Thursday 18 December 2014

Tribute to My Father...PRINCE AYAKEME KONBOYE








Late Prince Ayakeme konboye was born 61 yrs ago to Ogboduru his mother and Emgbouke his father of Agbadaware Quarters, Okpokunou Town in the then Western Region now Burutu LGA in Delta State.

In his early life, the late Ayakeme attended L.A primary school opokunou in the 1960s and then further proceeded to St. Vincent College Okuagbe. After his educational pursuit the late Ayakeme settled for a private business life in Lagos state.

The young handsome Ayakeme met his ever gorgeous and beautiful wife, Victoria Ebimoere Embale my mother in 1981 and their union was blessed with a son and two lovely daughters only after some years of waiting for the fruit of the womb.

In 2007, my father feeling the need to connect with his own people relocated his family from Lagos back to Delta state. The relocation was to enable him to be actively involved with the socio economic and political life of his people.

The late Ayakeme was a man who  built bridges of brotherhood and love amongst people, in fact his life was an epitome of this simple but scarce human virtue and he demonstrated this till the end of his earthly journey on the 16th November 2014.

As a family man, the Late Ayakeme was known for one thing by his wife and children.
This is, his enduring love for Education. He believed that to conquer the challenges of the 21st century one must be equipped with the right mental capacity and learning. For him education is the platform to stand on as a basis for the continuing development of the people and the society.

Personally, I got a good grasp for reading and loving literatures because my father saliently  made this happen. He would often ask me then as a child to go buy his daily  news papers and upon his reading it, he would ask that I read and tell him what I understood.

To the entire family, he was deeply committed to family matters and welfare. And to many persons, he was cheerful, loving, a connector who listens and above all peaceful.

Today, Upon seeing the existential condition of my fathers' ancestral community, I finally understood my fathers' 'Dream' and why his love for education remains so sacrosanct.

Inspite of the travails and challenges of life that he faced, The late Ayakeme still have the audacity to hope and faith in a better tomorrow........

For me, words spoken today may not capture the totality of his life, but all I have to say is that my father succeeded In passing on the torch, and the baton to generations that come with a mind for genuine progress.

And so I say 'Doh' (thank you) .....'emien ka men' (you have done well)... 'Ye kile men dau' ( I greet you papa). For You are my best friend, my confidant, my backbone, you are my hero who fought your way through life even to your last breath.
For if I am to come to this life again and given a chance to choose, I will still pick you as my father........ Sleep well papa for you will forever remain in our hearts.


presented at the funeral service in okpokunou Burutu LGA of Delta state

By Yerinlaimi Emgbouke Konboye a.k.a  @yekeme


Tuesday 7 October 2014

I WANT TO BE CALLED A FOOL





Mr Hassan Oluwole Ezedima is in government  and his a  fool. What happens to changing cars and parking  like 50 in my new estate called a house in ministers hill maitama?

What happens that my children are found schooling in Nigeria?

What happens they find out I take my medications from a local doctor here? What happens when am caught on camera wearing Sisiano when I can afford Gucci? What happens, when they can't find two large generators in my house? Who cares about the people who voted for me? I would remember them during my second coming.

Mr Hassan Oluwole Ezedima is an opposite of what happens and his a big fool for that.The fear of been called a fool. I Am olagabs, want to be called a fool when I get into power and think of others. I want to be called a fool and provide housing for my people. I want to be a fool, allow my kids face the educational system so I work hard to make it a better system for not only my kids but other kids, both local and international to benefit.

I want to be a fool, to stop importation of generators and enrich the power sector of my country to supply steady electricity, for better production of goods and services. I want to be fool to do my medicals in my country saying I went to the best hospital in the world. I want to be a fool to encourage and wear designs from my country. I want to be a fool to start the change from my home to my neighbor..........what about you?

Dear Nigerians, as we are celebrating our nations 54th Independence, lets be ready to be called a fool and make the first change. We must not be in government to start the change. Let's start the changes from our homes and neighbors around us.
Think positive, do the right thing and be proud to be called a fool for your Nation.

You can call me Gabisi N Oladimeji and am a fool for the right thing.

You can call me Showunmi Rex and am a fool the right thing.

You can call me Yek Keme and am a fool for the right thing


Creativity By @olagabs
Edit by @yekeme

Published... Yekipedia House


Thursday 25 September 2014

2015: Why Atiku deserves our attention


Earlier in the day (24/9/14) the former Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar made a formal declaration of his ambition to run as a candidate for the highest office of the Land. I was one of those who was overwhelmed by the concept of the whole event.

Nigeria Newsdesk (@NigeriaNewsdesk)  led me to the livestreaming of the event. While the event progressed, the twitterspace as usual was flooded with pro and anti support tweets. I rendered my humble opinions concerning the style and Strategy of the event which some twitter acquaintances attacked almost endlessly.  One even by his tweet assumed I was being deceived by the whole razzmatazz. Such commentaries move me less for they depict guesses farther from the truth.

However, in a private chat with a colleague- one I respect so much- I saw how some brewing resentments could raise more cognitive dissonance to the fragile reputation of the Turaki Adamawa. Thus, for morality sake I was propelled to write this piece. Since Atiku cannot go back to years behind to rewrite or undo the past some of us ,out of magnanimity , can give encouragement to his noble course. There can't be an entirely bad product, remember? Some things are simply relative. Iwaju to Ko si e ehin ni fun elomi . Hence, this may just take the form of a consumer testimonial.

