Are we approaching a Cultural extinction? (2)

It is a popular notion that Tunde Kelani’s films are rooted in the Yoruba culture. I asked him once what culture means to him, he said, "Your total being is your culture…what we know in our culture was the importance of a good name and a good character, "Omo Oluwa bi", you have to bring honor to the family…why we are having so many problems today is because there is a cultural vacuum. People are cut off from their culture, therefore resulting to short of moral."

To elucidate further on the discourse, here is how our conversation went:

What is leading us to such cultural extinction?

Tunde Kelani: An open society, influence from other cultures. When I was growing up, there was only one TV station; this TV was the first in Africa. Today, Nigeria has over 100 TV stations, only God knows how many radio stations, and then we have Satellite TV, mobile phones, Youtube, etc. All these have devastating effect on our indigenous culture because some other cultures are so rich that they propagate their culture and seek to dominate other cultures. Unfortunately, in our society, we tend not to like our own, we seem to prefer those other culture to our own. This is a serious error because those other cultures that have preserved their own culture, like Asian countries, have developed while those accepting other cultures have remain undeveloped.

Any hope for redeeming our culture?

Tunde Kelani:That depends on the political will of our leaders… it depend on a conscious effort to start a process of re-orientation... On a personal level, I think families are compounding the problem…we are settling for self-colonization with the way the present generation of Yoruba people, especially women, are discouraging their children from speaking the Yoruba language. They are making them 2nd class citizens of other cultures…they are doing more harm than good. Without your culture, then you are nobody. That is why Yoruba define the culture of nation with the language. When Yoruba talk of a nation, they say "Orile ede". This means a place with its own language. If you remove the "ede", it becomes "Orile" which means nowhere. So without your language, you have no root, and without your root, you are nobody. Some people think it is civilized or fashionable by not allowing their children speak their language but this is the greatest level of ignorance, it is shameful, absolutely repulsive.

Now how do we start this process of reorientation to preserve culture which was earlier defined by young Sam Harvey as "a fallacy held by individuals who wish to upset the order of equality, creating superiority and making bold the differences in our global race."?

Are we approaching the extinction of “Culture”?

A young boy, Sam Murray, while defining culture once said that "culture is one’s historical, spiritual, and ethnic backgrounds in which encompasses language and traditions. Culture is heritage and is commonly associated with race and religious ideologies. Personally, I feel that culture is merely a word that only exist to label and divide people by their differences. How is my culture form yours? Because I speak a different dialect and eat food in which you are not accustomed, are we so different that we must labels ourselves in such a way that invokes war? Culture is a fallacy held by individuals who wish to upset the order of equality, creating superiority and making bold the differences in our global race. We are all kin and are all kin and therefore are from the same origins, our culture is unanimous, well at leas this is my belief."

What language do you speak? What type of food do you have for breakfast? How do the women in your country dress? Answering some of these questions above is very easy. But coming from a multi-ethnic country like Nigeria, I always find myself thinking critically to ensure whatever I say clearly explain that my response is either unique to me as an individual, the environment I grew up or my State.

The other day, some of my colleagues wanted to know how we dance in Nigeria. What a huge responsibility it was to define the Nigerian dance culture. Luckily for me, we found variety of videos of different traditional dance in Nigeria on Youtube website. We spent time analyzing how each tribe’s dance style was different yet similar to the other. "In Nigeria, there are over 250 languages" I said, trying to drive home the point that they should not define the Nigerian culture by only watching the cultural dance video of Yoruba,Igbo, Hausa and of course Edo people.

But why do we really define ourselves by Culture, especially when this culture is so diverse and ever evolving?

It is a popular notion that Tunde Kelani’s films are rooted in the Yoruba culture. I asked him once what culture means to him, he said, "Your total being is your culture. The Yoruba culture is essentially a moralistic one. You can apply this to any other culture but what we know in our culture was the importance of a good name and a good character, "Omo Oluwa bi", you have to bring honor to the family…why we are having so many problems today is because there is a cultural vacuum. People are cut off from their culture, therefore resulting to short of moral."

What anybody who has come of age should know

Nigeria should not just be seen as the most populous country in Africa. An increasing population without strong economy and a stable government has implications for the land and the people as a whole. One of the most common factors most people point at when analyzing the current situation in Nigeria is the bad leadership and somewhat passive attitude of Nigerians.

Sometimes it is easier to sit and whine about the inadequacies of our government leaders, to compare our society with others and hope that someday our economy will recover form its current squatting state. According to the CIA World Factbook Web site, seventy percent of Nigerians are under 35 years. This mean that if this age group actively participate in the coming election, we would have more grounds to hold our leaders accountable, stating with INEC who is expected to count the votes.

