PUBLISHED ON GUARDIAN AS Liberty vs Morality : Reflection On A 3-million People 'Pride Parade' In Sao Paolo.
Growing up in a conservative country like Nigeria, I have always wanted more freedom to explore certain things no one ever took time to explain to me. I have always wanted to keep the police off wherever I let my mind thought take me to. With my curious mind as a teenager, I read about great philosophers, scientist and artistes as well as made my own research of religions and beliefs, and I came across certain issues that were very much underground, such as the issue of the followers of "Guru Maharaj ji" or even homosexuals.
I recall that at the age of 12 or13, I happened to be a victim of molestation by a young man who had attempted to rape me. My understanding at that time, could not fully grab his predicament, but I felt like a clot of rubbish, until years later when I came across the word homosexuals. Members of this sect are frequently subjected to prejudice and discrimination in our society, which further adds to their marginalisation and vulnerability; it doesn't mean they do not exist in our hypocritical society.
Similar to that are the Transmen and Transwomen – those who were males or females at birth, but feel that is no accurate or complete description of themselves. So they desire transition towards a gender role as a woman or a man to varying degrees. I have always wondered, instead of keeping silent about these pacing phenomena: is it not better we voice it out, rather than living in pretence ? Because they are definetely a part of us.
In the last ten years now, I have traveled even more than I desire. I have met with people I only read about in books or watched on TV. I have found liberty at its peak and I have understood its limits. I have realised that i am a free man from the moment i have the right to act according to my will without being held up by the power of others, with the capacity to determine my own choices.
Nonetheless, liberty in the absence of subordination and constraint, like every other thing in life can be addictive. When you get so addicted to your liberty, you definitely become a slave to something else.
Now, I think of the degree of our madness on earth. I thought there used to be a time girls dress-to-kill in order to show off their clothes, but now we kill-to-dress to show off our bodies. It is my thought that soon, people will begin to share bodies to go out in, the way girls share clothes now; we'll say to one another, "Who'll wear the brown body tonight?", "Hey honey, go put on the muscular body."
For sure, immorality is where we are heading in the name of human right, and sooner there will be no such thing as 'Wrong'.
On my arrival at Sao Paolo, Brazil, few days ago, I immediately identified myself with the city. I knew something was insane just the way I liked it. But why Sao Paolo to start with? The mission to Brazil will last for a month – June 1 - 14 in Sao Paolo and June 15 – 28 in Belo Horizonte, but it will be multi-tasked.
This year 2009 is the year of France in Brazil, and I happen to be part of the French delegation. I shall as well be networking with a host of cultural operators as regards ewaBAMIJO, my coming festival in Lagos during the last week of October. I shall be screening my film "Do We Need Cola Cola to Dance?" and making more alternative space performances in collaboration with my Brazilian producers.
In the midst of my busy program, the adventurer in me was able to yet dig into the heart of this wonderful city. All through my travel experiences I have come across just two cities of similar insanity; New York and Johannesburg. Every night, there were at least four plans to choose from. But one significant event I wouldn't miss for anything was the 'Gay Pride Parade', which held exactly on my last day in Sao Paolo. I was told there will be three million gays in a carnival!
On many occasions, I have deliberately avoided having to state my opinion publicly on this controversial phenomenon. I am one of those few Nigerians who are not gay but really don't feel any different from those who are. Even if my definition of an 'ideal world' doesn't subscribe to such, yet able to state my opinion clearly without bias or offense. My existence as a dancer who works with his body and emotion, has at many times expanded my discovery and deepened my realisation of some sensual parts of me and also the sensuality of my dance partners, be it male or female.
This same construct has taught me not to find bodies attractive nor repellent; only the people in them.
So today, when I look at a homosexual, what do I see? Do I see a dead fag just waiting for a penis to bring him alive? Do I see a punk who has become what he is due to his addiction to liberty, with a bottle of beer in hand and singing "NO FUTURE?” or do I see a fellow human being capable of engaging in a meaningful conversation that could make the world a better place and being able to talk freely (without the influence of his proclaimed "identity") about the entrenchment of difference in a one world?
So under what category is the existence of this 'Gay Pride Parade'? Of what significance is it? A political movement or a folie de grandeur? These are questions that caress my conscious self as we colorise the city en mass.
-Immorality Is Our Destination-
On getting to the Metro SE, it was as if I forgot that three million was no joke. Sure, on paper it looks a minute population, but for real, imagine the sight of a mass of human beings counting from one to three million. Seeing them all from afar in their ecstatic frenzies, I thought it was interesting as I was anticipating it ever since I heard of the event.
The image I had in my head began to wash away as I got closer to them. I felt a massive energy filled with life in the punk way. The first reaction that touched my animal instinct was "run back". My legs failed me for at least two seconds. "Courage man" I told myself and so I joined the mob of apparently young boys and girls in their early twenties - newly hatched gays, free of parental guidance - all in pairs. You could feel the pulse of liberty in their faces.
I was still trying to get used to the hundreds in the throng until I got to the platform of the blue line, where I intended to change for the green line that will take me to CONSOLACAO, my meeting point with the rest of my friends, most of whom were girls and who would be my shield for the next six hours.
There were at least a thousand people waiting at the platform for the coming Metro. I was astonished. I had never seen a Metro filled with such a crowd. This is the kind of carnival you wish to be at its forefront, archiving all the experiences it could bring you in your mind. And trying to figure out a sense of this interesting madness before your very eyes, something tells you that you are also part of the three million, yet you are in love with the vibrations. As I took pictures, some would come closer to me in an attempt to hug or kiss me. I can still tolerate a hug but get easily and swiftly repelled when something other than that gets close.
In this gathering, everything is allowed. It was complete madness! We watched in suspense and suspicion, for we all knew that something was absolutely missing in everyone's head. And that one thing was morality. Nothing seemed abnormal no more; each time I asked my friends in curiosity "Is that girl a guy?” “Are those breasts real?” “Is he a girl?" Seeing a guy and a girl kissing was the most abnormal thing in such gathering. No one was sure of what was wrong and what was not to be done. Everything was in a defiant mood of “YES WE CAN!
We quickly took our exit after the last carnival van that passed us, for we were warned that the moment you see the sun going down, you had better leave with the sunset, because just like vampires, it could get really nasty after sunset.
MORALS are created and defined by society, philosophy, religion, or individual conscience and intuition, which differs between the liberals and the conservatives. Morality is seen as a collection of beliefs as to what constitutes a good life. Throughout much of human history, religions have provided both visions and regulations for an ideal life. In a secular community like in Euro-American setting, lifestyle choices, which represent an individual's conception of good and bad, are often discussed in terms of "morality." The individual makes an appropriate lifestyle choice first, before being compelled within his civil rights, to accept the codes of conduct within their chosen community as what is fundamentally moral, even when such codes deviate from larger social principles.
HOMOSEXUALITY: A sexual orientation, social construct or identity politics?
The term homosexual is often used in European and American context to encompass a person’s entire social identity, which includes the self and personality. In other cultures such in Africa where the principles of right and wrong behavior is still a communal responsibility, homosexual and heterosexual labels don’t emphasize an entire social identity or indicate community affiliation based on sexual orientation.
Homosexuality is a modern western social construct, which has today become a group of some interconnected powerful men or women, doing everything possible to buy more young and agile men or ladies into their 'ideal' world, leading to a 'choice' and eventually metamorphosing into a circular religion.
I recognise that just as heterosexuals, we don't 'choose' our sexuality, some people don't get sexually connected to the opposite sex, if it is about the sudden discovery of one's attraction to same sex, which will of course respect the heterosexuality of the other, I have nothing against that. However such cannot be used as a basis of identifying a human being.
