NGOZI OKONJO IWEALA ATTACKS FALANI. CALLS HIM AN INTEGRATED CHALLENGED CHARLATAN

YOU ARE AN INTEGRATED CHALLENGED CHARLATAN

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy during the tenure of former President Godluck Jonathan, has taken a swipe at human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, calling him an integrity challenged chalartan.
Okonjo-Iweala was responding to the call for the arrest of the ex-minister by the International criminal Court (ICC) over the corruption that went on during the last administration.
Falana had in petition dated January 19, 2016 and sent to the Prosecutor at the ICC requested the court to “investigate allegation of crimes against humanity committed against the Nigerian people by some former and serving military officials as well as public officials and private persons who engaged in the criminal diversion of $8 billion earmarked to procure equipment for the armed forces to fight insurgency.”
He said: “The inquiry conducted by the Presidential Panel on arms procurement has established that the bulk of the sum of $2.1 billion and N643 billion ($4 billion) earmarked for the purchase of military hardware to fight terrorism was criminally diverted by the former government through the office of the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd). It has also been confirmed that the said Col. Dasuki colluded with some serving and retired military officers and civilians to divert the sum of $2 billion and N29 billion set aside for the procurement of fighter jets and other equipment for the Nigeria Air Force.
“As if that was not enough, the sum of $322 million and £5.5 million from the Abacha loot which was illegally transferred to Col. Dasuki by a former Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for prosecuting the war on terror has also been criminally diverted. Part of the stolen fund was used to fund the campaign for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 general elections”, Falana said.
“We therefore submit that this is sufficient to hold Col Dasuki and others that have been indicted in the arms theft scandal responsible for crimes against humanity perpetrated against Nigerians. The failure of a former Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to prevent widespread and systematic corruption including the re-looting of the Abacha loot amounts to complicity under the Rome Statute, and therefore fits the legal requirements of a crime against humanity.”
But the former finance minister in a response Thursday by her media adviser, Paul Nwabuikwu, said the call for her arrest “is a desperate joke by an integrity challenged charlatan (ICC).”
She said “this misadventure shows that the so-called learned lawyer does not have any idea of what the mandate of the ICC is about.”
The statement reads:

A RESPONSE TO FEMI FALANA, AN INTEGRITY-CHALLENGED CHARLATAN (ICC)
The malicious attempt by Lagos Lawyer, Femi Falana to mix Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala up in issues that have nothing to do with her in his letter to the International Criminal Court (ICC) is a desperate joke by an integrity challenged charlatan (ICC).
This misadventure shows that the so-called learned lawyer does not have any idea of what the mandate of the ICC is about.
He has resorted to this action because his previous efforts to tarnish her name – through his discredited NGO, SERAP and petitions to the EFCC – failed because they were lacking in credibility.
This latest effort to try to attach her name falsely confirms that Femi Falana is nothing but a tool of corrupt elements whose interests were hurt by the work Dr. Okonjo-Iweala did in fighting corruption while she was in office.
These elements have now made a habit of making false allegations against Dr Okonjo-Iweala whenever she receives any national or international recognition for her work. The pattern is clear and Nigerians should be alert to it. But Dr Okonjo-Iweala will not be intimidated from going on with her life and performing her duties. She will not give in to cowardly and unmanly bullying.
Falana’s latest attempt to implicate Dr Okonjo-Iweala falsely suggests that he is suffering from an ailment that may be described as Chronic Cerebral Amnesia (CCA) because he simply has no grasp of the facts.
Here are the facts:

FACT NO 1: OKONJO-IWEALA HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE $2.1 BILLION ARMS CONTROVERSY
Contrary to Falana’s lies, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala has absolutely nothing to do with the alleged misuse of $2.1billion by the office of the former National Security Adviser. Falana and his sponsors are simply trying to invent a connection where there is none.

The January 20, 2015 memo in which Dr Okonjo-Iweala sought and received the approval of former President Jonathan for the release of part of the newly returned Abacha funds to the NSA for purchase of arms is totally separate from the $2.1 billion issue.
The memo which is now in the public domain speaks for itself. The release of the resources was in response to an approval by the former President following a meeting chaired by him after a committee had considered the request.
The memo clearly documented Dr Okonjo-Iweala’s insistence that the proper procedure be followed, subject to appropriation and according to financial regulations. Dr. Okonjo-Iweala went further to state that the former NSA should account for the funds to the former President since she is not a member of the Security Council. The attempt to link Okonjo-Iweala to the $2.1billion issue is therefore dead on arrival.

FACT NO 2: OKONJO-IWEALA WAS NOT IN GOVERNMENT WHEN MOST OF THE ABACHA FUNDS WERE RECOVERED
Falana and his sponsors have claimed that billions of dollars of Abacha funds were recovered and that Dr Okonjo-Iweala should account for the recovered funds.
The fact is that some of the funds recovery was done under the regime of General Abdulsalami Abubakar and the first term of President Olusegun Obasanjo when Dr Okonjo-Iweala was not even in government.
During the time Dr Okonjo-Iweala was Finance Minister in the second Obasanjo administration, $500m was recovered. As documented by the Field Study conducted by the World Bank with the assistance of national and international NGOs, this amount was properly applied.
Falana’s insistence on the contrary shows how despicable he is and how he is ready to ignore facts and concoct a fiction in the service of his sponsors.

