Needless Tears...One Plane Crash Too Many.

[Prince Dickson]

Needless Tears...One Plane Crash Too Many.

Prince Charles Dickson

pcdb...@yahoo.com

Jos, Plateau Nigeria

 

I was just in conversation with my wife and the topic was the last Bellview aircrash in Lisa Village last year, we had lost a young friend of ours in the flight, Sunday Meseko who was with Dunlop, it was Sunday morning and I was asking to know how far they had gone with the compensation from Bellview. The outcome was not positive because the company Dunlop had filed for claims with the wife as next of kin, while the family through a brother had also filed a claim, and this was to the advantage of Bellview as the mandatory two years for which one could contest the claims was approaching fast, if one did not act fast, the airline logically benefits. This was the mood in my house while myself and wife argued the whole episode out and then breaking news on the television and friends started bombarding me with calls "any survivor, where was the plane headed too, which airline...etc."

 

One does not just write or criticize government for the fun of it, or because its a hobby, no, not at all, most of my writings or essays bring tears to my eyes for this nation and its leadership, to a point the question one wants answer to, is not more than what is the matter with us? Some couple of months ago I was a passenger in that particular airplane and my destination was Sokoto, as fate would have it, on a Sunday too, I had noted to my colleague on that particular flight there was something about the plane that I just was not comfortable about, and then on landing in Sokoto we nearly overshot the runway, it was not funny at all. I survived it but this Sunday, the Sultan of Sokoto, the Sokoto State Deputy Governor, two Senators, and almost a hundred others have paid the price.

 

I would leave the issue of plane age and mechanical factors to the expert to face, but for the common man on the streets, is this not one too many, when will it stop, is it not strange that in the last 15 months we have lost more people in these crashes that the last ten years? There are too many questions that need common sense answers...the cause of the Bellview crash is yet to be ascertained, that of Sosoliso was given a wave of the hand report that blamed the wind, storm and what have we. In very sad terms I doubt the Generals that lost their lives weeks back have settled in and we pour more souls into mourning.

 

What could have resulted in a plane crashing just barely minutes after take off and leaving virtually all on board dead. Our roads are death traps, the rail system only exist on paper, better still it is in view. Can somebody explain to us how we now have potholes, and ditches on air? Even the explanations of the experts do not make any real meaningful sense as to why these crashes. In politics, citizens are killed, in our ordinary day lives we are preys to robbers, the health sector can barely cater for us, our roads are no better, the educational system is suffering endemic failure and that is one of the reasons the Maccido was in Abuja to attend one of the abracadabra called Presidential forum on Education.

 

The Sultan had the interest of his subjects at heart that is why he left his domain in the first place to go and contribute to the National Reform on the educational sector but little did he know what fate and destiny and conspired to do. Life indeed is cruel. the Sultan gone, his son gone, his grandson gone also, how about the Senator who was with his wife and son...what words of consolation do we offer the families of the faithfully departed. Only last week the President was blowing his trumpet how the Bellview crash had led to a significant turnaround in the industry and the usual bla bla bla. It is okay, I believed the President, although I should not have, the question is, if all these reforms had been faithfully accomplished then what is hunting the nation's skies.

 

The Port Harcourt Airport has been closed for some while to effect repairs but the Akanu Ibiam airport is in a mess, the Owerri Airport that is supposed to be back up for the closed Port Harcourt Airport is barely coping. Just the week gone, a new airline was launched amidst fanfare but then its first foray into the air was aborted due to technical problems and this was supposedly a new aircraft from its fleet.

 

The government has ordered a three day national mourning, we have just finished Ramadan, weeks ago we mourned a generation of officers of the Army, how many more days do we have to mourn this year alone. The President could not even show his face apart from his personal grief as we were told by his media aide, he must be too ashamed of the men that has handled the aviation industry. Why cry over split milk...whom have we held responsible for the Bellview, Sosoliso, Donier, or as usual we just leave it to Almighty Allah.

