Be Different, Make impact!

To whom much is given, much is expected. Nigeria is endowed with a vast amount of resources and talents but still regarded as a third world country as many African countries has been classified. It's been said time without number that our problem started from colonialism. But decades after independence, the blame has shifted slightly from colonialist factor to bad leadership and mismanagement which has continue to thronged and  plague this black beauty. Some have also recognised black power, black magic as one of the many major setbacks the black race is facing.

55 years seems like yesterday, yet seems like we have a long way to go. Individual progress is often not encouraged, much less group development. How can Mr A better at what he does than me is another hindrance to our development. Ms Z is an exceptional employer until she asked for a raise, then she becomes the black sheep.

Trust has become a major issue in every sphere of our lives. He who doesn't inspire trust shouldn't demand it. Trust is meant to be earned not demanded nor commanded. If we don't push for individual progress, how can we attain collective goals. Chopping off your neighbours furniture into pieces doesn't make yours any better.

Some of us are out to make a difference, not just locally but on the global scene as well. And by Allah, we will do so by #any #mean #necessary. Some of us are out to learn a helping hand to others who needs it in other to make this society a greater place for all, and we will stop at nothing, even if it kills us. The major challenge with leadership is, you must be ready to sacrifice personal comfort in other to inspire the desired #change. Inspired that change now, in your family, group, at work. If everybody plays the #Boss, then the confucious theory will be justified.

Dig deep and be the #change you want to see.
Be the best at what you do and don't let anything or anyone make you feel less.
Don't see yourself as an end, be open to ideas. It's one of the ways you can grow.

#ArtHakeemAre #Signatures
#adekscubes

Senator Bukola Saraki stoned during EID prayer

https://youtu.be/0dLLbpXrYlA

WESTERNIZATON vs INDIGENIZATION; SEARCH FOR TRUE IDENTITY???

Western influence and westernization have led to the extinction of indigenous languages and cultures of many societies in the world. Nigerian cultures and native languages have suffered base on the adoption of western language (English) and values. The Chinese people have been a culturally sensitive people and they have done wonderfully well in preserving their language and cultures from going into extinction more than any country in the world. They never assimilate western language in their every day communication and education; unlike the Nigerian society where English language has been adopted as the official language for education and day to day communication. 

Western influence on the developing countries of the world has been an interesting area of study. Many countries especially some of the developing countries have lost their cultural uniqueness and identities due to western –inspired model ways of doing things. Many countries desire to be progressive and successful in order to meet up with the fast changes of modern times; therefore, the desire and fascination for change and transformation are very inevitable.

In Nigeria, westernization is seen as the effects of western invasion and colonization on some native societies of the world which had both positive and negative impacts. Nigerians have been westernized due to their past British colonial influence and leadership which relegated the Nigerian cultures to the background. There have been different levels of western cultural domination and destruction of Nigeria’s local customs yet there were also resistance and modification of the native Nigerian cultures. However, some of the Nigeria’s traditional cultures have gone into extinction as a result of western influence and impacts.

There are some good and bad effects of western influence; and their influence could be traced from Nigerian colonial past. During the colonial era, the British used western education as a tool in cultivating their western religion and cultural hegemony in Nigerians. They oppressed the indigenous natives by subjecting them to western values, so Nigerian natives were forced to accept the superiority of western cultures over their own unique Nigerian culture.

Amongst the good effects of westernization are the abolition of some Nigerian cultures, like the killing of twins, slave trade businesses, the cast system and burying of people alive in the evil forest. Though western influence and British colonial rule had put Nigerian some languages and cultures into extinction; yet they have saved the lives of many people who belonged to the above mentioned categories. 

While i was growing up, i got hold of some fascinating age-long cultures. Some of which i read in the course of my education. Others, i was told by grannies, or elderly ones i was fortunate to meet. One particular story struck me, only years after i had heard it. In past, i was told that traders don't usually/or never stay by their wares. What they do back then was simply display their wares. Then they use either stones or pebbles to indicate the amount of each wares. That whenever any one wants to buy anything, all they need do was look at the amount of stones/pebbles placed beside that particular item to know it's amount. They will then pick the items they wanted and replace it with the money. The owner of the stale comes back much later in the day to take stock of what has been bought, collects the money and restock, then go back home. 

Why this story particularly resonates is that some of these things are still being practiced in some hidden villages. One of such places is Ife in Osun State. I witness this while i was an undergraduate at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. The local farmers often leave the farm produce such as Tomatoes, Peppers, Onions and so on outside and even overnight using a number of stones to indicate the amount.

However, this was only done by the local farmers who sell farm produce.

I think this age-long practice is what gave birth to modern day price tagging we see in supermarket only that this time, you have attendants, with all manner of security gadgets and personnel. Some malls are even so security conscious such that aside paying for the goods you bought in the mall, you have to present your receipt to the security at the exit for clearance.

In the contemporary Nigerian society, western values and influences have affected almost every part of the Nigerian cultures such as:

• Language: Many Nigerian languages have gone into extinction and are no longer in use. English language has been adopted as the official language and has been used in educating Nigerian citizens. Many people in Nigeria are ashamed of speaking their native languages and as result of this; the new generation of Nigerian youths could not speak their languages fluently.

• Weddings and Traditions: Many Nigerians have been converted to Christianity and some do not value their traditional values again as a result of their belief in Christianity. The western wedding has been fashioned by many people in Nigeria as the modern type of wedding and they believe that marriage is not complete without the western type of wedding. So they combine the western and the traditional wedding together.

