IGBEYAWO !-YORUBA WEDDING!-You TOO-BLACKamerikkkans MUSTSTART HAVING AFRICAN Wedding. Instead of Copying the slavemasters weddings!

YESIDE ati AJIBOLA O!
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IFA DEFENDED AGAINST IGNORANCE BY THE EDUCATED YORUBA ELITE!-FROM THE OSUN DEFENDER NEWSPAPER,NIGERIA

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• / Friday, May 24, 2013

THE STUDY OF IFA IN OSUN SCHOOLS; A PATH TO REAL DEVELOPMENT

One feels compelled to write this piece on the recent announcement by the government of the State of Osun on the introduction of the study of Ifa religion in all its schools. While no time should be wasted in congratulating the government led by the visionary Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on this courageous and needful step, a conscious attempt must also be made to educate those who may be genuinely regarded as ignorant on the socio-legal imperative of permitting a pan Yoruba ethos play a pivotal role in the development of a society. All efforts made at raising the level of development must be anchored on this all-embracing substratum. As for the mischievous and the proselytising hypocrites, commercial religionists with vast business empires which thrive on the very objects of deceptive public excoriation, we must hasten to allay their fears that this novel but necessary introduction will not affect the enterprise of “miraculous healing” and the promise of prosperity in a land already devastated by political locusts.
A multi cultural milieu, such as Nigeria, must recognise and accept the reality of ethno-religious pluralism and the attendant divergence to promote equity, fairness and justice among the ethnic nationalities and groups, the necessary conditions for amity, peaceful co-existence and realistic aspirations towards growth. This is the irreducible minimum below which no group should be subjected. The omniscient posture adopted by the adherents of the so called prominent religions, Christianity and Islam, exposes abysmal ignorance on the essence of other indigenous religions and explains why intolerance adorns an official garb in various shades. This combative attitude is also symptomatic of a post-colonial society still reeling from the debilitating effects of foreign subjugation in all ramifications.
The dubious and ostentatious display of piety by these self-appointed men of God, on one hand, and their obscene materialistic disposition, is more than sufficient to cause a serious study into the misfortune of a society in decline. We leave this interesting topic for another time. For now it suffices to assert that this present move by the government is the most significant since independence. If development is about the people, then it should be taken as given that understanding the ways of life of all who live in the society is a sine qua non to planning. The challenges faced by various categories of people compel introspection and determination which will ultimately lead to progress. Professional politicians, deprived of patronage for two years now in the State of Osun, considered the source of the people of the south western part of the country, will also stop at nothing to confuse the people who have been dispossessed over the years.
If our children are made to study foreign religions and some even get higher degrees, including PhDs, knowing other peoples’ cultures, then it is rather salutary that a government is considering making the study of Ifa religion an option in the school curriculum in the State of Osun, albeit belatedly. Nigeria is a place where elites take pride on being proficient speaking and writing other people’s languages. We crave advancement depending solely on the cultural ethos of other lands. Our claims to decency are often predicated on the fact of our adherence to the precepts of either of these foreign religions. We are nurtured to imbibe the customs and traditions of those who treated our ancestors with utter contempt. We grew to hate what is truly ours. We receive awards aping the ways of life of other lands. What belongs to us is despised and treated with unimaginable derision. Our cultures are subjected to foreign prisms in determining their acceptability.
It is expected that deluded beings, who either believe genuinely in the myth of superiority of these imposed sub-sets, products of the perceptions of other peoples on natural phenomena observable within their societies, will join issues with this truly progressive leader of the people. What we must, however, eschew is silence which suggests connivance at the unwarranted attacks on the dynamic governor who has turned the fortunes of the state around positively with the little resources at his disposal. Nuhu Ribadu, a man not known to suffer fools gladly, just attested to the sterling qualities of this exceptional character. Several other people have been commenting on this ascetic being whose energy belies his physical stature.
Religion was central to the development of ancient Egyptian civilization. The challenges faced by the Egyptians compelled them to look for solutions in the spiritual realm. Disasters, prominent among which was the constant inundation of the Nile were considered as sanctions from the celestial beings. These ancient people used their belief in life after life and the existence of a supernatural being, Ra, whose decisions were unquestionable, to interact with their natural environment. The modern world is the direct beneficiary of the legacies of their fecund minds. Their children were nurtured on the nuggets of beliefs which propelled keen observation of natural phenomena. This attitude gave provenance to the unparalleled scientific discoveries for which the Egyptians are still widely acknowledged.
The originality of the thought process ensured that all nations in the ancient world looked up to it. Greece became the greatest beneficiary of this unique ancient civilization and, by necessary implication, the western world in the modern sense of the expression. What the average hypocritical and ignorant Nigerian will regard as superstitious and sinful formed the basis upon which his faith predicated on this imported religion is established. The judicial system of the ancient Egyptians was an aggregate of their socio-cultural values. These were contained in the curricula of the schools at various levels of learning.
The Chinese also developed their civilization independent of other existing ones relying heavily on their cultural values. China today is an exemplar in advancement because it has never allowed any undue influence on her socio-political system built on oriental values. This country stands out today as a bulwark of inspiration when most western nations are grappling with issues of survival occasioned by debilitating economic circumstances. A Chinese child will never look up to the west for socio-economic redemption. The child believes that his/her language is the best and only learns other foreign languages to derive advantage in a competitive world. He/She does not in any way feel inferior to the western child. The state has no official religion yet the Chinese child is not precluded from studying any subject of interest.
American students now come to Nigeria to study specific aspects of our much despised culture. They speak impeccable Yoruba, Hausa or Igbo, among other Nigerian languages. That is not a challenge to them at all. They are keen researchers on the mysteries of our ancestral past. They come to study Egungun cult, the talking drum and its significance in information dissemination, cultural values as encapsulated in the Odu Ifa corpus, among others. They become initiates of the Ifa religion which ignorant and ill-educated Africans denigrate. The tragedy of the whole scenario is that they are now in a position to educate us on our past. While we struggle to ape the Europeans, Americans and Arabs, we have become alienated from our origin. Nothing from us is good except it is subjected to western approval. So deracinated and uprooted from our origin have they become that fanatical members of some families openly destroy artifacts and other valuable vestiges of the glorious epoch when crass mercantilism had no impact on the psyche of the people.
Traditional rulers are the most pitiable characters of these tragic-comic elements. Some of them employed all manner of under hand methods to subvert the process of selection to become deluded kings in a republic. Once they ascend the so called throne of their fore-fathers they soon discover that their past was sinful. In their hypocritical exhibition of vacuous devotion, they destroy shrines and shun religious rites which justify their anachronistic existence in the first place. They invite commercial pastors to come and preach to their so called subjects to do away with the traditional ways. These religious businessmen in turn flaunt these clowns as trophies won in the battle to civilise the natives. They denigrate the very essence of their sustenance as custodians of the people’s customs and tradition.
They cherish the flowing three-piece traditional attire and the complementary pony tail, veritable emblems of indulgence and vanity. And just as their forbears collaborated with slave traders, commercial precursors of the proselytising hypocrites to raid villages and hamlets for slaves, they too are willing participants in the pillaging of the resources of the state at the local government level. Very few of them deserve attention in the midst of decent people.
Granted that the retrogressive position held on indigenous religions is correct, does it not make sense that our children are trained to know why their ancestral past must be condemned? We have fed generations of Nigerians, nay Africans, on foreign diets before independence through post colonial period to the present time. The ultimate ambition of an average child is to be white in everything. Is it not ironic that at a time when the western world looks towards African for cultural renaissance our people strive unabashedly to cast aside everything which reminds them of their beginnings?
Adherents of African traditional religions have been discriminated against over the years. The Nigerian experience has been heart-corroding. Supposedly educated religionists jettison family names which remind them of “pagan” practices. They adopt scriptural names of other cultures alien to the continent without understanding their significance. Thus we see funny names such as “Olugbemi” in place of “Fagbemi”. Jesus, which is a very common name among the Jews, is affixed to praise names to depict piety. What ignorance!
The new policy on education in the State of Osun will afford our children the opportunity to know that the difference you find in all religions of the world is in the practice. Doctrinal issues have now subsumed the didactic and edifying aspects of religion. In Nigeria economic consideration far out-weighs the sincere quest for spiritual regeneration. The Osun example has exposed the lie peddled by people who exploit religion for selfish purposes. Our children must be allowed to know something about what they are called upon to hate. They should be able to decide if there is any remarkable difference between the promoted religions and the message in the Ifa corpus. Students whose parents are adherents of Ifa religion must also be allowed to study their faith in an ambience devoid of discrimination and intolerance. Virtues such as continence, loyalty, honesty, piety, civic responsibility, devotion to parents and elders, humility, among others, are embedded in Ifa. Any child who has the good fortune of being nurtured on this unadulterated teaching will be useful to himself and the community at large. The hypocritical posture of politicians on this policy must be condemned.
Our children must be allowed to understand, for instance, that Esu, the perfect trickster with a dual personality is not Satan or Lucifer, the arch angel in the Christian pantheon of the gods. When our children hear names such as Esubiyi, Esugbayi or Esuronmbi, the ready connotation in their minds is the devil of the Bible or the Quran. They cannot fathom why anyone who is not insane will bear such names in the society. Beyond names, certain virtues are considered the exclusive preserve of the established religions. Experience has, however, shown that there is a wide gulf between mere avowal and the actual deeds of those who profess piety.
The very first lesson to the Ifa devotees is on contentment as against complacency.
“Ohun enu ri ni enu nje,
adifa fun igbin ti o je erupe la”.”
The mouth is satisfied with whatever comes as food just as the snail relishes in the nutrients of the soil.” There are fables of the adventures of Orunmila or Obatala which are also didactic. The treacherous deeds of the bush rat, Okete and Osanyin, are replete in the Ifa corpus. The consequences of unfaithful deeds are taught with the fables of these mythical characters. Temperance is a virtue of the gods and any mortal lucky enough to be endowed with this special gift will experience peace which is beyond the understanding of man. A man’s character determines how successful he will be on earth. The story of “Iwa” teaches us that one of the greatest gifts bequeathed by the gods to man is the ability to do what is right.
I had the rare privilege of listening to Professor Olu longe who informed most of us who were ignorant of the invaluable contribution of the Ifa religion to the Yoruba accounting system. The basis of the computer is the Odu. The first 8 in 2 places making 16 multiplied by 16 making 256 to infinity is the principle upon which the operation of the computer is based. Whoever insists that our children do not deserve to know this fact is not only ignorant but wicked. I enthusiastically recommend the eminent professor’s lecture, “Irapada Onka Isembaye wa ni ile Yoruba”, to those who may not know that such as the ancient Egyptian religion, the Ifa corpus contains aspects of science, mathematics, accounting, medicine and ethics. It is most unlikely that any child properly nurtured on these pristine values can ever grow to become a burden to the society.
The government of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is among the very few that can be regarded as focused. All good people must come together to encourage this exceptional leader who has displayed rare administrative acumen amidst the daunting challenges faced by him since he assumed office as the governor. Other ACN governors should follow the good example of this diminutive man who has taken giant strides in ensuring real development in a state once ravaged by locusts.
Doyin Odebowale, PhD, LLB (Hons), BL.
Lecturer, Department of Classics, University of Ibadan.

