Lagos And The Faux Lagosians

Image credit: Krucifax, Nairaland

Lagos is a cosmopolitan mega city with major conurbations. Before Abuja, it doubled as the main economic and industrial hub as well as the seat of the federal government of Nigeria. Lagos is still the economic capital of the country; it can rightfully be described as the melting pot for major industries, businesses and trading posts which has attracted public and private sector actors from across the country. 

Though the natural home to some Yorubas, Lagos belongs to Nigeria as Port Harcourt, the natural home to the Okrika and Ikwerri people in Rivers State, belongs to Nigeria. The same is true in all sections of the country. Until the the different tribal nations or geo-political regions of the country decide to go their separate ways as independent countries every Nigerian has the right to reside, work, engage in lawful enterprise, pay tax, vote and be voted for in elections anywhere in the federation. 

A Good Leader Cannot Govern A People Who Hate Themselves

"Who Taught You to Hate Yourself" - by Malcolm X. (May 5th, 1962) 

Image credit: pexels.com

Malcolm X, a teacher, preacher and speaker, gave this speech in a church in Southern California. The year was 1962. He spoke about internalized anti-Blackness in the Black community. At the time of this speech the preacher was, as a matter of fact, speaking about a mindset which plagues the African people both on the continent and the diaspora. He was addressing the African-American community in the United States but his words echoed a problem which is still quite common in African communities and families all over the world. 

Africans, on the continental or diaspora communities worldwide are bedevilled by a troubling trait; there seem to be the culture of unhelpful internal competition which leads to animosity, disagreement, rivalry. and violence in cases of "black on black violence".

Why Is Africa So Attractive, Yet So Poor?

 Why is Africa so attractive, yet so poor? - Prof. PLO Lumumba. 

This question, I believe lingers on the mind of millions of  well meaning Africans all over the world. I do not only think about this question, I do worry about it. I do worry because Africa lacks internal fitness in my opinion; it means that Africa is easily vulnerable to external negative influence. But most worrying is Africa's susceptibility to external exploitation which is made possible by the involvement of rogue and corrupt state and non-state African collaborators. Slavery was sustained by internal collaborators so much as they continue to collaborate with imperialist exploitation of the continent.

Africa is down on it's knees because the average African politician is an avaricious and corrupt loose cannon ball - aimless, selfish and very cheap to be purchased by any imperialist actor. 

Brother Wole And The Emilokan Dance

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Pardon me, it's Professor Wole Soyinka. Who else? The activist whose blood boiled in 1965 in Ibadan where he invaded a broadcasting station to stop the announcement of the winner of what he considered to be a fraudulent elections. He was 35 years old then. The same man, now an elder statesman in 2023, turned a defender of a more dangerous and sophisticated variety of the undesirable political actors and their malfeasance which Nigeria has been battling to get rid of for nearly sixty years after independence. 

Political corruption was (and still is) so pervasive and glaring that in 1965 brother Wole invaded a radio station and forced the broadcaster at gun point to announce what he thought was the right results. He did not wait for the judges to decide; he took the law into his hands.