My egbon and main supporter of Awo the play Bimbo Ashiru, has just been announced as the Chairman of the massive indigenous conglomerate, ODUA Investments. With over N300b in Assets, Mr. Ashiru is in the core of the economic hub of SW Nigeria. In a call this morning with The Duke he mentioned the strategic role of Odua in the emerging economic revival of not only the region but the Nation. Congrats my Lord.
The first lesson I learned was that my children love money. The 50k price money drove them into a frenzy of creativity.
When I saw my first deliver a homily in Ibibio, his heritage and a language I have never heard him speak, I knew I was in trouble.
The rest went out of their way to deliver stupendous performances which attracted over 100 votes from people.
Let me quickly announce that there is no winner. They all won. They all showed their true love for me and in that threw up creativity, talent, initiative, and confidence that shows me that they are almost ready.
In this wise, all of them will get N50, 000 each for their efforts and in my true appreciation and reward for their love.
Another thing I learned was the huge goodwill I have garnered in the last few years. Even though I had begged to be spared calls, they kept coming. My battery kept running down.
Everybody called. From sitting Governors to Ex Governors and presidential candidates. Captains of Industry Bank directors, Actors, good people, and even my Maiguard.
It was a festival of love. Me I am a hard man so he no weak me. But at some point, I won’t break down when Patrick Doyle called to speak long English.
The Thanksgiving in the church was solemn. As an Elder in the church, my chair is reserved for me. The exact chair my mother sat in as Snr Deaconess. The songs brought back her memories and that of Erelu and I cried. I cried and the people left me to cry
We are a humble family. My father came to Lagos in a bolekaja and met my mother and between them gave birth to five of us
He used to say we are a perfect family of seven. He did all he could do for us within the limitations of his capacity and our mother was a hero. But we were simple and humble
We were not rich and we were below the middle class but we were a happy lot.
So when I sat there as the new Head of the family in our family church, a legacy my parents willed to us, and watch how my brother Ernest and my son-in-law Etim have transformed the church, I bow down in thanks.
The church is vibrant. It’s hot and it’s expanding. From mere hands as a musical instrument during my father’s time, we now have enough instruments to back up Andre Bocelli.
I promised a smart TV last year, God will bless us and we will do it.
Then the calls from my nephews and nieces and children from all over the world started pouring into the church’s system
From Canada to Qatar to the US and UK the family had expanded to the point that my father will be smiling in his grave in Anyiam Nsit.
Then it was time for the Afang Fest. My mummy Senator Giwa had offered to host and you know she doesn’t joke. The Afang was supple, the people couldn’t hold back.
We were over 30 from Kola Abiola to Alibaba to Emeka Okpara, Olisa Adibua to Mudi to Austin of anchor to my brother Ohimai and uwem Whyte and makinde and Abbey to Bayo to Lami and Chike it was wonderful and except Austin and Kola, everybody wore shorts.
The girls came to dance to add flavour and I must say I really felt like a king.
My BGL, Homies and Command Alumni group exploded in greetings and at some point, I had over 900 what’s app messages
Then I unveiled a mural with me and my friends to be hung in my house and then I got home only to meet Ayo my brother lead the closest in my estate to a last-minute party.
Goldfinger to super influential business woman with Lara the beautiful wife of Ayo and the one I call Police very kindhearted and beautiful and then my brother Kayode appeared.
Tapa and wife called in and then I said, pls make I go sleep.
Then His Excellency The Gov if Kwara State – called to wish me well. I have humbled cos my incoming Gov of Akwa Ibom Akan Udofia had called in the morning to pray for me and even though my Gov Udom didn’t call I was happy.
My brother and one of the most cerebral politicians in the South-South – Ini Ememobongwho is Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information called in to say he didn’t know and I said send the Afang.
Finally, at 12 midnight, my great brother Kayode Olowu called in to say, I was waiting for it all to die down….
Duke of Shomolu
Chidi is the main force behind the huge GIG Group. Their GIG logistics and motors are huge market leaders. With over 4,000 Nigerians under his employ, my friend and brother deserve this accolade. Happy Birthday, Sir.
In my life, i have met a lot of young professionals. Most of them come at you with the reluctance of ambition.
By this i mean, they see themselves as receptors of policy and push themselves to the background and complain and rant against a system that wasn’t designed for them
Donald was different. My sister Amaka who was then MD of fast-growing Fidelity Pensions had called me one cold morning
Edgar, can i send Donald to you. Let us see how we can tap into this your vast network. I say make he bring money o
Donald walked into my ikoyi office with the kind of suit they always wear. When you are still a little bit up mid-management, your suit begins to reflect. Not there yet but strong aspirations- the suit.
I listened to Donald and liked him immediately. He had clarity, he was forthcoming and deep. His understanding of the pensions market was astounding.
Remeber as a stockbroker during the pensions reforms, i had worked with firms like Leadway Pensions, Crusader etc as they struggled to put in place a credible portfolio management system along the lines of the pension guidelines promulgated by the OBJ regime
So we had a very sweet conversation and zeroed down to the recently opened porting window.
What this means is that subscribers could now leave their principal PFAs in search of better returns etc
I was to consult with them in first holding down their subscribers and then pushing into the market and catching new clients.
I don’t know what happened but we didn’t get round to doing it. You know me and where my head is these days
But his brilliance really caught my attention. You know it is one thing to be brilliant and another to channel it productively towards society.