AFRICAN SCIENCE IS IFA!- WE MUST GO BACK TO OUR CULTURE AND BUILD ON IT TO OVERCOME ALL THE PROBLEMS THAT COLONIALISM HAS PRODUCED AND TO ADVANCE WE WILL!-GREAT GOMINA RAUF AREGBESOLA HAS STARTED IT IN THE STATE OF OSUN-BACK TO YORUBA CULTURE!-FROM THE SUN NEWSPAPER,NIGERIA

Osun students to study Ifa – Aregbesola

Our Reporter January 3, 2013 -FROM THE SUN NEWSPAPER,NIGERIA

…Says computer tablet has application for Ifa studies
From BAMIGBOLA GBOLAGUNTE, Osogbo
The Osun State Government has announced a comprehensive plan for the state’s secondary school students to study Ifa as one of their subjects.
The state Governor, Ogbeni Raufu Aregbesola, said the schools’ computer tablet had application for Ifa studies.
Aregbesola made the relevation yesterday during the special prayers session to usher in the New Year, organized with clerics from all religions praying for the peace and growth of the state.
Clerics who offered special prayers for the state included the President General, League of Imams and Alfas in the South-West, Alhaji Mustapha Ajisafe; the Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the state, Evangelist Abraham Aladeseye; and frontline Ifa priest, Chief Ifayemi Elebuibon, among others.
The special prayer affected official functions in the state secretariat and other government offices, as top civil servants across all parastatal agencies graced the occasion held in the premises of the Bola Ige House, state secretariat, Abere, Osogbo.
Bishop of Osogbo Diocese of the Methodist Church, Bishop John Bamigboye, advised the government to compensate those whose property were demolished as a result of the ongoing road dualization in the state.
Bamigboye enjoined the government to return Christian and Islamic Religious Studies to all primary and secondary schools in the state.
Governor Aregbesola, in his remarks at the ceremony, declared that 2013 would be a year of total freedom for the state, stressing that the year would be for the people of the state a year of total turn-around and liberty.
According to the governor, the government’s major desire for the state in 2013 is to ensure the fulfillment of the desires of the state’s founding fathers, stressing: “Osun State will be freed in 2013 from hunger, mystery, poverty and under-development.”
He said his government has paid over N600 million as compensation to owners of demolished structures, even as he assured that those who were yet to receive their compensation would get theirs soon.
Aregbesola also disclosed that his government had returned religious studies to all public primary and secondary schools in the state, adding that the free computer tablet tagged ‘opon Imon’, which the government would present to secondary school students had an application for Ifa studies.
He also prayed for peace and development of the state in 2013 and urged all the people to support his government and the country with prayers, saying: “Nigeria needs prayers for an end to come to the security problem confronting the northern part of the country.”
Aregbesola added that his desire for the year was to make the state the envy of other states in the country, saying he had come to the state to do the works of God.

OMO YORUBA-KILO DE?-SHOW US REAL AWOLOWO QUALITIES-NOT THIS NONSENSE!-OWU O!

"KAKA K EKU MA JE SESE S AWADANU!


(THE RAT SCATTERS SESE(A BEAN SEED) if IT IS PREVENTED FROM EATING IT!)

YORUBA PROVERB!



FROM PUNCHONLINE.COM

Aketi and Oke incur additional deficits

May 7, 2013 by Niyi Akinnaso (niyi@comcast.net) 16 Comments





Anyone who has been following Ondo politics would have observed that the Action Congress of Nigeria and the Peoples Democratic Party entered last year’s governorship race with different motives. The ACN wanted to “capture” Ondo State by all means, while the PDP was anxious to regain power, which it lost to the Labour Party in 2007. In the course of the campaign, however, the media focus was on the ACN, partly because of the large number of aspirants; partly because of the externalisation of the process beyond Ondo State; partly because of the visible role of the National Leader of the ACN, Bola Tinubu; and partly because of the various tactics employed during the campaign, including negative propaganda.



