Paying the Ultimate Price for Peace in Darfur!

I wish to join millions of Nigerians all over the world in mourning the untimely death of their seven young countrymen killed in Darfur, Sudan recently. These soldiers who were maliciously killed at their African Union Mission In Sudan (AMIS) Forward Headquarters at El Fasher, Northern Darfur, did not commit any other crime than helping the other African Union (AU) soldiers in trying to restore peace and cordial co-existence among the peoples of Sudan.

The remains of the seven Nigerian soldiers killed in Darfur, Sudan at the National MiIitary Cemetery, Abuja for interment. (Photo Courtesy of The Guardian).

The soldiers cut down in their prime of life included Lance Corporal Danjuma Madaki, Lance Corporal Usman Saleh, Private Duniya Audu, Private Samuel Orokpo, Private Bala Mohammed, Private John Dogara and Trooper Toyin Alao.

I think the time has come for the progressive-minded people of Sudan and others throughout Africa and the world to expedite discussions aimed at allowing global participation in finding lasting solutions to the Dafur problems. It is indeed, becoming increasingly clear to all stakeholders in this crisis that the AU alone may not have the necessary muscle to douse this on-going ethnic and tribal conflagration.

Of course, it is a lot easier to scream that African problems should be left for Africans, but the fact of the matter is that given the level of resources at the disposal of the AU mission, the conflict is not as simple as can be single-handedly managed by Africans. In fact, the ghost and image of Rwanda still haunt Africa and indeed the world. The escalating quagmire in Sudan must therefore not be left for Africans alone. That is why, methinks, Ban Ki-Moon (UN Secretary General) should be supported in his effort to bring in the United Nations peace keeping force and Western infrastructural support in helping AU peace-keepers in quenching this all-consuming fire before it gets terribly out of hands.

It is still not too late to salvage the Darfur situation. But the world can not just stand idly and watch a generation of people being wiped out of the surface of the earth by others who are intoxicated by their ability to control more destructive weapons than others.

The best tribute to be paid to the souls of the seven dead Nigerian soldiers and the three others from some other parts of African as well as the spirits of the Darfurians caught in this confusion is to make concerted efforts to bring this inferno to an end.

Blood is Stronger than Man-made Differences!

It is not usually a common occurence to find a group of individuals coming together for a noble cause, especially if such individuals are divided by the endemic and perennial problems occasioned by tribal/regional differences and politics. It is from this standpoint therefore, that one must commend the spirit that gave rise to the reported coming together of Enugu sons and daughter living in America who have decided to put all those retrogressive and man-made differences aside in order to help their people in Enugu who are wallowing in abject poverty, hunger and pestilence.

According to a story published by The Champion newspaper based in Lagos, Nigeria, indigenes of Enugu State living in America have planned to rush back to their home state come December in order to jaw-jaw with other stakeholders in the state to find ways of "uplifting the welfare of the people of the state."

Please read on:

Chike Azuonye's Festival of Colours!

Chike Azuonye's on-going Exhibition of Recent Paintings is attracting droves of arts collectors and admirers in London. Speaking during the Private View session held on Thursday (April 19th), the artist thanked the participants consisting of invited guests, arts collectors, enthusiasts and admirers for showing what he called 'such heart-warming and praise-worthy high level of interest' in his works. He assured his numerous arts collectors and admirers of his determination to keep up the high quality standards and originality with which his works are known worldwide. The works on display are evocative and full of splashes of bright and beautiful colours which seem to be in perfect harmony and concord with the mood of the spring season.

Chike's current exhibition which started on Monday (April 16th) will wind up on Saturday (April, 21st). It is being hosted at the Waterloo Gallery, 14 Baylis Road , London SE1 7AA. The artist can be reached on: 020 7261 1404, his mobile phone: 07957 131 719 or via email: chikeazuonye@aol.com. The nearest tube stations to the venue are: Waterloo, Southwark and Lambeth North Stations. The gallery can also be reached using the following buses: 1, 26, 59, 68, 88, 159, 168, 171, 172, 176.

Nigeria: A Litmus Test for Nationhood

Every once in a while a nation faces a critical test to determine how qualified and determined they are in claiming to be a nationstate. One way of demonstrating this qualification is the ability of the geographical entity concerned to manage their affairs without recource to foreign or external assistance and intervention. The other way is the ability of the country to adequately cater for the majority of their citizens in terms of their health, education, protection and general well-being. There is also the tiny issue of the ability of the nation to successfully conduct its national headcount without, as one commentator stated, including cows and other domestic animals as human beings in the census figures.

Well, one other criterion for nationhood is the ability of a country to successfully organise and conduct elections without alienating the greater majority of their citizens through acts of intimidation, fraud and bare-faced robbery or usurpation of electoral results. Put in simple language: the ability of a nation to conduct elections that are both free and fair.

From all accounts, the last elections conducted in Nigeria were neither free nor fair. What with allegations flying around to the effect that while some voters were still queuing up to cast their votes in some constituencies, the results of the seats being contested in those quarters were simultaneously being announced by electoral officials. In fact, in some states, the ruling party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), was so 'successful' that it controlled all the legislative members in the houses of assembly. This state of affairs is nigh impossible in any multi-party state were the elections to be free and fair. To further compound the problems, there were allegations of some of the declared results being more than the number of registered voters in some constituencies.

The forth-coming elections therefore will provide a litmus test to the Nigerian nationhood aspirations. The ability of the country to galvanise her citizens and conduct free and fair elections, as well as to transfer power to the newly-elected leaders will impact heavily on the preparedness of the country to attain nationhood.