So i kept my radar on the young man Donald and was not surprised when he was appointed acting Managing Director after lovely Amaka’s retirment.
Amaka had built an enduring institution after the management buyout from Fidelity Bank I think and her shoes were quite big for Donald to fill.
However, if there was anybody in the system that had a prayer, it was Donald. He had understudied her, especially her penchant for ethics and her discipline.
Amaka was my only MD friend who never gave me sponsorship and i respected her for that cos she would not bend corporate rules cos of friendship. Nice but annoying.
So Donald reached out last week and said, Edgar im trying to have a session on the economic outlook for the Nation in the second half of the year. Can you assist in putting it together?
I say gerrout. You wey never taken my call since you become MD. You don’t know that i am angry with you?
He laughed and i laughed. I like him. So i said, who is speaking and he said Johnson Chukwu, my Chairman
Now Johnson is one of the most brilliant economists you can find. As a young stockbroker, i used to go sit down in his office and listen to his take on the markets
He was the client and i was the stockbroker but he was more intelligent and experienced, so i just listen
Today he is one of the economic and intellectual powerhouses of the nation. In high demand as a speaking resource and a major fixture in the media
I said Donald if Johnson is speaking then u will need a very brilliant moderator. Someone that can go to Johnsons depth and bring his positions to us in a simple way. He agreed
So i recommended my brother Ugodre. Ugodre is the founder of influential Nairametrics and one of the most expansive economic analysts in Africa
Listening to ugodre is a dream. I never tire. He speaks about the markets, economy, and policy the way Michael Jackson sings.
Ugodre agreed immediately i contacted him and we were set.
Donald now said, you nko. I said me ke. He said yes you, what will be your role.
I say what can i talk when these giants are talking. But i quickly remembered what my brother the brilliant Bode Olanipekun SAN did with me
He had said, Edgar, we are having a session with the Vice President, supreme court judges and so many legal lyminaries and i want you to be rapporteur.
I say, bro what is that. He explain and say you will do a summary of the session and ask the VP the first question.
I say bravo. So, Donald, i am rapporteur of your event thank you.
Fidelity Pensions’ economic outlook is taking place tomorrow at 11am with Johnson Chukwu speaking and Ugodre as moderator. I am the rapporteur
Pls ask for the link
Edgar Joseph
Editor in Chief
Thealvinreport.com
Banke has pioneered a whole industry within the beauty sector. With over 1 million followers on IG, she is well-positioned as a cultural icon and major spokesperson for a generation of Nigerian women.
So when I started getting worried about what is looking like a pandemic-the rush for body augmentation by our women and its attendant side effects of disfiguration and loss of life, I thought about having a session on the issue.
The idea is to better understand the issue of body confidence that leads to the need to augment artificially.
What drives this, how do you get it safely, what are the side effects, and what are the societal pressures that lead to it?
My emphasis will be more on the confidence and body image issues that make a woman sit under a make-up artist’s chair for 6 hours to attend only a 30-minute event.
What would make a woman push up her breasts, add more fat to her buttocks, and suck out excess tummy?
Despite the risks and celebrated deaths, more and more of our women are jumping in and out. In fact, on a recent flight from Turkey, 50% of passengers were Nigerian ladies coming back from cosmetic surgery.
Banke is beautiful, and I recently met her at the creative sub-committee of the Nigerian British Chamber of Commerce meeting.
She was brilliant at that meeting and came across as a very friendly and sweet personality.
We hit it off and started talking, and I mentioned the issue of cosmetic surgery.
As expected, she had her own position as a leader in the space and gave a very inciteful analysis of the situation.
I didn’t feel I should listen alone and invited her to our Zoom session, which she gratefully accepted.
So tonight at 9pm, we will be discussing breasts and butts in a very revealing and inspiring session.
She has also accepted to be on a panel that has leading actress Elvina Ibru, media personality Azuka Ogujiuba and other iconic female socio-cultural leaders to discuss women’s issues with The Duke as the only man in a room of 70 women at The Happiness Centre the first week of September 2023.
This evening promises to be very educational and entertaining.
Would you want a link?
The Duke of Shomolu
Banke has pioneered a whole industry within the beauty sector. With over 1 million followers on IG, she is well-positioned as a cultural icon and major spokesperson for a generation of Nigerian women.
So when I started getting worried about what is looking like a pandemic-the rush for body augmentation by our women and its attendant side effects of disfiguration and loss of life, I thought about having a session on the issue.
The idea is to better understand the issue of body confidence that leads to the need to augment artificially.
What drives this, how do you get it safely, what are the side effects, and what are the societal pressures that lead to it?
My emphasis will be more on the confidence and body image issues that make a woman sit under a make-up artist’s chair for 6 hours to attend only a 30-minute event.
What would make a woman push up her breasts, add more fat to her buttocks, and suck out excess tummy?
Despite the risks and celebrated deaths, more and more of our women are jumping in and out. In fact, on a recent flight from Turkey, 50% of passengers were Nigerian ladies coming back from cosmetic surgery.
Banke is beautiful, and I recently met her at the creative sub-committee of the Nigerian British Chamber of Commerce meeting.
She was brilliant at that meeting and came across as a very friendly and sweet personality.