However, after investing substantial human, financial, material, and political capital in the October 20, 2012, governorship election, Jagaban returned to Lagos empty-handed (The PUNCH, October 22, 2012). I did not write that piece to deride my friend, Tinubu. As the ACN’s National Leader, he should encourage his political party to participate in elections throughout the country. My grouse was with the tactics used by the ACN, particularly the location of the planning and logistics of the Ondo election in Lagos and Osogbo and the massive negative propaganda which defied decorum and truth.



You would have thought that, having lost the election, Tinubu would have advised his political party to desist from making additional investments in a lost battle. Why, you would ask, would the ACN candidate, Rotimi Akeredolu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, go to court to challenge an election that was universally adjudged to be free, fair, and peaceful? Why challenge the victory of the Labour Party candidate, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, given the overwhelming evidence in his favour?



Unfortunately, however, Jagaban, Aketi, and the ACN decided to behave like Kurunmi in Ola Rotimi’s play of that title, in which Brother Tortoise’s futile adventure was used to illustrate the tragic irony of Kurunmi’s engagement in a war he should not have fought. In his blind anxiety to disgrace the Alaafin and the Ibadan Lords, Kurunmi likened his enemies to Brother Tortoise as he derided them: “When Tortoise is heading for a senseless journey, and you say to him, Brother Tortoise, when will you be wise and come back? Tortoise will say… Not until I have been disgraced”. As it turned out, however, it was Kurunmi himself who was disgraced as his army was soundly defeated.



In further pursuit of their attempt to “capture” Ondo at all cost and perhaps “teach Mimiko a lesson”, Jagaban, Aketi, and the ACN headed for The Election Petitions Tribunal after Mimiko was officially declared as the winner of the October 20, 2012, governorship election. It is quite understandable why the electoral defeat was painful for them. On the one hand, Akeredolu would have loved to become the Governor of Ondo possibly in order to atone for his controversial services as the state’s Attorney General during the ignoble Abacha regime, when Akeredolu participated in the universally condemned arrest of Pa Adekunle Ajasin, his townsman and the first civilian Governor of Ondo State, for his leadership role in NADECO.



On the other hand, Jagaban, would have loved to add Ondo to his ACN empire in the South-West, perhaps in order to use the entire region as a bargaining chip in the 2015 presidential election. There are even speculations that he also wanted Ondo for its mineral and agricultural resources. His election campaign speeches, especially during the so-called Redemption Rally held at the Akure Democracy Park a few days before the election, also indicated that he wanted to settle scores with the governor for not crossing over to the ACN, despite his (Tinubu’s) “assistance” during the mandate fight in 2007.



However, as in Kurunmi’s case, disgrace came again when the three-member Tribunal, led by Justice Andovar Kaaka’an, dismissed the petitions of the ACN and the Peoples Democratic Party in succession on Friday, May 3, 2013. The senselessness of the petitions is evident in the grounds for their dismissal. For example, many of the petitioners’ witnesses, who testified before the Tribunal, did not actually witness the alleged acts but relied on what the judge described as “bundles of primary and secondary hearsay”, which is not admissible in law. Moreover, the testimonies of the petitioners’ witnesses were said to be full of contradictions and at variance with the pleadings in the petitions, which made the testimonies unreliable. The judge added,“No single witness testified that he or she did not vote or that the votes were taken away to unauthorised places after the election while no police report, which indicated violence during the election, was tendered by any of the parties”.



In a unanimous ruling, the Tribunal concluded that the petitioners failed to prove that their complaints substantially affected the outcome of the election. It added that the petitioners also failed to show that they would have won the election or that Mimiko would not have won it. A careful reading of the judgment shows that the Kaak’an-led Tribunal further enhances the credibility of the court as a desirable arbiter of electoral disputes.



The petitions and the Tribunal’s judgment raise important questions. First, why would electoral losers file petitions, when it was clear that they had no evidence to prove “beyond reasonable doubt” that they would have won the election or their opponent should have lost it? This question is the more important when it is recalled that the candidates for both the ACN and PDP in the Ondo case are lawyers. There are two possible answers: Either they are still desperate to win or they want to prevent the governor from concentrating on the business of governance. The latter point reminds one of a Yoruba saying, Kaka k’eku ma je sese, a fi s’awadanu (The rat scatters sese (a bean variety), if it is prevented from eating it).



This leads to an even more fundamental problem, namely, the abuse of the judicial process. True, it is the legitimate right of the ACN and PDP candidates to go to court to seek redress, if they were truly aggrieved. However, it is a waste of time, money, and other resources to file petitions against an election that was well acknowledged by local and foreign observers as free, fair, and peaceful. Why conjure violence in a petition, when there were neither police reports nor eyewitness accounts of violence anywhere during the election? Where do we draw the line between a peaceful and a violent election or between a good and a bad election?



I raise these questions because the time has come when candidates should begin to accept electoral defeat with equanimity, as in Ghana and South Africa. Otherwise, we would normalise the practice of petitioning every election, no matter the quality of the electoral process and the sanctity of the outcome. Besides, if Aketi and Oke keep pursuing an election they lost badly at the polls and in court, what would they have done if they lost as incumbents? The state probably would have been confronted with a Laurent Gbagbo situation. On the basis of the present evidence and the Tribunal’s careful ruling, this matter should be regarded as closed

COMING TO AMERICA WITH EDDIE MURPHY IN THE GREAT YORUBA LANGUAGE!

COMING TO AMERICA MOVIE WITH EDDIE MURPHY IN YORUBA LANGUAGE!


by Yeye Akilimali Funua Olade



COMING TO AMERICA IN THE GREAT YORUBA LANGUAGE!

OUR BLACK SKINNED BEAUTY GAbOUREY SIDIBE IS BREAKING the /skinny/white/girl/standard/of/beauty/glass/ceiling INTO PIECES!

Gabourey Sidibe on 'American Horror Story' role: "I hope I don't die"

Published Thursday, May 2 2013, 4:18pm EDT  |  By Justin Harp  | 




Gabourey Sidibe has expressed excitement about joining the cast of American Horror Story.

Creator Ryan Murphy's third American Horror Story season will be subtitled Coven and is to explore supernatural forces and witchcraft.




Sidibe reacted to her casting on the FX series while speaking to E! News, revealing that she has loved the show's previous seasons.

"I'm so excited and I could not wait to tell the world because it's one of my favorite shows," she beamed.

The Academy Award nominee was also quizzed on details about the upcoming season.

"I know nothing," she insisted. "The news just sort of came in two weeks ago... I have not seen a script at all. I know it shoots in New Orleans."

Sidibe then joked: "I hope I don't die!"

The third season of American Horror Story will also feature Jessica Lange, Lily Rabe, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Frances Conroy, Taissa Farmiga and Kathy Bates in the cast.

American Horror Story: Coven premieres in October 2013.


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618_showbiz_gabourey_sidibe.jpg

Gabourey Sidibe on 'American Horror Story' role: "I hope I don't die"

Published Thursday, May 2 2013, 4:18pm EDT  |  By Justin Harp  | 




Gabourey Sidibe has expressed excitement about joining the cast of American Horror Story.

Creator Ryan Murphy's third American Horror Story season will be subtitled Coven and is to explore supernatural forces and witchcraft.




Sidibe reacted to her casting on the FX series while speaking to E! News, revealing that she has loved the show's previous seasons.

"I'm so excited and I could not wait to tell the world because it's one of my favorite shows," she beamed.

The Academy Award nominee was also quizzed on details about the upcoming season.

"I know nothing," she insisted. "The news just sort of came in two weeks ago... I have not seen a script at all. I know it shoots in New Orleans."

Sidibe then joked: "I hope I don't die!"

The third season of American Horror Story will also feature Jessica Lange, Lily Rabe, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Frances Conroy, Taissa Farmiga and Kathy Bates in the cast.

