A STROLL WITH ASSED BAIG (For International Migrants Day)

“There are 232 million people living outside their country of birth, including myself” ~Ban Ki-moon.

News of the drowning of over 300 migrants—including women and children— in the Lampedusa boat tragedy sent ripples around the world. It brought to our attention the deadly risks many of us take to survive. Sometimes these migrations are voluntarily and other times compulsory—no thanks to wars, famine, poverty, etc. But despite these obvious factors, what exactly is making people move? 

This is the question Anadolu Agency wanted answers to, that’s why they commissioned an investigation into how Libyan smugglers transport undocumented migrants from North Africa into Europe via Italy. The investigative journalist on this case; my guest, Assed Baig; went on this risky voyage—disguised as a migrant—in search for answers, and his findings were really shocking. 

For International Migration Day Mr. Assed strolled with me and told me about what he discovered during this investigation; what is causing the migration problem; and how we can provide a solution. Here’s my exclusive interview with Assed:

MANHOOD: BEYOND PENIS ENVY (Featured in Court Weekly)

(Image credit: stock-illustration)

Isn't youth and boyhood a memory to keep like a genteel does his manners, and manhood an endless train whose every carriage one must appear in, even if one may never get to come off? Yet with the remorsefulness of one who is in the habit of boiling water to dryness, the transition to manhood hasn't been given the big gun, and most times, a male child--outside the few and sometimes imposing influence of a man-figure while he was growing--is left to do his growing personally. To put it more acutely; it's lonely growing into a man. And the journey goes way back; from around those times in your 'primaries' when you, pined over the pretty little girl whose sit is far right of the classroom; avoiding and picking little fights with her was the only way you know how to express your puerile crave. Then that exact morning in your teen when you woke up just to find--for the first time--your boxers wet with semen, clinging annoyingly to your crotch. Yet, no one comprehends how you went through it all, or perhaps, they did comprehend but none of it mattered--how alone, you nursed the frustrations of your early infatuations and swabbed your first ejaculation dry. But sadly, now that you are a man, these things don't qualify as a fond memory for you.

A STROLL WITH BARRY FINLAY (For International Mountain Day)

          “Every mountain top is within reach if you keep on climbing” ~Barry Finlay

You really don’t know what it feels like to be 'on top of the world' until you get to the summit of a mountain. Okay I’ve not gotten to the summit of any mountain—though I’ve climbed a few hills—but I know someone who has; meet my guest, Mr. Barry Finlay.

After getting to the top of his career as an accountant working with the Canadian government, Mr. Barry retired in 2004; and one day in 2009 he got up from his couch and decided to get to the top of the African continent; conquering the great Kilimanjaro with his son Chris. Apart from being an accountant Mr. Barry is also a wood sculptor, philanthropist, author, motivational speaker, and recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal.

In course of our stroll, we discussed about his Kilimanjaro expedition; his future plans on conquering other summits; and even a bit about the global economic crisis and the way out. This is a very special stroll because, it’s the first time I’m strolling on a guest’s birthday, so I’d like to wish Mr. Barry a big happy birthday, and many more years of fruitfulness. Climb along with us, here’s my stroll with Barry:

THINKING MANDELA (Court Weekly)

(Image Credit: businessinsider)

When the news of Mandela’s death reached me, my first thought about it was, ‘why do good people die?’ It is possible there are similar reactions all over the world. Mandela may be old, at 95, but just like good people who have sacrificed their lives for the good of Mankind, no matter the age which they have attained, no matter how long they have lived, we want them to live evermore. Why is this so? The answer is not far-fetched. They are icons we can look up to, a symbol of encouragement to learn to do good, give without reserve, sacrifice through sweat and blood and that selflessly for the good of humanity. Simply having them with us helps know we can do better than they did, and we can give our lives and yield far more soul-reaching results than they got. And so, I am thinking about humanity- myself and everyone who makes it up. I am thinking about sacrifice and love, selfless goals, compassion, the willingness to be an agent of change. I am thinking much more than this. I am thinking life and death, the entrance and the exit of a man as he comes in to the stage of life, does what he will and exit it. I am thinking Mandela.