We hit it off and started talking, and I mentioned the issue of cosmetic surgery.
As expected, she had her own position as a leader in the space and gave a very inciteful analysis of the situation.
I didn’t feel I should listen alone and invited her to our Zoom session, which she gratefully accepted.
So tonight at 9pm, we will be discussing breasts and butts in a very revealing and inspiring session.
She has also accepted to be on a panel that has leading actress Elvina Ibru, media personality Azuka Ogujiuba and other such iconic female socio-cultural leaders to discuss women’s issues with The Duke as the only man in a room of 70 women at The Happiness Centre the first week of September 2023.
This evening promises to be very educational and entertaining.
Would you want a link?
The Duke of Shomolu
The subconscious notion of gender roles is one that has been prevalent in Yoruba culture for as long as can be remembered. Although the Yoruba use the same word for him and her pronouns in everyday communication, there has always been an understanding within the culture of what the ideal man should be and the characteristics he should possess. The Yoruba worship patriarchal and matriarchal deities and view a family without children of both genders to be incomplete. This is how big a role gender plays in the idea of living a successful life. Sango, the god of thunder, as well as other Yoruba deities in their complexity and duality, often parallel contemporary masculinity. The tales of these Orisa give noteworthy insight into the behaviors and ways of thinking perpetuated by men of all ages in modern-day Nigeria. These Orisa act as threads in the very fabric of Yoruba spirituality and are a part of a very complex divination system.
Nigeria is one of the most religious countries in Africa with 50% of the population being Muslim and 40% Christian. The remaining 10% are the followers of indigenous beliefs still practicing traditions of the ancestors. Before these Abrahamic belief systems were introduced to African colonies, Nigeria was made up of hundreds of tribes who practiced their own beliefs. One of the most well-known is the ancient Yoruba religion consisting of the worshipping and praise of the different deity figures known as Orisa. This religion is also the basis of many others around the world, notably the Afro-Caribbean Santeria religion born of the slave trade in Cuba, the Candomblé which is mostly practiced in northern Brazil, and Haitian Voudu.
The Orisa religion is a very multifaceted one with elements of theology, worship, and sacrifice. They are also venerated by the Edo of southeastern Nigeria; the Ewe of Ghana, Benin, and Togo; and the Fon of Benin (who refer to them as voduns).[1] Although there are many differences in the details of the rituals and mythology of these deities among these West African peoples, the underlying religious concept is essentially the same. It is taken very seriously and requires practice and devotion. The Orisa are the pillars of this religion and act as the mediators between the human and spiritual realm. They are to be respected and are an amalgamation of psycho anthropology and magics. The Yoruba believe heavily in the power of magic and the other worldly. They work together to make up this philosophical religious model. They believe in a plain that cannot be seen by the naked eye but wields so much power in how everyday life is conducted and played out, in terms of justice being served, lessons being learned, and so on. They also believe strongly in the afterlife and future judgment as may be inferred from the following adage, “Ohungbogbo ti a se l’aiye, li a o de idena Orun ka” which loosely translates to “Whatever we do on earth we shall give an account thereof at the portals of heaven.”[2] It is inferred that one’s actions in the physical realm directly impact their relationship with a God figure in the next. It should be of note that this superior being is genderless. They believe in God as nature and find them in rivers, the wind, the sun, the moon, and all things native-born. It is understood that something of value has been left behind for them in these little bits of nature; it could be guidance, advice, commandments or even warnings. It is their way of connecting to God through the landscape around them. The Yoruba see God in everything. It is a truly beautiful way to have the human experience. God is such an insurmountable concept, and the Yoruba religion really encapsulates this. He is too vast to truly ever comprehend, too big to pray to directly, a supreme being known as Olodumare, Olofin, Olorun, etc. As the owner of the heavens, they do not have enough time to interfere in the daily struggles of mankind and so have enlisted the aid of Obatala to rule in their absence and Olofin to divide the rest of his powers among other deities which we know as the Orisa.
These forces are the ones who have been delegated to deal with the affairs of mankind on Earth. The word Orisha is related to several other Yoruba words referring to the head. The main one, Ori, refers, first, to the physical head atop a person’s body. This visible “Ori”, however, serves as the vessel for an invisible head, the Ori-inu or internal head, the indwelling spirit of a person, and the kernel of that individual’s personality.[3] The Orisa serve as guides almost with their inestimable wisdom. They are very complex beings that represent the divine but also possess human like qualities. They can be mischievous, competitive, and even proud. They are portrayed as these imperfect beings in many stories to help followers relate to and learn from them. Their counterparts would be the angels in Abrahamic religions or the many Saints in Catholicism. They govern different parts of the universe and are also associated with ancestors and various classes and spirits. There are an infinite number of Orisa. Some are indigenous to Yorubaland which spans parts of modern-day Nigeria, and Togo and Benin like Obatala, Elegba, Ogun, Osun, Orunmila, and their origins can even be traced to Ile-Ife, the sacred first city of the Yoruba. Other Orisa like Sango, Babaluaiye, Oya, and Osoosi were introduced to the area by waves of northern conquerors and migrators.[4] Each human possesses the ability to become an Orisha, whether through sacrifice or leading a just life; this is the case with Sango, a god of thunder and fire.