American Horror Story: Coven premieres in October 2013.


.
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN

Gabourey Sidibe-OUR BLACK SKINNED BEAUTY- Joins ‘American Horror Story: Coven’ Cast!justjared.com

Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN

BLACK AMERIKKKAN POLYGAMY! --THIS RAPPER WITH the 10 MOTHERS of his 11 Children!

Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN

MICHAEL JACKSON AS HE Was as a BLACK MAN! With MUHAMMED ALI and ONE OF HIS 4 WIVES! -BLEACH LIKE MICHAEL JACKSON AND BECOME A MONSTER! -BLEACH AND DIE!

Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN

EEWO ! -This white girl is FIGHTING To SAVE Yoruba LANGAGE/CULTURE-what are YOU doIng OMO YORUBA? -She is smart enough to know too that ORISA are not gods but Messengers from God like Jesu ati Muhammad!

From thenationonline.com
Nigeria is a better place than its image outside

by: GBENGA ADERANTI

April 27, 2013
FROM The Nation Newspaper
in Saturday Magazine

Dr. Paula Gomes is the only white face in the palace of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi 111. Fast-pacing, quick-talking Gomes first visited Oyo 20 years ago; and ever since, she has been going and coming to the ancient town. Recently, the Alaafin of Oyo noticed her interest in the culture of Yoruba people and the monarch honoured her by making her his Cultural Ambassador. In this interview with GBENGA ADERANTI, this Portuguese shares her experience in Oyo in the last 20 years and why she has embarked on a crusade to preserve Yoruba culture. Excerpts:

 

What do you really do for Alaafin?

I'm the Culture Ambassador for Alaafin.

How did you meet Alaafin?

My first contact with Alaafin actually was the beginning of last year, but I have been in Oyo already for a while, coming and going.

What were you doing in Oyo before now?

I came to Oyo because of the culture. I used to come to Nigeria while I was a student of History about 20 years ago. I know Yoruba land though I cannot say very well but quite well; 20 years ago was the first time I came to Oyo and I thought there was no more culture in Oyo. When you talk about culture, culture is in everything, food, literature, the way you dress. All this time while I was a student, I always shuttled between Osogbo and Oyo. With time and mixing together with people, I saw that a lot of cultures came from the ancient town of Oyo Ile. That is why I actually came to Oyo to make more research on it.

Does that mean you are leaving Oyo after the completion of your research?

No, I'm not going to leave, I'm just telling you that while I was a student, I used to come to do research and after that I came to Oyo not on my private interest to know more but because Oyo had nothing to offer more about their own culture. If you go back to the history, you will know that Oyo Empire dominated all the kingdoms in Yorubaland and you as well know that it was when Alaafin Sango was a very strong king ruling, actually during the 7th or 8th century, that the influence of Oyo Empire in Yorubaland was massive. And much of the culture in our day not only in Yorubaland but also in the Diaspora, everything was connected to Sango. That was why I came here to know more about him and like I said, I have been around for four years. There is a lot here to be preserved because that is the history of a ethnic group that has survived outside and is really appreciated.

In Europe nowadays, we are looking for the ancient culture that has something to give to the humanity because what we are expecting from life is to live long and to live long with quality, you can have a good car, you can have lots of money but if your body is not in the equilibrium, if you die young, what is the essence of life? Life is long life with quality and quality means first of all, your body has to be strong, has to be healthy and the philosophy and the knowledge of the Yoruba is like the philosophy and culture from India and China.

Acupuncture from India is based on lots of ancient culture, they are very similar to Yoruba culture. What we are looking for is that deep knowledge of Yoruba which they have about the nature, that you can find the equilibrium between the body and the spirit, because Yoruba believe that there is one God who is called Olodumare. Then this Creator has created, and when He created the earth, He sent the energies to the earth which are divided into four elements and these are known all over the world: water, you cannot live without water; air, you cannot live without air, that is oxygen; fire and earth.

These are the four elements that the Yoruba people believe and if you go to other ancient cultures, all of them are the same. They are all talking the same language. So the Yoruba people like to personify those energies like other ancient cultures and they believe that if the body, which is the aye; the material life which is also aye and the spiritual life, which is orisa. Orisa is not God; orisa is what you cannot see, it is invisible. You have the visible world which is aye and the invisible world which is orisa, people used to think that orisa is another God, it is not. It is not the correct translation because when you say orisa sango, orisa osun, all the 401 orisa are the invisible power of the nature. They are everywhere in the world. You cannot live without water, you cannot live without air, so people should be very careful when they translate.

We don't say Olodumare Sango, Olodumare Osun . When you have the equilibrium of the invisible world, aye and not visible world, orisa, you have what you need to live, you have ase, you have power; it is very simple. These people have philosophy, these people have a very strong knowledge which is given through Ifa. It is an oral history coming from very ancient times like all the other ancient cultures, and these need to be preserved. That is why I'm here, to try in my own capacity to show the Yoruba people that they are very valuable.

How vast are you in Yoruba language?

Mo ti gbo die die, sugbon Yoruba ko rorun (I understand smattering Yoruba, but it is not easy).

How old are you now?

Normally you should not ask a lady how old she is.

You should be…..

(Cuts in) I will not tell you.

What about your family?

I have my family, like I said, I go and come back but I have been here for two years without going home.

I'm talking about your husband and children?

Well, I will not like to go to my private life; you know that is very private. I will just like to talk generally; I will not like to say anything about my private life.

Some people spell your name Gomez why is yours Gomes?

My name is a Portuguese name, it ends with an 's' it is Portuguese but if it is 'z', it is Spanish.

Have you read anything about Suzanne Wenger?

Yes, I know her very well. Like I said, I've been coming for 20 years, I used to be in Osogbo, so I knew Suzan Wenger very well. Actually I can say that she was and she is an inspiration for me because she really tried for Osogbo and Osun State, especially Osogbo. Today, what is there, people should be very grateful because if not for her who fought for it, it would have gone long time ago. She really preserved what people who said were the bush, the history of Osun Osogbo. Every people has its own history. People are crazy to travel abroad to go and see our culture, let me tell you, you have to appreciate your culture as well because we preserve our culture, so you have to preserve your culture as well. That is what I'm trying to do. I know Suzanne very well.

Don't you sometimes feel you are going Suzanne Wenger's line?

Look, I'm not Suzanne, I don't want to follow Suzanne's line, I want to follow my inside. I want to follow what my inside says. Suzanne did what her inside said; me, I'm doing what my inside tells me. So I can never be Suzanne because each individual is unique and special, so I don't want to imitate Suzanne and I don't want to be Suzanne. Do you understand me? Suzanne is Suzanne. She was a great person that I have in my heart; I only follow what my inside tells me, so I can never be Suzanne because if I try to be Suzanne, I'm not myself. I'm just doing what I feel is correct to do. I'm not an artist, Suzanne was an artist so I can never try to be an artist but I have passion for this culture because I believe it can give a lot to humanity; the way India people and Chinese people are, they are already giving to the humanity.

I believe that Yoruba people can give as well but for that to happen, Yoruba must be proud of themselves and they are not, they are losing their own identity, the Indian people are not like that, they preserve their culture and they are proud of it. Chinese people, they are proud of their culture. They teach their own children to continue and today, if you go to Europe, if you're a VIP, instead of you to go to hospital, you go for alternative medicine. Because we got to a point that we realised that all the chemical medicine you take will cure one part and destroy the other part.

Actually what you want in life is to live long, it is through the natural thing that your body can stay longer, do you understand? People want to go to Europe, people want to go to America, what kind of life do we live? A lot of people are dying too young through heart attack; the life we live is to go to work and come back home. You know we are an old continent but now we are turning the thing around. We want to go back to what we don't have anymore; we want to eat bio-ecological, we are tired of plastic food because of cancer.

