UBUNTU

I AM BECAUSE YOU ARE

Ubuntu is a South African term which hinges on the philosophy of communalism or collective responsibility. Ubuntu in English says “I am because you are”. This is parallel to Rene Descarte’s philosophy of individualism summed in the saying ‘Corgito Ego sum’ which translates to ‘I think therefore I am’. Africa is a continent made up of fifty-seven countries, all of which take pride in their rich African history. Ubuntu strikes an affirmation of one’s humanity through the recognition of another human in his or her uniqueness and difference. The philosophy of Ubuntu posits that a Nigerian upon meeting a Ghanaian in Europe should call him brother.


However, recent events in the continent have questioned the relevance of Ubuntuism in Africa. From xenophobic attacks in South Africa to Slavery and Slave trade in Libya to political despotism in Zimbabwe and terrorism in Nigeria; peace, unity, harmony, and love have become faded inscriptions on the wall. These horrific incidents point to the fact that Africans are yet to realize that Unity brings success while disunity breeds failure.


In Nigeria, the acclaimed Giant of Africa, most populous country in Africa and home to the richest Black man in the world, the notorious Boko Haram terrorist group has laid siege on local communities in the North-Eastern part of the country with consistent terrorist insurgencies. These insurgencies have had an adverse effect on the Nigerian economy- it depleted the country’s human resources, foreign investments were withdrawn and development was stalled in those areas. The terrorist insurgencies in Nigeria have done no good to the country; the burning question then is, why is it still on the rise?


South Africa, the acclaimed Rainbow nation, a melting pot of various races, creeds, cultures, and backgrounds is home to Xenophobia. Over time, hate attacks on foreigners in South Africa have been on the rise- Africans inclusive. The most current being the April 2015 attacks. A rainbow accepts its seven diverse colors and its diversity is its beauty. What kind of rainbow nation is South Africa then?


Let us visit Libya, holder of the largest proven oil reserves in Africa, where African migrants are sold off as slaves; where the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights is trampled upon with impunity. In Libya, Africa was flung back to the age of the barbaric human trade. Is this Ubuntu?


Zimbabwe! The Zimbabwe of Robert Mugabe where a President clings onto power for almost four decades, refusing to hand over power despite seating economic crisis in the country. If Ubuntu thrives in Africa, Zimbabwe would not have Robert Mugabe.


Africa is her own war, she must fight to extricate herself from the numerous problems that hinder her from developing like her counterparts. Africans must embrace Ubuntu. They must divorce all kinds of greed, egotism, and individualism and marry unity, peace, and harmony because these are essential ingredients to societal growth and development. If not, the continent will never develop, her intellectuals will continue to seek resort in other continents and she will remain a dumping ground for foreign goods. This is the responsibility of every boy, girl, man and woman in Nigeria, South Africa, Libya, Zimbabwe and other African countries to promote the ideals of Ubuntu, after all, we are all in this together.

Hello Society!

Virginity! "Ngozi this one you start to wear short skirts outside, I hope say you never  let all those small boys touch you o, because if you lose your virginity your bride price Don reduce o. Oya open your legs meh i check am!" before Ngozi could let out any form of protest, her legs were yanked open, panties drawn down as her mother peered closely searching for the thin red flesh.  Welcome to the woman's World! In the days of yore, a woman's worth weighed proportionately to the "intactness " of her hymen. If there was no blood on her first night, then she was a slut, she had slept with all the men in the neighborhood, she would make an unfaithful wife,she had no morals. If her hymen was somehow intact and she bled, then she is the perfect wife. And where did the men stand in all these? A man who had deflowered 5 maidens will squeeze his face upon discovering that his sweet wife has been deflowered by another man. Talk about fairness!  Women overtime have been victims of societal precepts, still are! You're 30 and unmarried, then you have a spiritual problem ; 2 years into your marriage without a child and people start bullying the woman ;your husband dies and the wife must go through double pain; you become successful and live a grandiose life, they say you're too bossy and arrogant? Talk about fairness again!   It is my hole, not yours! A woman's body should not be the subject of societal scrutiny, virginity is not the same as purity or morals or even chastity. The concept is even misrepresented ;a lesbian who hasn't had any sexual relationship with a man is a virgin, of course! A lady who has kissed,smooched,had oral sex and all, is undoubtedly a virgin! Hello society!!!  Virginity, in its original form is noble and should be promoted for BOTH sexes; it shouldn't be used as a parameter for judging goodness; Bottomline, women should be given a breathing space abeg, guys please let us rest; if you're looking for the pink flower in your future spouse, pls recover all the pink flowers you lost in the past; thank you! 

