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A Nigerian's perspective on South Africa

Below is a letter submitted to a Nigerian newspaper called ThisDay. Initially I laughed, thinking this guy is crazy. He clearly is living in a closed box. But what do you think? Does he have a point? Does South Africa owe her "greatness" to Apartheid?

My Revealing South African Experience

On Thursday night of October 1st 2009, the national Chairman of our great Party Chief Bisi Akande, the Lagos State Chairman of the Party in Lagos Chief Dele Ajomale, his wife, the representative of the Governor and my humble self left for South Africa to inaugurate the chapter of our Party. Business finished on Saturday 2 and 3 of October 2009 in both Pretoria and Johannesburg, we had Sunday October 4 to look around. It was my first visit to South Africa and what I saw stunned me into disbelief.

Am I in Africa or Europe? Am I in America? Is this another Singapore? Could this be true? Where was Nigeria when South Africa was putting all these structures in place? If the white man did all these in South Africa why were the Nelson Mandelas of this world complaining? If South Africans got their independence on a platter of gold the way Nigeria got hers in 1960, would there have been all these structures I am seeing here today? Impossible! Impossible!! Impossible!!! From what I saw on ground in South Africa, it looks as if all the companies and industries all over the world are physically present there. Ah! Nigeria has been left behind. South Africa is the potential and undisputable leader in Africa. Thanks to white South Africans.

I came to the unhappy conclusion that the mosquitoes that drove the whites away from Nigeria in 1960 did a colossal and unmitigated damage to Nigerians. I again asked myself these questions: How many black Africans did the whites kill before surrendering power to them few years back? How many Nigerians have been killed by Nigerian leaders since they took over power from the whites in 1960? Let us compare the figures. I am sure the supreme prize South Africans paid to have the South Africa I see today will be so infinitesimal compared with what our leaders have killed to remain in power in Nigeria I see today.

What I am saying if that is God had allowed the whites to tarry for at least 30 years more in Nigeria, we would have been better for it. Mandela survived 27 years in prison because the whiteman was a better person. He could not have survived ten years in prision in Nigeria.

My conclusion after seeing what I saw in South Africa is that the whites left Nigeria in a hurry, and that is why we are suffering today. Had the whites tarried in Nigeria, Nigeria would have been like South Africa today. I want the whites back in Nigeria!

Joe Igbokwe,
Lagos (20/10/09)

(Click here for the original article)

My first facial

A couple of days ago I went for a low laser cleansing facial. My first facial ever. I'm not really the facial type but for my birthday Dischem emailed me a voucher to have one done.

So, being the procrastinator that I am, I went for this on the expiry date. I did not enjoy this facial one bit. From the minute I stepped into the "salon" or whatever you want to call that cramped little room, I didn't feel comfortable. I had to lie on a bed. And the first thing I thought was.... how clean is that bed and how many peoples' head were on that pillow. The lady, whose face was plastered in makeup, threw a blanket over me. And again a thought popped into my mind.... how many people were laying underneath this blanket and is it even clean?? She put this net thing (something similar to what the people working in the bakery section of supermarkets have on their heads) on my hair. And by now I am sure you can guess what went through my mind... is this thing clean or did the people before me have lice??

The entire time there was a gadget on a stand almost like a little hairdryer blowing hot air in my face. I could hardly breathe! And when this woman got down to business it felt like she was just messing in my face. She used a sponge (from what I could feel) to remove the soap from my face. And I thought to myself... is that a new sponge she's using? How many people did she use that on before me?

I felt frustrated lying there for 30 minutes with my eyes closed! I didn't know what was going on around me and I couldn't see what she was using or doing. And when she was done my face felt so sticky! Not a nice feeling!

Nevertheless, when I got I home showered... and washed my face.

It just makes one wonder how clean equipment and materials are that are used on us at hairdressers, beauty parlours and even the doctor's rooms! Well, there's some food for thought. Or maybe I'm just a difficult person...?

I don't think I will be going for a facial again any time soon!

What I have gained during Ramadan

One week to go and Ramadan will have passed. I can't believe how quickly it went by. Like super quickly. 


This year I have been busy with a thesis under the topic "traditional media vs new media". Being the procrastinator that I am, I just couldn't seem to get started on it. And having to juggle work full-time and studying part-time has been one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do so far. A couple of weeks before the fast started I had comforted myself with the fact that Ramadan was approaching. The idea was to draw as much strength, guidance and courage from this holy month as possible in order to get through the tough times that I was experiencing. 


And when the month commenced I had forgotten how limited time is in the evenings, and evenings being the only time I was able to work on the thesis. I had forgotten how much time it takes to prepare for Iftaar. And after the Taraweeh prayers you basically don't have much time left do anything else. A couple of nights went by and I started to panic and realised that I actually had to start focusing.