FACT 3: OKONJO-IWEALA LEFT STRONG LEGACIES AS A CHAMPION OF TRANSPARENCY AND THE FIGHT AGAINST
?CORRUPTION WHILE IN GOVERNMENT
It is on record that Dr. Okonjo-Iweala championed transparency and vigorously fought corruption during her two terms as Minister. Among other actions, starting from the second Obasanjo administration, she, for the first time in Nigeria’s history, published monthly revenue allocations to all tiers of government for Nigerians to see.
While serving in the Obasanjo administration, she requested the assistance of the World Bank and DFID, the UK’s development agency to build institutions and systems that could block leakages from the treasury. This work stalled after she left office in 2006. In August 2011 when she returned under the Jonathan government, with the assistance of the Ministry of Finance Team, she re-invigorated the establishment and use of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Management Systems (IPPIS), the Government Integrated Financial Management System (GIFMIS) and the Treasury Single Account (TSA), all of which saved the country billions of naira by drastically reducing avenues for corruption in the public service. These facts are well documented in successive World Bank, DFID and IMF Article 4 Reports.
It is gratifying that the present government has adopted and is further building on these systems for the benefit of the country.

FACT NO 4: DR. OKONJO-IWEALA’S MOTHER WAS KIDNAPPED AND ALMOST KILLED BECAUSE OF THE FORMER MINISTER’S STANCE AGAINST CORRUPTION
Falana is callous beyond belief for ignoring a fact of recent Nigerian history: the kidnap of Professor Kamene Okonjo, the then 83 year old mother of Dr Okonjo-Iweala by agents of fuel subsidy fraudsters who were angry that the former Minister had blocked them from defrauding the country further.
The kidnappers had told the traumatised old woman that they were sent to punish Okonjo-Iweala for refusing to pay some oil marketers. It is on record with the State Security Services that the kidnappers initially demanded the resignation of Dr Okonjo-Iweala in return for the release of her mother. Thank God Professor Okonjo is still alive to tell her story today and she will not be silenced.
It is extremely insensitive and, in fact, inhumane for Falana and his sponsors to level false accusations against someone like Dr Okonjo-Iweala who went through this kind of searing personal ordeal for her principled fight against corruption.

CONCLUSION
Falana’s attempt to implicate Dr Okonjo-Iweala falsely is a disservice to law, justice and the image of the country. It is sad that a person who had earned some prominence as a human rights lawyer now tramples on the human rights of others as a political jobber.
He and his sponsors are engaged in nothing but media harassment, cyber bullying and intimidation against innocent persons like Dr Okonjo-Iweala for political and pecuniary gain. That is why Nigerians should not give in to Falana’s self-imposed Chronic Cerebral Amnesia (CCA).

Paul C Nwabuikwu

Media Adviser to Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

REINCANATION

A STRANGE OCCURENCE THAT'S STILL IN DOUBT.

Ever before the white men came with the Christian religion and Western civilization, our great grandfathers in Igboland (in Nigeria, West Africa) knew about reincarnation, which they called in local language, “Ịlọ ụwa” (a return to the world). They knew and also believed in life beyond, which they call “Ala-mụọ”. By “Ala-mụọ”, they mean the inner realms not just the fairyland of folkstories. It is at ‘Ala-mụọ’ that they imagine their noble ancestors to be living and interceding for them before “Chi-na-eke” (the God that creates) and “Ofo-na ọgụ” (Gods operating force) that balances things in nature including the yearly climatic conditions vital for their agriculture. It is at the same “Ala-muo” they believe their dead relations to be residing after physical death and from there would reincarnate probably to those that were their kin in their past life.

In Igboland, our forefathers’ knowledge of life beyond the present one on earth is well understood to be transmigration of human souls through the seven worlds of being. In Igboland, when a good child or wife does quite a good turn to an old father or mother; in many occasions, the elderly ones are heard making such comments as “Ezi Nwam/nwunyem, ịgakwa abụ nwam /nwụnyem, ụwam ụwa asaa” – meaning “my good child/ wife, you will continue to be my child/wife in my seven worlds of being”. This is an indication that our great Igbo ancestors knew and believed in the doctrine of seven rounds and seven races in the evolutionary cycles of mankind.

There are many apparent factors that convince the Igbos in their belief in reincarnation. The reappearance of bodily marks of deceased persons on the body of new born baby is one basis for the Igbos belief in reincarnation. In the circumstance of mentally ill people who were violent in a past life and were constrained wearing handcuffs or ankle restraints for a long time before they died; it is believed that the scar of the wound caused by the handcuffs does appear on the wrists or ankles of some of them upon their reincarnation. It is same with those unfortunate people who perished by fire in a traumatic accident; the scars of burns appear on the body of some such cases upon reincarnation. When marks such as I have pointed out appear on the body of an infant in whose family somebody in the past had such a handcuff or died in a fiery accident; no further proof will be needed to accept that the deceased has come back.