We KILL the World

A single matchstick of uncontrolled anger can burn to ashes a long built tower of peace. We kill the world!
We kill the world not with knives, guns and explosives but with the burning rage in our hearts over our fellow men, we kill the world because we have chosen not to love but hate, not to share but steal, not to be kind but wicked. We kill the world because although we know, we know how much our neighbour needs a little drink, we know too well he can Ill afford it, Dont we also know how well we have it but yet we love to forget; we kill the world not with guns, knives and explosives but with the lies in our eyes. Since humans have abandoned the Bliss of truth, the world languishes in a tumult of falsehood; we kill the world when we see oppression and refuse to speak up against it, we kill the world when we  relax when issues demand our opinions, we kill the world when we conspire against each other, we kill the world when we hurt ourselves. we kill the world with the hate in our hearts- because we find love in special people but choose not to give it back, we kill the world. We kill the world because we kill ourselves, each blood violently spilled on earth is a poisoned arrow shot at the world's heart, and now, the world dies in our hands, why do we live when our world is dead?

MY LITTLE HUT

A poem by Okoye Precious o.

i love my little hut, tiny as it is
made of the red- cam mud
as pretty as can be

i cherish the coziness my little room doth bring
in the cold, warm; in the heat, cold
like a serving maid, changing as i wish

i have no gold, but in my own hut i am king
my wooden plates and broken cups are treasures i
-must pride in

no mutton meat to grace my table or costly reddish wine
no wealthy guests to visit me, for where will they even sit?
but
in my hut i have some fish my mama gave to me
and when we sit to eat porridge, what ecstasy i feel!

in my hut we grow some love, joy and harmony
which i know i'll never have in tall white mansions
when we kneel to pray to God, i know he smiles above
for the joy in my little hut makes the angels envy

i do not wish for a pretty rug to kiss my hardened foot
my smooth red mud is good for me, the little it can do
i do not pray for a 3-winged bird to make me cool and dry
the creator of heaven knows his own and sends me precious air

contented i am in my little hut and forever i will be
but now am grown and rich and smart...
i miss my little hut!!!

Departed

Like an unseen vapor races to the clouds
So went you, when you took a bow
Like the raindrops fade away
So did you in that box you lay

Have you gone? Or shall you return?
Shall, we together face the dawn?
Will you, maybe, turn your face?
From that glorious, whitish daze?

Is it true you no more live?
And your smile shall no more be?
Is this how you chose to leave?
Silently on New Years Eve?

How will I now not think of you?
When all I miss is all you do
How will I still smile again
When you left me in this den?

You have gone but still you live
In your words and in your deeds
The elephant dies but his tusks remain
Yours is unbreakable, daring all men

How I miss you, oh friend of life!
I hope we meet in timeless time
Where you'd n'er leave so quick
But maybe till then, the days I tick!

The Suicidist

The yellow world swimmed before his eyes
A life shrinkeled to a thin film
His heart grieved at the very thought
His mind so dark,no! not a beam

His thoughts raced into the dim past
A world so cruel, a life ill spent
Many bad memories came flooding
Even Maria could not stop him

A thin little rope 'd do the magic
He'd swing on top like a feeble fig
His tongue jutting out would wave goodbye

A life in oblivion seemed much better
The cruelties of life did leave him so bitter

Shouldst I tie the rope and end it all?
Or sit at home and bite my lips
Should I swing on top and end my life?
On and on, his thoughts did race

The thin little rope did the magic
His tongue jutting out, he waved goodbye!!!

The Prophecy

Mighty words they were, weakening our souls
Strong proclamations we hear, stealing our essence
The Oracle has spoken!
From the glowing west, the words flew
On the wings of "ikwikwi", the evil bird
Hear you the words from the oracle
Hear my brother, and mourn with me

"Many days shall come and go
Many years will roll like winds
But you Afri, will wallow in hunger
Steaming poverty and deepening crisis
Your things will cry with sore-filled mouths
Dirty and unclad, they shall roam the streets
Your mothers shall die before they birth
And if they birth, a little afterwards
Your fathers will wander like the cursed tribe
No farm to till, no game to hunt
Your lands shall be ever barren
Dry and crusty, bearing no fruit
Hear! Hear!! You swines, the plague of all
Your precious treasure shall be taken from you
Your pride, the Black Gold shall be no more
And then you'll bow your heads in shame
For you shall be no more than-
a fixture of disgrace
On the glowing west you must pay tributaries
Beg for food, clothes and shelter
And one day, for it will come
You! Black swines will beg for breath"

The Oracle has spoken!

    Composed by okoye precious o.