 

When does a Minister resign, when does a leader say I am sorry, I have failed, I do not have solutions, please help me...who has cursed the Nigerian skies, travel by road is one that leaves one besieged either by robbers or unmotorable roads. The President has ordered immediate investigation, he is personally grieved and that was it, one could tell that the President was lost for words. Local gin called Ogogoro may look like water but it is not water. The Zamfara Governor could barely hold his tears, men and women gone without even the courtesy of saying good bye.

 

Our problem is that the nation has no transportation policy, even the onslaught on the aviation sector makes no sense if we do not have a workable transport policy. Transport demand in Nigeria has increased substantially, due to increases in population as a result of both natural increase and migration from rural areas and smaller towns. Availability of motorized transport, increases in household income, and increases in commercial and industrial activities have further added to transport demand. In many cases, demand has outstripped road capacity. Greater congestion and delays are widespread and indicate the seriousness of transport problems. Roads are in a state of hell on earth, a high level of pollution is another undesirable feature of overloaded streets. The transport crisis also takes a human toll which is evident for all to see.

 

Statistics indicate that traffic accidents are a primary cause of accidental deaths in Nigeria, but deaths from air accident is on the increase in triple figures. The main reasons for these problems are the prevailing imbalance in modal split, inadequate transport infrastructure, and its suboptimal use. Public transport systems have not been able to keep pace with the rapid and substantial increases in demand over the past few decades. Bus services in particular have deteriorated, and their relative output and unfortunately the dilapidation has left the roads undrivable and is now in the skies.

 

We banned Okada in the city center, maybe this ban be extended to the skies and left with the road and rail, government may by error sit up.

 

There is an urgent need for a transportation system that is seamlessly integrated across all modes. The various modes of public transport, including intermediate public transport, have to work in tandem. They should complement rather than involve themselves in cutthroat competition. The fact that air transport is relatively affordable has also made it a bolekaja affair as passengers that would otherwise prefer a train journey cannot have that privilege. The ADC is the only airline that plies the Sokoto-Abuja route, so it is the easiest way to get to Sokoto every Sunday and Wednesday, so as the case was last Sunday, when this occurs, the casualty is better imagined. Every Sunday the who is who is often aboard that flight, if only they had an equally suitable option.

 

Poor man die, big man die, everybody dies, one way or the other but as much as we believe in Almighty Allah's perfect will, as humans we ask, is the tears any worth, why the needless tears for tragedies that may have been avoidable. We cannot bring back these great men, al of them not just the Sultan, again we have added to the long list, widows, orphans, and the land again, sucks up more innocent blood. The Holy Book says...If my people that are called by my name shall humble themselves, seek my face, confess their sins, I am the Lord, I shall forgive them I shall heal the land.

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[okwy okeke]

Dear Prince Dickson,

 

I am with you in the pain experienced in our country, however, I think you,  like a lot of our social commentators, are guilty of over generalization that leaves many discerning readers not believing what might be true.

 

I will raise 5 issues with your essay, and they are not exhaustive:

 

One does not just write or criticize government for the fun of it, or because its a hobby, no, not at all, most of my writings or essays bring tears to my eyes for this nation and its leadership, to a point the question one wants answer to, is not more than what is the matter with us? Some couple of months ago I was a passenger in that particular airplane and my destination was Sokoto, as fate would have it, on a Sunday too, I had noted to my colleague on that particular flight there was something about the plane that I just was not comfortable about, and then on landing in Sokoto we nearly overshot the runway, it was not funny at all.

 

This adds no value to any critical discussion. I fly every two weeks in the U.S. because I live 900 miles away from my family, and I can tell you that I have had cause to squirm in more occassions than one - the most recent being my connecting flight from JFK to Richmond, VA airport (RIC) aboard Jet Blue, did we almost rollover on take off hence audible gasps from many people aboard? Should I then say there is certainly something wrong with the aircraft? I can recount so many other experiences especially with the Brazilian embraer jets so loved in the U.S.