First, I don’t agree that Atiku is becoming overzealous for signalling interest to run for president. It is an intrinsic nature of man to strive for more greatness provided it doesn't disrupt the way of nature. Besides, he sees himself qualified to make Nigeria greater. He has been in the corridors of power before, he's therefore no learner in politics and governance. He may just be the one to set us on that dream path. Who knows? Morever, his ambition only adds beauty to the contest. Healthy Competition only improves Value.

More so, Atiku Abubakar is too liberal to be a bigot. He married a Yoruba woman as first wife and has large  friends and associates of different tribes and faith all across the country. Perhaps his long public service life contributes to this nature but he can't be one who can nurse or habour negative tribalism. I doubt it based on those premises


If you have been monitoring presidential hopefuls the past few months and their performances you would agree that Atiku glides as one with the best team(maybe for now). The PR is superb! Atiku knows when to talk, when to write and what to say. I give credit to his team and I give him credit more for gathering the best focus group. May be other Aspirants would borrow a leaf is another question. Nigeria deserves the best in whatever we do. Let's make this Presidential colourful.

One word of advice to the Turaki once again is to be gracious in goodwill to take whatever is the outcomes of the Presidential Primary of his Party. Politics at the peak, most times, is not all about winning because the winner and the runner up will both end up as historical materials in the museum of time. Then how we handled everything will matter most. That is why Awo still possesses more cult followership in death than most of his contemporaries and successors.

Thus, I wish that Atiku uses this few weeks to purge out all the uncomfortable perceptions that some people have built around his figure. Whether there's victory at the primaries or not, Turaki should see it as a win-win for his reputation.

Best of Luck, Turaki Adamawa.


*Showunmi Rex is the Senior Editor @ DeltaForte Magazine ; Contributing Editor @ Hype9ja Ent. & www.yekipedia.blogspot.com Twitter Handle: @remirex.

Published by
Yekipeda House
@yekeme

Wednesday 24 September 2014

Lagos 2015: APC' s Succession Story -- Between The Chosen, The Special and The Hungry One

Every so often we come to the crossroads of Destiny when and where the importance of a decision so urgent,  so crucial becomes so inevitable.  All of our life, it would seem, is reduced to the result of that very decision.  In most cases such issues are as fundamental as who takes over the mantle of leadership. There is a popular adage which says Success without a successor is failure. May be we can add that any leadership feat that has not transferred from one entity to the next isn't matured enough to be tagged Success.  Leadership question can make a Phenomenal person  lose sleep countless times and weaken his drive to achieve more. Who takes over from here?  The unknown, the becoming is such dreadful experience. It is well illustrated in the story of a man who has built a business empire but doubts the capacity of his first son or any of his children to step into his shoes. Paradoxically,  it seems that the assurance of a subsequent custodian is as crucial as every successes won and aspired.

This is a political writing and it is going somewhere.  It is a reflection of what is to come (or befall) Lagos in a couple of months. When you drive through the Lekki Suspension Bridge by night or you walk past the Ikeja Shoprite axis at late night, knowing what used to be the case before this administration then you would ponder on what next after this man leaves office?

Are we going back to the old style of Governance where anything goes or we are set on this developmental path for almost forever? Would there be continuity or what? If yes, at what pace?

 That question would be answered very soon. Not in this essay but in the activities of all stakeholders including Political parties and the electorate.

As it stands , there are two major political parties in Nigeria today and one of them is likely to give us the next Chief Executive come 2015.  Talking of the major opposition party in Lagos there is not much to say for now. Nevertheless, because the party's fortune would much depend on who becomes the standard bearer we can wait for such outcomes to see if there's hope for eventual surprises.  For now, for this state , Lagos , the Incumbent party's primary is the Election.


APC Primary School , Lagos.

In the eventuality of adherence to the  standing order, aspirants & supporters need to brace up for a Primary election. Hence, barring all unforseen circumstances there are three frontline contestant for the Party's nomination ; The Chosen One, The Special, and The Hungry One.


The Special One

The man who currently holds a sensitive position in the current cabinet is gathering support and hope from the party loyalists as time ticks closer. He is special because of the big barrier hanging over his nomination. He seems to make history as a non-indigene of a state but gathering strategic forces that may eventually lead to clinching the highest position in the state. Anybody conversant with how things work in Nigeria would admit that even State Civil Service leadership like Permanent Secretaries and others are rarely ceded to non-indigenes of the state let alone the Chief Executive of a State. But rules and records are made to be broken. This may be that special case.

He is Special also because he enjoys, allegedly, the maximum support of the sitting Chief Executive. The number one man it seems is saying subliminally; "my spirit is upon him".Like the biblical Moses and Joshua endorsement.

Moreover,  to have the structure of a father to bank on is no small advantage. But what do we say about the 'institutional' jinx to be broken? The First Royalty of the state already made a statement, one that could fan the flames of unusual resentment towards this Cause.

Also, Strategically, the fronting of the Special One by the Chief executive may just be a negotiating tool for private gains. Horse-trading is a regular tool in politicking and this one may not be an exception. The Senate, or even a Vice Presidential slot may be a good bargain for the Chief Executive.  If such isn't feasible, other very important slots can serve a good compensation. At both ways, the Chief would still walk home happy.


