As a way of introducing readers to how to use this blog I shall paste some 'private discussions' going on in our nenwe online whatsapp group. Names are abbreviated and little modifications made for privacy. The writer is not liable to some mistakes .However if one would like his details in full he may ask the moderator. This is a trial ( PRIVATE discussion) it is not a lecture. The are impromptu presentations and the language of presentation does not reflect the persons qualifications and abilities
I am
Charles O Chukwubike
Umunna-ulu alodu. Please, this piece of advice is for our brothers and sisters from Nenwe residing in US and parts of Europe. It concerns your/our children who are Nenwerians (umu-Nenwe) born and bred in these places. Based on my experience, having traveled to some US states and parts of Europe, and having seen some Igbo families, I felt this burden. It is not proper to have children in foreign land, some of whom are grown ups but have not known or visited where they come from- Nenwe.
Just one example of our son who seems to be towing a good path. He is from my village . He came and built a very good house, a duplex not far from the road . One Xmas, he brought all his family members home from US. They were so happy- and acknowledged that their village house was far better than that the wooden bungalow they occupied in US. The children saw more friendly people, and the son played football regularly with his peers at St Peter's field. They ate foo- foo, (utara) and liked it instead of pizza, they used to think was the best food. They have continued to disturb their father every Xmas that they want to be in Nenwe. But for the international airport Enugu closed, they could have been in Nenwe for last Xmas. That is how to plant Nenwe spirit in our children . I know it is not easy, but it is doable, especially for those of you with younger families. 
For those whose children are grown, appeal and cry to them to identify with their root-Nenwe. The children of Nenwe where ever they are are our hope and will help develop Nenwe, even as many who are conscious and concerned of the development are ageing and going. This is my prayer. America and Europe will not totally possess and swallow Nenwe children, in Jesus Name. Amen.Umunna biko okwum aduhu mma, ulu tuvuo ye ma hafu m. Ekelemulu. To be continued. by... (O A)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteU r right on point but i think in every country people have association of where u r from and could be narrowed down to ur home town and that could activate that spirit in them. When last i sought of Nenwe language clarifications, some took d opportunity to screw me if not for Dr L if am not mistaken and my inlaw@ CC. I laughed bcos i have personally met one of Dr. O's daughter that don't understand Igbo language. Case over to our elders on a way forward. ...FANDE
ReplyDeleteThis post is right on point and the sort I personally yearn should be priority topic for NOL University. The challenge is not peculiar to only those living outside the country. The same observation could be made of Nenwe families living in Nigeria, outside Nenwe, including some families who live as close as Enugu. Agreed, sometimes financial constraints/considerations can make such desires unreachable but the passion and love one has for one's homeland can make a whole lot of difference - with or without money. Where there's a will, there's a way. BY M.U
ReplyDeleteGood day, Professor!
ReplyDeleteFirst, I commend you for becoming another one to be hated for not being one of the the “one phrase” posters that try to force other people to use cliches, phrases, to explain serious intellectual theses!
I was once asked if I am the only educated person here because I don’t use phrases to explain my points.
I adhere to the academic norm of using expositions to try to drive my points home which some find not just too lengthy for them to tead and digest but utterly obnoxious!
Anyway, good topics to write on come out here at his kind of critical times for me, just so busy!
I am looking at early July to start getting time to write like before. If God permits at that time I would like to give you might take on your points.
There are lots of reasons certain things happen the ways they happen in the countries and parts of the world you cited which I believe some of you approach with some degree of ignorance or wishful thinking!
Secondly, the topic is ladened with subjectivities: in other words, there can never be a satisfactory or homogeneous resolution of the issues.
Thank you again for your price while I pray to get time in the distant future to respond fully to your thesis!
BY J.S
Prof, you're right on point. We pray God to provide our diaspora brothers and susters the means and resources, and the willingness to look homewards in the upbringing and interaction of the younger generation. No tribe and Nation in the world develops without great input from the diaspora. (BY OGA JN)
ReplyDeleteWell said Ọgá John. Both India and Pakistan developed and built nuclear weapons from their returnees from America and UK.....AUO
ReplyDeleteMy brother, you are right in the overall thought path. Technology transfers when possible is definitely generally desirable and all other dood and emulatable cultures and whatever. When it comes to the complex areas of human rearing and so on the matter becomes rather highly debatable.
ReplyDelete..BY JS....
Good job, Prof. Well done my brother BY GAB...
ReplyDeleteProf. Alimba thank you for this very important observation.
ReplyDeleteLet me start by welcoming you on NOL. I recall that, in the mid 90s, when I was a resident doctor at UNTH, we used to meet often at the British Council library in Enugu. I knew, as early as that time, that you were on the way to making an indelible mark in the academia. Here you are, an accomplished professor of, I think, Agriculture. (Please correct me if I goofed)
The point you made is very important. It had actually featured in this forum in the mid-2000s. At that time, among other things, economic reasons were prominent among the reasons for not bringing the new generations of Nenwerians home.
Beyond economic reasons, one genuine concern of our brothers overseas is security. Armed robbery, kidnapping and outright assassination are real concerns and we need to factor these in as we pass judgement on 'ndi aka idje'.
The truth is that we have a lost generation, if not lost generations of Nenwerians in Europe and America. When I visited AMERICA MY nieces identified with Canada more than with Nigeria, moreso as their mother is Asian.