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EEWO ! -This white girl is FIGHTING To SAVE Yoruba LANGAGE/CULTURE-what are YOU doIng OMO YORUBA? -She is smart enough to know too that ORISA are not gods but Messengers from God like Jesu ati Muhammad!

by: GBENGA ADERANTI

April 27, 2013
FROM The


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EEWO ! -This white girl is FIGHTING To SAVE Yoruba LANGAGE/CULTURE-what are YOU doIng OMO YORUBA? -She is smart enough to know too that ORISA are not gods but Messengers from God like Jesu ati Muhammad!

by: GBENGA ADERANTI

April 27, 2013
FROM The Nation Newspaper
in Saturday Ma: azine



Dr. Paula Gomes is the only white face in the palace of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi


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EEWO ! -This white girl is FIGHTING To SAVE Yoruba LANGAGE/CULTURE-what are YOU doIng OMO YORUBA? -She is smart enough to know too that ORISA are not gods but Messengers from God like Jesu ati Muhammad!

by: GBENGA ADERANTI

April 27, 2013
FROM The Nation Newspaper
in Saturday Ma: azine



Dr. Paula Gomes is the only white face in the palace of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi


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BLACK SKINNED BEAUTY GABOUREY SIDIBE Goes OUT!

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TEMI O!!!-BLACK SKINNED BEAUTY SUPREME!

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BLACK MEN UNIITE to Lead the BLACK FAMILY AND THE BLACK NATION!

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O'DUA MUSEUM ati HALL of FAME OPENS TO THE GLORY of YORUBA CULTURE ati HISTORY-AT Cocoa House,IBADAN!

O'dua Museum, Hall of Fame: Preserving a people's legacy

Posted by: Our Reporter
FROM thenatioonline.com
on April 13, 2013

in Travels on Saturday
t

The transformation was rapid and dramatic. Suddenly one was transported from the sophistication of a cosmopolitan high-rise building in the centre of a city to a rural setting more than 40 years ago.

Such is the transformation that one experiences on visiting the recently commissioned O'odua Museum and Hall of Fame in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

As the guard opened the wooden door with intricate designs to usher one in, the voice of the late Hubert Ogunde could be heard singing in Yoruba. It was as if he was just around the corner. As one climbed the staircase to the museum floor, one was no longer on the 20th floor of the Cocoa House.

One was transported back in time to the years gone by. What one felt all around was the African essence.

Both sides of the wall are decorated with batiks. A traditional African mat is rolled out on the floor.

The next point is the corridor with a signpost signalling that the museum is on the right, while the Hall of Fame is on the left. Museums, all over the world, always have special appeal. So, the first place to visit was the museum. Even before seeing some of the artifacts, the ambience created was purely rural: local mats used on the floor, red earthen walls, bamboo sticks used as part of the declaration.

The museum captures the totally of Yoruba way of life in the old days. Pots and bronze carvings of different sizes are displayed. The different kinds of Yoruba drums are also arranged neatly.

Appurtenances of royalty such as beads, horse-tail, crowns and walking sticks are displayed at the royalty section.

One of the most interesting section of the museum is the war section where old war weapons such as guns are on display. The treaty that brought an end to the Yoruba war of the 19th century titled Proclamation of Peace at Kiriji-Mesin Battlefield was boldly displayed.

Professor Wole Soyinka, who declared the place open early this month, commended the management of O'dua Investment Limited and had this to say: "The museum showcases the beginning of Yoruba technology and the ingenuity of our forbearers, but I want to say there is still more to do now that an appeal has been made to people to donate materials to enrich the arts, crafts and antiquities contents of the museum.

"Let me say that it is with a thought of nostalgia that I return to the Cocoa House and I must say I am very happy with what I have seen here.

"Cocoa House is one of those firsts Yoruba recorded in Nigeria. This area specifically used to be the centre of arts and Yoruba culture. But the negative side of it is that Nigeria once went into a downward spin, including Cocoa House and the University of Ibadan. The deterioration was much. Everything decayed and the famous Cocoa House could not save itself. But what we have seen so far impressed me, from the Ground Floor to the Top Floor of this building. This Cocoa House is the contemporary Oranmiyan staff for Yoruba."

The curator of the museum, Mr. Babajide Famuyiwa, explained the reason behind the establishment of the museum: " It is created to showcase the essence of the Yoruba people. What the Yoruba call Omoluabi. The Yoruba people have played a major part in the economic development of the country. They have helped in the development of every sphere of endeavour in the country. So in that wise, it was decided that we should look at these and bring them in focus. That informed the creation of the O'odua Museum and Hall of Fame.

"It is not only about the pre-colonial artifacts that are on display. Colonial era items that had influenced life in the past are also there. For those who may not have heard of gramophone, polaroid camera, type-writer and so on, they will find the museum useful. The museum would be a treasure trove for many young persons wishing to know more about the past.

"The Hall of Fame section is a kind of pantheon for Yoruba personalities from all walks of life. They include the late Professor Awojobi, Hubert Ogunde, Mrs. Funmilayo Ransome Kuti , Rashidi Yekini and many others.

"A tour of the hall of fame and museum has an icing. One has an opportunity for a wonderful bird-eye view of the Ibadan city. There are also strong binoculars that one could use to view any part of Ibadan.

"There are two sections to it, the museum and the hall of fame. Let us start with the museum.

In the museum, we try to showcase some Yoruba artifacts. There are certain peculiarities with the ancient civilization in the ancient time. This is reflected in the collections we have in the museum. We have musical instruments, pottery, craft in terms of traditional weaving. What we try to do is to exhibit and display some of the things that the Yoruba used in those days.

"We tried to look at the concept of Omoluabi, that is, those who have lived according to certain Yoruba societal moral values and made remarkable success in life through these. We like achievements of Yoruba sons and daughters in the area technology, politics, sports, arts and many other endeavours. This is what have done.

"At the Hall of Fame, we have people like Professor Soyinka, the late Hubert Ogunde, ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo , M.K.O. Abiola, Rashidi Yekini, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the late Chief S.L. Akintola, the late Mrs. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti and many others."

He talked also about the media viewing centre: "The media viewing centre can take about 20 persons. The idea is that when people go round, they could come to see the video clips of some of these personalities on display in the hall of fame. They would hear there voice, see them in action through these video clips.

"The place is opened to everybody coming to the city of Ibadan. We encourage school children, university students, researchers and so on. It is open for now from Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm. We believe as time goes on, the management would consider adding weekends to the opening days. For now, the fee has not been officially sanctioned. It is not likely to be more than 200 naira per person. "

The O'dua Museum and Hall of Fame has succeeded in adding to the richness of the essence of the ancient city of Ibadan. Before it used to be the University of Ibadan and few other places.



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BLACK ANCIENT EGYPTIANS VIDEO #3

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BLACK ANCIENT EGYPTIANS VIDEO #2

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Ancient Egyptians WERE BLACK! -VIDEO #1

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UPDATING OUR AFRICAN TRADITION! -TV African Reality SHOW USES CALABAR TRADITIONAL "FATTENING ROOM" TO PREPARE WOMEN FOR MARRIAGE! -FROM THE PUNCH NEWSPAPER,NIGERIA

Modern babes in fattening room

2013-04-17 00:15:03



In a fresh and ambitious re-enactment of the Efik pre-marriage tradition, Fattening Room, six ladies drawn from different parts of Africa land in seclusion, writes AKEEM LASISI

 At a time many people fear that the country's many cultural practices are on the extinction plane, Fattening Room, a major bridal practice of the Efik People of Cross River, appears to have got a new lease of life. It will soon become a spectacle to be watched on the screen, through the acts of six modern ladies who have just experienced it.

