INTERNALLY DISPLACED vs EXTERNALLY DISPLACED.

Abokina,

In Hausa language, the lingua Franca of Northern Nigeria, it means my friend.  It is already turning white in some parts of the world and it is currently hazy here. I wish you a beautiful Christmas in advance.  

As a country, we have been battling Boko Haram in the last few years and it has led  to the death of many people both civilian and military. Our hearts are with their families and we pray that they will be eternally consoled. Let's dig deep as we discuss internally displaced and externally displaced in various lights. Both displacement can be summed up in a Yorùbá proverb "eniti o so ile nu ti so apo iya ko" meaning he who has lost his identity has keep a bag of torture.

The internally displaced people are those that have been sacked from their homelands and they are refugees in their fatherland. Unfortunately, the reports are more disheartening because they are malnourished and the funds that should be used in catering for them is being embezzled in their country of birth. The government keeps paying lips service to optimally caring for them. 

Another set of internally displaced people are those who are neither accepted in the city they reside and their country home. This is evident in documents such as state of origin, local government identification letter, Federal Character and others in Nigeria. All of these have reduced the opportunities available to people and this has led to brain drain.

The externally displaced people are those have lost their sense of their own identity based on some external influences despite being in close proximity to their culture and language. I strongly believe that regardless of the level of foreign civilisation, if your own culture is not promoted, it will die a natural death. 

Some years ago, we were having Generation X and now, we are having Generation Z. People are getting lost even in their homeland. There are many families resident in the cities who neither know their country home nor are told about the place. The question, "who will build and promote your country home?"

Either you are internally or externally displaced, you can rewrite your history; you can create a new order. If you are internally displaced, brace up to rebuild your home community; if you are internally displaced, work towards improving your language & country home with your expertise if you are externally displaced.

Whatever you do differently will engrave your name on the roll call of honour one day.

Have a nice transition into 2017.

Cheers

Olutayo

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JUNGLE JUSTICE vs ANALYTICAL JUDGMENT

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Muli Bwanji,

It’s been wet in the city of Lagos in the last few hours, those on my social media would have seen the video on flash flood around Idi-Iroko; Ikorodu road.  I have come to greet you in Bemba language of Zambia which means ‘Hello’.

As human, we have disagreement with our friends and families from time to time. Some people would want to mediate but they do not take time to listen to both parties before arriving at conclusions. Yoruba sages in their wisdom described this in a proverb that says, ‘agbo eje apa kan da agba osika ni’ transliterated as a judge who hears from a party and gives a verdict has committed a dastard act.

Jungle Justice is a situation in which a person is judged with a bias and also taking laws into their hands. The person narrating and the person judging are the perpetrators of jungle justice. People who grew up in Nigeria can remember the days when petty thieves are caught in the neighbourhood and people take laws into their hands by burning them with tyres. Jungle justice leads to name calling amongst others. The deadliest forms of jungle justice is gossip; the extent the words would travel cannot be determined.

Analytical Judgment is when people are objective in their conclusion. They take time to ask questions; invite the two parties for reconciliations; they allot blames, correct both parties and resolve the entire crisis. This set of people are honourable and forthright. People with such mind-set are usually incorruptible. 

People that carry out analytical judgement can be attacked for being confrontation but they would surely be vindicated for being upright. Those who are known for carrying out jungle justice are put to shame when they are apprehended.

Analytical Judges are needed at all spheres of life, would you join the train?

Enjoy the rest of the week.

Cheers!

Olu

For more articles on Versus Series, kindly visit www.versusseries.blogspot.com; call 07062021341 or send an email to peodavies@gmail.com

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ILÉSANMÍ vs JOYÈ

E ku ayo odun o!

As a Yorùbá man, we are renowned for having greetings for all occasions and situations.  Well, our Muslim friends are in the mood of celebration and we wish them the best of the season.

Today, I would be discussing a very simplex (simple but complex) issue here. There are certain people who are given a position or a title and others keep asking, "does he merit the position?" We would analyse this from a cultural standpoint today using the proverb, "Ilésanmí dùnjoyè lo" meaning being a homely person is better than being a titled person.

Ilésanmí is a state of being without a title but playing a background role to the accomplish the organizational goal, it could also mean that the person is under tutelage. Also Ilésanmí can be the state of being willing to be the kingmaker. Lastly, the person might have previously occupied a position and have got fagged and is willing to relinquish the office.

Joyè is the time of being crowned, installed into a particular office, or taking a particular leadership position. There is a saying in Yorùbá, ewo ni ka fi'yan joye awodi, koma  le gbe adie meaning the person endowned with the title of a hawk must be able to pick a cock. This signifies that there are responsibilities attached to every office.

However, life must be delicately balanced. There is nobody that does not come into places of responsibility. Some graduates into leadership roles, others inherit it, some are naturally attain it while some earn it. At some point, one would be either the Baálé (head of a family); Baálè (head of a community) or Òtùnba (a titled chief) and many more.

The implication is that we should all know that at some point in life, we would change roles and we must stand out in all these capacities.

Have a great week ahead.

Cheers!

Olu

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