In a nutshell, if you are Nigerian and you have come of age then it is very imperative that you become more active in civic participation. Starting with the basics such as: registering to vote for the 2011 election and also encouraging your friends to do likewise.

The 2011 elections are only few months away. Considering the political trend in Nigeria, we know there is still a lot to be done. We live in a society where people can take unprintable measures to undermine the system in pursuit of self-interest. But it is left to us to decide if we want to act to change the system or be acted upon. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has promised to do better than they did in 2007 election but "No true Democracy manifests without a people's deliberate labour Register to vote, vote and defend your vote.”

As Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde recently said "A time will come when as a youth, you will no more be judged by how many ‘Lamboginis’ you cruised or the amount of Gold jewelry you paid installmentaly for, but how you affected your generation. My name is Omotola and I'm a cool voter...what's your C.V.?" Let us make hay while Sun shine. When it is time to register to vote, don’t be caught missing in action. It is not enough to wish for a better government leaders. We all have a role to elect them in. Don’t succumb to business as usual of moving with the Party with mouth-watering manifestos. Join the cool voters, make an effort not only to register but also to vote. By God's grace come 2011, let us rock that vote beyond election-malpractice.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

A colorful framed poster hanging in our house reads: “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. Galatians 6: 17.” Thus, when I first heard the term “Enough is Enough”, that was the first thing that came to mind. However, the new youth movement in Nigeria themed “Enough is Enough” is not a religious affiliation. If you are Nigerian, you most likely understand the context of this dynamic emergence of a new generation with zero tolerance for corruption. We are talking about a generation nauseated by the unprogressive government leaders tying Nigeria down in underdevelopment and poverty even though our land is rich in natural and human resources.

When young Nigerians converged at the National Assembly to peacefully protest on March 16th, it was neither to show-off how energetic youth can be nor to punctuate the day to announce that 70% of our population are youth (under 35years). According to the letter sent to the Senate President/The Speaker of the House “the march is only the first step in a series of many geared step towards creating the condition for a Nigeria that will no longer make breaking news on CNN.” But I thank God this March made the news on CNN- Nigerians abroad got the clear report of the vibrancy of the revolutionary movement.

To resonate what the Coalition expressed in their letter to our government leaders: We demand an overhaul of the security and intelligence apparatus in Nigeria. We demand that the government give practical plan to solving our electrical power problem. President Yar’dua should officially resign if he can no longer serve the country, due to his health problem. We demand that the government leaders put into action the recommendations of the electoral reform report. “We want a country where infrastructure work, where politicians are committed to the common good, where opportunities for its citizens are fair and possible.”

We are tired of government leaders serving themselves instead of the people. We are tired of the fragile security system in our country. We are tired of walking in the dark; reading for exam with candles/kerosene lantern, touch light or cell-phone beam and graduating from school with no employment opportunity in sight. We are tired of an education system that is out of shape. We want a New Nigeria where leaders and followers understand the value in integrity, commitment and unity.

But we are not just stopping at the demands. Individually and collectively, we will play our role responsibly. Enough is Enough! This is a “battle for the soul of Nigeria.” Join the movement: www.enoughisenoughnigeria.com Are you taking a positive stand or sitting in silence?

LESSONS WE LEARNT FROM OUR MOTHERS

We are our mother’s son and daughter. Today, as we join the rest of the world to celebrate the women who have nurtured us to be strong enough to grow through life and teachable enough to learn from experience, we hope you stay inspired and take out time to appreciate yours too as you read about the lessons we learnt from our mothers!

Timothy Ogene and I in the early hours of Thursday morning, sat down to reflect on the current issues- not to lament over the insidious trend of our government leaders. Our focus was on the exemplary leaders who, in a failing system have not relented in nurturing the future.

Our mothers taught us to be receptive. As a child, I was always thrilled by my mum’s ability to run an open-door policy in our home. We didn’t need to live in a mansion to be able to host extended family, friends and even strangers for holidays and all. My mum’s warm and receptive attitude made our home livable. From her I learned the importance of being receptive towards others, irrespective of their background.

Our mothers taught us hard-work. My mum was always working at something. She was a serial small-scale entrepreneur. My dad lost his job when I was about 10years old. She single-handedly supported the family economically. In the process, I learnt how to manage my resources in times of deficit. She was not a waster. While other women spent money on make-up and stuff, she saved hers for her children’s education. Her prudence robbed off on me.

Choose God and a good education. We knew the way to church as well as the way to school. But the real education for us started from home. Our mothers did not compromise on discipline. “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6). My mum was very strict about not sparing the rod to spoil the child. Being a teacher’s daughter, one of the things that was always present in our household was the discipline-cane and the Bible. If you are caught talking "harsh works”, be sure to get a knock or a few strokes of the cane. And, yes we turned better.