The producer, EbonyLife, which has come up with some powerful reality shows in recent times, describes  Fattening Room as an authentic experience set in the historically significant city of Calabar, also home to the famous Calabar Cultural Festival.

"The Fattening Room is unique to the Efik culture of Nigeria and is practised when young women enter a house of seclusion to learn everything a woman needs to know about running an honourable home, raising children that are as good as gold and managing to keep her husband happy and at home," the company's Director of Reality Programmes, Pamela Ofoegbu, notes.

The organisation believes that the time has come to discover the inner chambers of tradition that have always been reserved for women only, when six young ladies from across Africa enter the Fattening Room for the very first time.

She adds, "The ladies start the series in the strict Efik tradition and journey towards modern invention while always honouring their African roots.  It has been an incredible journey back to time as we celebrate our rich African heritage on a beautiful trado-modern backdrop. Our ladies from Botswana, South Africa, Zambia, Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya emerged from the Fattening Room with a better appreciation of the Efik culture and tradition and also of themselves as strong African women full of value and worth."

Just 'escaping' from the room are Roselyn Ashkar, a fashion model and journalist from Ghana; Sally Berold, an adventurer and freelance experiential marketing specialist from South Africa; Stephanie Unachukwu, a Nigerian designer and Patricia Kihoto, a singer, actress and radio personality from Kenya.

Others are Thsepo Maphanyanye,  a publicity and public relations executive from Botswana,  and Limpo Funjika, a business development manager and aspiring TV presenter from Zambia.

While the Series Producer at EbonyLife, founded by Mo Abudu,  Priscilia Nzimiro, says producing the Fattening Room has been a wonderful and enlightening experience,  with Content Director, Kenneth Gyang, lauding the treat as being engaging, the cast generally say the experience has been revealing.

Says Tshepo, "Participating in the fattening room has certainly been a surge of all kinds of emotions but best of all it has been without a doubt an incredible journey of discovery and a once in a lifetime opportunity of exposure to such a rich culture experienced alongside an amazing circle of young women from nations across Africa.Certainly one of my best experiences."

For Limpo, it has provided her an opportunity to learn; and for Patricia, it has been a lot of fun although she concedes she has learnt a lot, even about herself.

Also says Stephanie, "I have had the opportunity to learn new skills in the short amount of time I've been here and look forward to the rest of the show and what it holds."

Abudu congratulates all the participants and salutes the crew for the feat at producing Fattening Room. She notes, "It is a true testimony of 'If you can think it, you can do it.' As a team, during one of our strategy sessions about a year ago inTinapa, we wanted to develop and produce a reality show that showcased the rich culture of Calabar that is now home to EbonyLife TV and we thought what better way to do that, than the Efik tradition of The Fattening Room! And with the genius minds of the EbonyLifeTV team at work, we gave it a treatment that will simply wow everyone when it airs! We simply took an old Efik culture and gave it a modern twist. "
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WESTERN(white peoples' DIET) Diet WILL KILL YOU ati give your OMODE DIABETES! -fROM THE PUNCH NEWSPAPERS,NIGERIA

OYINGBO ONJE will KILL YOU! All this Iresi funfun ati bready funfun ati indomine with it's poisonous flavoring ati giving omode biscuits,even babies is giving them DIABETES!
From The PUNCH Newspaper,Nigeria

Western diet, route to early grave

2013-04-16 23:00:44



What does your breakfast look like?

The answer to this simple question may be as diverse as the ethnic tribes that make up Nigeria, what with our attitude towards food, which borders on consuming large portions.

Among the upwardly mobile, breakfast may consist of corn flakes (which are usually fortified with some so-called vitamins), bacon, fried eggs or omelet, white bread and tea sweetened with white sugar -- or other forms of sugars that researchers say are not in the least healthy.

At work, lunch may not be better, as it may be a combination of fried chicken or sautéed fish, with a generous serving of French fries, to be washed down with a large, chilled bottle of sugary beverage.

nner is no better, as it may consist of some take-away from the numerous fast food eateries that line major routes. Yet, experts say you eat Western diet to your peril. The unambiguous conclusion among dieticians, nutritionists, physicians and researchers is that Western diet is unhealthy and should not be taken regularly or served at the family table for that matter.

The Medical Director of Mart-Life Detox Centre, Prof. Oladapo Ashiru, warns that a diet that comprises sugars, monounsaturated­ fats and other appurtenances of Western diet can only ruin the health.

He says the effects of such foods are as bizarre as they are deadly, because they don't only make you obese, they are the paved roads to cardiovascular diseases, which may lead to stroke and untimely death.

He also warns that through clinical studies, unhealthy diet and lifestyle have been shown to contribute to incidents of infertility in male and female.

But then, what is it about Western diet that makes for strident condemnation globally? Ashiru, a professor of anatomy, notes that it may increase the risk of disease and certain forms of cancer, while it has also been linked to obesity in adults and children.

Again, he notes, Western diet is heavy in trans fats, which are considered unhealthy and dangerous to health. He also vilifies the diet because, as he says, it does not promote a complete, nutritious menu, as it usually lacks vegetables and fruits.

Nutritionists say even when you are served the so-called salad during a typical Western meal, the salads are usually bathed in creams that make a total mess of the intended dietary restriction.

Online portal, dietsinreview.c­om, says "The Western diet is known for its lack of fresh fruits and vegetables and its strong reliance on fast-food, high sugar beverages, high-fat dairy, refined carbohydrates and red meat.

It goes on to describe a typical day on the Western diet, "Breakfast may consist of a stack of white flour pancakes with a side of sausage, with whole milk and syrup; lunch might be a fast-food cheeseburger, French fries and a high-sugar soda. Dinner might be fried chicken or meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy. Desserts and snacks include potato chips, cookies, ice cream, candy bars and other processed snack foods."

And, to buttress all the vilifications that have greeted the consumption of Western diet, a new research scheduled for publication in the May edition of The American Journal of Medicine, deals a final blow to the unhealthy way of eating.

The researchers write, "Data from a new study of British adults suggest that adherence to a 'Western-style'­ diet (fried and sweet food, processed and red meat, refined grains, and high-fat dairy products) reduces a person's likelihood of achieving older ages in good health and with higher functionality.

The research team, led by Dr. Tasnime Akbaraly of Inserm, Montpellier, France, identified dietary factors that would not only prevent premature death, but also promote ideal aging.

Ashiru, whose clinic takes patients through weight loss programme via detoxification,­ says Western diet plans are not appropriate for weight loss.

He notes, "Dieters need to eat from all food groups. Bad fats, cholesterol and simple carbohydrates are three food groups to watch out for in the Western diet. Conversely, the Mediterranean diet is rich in healthy fats, green foods and lean proteins. Switching from a Western diet to a healthy diet with fewer simple carbohydrates and unhealthy fats is ideal for weight loss."

He also notes that portion control is important, as Western diet tends to pack a lot of calories in a small space.

In a study published in the January 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, researchers warn that leading causes of death have shifted from infectious diseases to chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer, which, they say, may be affected by unwholesome diet. Their conclusion? Eating healthier means living longer.

So, what do we eat to be in good health? Researchers say diets high in vegetables and fruits are associated with less weight gain, being definitely better than diets high in red meat and fried foods.

Investigators from the Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University say, "A diet high in red meat and fried foods can lead to consuming too many calories, because these foods contain more calories than the same amount of vegetables and fruits."

The lead researcher, Dr. Deborah Boggs, say the findings suggest that replacing red meat and fried foods with vegetables and fruits could help to lower obesity rates.