The Chosen One

Shakespeare's definition of Leadership highlights three possible ways to greatness. One of which is having leadership thrusted on your laps. No matter how we put it, the Chosen man is the man to beat. Although he enters this race as an underdog and would remain as such till the contest is over for so many reasons. What else do you call a man making a first appearance into active, partisan politics as a Governorship aspirant? Indeed winning promises to be pyrrhic.  It would be a highly challenging endeavour, the one likely to choke the aspirant and sap energy. But there are enough 'shock-absorbers' for this man. The first and biggest endorsement came from the First King of the State and that's a statement loud enough to be understood.

The Chosen one's records as a selfless servant is a good leverage even though politics is a wielding  game. In most cases, irrespective of who stands behind you what you educe matters more. It is all about you- your charm, your charisma, your grace. All the attestations & endorsements already opens up the compound pressure of living up to expectations. When much is given much is expected. There's much work to be done but the good thing is it won't be without the support of the Captains of the Party, the main men whose attention he already got.

There's one important thing to hammer on and it is that there is no done deal in politics. This man of the moment must try as much as possible to ease the pressure of those who already declared support for his candidature. The need to be reminded often, by action , that they made the right choice thrusting him forward. His mettle will be tested with fire like a furnace to gold and it would only make him better.

Although on being an underdog in this race, many supporters of the man have likened it to how it first happened some Seven years ago when an underdog ,now his excellency, clinched the party nomination. But few points must be considered.As a chief of staff, one isn’t an outsider,  kind of, in the polity. In fact, the powers of the chief executive is put to optimal use through the arm of the CoS. What does this suggests? That the antecedents aren't purely the same.

The is more work to be done. There are many challenges but they are not insurmountable. The times have changed and the circumstances partially different. But there's always courage of the possibility looking back to the past to inspire the future.

However, there are hungry hawks around waiting to feast on the chicks. How prepared is the mother hen? We shall soon find out when we discuss the qualities of hawks and how some people are hungry for action.





...To be continued


Showunmi Rex (@remirex)  is the Senior Editor @ DeltaForte Magazine (www.deltaforteng.com) & Contributing  Editor @ Hype9ja Ent. (www.hype9ja.com) & www.yekipedia.blogspot.com

Published
Yekipedia house
@yekeme


Monday 11 August 2014

Why you may need a private blog






In today's world, Identity plays a vital role in virtually every human endeavor.  Whether in Business, Politics, Public Service or even Religious association, every party feels at home with somebody they are familiar with. Nobody trusts easily an Individual without a story, a trace, a background they're familiar with or put simply somebody they hardly know.

A name, a face, a record, a profile, or even a referral etc can be a good starting point for   building new relationships that transcends our immediate environment.  If God gives you a Vision of a whale you don't go to the lake in your farmyard. Whales don't live in Lakes. Instead, you go all out there to the High Sea to "launch into the deep". But it takes time to gain acceptance in that highly promising but volatile environment. 

However, when people are acquainted with little details about you, it can spark up their interest and that may just be the opportunity you need to win acceptance. 

More so, with a private blog  you are presented with a platform that offers you the opportunity to express yourself,  what you want out of life, your values, views and opinions about life, living and other endeavors. As it were , you cease to become  a first timer to the global community. Running a web log can be a right way to register your Interconnectedness to the World.


Your Content
The problem of content is enough turn off for so many individuals.  It could even get more complicated when you see yourself as a never-achieved-enough person. But in most cases what really happens is that  we under-estimate our achievements. If you can find something to put down in your CV or resume then you can run a private blog. In fact, that's the least among the reasons you should run a blog.

For me, a choice of a private blog was more of a (social) necessity . The Platform gives me the privilege to express myself and communicate to the world through Writing.  As a Writer,  Public Speaker, Entrepreneur and trained Philosopher,  my desire to affect not just my immediate environment but the hundreds of people that I could connect through the 'IT miracle' influenced blogging for me. When people visit my blog  they should gain insights on Business,  Politics,  and Capacity building as a whole. Also, I want  people to see this experience as a mutual value-based exercise and thus flourish it with content . Through that process a synergy births a new Energy into this Universe of Knowledge. Who downplays the maxim "Knowledge is Light"?  

In addition, for the benefit of those who are always more interested in the messenger than the message, there's a short profile to intimate.


Exceptions:
If you are xenophobic or you have an agelong paranoia,  perhaps having a personal blog may not be good for you.

But if being shy or suffering from any of the Complexes is the reason you want a "low- key" life then now is the time to shake it off. You cannot live to be average so embrace Excellence and the price/prize of Prominence that comes with it.  As one scripture verse says, "a city set on a hill cannot be hidden" 

Signing out with the Wisdom deduced from Chinua Achebe's quote: "If you don't write someone's story, write your own". Let me add that this is the generation of Globalization if you don't tell your story somebody else will tell it. You may just have to pray the buddy isn't a blackmailer.


By Showunmi Rex is the Senior Editor at Delta Forte Magazine (www.deltaforteng.com) | Twitter Handle: @remirex



published by 
@yekeme

Thursday 17 July 2014

Pep talk to Voters in 2015: Keep calm and vote right even with the rice.





Easy... It's your season. 2015 is almost here! It's the Christmas of Nigerian politics,  a time of harvest of and for the electorates. This electioneering period is special in so many ways. Your leaders would remember your house address now. They would impress their speeches on how inevitable your support is to their aspirations. And importantly, they would honor with gifts and titles, slot for injury time service.  That's just the way it is.