My resentment has really not much to do with sexual identity, but to the uproar that follows any ideology that the liberal West wishes to sell to humanity as a whole. They make so much uproar about it until it becomes the new world order; and going against it becomes the new sin. And since they are the ones in the front line of human history, they will always look for one truth or the other to cover their lies.
Finally, I have always believed that to continually participate in this world with curiosity and pleasure, to see any sense in this illogical existence of ours, one definitely have to pretend to be young and uninformed, pretend to be free of traditions and religion, and like that one learns to tolerate others in their identified weakness and insanity.
May 29, 2009
Lagos destination Paris
Curled from my travel diary.
9th July 2006 (Sunday)
...Joy, fun, fear, encounters and memorable events are often my sky team partners during each trip, beautiful hostesses and cute hosts who adds glamour and splendor to the trip, aside from some few carriers who I think experience matters a lot to them, who recruits mass of frail boned papas and mamas with make ups as that of ancient porn-stars celebrating the remembrance of their days of sunshine. Not withstanding, they all seem to make me laugh during turbulence, they try to be relax and do as if all is well to make me and other half hopeless passenger like me get over our fear and panic, while deep down in their heart one could feel the fear in them and I often imagine how I could be flying every now and then as my profession and not putting all the risk and stress in mind. This brings me back to the only part I find really risky and stressful in my profession. It is the joy of every artiste to export and exhibit his/her product out of the shores of his country, being it African, Asian, American or European.
One other moment that annoys me most in traveling is when I’ve finally got to my destination or transiting through any of the so called western European countries. On sighting my Green ever popular Nigerian passport, then I know at this point I must be ready to sacrifice my precious time for the often long mustached immigration officer who for all he cares you didn’t get your visa in the legal way and your passport might have been fabricated or retouched at OLUWOLE. So all he is looking for is the sign of face changing, data changing or how the visa page was attached to the existing international passport. If he finally didn’t find any fault then he begin to imagine how a black Nigerian as I am could get visa from or for a civilised white western world, which opens to another phase of interrogation, ranging from; where are you going to? What are you going to do there? Where is your invitation? And other document you used in processing your visa? - as if one could get a visa without these documents but one just need to be patient with them, eat, chew to ruminants and swallow your ego if that trip is important to you because this is just the result of the mistake our great grand fathers had made so we are just a victim of the 21st century that nothing could be done to restore at this stage - Moreover the questions continue; for how long will you be there? Can I see your return ticket? Your hotel reservation? Name and address of your employer or that person who is expecting you.
I mean series of those same stupid questions that I was actually asked while applying for my visa. After all asked and properly answered with care, it doesn’t end there because he might not be contented and so he will be obliged to call another officer who is often a slimmer and maybe shorter version who will then take me through series of closed doors that could only be accessed by an immigration officer or other airport officials, as I was victimized at the Milan Malpensa airport. Italy. To get me more shocked, sitting on the waiting room were series of unfortunate Blacks who are waiting to be tested or screened. So i joined the queue of the children of sinners, so for no clear reason i'm still waiting, i see some mustached guys coming to check on me from far from time to time, this is when i realised that waiting could mean so many things, the time can tick so very slow when you are in the hands of official kidnappers but, it is only when you have something to hide that you try to proof that you are clean. Finally it got to my turn, i walked towards this irritating guy with Italian accent, "can you keep your bag please" obviously he was going to search it again, making it the sixth time, "Please take off your shirt" i thought it was a joke, not knowing that i was still going to take off the last fabric that covers my dignity and take my urine, it seems to me that they got a clear information that i had something on me. Well they got it wrong, after a moment of stripping, debates and interrogation, I got acquainted and discharge without bail.
The price i paid costed me more than i could afford, its memory stays with me forever. I felt raped and it reminds me a similar case at the London Stansted airport where I actually missed my flight because I was still being stripped by the time my flight was leaving for Paris, yet the only word that comes out of their mouth is “you can go sir” i.e. polite at last and no more. Getting to the boarding gate another polite flight mistress at the gate of the just departed flight telling me “sorry sir you’ve missed your flight” then at this moment I knew I could do but just be polite enough to sleep right there at the airport to wait for tomorrow’s flight. Wow twenty four hours at that airport which is at the outskirt of London is just nothing good to talk about, but did i survive it, yes i guess cos here i am writing it...
-DITTO-
For some one like me who got his roof in between borders and abode often tapped in an economic class of a flying box, this is my forth international passport, three filled with visas and stamps, so you can imagine that the war is far from being won, where do i start from? do i have to lament about the over rude perfect visa officer behind the window, the battle with the local thugs at the airport, the professional hospitality you get in the plane, to the international clowns welcoming you, and stripping you off your very last pant, in search of one white substance that you've only seen or hear about on tv... its sad ahn, but what can you do when it becomes part of your job, profession and life, you can choose to be arrogant if you want, but does it change a thing? when they are just puppet of some powerful guys behind close doors, all through my life, i have searched for other human policy that is worse than immigration policy.
-DITTO-
I know this might sound ODD, but when people tell me to be careful about what i put on facebook, cos of their privacy policy, i tend to blush in silence, when i got all my fingers stamped to get Nigerian passport, got all my fingers printed at the embassy, on getting to the newark airport, i didn't just got my fingers printed but also had to look into some machine that looks like a microscope - even to the extent of taking another picture of me, and i wonder if i was applying for an american passport. So i think we are just trapped all ways always, but lets be aware of fascism, lets redefine what globalisation is suppose to mean and let the world order not just treat Africa as the poor little sexy continent, but a geographical location with people born just the same way as those across the atlantic, so if we claim to love to see children play, love to show them love and see them grow, so nothing makes the African child different, so lets ask them, why do we extract the juice of the sins of the fathers from the child ? what do we make out of our common shared history? who bears the heavier baggage of history? how come the third world citizen pays a more expensive visa fee? how come the so called benefit of globalisation, industrialisation and our technological advancement cost more than 50% of what is required in the west? At a very tender age of my life i felt the urge not just find but seek answers to some illogical questions, later i realised that the solution is to create more questions to add to the existing questions.
9th July 2006 (Sunday)
...Joy, fun, fear, encounters and memorable events are often my sky team partners during each trip, beautiful hostesses and cute hosts who adds glamour and splendor to the trip, aside from some few carriers who I think experience matters a lot to them, who recruits mass of frail boned papas and mamas with make ups as that of ancient porn-stars celebrating the remembrance of their days of sunshine. Not withstanding, they all seem to make me laugh during turbulence, they try to be relax and do as if all is well to make me and other half hopeless passenger like me get over our fear and panic, while deep down in their heart one could feel the fear in them and I often imagine how I could be flying every now and then as my profession and not putting all the risk and stress in mind. This brings me back to the only part I find really risky and stressful in my profession. It is the joy of every artiste to export and exhibit his/her product out of the shores of his country, being it African, Asian, American or European.
One other moment that annoys me most in traveling is when I’ve finally got to my destination or transiting through any of the so called western European countries. On sighting my Green ever popular Nigerian passport, then I know at this point I must be ready to sacrifice my precious time for the often long mustached immigration officer who for all he cares you didn’t get your visa in the legal way and your passport might have been fabricated or retouched at OLUWOLE. So all he is looking for is the sign of face changing, data changing or how the visa page was attached to the existing international passport. If he finally didn’t find any fault then he begin to imagine how a black Nigerian as I am could get visa from or for a civilised white western world, which opens to another phase of interrogation, ranging from; where are you going to? What are you going to do there? Where is your invitation? And other document you used in processing your visa? - as if one could get a visa without these documents but one just need to be patient with them, eat, chew to ruminants and swallow your ego if that trip is important to you because this is just the result of the mistake our great grand fathers had made so we are just a victim of the 21st century that nothing could be done to restore at this stage - Moreover the questions continue; for how long will you be there? Can I see your return ticket? Your hotel reservation? Name and address of your employer or that person who is expecting you.