In contrast, a research group from Spain studied the dietary patterns associated with a high intake of fruits and vegetables in Mediterranean populations, and concluded that it reduces long term risk of weight gain and subsequent obesity.

To be in good health and remain functional till the end, therefore, scientists advise daily intake of fruits and vegetables, which have been tested and proved over the years.
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QUADS BORN IN NIGERIA HAVE FLORISHED! ONE YEAR ON THEY ARE A TRIBUTE TO NIGERIAN HOSPITALS! -FROM THE NATION NEWSPAPER,NIGERIA

FROM THE NATION NEWSPAPERS,NIGERIA

Titillating Five

Posted by: Our Reporter

on April 18, 2013

in Editorial

3 Comments

Quintuplets and two health facilities dramatise a cheer for Nigeria

and four months old, born of the same parents at the same time. The uncommon story of the Shofunlayo quintuplets –Eyitayo, Eyitope, Eyitomini, Eyimofe and Eyidayo- is the stuff of news, and they are likely to stay in the spotlight because of the circumstances of their birth. Against all odds, they survived at birth in 2011, which has earned them the titillating tag, "Five Alive."

The two boys and three girls made history as the first quintuplets born at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos, although they were conceived through Assisted Reproduction at Nordica Fertility Centre, Lagos, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. It is fascinating that the fifth in the line was not expected as their mother's last scan had shown she was, in her own words, "carrying four babies." Equally remarkable is the fact that during the Caesarian Section (CS) on her, it took the expertise of the medical team headed by Prof. Godwin Ajayi to locate and bring out the unexpected baby.

"We can do a lot of things in Nigeria, if we believe," said the kids' father, Wale Shofunlayo, a lawyer, who had been reportedly advised to fly his wife to India for safe delivery. His faith in Nigerian doctors eventually paid off, and he deserves kudos for his patriotic spirit. This impressive belief in the country's health care system, despite its often publicised shortcomings, it should be observed, happened in the context of a 17-year wait for a child. It can only be imagined what level of courage and confidence made him to defy the alleged risks connected with having the children in the country. He was, after all, to go by reports, perhaps in a position to afford overseas medical attention for his wife. "For about seven months, my wife was admitted at LUTH for bed rest and I was able to pay," he said. Also, it is a matter for conjecture the financial cost he had to bear by using the Nordica Fertility Centre, which is a private medical facility.

nship. He said: "I will say kudos to the doctors and nurses for their efforts and consistency. They have really shown that Nigeria is not lagging behind in the preservation of human lives. I am satisfied with the services rendered before and after delivery. "

Shofunlayo's good words didn't end there. According to him, "The only thing the doctors did was to get their hand gloves and get going. None of them requested for any gratification. This is my first experience in a public hospital and it is the best place for anybody to come for treatment."

His testimony is certainly heart-warming; it calls for greater belief in the country's health care system, and, indeed, greater faith in the country. It is interesting that the quintuplets were conceived through in vitro fertilisation (IVF) at a local fertility centre and born in a local hospital. It shows, without doubt, that the country is not lacking either in equipment or expertise in this area. This is a picture of possibilities that should be inspiring across various sectors.

0th anniversary just a few days after the passage of Robert Edwards, the co-founder of the 35-year-old IVF technique and British Nobel laureate who died on April 10 at age 87.
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THIS Young YORUBA GIRL MAKES a CASE FOR VIRGINITY!-FROM THE NATION NEWSPAPER,NIGERIA!

⁠⁠

A vote for chastity
From thenationonline.com
Posted by: Adebisi Adeniji

on April 18, 2013

in Campus Life

The term "virginity" has returned to be the discourse in certain circles. Coming in an age when obnoxious words reign supreme, of course, it could not have come at a better time.

Nowadays, it is hard to define who is a virgin in the real meaning of the word. The general meaning of the word "virgin" refers to a girl who keeps her chastity. Such a girl can be said not to have slept with the opposite sex at the time of being called a virgin.

However, people believe that such a girl is scarce in today's world. Much emphasis is not placed on male virginity because the gender does not have hymen. The attention is on women.

According to an online statistics, 95 per cent of Nigerian teenagers cannot boast of being virgins. In an era where premarital and casual sex abound, girls who are as young as 14 have started experimenting with the forbidden fruit, causing an upsurge in teen pregnancies and abortions. Such act has also resulted in psychological breakdowns with the rejection of unwanted children.

There are many factors that contribute to the sexual decadence in our society. It should be noted that the mass media, which has, over the years, served as a source of socialisation, also has its negative effect on the society and the people. The media's portrayal of sexual images to an already vulnerable audience has helped to increase the level of decadence.

Corporate advertisers are particularly guilty of this; bits of sensuality are infused into every advert they place or show on television. Even when it is not necessary, they employ skimpily dressed girls to advertise their products, passing a wrong message to the audience.

Peer pressure is also a factor. Teenagers, who do not indulge in the practice, are seen as greenhorns by their peers, who have had the experience. In order not to be the butt of jokes among their friends, some teenagers make wrong decisions.

Today's forms of entertainment are also to blame. Songs with weird lyrics are the favourites of the young. Some of them would say: "We only love the beat; we don't practise the message". But, in reality, the songs are like radioactive wastes; they slowly destroy whoever listens to them. There is no way a 14-year-old girl would listen to songs, such as Lay on me, without having certain thoughts.

Some people have argued that virginity is not important in this globalisation age, claiming that in the olden days, girls married relatively early as soon as they reached puberty. Such early marriages, they argued, kept promiscuity at bay.

However, times and civilisation have changed the practice. Nowadays, the first 20 years of any girl are spent in the classroom. But, by that age, her features would have developed. It is reasonable for an unmarried 25-year -old woman to be sexually active.

It is so bad that many teenagers know some things about sex, which their parents probably might never know. A newspaper cartoon was circulated sometime ago, where a man was seen telling his teenage son that it was time for sex education. The boy answered: "Sure, what part do you want to know, daddy?"

Everyone has a reason for making certain decisions but it would be advantageous if such decisions are not based on external influence. Abstinence is the surest way of preventing sexually-transmitted diseases. The slogan "abstinence is the best method to prevent diseases" attests to this fact.

My advice to teenagers and the youth is that they must abstain from premarital sex. And those who are still chaste, should maintain this status. We must not allow ourselves to be the butt of jokes in the society.

There is a Yoruba adage that says anything that is protected doesn't lose its value. We must not be deceived by the argument that virginity is an outdated value. It is not; it is a value we must nurture to ensure our society is free of decadence.

 (

Adebisi, 300-Level Language Arts, UI
(This picture shows South African Virgins after being tested as virgins,celebrating their virginity!)
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Yeye Afin Monisola TENABE TELLS US to SPEAK YORUBA to oUr CHiLDREN ATI She lives 30.YEARS. NOW in AMERIKKKA! -WHAT ARE YOU IN Yorubaland SPEAKING to Your CHILDREN! EEWO!


Thursday 18 April, 2013

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Cultural lessons from North America

2013-04-17 01:18:33

Monilola Tenabe has lived in the US for about 30 years. But her manner of speaking shows that Yoruba culture still flows in her blood. She has, understandably, gained a distinct measure of American accent and does not need to stammer between English words whenever she is speaking.

Listening to her as she speaks Yoruba, however, you would think you are listening to a woman who has lived in a 'traditional' town like Ibadan, Osogbo or Abeokuta. She cannot speak the language for two minutes without throwing a strong proverb into it.

She was at such her cultural best on Thursday when she spoke in Lagos on the mission of her and some other members of  the National Association of Yoruba Descendants in North America. Established some 22 years ago, the group otherwise called Egbe Omo Yoruba is the umbrella body of all Yoruba groups in the Diaspora.