After these rituals are concluded it is now time to touch the pigs for slaughter directly. Password correct, access is granted now to lie as much as possible to the electorates just to get one more shot at power for the coming term. In the realm of politicking,  no price is too high to pay for the power in your thumb. It's the reason men would leave their beloved families, stop down from their prestigious thrones to the streets despite the vulnerabilities. 

For influential men to be convinced to endorse candidates there may be alot of technicalities but for the common man who holds the majority the answers are far too simple and less sophisticated.  Speak no much English, let the stomach infrastructure do all the ' Rock and Roll' . It speaks volumes.

 Let me be more specific-- Bring more rice! Rice is medicinal, it is the Nigerian opium approved by N***** to be used by the masses. And it is not harmful to the body.

Money has found its way into Nigerian campaigns because of the Third degree poverty level that has bedevilled the vast majority.  It has seized the voice from the call of reason and that may just be disastrous.  So what do I have to say? If I advise people not to collect money from politicians or rice coming masked as charity would I not be speaking German to rustic Africans?

Just like telling someone with HIV that they should live without anti-retroviral drugs when you haven't found the cure for the virus. A poor man lost his belongings to flood, no bank, no means of livelihood and then after a hungry midnight rice came with the morning.  Knowing his story, would you advice him to say no to the rice?  Of course you should not if you are not offering anything better.  Situationism, remember, is also an ethical theory.

I'll tell you what to do dear Electorates. The same wisdom that was employed during the  Mimiko re-election campaign.  Collect what they bring but don't vote for them. By that logic the burden of conscience versus pleasure disappeared like a fleeting shadow. The dichotomy between Money and Morality erased and people calmed down to vote overwhelmingly for their choiced candidate.

You may not have the power to stop a bird from flying over your head but you can keep it from building a nest over it. So when they come luring you with their rice be sure to do the needful which is giving thoughts to the credibility of each candidates.  Scratch deeper to see what lies beyond their dramatic roles and vote for who you think is best.


Never let anyone bamboozle you. Keep calm and vote right even now that rice is involved.


Rex Showunmi is the Senior Editor @ DeltaForte Magazine(www.deltaforteng.com).  Twitter handle : @remirex

publisher..... www.yekipedia.blogspot.com
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mail: yekeme4u@gmail.com

Sunday 13 July 2014

A Short Tribute to Wole Soyinka : The Williams Shakespeare of our time.



The advantage of being 80 years old is that one has many people to love" says Jean Renoir , the French film Director and Author. Let me add that living up to 8 decades gives you the privilege of being loved by many, as well. Let's all thank God for the Life of Wole Soyinka,  the Williams Shakespeare of our time . For while History may have been garnished with subtle prejudice during documentation,  the present offers us with a better reality to grasp. Even with the subjectivity of diverse humans we still find objective grounds to agree.  We may have arrived this place through inter-subjectivity. However, it is beyond reasonable doubt that the Man Wole Soyinka has lived a life not only worthy of emulation but also Worthy of education.

Starting out with a life of excellence that far out runs time, he has turned out to be greatness personified. While in his Thirties he had already written some of the best African literary works  including  The Man died, the Lion and the Jewel , The Trials of Brother Jero, etc.

A thorough bred African who admonished the pragmatism of Negritude  stressing that with the anology of "a tiger does not shout its tigritude" instead it acts. He reflected in almost all his works the need for Africa to develop. This he emphasised in his numerous satirical works.

If we sum up Soyinka's life in a little phrase it has been one marked by an unusual zest for all that is humanistic. Aside that, Kongi has lived a highly productive life -- absolutely phenomenal.   The one that has seen several masterpieces come out of his literary loins. Some immortal, many living. One of which I will be honored to be called. Perhaps we should connect his "high tension" energy to his spirituality which radiates around him. For he speaks dearly of Ogun -the Yoruba deity  which he acknowledges as his companion deity.

Twenty Eight years ago he won the Nobel Prize for Literature which is unarguably the most remarkable event of his career being the first African ever to win such  prize. It opened several doors including the rapport with World class( Ivy League) Colleges . He earned honorary doctorates and  faculty membership, among other benefits.

After all said, it interests me to affirm that He will remain to us a source of Inspiration...that we can achieve a lot within our lifetime by being creative , hardworking  and passionate in our calling.

Long Live Wole Soyinka! Ogun, Nigeria and Africa as a whole is proud of you. And as you grow younger remember;  "Igba odun ojo kan ni".

•Wole Soyinka clocks 80 today 13th July,2014.

Rex Showunmi (@remirex) is the Senior Editor at Delta Forte Magazine (www.deltaforteng.com)