Our mothers taught us that sincere love is required to make the hurting heal. They taught us that resilience and passion make challenges easier to tackle. Our mothers represent God-fearing, strong, intelligent women. We learn so many things from them, especially the lesson of taking personal responsibility and being audacious in achieving one's goals. Happy Mother’s day to all fabulous role models and nurturers we call mothers.

http://thenationonlineng.net/web2/articles/39513/1/Lessons-we-learnt-from-our-mothers/Page1.html

Are you among the 23 million youth? (Part 2) - Beyond gathering at conferences!

How can the alarming statistics of the 40 million unemployed youth be brought to naught? Is it possible to salvage the future of the 23 million youth categorized as unemployable? What are some of the qualities employers are looking out for in the workforce? According to the 2009 survey from CareerBuilder and Robert Half International, aside from having the basic job qualifications, other important qualities employers lookout for include the ability to multitask, ability to take initiative and creative thinking.



Interestingly, we all know the above listed characteristics are not things we pick up from our school curriculum. It has to be developed with time, but not in isolation. The way our education system is currently structured does not really encourage us to think outside the box. All our efforts are channeled towards a competitive stream of studying and passing exams. Hence, after University/College, graduates with impressive result are classified as unemployable.


Beyond the certificate, to be relevant in this competitive 21st century, we all need skills to augment our in-classroom knowledge. Young Nigerians need experiential learning to balance the classroom experience. Our academic curriculum must prepare the average Nigerian youth well enough to be able to graduate at any level (Primary, Secondary or University) with problem-solving skills (not just mathematics).



Teachers/Lecturers/Professors need to be less detached in encouraging students to be vocal in classrooms in order to build confidence. Educational institutions need to partner with the Corporate/Private sector to bridge the yawning gap that deters on-field training.




Young people in Nigeria should be encouraged to improve their research, communication, interpersonal relations and analytical skills and grow emotionally through active brainstorming/debate sessions and taking up challenging tasks both within and outside classroom settings. We cannot underestimate the importance of entrepreneurship and vocational studies- it needs to be more adapted into our curriculum.


Parents and other stakeholders- NGOS, religious leaders, etc. also have their role in providing constant support through mentoring. How can there be any motivation to invest in life-long learning and professional/personal growth if there is no mentor to show the way? As for the government, they need to put structures in place to revamp our education system.
The government must also work closely with other key players to ensure that as we ask more youths to become self-employed, there is room for them to receive initial start-up capital. These will not only equip Nigerian youths with the ability to multitask, take initiative and think creatively, it will also prepare youths to embrace self-employment towards economic and social sustainability.

(Pictures reflect the recent "Enough is Enough" Youth Rally)

Are you among the 23 million youth?

“About 40 million youth are currently unemployed and of this figure 23 million are unemployable. It is a calamity. If 40 million people out of 150 million are unemployed, it is a disaster. To say you are unemployable means you are a candidate for crime. It means there are 23 million people that you can draft to commit murder, rape and other crimes. It means we have an army of thugs, rapists, assassins here and there.” Said Depo Oyedokun, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Youth and Social Development.


To ameliorate the situation, there is a scheduled stakeholders’ conference on youth scheduled for October 26-28. It seems like déjävu. How will the event unfold?


Day 1: Representatives from Youth organizations, National Youth Council of Nigeria, the Youth Parliament, National Association of Nigerian Students etc. will converge in Abuja, ready to be hosted in an expensive hotel for 3-days.


Day 2: Discussion forum. “Experts” in the field will present paper on the chosen theme “Stimulating an enabling and sustainable environment for self reliance and employment/empowerment opportunity for the Nigerian Youth.” New vocabulary and alarming statistics will fly from one end of the hall to the other. Youths will painstakingly ask questions about their future. No one will fall into a state of stupor.


Day 3: Another day of open-house discourse. It may be in form of question and answer session followed by an evening of certification. This is where all the participants are awarded certificate of attendance signed by the Minister of Youth development, Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi. The lead organizers will present a conference communiqué signed on behalf of the 40 million youths, out of which 23 million are said to be unemployable, to the honorable minister.


No practical solutions. No career fair. No Potential employers or captains of industry. No action. Three days of tale and talk is a vexation to the youth. All participants return to their various States. An online “after-conference” alumni is formed. The enthusiasts among them use it to communicate burning issues for a few days. But because the event has no rippling effect, nothing insightful is disseminated.


However, our Lawmakers are prepared. For them to announce a conference holding in October so early in February, without reticence and fear of being accused of their flaws that has contributed to the failed system, depict how good this might turn out to be. The minister of education, the minster of Youth development and other stakeholders will work closely with the youth representatives before, during and after the conference to create practical solutions. Revamping the decaying system to salvage the future is a continuous process, not just a 3-day conference affair.