A "Future" that fails to address the past : DOOM

I was just in the comfort of my little caravan here in Paris, peacefully preparing for my night's performance, trying to get used to my new found existence without an address, when i felt a vibration on my iPhone, dated 11th of February 2009, at exactly 3:57pm, it was an alert of a message that will later arouse my long incubating rage for an institution that validates our artistry and make us glow with the kind of self-congratulation that can only be bestowed by very nationally visible and significant people, a kind gesture that fails to come with respect and goodwill. AS IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO. HERE IS HOW IT GOES

Chude Jideonwo
February 11 at 3:57pm

Dear Qudus,

I trust you are well.

We are very concerned with your continued public validation for comments that not just criticize but seek to discredit the efforts of The Future Awards to inspire the next generation of Nigerians.

We are of course aware that you are entitled to your opinions, and you are entitled to the fundamental right to express such – however; seeing that you have severally, in public and in private, lauded the awards, and participated actively in the process of nomination, as well as excitedly and publicly received news of your winning, we are understandably surprised at this contradiction.

You would note that we have gone the extra mile in ensuring a level playing field for this awards – and even you can testify that despite public tangos with some of the organizers and judges of the awards, it did not prejudice your winning at the end of the day. Therefore, if anyone should testify to The Future Awards’ integrity, immense thoroughness and credibility, it should be you.

If you do feel so strongly about its credibility, it would have been more productive for you to refuse to be part of the process in the first place – so that we do not have the present conundrum of a winner of the Award consistently seeking to deride it. We wonder if you realize that if you say in public that you agree with people who discredit the process for this award – then it means that your winning is tainted and your acceptance of that win an expression of dubious standards.

We continue to wish you the best and congratulate you again on your award.

Chude.

Q'dus Onikeku
February 12 at 1:14pm

Dear Chude,

I hope this message meets you in good health and good times. I'm very glad that for once, you have deem fit to consider me as someone you can actually have a conversation with, of which i am not so sure of, until i see where this present correspondence leads to. Here is a key point of an unsuccessful exchange with Emilia few weeks ago;
"don't u think that if Dbanj didn't deserve to win TFA; u didn't too? cos the process and format for judging is the same, in case you don't understand the process that the awards are judged by, we've put them all on the site and if you come up with a way to counter the votes of 650 people; I'd be willing to 'talk'... if not; there's really nothing more to say", so i told her its your dinner, we are all invited for a dine out after-all, we have no say to how its been dished. I really wished she could relax her temper for me to juxtapose my justification with hers, to tell her that i have actually figured a way to counter the votes of the 650 people, but i guess she was only part of the plan, not part of the game enough to take up that baton and i respected that.

First, to clarify any misinterpretation of my "public validation for comments that not just criticize but seek to discredit the efforts of The Future Awards" - Stating that i am an individual responsible for whatever or where ever i seek to identify with is a wearisome cliché, but in actual fact I'm not one of those who dwell on such luxury, to make another dimension of the TRUTH, however i will not attempt to hide behind walls of not knowing exactly what you are talking about, "THE ARTICLE BY UP RISING" posted by SAVE NIGERIA, to give a brief refresh of memory, the basic details of my comment was...

1. "i very much agree with the Dbanj issue, i was very disappointed that he will take a head ahead of ASA for the young person of the year, following the stated criteria, i think its a bit of exaggeration."

2. "i don't see criticism as something that we should begin to create fraternity against, its an issue raised and i personally, think there is a lot the organisers of the award could pick from this article, but that remains their right to dignify it or not, but i think the intention behind this article is not to disrespect or turn the whole thing down, although i, to a certain degree don't agree with the title as it was published on SAHARA REPORTERS. that is in a way ridiculing criticism itself, and like that one could quickly smell beef in it."