 

There are turbulent flights, just as there are smooth ones, that yours left you squirmming is no basis for critical discussion.

 

the cause of the Bellview crash is yet to be ascertained, that of Sosoliso was given a wave of the hand report that blamed the wind, storm and what have we.

 

I was in Nigeria 2 weeks ago at the release of the Sosoliso crash report, it was not a wave of the hand explanation, it was detailed (and mind you I lost 2 good friends in that flight - Okoloma Maduewesi and Chike Ozueh). The report was clear. I flew same airline on the 14th of Oct to Enugu via Owerri and about the same thing happened to us - the plane ran into a storm at landing, in our case, the pilot was able to climb back as we were blown sideways into the bushes at Owerri, which was what the PH flight pilot did but was caught by culvert/concrete constructions in that unfortunate case.

 

Had your article talked about expanding sideways the runways especially those closer to the equatorial storm belt or ban pilots from attempting to fly in stormy weather - we may without knowing be experiencing the onset of worse weather as climatic changes continue around the world for more reasons beyond the scope of this rejoinder, rather you sound like the report was an after thought, please, we have professionals that did put in their best in that Sosoliso report, besides, it may interest you to know that the Yugoslavs that run that particular airline advertise their 50 years flying without accident, do you really think they are in a hurry to throw such claim away?

 

For the records - the Sosoliso report blamed the storm - the cause of the problem, and human error - because the pilot could have stayed away from landing - just like my friend and fellow traveler on the 14th - Ikechukwu Ufoeze (PSE Consultants) suggested in our flight and the minister is blaming in this Abuja case. 

 

the Akanu Ibiam airport is in a mess, the Owerri Airport that is supposed to be back up for the closed Port Harcourt Airport is barely coping.

 

I used these two airports about 2 weeks ago and do not know where your facts are from - Owerri is said to be about the longest runway in the country 4km - I saw the 3.5km point clearly marked while my flight taxied. That Enugu is a mess beats me, maybe you can provide more details for my information.

 

Infact, Owerri has a brand new VIP lounge built by Madam Chikwe I heard, by the way, what do you mean by barely coping? Too many flights or what?

 

There is an urgent need for a transportation system that is seamlessly integrated across all modes. The various modes of public transport, including intermediate public transport, have to work in tandem. They should complement rather than involve themselves in cutthroat competition.

 

I beg to disagree, Southwest , the only airline to have consistently broken even in the last 10 years in the U.S., business model clearly states that it is in competition with road travel, and that has become industry wide. Check the cost of any air trip by one in the U.S. (with ticket purchase 14-21 days ahead of travel date) vis-a-vis renting a car and fueling it to same destination and you will realize how wrong you statement is. And don't take my word for it - check out the car rental and airlines sites, infact air travel is cheaper most of the time - Southwest from Chicago-Midway to San Diego, CA (4.5 hour flight time is less than $90 each way with 3 weeks advance purchase) goodluck driving that distance. I am not sure you have looked at the business model of any airline before your hasty advice on how the transportation sector should be run. You sound guilty of not understanding the efficacy of competition.

 

 

The fact that air transport is relatively affordable has also made it a bolekaja affair as passengers that would otherwise prefer a train journey cannot have that privilege.

 

Sir, is this relativity in comparison to road travel, sea travel, or air travel in other climes? A 40-minutes flight in Nigeria (about 350 miles or 560km) is N12,000 (about $90) is that cheap when our PCI is less than $400? Look at United airlines site right away and help yourself to the $186 dollars London-Chicago route. Granted the prices fluctuate with seasons but you wanna try Southwest $29 Chicago-Midway - Pittsburg, PA all year round? 

 

I am not sure what bolekaja - come down lets fight has to do with the "relative" cheap air travel as you suggest 

 

I hope we can keep our discussions informative with hysteria, I will limit my issues with your essay to the promised number. 

 

Tops of the working week.

 

Okwy Okeke

[okwy okeke]

Dear Prince Dickson,

 

I am with you in the pain experienced in our country, however, I think you,  like a lot of our social commentators, are guilty of over generalization that leaves many discerning readers not believing what might be true.