The occurrence of a child prodigy is called, “Ebibi-ụwa”, in Igbo language, meaning Nature’s imprint. Those born with their pre-incarnation intellectual and physical abilities are seen as yet another proof for the Igbos belief in reincarnation. According to Dr Onyike. In my home town, Umuahia, South Local Government in Abia State, Nigeria, there lived a renowned traditional medicine man called Nna-na-Mgbọrọggụ. Nna-na Mgbọrọgwụ was very famous in the early 1950s. My own father who was his senior in age, told me then that Nna-na-Mgbọrọgwụ was an exceptional human being. At the age of seven, he went to the bush behind their house and collected herbs which he compounded with other things and used the resultant medicine to cure his father’s uncle from the dreaded disease, tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis at that time was considered such a terrible threat to others in the village, that the poor suffers were ostracized from their own homes to a hut in the bush where such an unfortunate sufferer would be left to die. This young medicine man’s cure of his own uncle was like an advertisement for what was to be his mission in his present lifetime. People started approaching his parents with different health problems which this little boy efficiently managed. He did not go to school because he started the work of traditional medicine man at a very early age. Nna-na-Mgbọrọgwụ is an example of a man who points one’s mind to the possibility of his being a reincarnation of a forefather of his family. “Nna-nna” (fore father) “mgbọrọgwụ” (medicinal roots), when put together it gives the understanding, “our forefather who was medicinal root himself”, or knows all about roots for healing.

Names such as those mentioned below are very common in Igboland. They are a true indication of the Igbos belief in reincarnation. Nna-nna (the father of his father); Nne-nna (the mother of his father); Nne-ji (my brother or sister); Nna-ji (my half brother/half sister); and Nwa-nne Daa (the brother or sister of my mother). None of these names is repeated in the family because they specify the ancestors. Relations in this life pay the child the same high respect they were accustomed to pay to the deceased grandparent or relation of their father. Some people in Igboland are bearing their pre-incarnation names and enjoying the high level of respect due to a grandfather /mother.

Despite the strong influence of Christianity in Igbo cultures and traditions, reincarnation has remained a heart belief of the Igbos which the orthodox religion has found hard to abolish. Before the conveyors of Christian faith, the Igbos already had their own well established and complex religion which was indirectly Theocentric, a sequel to the order of worship. Reincarnation itself is not a virtually conspicuous tradition that attracts outright condemnation or attack from the preachers of Christian faith in

Nigeria. Nor does such a belief pose any threat or danger to it, like some barbaric customs of ancient times, e.g. twin killing, human sacrifice, etc. which attracted much concern in Nigeria and thankfully were stopped by the authorities.

This are what people have to say about this.

Anonymous

I do ,I don't belong to any sector of Christian religion, nor am I Muslim. So, I am free to think independently. I have spent a lot of years watching young babies doing things that they weren't taught, those experinces have brought me to my conclusion.

Anonymous

Reincarnation happens of course just that christianity and islam, our imported ''Tokunbo'' religions, have turned us away from examining such things.

Now it's all about ''Jesus''.

What time is it? Ask ''Jesus''.

Do we survive death? Ask ''Jesus''

Are we immoral spirits in a temporary physical encasement? ''Shush. Jesus alone is the answer''.

Our brains have been blocked of all thought and introspection by ''Jesus'

Ochugal

I have spent a lot of years watching young babies doing things that they weren't taught, those experinces have brought me to my conclusion.

Mark

I believe in reincarnation most times i feel i'm living a second life. when i was much younger i use to have dreams about certain events. sometimes i see some people i feel i've met before. as in much older people who don't seem to have the slightest idea who i am.

I do believe in reincarnation and I find the topic highly fascinating. The 'Obanje' phenomenon in Nigeria is form of reincarnation right?

I have heard stories of toddlers speaking languages fluently that neither Parents of other family members had any knowledge of. There was also the story of a little boy born in an obscure village in India who kept telling his 'new' mother that he was a shopkeeper Mumbai with a wife and two children. This boy knew his previous name and also the names of his wife and children. To cut a long story short, the boys 'old' family was found in Mumbai and reunited with him. It was quite fascinating watching this young boy of around 7 asking 'his' kids who were now teenagers if they had done their homework and what they had eaten.

Stella.

Using the Bible to refute the reincarnation theory is incorrect. Have you read about Elijah and John the Baptist. Jesus is also refered to as God incarnate! There are quite a few examples of reincarnation in the Bible. Me think the question is 'WHAT IS REINCARNATION'?

Amanda.

they say am my grand-ma's incarnate . . . i look like her and take decisions like her they say.

I dunno wat to believe anyways. I'm sha not a ghost.

James.

judgement follows. There is nothing like reincarnation. Reincarnation is an illusion. I was told that my grand father reincarnated our lastborn but our last born doesn't know my grandpa or have any knowledge of him. Unless you wish an evil spirit in life and family.I ask again, if not Jesus but who... Am i going to call on father or mother for assistance. Hell is real and heaven is real. Repent, tomorrow might be too late for you because you may sleep this night and never wake, i guess ur hope is reincarnatiom but bear in mind that GOD is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth that he shall reap. Jesus loves you.

