assignment, calls were made, emails were sent from 3 other people and still no movement.

Enough!

Last Monday on the 11^th day of work, I sent out an email to all concerned stating if the situation had not become an embarrassment for the firm, it was already unacceptable for me – something had to be done to ameliorate the situation.

Assurances, no matter how gentlemanly do not constitute a legally binding and enforceable contract.

I got no response and upped the ante by suggesting that I would only return to attend the office when I had a contract in my mailbox within the week or I will be back on the market this week – I got emails that this would be done the next working day and arranged with the utmost urgency – and an apology from the coordinator, I deliberately decided not to acknowledge or accept the apology until things had demonstrably changed.

Still a mess – an opportunist agency

It was not the case, the payroll agency were only informed of the contract on Thursday afternoon and had scant information about my contract and I was being tackled by assistant who were clueless about what needed to be done, when I was passed on to those who appeared to know, they did not have the pertinent information to hand.

I furnished them with all the information and had a contract delivered by email on Friday morning, there was whole set of clauses in the contract where the payroll agency tried to insert themselves into the negotiations and exact a no-compete clause along with the ability to exact punitive damages without notification or recourse to judicial review or due process.

It was a menacing clause to serve as a deterrent because I believe there is no way that could be argued before a judge, but if it was signed off in a contract, certain inalienable rights would have been signed away.

This is dishonest in my book

I am no lawyer but even if that was a boilerplate contract that everyone else had not bothered to read and understand, I was having none of it. The payroll agency was not competent to assume the position they desired, they were selected on my advice because I had done business with them three years before and definitely not for their competence, I just thought archival material they might have about me would expedite issues.

The negotiations and arrangements for the contract had been completely long before the agency was involved, so really I did not think the agency could demand in their clause that were egregious as best and really patently dishonest to say the least.

I asked for a waiver, first got a waiver on a moot sub-clause and then when they noticed a two sub-clauses had been given the same number, that was edited – showing they finally read their contract, I was told none of my views were valid and the clauses were not open for discussion.

This is really a big mess

It meant I had the prerogative not to sign the contract and seek the services of another competent agency, however, I needed the coordinator to discuss some terms that were missing from the contract and possibly to arrange an alternative course – as usual, he was nowhere to be found and I have still not been contacted by the man since.

Meanwhile, because this whole issue had been handled with levity, even though I started working on the 1^st of September, the contract could only be signed from the 19^th of September, the hours I have worked have to be squeezed into the last 7 working days of the month of September.

Is it unlikely that there would be a need to exact the clauses in dispute, but once the contract is signed those dormant clauses can have effect and be executed on the force of the contract – it has become a case of caveat emptor.

At crossroads

My dilemma is whether to completely pull out of the contract and just put myself back on the market or grit my teeth and follow through on this botched matter considering the assignment does offer some interesting opportunities.

The problem is not so much the assignment but the administrative handling of my contract, never have I had to deal with such rank incompetence and unprofessional attitude in the handling of my affairs – I have the good mind of lodging a formal complaint to the superiors of that coordinator and ensuring that I exact my pound of flesh and not forgetting the blood too.

I have never been so pissed off and treated with as much discourtesy as this – I need to go for a walk and watch the iShares Cup [3] taking place just on the water behind my apartment block.

Sources

[1] Introducing the Apes Obey! Series [akin.blog-city.com]

[2] Frederick Lugard: Biography and Much More from Answers.com

[3] iShares Cup 2008

Apes Obey! Lack of apprehension

If she could have visualised the future

One can almost begin to sympathise or even attempt to empathise with Professor Ndi (Ndidi) Okereke-Onyiuke, the Director-General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange as her bluster creates more tribulation on the verge of ruining her otherwise well-earned reputation.

Even I could not have anticipated a situation where I would be writing an Apes Obey! Series [1] with her as the principal frame of reference.

What this simply signifies is the sad but succinct analysis of character that Lord Lugard documented of Nigerians 86 years ago which permeates all strata of society from the lowly proletariat to the aristocrats of business and politics.

Ruing the race about race

Professor Okereke-Onyiuke must be ruing the day she allowed her quite sharp and incising thinking along with her great intelligence, her academic PhD and stature of being a woman of the highest integrity [2] to play second fiddle to the notion and politics of race affiliation.

Supporting Senator Barack Obama for his policies, rhetoric, thinking, ideas, vision and message of hope alone should have made this matter a cause for the meeting of minds and buttressed the points about her intelligence but she made it a meeting of the colours of the skin.

Basically, she was pandering to race and emotively trying to persuade people of African descent who happen to be Americans to view Senator Barack Obama from that perspective rather than one of a person who has brought a message of change that is in season to change a nation and eventually the world at large.

The other matters about her judgement and her outburst are already covered in blogs [3] I have written and many others in the Nigerian blogging community.

The problems

The aftermath of the advertisement, the dinner/concert, the moneys raised and the robust defences are the subject of this blog.

