BWBII

All Nigerians are not criminals

Ada — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:46:42 +0000

If you are a Nigerian in Ireland, you’ve most likely come across at least one person who tries to convince you that “of of you” are spongers or criminals or both. It s very frustrating for Nigerians in Ireland and elsewhere in the Diaspora to continue to battle these very limited views of Nigerians.

I came across this video on youtube:

12 Things The Negro Must Do For Himself

Ada — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 08:54:59 +0000

Sharing this one I got this one from another blog

12 Things The Negro Must Do For Himself by Nannie Helen Burroughs
Posted by Black Men In America.com Founder & Publisher Gary Johnson from the original book by Ms. Burroughs. (Circa Early 1900′s)

1. The Negro Must Learn To Put First Things First. The First Things Are: Education; Development of Character Traits; A Trade and Home Ownership (three out of four is not bad eh).

The Negro puts too much of his earning in clothes, in food, in show and in having what he calls “a good time.” The Dr. Kelly Miller said, “The Negro buys what he WANTS and begs for what he Needs.” Too true!

2. The Negro Must Stop Expecting God and White Folk To Do For Him What He Can Do For Himself.

It is the “Divine Plan” that the strong shall help the weak, but even God does not do for man what man can do for himself. The Negro will have to do exactly what Jesus told the man (in John 5:8) to do–Carry his own load–”Take up your bed and walk.”

3. The Negro Must Keep Himself, His Children And His Home Clean And Make The Surroundings In Which He Lives Comfortable and Attractive.

He must learn to “run his community up”–not down. We can segregate by law, we integrate only by living. Civilization is not a matter of race, it is a matter of standards. Believe it or not–some day, some race is going to outdo the Anglo-Saxon, completely. It can be the Negro race, if the Negro gets sense enough. Civilization goes up and down that way.

4. The Negro Must Learn To Dress More Appropriately For Work And For Leisure.

Knowing what to wear–how to wear it–when to wear it and where to wear it, are earmarks of common sense, culture and also an index to character (so true, I remember the term “power suit”).

5. The Negro Must Make His Religion An Everyday Practice And Not Just A Sunday-Go-To-Meeting Emotional Affair (Amen sister).

6. The Negro Must Highly Resolve To Wipe Out Mass Ignorance.

The leaders of the race must teach and inspire the masses to become eager and determined to improve mentally, morally and spiritually, and to meet the basic requirements of good citizenship.

We should initiate an intensive literacy campaign in America, as well as in Africa. Ignorance–satisfied ignorance–is a millstone abut the neck of the race. It is democracy’s greatest burden.

Social integration is a relationship attained as a result of the cultivation of kindred social ideals, interests and standards.

It is a blending process that requires time, understanding and kindred purposes to achieve. Likes alone and not laws can do it.

7. The Negro Must Stop Charging His Failures Up To His “Color” And To White People’s Attitude.

The truth of the matter is that good service and conduct will make senseless race prejudice fade like mist before the rising sun.

God never intended that a man’s color shall be anything other than a badge of distinction. It is high time that all races were learning that fact. The Negro must first QUALIFY for whatever position he wants. Purpose, initiative, ingenuity and industry are the keys that all men use to get what they want. The Negro will have to do the same. He must make himself a workman who is too skilled not to be wanted, and too DEPENDABLE not to be on the job, according to promise or plan. He will never become a vital factor in industry until he learns to put into his work the vitalizing force of initiative, skill and dependability. He has gone “RIGHTS” mad and “DUTY” dumb.

8. The Negro Must Overcome His Bad Job Habits. He must make a brand new reputation for himself in the world of labor. His bad job habits are absenteeism, funerals to attend, or a little business to look after. The Negro runs an off and on business. He also has a bad reputation for conduct on the job–such as petty quarrelling with other help, incessant loud talking about nothing; loafing, carelessness, due to lack of job pride; insolence, gum chewing and–too often–liquor drinking. Just plain bad job habits!

9. He Must Improve His Conduct In Public Places. Taken as a whole, he is entirely too loud and too ill-mannered (Guilty as charged, just been called aside for my loud telephone call which I taught was okay to shout as I was in one of the office meeting rooms – alas the soundproofing of the room was not made with my decibels of nosie in scope, in my defence I was talking to my father who kept saying so oro soke (speak louder) according they guessed it was me because it was an African Voice yeeepa!. There is much talk about wiping out racial segregation and also much talk about achieving integration. Segregation is a physical arrangement by which people are separated in various services.

