Monday, January 31, 2011

Let's Get Talking - Status Republic.

...Omonoba...
Our people say:
Igbo: "Ahapu otele nyuru ahu, ata isi okpo."
Eng: The anus that farted is left alone but the head receives the knock- Igbo proverb.
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Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.


NakedSha.

Friday, January 28, 2011

The African's Religion May be His Curse...

...Omonoba...
Our people say:
Eng: The man who jumps from the ground onto an ant-hill is still on the ground. - Ijaw proverb.
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I thought I would do surveys periodically - say, every Tuesday, or so - for us to discuss issues that pertain directly to us. Honestly, I am glad to bring this 'forum' on here because we need to talk then act. Especially act. Thank you for participating.

I asked the question, 'What Role Does Religion Play in African Countries?'. By religion, I was referring to those outside of the African Traditional Religions and I think every one of us caught up on that.

57.9% of respondents said Many religious Africans are hypocrites.
57.9% of respondents said Africans need to act more than they pray.
15.8% of respondents said If the leaders were more religious, countries will fare better.
10.5% of respondents said A prayerful country is a successful country.
  5.3% of respondents said Religion has nothing to do with development in Africa.
[Note, respondents were allowed to choose more than one option to best describe their opinions]

Have the Church and Sunni/Shia failed us?

Nigeria -let's take her as a case study - is a very prayerful country as a whole. Our people know how to bring down rain and raise the dead. Yet, we have been unable to solve our very basic problems of corruption and division. Perhaps, the fact that we have refused to give up the desire to be right over another plays a big role in our chaotic state of nation. So, what have Nigeria's two biggest religions done for it? When our former president, Umar Musa Yar'Adua was critically ill [we all knew he was in critical condition, but that is story for another day], he sneaked pastors and imams into Aso Rock to pray for him on two occasions. Of course, no African Traditionalist was invited - such religions have been relegated to the background. So, despite the imam(s)' and pastor(s)' prayers (and those of millions of Nigerians), the man died. I must note though that the religious leaders were brought in at the last minute when ALL ELSE (silly lies, strange ambulance visits, hidden medical trips, etc) had failed. So, granted, the prayers could not bring Yar'Adua back to office but it seems like they have solved many things else...including cancer. I have even heard that the prayers of the 'righteous' solved Nigeria's problem of Abacha. Did it?

Despite all of this, the African's religion may be his curse. A blessing and a curse.

I have heard Christians and Muslims alike say, 'when I get into power, I will also chop oh'. So, these days, I do not expect that just because a man or a woman claims to be a born-again, Bible-reading, Church-going, Rosary-counting, Head-covering, Mary Amaka Dress-wearing, Pork-forbidding, Qu'ran-believing religious, they will successfully withstand the wind of corruption. This wind, of this I am at least sure, is strong.

This is not to ignore the men and women who have stood true to the religions of their fathers and fore fathers and have had the decency to admit human-ness. I, for one, do not think many of us understand the religions we profess. If we did, we may have been able to tame our current state of nation.

But, the religions of our colonists have brainwashed us enough that we do not even know for sure what they teach. Perhaps, if a man took time to open the Bible for himself or a woman took time to read the Qu'ran for herself and we all took time to actually pray to a God who is ever-listening, then many of our religious leaders will not be able to swindle us.

Our leaders (both political and religious) know our weakness and boy, have they used it against us!

And to the African Traditional Religious, I learn from you that the world is ever alive. If  I cannot be trusted with a piece of land or a herd of cattle - to tend to it and be caretaker of it -, then woe betide me if a 'mansion planted on streets of gold' be given to me.

Blessings,
NakedSha...

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Let's Get Talking - Religion in Africa.

Your anonymous responses will be discussed in a later post.

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Wasting Precious Cares...

...Omonoba...
Our people say:
Eng: The world is like a dancing masquerade. If you want to see it well, you do not stand is one place. - Ijaw Proverb.
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 Thank you very much to the beautiful bloggers who recognized me on their blogs for one reason or the other. I appreciate it. Bless...

It has been a long time since this blog had a piece of literature form my humble self. Here goes some'n:

I see threads being woven; they
allow the needles guide them.
I watch blobs of colour; they
recognize the painter’s prowess.
Yet goosebumps defy my skin
In anxious cycles,
I worry for things beyond me.
My eyes reject sleep
and my thoughts run wild
until the cockerel crows:
‘the day may become longer’
‘rocks may become softer’.
But whatever may shine, may,
whatever will bloom, will.
Beyond this scape, I am disabled.
I can only hope for peace and love,
and a smooth journey
like fresh, rich beer
or the albatross’ glide.
And for these, at least, I dream
while I wire my engines wisely
and drive.
Spending precious cares
on things within my control.


God Bless You All,
NakedSha

Do not forget to visit: The Discussion: If You Do Not Swing With Monkeys.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

All roads lead to Daytona Beach, Florida!

...Omonoba...
Our People Say:
Eng: Do not scratch the itching eye with what you scratch the ear. - Igbo Proverb. 
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Hello Beautiful people,

The time has come again - the 2nd Annual National African Students'Association Conference is here. Natl. ASA is a phenomenal organization, growing dynamically and mobilizing students, friends, youth, etc of Africa for action within and beyond African communities.

