A Good Name is Better than Great Wealth

Born sometimes around 1905 in the scenic Hills of Iragba Community, in Odo-Oro Ekiti in Egbeoba Kingdom of Ikole Local Government of Ekiti State, Nigeria; Chief Michael Oluwagbemi I, the immediate past Elejofi of Odo Oro lived a good life . An hardworker by all accounts (including one that said he cultivated several acres for himself during a planting season and went ahead to do the same for his younger brother). One of five children of his mother and a father (whom he hardly talked about), he was a born leader throughout his lifetime until he passed to the great beyond in November 1995.

Grandfather worked very hard; once Osomolo (trader) with more than 5 apprentices whom dad grew up to know. He used to travel to Ibadan by feet to buy materials in the 1930s. Earlier, he was a labourer in Ile-Ife farms where he became a catholic, baptised in 1928 as Michael. He later dropped Osomolo in 1952 or so and concentrated on tobacco farming the proceed of which he used to build his upstairs: still a regal old fashioned mansion that sits atop a rising crest in Ikole today. One of the best in the town in early 1950s and still by far the most structurally sound older buildings in the area today. From the proceeds of his farming he trained his thirteen chidlren through primary and secondary education. He was a devout Catholic, business man, community leader and great family man.

A good father by all accounts, the only cross in his life was losing many children in infant which forced him to be a polygamist. A very successful and professional polygamist indeed who knew all the tricks according to my father. He later went to devote his entire life to grow cocoa which he used to train all his 13 children. Grandfather albeit was successful and respected: a man known for his generosity (sometimes called foolishly generous by dad) and great courage (speaks truth to power). He was a man of high integrity and discipline. He laid a good legacy passed down to my father: which I am following. Indeed, when people ask me today why I call myself Michael II (or if it is my "real name"), I am always quick to flaunt that I was named after Grand Pa, to whom I bear striking resemblance. Tall, cheerful and by every imagination handsome, Grand Pa left to our family a good name that I am proud of.

Thanks be to God for for his life. Baba rere ni baba wa! Sun re o! Adieu.

Aquadrenaline...sizzle with the nizzles

I am not someone given to taking to much risk; but a little bit of adrenaline rush will not spoil. However, by far the best place to get this rush is the ultimate aquatic environment. As I have said earlier, I am in love with water. As Fela talk- "water no get enemy". The most natural human environment is an aquatic environment with man, land, water, animals and air in synchronized oscillations with one another. I see nature when I see water and it puts me at peace with myself. Nothing more relaxing than a swap of clean fresh air, as you zoom across the surface of fresh clean lake water.

That was why last weekend, I went out with friends on one of those adrenaline pumping Jet ski trip. The location of interest was Just for Fun Marina on Lake Conroe, Texas. It was the ultimate boys time out. Armed with desire mixed with valor we took no prisoners as we zoomed at 35-45mph plus on water to momentary bliss and occasional sagacity. Without waxing too poetical, I must say that it was fun and couldn't have been better.

To have a peek at my Aquadrenaline voyage, hit here. By the way, How have you been? How is life today? Have you said "well done" to someone lately? What have you done for mankind lately? What are you doing next? Remember a life without hope is a life without expectation; a life without expectation is one without a future: a future undreamt of is never been given to mankind or earned by any mammal. Till next time: Peace!

Our World: On Darfur, Iran and the Middle East

We live in a troubling world today and above all things the world is in search of peace and quiet. Indeed, I reckon it needs all the help it can get but everyday it seems we just drift from one chaos to another. No part of the world is immuned from crisis- every continent has its rebel group and blood seeking brigand. From street gang banging on the streets of America that takes the life of a college basketball player to everyday drug deal driven murder of citizens, criminals and law enforcement in Mexico and Central America to the rebel groups that span the vast continent to the South of New World. Europe is not free from the shackles of hate either: Ireland, Spanish Basque movement, bombings in Turkey and Italian Mafiosi remind us of a bloody world. Asia and Africa have a fairly larger share of this mystery - with actively fought wars and retribution exhaustively taking the time of governments instead of the real work of development. Today I will examine three of these conflicts.

Darfur: The conflict in the Western part of Sudan is nothing short of genocide. Black people of Sudan have been raped, killed and turned to overnight refugees in their own land by their Arab Northern countrymen that have sought to monopolize the oil wealth of the Black people of Sudan for the Northern and National Islamic Government. Pressure from the world powers in their thirst to get oil deals is making the central government rethink its position albeit from the position of strength. The inability of the Arab League to condemn the madness being wrought on the Animist south by the northern Arabs smacks of opportunism and racism; indeed, while it is convenient for the same Arab League to cry for the people of Palestine they will not do the same for the Sudanese blacks. It is a shame. It is a lesson to Black Africans that on the world stage no one can protect our interests better than ourselves. There is serious need to bring all the leaders of this genocide to justice as soon as the conflict is resolved. Indeed, ideas on a standing force for conflicts in Africa is very good but I also think patronizing. What do they mean by they need standing force? Is it not somehow expecting that we Africans will just take up arms against each other at the slightest excuse?

Why are they just treating the symptoms? Is it not true that the root cause of the persistent crisis in Africa and the resultant underdevelopment, poverty, disease and deaths is a direct result of the evil Berlin conference that drew up for the most part the current variegated political map of Africa as slavery/colonial plantation of Old Europe? Is is not the evil milestone in the history of our continent that lumped together people of unrelated history and of improbable monolithism and then expect them to work together towards a national aspiration based on a foreign concept, document or idea like donkeys fed water at the river side?I think it is high time for a new conference in the mould of Berlin conference now planned, ran and controlled by Africans in Africa for the benefit of all Africans. It might take the pressure of the same world stage technocrat that somehow always amass a superior argument to force African dictators to take more loans from their sub-prime international loan shacks and Shylock monetry institutions going by exotic names like Paris Club and IMF; it will require the cooperation of the world for Africa to re-emerge in it true self. This new conference will look at redrawing the political map of Africa by Africans based on willingliness of neighbors and resources at the disposal of constituent parts. Mini republics whose military can be over run by the police service of another will be a thing of the past and the miniaturization of our continent can also be conscripted to the history books.

This is my new concept of Pan Africanism not the aged concept of African unity that can hardly garner support among common people. If we must be united, we can only unite on our terms not on terms dictated by outsider. May be I am just a dreamer, may be this dream is coming way too early before its time; but who says I cannot dream? I can dream- I can dream of a renewed motherland whose resources keeps it factories humming and its people busy. A continent free of crisis and fracticidal killings and misplaced priorities. A continent we all can indeed be proud of. A continent we can call the last bastion of man at peace with his environment and natures heritage to homo sapiens. That is the Africa of my dream, that is the continent of our aspirations. I can dream.

On the two other crisis I speak of here are my opinions:

1. US refusal to fund Hamas led Palestinian government because of Hamas Refusal to recognize the right of Israel to exists: Arrogantly dumb I say and stupid stubbornness are the words that come to mind.

2. Iran's insistence on Nuclear power: This is what you get when you sacrifice your moral authority by lying to Allies, friends and country men. Even a mad dictator will stand up to you. But can the world suffer a fool for too long? Let us wait and see...siddon look.

Till next time...stay on top of what goes on around you, because whatever goes around comes around.