Sango is the warrior deity. He goes by many names, including, “The one who fights with stones (Jakuta)”, “One who inverted a mortar and killed a leopard at Enpe”, “Mad man of Ijebu”, and child of “One who sees 200 enemies and conquers them”, Awalawulu which refers to the sound of thunder, and many more.[5] He uses thunder and fire to deliver justice. He is also the spirit of drumming, dancing, male sexuality, and love. He is the deity that symbolizes the wrath of God; living up in the sky, hurling down thunderstones killing those who upset him, and serving a hot plate of justice wherever necessary. These thunderstones are picked up by farmers and normally found at the foot of his shrines.[6] He will even go as far as to burn your house down if he sees fit. By doing this, he makes an example out of people, warning those not on the right path. He is like a strict father, ruling with an iron fist and hardly pitying wrongdoers. We start to see connections between the Orisha and more modern men. Before he was deified, Sango was a mortal who enjoyed bitter kola nuts and yam porridge. He wasn’t just a regular man either, he is said to have succeeded his father, Oranmiyan, as one of the early Kings of the great Oyo empire. He was noted for his magical powers and was feared because when he spoke fire came out of his mouth. It is said that he would use oil-soaked fibers called Itufu from the pericarp of the oil palm, (which is used in making torches) to light fires in his mouth. Sango worshipers would use Itufu to receive help from the deity or in a state of possession would eat fire themselves. Politically he was a good king that brought great prosperity to Oyo and expanded the empire conquering all enemy territory. Lightning is his sign and one of his favorite instruments of destruction. He is both flaming hot and electrifying all at the same time. It can be said that he is a man’s man although he is a divine never-ending spirit. In Yoruba cosmology, lightning is understood as an instrument of divine justice, retribution, and protection from evil. Lightning also symbolizes his tongue, which distinguishes between the truth and the lie. He is enabled to live life on either side as he is an Orisa of opposites and is represented as both honest and dishonest as well as stingy and generous, perfectly encapsulating the duality of man. His imperfectness parallels the morality of mankind. Man cannot be perfect and so his worshippers relate to him more in this sense. Sango was flawed but an effective ruler. His bravery in driving away the hartebeest that had been killing the children of the people of Ijagba was a factor in cementing his place as one of the most powerful deities in Yorubaland still being worshipped today. There are several variations of the events leading up to his divinization. One myth tells the story of a defeat in a magical contest that left the great King embarrassed and ashamed which led to his hanging himself. It is still forbidden to say so according to the Yoruba and that is why he is called Olukoso which means “he never hanged”. When thunder and lightning strike, his followers even shout out “The King did not hang himself”. Suicide is seen as a taboo and a shameful act and even in the wake of his passing, his followers were too prideful to accept suicide as the cause of his death. A more enticing parable goes as follows: Sango’s tyrannical leadership led to him being overthrown and expelled from the capital by his own chiefs. This led to his suicide at Koso. His loyal followers bent upon revenge and learned the art of calling lightning to destroy those responsible for his downfall. When violent storms struck Ile- Oyo, the capital city of the Kingdom, these friends credited Sango with the destruction and proclaimed him deity. Another version told is that Sango himself, experimenting with magic powers, accidentally called down lightning that destroyed a part of his palace and killed some of his wives and children. In repentance, he committed suicide at Koso. His enemies reviled his name, but after a series of storms destroyed parts of the capital city, his loyal followers declared him a deity whose power over the thunder and lightning was the source of the city’s disasters.[7] In all these stories, the themes of power, authority, and pride are present; a combination most male leaders today still possess. He is very reminiscent of Thor or even Hulk in his uncontrollable green state. A superhero that also possesses a lot of the complexities of being male. It is very common for a man to possess this bigger-than-life hero and server of justice complex. Sango makes use of the destructive power of lightning. It can destroy but is also transformative as an instrument of moral agency. It is implicative of the double-edged sword of political authority. A magnificent statue of Sango by Ben Enwonwu was sculpted and placed on the Marina in Lagos in 1964 in front of the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (Figure 1). It is a great juxtaposition of his insurmountable electrifying might and the laughable inconsistencies of the power availability that has plagued Nigeria for many years. Not unlike the Nigerian government, Sango is proud, temperamental, volatile, and self-serving. He is also amazingly generous, patient, incredibly competitive, and even gets into disagreements with his colleague Ogun often. Sango also exalts in warfare, competitive sports, and martial arts. This archetype of hero and crusader who uses physicality and weapons as instruments of justice has conventionally often been portrayed as masculine.