I mean series of those same stupid questions that I was actually asked while applying for my visa. After all asked and properly answered with care, it doesn’t end there because he might not be contented and so he will be obliged to call another officer who is often a slimmer and maybe shorter version who will then take me through series of closed doors that could only be accessed by an immigration officer or other airport officials, as I was victimized at the Milan Malpensa airport. Italy. To get me more shocked, sitting on the waiting room were series of unfortunate Blacks who are waiting to be tested or screened. So i joined the queue of the children of sinners, so for no clear reason i'm still waiting, i see some mustached guys coming to check on me from far from time to time, this is when i realised that waiting could mean so many things, the time can tick so very slow when you are in the hands of official kidnappers but, it is only when you have something to hide that you try to proof that you are clean. Finally it got to my turn, i walked towards this irritating guy with Italian accent, "can you keep your bag please" obviously he was going to search it again, making it the sixth time, "Please take off your shirt" i thought it was a joke, not knowing that i was still going to take off the last fabric that covers my dignity and take my urine, it seems to me that they got a clear information that i had something on me. Well they got it wrong, after a moment of stripping, debates and interrogation, I got acquainted and discharge without bail.
The price i paid costed me more than i could afford, its memory stays with me forever. I felt raped and it reminds me a similar case at the London Stansted airport where I actually missed my flight because I was still being stripped by the time my flight was leaving for Paris, yet the only word that comes out of their mouth is “you can go sir” i.e. polite at last and no more. Getting to the boarding gate another polite flight mistress at the gate of the just departed flight telling me “sorry sir you’ve missed your flight” then at this moment I knew I could do but just be polite enough to sleep right there at the airport to wait for tomorrow’s flight. Wow twenty four hours at that airport which is at the outskirt of London is just nothing good to talk about, but did i survive it, yes i guess cos here i am writing it...
-DITTO-
For some one like me who got his roof in between borders and abode often tapped in an economic class of a flying box, this is my forth international passport, three filled with visas and stamps, so you can imagine that the war is far from being won, where do i start from? do i have to lament about the over rude perfect visa officer behind the window, the battle with the local thugs at the airport, the professional hospitality you get in the plane, to the international clowns welcoming you, and stripping you off your very last pant, in search of one white substance that you've only seen or hear about on tv... its sad ahn, but what can you do when it becomes part of your job, profession and life, you can choose to be arrogant if you want, but does it change a thing? when they are just puppet of some powerful guys behind close doors, all through my life, i have searched for other human policy that is worse than immigration policy.
-DITTO-
I know this might sound ODD, but when people tell me to be careful about what i put on facebook, cos of their privacy policy, i tend to blush in silence, when i got all my fingers stamped to get Nigerian passport, got all my fingers printed at the embassy, on getting to the newark airport, i didn't just got my fingers printed but also had to look into some machine that looks like a microscope - even to the extent of taking another picture of me, and i wonder if i was applying for an american passport. So i think we are just trapped all ways always, but lets be aware of fascism, lets redefine what globalisation is suppose to mean and let the world order not just treat Africa as the poor little sexy continent, but a geographical location with people born just the same way as those across the atlantic, so if we claim to love to see children play, love to show them love and see them grow, so nothing makes the African child different, so lets ask them, why do we extract the juice of the sins of the fathers from the child ? what do we make out of our common shared history? who bears the heavier baggage of history? how come the third world citizen pays a more expensive visa fee? how come the so called benefit of globalisation, industrialisation and our technological advancement cost more than 50% of what is required in the west? At a very tender age of my life i felt the urge not just find but seek answers to some illogical questions, later i realised that the solution is to create more questions to add to the existing questions.
May 9, 2009
May 5, 2009
Join the EBJ CAMPAIGN train !
Hello Good People of this great World.
As WE move ahead with our never ending aspiration, Ewa Bami Jo is improving from day to day, our list of partners, sponsors and interested individual is getting longer by the day. Also in that line we keep building on the concept of the festival.
As part of our strategies to achieve our objectives: We've put in place the EBJ ONE MINUTE media campaign, which kicks off two months prior the festival, where we engage various celebrities and public figures telling us “What dance means to them...”and this will be proffered with a high sense of esteem and professionalism, and well broadcast nationwide, it is our own way of getting the public aware of such existence though such endorsement.
We have as well began EBJ mobilisation of a minimum of 100 students of performing arts in all the three major universities in Lagos to adhere to the festival as volunteers, to host the over 500 students and scholars coming from other parts of the country, as well as over 300 participants coming in from outside the country, giving them the possibility of getting closer to either professionals of their chosen career or fellow arts students coming in from other parts of the country, this we believe will in a way create relationships, and at the same time, give them a sense of ownership of the festival to certain level.
So this is where we feel the need to begin a concrete relationship with our adherents on facebook. Ewa Bami Jo is an event specially dedicated to throwing glitz and glamour on the city of Lagos through DANCE, CIRCUS, COMEDY, MUSIC, DRAMA, SPOKEN WORD and other interdisciplinary art forms. It operates under the auspices of a NON PROFIT organisation. Thus, we seek volunteers from every part of the world, and the objectives laid down for our volunteers are pretty simple.
PRE-EBJ VOLUNTEERS -
*SPREAD THE WORD ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, MYSPACE, HI5 OF ANY FORUM YOU ARE ON
*INVITE ALL YOUR FRIENDS ON FACEBOOK TO JOIN THE GROUP OR FOLLOW MY BLOG
*TAG YOURSELF IN ANY OF THE EBJ PHOTOS ON THE GROUP AND USE THEM AS YOUR PROFILE PIX.
*GIVE SUGGESTIONS AND BE PART OF DISCUSSIONS ON THE GROUP.
VISIT THE GROUP AT LEAST ONCE IN A WEEK FOR UPDATES.
EBJ VOLUNTEERS - FOR THE EBJ PROPER.
AS PART OF OUR STRATEGIES OF CREATING A WHOLE NEW IMAGE OF WHO LAGOSIANS ARE TO OUR INVITED GUESTS AND WHAT LAGOS IS ALL ABOUT.
*WE NEED GOOD PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN LAGOS AND CAN VOLUNTEER, TO ACCOMMODATE ONE OR TWO PEOPLE COMING IN FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY OR OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.
*WE NEED GOOD LOOKING PEOPLE TO HOST OUR INVITED GUEST FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD DURING THE ENTIRE PERIOD OF THE FESTIVAL.
*WE NEED GOOD PEOPLE WHO WILL BE IN CHARGE OF THE FESTIVAL KITCHEN THAT WE SHALL BE MOUNTING.
*WE NEED VOLUNTEERS TO BE AT OUR TICKET SALES OUTLETS AROUND LAGOS.
*WE NEED USHERS AND GATE KEEPERS DURING THE INDOOR EVENTS.
*AND FINALLY WE NEED TO CREATE A FESTIVE MOOD.
BENEFIT FOR VOLUNTEERS -
WE ARE VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE FACT THAT, NO AMOUNT PAID TO OUR VOLUNTEERS WILL BE ENOUGH TO SAY THANK YOU, AND AS WE ALSO INITIATE SUCH IDEA BASED ON A SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, WE CAN ONLY RECIPROCATE BY SHOWING KIND GESTURES.