Published by www.yekipedia.blogspot.com Follow us @yekeme

Wednesday 2 July 2014

Agony from Sambisa Forest




I woke up that morning, unsure of what the day holds for us, but certain of one thing, that the WAEC examination is still ongoing, I got dressed and bid farewell to my folks, unknown it was the last time I will ever set my eyes on them, that I and many other girls will become the victim of the evil lurking round the noon.
We filed into the examination hall, waiting for our question papers and answer booklets to be distributed to all the candidates. Amidst the examination jittery, I heard several gunshots, there was great pandemonium, students and teachers scampering.
I heard a crusty voice from a megaphone, we were commanded to lay down wherever we were, which we obediently obeyed, I was scared to my skin and suddenly blacked out.
The operations lasted for hours, I was revived and ushered into a waiting sport utility vehicle and sandwiched among my mates, like cows taken to abattoir, we were driven away. There was great wailing, we cried until we lost our voice. I stopped crying few weeks ago, and told myself probably this is the prize I have to pay for been a girl child in a country like Nigeria.
It is almost the first semester since we were forcefully adopted from our country, however it seems like eternity. We have become victims of political propaganda, forsaken by a country we call our own, neglected by a government our parents elected. We were carted away like the spoils of war, our adopters in jubilation and chanting victorious songs.
Life in Sambisa has been traumatic, few days after our adoption, our human dignity was forcefully taken away from most of us, freedom of worship which is enshrined in the Nigerian 1999 constitution was taken away, those of us who were Christians were forcefully converted to Islam. We were distributed among our adopters, in hot tears and pain, our dignity is serially violated.  Amidst fear and trepidation we unwillingly submitted our pride to our captors. Daily I feel awfully lonely, and I have become an outcast. Sleep has become an enemy, I stay up late every night escaping into the wonderland of mystery that contains broken fragments of my dreams. Tears and sore is salty, I long to return home if help will ever come before my last breath.
Let me leave now, you will hear from me soon, if I am still alive.
With pain from Sambisa.

By
Onyibe Oliver.

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Monday 5 May 2014

Mrs Jonathan speech to the chibok principal on the missing girls #BringBackOurGirls






Patience:   prinspa do you come with two teachers?

Principal:  No maa

Patience:  you were not a form too.......eeh

Principal: yes maa

Patience: continue .......no problem ! God will see us, there is God!!

Patience:   there is God! There is God in everything we are doing
                 Those bloods that are sharing in Borno, will answer.
What of two teachers....WAEC ......eeh what of two teachers that can tell us that them  conducted that exam, do u come with any ? prinspa?
 Principal: No maa

Patience: No too....... only you waka come.... oky!!      

Patience:  Now the 1st lady is calling you come i want to help you! Come to find yah bab! yah child, yah missing child........will you keep quiet?

Crowded Response:   Nooooo


Patience:    chei !! chei...... there is God o! there is God oo !! the Bloods we are sharing,  there is God ooo  There is God oo ! there is God ooo ! CRYING  there is God oooooooo  CRYING  there is GOD ooooooo   

End of speech.........by 1st lady Dame Patience Jonathan

pls u can read again because na the official gramma from naija u dey read so.....

@yekeme say so?

Sunday 4 May 2014

DELTA STATE GOVT: WHERE IS AMBROSE EZEANWANI...... #FREEAMBROSE





Since his unlawful arrest by the agents of the commissioner for Higher Education in Delta state, Ambrose Ezeanwani has shown to young Nigerians from all strata of life that until we stand up and confront injustice and corruption, we have no right to complain of bad governance in the land. In his words to me on phone while in detention he said ‘‘.....yekeme this is another moment we have to tell it as it is’’
This brings me to the thrust of this piece. The commissioner for Higher Education Hope Eghagha who orchestrated this whole drama seems to be silent. What is Eghagha hiding from? Why has he not responded to the claims of fraud perpetuated by the bursary and scholarship board in delta state?
The truth is, Ambrose was arrested because he seem to know too much of the internal happenings in the bursary board in Delta state, and this whole arrest is geared toward silencing him.....i hope not for life.
Ambrose was only asking for transparency in the bursary and scholarship board.........meaning the real students from delta state should get their bursary entitlement as at when due. This is just the simple thing we demand. Rather he is persecuted for his demands instead of those who corrupt the system. A sad reality I must say.
If the commissioner for Higher Education claims he his truly innocent of these allegations then let him publish the list of students he and the bursary board have paid bursary to in the last four years so that we can all see and compare with the various student records in higher institutions across the nation.
Else my candid advice to Hope Eghagha is for him to release Ambrose Ezeanwani because his fundamental rights have truly been violated.
However, this is a clarion call to all Nigerians and humanity in general to demand for Ambrose release because injustice done any where, is injustice done everywhere....... join the conversation here #FREEAMBROSE
                                                                                                 
By.... YEKEME an unconventional thinker, blogger, and dreamer

Find me here @yekeme

Sunday 20 April 2014

A CASE FOR INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES.............2