 

I will raise 5 issues with your essay, and they are not exhaustive:

 

One does not just write or criticize government for the fun of it, or because its a hobby, no, not at all, most of my writings or essays bring tears to my eyes for this nation and its leadership, to a point the question one wants answer to, is not more than what is the matter with us? Some couple of months ago I was a passenger in that particular airplane and my destination was Sokoto, as fate would have it, on a Sunday too, I had noted to my colleague on that particular flight there was something about the plane that I just was not comfortable about, and then on landing in Sokoto we nearly overshot the runway, it was not funny at all.

 

This adds no value to any critical discussion. I fly every two weeks in the U.S. because I live 900 miles away from my family, and I can tell you that I have had cause to squirm in more occassions than one - the most recent being my connecting flight from JFK to Richmond, VA airport (RIC) aboard Jet Blue, did we almost rollover on take off hence audible gasps from many people aboard? Should I then say there is certainly something wrong with the aircraft? I can recount so many other experiences especially with the Brazilian embraer jets so loved in the U.S.

 

There are turbulent flights, just as there are smooth ones, that yours left you squirmming is no basis for critical discussion.

 

the cause of the Bellview crash is yet to be ascertained, that of Sosoliso was given a wave of the hand report that blamed the wind, storm and what have we.

 

I was in Nigeria 2 weeks ago at the release of the Sosoliso crash report, it was not a wave of the hand explanation, it was detailed (and mind you I lost 2 good friends in that flight - Okoloma Maduewesi and Chike Ozueh). The report was clear. I flew same airline on the 14th of Oct to Enugu via Owerri and about the same thing happened to us - the plane ran into a storm at landing, in our case, the pilot was able to climb back as we were blown sideways into the bushes at Owerri, which was what the PH flight pilot did but was caught by culvert/concrete constructions in that unfortunate case.

 

Had your article talked about expanding sideways the runways especially those closer to the equatorial storm belt or ban pilots from attempting to fly in stormy weather - we may without knowing be experiencing the onset of worse weather as climatic changes continue around the world for more reasons beyond the scope of this rejoinder, rather you sound like the report was an after thought, please, we have professionals that did put in their best in that Sosoliso report, besides, it may interest you to know that the Yugoslavs that run that particular airline advertise their 50 years flying without accident, do you really think they are in a hurry to throw such claim away?

 

For the records - the Sosoliso report blamed the storm - the cause of the problem, and human error - because the pilot could have stayed away from landing - just like my friend and fellow traveler on the 14th - Ikechukwu Ufoeze (PSE Consultants) suggested in our flight and the minister is blaming in this Abuja case. 

 

the Akanu Ibiam airport is in a mess, the Owerri Airport that is supposed to be back up for the closed Port Harcourt Airport is barely coping.

 

I used these two airports about 2 weeks ago and do not know where your facts are from - Owerri is said to be about the longest runway in the country 4km - I saw the 3.5km point clearly marked while my flight taxied. That Enugu is a mess beats me, maybe you can provide more details for my information.

 

Infact, Owerri has a brand new VIP lounge built by Madam Chikwe I heard, by the way, what do you mean by barely coping? Too many flights or what?

 

There is an urgent need for a transportation system that is seamlessly integrated across all modes. The various modes of public transport, including intermediate public transport, have to work in tandem. They should complement rather than involve themselves in cutthroat competition.

 

I beg to disagree, Southwest , the only airline to have consistently broken even in the last 10 years in the U.S., business model clearly states that it is in competition with road travel, and that has become industry wide. Check the cost of any air trip by one in the U.S. (with ticket purchase 14-21 days ahead of travel date) vis-a-vis renting a car and fueling it to same destination and you will realize how wrong you statement is. And don't take my word for it - check out the car rental and airlines sites, infact air travel is cheaper most of the time - Southwest from Chicago-Midway to San Diego, CA (4.5 hour flight time is less than $90 each way with 3 weeks advance purchase) goodluck driving that distance. I am not sure you have looked at the business model of any airline before your hasty advice on how the transportation sector should be run. You sound guilty of not understanding the efficacy of competition.