The word masculine is derived from the Latin word mas, which means “male”.[8] This shows that our understanding of what is masculine and feminine are intrinsically tied to our understanding of gender. A man should not be feminine, and a woman should not be masculine. This is the understanding of most countries around the world, especially African countries like Nigeria. Society is generally polarized between male and female sexual categories, each with its own conventions and societal laws to live by. Nigeria is highly patriarchal, and males are more often highly valued than women. This notion can be seen in the way Sango treats the women in his life. He is said to recognize no daughters and his female children are addressed as his sons. We see this in modern-day Nigeria with the importance put on having a male first born, the heir to the throne. It is seen as an accomplishment on the man’s behalf to have a male firstborn and a testament to his prowess in the bedroom. “Sango is total maleness.” (Mason p58) He is the ruler of the testicles. His semen is said to replenish the rivers, oceans, and seas. As much as he is an icon of male fertility and undying masculinity, he exhibits a certain level of polarities. A “twoness” that acts to render balance. So, in this contradictory manner, his male children wear their hair braided in women’s styles as a sign of his dominant position in their lives. He is also said to be a womanizer and charming romantic, having three wives: Oba, his first wife, Oya his favorite wife, and Osun who was said to be a concubine. This polygamous practice is still seen today among the Yoruba. Men are allowed to marry more than one wife but never vice versa. Data analyzed from the 1973 surveys of the Nigerian segment of the Changing African Family (CAFN) Project, which covered Yoruba women and men in Ibadan and the Western State of Nigeria stated that of the 5874 women who were in the union during the CAFN 1 survey, 54% reported that their husband had only 1 wife and 46% that their husband had more than 1 wife. Of the 1234 women in unions in the CAFN 2 survey, 49% reported monogamous husbands and 51% polygynous husbands.[9] This practice is a status symbol showing that the father being the head of the house can provide for all his wives and children, meeting all their needs. Sango is also all about having fun. His followers express his love for music and dancing in their worshipping him. He is known for enjoying “hanging out with the boys, talking nonsense…” (Mason p62). This is almost surprisingly parallel to everyday male behavior we see in modern-day Nigeria today. The trope of “The Boys” is one that is very widespread all over present-day Nigeria. Going to the bars in the evening and watching a football match, placing bets, and talking about women is an experience that can be enjoyed every night of the week unfailingly. One wouldn’t think a divine spirit such as Sango would enjoy such simple pleasures, but it sounds like the type of activity he might revel in, as long as it’s all “good clean fun.” (Mason p62) We must remember he was a mortal before anything, and the residual easy-going spirit of a youthful man still lives in him. He enjoys gambling, friendly competition, and camaraderie and is even easily bored. He has many skills but lacks the patience necessary to master any of them. In summary, he has the makeup of a lively University student coupled with the wisdom and intellect of an experienced King.
Sango in all his emotional complexity is the perfect representation of masculinity in today’s Nigeria. He is by no means flawless and thus does a great job of portraying the duality of man. Although a patriarchal system is enshrined in Yoruba traditional sacred and secular philosophy, there is still bountiful evidence of the feminine energy and imagery in the culture and arts. This is because, in Yoruba social structure, the masculine figure is incomplete without a feminine figure. A king without his Ayaba (Queen) is not respected; a man without a wife is regarded as unsuccessful. Just as gender duality is reflected in Yoruba social structure, the religious structure of the Orisa also reflects similar gender factors. One can only wonder what Sango looking down at today’s Nigeria makes of the shifts in gender norms taking place. Is he preparing his thunderstones or is he pleased with the progression of the giants of Africa?
Figure 1
Ben Enwonwu, Sango, 1964. National Power Holding Company, Lagos, Nigeria, nairaland.com, https://www.nairaland.com/5570983/black-nepa-sango-statue-marina (Accessed May 24, 2022).
Bibliography
Ahmed, J. “Polygyny and fertility differentials among the Yoruba of western Nigeria.” Journal
of biosocial science vol. 18,1 (1986): 63-73. doi:10.1017/s0021932000006507
Bascom, William Russell. Sixteen Cowries: Yoruba Divination from Africa to the New
World. United States: Indiana University Press, 1993.
Ben Enwonwu, Sango, 1964. National Power Holding Company, Lagos, Nigeria,
https://www.nairaland.com/5570983/black-nepa-sango-statue-marina (Accessed May 24, 2022).
Brandon, G.. “Orisha.” Encyclopedia Britannica, May 4, 2018.
Johnson, Samuel. The History of the Yoruba from the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the British Protectorate. Cambridge University Press, 2011.
Lum, Kenneth Anthony. Praising His Name in the Dance: Spirit Possession in the Spiritual
Baptist Faith and Orisha Work in Trinidad, West Indies. Netherlands: Harwood Academic, 2000.
Mason, John. Òrìṣà: New World Black Gods. Brooklyn, NY, NY: Yorùbá Theological Archministry, 2016.
Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. “masculinity,” accessed May 24, 2022,
Wolff, Norma H., and D. Michael Warren. “The Agbeni Shango Shrine in Ibadan: A Century of
Continuity.” African Arts31, no. 3 (1998): 36–94. https://doi.org/10.2307/3337575.
[1]Brandon, G.. “Orisha.” Encyclopedia Britannica, May 4, 2018. https://www.britannica.com/topic/orisha.
[2] Johnson, Samuel. “RELIGION.” Chapter. In The History of the Yoruba: From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the British Protectorate, edited by Obadiah Johnson, 26–39. Cambridge Library Collection – African Studies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511702617.008.
[3] Brandon, G.. “Orisha.” Encyclopedia Britannica, May 4, 2018. https://www.britannica.com/topic/orisha.
[4] Mason, John. Òrìṣà: New World Black Gods. Brooklyn, NY, NY: Yorùbá Theological Archministry, 2016.
[5] Bascom, William Russell. Sixteen Cowries: Yoruba Divination from Africa to the New World. United States: Indiana University Press, 1993.
[6] Lum, Kenneth Anthony. Praising His Name in the Dance: Spirit Possession in the Spiritual Baptist Faith and Orisha Work in Trinidad, West Indies. Netherlands: Harwood Academic, 2000.