Having raised about N100 million ($834,000), with the Africans for Obama dinner/concert, regardless of the chronology of events, the Obama organisation put out a letter of disavowal and dissociation to the Editor of PunchOnline that published the advertisement for the party. [3]

Since the fundraising concert did not clearly state its intentions regarding the raising of funds even though the professor contends that it was to sensitise American-Nigerians to vote for Senator Obama as opposed to going out to vote as a civic duty regardless of who they decide to vote for the whole event was on the verge of looking fraudulent and deceitful by obtaining funds under false or dubious pretences.

Interest of the agencies

Just after the event, the Security and Exchange Commission in Nigeria queried [4] the Director-General to clarify her position on this Africans for Obama organisation and the publicity accompanying her fundraising event in the light of her prominent position in the economic profile of Nigeria.

As she protested the transparency of the Africans for Obama organisation and acclaimed her high integrity; the whole exercise was fast becoming a farce of idle busybodies but she felt she could bulldoze and bluster her way through the criticisms of her actions.

In fact, two anti-graft organisations by reason of her office could have had some interest in this developing farce, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) where Sections 13, 18 & 19 [5] without much legal argument would cast the Director-General as a public office holder and without much extrapolation would have made an offence in Nigeria to sensitive through fund-raising Nigerians to vote for a particular candidate and hence an offence to attempt to do such in the United States.

The indignity of it all – meeting the EFCC

However, the higher profile Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) [6] has taken an interest in the case and Professor Okereke-Onyiuke has suffered the multiple indignities of

Being invited for an interview with the EFCC

Being detained [7] overnight in their facilities then released [8]

Having her passport seized [9] then returned with the advice that the commission be informed of her intentions to travel

Being told to return all moneys [10] to the last kobo to all donors and participants possibly with her bearing the full cost of the dinner/concert she organised and not being able to defray costs

And they are conducting an independent investigation of the banks [11] holding finances of the Africans for Obama organisation with the unfortunate impression that they have not taken her for her word.

A lack of apprehension

That there is a whiff of a financial crime involving the Director-General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange due to an unfortunate lapse in judgement that could have been minimised with a humble and contrite admission is as bad a hit to the reputation of a highly placed person as one can get.

But this is a trait to be expected of Nigerians according to Lord Lugard when he talked of what has impressed him “as those most characteristic of the African native are his lack of apprehension and his lack of ability to visualize the future.” [1]

In this case the professor threw caution to the wind by not being apprehensive about being misconstrued as having a conflict of interest or the use of her exalted office to promote issues where such high profile people should be very discreet.

The law of consequence

Her inability to visualise the future also indicates how she could never have expected her well intentioned activities to lead to these rather embarrassing developments even though there were enough warning signs and detractors to make her think again about her activities.

This same lack of apprehension allows us to muddle through issues rather than thinking through and following through to a conclusion, it allows for the subjective of the present to overrule the concept of anticipation, preparation, thoroughness and objective thinking.

We leave everything to divine providence without making the necessary plans to accept the providence such that if one encounters misfortune, it is not blamed on the lack of planning or preparation but externalised to vague enemies and detractors.

The law of consequence is being able to visualise what our decisions now would create for the future – short term or long term – we have very little regard for the possible consequences of our actions or inaction.

What we do to ourselves alone

It can be outrageous to suggest that most misfortune is brought on more by self-fulfilling prophecies or self-inflicted action because one does not apply ones abilities, talent and intellect to the fullest rather attribute issues to the active malevolence of some vague enemy, else that enemy would be identified, confronted and defeated.

The inability to visualise the future permeates all strata of society from the feeling of morbidity of writing wills and testaments to pension planning to times of retirement, but it also includes family planning where people who have insufficient means do not discipline themselves enough to prevent bringing into the world children they cannot properly care for.

The list is long, the analysis too harrowing and the analogies ever present, just as palpable as ones hand touches ones face for feeling and comfort, we all have a lot to learn from both Professor Okereke-Onyiuke and Lord Lugard, it is both a shame and instructive that this seemingly benign Africans for Obama event exposes more about what people have observed of us Africans in a negative and pejorative sense.

Sources

[1] Introducing the Apes Obey! Series [akinblog.nl]

[2] Nigeria: What Africans for Obama exposes about judgement [akinblog.nl]

[3] Nigeria: I am a very intelligent person (Africans for Obama) [akin.blog-city.com]

[4] Daily Trust - the online edition - Obama: SEC queries Okereke-Onyiuke

[5] Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act 2000

[6] Economic and Financial Crimes Commission - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[7] THISDAY ONLINE / Nigeria news / Obama: EFCC Detains Okereke-Onyiuke

[8] allAfrica.com: Nigeria: EFCC Releases Okereke-Onyiuke

[9] The Punch: Okereke-Onyiuke’s passport seized

[10] NIGERIAN TRIBUNE - News: Okereke-Onyiuke must return N100m donation - EFCC - Passport seized, returned

[11] The Punch: Obama fundraiser: EFCC storms banks