Identifying with Nigeria and with Nenwe is an essential prerequisite to the desired technology transfer earlier referred to; and regular visit home will enhance that identity.
One other medico social consequence of this scenario is consanguinity . One day two Nenwe cousins will be raising a family in Newfoundland and it may be too late before they discover that they are close blood relations. O woo aru.
Regular visits home to identify and homogenize with close and distant family members will minimize this real danger. BY LC.....
??? @Dr L. … BY AB ….
ReplyDeleteGood day prof.
ReplyDeleteYour insights and advice are quite commendable. Thank you for speaking the mind of many.
I believe that In reality, it’s not an easy choice. A combination of important factors have to be present to make the ideal proposition possible. BY FD...
Ndewo'lu umule'm ayi ji eme olu!
ReplyDeleteToday's submissions, first from Prof. Alimba and then Prof. Jerry and Dr. Leo are such a good, friendly and healthy debate between 3 iconic sound minded brother from Nenwe.
Thanks to Prof. Jerry for making it clear that those of us here in Europe and America had never tried in any shape or form to paint everything in Africa and or Nigeria Blacks and everything about Europe and America as Rossey, I inclusive sir.
This is clearly rubbing minds, far from the deliberate calling out, to undermine recently submitted by one of our brother/brothers, comparing the fairness of Nigeria's Judiciary to that of USA, which in my opinion, I assume its obnoxious comparison, and a deliberate act of provocation.
Finally, I have not seen any born and buttered Igbo man that prefers staying in the western societies than Nigeria, including raising their offspring. People changed from visit to studying and finally to immigrate due to the circumstances we found ourselves in Nigeria. Very harsh and unfriendly policies that doesn't support live and let live and economic development, to put it mild.
Greetings to you all and Night nite.
BY DAN....
My able brother, birikwa! We will always come from the angle of telling it as we see it! But when people come with prejudiced mind the world knows it. No African/ Nigerian says that he or she does not understand the dynamics between Africa/Nigeria /Europe and the USA . We give credits and demerits where we see them. But I don’t even see why some people in Nigeria tend sometimes to habor bilious sentiments for people abroad? They take advantages of Nigeria’s good aspects and suffer the bad aspects the same with people overseas. So, why anybody or persons in one part should speak bitterly about the other is something else.Dr. Leo will be right if he says that trying to go overseas at all cost is not good. The same way a person who has been here long returning home for the sake of returning home will also be bad logic. Because, all life is balancing! If anyone makes the mistake of acting because some people are saying certain things then the person is not an autonomous reasoner. Dr. L will have a good point if he stays on the argument that instead of risking one’s life going outside Nigeria the person should stay home and try his luck, the same with us from here, one cannot just head home for the fact that he was born in Nigeria. There is a lot to be said further in these positions.
ReplyDeleteBY JS...
Prof good morning, your observations were in order, the issues in question is not only for their children even the ones that grow up here before traveling doesn't even help matters, some of them hardly visit home so it's like father like son.I still remember the gentleman in the person of Dr J U of the blessed memory, he come home from the USA more than some one living in Lagos or any part of northern Nigeria during his days.May his gentle soul continue to rest in the bosom of Lord. Okuku shi la ive ya gieti mkpu bu kaohaigbo lu oluye, la obuhu la ive giye haruya. The Good Lord almighty will continue to bless Nenwe in Jesus name amen. BY A M..
ReplyDelete@Dr l, I agree with you entirely, but I think that Prof A's plea and suggestions were for those that can afford it. There are some of them out there who can afford to come home with, at least, two of the kids once in three years. I remember what late Dr J U was doing or did when he was in the US. His wife is following the same footprint now. It's a matter of making it a sense of duty. For those of them who may not afford to come home with their families, educating their children on Nenwe culture and traditions are the best option. @ prof A and @Dr. L, there are people who live in Nigeria, even within Enugu, who their children never visited home for more than 15years now. Do we attribute that to economic hardship or fear of being kidnapped or assassinated? We should appeal to our consciences. Udo diri Nenwe! … BY K O..
ReplyDeleteIt is really important that the Nenwerians in Diaspora make it as point of duty for bringing their families home.
ReplyDeleteHowever,let's factor some of the dynamics at play nowadays in relation to those days that Dr.Joe was doing same. God bless his soul.
For example, my friend from Mba-ano Imo state recently brought his family home; four mix race children. A teenage daughter of 16 years old and three boys of 14, 11 and 9years old respectively and their white German mother.
Shocking as it may, arm bandits visited them at Owerri, one of the night in their own house. Their interest was not just rubbing them of their precious possessions, but also mentally humiliating the entire young family in form of rape, in this instance, the teenager daughter and her white mother.
These sort of stories were aliens to the Nigeria society of the 80s and even early 90s.
The social decadence of the very fabric of Nigeria society is far reaching nowadays to the extent that criminals are no longer just seeking out to grabbing your money and material things, but the worst of it is the raking havoc and mental trauma to their victims.
You see, when things like this happen, its very easy for somebody afar to just shrug their head and wave hands, as if it didn't happen, except if such situation occurs close to your doorstep, God forbid.
This German lady, whom I knew was so passionate about her children assimilating Igbo culture to their bones, but today your guess is as good as mine.
One may think that the solution could be hiring men/women in uniform inclusive in the Logistics, when one embarked on such journey, but intelligence has proved otherwise. Instead of being secured, one could be blowing his/her trumpets that there is something in you.
However, be it as it may, we must continue. ..BY DD...