[7] Wolff, Norma H., and D. Michael Warren. “The Agbeni Shango Shrine in Ibadan: A Century of Continuity.” African Arts31, no. 3 (1998): 36–94. https://doi.org/10.2307/3337575.
[8] Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. “masculinity,” accessed May 24, 2022, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/masculinity.
[9] Ahmed, J. “Polygyny and fertility differentials among the Yoruba of western Nigeria.” Journal of biosocial science vol. 18,1 (1986): 63-73. doi:10.1017/s0021932000006507
Poor people are their own inventions. In my life, I have come to the realization that people choose where they want to be in life—poor or rich.
The vast majority deliberately choose to be poor, while a tiny minority choose wealth. Then, there is a middle ground where most of you who are reading this belong—in the middle class.
The worst class is the middle class, which has the aptitude and capacity to rise to the top but, due to fear or an unhealthy relationship with risk, will prefer to oscillate between the poor and middle class until they die.
Being poor is a science. People actually work hard to remain poor. They do this by having the wrong attitude towards life, a defeatist approach to risk, and a non-inclusive outlook on life and living.
They wait to be ‘helped’. They will rather beg for a morsel than strive. They have this huge sense of contentment and can survive with a minimum wage and would say, “I would rather be poor than steal.” Na lie.
The religious angle also helps to be poor, as a lot of them believe that all you need is faith to give you a living. Manners will drop in the form of free food from the church—39 died in Port Harcourt waiting for that, welfare, and other such philanthropic activities to give them the buffer.
My cousin, who graduated before me and whose father was a professor and went to some of the best schools in the land, has chosen to be poor.
He says, “I want to start a business and I say how much do you need” and he says N20,000. I say what kind of business will N20,000 do for you and he says it’s palm kernel and it’s very lucrative as I would be making N7k a week.
I say, why not look for N200k and grow big? He screams noo. Who will give me one? You won’t give me what I ask for.
You see the defeatist attitude; you see the outlook and the non-inclusive approach to life. Who will give me one? He asks me
So, the person who has chosen to be poor is an expert at justifications for his state. Everything is wrong; Nigeria is too hard; he is Igbo or Kanuri. They laid me off. The system is wicked, and they just don’t understand him.
So ‘help’ me get a job that I can manage, and I will be okay. That is the attitude and aptitude of a poor man.
He won’t be as aggressive as Wike, who dangles the structure and demands a seat at the table. He will not have ideas or vision to implement; he will simply be a very powerful manager who will live on N50k per month with 5 children and lament his fate in life.
Education and the lack of it are very critical to poor people. They rarely see it as a vehicle for growth, but rather as a tool for speaking the language just enough to fill out forms and write memos requesting personal loans.
They never use education to achieve a broader worldview and see themselves in positions of power and impact and strive to attain those levels.
In this guise, they are still better than the middle class, who use education to maintain the middle level of servitude. The bank managers, the admin heads, the civil servants, and all those who will still be looking for jobs in their 50s
In all of these, there is a part of fulfillment that cuts across all three levels. You can be very wealthy and not be as fulfilled as poor men.
I see maiguards seated on mats with their whole village sharing a big bowl of kunu. They are fulfilled, and the rich man who is about to acquire his latest PJ is also still feeling like something is missing.
But don’t let fulfillment fool you. The poor man’s fulfillment stems from a delusion of contentment. It’s what you tell yourself to feel good as you watch your children starve.
What I’m trying to say basically is that being poor is a cautious effort. You work towards it, plan for it, and formulate strategies toward achieving a very powerful state of poverty.
It takes a lot of effort to stay poor, and you have to be exceptionally gifted in the science of poverty to do so.
Thank you.
The Duke of Shomolu
The famed Potter, Ladi Kwali, I’d coming back alive on stage next Easter courtesy of Duke of Shomolu Productions.
Prof Ojo Bakare, who is Nigeria’s first Professor of Dance and current Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in Ekiti State will be writing and directing what is beginning to look like the most intrusive and expansive work on the famed Amazon.
He recently undertook a 5-day research expedition to Kwali village.
Here are pictures of Prof Rasak Ojo during the expedition.
Ladi Kwali will play at the prestigious Agip Recital Hall of the Muson Centre on April 2023.
As politicians ramp up activities towards the materialization of the yielding of political power to a new crop of leaders through a toss-up of the baton currently being held by APC as the ruling party at the center, adherence to commitments made by political actors and betrayals of the trust arising from the promises made at the commencement of the political season presently in its twilight zone are the highest trending events fouling the political atmosphere.
Whereas the scenario described above is a national malaise, it is particularly so and more pronounced in Delta State, which, by its very nature, is a microcosm of Nigeria. The tagging of the state as a “mini Nigeria” is derived from the fact that Delta state is comprised of a multiplicity of ethnic groups in the manner that our country is peopled by over 250 tribes and tongues.
Unlike the situation at the national level, where the presidency rotation agreement between the north and south introduced and implemented in 1999 is on the verge of being jettisoned, the rotation of governorship positions between the three senatorial districts of central, south, and north of Delta state has remained sacrosanct.
But there is a snag. And it is that the standing political agreement introduced by the 1999 political class (also known as the Ibori political family) led by chief James Onanefe Ibori, governor of the state from 1999 to 2007, is riddled with political chicanery.