A smooth transition of power however is not the whole story. Some searchlight must be beamed on the character of the emerging leaders of the country. Before now, the political class is peopled mainly with characters whose integrity and motive for entry into politics is questionable. The result is that while a majority of Nigerians are wallowing in poverty and hunger, the political class constituting a minute minority, are lining their pockets with as much public loot as their greed and selfishness can tolerate. Nigeria is the only country in this planet where people look at politics as the shortest (and, some people say, safest) means of acquiring money. Unfortunately, this money is looted from public treasury, or from awarding bogus contracts and executing white-elephant projects.

One hopes however, that the issues of accountability and probity which are the hallmarks of true democracy would someday constitute features of governance in Nigeria. Yeah, let the looters continue for now; but the day must come when the leaders must give accurate account of their leadership. That day will only come if the country keeps the democratic traditions alive.
God bless Nigeria.

Poetry (2): Eulogy for the Recalcitrant Dung

This piece was written when the Gulf War II was still raging. (Well, I think that inferno still burns). You can make of it what you will. But, if you bear in mind the date of this poem, I am sure you will appreciate both the context and my direction. Happy reading:

Eulogy for the Recalcitrant Dung
Rebellion is sometimes a necessity;
Sometimes inevitable;
Sometimes praiseworthy.

No matter the supremacy of the oppressor;
Irrespective of the cost to the rebel;
No matter the overwhelming strength of the opposition;
Irrespective of the superior might of the subjugator.

Especially when the survival of the man in you is at stake;
Especially when faced with extinction;
Especially when confronted with extermination;
Especially when defiled with abuse;
Especially when your spirit faces humiliation.

At least the Tortoise believes in this philosophy;
No wonder he defied the Mighty Elephant
When the Elephant, as the Police of the state,
As the custodian of “Law and Order”,
Came to arrest the hapless, defenseless and powerless Tortoise;

‘Give me just one second, please’, requested the witty Tortoise.
‘What do you want to do?’ demanded the surprised Powerhouse.
The Tortoise, on being released from the suffocating grip of the Elephant,
Scratched the earth and the grasses with his feet.
‘Now, I’m ready for your arrest’, he announced.

The Elephant, still confused, asked:
‘Why on earth have you scratched the surface of the earth this way?’
‘Well’, retorted the Tortoise after a deep breath of satisfaction and relief,
‘People passing by will know that I have not given up without at least a fight.’

That is the principle behind the relentless opposition of the Stubborn Dung;
When he was banished to the Toilet sink by the gormless Man
He refused to be flushed down the drain without a fight.
Yea, he knew the strength of Water, as an agent of Man’s janitorial state;
Just like the Tortoise knew the awesome size and strength of the Elephant.
Yet, he would not like to die a coward.

No wonder he resurfaced defiantly after the torrent of the flushing Water had subsided.
Dancing defiantly from side to side in the sink;
Lashing out at Man’s nostrils with some doses of his defensive aroma.

Well, like the Tortoise, the Dung finally gave up;
Satisfied that his defiance has taught some lessons to both Water and his master, Man;
Yea, the Defiant Dung knows that it is Man that gave him his strength;
Was it not just yesterday
That greedy Man had treated his palate to all the delicacies his stomach cavity could accommodate?
And worse still
Did he even bother to wash the delicacies down his stomach with enough water?

Having used the nourishing Mother of the Dung to prolong his life;
Having used the delicious Mother of the Dung to increase his strength;
Having used the dutiful Mother of the Dung to expand his size,
The ungrateful Man now uses Water to flush the defenseless Dung down the drain.

This is the height of ingratitude;
All praise the Defiant Dung;
Long, may you live, the Defiant Dung!
(Dili Ojukwu, 01/07/03)

Poetry (1): Swimming for Life

After thinking about it, I have decided to share some of my yet-to-be-published poems with you, starting with this one written in February 2005 during a bus ride to Tottenham in London. Commuting by train or bus provides some refreshing reflections on life. Such reflections provide the fertile grounds and inspirations for serious soul-searching exercises which sometimes result in poetic outpourings like the one below. And by the way, my collection of poems under the umbrella of "The Ravings of a Wounded Spirit" is still in the works. Well, happy reading:

Swimming for Life
Life is like the waters,
Oceans, seas, lakes, rivers and streams;
We, the creatures, are
Just the swimmers.

We can fly like the birds;
Walk like man and other mammals;
Crawl like the snake
Or hop like the kangaro.

We, the creatures, are
Just swimmers
Struggling to survive
In these waters called life;

We are struggling
In our own various ways
To find ourselves
On the other side of the waters

Sometimes in the middle of the waters
We seem to be tired of swimming
Our hands and legs
Become too heavy and painful
To be dragged along.

Sometimes we look up
And feel that the journey
Is still too far and nigh impossible
To complete.

Sometimes the pain and strain of swimming
Take a heavy toll on our resolve for survival
We become despondent
And want to give up the struggle

Then comes a glimmer of hope
The hope of the despairing swimmer
Then comes a straw
We clutch at it
With all the remaining strength we can muster
We clutch at it
With desperation

With some luck
Sometimes with or without a comensurate effort
We navigate successfully
To the other side of the waters

Sometimes we become
Too strong for the straw
Especially when the straw
Is not deep-rooted
The torrent of life
The torrent of the waters
Sweep us down the stream
To continue the struggle elsewhere
If we survive the turbulence
Of the waters.
Dili Ojukwu (17/02/05)