It is definitely up to the Negro to wipe out the apparent justification or excuse for segregation.

The only effective way to do it is to clean up and keep clean. By practice, cleanliness will become a habit and habit becomes character.

10. The Negro Must Learn How To Operate Business For People–Not For Negro People, Only.

To do business, he will have to remove all typical “earmarks,” business principles; measure up to accepted standards and meet stimulating competition, graciously–in fact, he must learn to welcome competition (kerching, glad i am slowly and surely breaking the mold in my photography).

11. The Average So-Called Educated Negro Will Have To Come Down Out Of The Air. He Is Too Inflated Over Nothing. He Needs An Experience Similar To The One That Ezekiel Had–(Ezekiel 3:14-19). And He Must Do What Ezekiel Did.

Otherwise, through indifference, as to the plight of the masses, the Negro, who thinks that he has escaped, will lose his own soul. It will do all leaders good to read Hebrew 13:3, and the first Thirty-seven Chapters of Ezekiel.

A race transformation itself through its own leaders and its sensible “common people.” A race rises on its own wings, or is held down by its own weight. True leaders are never “things apart from the people.” They are the masses. They simply got to the front ahead of them. Their only business at the front is to inspire to masses by hard work and noble example and challenge them to “Come on!” Dante stated a fact when he said, “Show the people the light and they will find the way!”

There must arise within the Negro race a leadership that is not out hunting bargains for itself. A noble example is found in the men and women of the Negro race, who, in the early days, laid down their lives for the people. Their invaluable contributions have not been appraised by the “latter-day leaders.” In many cases, their names would never be recorded, among the unsung heroes of the world, but for the fact that white friends have written them there.

“Lord, God of Hosts, Be with us yet.”

The Negro of today does not realize that, but, for these exhibits A’s, that certainly show the innate possibilities of members of their own race, white people would not have been moved to make such princely investments in lives and money, as they have made, for the establishment of schools and for the on-going of the race.

12. The Negro Must Stop Forgetting His Friends. “Remember.”

Read Deuteronomy 24:18. Deuteronomy rings the big bell of gratitude. Why? Because an ingrate is an abomination in the sight of God. God is constantly telling us that “I the Lord thy God delivered you”–through human instrumentalities.

The American Negro has had and still has friends–in the North and in the South. These friends not only pray, speak, write, influence others, but make unbelievable, unpublished sacrifices and contributions for the advancement of the race–for their brothers in bonds.

The noblest thing that the Negro can do is to so live and labor that these benefactors will not have given in vain. The Negro must make his heart warm with gratitude, his lips sweet with thanks and his heart and mind resolute with purpose to justify the sacrifices and stand on his feet and go forward–”God is no respector of persons. In every nation, he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is” sure to win out. Get to work! That’s the answer to everything that hurts us. We talk too much about nothing instead of redeeming the time by working.

Fela on Broadway-MUST SEE!

Ada — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 17:08:03 +0000

No Intro required!!!

Get rich quick…

Ada — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 11:00:01 +0000

Everyone is a salesperson now it seems…and it’s not Mary Kay, Avon,kleeneze, etc which would have been fine.

In the last three weeks at least 3 girls have tried to sell me corsets and girdles…aka Ardyss Body Magic.Not to mention the messages I’ve got on facebook about same.I had to check myself to see if I had suddenly put on some weight and was looking bloated but no I’m fine! I DON’T WANT! I DON’T NEED!!NA BY FORCE??? Maybe if you wore it all the time, I might be convinced. And the thing looks like a bloody torture suit!

The other popular sales pitch now is for Saladmaster pots and pans.
No matter how many dinners you cook me, you will need to become my personal chef together with the pots for life before I will consider spending €4500 and above on a set. Your telling me that using your pots prevents bowel cancer makes this a scam…it is a LIE. The most ironic thing though is that of the 4people who have approached me, I know for a fact that none has the set of pots in their own homes! They admitted as much. The only good thing so far is that there are no phonecalls to hound you after the dinner so by all means, if someone wants to cook you dinner, let them!
In the meantime, I ‘d love to see Africans doing original businesses rather than the pyramid selling schemes…or get rich quick schemes.