FATHER, IS IT TIME? (Court Weekly)

(Image Credit: thefamouspeople)

Lend me a seat
Woven with time and its processes
As I weave these words
Spoken with deep reverence

SLAVERY IN 5D (For International Day for the Abolition of Slavery)

Guest Writer: Mary Ajayi

(Image Credit: globalmarch

'Slavery' is one word that has transcended time, in words and actions; it is as common today as it was years ago, howbeit in different ways. In time past, we had human trafficking as the most common form of slavery, followed by domestic slavery but in this age and time, we've got different variants, too numerous to mention. societal, mental, emotional, financial etc.are the variants of slavery we now have. However, the focus of this observance breaks it all down and selects issues which are deeply woven into the fabric of humanity- not that the aforementioned are not. It just helps us see things better from five dimensions. I hope with this cases (find below), you'd see slavery with new eyes, and help to eradicate it.

WHAT IF IT'S THE WAY WE LOVE? (For World AIDS Day)

Guest Writer: Senator Ihenyen

(Image Credit: baspta.com)

What if this scourge

This pandemic, this plague

Wiping out our race

Without a face

Was just a thing?

HOW I OBSERVED WORLD AIDS DAY 2013

By: Stephen Iyaji

(Image Credit: Benue Youth and Cultural Carnival)

The walk started from the Benue State Government house with the "Salvation band" in front leading the walk, and the beautiful "Miss Benue" and "Miss Carnival 2012" holding the "WORLD AIDS DAY 2013" banner with the rest the youths behind. 

OF KNIGHTS AND WARLORDS (Court Weekly)

(Image Credit: mrdowling)

As of now, and in the course of writing this Weekly, I am on my knees- literally. It seems to me, having tried pacing, and the immersion of head in water to cool my brain and my being that on my knees is where I better can deliver this article which burns in my consciousness, despite the many itches surrounding it. 

Back in the days when men fought wars and lived on honour, sweat and blood, a mighty man of valour walked, leaving giant footprints that the sandstorms of time have failed to erase. Alexander the great, King of Macedonia. I assume you, as well as many others are familiar with the story of Alexander who fought many wars and never lost any, who lived by the sword –though he didn’t die by it; who drafted battle plans, went on many conquests starting from the age of twenty and conquered lands till his death, at the age of 32. It is needful to give this brief history of the man who rode the wings of time and lives on, on the many bloodied pages of history.

A STROLL WITH LIZZY ATTREE (For World AIDS Day)

“Because of the lack of education on AIDS, discrimination, fear, panic, and lies surrounded me” ~Ryan White

If you think medicine is the only way to heal HIV/AIDS then Dr. Lizzy will make you think again. Through her book “Blood on the Page”; The Literary Responses to HIV and AIDS from South Africa and Zimbabwe from 1990-2005; her collection of interviews with the first writers to write about HIV and AIDS from South Africa and Zimbabwe published in 2010; she effectively used Literature as a tool to raise awareness about this disease and generated ideas on ways to fight it.

A mom, sports fan, and avid reader; Lizzy holds a PhD from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, and she’s currently the Administrator of Africa’s leading Literary Prize—the Caine Prize.

We talked about HIV/AIDS, her book, her future plans; and she also shared tips on what the judges will be looking out for in awarding the 2014 Caine Prize. For World AIDS Day, here’s my stroll with Lizzy;

SYMPATHY AND THE PALESTINIAN QUESTION (For International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People)

Guest Writer: Emmanuel Dairo

(Image Credit: UN)

Suffering is a common theme in world history. The European had his share of suffering during the heydays of Greco-Macedonian and then Roman westward campaigns. Mongoloid history is a long tapestry of wars of conquest or subjugation that relieved one group of people of their misery while plunging others into unmentionable anguish. Later Negro history tells of the harrowing fate of helpless African mass-slaughtered and enslaved under repeated waves of European assault. All these were triggered by the desire of one group to achieve dominion over another group and that group’s territory, culminating in the two deadly twentieth century wars where Asian, African and Anglo-American flesh in their millions were heaped up and sacrificed in battle theatres, burnt offerings to man’s heedless ambition to lord it over his fellow men.

Today, we remember a nation of people who have in recent times borne more suffering than any other. No group of people is in direr straits than the beleaguered Palestinians who have suffered long and hard, dispossessed of their homeland by a combination of British complacency and Zionist racism and herded into the confined cubicles they currently call home – Gaza and the West Bank. Current victims of a macabre historical play that has been acted out in the Land of Canaan for the best part of three millennia, the people of Palestine find themselves without much shelter, little water and even less food – and these deplorable living conditions are becoming increasingly worse by the minute as Israel maintains tighter and tighter blockade of the region, fearful of being targeted by vengeful Palestinian insurgency.