*EVERY VOLUNTEER THAT TAKE PART IN MAKING THIS FIRST INTERNATIONAL EDITION OF EBJ A SUCCESS, GETS HIM OR HERSELF A FREE TICKET TO ALL INDOOR EVENTS, AN EBJ TSHIRT, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE FURTHER INSIGHT TO THE PERFORMING ART WORLD AND GETTING CLOSER TO PRACTITIONERS. FINALLY WE ARE DEDICATING THE CENTER SPREAD OF OUR MIND-BLOWING PROGRAM OF EVENT TO ALL THE NAMES OF OUR VOLUNTEERS, NO MATTER HOW MUCH THEY ARE, WHICH ALSO WIN THEM A COPY EACH, AND THIS WILL BE DESIGNED IN COLLABORATION WITH SWITCHEDON MAGAZINE.
FOR ANTICIPATING VOLUNTEERS PLS DROP YOUR CONTACTS AND A BRIEF OF YOU INYKPROJECTSNG@GMAIL.COM. OR ONIKEKU@YKPROJECTS.COM. YOU CAN AS WELL LET YOUR INTENTION KNOWN ON THIS POST AND WE SHALL GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU FOR MORE BRIEFS.
LET'S THROW LIGHT ON THE CITY OF LAGOS. AND SHOW TO THE WORLD THAT THERE ARE SHORT-CUTS TO HAPPINESS.
BEST REGARDS.
Qudus ONIKEKU.
Artistic Director
Ewa Bami Jo.
May 4, 2009
WHEN SWINE FLEW ! HUMANS FALL SICK WORLDWIDE.
After the last pigs summit in Porkland, the PIGS all agreed that the chicken and turkey have BIRD FLU, the cows has taken the MAD COW disease to the mainstream, so unless they want to see more ham served at Christmas, Thanksgiving and Salah day, they've all decided to spread their own SWINE FLU DISEASE ! and with this, not even the Muslims and Jews are safe.
Qd reporting from the Porkland.
Swine influenza (also called swine flu, pigfluenza, hog flu, and pig flu) is an influenza caused by those strains of influenza virus that usually infect pigs. Swine influenza is common in pigs and pig friendly places like the midwestern United States (and occasionally in other states), Mexico, Canada, South America, Europe (including the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Italy), Kenya, Mainland China, Taiwan, Japan and other parts of eastern Asia.
THE SIV
Qd reporting from the Porkland.
Swine influenza (also called swine flu, pigfluenza, hog flu, and pig flu) is an influenza caused by those strains of influenza virus that usually infect pigs. Swine influenza is common in pigs and pig friendly places like the midwestern United States (and occasionally in other states), Mexico, Canada, South America, Europe (including the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Italy), Kenya, Mainland China, Taiwan, Japan and other parts of eastern Asia.
THE SIV
Transmission of swine influenza virus (SIV) from pigs to humans is not common. When transmitted, it does not always cause human influenza and often, the only sign of infection is the presence of antibodies which are only detectable by laboratory tests. When transmission results in influenza in a human, it is called zoonotic swine flu. People who work with pigs, especially people with intense exposures, are at risk of catching swine flu. However, for the sake of our pork eaters, eating pork does not pose a risk of infection. Rarely, these strains of swine flu can pass from human to human. In humans, the symptoms of swine flu are similar to influenza-like illness in general, namely chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness and general discomfort.
Prevention in humans.
Prevention of pig to human transmission - The transmission from swine to human is believed to occur mainly in swine farms where farmers are in close relationships with living pigs. So farmers and veterinarians are encouraged to use a face mask and finger condoms when dealing with infected animals.
Prevention of human to human transmission - Influenza spreads between humans through coughing or sneezing and people touching "something" with the virus on it and then touching their own nose or mouth. Swine flu cannot be spread by pork products, since the virus is not transmitted through food.
Prevention in humans.
Prevention of pig to human transmission - The transmission from swine to human is believed to occur mainly in swine farms where farmers are in close relationships with living pigs. So farmers and veterinarians are encouraged to use a face mask and finger condoms when dealing with infected animals.
Prevention of human to human transmission - Influenza spreads between humans through coughing or sneezing and people touching "something" with the virus on it and then touching their own nose or mouth. Swine flu cannot be spread by pork products, since the virus is not transmitted through food.
Recommendations to prevent spread of the virus among humans include using standard infection control against influenza. This includes frequent washing of hands with soap and water or with alcohol-based hand sanitizers, especially after being out in public, always wear a mask while walking on the road, or going to a public performance. Notable Nigerian music star named Lagbaja has been nominated as the ambassador for the prevention of swine flu, and WHO has recommend his kind of mask. Although the current trivalent influenza vaccine is unlikely to provide protection against the new 2009 strain, vaccines against the new strain are being developed and could be ready as early as June 2009, so for those already infected now will have to hang on.
Notable outbreaks
Swine flu has been reported numerous times as a zoonosis in humans, usually with limited distribution, rarely with a widespread distribution until 2009. Through various attempts the Pigs have shown their intention to take over the world, notably during the 1918 pandemic in humans, 1976 U.S. outbreak, 1988 zoonosis, 1998 US outbreak in swine, 2007 Philippine outbreak in swine and now the 2009 outbreak in humans which is said to be the worst in the history of such pandemic.
Final TIPS
I kinda hate to spread more panicky news about swine flu, even though this helpful document is the picture of dry bureaucratic accuracy. People freak out over "pandemics," even though we've got one of the worst pandemics in history, AIDS, raging through the carcass of the body-politic right now. Every once in a while you see a street demo, a sitcom, or a charity show about AIDS. Numerous NGOs are pretty big on fighting AIDS. Otherwise we just drop dead of AIDS in hecatombs, and every pandemic become a business as usual. pandemics are usually extremely fearsome diseases that needed billions of dollars for us to be aware of them, practically 100% lethal, and requires so much hard work to get people to remain properly afraid.
There is always some flu around and flu is always killing some people. Even when a raw mutant flu manages to kill off more people than a shooting-war, flu has never ravaged whole cities as cholera or a common typhoid can do. As awful pandemics go, flu is like the snotty-nosed little sister of awful pandemics.
Notable outbreaks
Swine flu has been reported numerous times as a zoonosis in humans, usually with limited distribution, rarely with a widespread distribution until 2009. Through various attempts the Pigs have shown their intention to take over the world, notably during the 1918 pandemic in humans, 1976 U.S. outbreak, 1988 zoonosis, 1998 US outbreak in swine, 2007 Philippine outbreak in swine and now the 2009 outbreak in humans which is said to be the worst in the history of such pandemic.
Final TIPS
I kinda hate to spread more panicky news about swine flu, even though this helpful document is the picture of dry bureaucratic accuracy. People freak out over "pandemics," even though we've got one of the worst pandemics in history, AIDS, raging through the carcass of the body-politic right now. Every once in a while you see a street demo, a sitcom, or a charity show about AIDS. Numerous NGOs are pretty big on fighting AIDS. Otherwise we just drop dead of AIDS in hecatombs, and every pandemic become a business as usual. pandemics are usually extremely fearsome diseases that needed billions of dollars for us to be aware of them, practically 100% lethal, and requires so much hard work to get people to remain properly afraid.
There is always some flu around and flu is always killing some people. Even when a raw mutant flu manages to kill off more people than a shooting-war, flu has never ravaged whole cities as cholera or a common typhoid can do. As awful pandemics go, flu is like the snotty-nosed little sister of awful pandemics.
So if you catch the new sexy swine flu, you're very likely not going to die. But since it is a flu, and like every other flu you're gonna kinda WISH you could die. You're not ACTUALLY going to die unless your lips are turning blue, you have bad chest pains, you can't swallow water, you can't stand up, you're having seizures and you don't know where you are or what your name is. As this document suggests, you must watch out for those symptoms. 'Cos the pigs are flying on a world tour.