Tell us your experience and what

you believe.

www.ala-igbo.blogspot.com

Twitter @alaigbo2

OSU PRACTICE AND MARRIAGE IN IGBOLAND

EFFECT OF OSU PRACTICE AND MARRIAGE IN IGBO LAND

A Madness That Should Be Totally Curbed Because of Its Effect on Human Right.

The Osu caste system is an age-old practice in South Eastern Nigeria that discourages social interaction and marriage with an ostracised group of persons. David aduge-ani, stanley uzoaru and okechukwu obeta write on the plight of the stigmatised individuals
The practice of the outcast system popularly known as the Osu tradition in Igbo land dates back to the era of slave trade and war in the eastern states where victors took away their enemies as slaves, some of the slaves in turn were sacrificed to the gods and later branded “Osu” in their new settlement.
The Osu caste system has prevented many young men and women from the South East from marrying people of their choice. This tradition has not only led to a high number of ladies and young men remaining unmarried, it has equally led to frustration among this group.
In 2012 for instance, Emeka a businessman who lives in Spain, through a friend, met a young lady called Amarachi who lives in Abuja on facebook and fell in love with her and their love kept growing day by day. They spoke every day on phone and exchanged messages and pictures on facebook.
The love they had for each other even increased when Emeka and Amarachi realised they are from the same state – Anambra and even from almost the same community. While Emeka is an indigene of Amichi town in Nnewi local government, Amarachi is an indigene of Igboukwu in Aguata local government area. ALAIGBO.COM gathered that Amichi is a stone throw from Igboukwu community and people in both communities go to each other’s markets.
“We had the interest of each other because of the closeness of our communities to each other. We courted for about seven to eight months before we finally agreed to marry each other,” Emeka told ALAIGBO.COM.
He said after months of courtship they arranged for a proper introduction in their family home. So he returned home from Spain while Amarachi travelled from Abuja to meet him in Lagos, so that they could travel to the village on the fixed date for the ceremony. Every necessary arrangement was made in the village of the wife-to-be for the marriage introduction. All her brothers and sisters equally returned to the village for the ceremony.
“We met in Lagos in my brother’s house; she actually travelled from Abuja to meet me. This was to enable us make all the arrangements and also for us to travel together to the village for the formal introduction. We also arranged on how the introduction was going to be conducted, including the payment of the dowry and other matters.
“However, on the fixed day, when my family members and I visited the home of my would-be in-laws, we noticed an unusual reception from the family members. When we asked for our would-be-wife, we were told that she went somewhere, which was unusual. My family members were not treated well during and even after our discussion on the marriage introduction; we were told not to worry about the marriage anymore but to go back home and wait for a feedback from them. Up till this moment, I tell you that feedback never came from the family of the wife I wanted to marry,” he narrated.
Amarachi told ALAIGBO.COM that even before the arrival of the family of her groom-to-be on the fixed date for the introduction, her family had already concluded that the marriage would not take place because the man who wanted to marry her is from an ‘Osu’ family.
“On our way home for the introduction ceremony, I received a call from one of my brothers to inform me that the marriage introduction was not going to work out, because my family discovered that the man in question is from the family of ‘Osu’ caste. So the kindred had already met and concluded that the marriage would not hold. On the scheduled date for the marriage introduction, I was locked inside a room in the family compound to prevent me from meeting the man who wanted to marry me or any member of his family during their visit,” she said.
After the incident, every effort made by both Amarachi and Emeka for the marriage to take place proved abortive.
“Because we loved each other and wanted the marriage to work out, we did everything possible. For instance, we visited a Rev Father in our village church and the traditional ruler of my village. Our Rev Father even advised us that the only way he could wed us in the church was for us to go to a court and pay the dowry there and then collect an evidence of payment that we are married. He said with that, he would have a reason to wed us. However, all the efforts we made did not yield any positive result,” she says. ALAIGBO.COM also gathered that there was a man in the same Igboukwu village who married a woman from an Osu family. Before the marriage, every effort to prevent him from marrying the woman was fruitless as the man went ahead and married the woman. What the family did after the marriage was to excommunicate the man from the family. They even gave him another surname different from that of the original family and was asked to pack out of the family compound to another land where the man lived with the wife till his death recently.
In Imo State, the practice still prevails as several efforts by both traditional and religious institutions to abolish it has remained unproductive.
However, efforts of the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri diocese, His Grace, Anthony Obinna who has been at the forefront of the eradication of the age-long practice through his annual Odenigbo lecture to sensitise the people of the state on the need to abandon the practice has recorded some positive results.
Some of those branded as Osu who do not intermarry with the freeborn known as “Diala” now do so after the annual lecture by the clergy. Nevertheless, majority of the residents of the state still believe in the outdated tradition.
When asked if he could marry an Osu, Mr Uchenna Obi from Amakohia in Owerri West local government area of the state said, “this is a difficult question, my people do not marry an Osu; even if I defy their tradition and marry such a person, I would be ostracised from the community.”
The tradition has made the act of marriage so rigorous as the intended couples have to embark on investigative journey to their different families to find out if they are not from Osu clan.
However, there seems to a good tiding about the Osu caste system in Anambra State as His Royal Majesty, the traditional ruler of Isseke kingdom, Igwe Emmanuel Nnabuife said, the system practiced in many communities in Igbo land long ago has been abolished in virtually all the communities in the state.
Nnabuife said the Osu caste system is primitive, retrogressive and does not conform with the “best international practice of human rights.”
Stating that the practice has already been abolished in all communities in Anambra State, Igwe Nnabuife who was a one-time presidential aspirant under the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) disclosed that traditional rulers in Igbo land have already resolved to sponsor a bill to be passed by Houses of Assembly in all the South-East states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo to enact laws abolishing the practice of Osu caste system.
According to Nnabuife, all the forests in Anambra state where the deities existed had been destroyed in all communities.
Also, the traditional ruler of Nri Kingdom, the acclaimed ancestral home of the Igbos, His Majesty, Eze Obidigwe Onyesoh stated that Osu caste system no longer exists in most communities because it is discriminatory and does not encourage social cohesion among people.
The president-general of Nawgu community in Dunukofia local government area, Mr Chuks Ilozuo, stated that the culture is not practiced in his community but described Osu caste practice as a violation of human rights, adding that the practice is retrogressive.