I don't have a need to further nag on the Dbanj issue, if you have been following my principles and ethics, you should know where i stand as regards Dbanj and his ethics and apostles, and where i will definitely stand by him becoming "THE YOUNG PERSON OF THE YEAR". At this juncture, I've never really had the opportunity to really pour out my mind, so let me roll with you as Qudus Onikeku, with pretense of no such article has ever came up. Here is a guy that once wrote an article titled "Celebrity my foot" where i foresaw a feeling of being in a crossroad, where there lie a responsibility, set to take me away from who i am presently, in which i didn't think i was ready for, 'cos the only thing i could do with this social status is already what I'm being accused of, openness and adding my voice to the "right cause", i want to be free, i want to be careless as i do my things, i want to do my stuffs unaccompanied by political drifts, so don't tell me i was right when i stated that..."what do i do with this celebrity title? Form padi-padi coalition to oppress, or feel more important to the people that has similar problems to mine, so there will be another underground celebrity friend of mine who will organize givings and awards to valorise my talent and creativity, and in-turn valorise his own image as the organizer of a one-in-town event, that regroups mobs of "celebrities" which will only end up making me become too paranoid to travel easily within the streets of Lagos, on okadas, in buses or taxis if i so wish..."

Nonetheless; "seeing that i have severally, in public and in private, lauded the awards, and participated actively in the process of nomination, as well as excitedly and publicly received news of MY winning", should in my opinion make you understand that i have absolutely nothing against either the organisers or the lauded values of the Award, in actual fact i supported the award 'cos i saw it as a right tool for the next level of the Nigerian youth towards the Nigerian dream, and if my memory is not playing pranks on me, i can perfectly recall that i did sent an email to you and your colleagues stating how much i will be glad to be a volunteer for this cause.

What is worth doing at all is worth doing well, THE FUTURE AWARDS to my understanding, has gained the place of the most significant podium for projecting not just the stupefaction deeds of the Nigerian youth home and abroad, but also a perfect manifestation for the resolution of standards and dreams at which the Nigerian youth places the bar, therefore, if you tell me that Dbanj is the is the perfect face that fits into all these glamorous definition of THE FUTURE, then i have a need to roar, why because, as the DANCER OF THE YEAR, i think the award for the YOUNG PERSON OF THE YEAR is too precious and too important for the paradigm shift you and i clamour for, than to see it roll into the KOKO pit. So my brother, let's take sentiment out of it, tell me if i don't then have every right to publicly condemn the award, when Dbanj appears to me the least person amongst the three in an average thinking , but i haven't done that cos i do respect the effort and i think there are issues to be addressed in order to see the season 5 add more stars to not just its credibility but its governance and processes.

I will thus leave you in peace on (THE ARTIST OF THE YEAR) Emeka Okereke's comment on the said article "I just watched D'banj's official video for the hit track "Suddenly"...(one of my best jams of all his works). Meanwhile when I saw the first two seconds I said "Ahh, finally someone is thinking!" but SUDDENLY all we started to see was breasts everywhere!! As if we have not seen enough of that in every porn advert and publicity, and in MTV (I guess he's aiming for the MTV music video award).
Yes, and this is the guy that was AWARDED YOUNG PERSON OF THE YEAR at the Recent FUTURE AWARDS. Please you guys, really think well o! Really think am well o! To what future Are You Leading Our Country? At least if you are not leading, then what future are you SUGGESTING? The futureless future? Na so so question me I go dey ask now o!"

So my dear Chude, i hope this will not create further grievances between us, THE FUTURE AWARDS has become to RED STRAT what Nigeria is to Yar'Adua, you guys are its custodian but it belongs to the entire young generation of Nigerians, so i will tell you with all sincerity that i mean so well for the FUTURE AWARDS and i pray to see it where my hopes are.

Q'dus.

Chude Jideonwo
February 13 at 10:26am

Hi Qudus,

I read the entire message. I dont agree with you mostly, but it is a divergence of worldviews for which we might never find common ground.

It is generally also the reason why I sometimes refuse to converse, not out of spite or malice but because I see no headway in sight for a conversation.

We are all entitled to our worldviews, and you are absolutely right about the future awards belonging to the entire young generation of NIgeria and so we must be ready for divergence under that umbrella.

Best regards
Chude

Q'dus Onikeku
February 13 at 12:31pm

Dear Chude.

Thank you very much for your prompt but insufficient response, i remind you again that i'm not one of those who dwell on such luxury of "every man to his own worldviews", to make another dimension of the TRUTH, if there is anything i have held onto in your comeback, it is the sole fact that "you don't agree with me mostly" and since at least you agree to my utterance that "The future awards belong to the entire young generation of Nigeria and so we MUST be ready for divergence under that umbrella", i then demand for a more detailed explanation to why "we might NEVER find common ground" for JUST ONE future, particularly in an era where we are presently in the remake of the rot of our fathers, (from post colonial madness to post democracy insanity). If not for anything else, but for myself, my sanity and conceivably those that reason like me.

