February 13, 2024
by Catherine Onyemelukwe
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Heartwarming Journey back to Nigeria

I had a wonderful heartwarming journey to Lagos, Nigeria. Soon after I graduated from Mount Holyoke College, I was on my way to Lagos to serve for two years in the Peace Corps. Before going, I had nearly 2 months of intensive training on Nigerian life and customs. I learned how to converse in Igbo (then called Ibo), to play netball, and I had training in delivering a baby. We learned about the politics of Nigeria.
I was assigned to the Federal Emergency Science School, a post-secondary institution where the students were excellent scientists and with other interests as well. I was given the assignment to teach German, which hadn’t been taught in Lagos. During my second year at the school, I met my future husband, a Nigerian man. We married and had three children. The youngest, Sam, is in Nigeria where he now manages a TV station and does other work with productions. I stayed with him. My older son, Chinaku, 58, is also nearby.
What did I do with Sam? I visited the sites where he was filming a production of a show from China and Nigeria. He was also involved in creating a show to celebrate Nigerian popular singers. I saw one of his children but the other was in Kenya at secondary school. I saw some of my Nigerian family, a friend of mine and met several other people wanting to get an interview with me. I had a session with Nigerwives, with about 30 people there. I was one of the founders of the organization and it was very good seeing them. I sold and even signed a few of my books.
It had been almost 4 years since I was last in Nigeria and I almost didn’t know what to expect. However, the time there reminded me of many of the things I loved about it. One surprising reminder was how I was revered and greeted due to my status as an elder.
I hope to go back soon. This time travel from Lagos to the village, Nanka, into which I was married so many years ago and stayed for a year during the Biafran war!

February 1, 2024
by Catherine Onyemelukwe
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Igbo Kwenu!

Hearty congratulations to Amarachi Attamah, an Igbo woman. She just posted two new positions on her Facebook page. She will be an Igbo language instructor in the African Languages Program (ALP), in the Department of African and African American Studies at Harvard University. She also will be the Igbo instructor in the Directed Independent Language Study, DILS, at the Yale Center for Language Study.
Two Ivy league accomplishments in one sweet post! She has worked hard for these positions. I’m reading many hundreds of comments about her! She posted a picture too; it’s in the Facebook page on her site.

August 31, 2023
by Catherine Onyemelukwe
2 Comments

Boko Haram and Its Hostages

Boko Haram and Its Hostages

Do you remember that 276 girls were taken by Boko Haram in 2014? This is the terrorist group that has a history of taking hostages. Since 2009 they have operated in Borno State, one of 36 states in Nigeria. They took the girls from their school in Chibok. They also go to some of the other states.

As of today, about 90 girls, now young women, remain with the group. I would guess they are married and have young children.

Most recently there were at least two attacks on these terrorists. They were not there to rescue those from 2014. They were after very recent hijackings.

In one, the 114 Battalion managed to rescue 14 hostages. They were 8 mothers and 6 children in the group. In another, the 82 Battalion followed the hostages and freed 11 people.

Borno State continues to be their major location.

An army person, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, said that the army continues operations against the terror group. I do wish them well but would like to see more serious work against the group.

The brigadier general, Oyama Nwachukwu, said the troops had behaved “gallantly”. Again, I wish he had more to say. I especially believe that he and others would certainly take more definitive action against Boko Haram and finally defeat them.

“More than 100,000 people, including civilians and security personnel, have been killed in the violence-stricken region in the past 14 years,” the release from the press statement says. That is indeed frightening!

Christmas in 2023

Overall, I wish for Nigeria, my home for 24 years, a peaceful existence, but it isn’t coming yet! There are too many problems for the inhabitants.

I may go to Nigeria for Christmas this year. I would even like to go to the village of Nanka, my home for a year, in Anambra State. I would like to stay for a few days. But I will only barely touch the issues that people face. It is sad.

August 17, 2023
by Catherine Onyemelukwe
6 Comments

Looking for Relatives

Ancestry.com

Did you ever join Ancestry.com? Recently I joined. I have begun putting people into classes or teams. So far, I have got several people on my mother’s side and just one on my father’s. And I have gone into my mother’s relatives, I believe, going back four generations. But I have not gone very far in getting people on my father’s side into the list. I know he had two brothers, but I have not found them yet.

My father’s mother was Emilie Clara Erna Burchard, and married to become a Zastrow. So that was my father’s and my own name before I married.

Emilie was actually born in the U.S. But her father was working for the State Department as a German citizen in 1860s. She was sent back to Germany for secondary school and got married there. My father was born in 1903, the youngest of three boys, also in Rostock.

My father came to the U.S. in 1928 or around then. He came with his mother. I don’t remember how long she stayed in this country, but she returned to her home in Rostock, in eastern Germany.

I would love to find at least some of my relatives in Germany. I know I have at least one cousin, and I am sure many others! This one cousin I met in 1991 when I visited his mother and aunt. I would guess he is about the age of my older son who is in his 50s.