Alaigbo.com. : IGBO STUDIES ASSOCIATION CHICAGO

Alaigbo.com. : IGBO STUDIES ASSOCIATION CHICAGO: 2016 CONFERENCE CALL FOR PAPER - CHICAGO 2016 THE 14 ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IGBO STUDIES ASSOCIATION Theme NDI IGBO...

IGBO STUDIES ASSOCIATION CHICAGO

2016 CONFERENCE
CALL FOR PAPER - CHICAGO 2016
THE 14 ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IGBO STUDIES ASSOCIATION
Theme
NDI IGBO IN THE GLOBAL CONTEXT
Dominican University, River Forest (Chicago), Illinois, USA
May 12-14
The Igbo Studies Association (ISA) invites scholars and professionals working on all aspects of the Igbo people of Southeastern Nigeria to submit paper, panel, poster, and/or roundtable proposals for its 14th annual international conference to be held on May 12-14 at Dominican University, River Forest (Chicago), Illinois, USA. Through this annual event, scholars and experts gather to deliberate on diverse facets of the Igbo experience and explore ways of advancing the rich Igbo heritage. The conference theme for 2016, Ndi Igbo in the Global Context, is timely; it will give participants the opportunity to reflect on Igbo consciousness as well as the numerous economic, social, political, and security accomplishments Ndi Igbo have made and the challenges they still face both at home and abroad. The place of Ndi Igbo in Nigeria and the world today demands closer examination especially in the face of threats to their lives and wellbeing from xenophobia, ethnic conflicts, terrorism, economic anxiety, human and drug trafficking, investment dilemma, youth restiveness, educational crisis, brain drain, political violence and marginalization, kidnapping, and unemployment. This conference explores how Igbo indigenous cultural values, attitudes, and worldview could serve as a vehicle in constructing a more positive and meaningful relationship among Ndi Igbo and with their neighbors within and outside Nigeria.
For this conference, the ISA welcomes proposals that assess the engagement of Ndi Igbo with the ever- changing and complex world. Igbo efforts at national and international integration present both risks and opportunities. How Ndi Igbo could maximize the opportunities and minimize the risks in the globalized world of the 21st century is the overriding question for this conference. Presenters are encouraged to propose topics that advance the conversation on the contributions the Igbo have made and could still make in (re)shaping both Nigeria and the world in which equal access to social, political, and economic opportunities could be guaranteed. We hope that your presentations will incorporate original research in understanding and proffering solutions to the obstacles and challenges facing the Igbo people.
Panels will engage with a variety of topics including but not limited to:
1. Globalization, Language Endangerment, and Preservation
2. Ako Na Uche : Understanding the World
3. Migration and Xenophobia
4. Inter-Ethnic Relations, Conflicts, and Fear of Domination
5. Lessons of Indigenous Religion and Igbo Consciousness
6. Linkages and Connections: Igbo in Diaspora
7. Economic Anxiety, Investment and Human Security
8. Illicit Wealth, Drug, and Human Trafficking
9. Ogbu Ara Obara: Terrorism, Political Violence, and Safety
10. Youth Restiveness and Unemployment
11. Educational Advances, Crises and Brain Drain
12. Political Evolution, Democracy, and Money Politics
13. Social Security and Stability
14. Kidnapping, Morality, and Decadence
15. Biafran War, Memories, and Lessons
16. Social Solidarity and Pan-Ndi-Igbo Political Organizations
17. Principles and Practices of Human Rights
18. Nka Na Uzu : Science, Technology, and Development
19. Sports and Youth Development
20. Gender, Class, and Igbo Values
Guidelines:
Submit an abstract of 250-300 words with your paper/poster/roundtable title, name, current position and institutional affiliation, mailing addresses, email, and phone number. Your abstracts must discuss the scope of the paper, the research methodology, possible sources, and tentative thesis or hypothesis. Those whose abstracts are accepted will have to pay a $50 non-refundable part payment for conference registration.
Deadline:
All proposals must be submitted online and submission deadline is January 31, 2016. Completed papers are due by March 1, 2016. To submit your proposal, click on this link: http://igbostudiesassociation.org/index.php/submission
Notification:
You will be notified on the status of your submission and other program details by email. Selected papers will be considered for publication and inclusion in either the Igbo Studies Review or a post-conference edited book. You should, therefore, write your papers as if they are being prepared for publication. Presentations can be made in English or Igbo. Participants are responsible for the conference fee and their travel and lodging costs. It is important that those who will require U.S. visas submit their proposals and completed paper early since they will need them for the visa interviews. For more information on the Igbo Studies Association, including membership and other matters, please visit us at http://www.igbostudiesassociation.org/
For more Inquiries, please contact
Ogechi Emma Anyanwu, PhD
Conference Chair
Department of History
Eastern Kentucky University
Richmond, KY 40475
Phone: 859-248-1394