I will dwell more on that unfortunate situation shortly. But in the interim, it is apropos that I apprise readers of the back story behind the rotation of governorship positions between the three political zones of Delta state.
Even when the majority carries the vote, which is the mantra and indeed the fulcrum of democracy, Chief Ibori, as the pioneer governor of the state when multi-party democracy returned to our country in 1999, undoubtedly demonstrated a true spirit of statesmanship by adopting the concept of governorship power rotation between the three senatorial zones in the state.
Ideally, the Urhobos, who are the largest ethnic group in the state, could have continued to produce the governor in perpetuity by leveraging their dominant population size.
But it is the Ibori-driven concept of plurality of political power characterized by a sort of revolving door leadership style that has facilitated the governorship of the state between and around the three zones that has neutralized the tension that perhaps might have escalated into ethnic conflicts that could have degenerated into severe crises as witnessed in other states.
Allowing discontentment amongst members of the marginalized zones to fester in a state that is already a tinderbox of sorts could have had disastrous consequences.
Therefore, the initiative of rotating the governorship position in a power-sharing equation promoted by Ibori in 1999 and sustained to date is quite noble.
It is useful to point out that a situation whereby the majority tribe is dominating in governance by always producing the governor of the state persists in River State. And it is reflected in the political arrangement whereby the so-called “Upland People” have been monopolizing the governorship to the consternation of the “Riverine People,” which does not augur well for harmonious co-existence. Hence, the Riverine people of the state have been vociferous in their denunciation of the prevailing jeopardy that they have been contending with. The unsavory challenge in Rivers state could have been replicated in Delta state. But thanks to Ibori, such a tension point has been absent since 1999 in the state.
The Rivers state experience is not different from the atmosphere in Benue state, where the Tiv ethnic group, which is the majority tribe, has been the source of the governor of the state since 1999. The Ldoma ethnic group, which is the second largest in Benue state, has only been allowed the opportunity of having their son take the number two position as deputy governor. And they have been doing so grudgingly.
The governorship circumstances outlined above are the political environment that abounds in other states nationwide.
It is worth recalling that the governorship pendulum started swinging from delta central with Chief James Ibori as governor to delta south in 2007 with Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan becoming governor. Incidentally, there was contention for the governorship position by Senator James Manager, the pioneer chairman of the party in 1999, who is of Ijaw ethnic stock and whose party, together with Itsekiris and Isokos, makes up the Delta South senatorial zone. But following dexterous management of the situation by Chief Ibori via political horse-trading, a damning schism was averted.
In a similar manner, in 2015, another conflict ensued between Governor Uduaghan and then-commissioner for health, Ifeanyi Okowa, when the governorship mantle was due to be shifted from the south to the north.
Again, Governor Ibori intervened and, along with other stakeholders, ensured that the throne was mounted by the incumbent governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa. As the governorship rotation is coming to a full circle, having started from central, been anchored in the south and north zones, and is now about to return to where it commenced, the contest for the governorship of the state has been tossed up once again.
Going by the construct of the rotation calculus, the candidate that would be supported to emerge from the Delta central zone where the governorship pendulum is about to swing is usually known ahead of time, based on prior understanding by the leadership of the party.
Thus, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, who succeeded chief Ibori, was known ahead of time, despite the fact that other aspirants, such as senator James Manager, made a bid for it, and then chief Ifeanyi Okowa, another stakeholder, ran against him.
A similar situation arose in 2015 when Dr. Uduaghan, who was, via a similar pre-arrangement, was supposed to pass the baton to the next governor from the zone whose turn it was to produce the next governor. He initially demurred, leading to a major spat in which Ibori political forces prevailed and Okowa mounted the throne.
As is typical of political games, the nasty battle that ensued involved several stakeholders, including Olorogun David Edevbie, a pioneer member of the class of 1999 (Ibori political family) and ex-commissioner for finance from 1999-2006, as well as ex-principal private secretary to ex-president Umaru Yar’adua of blessed memory, who contested for the office of governor against the incumbent.
In the manner that Uduaghan and Okowa slugged it out in 2007 and the latter, Okowa became the secretary to the state government (2007–2011), and even as the former, Uduaghan, assumed the governorship position, Edevbie served as commissioner for finance and later as chief of staff under Governor Okowa’s watch.
Following that established pattern of governorship position succession, which is based on gentleman agreement, Edevbie is supposed to be the candidate with the backing of the political class of 1999, to which all the three governors, Ibori (1999-2007), Uduaghan (2007-2015) and Okowa (2015 till date) belong and which Governor Okowa has recently referred to as an Ibori political family.
As things currently stand, something is fundamentally amiss within the 1999 political class, because the governorship calculus has gone askew. And in Delta State political space, hitherto known for its political tranquility and a national role model for its equitable power-sharing matrix, there is a sort of bedlam that has been escalated by the cacophony of voices that are conjuring the biblical narrative of the Tower of Babel.
With the governorship succession structure unhinged in Delta state, which is the reality that we all must accept in this 11th hour, would the continued dominance of political leadership in the state since 1999 by the PDP not be in jeopardy as the motley crowd of contenders and their backers fight dirty?
The incumbent governor of Delta state, who prides itself on being ‘The Big Hearts’ senator, Ifeanyi Okowa, has, in trying to allay the palpable fears of party stakeholders and faithful, declared that there is no crisis in the Ibori political family. Given the commitments in 2015 and betrayals of trust currently polluting the political atmosphere, can the governor’s assurances be worthy of their weight or taken with a pinch of salt?