Regardless of the various controversies surrounding the origin of language, the presence of the existence of several widely differing, mutually unintelligible forms of human speech today is undeniable. And although many languages are radically different from one another in structure, the differences are merely apparent since each and every one of them can be used creatively. All languages possess the same creative potential.   
Again a close analysis of the various linguistic groups reveals regularities, patterns and syntactic connections governing the combination of sounds to form words. However, and regardless of this, the representation of objects by sounds or words is arbitrary. The arbitrariness of attaching sounds to objects account for the different linguistic groups.
The sounds which speakers of a linguistic group use in representing ideas, thoughts, experiences and objects are arbitrary in the sense that there is nothing in the objects so called that is representative of the sound. This view that language is arbitrary and a cultural construct implies that an infant learns a language by listening to the speakers of the language of the particular community into which s/he is born; and the words used in the language as well as the particular grammar or syntax of the language have developed historically as a social product and been handed down by tradition. The idea that language is arbitrary is corroborated by various linguists:
 “What we call ‘horse’, the Germans call ‘pferd’, the Frenchman ‘cheval’, the Indian ‘misatim’, and so on; one set of sounds is as unreasonable as any other”.- Bloomfield.
“I want you to remember that words have these meanings which we have given them and we give them meanings by explanations. A word has the meaning someone has given it”. - Wittgenstein.
“Language is a conventional system of habitual vocal behaviour. Before the establishment of a convention, any word could mean anything” – Yuen Ren Chao
“The fact that languages are arbitrary is sufficient evidence that they were invented. In any language, there are conventional ways of combining words to express the relations between ideas. There is no systematic correspondence between the forms of language and its meanings.” – Englefield.
The point to glean from these is that all languages are equal to one another insofar as they perform the function of aiding communication among humans within a given geographical formation. Hence one of the worst disgraces of colonisation, African scholars have said, is the destruction of native languages. The colonialists came in with the impression that everything about Africa is dark and therefore evil – from our skin colour, languages and up to our cultures generally. The impression was that we were inferior to the Whiteman. We must understand that every language is as good as the other. Every language spoken is essentially a tool for communication and once a language performs that function well, then it is as good as any other. Some people think that we are necessarily and eternally condemned through historical exigencies to the use of the English language. This to me is simply false. That we have, up till this time, failed to develop our indigenous languages to the level of creating with and in them is a fact but this has been due to negligence on our part or inability to see the worthwhileness of pursuing vehemently such a task, rather than being an inherent weakness in the languages themselves, neither is it too late to begin from now to do the needful.
 Our fathers and grandfathers had very little or no contact with the English man and his language but that did not affect their creative capabilities. They enjoyed their lives to the full, at least within the context of the social milieu in which they lived, and when the English language did eventually come to them, it was more of a distraction and interference than an asset. This much the late professor tried to describe in his widely read Things Fall Apart.  
A point to note about languages is that embedded in them are all sorts of indications of bygone cultures. This is why historians and especially anthropological linguists pay special attention to the study of different languages, in order to see through into a people’s past. Hence when we study and understand a language, we invariably learn about the history of the people who speak that language, and with it a profound acquaintance with their contemporary culture. It is also worthy to state the role language plays in knowledge acquisition. There is an intimate connection between knowledge and language because knowledge is a body of ideas, concepts and theories about what there is, expressed in one language or another. Man’s ability to pass knowledge from one generation to another is only possible because of the availability of language. Language has the capacity to represent objects and entities with abstract signs and symbols.
 As paradoxical as it may sound, it is also instructive to note that language has a limiting influence on knowledge. There is the view that language directly influences or limits thought and thus determines reality. This is what Ludwig Wittgenstein has systematized into the famous “Picture Theory of Language” with the catch phrases “The Limit of My Language is the Limit of My World” and “What we cannot say, we cannot think either”. Language, curiously has also been described as a mirror, a weapon, and a shield. In this perspective, the position of Sapir and Whorf on the relation of language to thought and behaviour is that language is a “symbolic guide to culture” such that “a change of language can transform our perception of the cosmos”.
We also need to mention the point that language is an evolutionary phenomenon – in other words it is still evolving or developing. Just like culture which is dynamic, language is also dynamic. The dynamism of language is decisively determined by the dynamics of the life experiences of the speakers of the language.
If the speakers of a language do not expect to see a particular word or situation, there will be no word for it. We need to also emphasize on the role language plays in knowledge acquisition. In fact, there is an intimate connection between knowledge and language, because when we talk of knowledge, we are talking about ideas, concepts and theories all expressed in one language or another.
Man’s ability to pass knowledge from one generation to another is only possible because of the availability of language. Language has the capacity to represent objects and entities with abstract signs and symbols. Again, knowledge is best acquired only in the context of one’s own language or mother tongue. It is more difficult to absorb and understand a concept in a secondary language than in one’s first language. This probably explains the challenge of education in Africa considering the fact that students are not taught in their mother tongue but in colonial languages. Even the national policy on education formulated by such eminent scholars as Prof. Babatunde Fafunwa, which among other things, stipulates that the medium of instruction in schools, at least during the formative years, should be in the child’s mother tongue, only exist on paper.
Language is a social product invented by human beings, used by them but again and as paradoxical as this may sound, it is true that the same human beings who invented language also has the capacity to limit and ultimately kill it. How? By simply seizing to speak it! A language cannot be above or live beyond the people that speak it.

