Igbo Customs, Breaking Kola

Breaking Kola: Nigeria’s Customs and Community

Tomorrow is the third session of the six weeks’ class on Nigeria’s Customs and Community. I’m teaching at Norwalk Community College in the Lifetime Learners program.

I’ll talk about Gods, Ancestors, and the Dibia. I have lots of great photos.

I’ll share one of an Igbo shrine with you.

Speak Truth to Power

Bill Gates criticizes Buhari for failing to address the real needs of Nigerians

If you’re Bill Gates, you can say pretty much anything you want. I do agree with what he said to President Buhari, and I’m glad he said it.

Will it cause a change? Maybe, though I’m not holding my breath. But at least it may give campaign hope to politicians for the next election. Nigerians badly want improvements in the country’s infrastructure, education, and healthcare.

Meanwhile, There’s Music

Bright Chimezie is a Nigerian musician. He is Igbo, like my husband.

He moved back to his village some years ago so that his children would learn the Igbo language and Igbo customs.

His music makes me want to get up and dance. It’s a modernized highlife, the music we danced to as Peace Corps volunteers many years ago!Da

Now he’s about to move back to Lagos, he says. He achieved his goal – his children speak Igbo and feel at home in their village!

The Dapchi Girls, Kidnapped and Released

Ambassador John Campbell wrote in his blog from the Council on Foreign Relations on the Dapchi kidnapping and release.

He says there is controversy about the release. “Boko Haram is embedded in northeast Nigeria. It is therefore likely that local Boko Haram members or supporters alerted the kidnappers to the absence of security forces in Dapchi,” he writes.

He says, “The episode also illustrates an uncomfortable reality: Boko Haram is able to operate largely at will in northeast Nigeria, even if it no longer controls territory.”

What he finds most unfortunate is that the Nigerian military accuses Amnesty International of lying. They are unwilling to accept their own fault.

“The Nigerian military fails to recognize that Amnesty International has immense credibility,” Campbell says. He points out that the accusations from Nigeria’s military only undermine their own credibility!

 

 

Experience Flex at Westport Library

On Friday I was back at the Westport Library. Twelve authors were invited to speak and read as part of the “Experience Flex” days.

There was a good audience, excellent food, and wonderful set-up. I wore my Fulani earrings and a Nigerian outfit.

Authors were interviewed after their presentations by a well-known Westport publicist and her staff. That was a treat.

You can watch it here.