Well, the bulk of my thesis is due tomorrow (Monday). It is just over two hours left until Iftaar and I am not yet finished. I can't seem to understand this Information Society Theory which is required for my literature review chapter. So far I am quite satisfied with what I've got. 


The point of this blog entry is that I went into the month seeking something. And that was the strength, courage, guidance and knowledge that I so desperately needed. I prayed hard for it and it has truly been a month of mercy for me. I managed to get most of my work done. And I am ever so grateful for that. I didn't think I would get through it all. All I can is that Allah is truly greatest.

Golden Girl(?) Caster Semenya

I am totally disgusted at the way the media - namely the Australian media - handled South Africa's world record holder Caster Semenya's gender/sex test results.

I know it has made international news but let me just provide a bit of context for the purpose of this blog entry. 18-year-old Semenya won the ladies 800m race at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics. After making her country proud with that gold medal, questions were raised about her gender. Apparently, the way she left the other women behind in the race wasn't "normal" for a female. The International Association of Athletics Federations forced Semenya to take a test to see if she was really a girl. It was said that the results would only be made known in November.

And then... surprise surprise... Australia's Sydney Daily Telegraph newspaper had a tip-off and reported that Semenya has no ovaries, no womb and that she has three times more testosterone than the average female. They also reported that she has internal testes, making her an hermaphrodite. Semenya and her family had to find out about this through the media. Something so extremely personal was first made known to the world before her.

Now, how can anyone be so heartless to do something like this to a vulnerable 18-year-old? Apparently she has since gone into hiding and has pulled out of a national cross country race which was supposed to be tomorrow (Saturday). Can you blame her?

Are journalists and media houses THAT greedy for a "great scoop" that they would stoop SO damn low?! I am beyond disgusted. The Australian media have gone too far. They instigated this whole matter from the beginning. I can tell you that had it been an American or European who had won that 800m race nobody would have questioned it. "Backward" Africa can never have talent like that.

Local You magazine decided to give Semenya a makeover to prove to everyone that she really is a girl. But I was horrified!! They gave her DREADFUL clothes that made her look like a drag queen! Who wears such shiny pants?? Those shoes were awful! The magazine's stylists either have pathetic taste or they were spiteful. But I would never let them dress me or even ask them for fashion tips!

In the past three years there had been four athletes out of eight who had been tested for sex verification and have since retired. They had been granted the privacy that Semenya should have been granted as well.

This girl (or guy. Whichever way she decides to go now) is scarred for life. The media scarred her for life. She will never live a normal life now. It will be so difficult for her to find a boy/girlfriend. What about friends? Her athletics career is probably over. Her dignity was stolen from her. Her privacy invaded. I feel so sad for her that I don't even know what to say anymore. Seriously.

There are now TWO white idiots

Hayibo is a satirical website. I just love all the laughs I get out of reading their articles about the latest issues in the news. You have to be completely brain-dead not to realise that what appears on their site is just for entertainment and to poke a bit of fun at politicians. At least we get a lighter side to the serious issue.

Read this article on Brandon Huntley. Remember That White Guy? And then take a look at this YouTube video about a white South African guy having a very, erm, intellectual debate about this whole Huntley situation. If you have the time, please look at it. And you will realise that SA now has at least TWO white retards. I know my name-calling might seem a bit harsh. It's not something I usually do. But really, if you have a look at those two links you will agree with me!

That White Guy

I'm supposed to be working on a thesis right now. But I just had to make a quick, short entry about that white guy. That's what I refer to him as. That White Guy.

For those who may be in the dark, let me give you a bit of background info.

Brandon Huntley was granted refugee status by the Canadian government. Huntley claimed that black people were attacking him in South Africa physically - by stabbing him - and verbally with names such as "white dog" and "settler".

I can't believe how desperate this guy is to live in Canada. And he must be one helluva smooth talker! To have the Canadian officials grant him his refugee status without an investigation - which they should have done to protect other white South Africans from the same abuse, torture and constant suffering that Huntley had been exposed to for so long.

I'm not going to rant and rave about this for much longer as it has been all over the news already.

I should probably take my hat off to That White Guy. To cause an outcry of this nature and feel nothing about it. To make the country look so bad and as if all white people are in grave danger and laugh about it.

Now all racist white South Africans will be applying for refugee asylum in Canada, seeing that they [Canadian officials] are so easily fooled.

Huntley now has to keep his white ass in Canada. I bet you if he comes back, people will definitely attack him! Because I would love to give him a smack or two.

Here are some Huntley-isms:

• "Look, I'm famous now. lol" (somewhere on his Facebook according to Beeld's journos who were keeping an eye on his activities)
  
  
• "There's a hatred of what we did to them and it's all about the colour of your skin."
  
  
• "I've opened people's eyes."