TILL RAPE DO US PART (For International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women)

Guest Writer: Elnathan John

In the past three days I have had cause to be scared for Nigerian women. I had long online debates with at least 30 young Nigerian (married and unmarried) men from different professions: lawyers, engineers, civil servants, teachers on the issue of marital rape. It has taken me a while to get over the shock of some of what I heard to write this article debunking the popular myths surrounding marital rape.

One does not need to have experienced rape to understand the seriousness of rape as a crime. Its highly intrusive, sometimes violent nature makes it capable of deep, lasting damage- more so than many other violent crimes. Often, the perpetrator of rape, (some put the frequency at as high as 90% of the time) is known to the victim- a neighbor, friend, uncle, cousin, husband, teacher, pastor, ex-partner. Rape takes on a new dimension when the victim is raped by someone close- then it even becomes harder to report. [Please note that while rape and sexual violence also happens to men, the focus of this article is marital rape as perpetrated by men]

DUSTING THE PATHWAYS OF TIME (For International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women)

Guest Writer: Mary Ajayi

(Image Credit: dreamstime)

He sat before me in the living room, sketching on a piece of paper and humming the nursery rhyme he learnt in school. Starring at him, I can’t help but wonder what my life would have been without him, this child –my anchor and hope. I sit watching his chubby hands sketch the image of a football, face concentrated in a serious attempt at doing it just right so he could show it to me like he had several others he had drawn weeks back.

‘Mummy, have you been keeping my football drawings?’ he asked, still concentrating on the task at hand.

‘Yes dear. I have them all tucked away in our secret place.’

‘Okay. I want to show these sketches when I become a footballer like…er…erm…’ face scrunched in remembrance, he searched long and hard for the name of his role-model.

A STROLL WITH CHRISTINA LAMB (For International Day For the Elimination Of Violence Against Women)

“Break the silence. When you witness violence against women and girls, do not sit back. Act” ~Ban Ki-moon

The world watched with horror as the ambulance carrying the 23-year-old female medical student—who was gang raped in a private bus in Delhi—drove to the hospital in Singapore where she later died, thirteen days after she was raped—and beaten with a metal rod—by 6 men and thrown off the moving bus with her male friend; who was also beaten during the assault. This incidence sparked a lot of protests in India and drew condemnation from the international community. But  what has changed?

Well, not much. Women are still being raped daily—and it’s not just in India, all over the world—8-year-old girls are still trafficked and made to work in red light districts; old women are still being targeted during community clashes and wars; the violence goes on. That is why today is declared an ‘orange day’ by the secretary-general’s UNiTE to end violence against women campaign. The aim of this is to draw attention to violence done against women, and to unite the world in fighting against it.

Christina, my guest, is a multi award-winning journalist, author, mom, and Officer of the order of the British Empire. She’s currently foreign correspondent for the Sunday times and is an expert in regions like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, and Israel. Among the many books she has authored, she recently co-authored ‘I AM MALALA’ with Malala Yousafzai, in which they both inspired other girls and women around the world to stand up for what they believe in at all cost, even if they have to risk being shot in the head.

We talked about women, violence, Malala, and how we can end violence against women globally. Here’s my stroll with Christina:

A STROLL WITH TOPE FOLARIN (For World Philosophy Day)

“I have gained this from philosophy: that I do without being commanded what others do only from fear” ~Aristotle

In a world dominated by dos and don’ts, philosophy gives us a reason to reason. To open up our God-given minds and stretch our thoughts to the extremes of logic in the aim to find out what we are doing, and why we are doing what we are doing.

Someone once said “all great writers are philosophers”, that is why my guest on the stroll today is a writer; and not just a writer but an award-winning writer. Mr.Tope Folarin is the winner of the 2013 Caine Prize for his short story ‘Miracle’, set in an evangelical Nigerian church in Texas. And considering the fact that philosophy and religion have always been clashing, I don’t think I’d have found a better guest with enough contradiction to make a great stroll for world philosophy day.

In course of our stroll, we discussed extensively on philosophy and its use in the society today; he did a rewind on his past before the Caine prize; gave me a sneak peep into his future plans; and I also asked him about the rumours making the rounds that he’s holding a grudge against Chimamanda Adichie.