Apr 22, 2009
diss is MADE IN LAGOS
In Lagos, Music and DANCE render visible the multiple juxtaposition that shape daily life, in the process, it unconsciously become an archive, a relic of our experiences on the streets of Lagos. Signifying an experience that is constantly on the the move - from GALALA – TO MAKOSSA - TO SWO - TO KONTO - TO YAHOOZEE - TO ALANTA - All these accounts for the instability of reality and its dependance on the sounds and Dances that domesticates it, such domestication is possible only through combination of images and lyrics, words, sounds, melodies, dances, social codes and slogans that is locally accepted during a particular era. To tell the story of life in LAGOS, music and DANCE calls on and produces heterogeneity of representation.
So who is the man telling us that the cities of the future are still lying somewhere in Europe or America, or taking the directions of Tokyo or Beijing ! Hell no - the cities of the future are completed works in progress, cities in motion and adhering to contemporary needs of a city, made what it is by the resourcefulness of its creative and entrepreneurial citizens, producing intense proximity of loads of activities and performance of all sorts, from selling and buying, to fighting and praying, loading and unloading, road shows of all sorts, touting, crimes and daily minor violence, all working side by side with dirt, waste, skyscrapers, history, energy, slums, wide roads, and sweat and wealth, to sustain the everyday hustling that put a totally different light to their moments of merrymaking, worship and love.
All these are what the city of the future is made of and not solely defined by its architectural extravagant extravaganza. In wonder cities like Lagos, the rule of law, law of gravity and the formal pulls of life are brought to the lime light at the square everyday by the people, with full backing of the formal law breakers, to be assembled and demolished even before the end of the inaugural party and political shows, set in motion by the formal government, the informal government of the people, in turn takes from all that is visible and in present tense, to make the static informal, yet mobile government, through of course their creative energy, many thanks to their public reputation and street credibility that none of the statesmen and elite class can boast of.
In contemporary LAGOS, no one is promised tomorrow, one can change one's mind over night, life is easy and fast, we don't define ourselves based on other people's hallucination, we are a people bound to live life to the fullest and never ready to pay the price of death... and when a piece is "MADE IN LAGOS" you the audience can feel the heterogeneity of energy, mood and feel heat at 90°C!
So who is the man telling us that the cities of the future are still lying somewhere in Europe or America, or taking the directions of Tokyo or Beijing ! Hell no - the cities of the future are completed works in progress, cities in motion and adhering to contemporary needs of a city, made what it is by the resourcefulness of its creative and entrepreneurial citizens, producing intense proximity of loads of activities and performance of all sorts, from selling and buying, to fighting and praying, loading and unloading, road shows of all sorts, touting, crimes and daily minor violence, all working side by side with dirt, waste, skyscrapers, history, energy, slums, wide roads, and sweat and wealth, to sustain the everyday hustling that put a totally different light to their moments of merrymaking, worship and love.
All these are what the city of the future is made of and not solely defined by its architectural extravagant extravaganza. In wonder cities like Lagos, the rule of law, law of gravity and the formal pulls of life are brought to the lime light at the square everyday by the people, with full backing of the formal law breakers, to be assembled and demolished even before the end of the inaugural party and political shows, set in motion by the formal government, the informal government of the people, in turn takes from all that is visible and in present tense, to make the static informal, yet mobile government, through of course their creative energy, many thanks to their public reputation and street credibility that none of the statesmen and elite class can boast of.
In contemporary LAGOS, no one is promised tomorrow, one can change one's mind over night, life is easy and fast, we don't define ourselves based on other people's hallucination, we are a people bound to live life to the fullest and never ready to pay the price of death... and when a piece is "MADE IN LAGOS" you the audience can feel the heterogeneity of energy, mood and feel heat at 90°C!
Apr 12, 2009
Dance to inspire - inspire to Dance
Dance is music made visible
Dance is a disease in which there is no cure
Dance is the world most famous metaphor
Dance is silent poetry
Dance is a poem of which each movement is a word
Dance - an art form, the body - an instrument
Learn to play the instrument and master the art form.
Dance is the mother of all arts
Dance is fluent body language
Dance is the hidden language of the soul
Nothing is more revealing than dancing
Dancing is dreaming with your feet
Dance to express, not to impress
Dance like nobody's watching
Dance for yourself
Dream it, Dance it.
Dance first, think later, its the natural order
Everything in the universe has rhythm
Everything Dances
Let the music move your body
All it takes is to convince your mind to move your feet
If you dance with your heart, your body will follow
The heart of the dance is the heart of the dancer
No one can arrive from talent alone
God gives talent, Work transgresses talent.
To dance is to share
To share is to teach
To touch, to move, to inspire
This is the true gift of dance
Dance is about never-ending aspiration
you can dance anywhere, if only in your heart
EVERYONE CAN DANCE
The only way to do it is to believe in yourself and just do it
There are short-cuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them.
Dance is not all about being on stage, under the light
there are other ways to dance and follow the movement.
EWA BAMI JO
... its AN INVITATION
Message from Q'dance
Dance is a disease in which there is no cure
Dance is the world most famous metaphor
Dance is silent poetry
Dance is a poem of which each movement is a word
Dance - an art form, the body - an instrument
Learn to play the instrument and master the art form.
Dance is the mother of all arts
Dance is fluent body language
Dance is the hidden language of the soul
Nothing is more revealing than dancing
Dancing is dreaming with your feet
Dance to express, not to impress
Dance like nobody's watching
Dance for yourself
Dream it, Dance it.
Dance first, think later, its the natural order
Everything in the universe has rhythm
Everything Dances
Let the music move your body
All it takes is to convince your mind to move your feet
If you dance with your heart, your body will follow
The heart of the dance is the heart of the dancer
No one can arrive from talent alone
God gives talent, Work transgresses talent.
To dance is to share
To share is to teach
To touch, to move, to inspire
This is the true gift of dance
Dance is about never-ending aspiration
you can dance anywhere, if only in your heart
EVERYONE CAN DANCE
The only way to do it is to believe in yourself and just do it
There are short-cuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them.
Dance is not all about being on stage, under the light
there are other ways to dance and follow the movement.
EWA BAMI JO
... its AN INVITATION
Message from Q'dance
Apr 11, 2009
Home Series II
Take me home
the twinkling stars on my right
shadows of the light
the whispers of the night
Take me home
The memories of my childhood
echoes of my neighborhood
take me home
Agbe, the gods of the road
take me home
the dry smell of my solitude
diminishing self of my absolute
my black ass meant alone for shitting
my inactive penis meant alone for pissing
my aching mind - my loyal companion
Take me home !
The positive dreams of my father
our father who art in Lagos
the passionate whims of my mother,
our mother, the mother of the earth
my dreams, my forte, my anger,
my patience, my believes, my soul
Take me home
The fresh smells of erin ijesha
the mighty stones of Olumo
the fresh lake of Chad
barking dogs of the night, crawling cats of the day
crawling from daylight to sunset, weekdays to weekends
moments to dress to kill - KILL - to dress
the inactive spirit of the wind
the transcendent spirit of the light
bestow teleporting prowess upon me
Come take me home
take me to other places, where i'll be with other birds
other trees, rains, sunshines, and other moonshines
alone with my tireless feet
i'll dance and just dance, run and just run,
my feet will decide when and where to stop
Oh you metaphysical quintessence of dance
Come on...! come...! URGENT.
come take me home !
(folk song)
Agbe gbe mi dele o Agbe (2x)
Akii nrin ajo ka mama dele o
Agbe - gbe mi dele...