 

 

The fact that air transport is relatively affordable has also made it a bolekaja affair as passengers that would otherwise prefer a train journey cannot have that privilege.

 

Sir, is this relativity in comparison to road travel, sea travel, or air travel in other climes? A 40-minutes flight in Nigeria (about 350 miles or 560km) is N12,000 (about $90) is that cheap when our PCI is less than $400? Look at United airlines site right away and help yourself to the $186 dollars London-Chicago route. Granted the prices fluctuate with seasons but you wanna try Southwest $29 Chicago-Midway - Pittsburg, PA all year round? 

 

I am not sure what bolekaja - come down lets fight has to do with the "relative" cheap air travel as you suggest 

 

I hope we can keep our discussions informative with hysteria, I will limit my issues with your essay to the promised number. 

 

Tops of the working week.

 

Okwy Okeke

 

 

 

Prince Dickson <pcdb...@yahoo.com> wrote:

[afrs...@aol.com]

Letter to Africa

OGUHEBE'S SADISM AND AFRICAN CULTURE
By Chika Onyeani
African Sun Times, Vol. 16 No. 44, Oct. 27-Nov. 2, 2006


Snippett:  "As for the cases of the two individuals discussed earlier, Festus Oguhebe and Longy Anyanwu, I want to say that I am sick and tired of pseudo-Igbo intellectuals and their ilks who bask in their Igboness, but have no iota of knowledge of what Igbo culture is all about.  Truly, I am sick and tired of how the Igbo have allowed their culture to die (mind you I didn’t say are allowing their culture to die).  What Igbo culture, I ask - really bunkum!!  I feel like exploding when I see what the Igbo have done with their “culture”, or rather did with their culture.  A people without a language are a people without a culture.  The Igbo are a people without a culture because they allowed their language to die.  The present generation of the Igbo are the greatest culprits.  Many a time, I feel outraged, ashamed and downright irritated talking to my fellow Igbo men/women.  These charlatans of foreign culture always believe they can speak English or any other foreign language better than the ones who own it.  Although the Ikemba Odumegwu Ojukwu is a hero of mine, he is as guilty as the rest of us.  None of our present Igbo leaders can hold a conversation with you in Igbo language.  Look at how a nation of almost 40 million people have allowed themselves to be disenfranchised with their language discarded like a pack of cigarettes, by being excluded as an official language, and not even a murmur of protest has come from the so-called Igbo leaders.  You go to Igbo meetings where there are no other person other than Igbo who are from their same respective areas of Igboland, there is nobody who was not born in Igboland, and all you would hear is this “grandiloquent verbosity,” of oxfordized/websterized English - in other words you would need the dictionary to understand what they are saying.  Even discussions between brothers/sisters, fathers/sons/daughters all born in Igboland are bastardized in English."

An explosion of debate has engulfed the African community here in the U.S. over the case of an Nigerian professor of business, who  has pleaded guilty to charges of child abuse, specifically of abusing his 11-year-old son.   The charges for which he pleaded guilty included tieing his son’s hands behind his back, putting a juice of hot pepper in his eyes, on his penis and his anus.  Then, completely going bersek, he dumps the child into a bathtub, goes out and gets a cup of ants and spreads them on the defenceless child.  And the child’s offence - being derelict in doing his homework, getting food to eat when the father had decreed that none of the six, children should eat, which the father called stealing.  In fact, during an earlier abuse case, and in an affidavit filled in Hinds County Court, the father was alleged to have beat his children with extension cords, choked them, and sometimes made them sleep outside as punishments for such things as incomplete schoolwork. If this is not sadism at its worst, then I don’t know what that word means.