Share your views and let history judge, Season 5 of the TFA is just a matter of months, the goal is not to find a common ground, NO, a logical development likewise (r)evolution needs disparity and diversity of ideals like everything else. If that is not done with clarification of doubts, how then do i look unto this UNSOLICITED award and feel contented with myself as a sincere "future" award winner. Therefore i urge you to at least for once respect my person and be subdued by the love of the future of this great Nation, by giving me what i want to hear, 'cos if that's not done, i might take it up in a larger platform that might affect the TFA brand and God knows I'm not that vicious, but, i could be IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES TO HAVE A FUTURE - if that's what it takes - to have a future.

Salutation.
Q'dus

Chude Jideonwo
February 13 at 12:42pm

Dear Qudus,

I do not have long conversatons on the internet - it is time-consuming, and time is not a luxuryt i camn afford.

However, something you say catches my attention: Do you want my response so that we can reach a 'logical development' or do you want it just so we can avoid what you call 'taking this up in a larger platform that might affect the TFA brand'??

If the latter is the case, then by all means go ahead and take it up in a larger platform and do what you must to affect the brand. I am always curious to test the strenght of the TFA brand, knowing as i do that it is built on integrity and with sincere commitment to Nigeria. Please go ahead. However, if it is for the former, then perhaps we can find a way to have this conversation when it is convenient.

Regards
Chude

Q'dus Onikeku
February 14 at 5:59pm

Dear Chude.

With every of your comebacks, i couldn't help myself from blushing over the disparities in our visions and loves for Nigeria, just as the north and south pole, so in all that i have said so far, the most touchy and attention catching phrase worth a reaction was the talk about the brand, (not to be witty, who knows the brand in Cotonou?), well there is absolutely nothing to gain doing that, the scheme here is not to destroy but to build, it is however the regards i have for this initiation that is leading to what is obviously seen as a time waste on your part, but if you want me to place TFA in my list of jokers, we can immediately close this correspondence and life goes on. Because it is obvious to me that the "TFA brand" sounds more of interest to you than the Nigerian future in question. if you are always curious to test the strength of the "TFA brand", i am not in the position of placing the future of Nigeria on a roller skate for my amusement.

I think this correspondence lacks intensity and proximity, and the main issue here is that you have no argument and has nothing to say to counter or even juxtapose my clarification, thus i might be tempted to evaluate THE FUTURE referred to, as mere fictional slogan after all, and has nothing to do with real life. If so, declare it as another showbizzy award and has nothing to do with those of us away from that sphere, so i will have nothing against all your pre-award party, nominees ball, after party with the judges and after-after-party with the winners/celebrities - which has nothing to offer towards logical development. So as not to derail from the major issue, i need no alibi for my stand-point, but if you perhaps "found a way to have this conversation when it is convenient". let me know what are your "worldviews" towards a logical development and a securable future that differs from mine? i do challenge it and if they are clear enough i don't have further need to question your governance and credibility of the future awards.

If you refer to this as a conversation, i remind you, it is absolutely not, i wrote a detailed response to your feeler message which is supposed to make me feel dubious for accepting this unsolicited award, it has nothing to do with "long conversation on the internet", i need a detailed explanation of the future you defend and how it tallies with the award processes and governance, if not i will consider all you've said and all i have read as your explanation, which to me has suggested any immediate resolution in this respect, and the future awards, as a helpful system that validates our artistry and make us glow with the kind of self-congratulation that can only be bestowed by very nationally visible and significant people, and as we are also tempted to attend this spectacularly bright and accomplished event – to inspire our “peers” and "the next generation of Nigerians", for this will make us achieve a National Institutional Credibility for our work, as we have been anointed by an institution that many celebrities and young people bow down to. You can henceforth dissociate me of your clever game plan, i don't tend to go well with those who are too proud to "rub minds" on whatever fora.

Regards.

Q'dus, THE LAST SON OF ONIKEKU.