Here’s my stroll with Tope;

OF KNEELING AND PRAYING: SOUL STIRRING (For World Philosophy Day)

Guest Writer: Davis Donatus

(Image Credit: cutecaster)

Bowing of the knee in religious circles is a display of piety, submission to God and the god-figure; it is also categorized as a human show of humble descent to aid the divine ascent of prayer for the expected answers that may follow. But, this act is also generally used in certain African societies as punishment for wrongdoing. Men who proved themselves worthy in the English societies knelt to be knighted, whilst others did kneel in the paying of homage and in displaying allegiance to lords, nobles and kings. In essence, kneeling is plainly a human thing.

The physical bowing of the knees has a of psychological effect on the mental positioning of the individual kneeling and the figure to whom his knees are bowed. But, there is nothing spiritual about kneeling. Nothing at all. If one kneels to pray, that prayer would be a short one. How long can the bones that make up the joints in your knee bear the entire weight of your body -from head to thighs- before it begins to ache and is blistered? The timing sure varies per individual, but one would definitely tarry longer in prayer on his feet or some other position desired. Not the knees. To me, kneeling not only ruins prayer, it'd have you feasting on the proverbial half-baked cake; being weary amid your act of piety will be a great instigation to discontinuance.

TRENDING TECHNOLOGY (For World Television Day)

Guest Writer: Oluwafemi Ogunjobi

(Image Credit: healthcareasia)

Growing up, as a first child born into a semi-literate, and an average-income family, I filled my years with activities that rarely make meaning to some. After school hours, at around 3p.m, when I'm done with the house chores and school assignments, I'd vacate the house to watch television at the ''Area's rich man's'' house. Not that we were poor, or we did not have electronic gadgets, I only queue at the Old Man's place to watch some interesting programmes that our own 'local antenna' won't pick. I was fascinated by the coloured-screened digital set, nothing like our 'black and white' gadget, and also enjoy such programmes when there is power outage, programmes I will definitely miss if I don't go to the rich man's residence to see them. My father returns at night to power our gadgets with his car battery while the Area's rich man powers his house with generator when there is power outage. This endeared me to visit his place the more. Luck however shone on my family one day when my father got 'all new' electronic gadgets, including a generator. We all were very happy at the new phase of life. I remember how my mother brought the good news to me at the rich man's house, where I was busy in front of the TV. And that was when I stopped being pests at other people's electronic gadgets. What have I been saying? To me, I agree with Helen Fisher who said: 'Television is like a global campfire, we shield around it and it shapes our mind'.

THE CONVERSATION (For Universal Children's Day)

Guest Writer: Olisakwe Ukamaka Evelyn

(Image Credit:5forum.biz)

Chidinma sat before me, eyes fixed on mine, brows creased in expectation, waiting for when I would begin The Conversation. It is important, this conversation, because:
She is growing faster than I can breathe.
I never had this conversation with my own mother. It would have been easier if I had it with my mother. There are many ways she could get taught wrongly, if I avoid this conversation. She really wants us to talk about this.

CHILD (For Universal Children's day)

Guest Writer: Lekh Raj

(Image Credit: worldfotographyart)

When first approached to contribute something to mark ‘Universal children’s day’, I found myself in a quandary and made use of internet connectivity which has numerous information, virtually at your fingertips. It is there to remind us of the disparity of conditions between children growing up all over the world. Of how no child deserves to be without the necessities of food, shelter, medical care and schooling. You can find out more about this observance by clicking here. (http://www.un.org/en/events/childrenday/)

TO BE A MAN (For International Men's Day)

Guest Writer: Ikhide R. Ikheloa



(Image Credit: justhappyquotes)

For the Men in Our Lives...
 

We are living in fascinating times – on many levels. Relationships are being assessed in the light of civil and human rights and life as we know it in the 21st century. Labels abound; misogyny, misandry, feminism, patriarchy, matriarchy, etc. Depending on which side you are. Most of these labels are pejoratives used to describe crushing dysfunctions. Anyhow you look at it, man, as in the male, seems to be under pressure, if not under attack, to change his ways. The family structure with the man at the top or at the center is now seen as something designed by Early Man, something that should go the way of the dodo. There is good reason for these feelings. Patriarchy in its worst forms is a form of oppression and even in societies with robust laws, structures and processes, women and children often bear the brunt of patriarchy and its attendant misogyny. Change is coming, but it is not coming fast enough.