Email: isaconference@yahoo.com

Alaigbo.com. : BIAFRA:EX MILITANTS ISSUE BUHARI 31 DAYS TO RELEASE KANU

Alaigbo.com. : BIAFRA:EX MILITANTS ISSUE BUHARI 31 DAYS TO RELEASE KANU

BIAFRA:EX MILITANTS ISSUE BUHARI 31 DAYS TO RELEASE KANU

Supporters of the Biafra movement among the Niger Delta ex-militants have given President Mohammadu Buhari led federal government 31-day deadline to free the leader of the group and Director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, or face the consequences.
Also, the former warlords warned security agencies against tampering with the life of the IPOB leader, who is detained at Kuje Prison. Spokesperson of the concerned ex-militants, simply identified as General Ben, warned that at the expiration of the ultimatum, they would resume massive abduction of expatriates as a first step.
The spokesperson declared that Federal Government should not underrate the activities of the militants in the Niger Delta, no matter the number of soldiers deployed against them.
He fumed: “The ex-militant leaders in Ebeocha IPOB are warning the Federal Government and are giving them 31 days to release Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of IPOB and Director of Radio Biafra.
“We are giving Federal Government deadline; if they fail to release him, the country would be vandalised. He is fighting a just cause. Nothing should happen to him and Federal Government should not forget what we can do,” he threatened.
Source: Sun Newspaper

HISTORY OF REMARKABLE ALAIGBO TRADITION FOR THE WEEK

TRADITIONAL DANCE OF OHAFIA ABIA STATE NIGERIA.
1. OHAFIA in Abia state,
2.It is called Ohafia War Dance...
3..the ancestors of Ohafia were renowned to be mighty men of war who were always on the lookout for wars to take part in.[3] The Ohafia warrior tradition which remains one of the fundamental identity of the people of Ohafia is hinged in the performance of iri agha - the practice of beheading a fallen enemy. A human skull is a proof of a man's courage and strength. Only those who brought home a human head could join the Ogbu-Isi society and wear an eagle's plume which is a symbol of courage.The Ohafia War Dance which is also performed to celebrate an individual's achievement is headed by a lead dancer carrying a basket full of human skulls (Igbo: oyaya) while holding a short cutlass and a small palm shoot in his mouth, while his fellow dancers dressed like fierce warriors mime the cutting off of human head while dancing to the music from the akwatankwa musical instrument thus portraying Ohafia as a land of brave warriors

MY MAMA SAY I BE IGBO ' A Menace that has to be Curbed'

It has become very necessary to teach our children the IGBO LANGUAGE that is fast going into instinction.According to research conducted by United Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO),IGBO language has been identified as one of the word's language that might be subsumed by other stronger languages by 2025,if the current speakers do nothing about it. Hence ,they opined that about 10,000,000 ( ten million) Ndigbo are needed to vote for the revival of IGBO language in order to increase the consciousness and the use of the language among adults and children,and thus,curb the menace of 'my papa say we be IGBO'~a virus that must be fought head long.

Of course if neglected,this disheartening situation will pose a great threat to the development of IGBO Nation,because language and culture of a people are the vital ingredient for their quest for survival,growth and development. It is often said that the "EASIEST WAY TO DESTROY A NATION IS TO FIST KILL HER LANGUAGE "hence the future of IGBO nation solely on us and our children.

ASUSU IGBO AMAKA

By ignitia Nwaelugo

Published in the 10th anniversary magazine NAIS.(LASU).

What is your contribution to this?

HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW OF HUMBLE SMITH' OSINACHI'

HUMBLE SMITH THE NEXT BIG THING TO HAPPEN TO THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.