But so far, I haven’t traced my father’s family for more than two generations. I will certainly keep working on it. And my mother’s family, with four generations, is quite impressive!

Have you tried Ancestry? What successes have you found?

July 29, 2023
by Catherine Onyemelukwe
Comments Off on Chibok Girl Gets Engaged!

Chibok Girl Gets Engaged!

Chibok Girl Gets Engaged!

One of the Chibok girls who escaped the terrorists recently got engaged in the United States!

We all remember the 2014 terror attack on the school girls in Chibok. There were 276 females, aged 16 to 18. They were abducted from their school, the Government Girls Secondary School, in Borno State, in northern Nigeria. This girl, now a young woman, managed to escape. There was a total of 57 girls who got away soon after they were captured.

Another group of more than 100 were rescued by the Armed Forces of Nigeria in ensuring years. But the rest are still unaccounted for.

Joy Bishara and her cousin, Lydia Pogu, were among those who jumped from the trucks that were carrying them. The two girls relocated to the US. Joy went to Southeastern University and majored in social work, graduating in 2021. Her fiancé is a man called James.

She says, “I said yes to love, laughter and happily ever after with my best friend. James exceeds everything I ever prayed for.”

I trust that she will be happy with him.

July 20, 2023
by Catherine Onyemelukwe
2 Comments

Reflections of My Classmates

Our Reflections in 2022

During 2022 we had a reunion of our classmates. It was in May and was the 60th anniversary of graduation!

What did my classmates think in 2022? First, 22 people shared their concerns about our democracy. All agreed that our democracy is in peril. One classmate had a different take because of living in Canada but ultimately everybody agreed!

Many were very concerned and said so! They gave many reasons, but all had something to say.

  • One said she would recommend term limits on the Supreme Court.
  • Another said the politicians’ responsibilities to their constituents, not just their career ambitions, should be in force.
  • Voting rights would become standard across all states.

Other Non-Political Reflections

Other reflections on our times in 2022? (And I think most agree; these are the same concerns we’d feel now in 2023!)

Most of us wished we knew at 21 or 22 what we know now about ourselves and the world. Many of us feel grateful that we have had a fulfilling life. But a few wished for closer relationships in our marriages.

One woman said she had lived in Nigeria, Bolivia and Brazil. In Nigeria, she regretted her lack of African history. She came back from Nigeria and entered classes again.  She earned a PhD in African history. Then she changed to Afro-American history. Finally, she wrote her thesis based on the relationship between Brazil, Angola and Portugal before the end of the slave trade. More recently she had returned to her earlier career as a librarian.

Another alum left South Hadley in 1962 thinking she was on the verge of knowing everything. But that didn’t last long! She now feels she knows almost nothing! But she is happy with that.

One alum continues to be a sculptor. She said she is delighted to keep discovering that we are never too old to learn. Another said she is most proud of being resilient and willing to reinvent herself.

Recalling our Famous People

We were asked to recall our most famous person whom we had met. One classmate said she didn’t recall a separate meeting. But she did recall this relationship on the day of Kennedy’s funeral.

What I remember most was her being invited to an apartment across the street from St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Washington DC on November 25, 1963. She was on the 2nd floor and could see people going in and out. There she watched the procession. And she saw Presidents Eisenhower and Truman walking arm in arm afterward.

Nigeria Briefly

When I looked at my email, I saw this from Nigeria Health Watch. They would like my opinion on how I use the information I gain from the newsletter.

To be honest, I don’t use it very often. But I have used it sometimes when I’m confronting a question about the rights of women in labor. Or the malaria initiative, or universal health care. I am glad that I get it regularly and would like it to continue.

June 26, 2023
by Catherine Onyemelukwe
6 Comments

New Nigerian President

Time for My Blog

I haven’t been writing for a while. I’ll be writing from time to time about Nigeria, or family, and other topics close to my heart.

New President in Nigeria

I am trying out a new product for my blog. It’s called AI. As you undoubtedly know, AI, or Artificial Intelligence, is an application for writing out my thoughts on a specific topic.

So I am trying out AI. I’m writing on Nigeria’s new president. He is Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Bola Ahmed Tinubu was sworn in as Nigeria’s new president on May 29th, 20231He has promised to expand the economy by at least 6% a year, lift barriers to investment, create jobs and unify the exchange rate while also tackling rampant insecurity2Tinubu is a former Lagos governor who is credited with helping increase the revenue base of the city-state, Nigeria’s commercial capital3.

Bola Ahmed Tinubu faces a litany of problems including widespread violence, double-digit inflation and industrial-scale oil theft. His victory is being challenged in court by his two main rivals in February’s election, and analysts say he may need to reach out to opponents to help heal a divided nation1. As the President of Nigeria, Tinubu will face numerous challenges and expectations from the Nigerian people. It is anticipated that he will prioritize issues such as security, job creation, corruption eradication, and social welfare programs to improve the overall well-being of Nigerians2.