By Emmanuel Ogheneochuko Arodovwe

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Friday 18 April 2014

A CASE FOR INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES.......1




“I recognize but one mental acquisition as a necessary part of the education of a lady or gentleman, namely, an accurate and refined use of the mother tongue”.
___ Dr. Charles W. Eliot (President of Harvard for a third of a Century).
Language till date remains the most important human invention. The earliest account of the emergence of language can be found in different religious texts. For example the Bible states that in ancient times, man had a universal language which was confused and became diversified at the Tower of Babel.  The idea conveyed in Genesis 2:20 of Adam giving names to all living creatures presupposes that humans were created from the start with an innate capacity to use language.
 But what is the scientific account of the origin and nature of language? To answer this, we must turn to anthropology, history, archaeology, linguistics and philosophy. Imagine a scenario where humans have just evolved from a lower sheath – (products of evolution). Archaeological evidence indicates that modern humans, Homo sapiens, emerged within the last 150,000 years. By 30,000 BC, all other species of humanoids seem to have been replaced by Homo sapiens. Scholars agree that the different group of humans (Homo sapiens) had already, embedded in their genetic make-up, the capacity and disposition to acquire and speak a language. The natural evolution hypothesis holds that at some point in their evolutionary development, humans acquired a more sophisticated brain which made language invention and learning possible. Words are, scientifically speaking, not inborn, but the capacity to acquire a language and use it creatively seems to be inborn. Noam Chomsky calls this ability the LAD (Language Acquisition Device). There is also a consensus among experts that human language must have evolved from inarticulate sounds, produced by our ancestors in the course of human evolution. However no one can say exactly the point or date when language finally emerged. But then, there is incontrovertible evidence that the human brain evolved the capacity for spoken language in tandem with the modification of the organs in the mouth particularly the larynx which makes speech possible.
Regardless of whether language was a special gift from God, a natural evolutionary acquisition, or an ingenuous, conscious human invention made at some point in our species’ history, what is not in doubt is that about 6000 languages exist in the world today. Perhaps an important question to ask is whether there was one or more than one original language. Three schools of thought have attempted answers.
The Monogenesis school holds that there was a single original language. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, this language was confused by divine intervention at the Tower of Babel. But exactly what this first language was remains a matter of controversy. Basque, German, Greek, and Sanskrit have been suggested. A Swedish philologist claimed that in the Garden of Eden, God spoke Swedish, Adam spoke Danish and the serpent spoke French. One wonders if this is true, how they were able to understand one another.
The Mother Tongue theory is a variant of the monogenesis school, though without the latter’s religious colouration. It holds that one original language spoken by a single group of Homo sapiens perhaps as early as 150 000 years ago gave rise to all human languages spoken on earth today as a result of colonisation of other humans across continents, leading to the diverging of this original mother tongue to form the numerous languages spoken today.

The Polygenesis school holds the view of parallel evolution. They hold that as humans evolved parallel in more than one location, each group developed its own unique language. For them, given the genetic predisposition for language, the exact language spoken by different human groups all over the world is a reflection of environmental factors. Like other social animals e.g. the bees, the elephants, the dolphins, the chimpanzees, etc., human beings evolved language as a means of intra species communication. The first mode of communication was inarticulate sounds which were accompanied with gestures. Gradually, and as a result of continuous process of evolution, man developed what is now described as the Second Signal System – Language...........to be continued
by........Emmanuel Ogheneochuko Arodovwe
publisher.......yekipedia
follow us @ yekeme

Monday 14 April 2014

OMG ! The tour trip you've all been waiting 4 is here @ last.......






Tour trip to Opa (staff) Oranmiyan in the ancient lle ife & mystery water fall in erin ijesha both in osun state, the wonder of nature will not be left out, the cold & warm spring in ikogosi, ekiti state.

Date: 29th-31st of may 2014.
fee: N7,500 (includes transportation, feeding & hotel accomodation)

For enquiries & reservations call: 08027202995,08034377508,08171588722, BB: 2675398F
Account details: Hills creative concept
0137102977 GTBank
u can also follow us on twitter @hillsTours.  ......

u can't afford to b told!!!!!!

Powered by Hills Creative Concepts 



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Tuesday 8 April 2014

EQUIPPED TO EXCEL #EquippedToExcel








If you're between 18 and 35… you should not miss #EquippedToExcel

Enjoy an afternoon of music, inspiration and information and get a head start in life!

 #EquippedToExcel will connect you to a vibrant community where you’ll be one of the first people to know about job opportunities & internships from leading companies. 

You’ll also get the opportunity for mentorships under successful and experienced professionals and business leaders. 

Very importantly, you stand a chance to be selected for a FREE training programme that will prepare you for a successful career.

Time: 12 noon; Date: Saturday 26 April 2014; Venue: Afe Babalola Auditorium, University of Lagos. 

Speakers include: Elisa Salazar-Chukuma – MD/CEO of ES-Africa; Abisola Longe – MD/CEO of Human Capacity Development Consultants (HCDC); Chukuka Chukuma – Partner & Co-Founder of Racecourse Capital; Carlton Williams – Entrepreneur and Pastor of High Life Church, Lekki. Lagos

Music by Blessomania; Spirit Wind; Aijay Desmond; Ahide Adum & Ona Aiyeola

Don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity


join the conversation online to get latest happenings on #EquippedToExcel
or follow me on twitter @yekeme 


Monday 7 April 2014

APC 's New Nigeria Dream & the Nightmares to come.








Few weeks ago the foremost opposition party in Nigeria, the All Progressive Congress, APC indirectly flagged off her campaign with the APC summit in Abuja. There, her 2015 campaign message became subliminally unveiled. "The New Nigeria" it chorused.

"The New Nigeria...", I pondered on for a long while. This is a very great caption I must confess. But I would not assume that APC understands politics and the aspect of Campaign  that I would keep shut. It will be a case of once beaten twice shy. I cannot forget in a hurry how I watched the opposition play away the opportunity to bring the desired change to Nigeria in 2011.

The New Nigeria concept is a very sellable one. It is an encompassing concept that defines the political behaviour of Nigerians. First, Nigerians have voting apathy. Two, there are more fresh voters in 2015. An average Nigerian on the street is either tired of this government or the country or the both.  It is either you hear an average man say let us break up or let there be revolution. This suggests that proposing something new to them- something different from what is the case- but with the hope of bringing them good governance would win their votes.