Now this is coming from a deranged individual, Festus Oguhebe, who,is an Associate Professor of Bussiness at the Alcorn State University in Port Gibson, Mississippi.  Oguhebe, who is Igbo and hails from the Delta State area of Nigeria, graduated. from Northwestern Oklohoma State University with a B.S., an M.B.A. from Mankator State University, and a D.B.A. from Mississippi State University.  He started teaching at Alcorn State University from 1992.  A restaurant that he operated, which served African food, burnt down about three years ago.  He and his family had lived upstairs but used the downstairs for the restaurant.  There is an empty space where the building used to stand.

In 1993, Oguhebe wrote a book, titled “A Revelation of Valentine Love: How to Find the Right Spouse,” which obviously led him to return to Nigeria and get an allegedly very beautiful woman as wife.    But it didn’t stop his maltreatment of the woman, who he refused to allow to go to school.  In the last few years, Oguhebe has been dabbling as a preacher and some people refer to him as a “Rev.”

This case reminds of another Igbo Associate Professor then at Montclair State University, New Jersey, Dr. Longy Anyanwu.  While he was having problem with his Igbo wife as well, he convinced her that they should take their two teenage girls to Nigeria for a visit.  When they got to Nigeria, he told her that he was divorcing her; he seized her passport and those of the children, and then informed her that the children were going to be left with his relatives.   Fortunately or umfortunately, Edith, his wife, through the help of her own relatives, returned to the U.S.  Anyanwu also returned later without the children.  The wife promptly filed for a missing persons’ case with the police and charged the husband with kidnapping the children. When Anyanwu was brought before a Judge, he confessed to having left the children in Nigeria.  He was ordered by the Judge to produce the children within 3 days or face contempt.of court.  After three days, he still refused and was promptly jailed in 1998 and was released in 2002 only on account of one of the two daughters begging the court to have her father released.  She said that she loved both her parents, but would prefer to finish his schooling in Nigeria and return to the U.S. for her university education.

That was the fortunate part of that saga.  Anyanwu knew that one of his two daughters, Ogechi, was born with intestinal disorders.  Interpol was called in to locate the whereabouts of the children, but couldn’t find them.  The lawyer the mother hired in Nigeria ran away with her money.  The unfortunate part is that Ogechi died of malnutrion four months after her father left her with his relatives.

Both Festus Oguhebe and Longy Anyanwu have invoked Igbo culture for their dastardly acts, as well as blaming immoral and loose manners with which Americans raise their  children.  In support of their thinking, we have seen and are seeing an increase of Africans and, particularly, the Igbo who are bundling their children back home to go to high school and return to America for their university education, which is what Uchechi Anyanwu asked the Judge to allow her to do, and truth be told, she seems to be doing very well at the university where she is on the Dean’s list.  I also remember a couple who sent their two sons back to Nigeria, and both have returned a changed individuals, leading one to become a class president and onto a law school.  Whether they imbibed Igbo culture while in Nigeria is not what is known. 

While the rush is on to send children back home for schooling, imbibe their respecive parents’ culture, and get a taste of the realities of life - no electricity, no ipods, phones that don’t work, scarcity of water, being spanked at school (with a caveat that a lot of parents now object even in our ‘bush’ culture) - it is essential to note that a lot of African parents in America are raising perfectly well mannered children, and who excel in very many disciplines of study - professional and otherwise.   In fact, it is safe to say that more than 97% of children born of African parentage in America graduate from high school and go on to college.  And particularly for the Igbo, you would think that every Igbo child is in medical school.  And the parents who have raised these over-achieving children, didn’t have to resort to barbaric and sadistic callous disregard of human life to shephard their children in the direction of success. 