Real Name: Ekene Ijemba

Stage Name: Humble smith

Date of Birth / Age : May 4th, 1991

Place of birth / state of origin : Abakaliki Ebonyi State

Record Label : DG Records

Genre: Afro Pop, Singer / Song Writer

Tertiary Institution : University Of Lagos

Ekene Ijemba popularly known as Humble Smith is a graduate of University of Lagos, UniLag. The fifth child from a humble home of 8 children, he was born on May 4th, 1991 at abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

The Afropop Artist initially known for his hit single Chiamoo has went on prove himself as a talented artist to watch out for, with the release of Osinachi, one of the best most played singles last year. Humblesmith’s Osinachi has topped various chart and continues to receive massive airplay both TV and on radio.

He has worked withe likes of Phyno, Mr. Dimz, Jokes, feokee etc.

Humble Smith Singles includes:

Osinachi featuring Phyno

Chairmoo produced by Mr. Dimz

Na you

Nominated as the rookie of the year ( 2015 ), by The Headies Award 2015.

With the release of the remix of Osinachi ft HKM star Davido,which is now making wave on radio and topping chats.

There you have it for Humble Smith Biography and His Latest Songs presently.

we would add more update as we get more information on him. Don’t hesitate to share your thought and additions with us through the comment box and like us on facebook Page:

Alaigbo.com

Blog:

www.ala-igbo.blogspot.com

Twitter @alaigbo2

BRIDE PRICE IN THE EAST TO BE COMPARED TO OTHER PARTS OF NIGERIA

JULIET UMEH examines the full range of bride price practices east of the Niger.

Ask Anthony Omeha why he is still single at 45. His response will give you an insight into why most youths from the South East of Nigeria marry late. Says Omeha, “I’ve been in a relationship with Chinasa Ukeh, my girl friend, for the past ten years, but I’ve not been able to tie the knot because getting married in my town is not child’s play. It could nearly push you to rob a bank, especially if you don’t have a good job or a viable source of income.

As a result, many are boycotting the normal process by swiftly getting their girlfriends pregnant, so that the family would accept whatever is presented to them. But I don’t want to go about it that way. And that’s why I’m still single, hoping to gather enough funds to face the challenge soonest.”

Ikenna Madu, a 38-year-old young man from Ezinihitte Mbaise in Imo State is obviously facing the same challenge.

He says, “My greatest predicament is certainly not only my unviable business but the fact that I couldn’t get Oluchi Uche, my former girl friend, to be my wife because of the high bride price in Mbaise, my locality. Both of us agreed to walk down the aisle in 2014, but that was not achievable due to financial constraints. Uche later backed out of the relationship and went with a young man who came from abroad during the last Christmas period.”

The jilted Madu tells his story further: “I have the intention of marrying from among my people, but fear always grips me whenever I think of what it takes to marry our ladies. I am not thinking of living with one illegally because, if, God forbid, she dies, you will be made to marry her corpse before she is buried. I lost my lover of many years because I couldn’t meet up with her people’s high expectations.

I am still a struggling man hoping to make it one day.”

Gladys Ezeh is from Mbano, in Imo State. She also has a story to tell. “My maternal uncle was lamenting recently that he doesn’t know how to present the list he was given by his kinsmen to his daughter’s suitor. The worst thing is that the list is now in two parts. There is a list for an educated girl and another list for the uneducated.”

While high bride price is often a stumbling block to singles from the South East, especially in Mbano and Mbaise communities of Imo State, bride price is not really an issue in most parts of the North and the South West.

According to Sheik Muhammad Awwal Adam, a prominent scholar in Adamawa State, dowry is one of the most significant pillars of marriage, without which marriage cannot be consummated in Islam. However, in Islam, the minimum amount acceptable as dowry is one quarter of a “Dinar”, which is about N10, 000.

That is nothing compared to the bride price of the South East.

Sola Aderemi, who is of Yoruba extraction, says with N20, 000, one can comfortably marry a wife in Yoruba land, which constitutes the South West. Still in the South East, many argue that bride price varies from community to community, and is not a problem in many places. Alloysius Njoku, a titled chief from Mbaise debunks the allegation of high cost of marriage in Imo State, especially in his community.

He says, “In Igbo land, especially in Mbaise where I come from, when we give you our daughter in marriage, you’ve just picked gold. She will have children for you and you will make profit and the woman will even take the father’s wealth to your place. Bride price varies from community to community.

For instance, in my place, Ibeku in Abombaise Local Government, when a boy and a girl agree to marry, we will give the groom-to-be the list of items for the bride price. That list may contain like 10 cartoons of beer, 10 cartoons of malt, 50 tubers of yam, wrappers, and 30 kegs of palm wine.

But I must let you know that if you are interested in marrying the girl, even if you bring one cartoon of beer, one keg of palm wine or one wrapper, we will ensure the wedding is successful.” Njoku continues, “I have a daughter in the university whose education I am solely funding presently. I cannot calculate how much I have spent on her.

Now, if she finds a man and both of them are in love, once I’m convinced that she likes the man, even if the man pays nothing, I can even use my money to settle our kinsmen. So when people say Mbaise people are collecting too much money as bride price, I would say it’s not like that in my case. No one is forced to do it. We will give you the list, and if you want to show that you have ‘arrived,’ the kinsmen will happily collect the items and money from you. But if you come to Mbaise with little or no money, you can take a wife.