Take me away from these four walls
that saps all i can't do without
depriving of my humanness
take me home,
far away from this cynic world
that swaggers on crushing me
placing its heavy weight on my feather shoulders
affirming its power over me
oh my aching mind - my loyal companion
take me home,
my stubborn thoughts - my weapon...
my words - my cunningness
my dance - my sweat
my pain - my voice
my love - my purpose
oh rainbows of the sky,
this enormous blanket above my sky
harsh wind of harmattan
from the white flakes of winter
to the falling leaves of autumn
oh this violent storm, set forth to carry me home
take me to other places where i can feel other kind of torture
take me to a place where love and sincere affection i can feel
these faces and places are getting old
too old to identify my well-wishers
please take me home
let me be with my heroes,
dine with my fellows
able to express my woes
so when the sunset
i can walk away in pride and decorum
the twinkling stars on my right
shadows of the light
the whispers of the night
Take me home
The memories of my childhood
echoes of my neighborhood
take me home
Agbe, the gods of the road
take me home
the dry smell of my solitude
diminishing self of my absolute
my black ass meant alone for shitting
my inactive penis meant alone for pissing
my aching mind - my loyal companion
Take me home !
The positive dreams of my father
our father who art in Lagos
the passionate whims of my mother,
our mother, the mother of the earth
my dreams, my forte, my anger,
my patience, my believes, my soul
Take me home
The fresh smells of erin ijesha
the mighty stones of Olumo
the fresh lake of Chad
barking dogs of the night, crawling cats of the day
crawling from daylight to sunset, weekdays to weekends
moments to dress to kill - KILL - to dress
the inactive spirit of the wind
the transcendent spirit of the light
bestow teleporting prowess upon me
Come take me home
take me to other places, where i'll be with other birds
other trees, rains, sunshines, and other moonshines
alone with my tireless feet
i'll dance and just dance, run and just run,
my feet will decide when and where to stop
Oh you metaphysical quintessence of dance
Come on...! come...! URGENT.
come take me home !
(folk song)
Agbe gbe mi dele o Agbe (2x)
Akii nrin ajo ka mama dele o
Agbe - gbe mi dele...
Take me away from these four walls
that saps all i can't do without
depriving of my humanness
take me home,
far away from this cynic world
that swaggers on crushing me
placing its heavy weight on my feather shoulders
affirming its power over me
oh my aching mind - my loyal companion
take me home,
my stubborn thoughts - my weapon...
my words - my cunningness
my dance - my sweat
my pain - my voice
my love - my purpose
oh rainbows of the sky,
this enormous blanket above my sky
harsh wind of harmattan
from the white flakes of winter
to the falling leaves of autumn
oh this violent storm, set forth to carry me home
take me to other places where i can feel other kind of torture
take me to a place where love and sincere affection i can feel
these faces and places are getting old
too old to identify my well-wishers
please take me home
let me be with my heroes,
dine with my fellows
able to express my woes
so when the sunset
i can walk away in pride and decorum
Feb 28, 2009
My EXILE is in my head!
Hey hear me out,
I think i found another title for my next creation, i decide to change its title again from HOME SERIES, now i want to call it "EXILE" or better still "MY EXILE IS IN MY HEAD" hmm... I find it really exact for what i want to say, especially these days i feel so much away, a self exile, its like i am on a sabbatical expedition yet my chord is always tilting towards Nigeria, at times i feel i need a divorce with that nation, i feel its just too much of a burden to carry on a responsibility i don't think i could fulfil its needs right now, but that kind of divorce don't last me a week most times, there is a constant voice in my head, this voice rages at me, it barks at me, i feel it calls me silly names for being this guy that will not just be at peace and let things go away unnoticed, let life pass through me and just enjoy where my head leads me along with my dancing feet.
I think i found another title for my next creation, i decide to change its title again from HOME SERIES, now i want to call it "EXILE" or better still "MY EXILE IS IN MY HEAD" hmm... I find it really exact for what i want to say, especially these days i feel so much away, a self exile, its like i am on a sabbatical expedition yet my chord is always tilting towards Nigeria, at times i feel i need a divorce with that nation, i feel its just too much of a burden to carry on a responsibility i don't think i could fulfil its needs right now, but that kind of divorce don't last me a week most times, there is a constant voice in my head, this voice rages at me, it barks at me, i feel it calls me silly names for being this guy that will not just be at peace and let things go away unnoticed, let life pass through me and just enjoy where my head leads me along with my dancing feet.
A work in progress. (i must setforth at sunset)
I feel i still don't understand why i tend to be political, but other times i tell myself "but that's not being political", not being able to succumb to the lure of those that oppresses me, in relation to views about social relationships that involve power or authority is not being political, not having the temperament of keeping quiet when there is a moral or racial or political or social injustice and rationality doesn't mean I'm political, does it? So i think this EXILE still reside in myself, one that exist out of whom my parents never thought of. One that makes me have a continuous love/hate relationship with my people, my country and my race. At times i get so mad at myself after i might have done something really radical, because i never want to sound too wise nor foolish, i don't want to make deliberate enemy, and those that knows me can testify to my cool head, but presently i feel I'm on a crossroad, where i have to decide where i belong, because in this world, its all about where you belong, who are your pals, who do you identify with, what's your race, culture and religion, what are your beliefs similar to mine. AND I'M SORRY I TEND TO DISAPPOINT EVERYONE.
But like every man, i also love good life, i love those things that makes me feel like a complete man, i also want success, i also want to promise a good life to my family, wife and kids and beloved ones, for it is them we do all these for at times, when we claim not to be greedy and selfish. However, am i ready to belong? that is the question Q. and the answer A for now is NO... NO... NO. I think what killed me in my first life was fraternity, cults, peer groups, alliance to oppress, beliefs that tramples on the lesser people, those that bunch up to rule the world, i think they were the ones that killed me in my initial life, i hate them so much, and i tend to do everything to make them hate me so much.
Yet I'm aware of their curious eyes watching out for me, pinned above my head and they want me to believe that its raining, amongst them lies those that sing far away songs to sooth my dance steps, amongst them are the play boys, finding my body really sexy to award me a top bid, amongst them are those clever ones who validates our artistry with a prize and trophy, amongst them are those who promise us heaven for the gratification of their own affairs... I'm strongly aware of all these curious eyes, and I'm in EXILE, far away from the space they occupy, far away from their belief, away from their reach, they will only hear the echo and feel the vibration, because my own success and (r)evolution will not be broadcast on CNN; le monde might not hear about it, jeune Afrique will walk pass by me without knowing, the big brothers of Africa and the arts will search for me in Europe and America and perhaps in Asia, but they will not find me, cos i might just be in a little room in Mexico, or Santo Domingo, i might be just under OLUMO rock, just by myself and my conscience, for i want to live a life of pride and honour, i want to be as modest as i can be and be arrogant enough to tell even the person feeding me right now how wrong he is, when i feel he gets it wrong.
My exile is in my head i think, now I'm beginning to realise, its not about being in France or in the states, nor anywhere foreign to Nigeria, for even when i am in Nigeria, i still feel far away from the Niger area, its not much about others, its more about me i think, i don't ever regret this life i didn't choose for me, i don't feel sorry for myself, this is just the path at which i find my tent, and my sole quest now is... Survival, i know i have to seek for other means of surviving the massive weight of this pessimist world that promises to crush me, other means of living healthy and alive in the midst of all my antagonising foes and generous benefactors. talk with crowds and still keep my virtue, walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch, neither foes nor loving friends will hurt me no more, all men count with me, but none too much; i must survive this life, live my dreams up to my desired world, and find my liberty within the midst of all my antagonising foes and generous benefactors. I must definitely survive and set forth only after my sunset.
Q'dance (my new name!)
Feb 17, 2009
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.
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.
Jan 25, 2009
THE UNSTOPPABLE - ENTERTAINER Remix
Track 1 - Dbanj vs 2face... DONT TOUCH IT! FILEEEE !