Entrepreneural spirit amongst Ireland based Africans

Ada — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 10:40:41 +0000

Okay, first off, let me say upfront that when I talk of Africans in this post I refer mostly to Nigerians. And as it happens, most black peeps or indeed African peeps in Ireland are Nigerian…or so it would seem…will come back with some stats to back that up.
Anyway, Nigerians are hustlers, no denying that, but in Ireland, welfare no gree let people see road. Many have become so comfortable collecting the meagre coins from welfare that they can’t be bothered to get off their arses and get jobs….or if they do, it is under another alias…at least this was the case until IBC renewal forced people to go get work as part of the renewal process…nice move!
Being black African in Ireland makes job hunting tough no denying that so it is really cool when people take things into their own hands and get entrepreneural. The sad part is that these African businesses have forgotten to learn customer service or have learned it from the Irish. The attitude is -if you don’t wanna buy my goods/service, move on and let the next sucker through. From Tailors, hair salons, shops, they are all the same…woeful customer service, and for the hairdressers and tailors their work is seriously substandard anyway. If you doubt me, go to an African do and look at the women there…I don’t want to put up pictures of anyone here!
Anyway, my reaction to this is that I am now compiling a directory of bwbii businesses and services…these are African businesses with good customer service.I will put up businesses that I feel deliver on their product and well as customer service.No basket for rotten mangoes!

25things a sister should never apologize for

Ada — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 13:54:52 +0000

This was sent to me a while back. Came across it while dejunking today…very timely as I needed reminding:-)
I don’t know the author

1. Never apologize for pursuing what makes you happy. Even if you need
to quit your job, transfer schools, or move across country, always do what you
really want.
2. Never apologize for using proper English. Keeping it real doesn’t mean speaking Ebonics….or only pidgin English
3. Never apologize for giving your best in a relationship that just didn’t work out.
4. Never apologize for being successful. Only haters want to keep you at their level.
5. Never apologize for crying. Wear waterproof mascara and express yourself.
6. Never apologize for ten pounds you need to lose. People who truly care about you will accept you as you are.
7. Never apologize for being frugal. Just because you save your money instead of blowing it on the latest fashion emergency doesn’t mean you’re cheap.
8. Don’t apologize for being a single Mom. Babies are a blessing.
9. Never apologize for treating yourself to something special. Sometimes you have to show yourself some appreciation.
10. Never apologize for leaving an abusive relationship. Your safety should always be a priority.
11. Never apologize for keeping the ring even if you did not get married.
12. Never apologize for setting high standards in a relationship. You know what you can tolerate and what simply gets on your nerves.
13. Never apologize for saying NO.
14. Never apologize for asking for what you want in bed. If you don’t, then who will?
15. Never apologize for wearing a weave or braids. You bought it so it’s yours.
16. Never apologize to your new friends about old friends. There’s a reason she’s been your girl from day one.
17. Never apologize for ordering dessert. Or more than one dessert.
18. Never apologize for dating outside your race. Just because you found Mr. Right across the color line doesn’t mean you don’t love your
brothas.
19. Never apologize for asking him to wear a condom. If he likes you he’ll wrap it up without making you feel guilty.
20. Never apologize for not knowing how to cook. Even if you can’t burn like Grandma you know how to order good take out. (Right Girl!)
21. Never apologize for your taste in clothes. It’s your style.
22. Never apologize for changing your mind, it is your prerogative.
23. Never apologize for making a decision from your heart, even if others don’t agree. You have to live with the consequences not them.
24. Never apologize for making more money than your man, you work hard and you deserve to get paid.
26. Never apologize for either not yet being married or having kids, or for not having the desire to do either or both. It’s your life, and you should live it as you see fit, not as others think you should!
25. Never apologize for being you!

“KEEP YOUR HEAD UP AND KEEP MOVING
FORWARD” ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT GOD LOVES YOU AND HE ALWAYS GOT YOUR BACK…

Nigeria @ 50

Ada — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 12:48:59 +0000

As the months go by, the debate about how Nigeria at 50 to be celebrated gets even more heated. There are those who feel there is nothing to celebrate…Nigerians should be reflecting and seeking out ways to get ahead rather than do what the others prefer…party Naija stylee with loads of Naira/Pounds/Euros/Dollars wasted.
It does seem a bit ridiculous for a country in need of so much investment and infrastructure should spend N10Billion (Ten Billion Naira) on celebrating and last I read/heard, part of the celebrate involves bringing a dance troupe from Korea…for real!!
I came across an article written by Ikechukwu A. Ogu- a legal practitioner in Nigeria. The article resounds with most of my thoughts on this issue so rather than reinventing the wheel,here it is below…or most of it…all credits to it’s author:

Conversely, many Nigerians regard the amount budgeted for the celebration as outrageous, unnecessary and a misplacement of priority. They feel we do not have any good reason to roll-out the drums. Their opinion is that our current and past rulers should rather mark the anniversary by soul-searching and self-assessment, mindful of our dismal performance over the years as a nation. They argue, and very rightly so, that the N10 billion naira will serve a worthy purpose if judiciously and conscientiously deployed to the provision of basic amenities and infrastructures which are starkly lacking in the country. I pitch my tent with this group.