In fact, we may even assist you to wed in church. Don’t mind those people who say they are single because of high bride price. They are just looking for excuses for their delay in getting married. Money cannot hinder anyone from getting married,” Njoku submitted.

Matthew Chukwu, also a title holder in Ehime Mbano in Imo state, unlike Njoku, insists the bride price in Mbano is still high. Chukwu, however, strongly believes the whole process should be upheld because that’s tradition. But he was quick to explain a way forward.

What's your opinion about this?

PRICE PRICE IN THE EAST TO BE COMPARED TO OTHER PARTS OF NIGERIA

JULIET UMEH examines the full range of bride price practices east of the Niger.
Ask Anthony Omeha why he is still single at 45. His response will give you an insight into why most youths from the South East of Nigeria marry late. Says Omeha, “I’ve been in a relationship with Chinasa Ukeh, my girl friend, for the past ten years, but I’ve not been able to tie the knot because getting married in my town is not child’s play. It could nearly push you to rob a bank, especially if you don’t have a good job or a viable source of income.
As a result, many are boycotting the normal process by swiftly getting their girlfriends pregnant, so that the family would accept whatever is presented to them. But I don’t want to go about it that way. And that’s why I’m still single, hoping to gather enough funds to face the challenge soonest.”
Ikenna Madu, a 38-year-old young man from Ezinihitte Mbaise in Imo State is obviously facing the same challenge.
He says, “My greatest predicament is certainly not only my unviable business but the fact that I couldn’t get Oluchi Uche, my former girl friend, to be my wife because of the high bride price in Mbaise, my locality. Both of us agreed to walk down the aisle in 2014, but that was not achievable due to financial constraints. Uche later backed out of the relationship and went with a young man who came from abroad during the last Christmas period.”
The jilted Madu tells his story further: “I have the intention of marrying from among my people, but fear always grips me whenever I think of what it takes to marry our ladies. I am not thinking of living with one illegally because, if, God forbid, she dies, you will be made to marry her corpse before she is buried. I lost my lover of many years because I couldn’t meet up with her people’s high expectations.
I am still a struggling man hoping to make it one day.”
Gladys Ezeh is from Mbano, in Imo State. She also has a story to tell. “My maternal uncle was lamenting recently that he doesn’t know how to present the list he was given by his kinsmen to his daughter’s suitor. The worst thing is that the list is now in two parts. There is a list for an educated girl and another list for the uneducated.”
While high bride price is often a stumbling block to singles from the South East, especially in Mbano and Mbaise communities of Imo State, bride price is not really an issue in most parts of the North and the South West.
According to Sheik Muhammad Awwal Adam, a prominent scholar in Adamawa State, dowry is one of the most significant pillars of marriage, without which marriage cannot be consummated in Islam. However, in Islam, the minimum amount acceptable as dowry is one quarter of a “Dinar”, which is about N10, 000.
That is nothing compared to the bride price of the South East.
Sola Aderemi, who is of Yoruba extraction, says with N20, 000, one can comfortably marry a wife in Yoruba land, which constitutes the South West. Still in the South East, many argue that bride price varies from community to community, and is not a problem in many places. Alloysius Njoku, a titled chief from Mbaise debunks the allegation of high cost of marriage in Imo State, especially in his community.
He says, “In Igbo land, especially in Mbaise where I come from, when we give you our daughter in marriage, you’ve just picked gold. She will have children for you and you will make profit and the woman will even take the father’s wealth to your place. Bride price varies from community to community.
For instance, in my place, Ibeku in Abombaise Local Government, when a boy and a girl agree to marry, we will give the groom-to-be the list of items for the bride price. That list may contain like 10 cartoons of beer, 10 cartoons of malt, 50 tubers of yam, wrappers, and 30 kegs of palm wine.
But I must let you know that if you are interested in marrying the girl, even if you bring one cartoon of beer, one keg of palm wine or one wrapper, we will ensure the wedding is successful.” Njoku continues, “I have a daughter in the university whose education I am solely funding presently. I cannot calculate how much I have spent on her.
Now, if she finds a man and both of them are in love, once I’m convinced that she likes the man, even if the man pays nothing, I can even use my money to settle our kinsmen. So when people say Mbaise people are collecting too much money as bride price, I would say it’s not like that in my case. No one is forced to do it. We will give you the list, and if you want to show that you have ‘arrived,’ the kinsmen will happily collect the items and money from you. But if you come to Mbaise with little or no money, you can take a wife.
In fact, we may even assist you to wed in church. Don’t mind those people who say they are single because of high bride price. They are just looking for excuses for their delay in getting married. Money cannot hinder anyone from getting married,” Njoku submitted.
Matthew Chukwu, also a title holder in Ehime Mbano in Imo state, unlike Njoku, insists the bride price in Mbano is still high. Chukwu, however, strongly believes the whole process should be upheld because that’s tradition. But he was quick to explain a way forward.

What's your opinion about this?