There is this appalling tendency on the part of some of our elites to resort to, and invoke, African culture when it suits their fancy.  It is particularly irksome when our irridentist political leaders of dictatorship and oppression invoke African culture for their misdeeds.  There should never be an African way of defining good governance: there shouldn’t be an African way of ensuring that the citizens of an African country are allowed to express themselves without fear of being put in jail; there shouldn’t be an African way of exercising the right to vote(should it be two people counted as one or one counted as two because it is an African way); there is no African way of making sure that there is constant supply of electricity; there shouldn’t be an African way of having good roads, well-equipped and maintained health facilties.  For God’s sake, there is damn no African way of sitting on this damn computer and writing this damn article.  Those Africans who have benefitted most from all the trappings of the 21st century invemtions are the misygonists who pollute our body politic and society with their stinking feces of “African Culture this and African Culture that.”  These prostitutes and advocates of false fecal barbaric and sadistic nativism should crawl back into the caves where they belong.

As for the cases of the two individuals discussed earlier, Festus Oguhebe and Longy Anyanwu, I want to say that I am sick and tired of pseudo-Igbo intellectuals and their ilks who bask in their Igboness, but have no iota of knowledge of what Igbo culture is all about.  Truly, I am sick and tired of how the Igbo have allowed their culture to die (mind you I didn’t say are allowing their culture to die).  What Igbo culture, I ask - really bunkum!!  I feel like exploding when I see what the Igbo have done with their “culture”, or rather did with their culture.  A people without a language are a people without a culture.  The Igbo are a people without a culture because they allowed their language to die.  The present generation of the Igbo are the greatest culprits.  Many a time, I feel outraged, ashamed and downright irritated talking to my fellow Igbo men/women.  These charlatans of foreign culture always believe they can speak English or any other foreign better than the ones who own it.  Although the Ikemba Odumegwu Ojukwu is a hero of mine, he is as guilty as the rest of us.  None of our present Igbo leaders can hold a conversation with you in Igbo language.  Look at how a nation of almost 40 million people have allowed themselves to be disenfranchised with their language discarded like a pack of cigarettes, by being excluded as an official language, and not even a murmur of protest has come from the so-called Igbo leaders.  You go to Igbo meetings where there are no other person other than Igbo who are from their same respective areas of Igboland, there is nobody who was not born in Igboland, and all you would hear is this “grandiloquent verbosity,” of oxfordized/websterized English - in other words you would need the dictionary to understand what they are saying.  Even discussions between brothers/sisters, fathers/sons/daughters all born in Igboland are bastardized in English.

I lived in Lagos and I don’t speak or understand Yoruba.  But I admire the Yoruba greatly on how they have been able to maintain and build up their language.  It is their greatest accomplishment.  Just the other day, my men and I were in a UPS store.  This beautiful young woman, looking like a model, walked in.  Her cell phone rang and she spoke perfectly with British accent.  Then the cell rang again, and this time, she switched to Yoruba and spoke beautifully as well.  I wanted to go up to her and hug her and tell her thank you, but because of the land we are in, you have to restrain yourself.  Yes, I have said it, I love all people who maintain their culture through their language, including the Ibibios and Efiks as well as the Yorubas.

I wouldn’t even want to touch the Igbo  manner of dressing at Igbo functions, apart from saying it is a total eye-sore.  I am irritated, I am irritated and I am more than irritated.

The fecal vultures of the carcasses of Igbo culture, should refrain from desecrating the little that a few of us still cherish - that’s be an proud Igbo man in more ways of being ourselves than speaking English better than the English who brought us the English language. 

They say in Rome, do like the Romans.  Those who believe America is too permissive, and does not fit into their way of Africanness, know what to do.  There are over 300 million Americans now, all of them are not hooligans.  And there are over 900 million Africans in the continent and all of them are not saints.  So let’s stop this b.s. about African culture. Those of us who practice African culture know what African culture is all about.  But those who brutalize their children or spouses under the pretext of instilling African culture in them need to be punished to the extent that the law allows in their adopted country.


Chika Onyeani is the author of the brutally frank and internationally acclaimed No.1 bestselling book, "Capitalist Nigger: The Road to Success," and his new blockbuster novel, "The Broederbond Conspiracy," christened the 'Black James Bond' book. Onyeani is a Fellow of the New York Times Institute of Journalists as well as Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the award-winning African Sun Times.

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