                               Cross Section of Delegates.                  CU Boulder Students


Registration is now OPEN! This year's conference is hosted by Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Dayton Beach, FL., from the 18th - 20th of March, 2011. Grab your school's A.S.A, grab your friends (or come by yourself) and get registered!!!


I attended the inaugural conference last year in Atlanta, Georgia and the experience was worthwhile. We built many solid friendships and networks which are still alive and thriving till this day and from the keynote speaker to the dance parties to the food to the workshops; everything was great. This year promises to be even better.

Join the Facebook page
Follow Natl. ASA on Twitter
Find pictures of last year's conference on Jaguda.

{MJV Photography}

This is not just ANY gathering of African peoples, this is a down-to-earth, fun-filled, dynamic, empowering conference. I'll be looking out for every single one of you!

Blessings,
NakedSha

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

The TISB Award.

...Omonoba...
Our People Say:
Yoruba: Aláràjẹ ò mọ ọdún; a-biṣu-úta-bí-igi.
English: He who purchases the food he eats cares not what the season is; his yams always flourish like trees. - Yoruba proverb.
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Griptime mentioned me on his blog and presented me with The Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award (TISB). Thank you, Griptime...It is interesting how the proverbs on here have taken over this blog.

So, I am expected to mention five guilty pleasures. I don't know if I have five things that I enjoy doing while feeling guilty, PER SE, but still, I have mentioned several things I like here before so there's no need to repeat.

Do not forget to pay a visit to the forum, http://burntbottompot.lefora.com/. Many more topics are coming  out soon.

I finished reading, Icarus Girl by Helen Oyeyemi. I liked this book a lot. Infact, I would recommend it. It was easy to read and she used very simplistic instances and sentences to tell her story. It was a good read.
{HAVE A BLESSED SEMESTER, LOVELY PEOPLE.}
I pass this on to:
Sugabelly (madam, abeg keep your art fingers up. I really like them),
Naijalines (I like your writing style a lot. And what you write about),
Nitty-Gritty (I do not always agree with you but there is always something I do agree with. I like your rants and tales),etc.
I also pass this on to ALL MY READERS. Go ahead an do it. 

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

...for as long as the sea has salt.

...Omonoba...
Our people say:
Yoruba: Ẹní léku méjì á pòfo.
English: Whoever chases after two rats will catch neither. - Yoruba proverb.

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{Straight Line}
[Remember this post, this is the same thread roll from then...it has indeed lasted]

{Solitude}

{Food Circles (onion rings, boiling)}


              {"Mekops"}        

"Let me find beauty in even the bare breeze, for as long as the sea has salt. Inshallah, Amen. " - NakedSha

NakedSha.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Inside my head {1}

...Omonoba...
Our people say:
"Arugbo Ojo, Iwo laseda, lameda, laweda o. Iwo loni ogo, loni ola...Arugbo Ojo."
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* The stories that I want to tell but cannot arrange, torment me. Is there another language but speech and written words? Should I dance out my stories as they are in my head? This dance will be scattered.

* I have not learned how to ache properly. "Brittle" and I share a trait.

* Many things will die with me like my quest to read the charms of the juju man.

* You can get into my head because I think simple. But men and women like to think too deep. So, they read my thoughts and pass them as thoughts of sheep.

* I would like the red mud mixture that the indigenous women of the Himba ethnic group of Opuwo, Namibia use on their skin.

* My greatest inspiration remains the plain, white wall. I have found countless stories staring at it.

* I am like Kirikou.

* Arugbo Ojo, Iwo laseda, lameda, laweda o. Iwo loni ogo, loni ola...Arugbo Ojo.

* If I pass before I bear a child, wear white. If I pass after I bear a child, wear Polka Dot.

NOW READING:

{* How I want to be more and more like Jesus. That is faith, not religion.}

NakedSha.

Saturday, January 1, 2011

If You Do Not Swing With Monkeys...

...Omonoba...
Our people say:
Yoruba: Ìkòkò kì í ṣelé ìgbín; ṣe ló dè ìgbín mọ́lẹ̀.
English: The pot is no shelter for the snail; all it does is trap the snail. - Yoruba Proverb

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Happy New Year, my blessed people. I wish everyone a fantastic new year. So with a new year, comes new, wonderful things.

I have started a forum here on Lefora. The name of the forum is 'If You Do Not Swing With Monkeys...'.It takes about 20 seconds to join the forum, post responses to topics or even start your own. We cannot afford to sit down and complain when we can all discuss, team up and solve issues. It is open to the public and anyone can read. I would really love to see you all there, reading, posting, learning and making useful, fun, lively contributions. We as African Youth need to have our say. We need to have productive discussions and then act accordingly.

This blog will run as usual.

Without all my silent readers, comment leavers, followers, promoters, supporters, critics, etc, this blog will be a forgotten story. I cannot thank you all enough and I pray that the year 2011 will be a prosperous one and we will work together for our home.

God Bless you,
My name is NakedSha.