Another nagging question is: if the ongoing shenanigans are part of playing politics, as governor Okowa has assured the party faithful (who have been perplexed as to what is really going on), are they not politricks? One more question that deserves to be answered urgently is: after the horse-trading that has actually taken a massive toll, having degenerated into a political bloodletting exercise with consequential casualties, would PDP still be robust and sturdy enough to sustain its control of political leadership in Delta state?
These are the critical questions that delegates must consider as they prepare to vote for the best man for the job of Delta State’s next governor in 2023, a position that David Edevbie perfectly fits.
And he is not being smug about it; hence, he is working assiduously to earn the votes of delegates.
Magnus Onyibe, an entrepreneur, public policy analyst, author, development strategist, an alumnus of Tufts University’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and a former commissioner in the Delta state government, sent this piece from Lagos.
I have spent the last 12 hours watching Mo Abudu’s latest offering on Netflix. I find Netflix quite boring as I often glean through the offerings looking for something to attract my attention.
Once in a while, something like Anatomy of a Scandal or Bridgeton will catch my interest, and I will be glued. But none of the Nigerian offerings ever attracted my attention.
Then I caught a younger friend watching Blood Sisters on her phone, and I asked why she was so entrapped. At 26, working as an investment banker and getting carried away at work with Blood Sisters, I made it a point of note to see it when I got home.
The series is so beautiful in its lack of originality that I began to stare in amazement. It’s so brilliantly put together that you must begin to see the high amount of creative energy that must have gone through its production.
The casting, the layout, and the depth of the storyline. Its intriguing fluidity is enmeshed in the suspense that has been designed to capitulate and keep you glued to the screen. Its aim is achieved as you fly into the world of the Ademolas.
As you watch, you realize you are watching so many American movies in this Nigerian series. I saw Dynasty, Starsky and Hutch, Hawaii 5.0, and so many other international films and TV series blatantly copied in mannerisms, plots, and lines.
But you are willing to forgive because its beauty makes you realize that it must have taken a crop of geniuses to have meshed so many plots and caricatures into this bewitchingly exciting story.
Kate Henshaw was perfect as the wooden matriarch. At first, I was afraid she would not be able to carry the role. Her initial shaky performance gave way to a perfectly blended outpouring. I loved her.
But I asked what Keppy was doing there. Cementing stereotypes is not my thing. So, the Igbo man must always be a trader and be eager for money. Keppy was miscast; he didn’t carry it well, while Uche was brilliantly stiff.
It wasn’t her comfort zone, but she did well.
The two lead ladies were near perfect. Ohh, I loved them. Although Kemi was initially stiff, she relaxed later and gave an Oscar-winning performance.
You know, I have a crush on the second lady. She can do no wrong. When Kola was strangling her, I felt like jumping in and blowing her head off.
Her beauty, her carriage, and her striking resemblance to my daughter, Annette, made me position her as my star.
The hitman sent to kill Kola in the initial scene was the worst in the series. I cannot lie; I didn’t understand all that frowning and doing alagbara all over the place. Last but not least, he could not even fight. They ate butter. Although mad, Kola was able to beat him up with bare hands. Na wa for this director, o.
My main complaint was that they didn’t give us enough Kola. Kola was my Denzel Washington in that movie. His looks, charisma, and technique were killing.
He carried the role well. He was perfect, and kudos to the casting director, but he was killed too early. He was left with a huge vacuum as his best man, despite his strong talent not being able to fill it.
The jokers in the pack were Arinze and the Chicago policeman. Arinze is still looking rough and he came with the old Nollywood acting style. This is not Ichokwu, this is Netflix. All that growling and opening of big eyes won’t work again.
Chicago had watched too many American cop movies that he confused himself. He wasn’t sure who he was, whether Will Smith in Bad Boys, Brad Pitt, or Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop. He just tried to carry all of them together and came up as the weakest link in the movie.
Ramsey, Noah, you exhaust me. The strong silent type popularized by Kevin Costner in the bodyguard for Whitney Houston’s character did not work. much effort. He wasn’t fluid, wasn’t free, and carried a certain tension that reduced his usual sterling performances.
I loved the sexual energy of the second son’s wife. She killed her role as the tempting but ambitious vixen. Her hubby, the bumbling pretender to the throne, was perfect, and their sexual chemistry turned me on.
The part where the cameraman showed us a wiff of her red pants as they struggled to make love was magic. A copy, but still magic.
The director killed me with the bathing and fighting scenes in the rehab. Come and see beautiful, robustly natural naked sisters in that scene. These were real naked African bodies with all the flaws you can imagine-big tummies, droopy breasts, and huge thighs; it was beautiful. I loved it and kept going back to it. Mad
I loved the story. I loved the way it was told and despite the fact that I saw almost 12 movies in Blood Sister, I still enjoyed myself. How else would you explain me not leaving for work this early because of Blood Sister?
So, has Mo Abudu won my respect? I will say she is almost there. This was a brilliant effort, and I must congratulate her for her tenacity and hard work in pulling a great team together.
Blood Sisters is a must-watch, and I give it 4 stars. Well done Aunty
The Duke of Shomolu