Every past Nigerian ruler claims to have performed excellently well during his regime, yet we are still in the doldrums. Contrariwise, successive administrations always blame previous ones for our woes, yet no past Nigerian ruler has been convicted and jailed for mal-administration. Rather, these past rulers continue to dictate the fate of Nigeria and the pace, shape of her politics. Is this part of our reasons for having a lavish 50th independence anniversary?

Should we celebrate the fact that Nigerians have over the years received epileptic electricity supply despite the many hydro-electric power dams, gas turbines and power stations in the country and billions of naira spent in the sector? Is it justifiable that Nigeria supplies steady and reliable electricity to neighbouring countries while its citizens enjoy blackouts always? Is Nigeria’s status as the world’s largest importer of generators a thing of pride? Are we happy that many companies hitherto located in Nigeria (and even Nigerian businessmen) have relocated to Ghana and other neighbouring countries which boast of steady electricity? Is it fair that Nigerians pay through their noses for electricity that is never supplied or consumed? In the face of these, how do we justify the planned hike in electricity tariff? Now, the same lame arguments for the hike in the prices of petroleum products are being used for the planned hike in electricity tariff. So, as with petroleum products, poor Nigerians must pay exorbitantly for items with which God has bountifully blessed our country?

Are we happy that potholes and gullies litter all the roads in Nigeria, continuously resulting in daily loss of uncountable human lives and damage to vehicles? What happened to the billions budgeted or realized through tollgates which were not applied towards the repair, maintenance and reconstruction of our roads? What of contractors who, though substantially or fully mobilized, abandon the road construction jobs and go away scot-free? Should we celebrate these or the planned re-introduction of tollgates in spite of our ugly experience or that new and reconstructed roads in our country have a lifespan of just few months?

Perhaps, we may brandish our collapsed educational system as part of our numerous “achievements” as a nation. Pray, are the brain drain in our academic sector; the recurring examination malpractices; the yearly churning out of half-baked graduates; the irrepressible monster of cultism; the use of nepotism, ethnicity and religion in the appointment of administrators, recruitment of lecturers and admission of students in tertiary institutions; the politicisation of boards of tertiary institutions; the commercialization of academic certificates; and government’s apparent abandonment of public primary, secondary and tertiary schools worth celebrating? How do we see the touted planned privatisation of public schools? Is it worth celebrating that countries with less than 10% of Nigeria’s gross national product provide free education for their citizens up to university level, while “government alone cannot fund education” in Nigeria? Do we also celebrate the shame that Nigerians now seek quality education in Ghana, Cameroun and other African countries?

Should we beat our chests over the recurring decimals of unresolved assassinations, armed robberies, kidnappings, ritual killings, electoral malpractices and violence, menace of fake drugs and adulterated products, politically-motivated sectarian crises and the ever rising unemployment level? Do we celebrate our successive governments’ apparent helplessness in the face of all these? Yearly, governments at all levels in Nigeria allocate huge sums of money for capital projects which end up in private pockets, leaving the targeted projects unexecuted. Are we to showcase the many communities ravaged by gully erosion over the years, apparently abandoned to their fate?

Are we ecstatic that the quickest route to stupendous wealth in Nigeria is by getting “elected” or appointed into political posts? Do we rejoice that since 1999, almost all the state governors, legislators (Federal and State) and Local Governments’ Chairmen have been taking the electorate for a ride, channelling public funds into their private pockets? Does the fact that many of them see their positions as opportunities for self-service and enrichment thrill us? Should we dance that our legislators, most of whom do absolutely nothing, periodically approve huge emoluments for themselves while denying same to civil servants?

Are we elated that we lack functional and equipped public hospitals in Nigeria? How do we rejoice that insecticide-treated mosquito nets – supplied by the World Health Organisation – do not get to the targeted poor Nigerians but are sold in open markets at exorbitant prices? What do we say about agricultural inputs – fertilizers, insecticides, etc – subsidized by the government for use by farmers, never get to them but find their way to the open markets? Is it hilarious that the daily refrain in Nigeria is government’s plan to abandon the provision of social amenities – schools, hospitals, housing, pipe-borne water, electricity, motorable roads (for which we pay taxes) – to the faceless and amorphous private sector and investors?