I've been to different forums and gatherings where people get talking about who is Hotter between Dbanj and 2face, but i tend to quickly get out of such assembly, because if HOT in that sense is to mean lustful, amorous, or erotic, then i shouldn't even be arguing. However, i found it really interesting to give a thorough account of my own remix of both superstars based on their present albums and, in this six track album, i will refuse the contrast between "High" and "Low" art. it is a below average reasoning to begin to place 2face beside Dbanj on a competition for supremacy, they both exist in their space that exhibits particular modalities, sounds, harmonics and relations to sensorial experience that produce particular effects on the listener, and the meaning of musical beauty they both brought to our hearing is not about catgorization. It Is also unreasonable to compare an album which is less than two month old to an album that is already rocking the mic for half a year, an album from someone who just want to groove, which is club inspired, primarily directed towards Nigerians at home and in the diaspora, with an album that is not really for the party hoppers but a carefully rustle up LP. Not a Nigerian material but for a larger audience. It's really illogical comparing. However i don't need a whole year to wait before i can sum up my own "merix" of both albums, since its not much about the word on the street, but the words that passes through my head each time i listen to both CDs. On this 6 track remix album, i am not going to waste my time going into past glories or yet to come glories, i am talking strictly about the Entertainer and the Unstoppable, let's pieces these master pieces, and of course that will surely bring us to the makers of both works, lyrics and beats. Feel me flow.
Track 2 - KOKO MASTERWhat D'banj is today is exactly what OlaDapo Oyebanjo and the whole Mo Hits crew wants him to be, a musical brand who has found a solid ground called NIGERIAN AUDIENCE to build his platform, (for the sake of those who are yet to realize the power of the Nigerian audience, go check out what Nollywood is to the world now) and with a Don Jazzy as partner and manager they have already made history, so it is only left for history to jugde them, but for most of us alive now, we get so angry with this guy because we can't just do without him, he has become another billboard, but this time not on the road, but in our cars, clubs, carnivals, parties, shows and grabbing every award, you hate him until you respect the man, respect the movement. And unlike many, i totally disagree that he says nothing, he says what many are too scared to say, he say a lot to give us a clear notion of what most of our young girls and ladies are worth, enough to get the feminists offended, however that is the "Koko" he is yet to tell us, how in the midst of these controversy he has been extremely pop, not just for his easy to sell vulgarity but also for his understanding of music as a tool to keep you on your feet, his melody could get even the priest dancing and the sisters swearing, his energetic larger than live attitude which one don't even need to be in the studio with him to feel, these will however get the attention of the Youth and will generate controversy and, whatever we like say about it. DBanj is a flash and the entire explicit and offensive reference to sex or bodily functions would never wear off with our hypocritical society, his kind of music will catch a fire, but will it burn for long? No, but is he willing to relent? No, he is going to be like cigarette for the addicted, it will take time to stop the Dbanj habit and this the point where one take a second look at 2face's musical genius.
Track 3 - JUNGLE DON MATURE remix
With a careful examination of the 2face journey as a musical symbol for the Nigerian music industry, one will but agree with his utterance, "when you see me passing through, let me be, because i don pay my due, look at me as your mallam, plus a soldier and a player in this industry...". With this present album, despite the bias of over expectation, 2face has proven to be an Artiste that in any case can be defended on whatever fora, as an embodiment of Fela Kuti, Bob Marly, R.Kelly and Wyclef rolled up into one, with the stage at which he is now, he is a leading voice not just in Nigeria but also part of the leading league of world class Africans taking the locale to a different level, when you mention the likes of K'naan, Nneka, Keziah Jones, Patrice, Didier Awadi, you won't stop without mentioning 2 baba. 2face becoming the number one export and representative of contemporary Nigerian music is in fact a truth that we all need to get used to. He is not trying to access a market and pay the price of compromising his art for the sake of being accepted, but here is a guy that authoritatively says "make i tell you about the place where we been dey come from..." he is not here to terrorize but to revolutionize, and universalize naija music as it is. The 19 track LP, that marks 2face's third album has sincerely made a huge statement for all of us who still have some elements of doubt hidden somewhere in our hearth, not in the history of Nigerian urban music, has any artiste dropped an hour, sixteen minute and two seconds of non-stop good music, fine lyrics, deep thoughts and inspiration for his listeners, delivered with a very matured sense of self esteem. His discourse in the Unstoppable ranges from racial discrimination, Love in the widest range of it, cross boarder policies, war, message for the haters and other undertone messages for those who ponders. The array of quality artistes featured in the album confirms his level of intelligence, with major collabos with the likes of Chakademus and Pliers, Wyre as well as R.kelly proved that he has realized a fan base that is not just limited to Africa, but across the Carribean island and northern America in general. for our information 2face is UNSTOPPABLE, if you want to try to stop the unstoppable...
"shine your eye make u no high,
make u no dey see double, to con dey cause trouble.
Shine your eye make u no high,
make e no be you wey dem go use koboko humble,
because when dem finish with you,
e go do you like you and kamala fight royal rumble.
Because when dem finish with you
e go do you like you and hulk hogan enter one jungle".
Track 4 - THE ENTERTAINER real mix
'The Entertainer' Album is great Period, but my new found respect for DBanj as a 'music businessman' is not based on the fact that i'm beginning to consider him an artist, but my respect for him is drawn from his talent, cleverness and willingness to try other tunes, there is a great infusion of highlife into his style, his lyrical compositions in this album is delivered in a quite poetic way that is not trying to do more than itself, Unlike those artistes who will just want to rhyme by force, but here Dbanj as usual delivers his lyrics in a very playful manner, certainly, we do not have to speak in proverbs or rave philosophically to make sense, sometimes, even the deepest songs wouldn't have done what Dbanj's lyrics does to his listeners, our disagreement with his flippancy, does not justify his lack of intensity, although he confirms himself as a mere entertainer and "don't have to make sense, you don't have to sing anything at all... ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED? ARE YOU NOT? PAY ME MY MONEY". I for one enjoy so much this present album but I'm not just in the position to defend it on an intellectual fora. During my visit to Lagos, at a carnival, which was the first venue where i got the feel of the entertainer, it was "Fall in love", the first feeler tune Don Jazzy breezed the listener with was a shock when i listened to what the streets has translated it to, "o nfoko sere! o ntami o nro mi !" (please don't ask for translation) not just one or few people but everybody present was reciting that, i was left mouth opened, so how can i defend that on a moral ground, when the next day was my niece's 10th year birthday, from a share guess, the oldest there will be around 12/13 years of age, same song was played and exactly same reaction, then i realized at what level the Dbanj syndrome had gone beyond articles.
Track 5 - THE UNSTOPPABLE PARASITES
Contemporary Nigerian urban musicians seeks to establish a balance between melody, slogans and club jams, because the music is produced in an environment that is strongly embedded and shaped by omnipresence of oscillating movement and energy, so automatically, because the music producers are also part of this vibrancy and has realized a means of easing themselves of the excessive spell, finally passing it on to us the listeners and the positive reaction they get put them in the position of recycling this same oscillating energy, since contemporary Nigerian musicians has made us get so much addicted to club jams and well mastered our desires, they therefore create this sexual machine to satisfy our nymphomaniac attitude towards music.
Track 5 - THE UNSTOPPABLE PARASITES
Contemporary Nigerian urban musicians seeks to establish a balance between melody, slogans and club jams, because the music is produced in an environment that is strongly embedded and shaped by omnipresence of oscillating movement and energy, so automatically, because the music producers are also part of this vibrancy and has realized a means of easing themselves of the excessive spell, finally passing it on to us the listeners and the positive reaction they get put them in the position of recycling this same oscillating energy, since contemporary Nigerian musicians has made us get so much addicted to club jams and well mastered our desires, they therefore create this sexual machine to satisfy our nymphomaniac attitude towards music.