The Party's think tank already put the APC in a tight corner. The one that will either win her the polls or expose it to the most humiliating defeat in recent Nigeria. Seriously,  my fear is the possibility of a totalitarian Nigeria. Is that not enough reason to fear? The tyranny of PDP will wield stronger in 2015 and beyond if they ever win than power once again . It would mean 20years of PDP rule by 2019.It would look like the end of the world. Transformation will turn to absolute deformation. It could only get worse my fake patriot, listen to wisdom.

However, APC, should understand that a naked person cannot promise people clothes. The stakes are high now and there will be tougher hurdles on the route.

My bosom friend has a message to add -a Jonathan Apologist though- one of the few young people that I know to be cynical about APC's Change Story.

"You cannot project a new Nigeria under someone who served in the Sector where the greatest kleptocrat stole funds most. Also, it will be hard for you to preach a new Nigeria with the personality of a Candidate who ran as lieutenant in the casted Army." he believes.

How will APC manage to convince the people to believe in her product will be a herculean task especially as it is a poll to unseat the sitting President? It all begins with the right candidates and the best campaign network.


Showunmi Rex is a Writer, Public Speaker, Entrepreneur & Socio-Political Philosopher. His Interests are Business&Politics.
Twitter Handle (@remirex)

publisher........yekipedia
 twitter @yekeme

Thursday 3 April 2014

How to Sell yourself to the World





Brief: We need to Sell what we have and what we are to the World

When we were born we came with innate ideas and natural abilities . Everything we needed to enable our survival, it seems, came with us: a mind to grasp and learn, to function, survive and contribute to humanity.  And then, it’s important to admit: the role of Expression and Communication in all our activities.

When a baby weeps when it is hungry it is communicating to survive, to remind or request for something to quench thirst and hunger, or destroy/defuse pain.  In most cases, the baby gets all that it needs. That is the beginning and we never get satisfied till our last breathe. Even at dying times we still need wishes we may want fulfilled after we are gone.

How do we get all that we want? Some within our reach others with the help  of  people. But, we need to win their heart to get the help. Whether you are a start-up entrepreneur in need of Angel  Investors or a politician seeking election or re- election. Even a salesman trying to increase sales of his product; we all need that charm –attractive feature—that endears us to people’s heart. We need the art of learning  how to sell our person or product to the world.

*Considering these points below can help us achieve that art*

•Re-Examine Yourself:
Socrates, the Ancient Philosopher, brought out a new discourse on Humanity into man’s reasoning. Man know thyself   was the theme of his teachings. We need to introspect and retrospect into the happenings within and without. When we take a fact finding look into happenings around us only then will we understand how some stuffs unfold. It is an unbelievable fact that a large chunk of the world population lives on prejudices. An average Nigerian will get a credit in that . However, looking at things  critically will at least open up our eyes to see the true nature of our challenges and what we need to do about them. It can save us a lot of time and pain .Examining our lives will enable us to re-strategize , figure out what’s functioning in our lives and what is not .Also , we can  see ourselves in the true light of things—just as we truly are.


•Determine What your True Goals are:
 When we understand ourselves better we can bring to fore our true heart yearning as goals. Discovering our passion will navigate  us  to push forward in the direction of our goals. Our passion writes and shapes our goals. It  increases our drive and strengthens our focus, too.


•Find an Association:

As a social being, man always find it necessary to associate or be a part of a group. For one to sell himself   to the world he needs a platform, it  often begins unconsciously. One’s immediate family are the first observers of one’s capabilities and that’s where the first ‘advert comes from.
 However, as growth increases, stage to stage has its relationship formations; friendship, falling in love , choice of sport, hobbies, political affiliations ,Fraternity ,  etc. You are as good as your association.
Anyone willing to sell himself to the world must first be a part of a formation who will first accept him and take cognizance of his potentials and qualities. They will act as an outreach for launching himself. The church is one of the most viable association to attach to. Most great musicians often give credit to the Choir as where it first began. Also, people have risen to greatness because of the connection, assistance  and the relationship they kept over time.
These days Social media is forming a stronger bond across ties. Entertainment, politics, Business,etc  have social network platforms to relate with family, friends, associates and partners as well as the world at large.

•Being and Giving the Best:

In the Business world, as it is in any endeavour, building a brand is as important as anything. Business thrives on the belief that dealings will be handled by the best hands. If your work depicts quality it won’t take time to be easily noticeable while people are willing to pay through their nose to get value for their money. The Holy scripture talks about a diligent man that would ‘stand before kings and not mean men’. The biblical story of Joseph explains this better: when the need arose to solve the King’s problems, it didn’t take much thinking before Joseph was recommended. Hardwork and giving  the best are like necessary beings. You cannot bring forth the best without hardwork, I mean smart work. Continuous mastery of  your craft , more than anything else, endows a man with charming personalities.

•Value and character:
 You can belong to an association, give quality services but if you have a character flaw, you are bound to face huge resentments in acceptance by people. Sporting World explains this concept very well. Talents and hard work are secondary to discipline and character. When you share constructive moral values people will easily like and stand for you. You have won a special place in their heart. As a wise saying quotes: 'people dont care how much you know until they know how much you care. '




By SHOWUNMI REX (@remirex)

Showunmi Rex is a Writer,  Public Speaker, Socio-political Philosopher and Entrepreneur.  His Interests are Business and Politics.

Publisher........Yekipedia
follow us on twitter @yekeme