So, we want to imitate Ghana and India which, at different times, celebrated their 50th independence anniversaries? Comparatively, in what sphere can Nigeria hold candle to any of these countries? Sometime ago, Ghana celebrated 10 years of having had uninterrupted electricity supply! Let us also imitate this. Despite its enormous size and population, India has functional and well-equipped schools, hospitals, potable water, dependable electricity supply, good roads and a people-oriented government. Its government has reduced maternal and child mortality by offering financial incentives to pregnant rural women to have their childbirth in hospitals. Can’t we have such in Nigeria? Can we bask in euphoria regardless of our rating as one of the most corrupt countries in the world?

The litany of things which yawn for urgent attention in Nigeria is very long. Public office-holders spend so much public funds and time to theorize on “how to move Nigeria forward”, but in fact work against that end, because they are not committed to same. Frankly speaking, Nigeria is lagging far behind, and has a lot of catching up to do. There is so much work for us to do. Let the government work sincerely towards closing the gap between Nigeria and her peers between now and 2020, and then we may celebrate our 60th independence anniversary.

President Goodluck Jonathan is renowned for his humility and indisposition towards ostentation. He should discountenance the urgings from selfish advisers, politicians and unpatriotic Nigerians who desire to milk the country through a flamboyant 50th independence anniversary celebration. The fact that the project was initiated by late President Yar’adua does not make it binding on him. Experience has shown that whenever Nigeria organizes any money-gulping ceremony, some persons utilize the opportunity to rake in millions of public funds into their private pockets. This was so with COJA, CHOGM and all the FIFA games held here. The N10 billion should be channelled towards providing social amenities what will better the lot of hapless, poor Nigerians.

The original article is here

Thinking of Nelson Mandela and his family at this time…

Ada — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 10:04:27 +0000

Former South African president Nelson Mandela did not attend the opening match of the World Cup today after his great-granddaughter was killed in a car crash, the Nelson Mandela Foundation said.

Read more here

Please, keep the Mandela family in your thoughts and prayers. It must be a very difficult time for them…Also thinking of others such as the three British students were killed in a bus crash after their vehicle overturned near a small town in the north-east of the country…and any who have lost loved ones around now….

FIFA worldcup kick off concert

Ada — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 09:10:57 +0000

The South Africa world cup got off to a bright, colourful and crackling start. Presidents of South Africa( Jacob Zuma) and FIFA (Sepp Blatter)and , gave their welcome address-after coming out holding hands…aaaahhhh….
The theme for this year is one goal-education for all… Education for All . FIFA is calling on world leaders to provide education for 72 million children worldwide by 2015.

more about "Worldcupconcert ", posted with vodpod

There were perfomances from Blackeyed peas, Angelique Kidjo, K’NAAN.,John Legend, Vusi Mahlasela,Soweto Gospel Choir, Alicia Keys,Juanes, Shakira, The Parlotones, Tinariwen, Vieux Farka Touré,BLK JKS and many others whose names I don’t know or remember but thoroughly enjoyed.
Desmond Tutu came on stage to chants of “TUTU TUTU TUTU….” when he got a bit of quiet, he said welcome in a few languages and welcomes vistors to Africa, then was gonna give a prediction of who he thought would be in the final….but then he went to give a HOLLER TO Nelson Mandela -” Madiba” who was in Johannesburg. The man was soooo overcome and the joy he felt to have the world cup in Africa was palpable even through the tv I was watching. By the time he went, either I missed it or he had forgotten about given his prediction.
There was an acknowledgment of Madiba as the person who made South Africa hosting the world cup possible, an an overview of where his life.
The kickoff concert was a blast…But then again, we know that Africans like to PARTY…

Is Ireland the new “Italy” as African sex slaves are forced to work in Irish brothels

Ada — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 13:05:07 +0000

Tony Linnane an Irish Brothel keeper in Ireland pleaded guilty to brothel-keeping and organising prostitution , he was sentenced to two years in jail, with nine months suspended. See Irish Times article
This story in the Global post which describe Ireland as now being a destination for the trafficking of young women from Africa and eastern Europe to work as prostitutes, you wonder if Ireland is becoming the new “Italy”

It used to be that it was a haven for those who had “escaped” from Italy, but apparently from discussions I’ve had, it would seem there are a few still plying their trade here…