USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: CORRECT INFORMATION: NIGERIAN AND ETHIOPIAN NAMED TO 2010 ROLEX YOUNG LAUREATES AWARD

[toyin adepoju]

No one disagrees that Ikegwuonu might be  using techniques which others might have used before.The argument of the value of his efforts is that he is USING THEM NOW,particularly in a context where the Nigerian economy is dependent on one export,oil.The groundnut pyramids of Kano might have built through such efforts,but was the practice carried forward after oil gained a hold on the Nigerian economy?What is the level of investment in agriculture in Nigeria in the light of the dependence on oil?

If  many others were to adopt one initiative each,within their respective clans within their own Yoruba,Afemai ,Edo,Hausa,Fulani  and other ethnic groups,as this young man has done with his own clan,the country would be better off.You dont need to have a national scope of operation for your efforts to be nationally relevant in the long run.Ikegwuonu's  activities might be based on a section of the Igbo people,but they represent value of national significance because the group he serves are a part of the nation,and because it gives an example of valid development activity.

Such efforts can even ramify across globally across history.Socrates was a man who discussed philosophy in the market and people's homes in Athens,capital of Greece..Jesus was a carpenter's son,an itinerant teacher,with no home or property of his own  who taught his ideas through working class fishermen in Galilee in Palestine..The Buddha was a teacher in Bodd Ghaya and other cities in India who owned nothing and was sustained through  alms.Plato and Aristotle were teachers in  corners of Greece.Orunmila ( if he founded the Ifa system of knowledge) was   a teacher who lived at Ife.Of all these men,only Plato and Aristotle wrote anything.Of the others,only Orunmila organized his ideas in an organic form that would enable their reconstruction in various contexts. The others communicated  largely spontaneously. Yet all these men have inspired globally influential forms of civilization.

You can work from a local background and have an influence that exceeds your scope of operation.

Its much better than limiting oneself to crying over how bad the nation is,often from comfortable enclaves in countries built by the incremental efforts of people like Ikegwuonu.

thanks

toyin

On 5 May 2010 00:01, afis <odide...@yahoo.com> wrote:

Hmmmmmm......too much excitement, abi too much ado about nothing. What "interactive technique" is this Alagba talking about, paapaa.  The more you shout about this Ikemefuna boy, the more his achievement is degraded.    Were you alive during the '50s, 60's minus war time?  Have you ever heard of the "Redifusion"?  Yeah, that was what the AG used to "interact", that was the AG's "interactive technique", to reach the "igberiko".  To educate the farmers, to educate the "pregnant women" on health issues and what the illiterates used to call"Domisile".   So, what are these big words "interactive techniques"?  Too much Turenchi dey kill o.   Alagba Toyin, how was the farmers in the North educated on using farming implements, and creating canals within their farmlands where water runs thru all the soil, which helps conserve water in the North.  How did the farmers learn about fertilizers during the old days, during Operation Feed the Nation and even at present day North?  Were they "interacting" by means of Turenchi, or been taught by means of native language?   How did the Cocoa farmers in the West, during AG govt, become so productive?  Before distributing cocoa seeds, were the farmers not shown how to use them? Was there no broadcasting, and interactive techniques be it in Ijesha or Ekiti dialects?    Alagba Toyin, you're getting too excited for "natting". Firstly, I admire the guy for what he's trying to do, however, I don't think this should amount to blowing out a vein or a fuse. Secondly, I don't think it's upto a Global event as you are trying to portray it.   Let's tear it open a bit: The guy is broadcasting agric-knowledge to his Igbo clan. Not the whole Igbo nation, Not the whole of Nigeria, but just a small area called Imo.  Look, this is a clan and tribal thing, stop blowing a fuse over none issue.   People have been "interacting" in native languages before Ikemefuna abi na Ikegwuonu was born. That was how the Groundnut pyramid of Kano was achieved, that was how the cocoa House was built. That the whiteman just recognized this now should not become something that we have never seen before. It's like Mungo Park (a whiteman) discovering the Niger all over again. Shikena. afis   --- In NaijaP...@yahoogroups.com, toyin adepoju <toyin.adepoju@...> wrote:     "Ikegwuonu.. was born in 1982 and lives in Imo State.   He has, since his high school, been developing ways to help Nigerian farmers. He was identified because of his reported dedication to improving the lives of rural people and his commitment to environmental protection and sustainable agriculture.  “In Nigerian state of Imo, where Ikegwuonu lives, farmers are suffering because of their isolation. Via the Smallholders Foundation, which he set up in 2003, he has been broadcasting by radio 10 hours a day to give 250,000 farmers news in their own language about farming and marketing techniques. He has now begun using interactive technology in order to serve farmers across his state"- AWARD STATEMENT RESPONSE BY IKPONMWOSA OTABO 'Is it possible say we spend too much time “lamenting” and not enough time “counting our blessings…”…?  ' - Ikponmwosa Otabo Perhaps many Nigerians,particularly those who are vocal on online fora,would not have given to this man's achievement the kind of value given to it by Rolex,Ashoka,the World  Bank and GSBI. He is broadcasting IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE to FARMERS about farming and marketing techniques. I suspect that many Nigerians will appreciate that but not see it in terms of a fundamental development strategy,as Rolex,Ashoka,the World  Bank and GSBI might have seen it.This is a grassroots development strategy and as such,is not glamorous.It is not glamorous because it is not directed at the elite or the more visible members of the national population.It is also most likely not an urban activity.It is likely to be rural and centred  on people who are among the most socially unprominent as far as the national picture is concerned. This effort,however,is an effort to use the most direct means of communication-a native language-in communicating with a group of rural people,who, even though they are not very visible nationally,do work,farming,without which the country could starve.They are not politicians.Many of them cannot speak English,the language of people educated in the fashionable dominant educational system.Most of them are people that the people  whose social circle the Nigerians active in online fora  will  hardly encounter and whom they are not anxious to relate with. Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu's work is not in a high profile fiend like science and technology,high income business,education,banking,entertainment  etc.But he is doing something fundamental,the kind of fundamental activity that contribute to development while not concerned with the centralising effects of government or the bigger power brokers.His line of work does not suggest the middle class lifestyle that is the ideal of many Nigerians. More information on  Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu 1.Rolex Young Lauretes 2. Global Social Benefit Incubator [GSBI] [Very good video of Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu explaining his work and vision] 3.Smallholders Foundation  and on Facebook 4.Facebook :Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu 5. Ashoka Nnaemeka’s family has always farmed even though his father, a university lecturer, was financially secure. All the children farmed after school, and were also involved in raising poultry and breeding cattle. They developed a love for agriculture and animals. Growing up Nnaemeka had a dream to be a journalist. In high school he formed a debate club and with a group of friends regularly developed pro-poor programs that they could implement in their local community, often using surplus resources that they got from their parents. Unfortunately for a variety of administrative reasons he did not get to major in his preferred field of journalism. After school he worked in the citizen sector where he worked closely with farmers and came to appreciate their problems while growing increasingly alarmed at their decreasing productivity and increasing poverty. After an extensive period of learning and participatory exploration he combined his two passions—farming and journalism—to develop his idea and create the Smallholders Foundation.Ikegwuonu, who has a bachelor of arts in history and international studies and a master’s degree in cooperation and development, is becoming known as a change-maker who fights poverty using new interactive technology 6.Google search thanks toyin On 4 May 2010 08:31, Ikponmwosa Otabo <Otabo1@...> wrote:   Mama Osaro…. Thank you very seriously ….for this “streak of light” message amongst all de negativity wey dey fly all around this forum these days…. I just dey wonder.…why e be say na oyibo people must come and tell us say one of our own, wey dey for we backyard is doing great….? Is it possible say we spend too much time “lamenting” and not enough time “counting our blessings…”…?   Me I no know oo…. I just dey wonder…. Well thanks again and have a blessed week.   Na so I see am oo..   --- On Tue, 5/4/10, toyin adepoju <toyin....@googlemail.com> wrote: From: toyin adepoju <toyin....@googlemail.com> Subject: Re: CORRECT INFORMATION: NIGERIAN AND ETHIOPIAN NAMED TO 2010 ROLEX YOUNG LAUREATES AWARD To: val...@md.metrocast.net Cc: "AfricanTalk" <Afric...@yahoogroups.com>, ose...@yahoo.com, "Bobson Arigbe" <BAR...@dhs.nyc.gov>, "Ola Kassim" <OlaKa...@aol.com>, "Adeniran Adeboye" <aade...@mac.com>, "Abraham Madu" <abraha...@yahoo.com>, "Bimbola Adelakun" <adunn...@yahoo.com>, "Mobolaji Aluko" <alu...@gmail.com>, "Emmanuel Babatunde" <babemm...@gmail.com>, "Rufus Orindare" <bato...@att.net>, "Ibukunolu Babajide" <i...@usa.net>, "Joe Igietseme" <jb...@cdc.gov>, "Nnanna Agomoh" <mnag...@yahoo.com>, "Odidere Afis" <odide...@yahoo.com>, "Omo Oba" <olad...@ix.netcom.com>, "Iyalaje Fama" <owonri...@hotamil.com>, "Pius Adesanmi" <piusad...@yahoo.com>, "Joe Attueyi" <topc...@yahoo.com> Date: Tuesday, May 4, 2010, 1:57 PM Valentine Ojo,I dare you to find and repost 5 EXAMPLES  of my posting wrong information or  declare yourself by default a LIAR and a LOUDMOUTH. You need to find at least  5 EXAMPLES to enable you validate  your claim that I am frequently guilty of such posting.I understand your exasperation but  I am completely unimpressed by YOUR  CONSISTENT UNDISCIPLINED SPEECH  when communicating on these fora. I await those FIVE examples. I know you cannot find them because they dont exist. The only example you can point to in which I posted incorrect information  emanating from myself was the posting I did last year on the Nigerian winning a Nobel Prize.I have no apologies for that because it was done with full awareness of its implications. Today's  post about the TIME prize was forwarded by me from another group.It was on investigation I corrected it. Now,to your decrying the very idea of the ROLEX PRIZE.Valentine Ojo,can you point to any 1-5 THINGS YOU HAVE DONE NOT DIRECTED PRIMARILY AT YOUR OWN BENEFIT,  FOR THE COUNTRY YOU CRITICIZE SO FREELY EVERY DAY? When you are in the field of ACTION to improve the country where you were educated largely with STATE FUNDS but from which you have fled into exile to live as a perpetual critic of that country,then you will be more credible.As the situation stands,people like you,who are  centered on doing little more than bad mouthing their country cannot stand beside people like                                                                                                                        NNAEMEKA IKEGWONU                                                                                                                                   the winner of the                                               ROLEX PRIZE,  THE  WORLD BANK DEVELOPMENT AWARD, among others. I will post descriptions of Nnaemeka's work so that you and other myopic doom sayers can see how it is contributing to solving what you describe as "the THOUSANDS of problems" facing Nigeria while you and your kind look on helplessly. What is the value of these awards? He uses them to fund his projects and feed himself,so that he will not have to HIDE IN THE US OR EUROPE LIKE YOU,perhaps an economic exile,of little use