• Dress Codes: Western fashions and styles have been adopted as a model although some people still wear Nigerian clothes. Western wedding dresses and men’s suites have been adopted for church weddings.

• Buildings: western designs and skylines had been adopted and seen as a model for modernity.

• Music: pop music, acrobatic movements, fashion style, dyed hair etc have been emulated from the western culture and at the same time seen as the real trend of modernity in Nigeria; anybody that is not associated with all these does not belong to the modern generation.

Westernization or western influence has been a persuasive and accelerating force across the globe today. The British and Americans want non-developed societies to adopt western values, industries, technologies, law, politics, lifestyles, languages, diet, alphabets, religion and philosophy to the detriment of their traditional cultures. They simply want these societies to change toward a more westernized society, in the hope of attaining western values. Though they introduced modern facilities, industries, education and technologies, many countries of the world have lost their cultural uniqueness and identities due to western trend of modernity. As a result of this, many indigenous languages and cultures are now on the verge of extinction because of globalization and western influence.

In Nigeria, the citizens have been forced to adopt and be educated using the English language. Also, English language is the official language for learning and every day communication which made some of the Nigerian languages to die off. As a result of this, many traditions and customs are lost to modernization and western influence.

Language plays an integral role in the preservation of our Cultures and Traditions, yet it has become the most vulnerable aspect of education in this part of the world especially with the 21th Century parents. Some parents forbids their children from communicating in their local dialect. They push their kids to only communicate in the English.

Local languages are not properly inserted into the school curriculum. Neither are they given adequate attention. The English Language is given far more importance, and this shows in the amount of different books school invest its resources on. More time is allotted on the Time Table for English and even now, gradually, the education system is beginning to embrace the Francophone language. More time is equally being allotted to these other languages than our indigenous.

Our elders fear the extinction of Cultures and Traditions, majorly our language. The Aged are moving on to answer the inevitable call of nature, going with our ancient wisdoms and knowledge while we, the youth watch on believing our cultural norms and traditions are old school. We only want to catch up with new trends. One then begs the question, What then becomes of our identity in the next Thirty(30) years or say, Fifty(50) years from now?

Written by Abdul Hakeem Adegoke-Are

Akon Launches Solar Academy That Will Supply Electricity to 600,000,000 People in Africa

R&B artist Akon is behind a push to light up homes and streets across Africa with solar power.
Akon Lighting Africa is setting up a ‘Solar Academy’ in Mali so people can learn skills around installing and maintaining solar-powered electricity systems and micro grids.
The academy will have assistance from European solar technicians and experts to supply training programs, equipment and guidance, PV Magazine has reported.

The ALA website says the group has already completed projects in 11 African countries, which provides sustainable energy and local jobs.
The endeavour was launched in 2014 to accelerate the electrification of Africa by installing off-grid solar solutions suited to home and collective use, like street lights.
Senegalese-American artist Akon, famous for songs including “Locked Up” and “Smack That”, started Akon Lighting Africa (ALA) with cofounders Samba Bathily and Thione Niang.
Akon says he lived in Senegal for part of his childhood without any electricity, like many children in Africa.

"I was one of those kids you see running around with no shoes on living in straw huts," Akon told the National Journal last year.
The most recent World Energy Outlook report from the International Energy Agency says two-thirds of people in sub-Saharan Africa live without electricity.

The ALA initiative was recently mentioned at the close of the ‘Sustainable Energy For All’ forum last month, where cofounders explained the idea for the charity – supplying pre-financed solar kits for homes and communities that would be repaid later.
Bringing solar power to homes could benefit people's health, as African homes that do not have electricity often burn kerosene for light.

The World Health Organisation lists kerosene as a toxin and research suggests burning kerosene has negative effects on air quality.
Kerosene is also a contributor to climate change.
The business model of funding small-scale off-grid solar solutions is being used already.
Website and solar financing business SunFunder allows people to ‘invest’ directly in solar projects.
The funding is made available to people who install solar panels and sell solar lamps in African countries, India and other developing nations.
The invested money is returned to investors in full, which they can either withdraw or reinvest in other projects.

The first project was fully repaid to investors in May 2013.
Today, 24 out of 34 projects have been fully repaid.
Currently, the SunFunder website is raising $US31,000 to provide funding for African retailers to sell more than 3000 solar lamps to communities in Zimbabwe.

Beyonce Saw a YouTube Video of This African Group and Flew Them from Africa to Work With Her

Beyonce and the Tofo Tofo Boys

Ever heard the saying

It’s better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one than to have an opportunity and not be prepared.

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No better place to say this than this instance that happened by mere  chance. The odds are mind-boggling. Beyonce saw a video on YouTube of boys dancing in Mozambique.

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In case you don’t know where that country is, Mozambique is in the Southern part of Africa, sharing borders with South Africa, Malawi, tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Beyonce saw a video on YouTube of this dance group from Mozambique called Tofo Tofo Boys, she thought their dance was just right for her new video. She asked choreographers to learn the dance and teach others, but no one seemed to master it well.

They tried and failed until Beyonce decided to get the guys to come over and teach her dancers their now famous dance. There was a problem though, no one knew how to contact them.  Eventually after 4 months the group was found. The rest is history the guys helped and featured on the video for the song. (Who run the world, GIRLS).

Video showing Beyonce’s journey working on  (Who run the world, GIRLS).

 

The lessons to be learnt

If you or you know someone in Africa with a talent but cant seem to find prospects. Do the following.
Keep working on your talent
Do a small video and upload it on YouTube, you will never know who comes across it, you might even make some money in the process from your video.
If all fails keep trying.