What do you think? I rather like it!

March 28, 2023
by Catherine Onyemelukwe
2 Comments

Old Stories, New Insights

My Story

I want to share with you a story I wrote about my niece. This is a true story, about her life.

Plantain sellers in the market

She was my daughter Beth’s first cousin. Her name was Georgina. She was the only girl with 3 older boys. She went to school in her village – my village for a time – for 2 to 3 years. But she did not get much of an education. She was very shy and did not speak up for herself. She began trading early on, with her mother to teach her.

All her brothers left home, most in Lagos, then the capital city. By the time she was in her late teens, her mother and later her father died. Soon she moved to Lagos. She lived with her oldest brother. She began trading there also, although her “goods” were plantain and akara (fried dough). For her wares she built an open fire outside.

Market Stalls

After a couple of years, she began to bleed, with the start of a tumor. But she had no one to tell about this. Her brother cared for her but didn’t have a clue about the bleeding. By the time she did go to the hospital, her tumor was already advanced. She died a year later.

 

So what is my story?

 

It is this: Education is critical! We must do all we can to help that village, my former home, and other places too, to have a good education system. This requires help from the government and help from foundations.

But it also requires us to advocate. From afar I can write to the foundations that can help in this effort. I can even remind them of this story!

February 18, 2023
by Catherine Onyemelukwe
2 Comments

New President Coming

Next President Coming Soon!

Nigeria will have its next presidential election on February 25. It is very important for the country and for Nigerians everywhere.

There are candidates from all the major parties.

First name is Peter Obi, former Governor of Anambra State. He is running for the political party LP, or Labour Party. He is matched by Atiku Abubakar for PDP, the People’s Democratic Party. Abubakar has tried before to become president. Third is Bola Tinubu, for All Progressives Congress, APC. He was previously a governor of Lagos State. Rabiu Kwankwaso is the fourth, from NNPP, New Nigeria Peoples Party. He is coming late but has gained some sway.

For their Vice Presidents, Peter Obi has selected Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed. Ifeanyi Okowa is the running mate for Atiku Abubakar. Bola Tinubu has chosen Kashim Shettima as his running mate and Kwankwaso has selected Isaac Idahosa.

I cannot begin to explain all their ideas for better governance. But here is how the vote is done:

To be elected in the first round, a candidate must receive a plurality of the vote and over 25% of the vote in at least 24 of the 36 states. If no candidate passes this threshold, a second round will be held between the top candidate and the next candidate to have received a majority of votes in the highest number of states.

I will be watching closely.

February 2, 2023
by Catherine Onyemelukwe
4 Comments

Happy New Year?

Happy New Year, Only One Month+ Late!

In January I was at a group discussing our new “Principle.” This is the 8th Principle, joining our other seven Principles. The other seven have been around for several, indeed many, years, though one has been changed from “man” to “person.”

Rev. Anya Sammler-Michael

These Principles cover the items important to us as a congregation. They are the building blocks for us.

The first Principle: The inherent worth and dignity of every person. This Principle, like the others, gives us a guide to what we believe.

The second: Justice, equity and compassion in human relations. I think this Principle is about how we talk with others with a strong sense of belief in what each person is about.

The third Principle: Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations. This reminds us to be attentive to each other as well as to ourselves.

If you want, you can examine the fourth and fifth Principles in the file WorshipWeb. I will tell you about the sixth: The goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all. And the seventh: Respect for the interdependent web of all existence in which we are all a part.

We were meeting to discuss the 8th Principle. It had been drawn up in draft form by many congregations who have expressed interest in this. We would like to add our name to the list.

Of course we first had to ascertain what else we want in the Principle. Do we wish to add anything about racism or any other topic? Or do we just accept it as it is?

For the conversation about race and racism, Rev. Anya helped me out. She gave me her sermon on “Race and Racism.”

What did she say that was important to me?

She said, “Be here now in this moment. We have agency, we have the right, to effect change.” And she refers to ending racial injustice, ending racial inequality, now! We must have a dream of our time, living now, today.

Notes from a Finance Meeting

The picture is not our Finance Committee. It’s just a picture I found on the web as a reminder of our own! For our own Finance Committee, I have a comment by the chair.

The Finance Committee chair was speaking at our session on the 8th Principle about the endowment. But I missed the chance to ask about the amount, overall, in our endowment.

I was puzzled because he served on both the finance and endowment committees. These joint committee appointments are not allowed by our church in Westport Connecticut. So no one can be on both committees at the same time.

After all, the Finance Committee is in charge of the overall health of the congregation. The Endowment Committee is given the task of helping the congregation cover any shortfall or to hold onto funds until needed.

Happy New Year!

Lots of friends sent me Happy New Year or Merry Christmas cards. I would like to offer many thanks for these wonderful cards, letters, and photographs.

I don’t think I’m going to send out cards now. It seems a little late! Maybe next year?