to his country except perhaps as a source of monetary remittance at best,reduced to the near helplessness of daily pontification on online fora about the badness of your country while you feed fat on another  country built with                                                        SOMEONE ELSE'S SWEAT Please,I enjoin you and other perpetual anti-Nigeria doom sayers to come off the false notions like the falsehood you just trumpeted that Nigeria "has been disconnected from time". That disconnection exists only in your imagination. People are succeeding in that country without being crooks of any kind,whether in or out of government.I should know because I know quite a few of them. Beceause of this ignorance that people like you like to peddle about Nigeria and Africa,I will make sure I  regularly post accurate news that demonstrates POSITIVE REALITIES about that  country and the continent.To start with,those who are interested can see a site called  Timbuktu Chronicles. Thanks, Toyin On 4 May 2010 15:53, Dr. Valentine Ojo <val...@md.metrocast.net> wrote: Can we TRY to be HONEST in our postings? I went to check this so-called TIME AWARD, and there was nothing to that topic! Just like the recent announcement by Ola Kassim that unnamed students from a high school in Bauchi won some junior scientist award! And with all due respect, Toyin Adepoju, you are frequently GUILTY of such spurious, unfounded feel-good postings! I wonder why...? This is not helping the image of Nigeria, and merely pushes us more into the realm of 419ers! Why tell an OUTRIGHT LIE and then later try to "correct" it? Correct what? What is a ROLEX AWARD worth in a nation that has been disconnected from time? "NIGERIAN AND ETHIOPIAN NAMED TO 2010 ROLEX YOUNG LAUREATES AWARD"? And? Are these not similar to the kind of spurious awards with which a Dora Akunyili plasters the walls of her office - basically meaningless, feel-good awards? I recall that Ngozi Okonjo-Ikweala also "collected" such awards when she was in office as Nigeria's finance minister... Is this the solution to the THOUSANDS of problems facing Nigeria, meaningless awards to make some people feel good about themselves? I wonder... Dr. Valentine Ojo Tall Timbers, MD On Tue 05/04/10 8:03 AM , toyin adepoju toyin....@googlemail.com sent:                                                        2010 ROLEX YOUNG LAUREATES AWARD The mistaking of the TIME award for the Rloex award might have come from the fact that both awards were linked on the same page in the latest online issue of TIME  toyin ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Mama OSARO <ose...@yahoo.com> Date: 4 May 2010 01:30 Subject: [edo-nationality] Time names Nigerian among world’s ‘100 most influential’ To: edo-n...@yahoogroups.com Cc: edo-nat...@yahoogroups.com   Time names Nigerian among world’s ‘100 most influential’ By Success Nwogu, Published: Tuesday, 4 May 2010 View All (0) Comment(s) Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu Time magazine has named a 28-year-old Nigerian, Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu, as one of the ‘100 most influential people in the world.’ The influential magazine had in its May 2010 edition said those on the list were shaping the world with their ideas, innovations and actions. It added that the list was consolidated into four categories – leaders, artists, thinkers and heroes. Others on the list include United States President Barack Obama; Graca Machel, wife of former South African President Nelson Mandela; Brazilian President Luiz da Silva; Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama; and Managing Director, International Monetary Fund, Mr. Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Also on the list are Chelsea striker, Didier Drogba; the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Ms. Nancy Pelosi; US Minority Whip, Mr. Jon Kyl; Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad; French Minister of Finance, Ms. Christine Lagarde; Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan; Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh; talkshow host and publisher, Ms. Oprah Winfrey; and British musician, Elton John. Ikegwuonu, who was listed in the artists’ category, was born in 1982 and lives in Imo State. According to Time, he has, since his high school, been developing ways to help Nigerian farmers. He was identified because of his reported dedication to improving the lives of rural people and his commitment to environmental protection and sustainable agriculture. Time said, “In Nigerian state of Imo, where Ikegwuonu lives, farmers are suffering because of their isolation. Via the Smallholders Foundation, which he set up in 2003, he has been broadcasting by radio 10 hours a day to give 250,000 farmers news in their own language about farming and marketing techniques. “He has now begun using interactive technology in order to serve farmers across his state.” Rosaline Etiti Okosun President/Founder - Association Against Women Export (AAWE) Website address: www.aawe.net Make your browsing faster, safer, and easier with the new Internet Explorer® 8. Optimized for Yahoo! 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