Words in every form, commonly reference a plurality of meanings, the things they designate are multiple and their signification structurally ambivalent. Intrinsically they demonstrate an extraordinary capacity not only to tell a story, but also to represent. In Lagos, Music renders visible the multiple juxtaposition that shape daily life, in the process, it unconsciously become an archive, a relic of our experiences on the streets of Lagos. Signifying an experience that is constantly on the the move, accounting for the instability of reality and its dependance on the sound that domesticates it, such domestication is possible only through combination of images and lyrics, words, sounds, melodies, dances, social codes and slogans that is locally accepted during a particular era. Now, if the instant desire of the audience has made a music maker fall to the lure of such demands, by the time we will want to review the happenings of our past, it is then that we will realize how empty some of our archives are, cos the most useful element to us then will be lyrics and good music for all time - the evergreen. To tell the story of life in the Nigerian cities, music calls on and produces heterogeneity of representation.
Track 6 - NOBODY HOLY PASS
Track 6 - NOBODY HOLY PASS
These two paragons are of course unstoppable, if Dbanj is presently satisfying his purpose as the "Koko master" of the Nigerian market, sure you can't stop him, and if 2face's aim is to take territories and be a world icon tomorrow, he is as well on the right track and surely unstoppable. Both Album shows that they both listens and responds to their audience and critics, so let's say i am one of their audience, not at all a critic, here are two "big boys" of a whole industry, those who have fully understood the benefit of hard work in a society like Nigeria, these guys have been to places and they've seen the way its being done the "right way", it is understandable that like most Lagosians there is a livelihood to make, so now that they've made that living out of hardworking and the support of the Almighty, what else do they make out of that life? Yes, we will agree that we Nigerian audience, to a certain degree are killers as much as we make our super stars, we get satisfied too soon. However these are guys who see themselves as role models for the generation next and they ought to be pace setters. I will not deliberately dig out hidden fact about their private public life that is to a certain level a bit below expected, that's not the point, my point is, when will the D'banj and the 2face realize that no serious minded concert, (note the wordCONCERT) will await them if they still come to do shows with a copy of their demo stuck in their back pocket, haven't they gotten to the point where they can stand up before a crowd and say "people, here is my band and we are here to rock the show, its not Don jazzy again, its my band this time, nothing dey happen - feel us flow".
VOTE FOR TANKS.
First of all, i want to thank the Almighty for giving me one more chance to say my mind without stammering and being the executive producer of this plate, I want to thank my woman, my love and best friend, for being my manager and first to read and correct my mind, if further award comes out of this, i shall dedicate it to all of you who will comment on this note. But please as you comment remember that nobody holy pass. we all just dey try.
SO GRAB YOUR COPY NOOOOOOWWWW !
VOTE FOR TANKS.
First of all, i want to thank the Almighty for giving me one more chance to say my mind without stammering and being the executive producer of this plate, I want to thank my woman, my love and best friend, for being my manager and first to read and correct my mind, if further award comes out of this, i shall dedicate it to all of you who will comment on this note. But please as you comment remember that nobody holy pass. we all just dey try.
SO GRAB YOUR COPY NOOOOOOWWWW !
Jan 19, 2009
Jan 16, 2009
Question and ANSWERS for Believers and Atheists
An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem
science has with God, The Almighty.
He asks one of his new Christian students to stand.....
Professor: You are a Christian, aren't you, son?
Student : Yes, sir.
Prof: So you believe in God?
Student : Absolutely, sir.
Prof: Is God good?
Student : Sure.
Prof: Is God all-powerful?
Student : Yes.
Prof: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm?
(Student is silent.)
Prof: You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?
Student : Yes.
Prof: Is Satan good?
Student : No.
Prof: Where does Satan come from?
Student : From...God...
Prof: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?
Student : Yes.
Prof: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct?
Student : Yes.
Prof: So who created evil?
(Student does not answer.)
Prof: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible
things exist in the world, don't they?
Student : Yes, sir.
Prof: So, who created them?
(Student has no answer.)
Prof: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son...Have you ever seen God?
Student : No, sir.
Prof: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?
Student : No , sir.
Prof: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God?
Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?
Student : No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Prof: Yet you still believe in Him?
Student : Yes.
Prof: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?
Student : Nothing. I only have my faith.
Prof: Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has.
science has with God, The Almighty.
He asks one of his new Christian students to stand.....
Professor: You are a Christian, aren't you, son?
Student : Yes, sir.
Prof: So you believe in God?
Student : Absolutely, sir.
Prof: Is God good?
Student : Sure.
Prof: Is God all-powerful?
Student : Yes.
Prof: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm?
(Student is silent.)
Prof: You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?
Student : Yes.
Prof: Is Satan good?
Student : No.
Prof: Where does Satan come from?
Student : From...God...
Prof: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?
Student : Yes.
Prof: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct?
Student : Yes.
Prof: So who created evil?
(Student does not answer.)
Prof: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible
things exist in the world, don't they?
Student : Yes, sir.
Prof: So, who created them?
(Student has no answer.)
Prof: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son...Have you ever seen God?
Student : No, sir.
Prof: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?
Student : No , sir.
Prof: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God?
Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?
Student : No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Prof: Yet you still believe in Him?
Student : Yes.
Prof: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?
Student : Nothing. I only have my faith.
Prof: Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has.
Student : Professor, is there such a thing as heat?
Prof: Yes.
Student : And is there such a thing as cold?
Prof: Yes.
Student : No sir. There isn't.
(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)
Student : Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don't have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.
(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)
Student : What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?
Prof: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?
Student : You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light....But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it were you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?
Prof: So what is the point you are making, young man?
Student : Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.
Prof: Flawed? Can you explain how?
Student : Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the
fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?
Prof: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.
Student : Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?
(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going.)
Student : Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavour, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?
(The class is in uproar.)
Student : Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain?
(The class breaks out into laughter.)
Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smelt it?.....No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?
(The room is silent. The professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable.)
Prof: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.
Student : That is it sir. The link between man & God is FAITH. That is all
that keeps things moving & alive. We live by faith, NOT by sight!
Jan 15, 2009
HOME
I'm staring out into the night
Striving to hide the pain and stop the tears
distant sounds, healing wounds
whispering palms of Lagos life, echoes of my childhood
I'm going to the place where love i can FEEL,
and feeling good don't live the cost of my sexuality, color and race.
I'm going Home to the place where I belong,
where a slight notion of acceptance has always been enough for me
So I'm going Home
The miles are getting longer, The closer I get to my destiny
the boundraies fall apart.
the limits pushed beyond the edge,
memories wither in this narrow path i thread.
This new culture will not fade away my old habits
And I'm left with the conviction of other places
where i feel at HOME cos it feels like HOME
I'm going home to the place where i feel a different kind of pain.
I don't regret this life i chose for me
but these faces and places are getting old.
I'm going HOME.
Striving to hide the pain and stop the tears
distant sounds, healing wounds
whispering palms of Lagos life, echoes of my childhood
I'm going to the place where love i can FEEL,
and feeling good don't live the cost of my sexuality, color and race.
I'm going Home to the place where I belong,
where a slight notion of acceptance has always been enough for me
So I'm going Home
The miles are getting longer, The closer I get to my destiny
the boundraies fall apart.
the limits pushed beyond the edge,
memories wither in this narrow path i thread.
This new culture will not fade away my old habits
And I'm left with the conviction of other places
where i feel at HOME cos it feels like HOME
I'm going home to the place where i feel a different kind of pain.
I don't regret this life i chose for me
but these faces and places are getting old.
I'm going HOME.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)