According to Tenabe, they are in Nigeria to explore ways in which they can contribute to the development of the South West.

 "We are on this trip to see what we can do with government and other stakeholders to move the Yoruba nation forward," she says. "We want to continue the progressive ideas championed by the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. We have carried on with the legacy he left and we want to do all we can to move the Yoruba nation forward."

Also on the trip are Dr. Ayo Famuyide and Mrs. Modupe Adeyanju. They have been visiting governments of the states in the region, with Tenabe, a university administrator, saying  they are offering themselves for service in whatever areas they are called to intervene. But part of their crusade is also that whenever government is asking for foreign investment, it should not focus on foreigners alone.

Says Famuyide, who is the group's public affairs secretary, "We have enough talent to turn this country around if government will give us the same concessions it gives foreign investors."

On how Tenabe and her colleagues have been preserving their Yoruba legacies abroad, she notes that they regularly organise programmes where they discuss home and design projects that keep them in tune. During holidays and the association's conventions, they organise Yoruba lessons for their children, while they invite experts to lecture people on the region's heritage. Adeyanju, a teacher, is often in charge of grooming the kids culturally.

"I also speak Yoruba to my children," Tenabe adds. "We must take our culture seriously. And this is one of the messages we have brought home."
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BROTHER Knicks Star J.R. Smith -- Ordered to Pay $48,000 ... You Stole Black Jesus! -OGA O!

http://m.imdb.com/news/ni51041161/

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JkdzqCpqvM4&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DJkdzqCpqvM4


Knicks Star J.R. Smith -- Ordered to Pay $48,000 ... You Stole Black Jesus!

⁠⁠

4 days ago | TMZ

Don't mess with Black Jesus ... or You Will Pay ... just ask Knicks stud J.R. Smith, whose ass just lost a $48,000 lawsuit involving a diamond necklace that features an Afro-American rendition of the Messiah.A jewelry company called Lemmerman's sued Smith, claiming he ordered a bunch of bling back in 2010 -- including a diamond chain, two Black Jesus pendants and some earrings -- totaling $25,500 ... but never paid.We're told one Jesus pendant and chain cost roughly $15,000 alone.
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GLORIASTENE AGBOOLA-A SiSTER WHO CAME "BACK TO AFRICA" AND IS ACHEIVING!-THE FIRST BLACKamerican TO BE ZONTA INTERNATIONAL GOVERNOR FOR AFRICA!

Once everybody has equal rights, we would have a better world – Stene Agboola

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April 13, 2013 | 12:50 am

Interview

By OLA AJAYI,  Ibadan
Mrs. Gloriastene Agboola, the District Governor, Zonta Club International, District 18 is an American from Louisiana who is married to a Nigerian. She is also an active member of Nigerwives, an association of foreign women who are married to Nigerians. Here, she discusses various forms of violence against women and what her organization has done to reduce this abuse of the rights of women and girl child.

What is the contribution of your club to check violence against women?

Zonta International has a special committee that is concerned with eradication of violence against women. This is one of our major programmes. Recently, in November, we started a programme whereby all Zontians around the world had an enlightenment programme to educate people about violence against women.



Gloriastene Agboola

In Ibadan, we had a long walk all the way from the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State, to the Nigerian Television Authority, to the governor's office. Over 60 of us carried placards. We stopped on the way, talking and enlightening people on the roads and in buses about violence against women. The people got our message and this happened in 64 countries around the world.

In Oyo State, the wife of the governor, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi has a programme where she is trying to get a legislation passed on violence against women and we supported her and other organizations which are concerned about violence against women and violence in the home. So, it is one of our major projects and programmes. We are trying to end violence and discrimination against women.

Women make up half of the population in the world. How can you say or think that half of the population that makes up the world does not have the kind of human rights they deserve. We say that it is wrong. We think once everybody has equal rights, we would have a better world.

There are existing laws against rape. Are you saying the punishment against rape is not commensurate with the offence?

It is difficult to get those who commit rape prosecuted probably because the laws are too lenient. I think they should make the laws more stringent especially when an old man rapes a girl of 9, 10 years old. Those young girls will not possibly give consent. So, we need to make the laws more stringent and they must be enforced. Some laws are not enforced.

Do you solicit funds from politicians?

If anybody who believes in our cause wants to fund our projects, he or she is welcome. But, what we really want from politicians especially the ones in Oyo State and in Nigeria is to have laws that would make it criminal for anyone who commits violence against women and children.

It is not acceptable to beat and maim your wife or your children. It is not acceptable to prevent a girl child from going to school. What we want politicians to do is to have specific laws that would prohibit violence against women.

Every two years, all Zonta Clubs in Africa meet to plan on strategies to be used in advancing the cause of women in Africa. Over 3,000 Zontians around the world in about 64 countries are in the club. It is the time for District 18 to have a meeting here in Nigeria and we hope that the Zontians from all the clubs from Africa would come and we sit down for four days and plan on what we want to do in the next two years.

Is the programme specifically for women?

We are concerned about improving the status of women worldwide and we do this through our programmes. But that does not mean we don't have men. We don't discriminate. Any man who believes in our cause, that is, advancing the status of women can join us. We volunteer.

It is a voluntary organization. We don't get paid for this. We give our time, money and any other talents or resources we have to further our cause especially when we are concerned with trying to outlaw customs or laws that prevent women from developing their full potentials. We are particularly concerned about the education of the girl child.

We are concerned about education of all women because they are sort of backbone for the family. If women are educated, they would educate their children and family and through them, we would have a better home and a better family. But they have to be given that opportunity because you find out that in many places, women, girls are not allowed to go to schools because they feel that they don't need to educate them. They only need to get married and grow up somewhere.

But, that is the kind of idea we have to change because wherever a woman is, she would have a family and children and she needs to train those children. She also needs to rule her home and keep her home clean, feed her children, prevent them from contacting some diseases and it is only by going to school that she can know all these things.

If your club is not funded by anyone, how then do you get money because all these programmes you have listed involve a lot of money?

Yes. We don't have particular funds except money we as individuals pay. We pay, we give donations, we raise money. For instance, the District programme that is coming up, we don't get any money anywhere.

So, we are asking people to help the Zontians so that we can have money to do these things. We need money to pay for conference hall. But, we don't keep such money in banks but used it to do our various projects. Zonta International has a number of international projects. We have six major international projects and three of those projects are in Africa.

It is not the zontians in Africa alone that would pay for the funding of those projects, it is all the Zontians around the world that would put their money together to help fund those projects. The project in Liberia has to do with obstetrics vesicular. Zontians have paid in amazing dollars through a United Nations agency to fund this programme. We, in Africa don't have that kind of money. We have another programme in Rwanda which is an HIV/AIDS transmission from mother to child.

This programme also costs millions of dollars. The programme has been going on for the past four years. Another programme is on in Nigeria. We are trying to enlighten people on social norms and practices that are harmful to women and girls in  the society. We still have other projects across the world. Every year, we put money together to fund these programmes
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UPN-Awolowo's PARTY RISES AGAIN!

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GABOUREY SIDIBE !-OUR BLACK SKINNED BEAUTY IN RED!

Gallery: Disconnect New York special screening 2013

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 08: Actress Gabourey Sidibe attends the "Disconnect" New York Special Screening after party at Abe & Arthur's on April 8, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
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Gabourey SIDIBE-BLACK SKINNED BEAUTY SUPREME!

Oscar winner Gabourey Sidibe looked fantastic at The Host film screening. I love everything about her outfit from the color to the fit to the styling. But best of all, she knows she looks amazing! Her face is radiating and that you cannot fake.

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Gabourey Sidibe at 'The Host' Cinema Society film screening (Photo by Gregory Pace / BEImages)


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