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AFRICA FEST 2007 - AUGUST 11, 2007 at WARNER PARK
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"Chieftaincy has practically been bastardized these days[...] Now you even have armed robbers, corrupt politicians and all sorts of people beings chiefs."
One of the cankers that Africans have to combat in order to see meaningful progress is the sacralization of traditional authority. More often than not, abuse of political power in Africa goes unpunished because Africans tend to revere political leaders. This attitude has a cultural genesis. In Africa, traditional rulers or the so-called natural leaders are viewed as untouchables because they are perceived as intermediaries between the living and the dead. In other words, sultans, fons, chiefs, kings, lamidos to name but a few are not seen as a mere mortals. Rather, they are s regarded as immortals ‘sitting on the stool’ of the ancestors wielding unquestionable power over their subjects. In many parts of Africa, the sacralization of traditional authority has been transferred to the political arena. The end result of this is that abuse of office and the dereliction of duty go unpunished. As a consequence, single-party politics, no-party ‘democracies’ (the case of Uganda) and
the proliferation of ‘presidents for life’ ( the case of late Kamuzu Banda of Malawi) have become the norm rather than the exception in Africa. The author of the cited article has rightly pointed out that " In the world in general they respect people with titles. If you are nobody ,people tend to look down on you -- place you in the back seats." The trouble with this kind of mentality is that it pushes us to see the tree for the forest.Late President Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana explified this attitude. He adopted the title of ‘Osagyefor’ meaning ‘savior’ or ‘redeemer’ and actually publicly approved of being treated as a supernatural ruler according to historical records. Late President Ahmadou Ahidjo of Cameroon adopted the same posture. He loved being addressed “ Père de la Nation” ( father of the nation). Cameroonians who lived under his regime know only too well that he fathered nothing political skeletons . Africans need to come up with a new vision of political leadership an
d power-sharing in order to ensure good governance. It is the opinion of this writer that multi-party politics and democratic principles will remain window-dressing in Africa if we continue to turn a blind eye to wanton abuse of office and corrupt practices.
PETER W.VAKUNTA
DEPARTMENT OF FRENCH AND ITALIAN
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN MADISON
602 VAN HISE HALL
1220 LINDEN DRIVE
MADISON WI 53706-1525
U.S.A
Office 608 262 4067
Home 608 442 6089
Cell 608 381 0407
"The day will come when history will speak... Africa will write its own history... it will be a history of glory and dignity." - Patrice Lumumba
----- Original Message -----
From: Richard Yarl <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Sunday, August 5, 2007 3:17 pm
Subject: Nigerians go crazy for a Title
To: [log in to unmask]
> *****************************************************************
>
> AFRICA FEST 2007 - AUGUST 11, 2007 at WARNER PARK
>
> *****************************************************************
>
> This is cool. Isn't it? Some may ask, what is cool about
> it. You are right.
>
> Cheers!
> <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
> BBC: Wednesday, 1 August 2007, 15:35 GMT 16:35 UK
>
> Nigerians go crazy for a title
> By Chris Ewokor
> BBC Network Africa, Abuja
>
>
>
> In traditional society chiefs are highly revered
> To be addressed as a Mr, Mrs or Ms in Nigerian social circles means
> you are a nobody. To be a mover or shaker you need to be a chief - or
> to at least hold a doctorate.
>
> But some fear this craze for chieftaincy titles may be eroding what
> was once a highly revered position in traditional Nigerian society.
>
> To be a traditional chief is like being a small god - it is seen as
> the peak of one's achievement in life.
>
> A chief should be someone who is well-to-do financially and
> intellectually - and has contributed substantially to the development
> of the community.
> Chieftaincy titles have practically been bastardised these days
>
> Chief Reginald Ibe
> "It's a recognition by your people," says Luke Ogedegbe, who became a
> chief in the southern Delta State in the 1990s.
>
> He is known as Erhuvwu of Udu kingdom - "Goodness of the Udu kingdom"
> - and has found that his traditional title puts him in a "special
> class".
>
> "You don't operate as an ordinary man anymore. As a matter of fact you
> are supposed to be in the upper bracket of society and that lifts you
> from the commoner," he explains.
>
> Political clout
> Many people say honorary titles these days can often be bought by
> giving a donation of about $10,000 to one's home area.
>
> Mr Obasanjo was made a chief after he stood down as military ruler
> And some, like Alhaji Abbu Mohammed from northern Borno State, think
> prestige is not the only appeal.
> He has inherited the title Yerima Kida of Biu Emirate, which literally
> means he is prince of the Kida area.
>
> "Most of the people who seem to be crazy about titles are making up
> for some deficiencies or some inadequacies," he claims.
>
> "The moment somebody is financially buoyant the next thing is to be
> chief because he has more money."
>
> The Yerima Kida says many people use their titles for political gain.
>
> "They brandish it, especially a politician because he wants to sell
> himself. In Nigerian politics we don't sell programmes, we sell
> people," he says.
> Financial manager Reginald Ibe, a chief of the Igbo people in the
> south-east, echoes this disquiet.
>
> "Chieftaincy titles have practically been bastardised these days," he
> says.
> "Everybody wants to acquire one chieftaincy title or any other title.
> The number of honorary PhDs we have in this country is symptomatic of
> a people who have failed in so many aspects of life."
>
> Costly
> His title Onwa Netilora Omudo of Uzoagba means "bringer of peace and
> the moon that shines over Uzoagba" and was awarded in the 1990s in
> gratitude for jobs given to the unemployed in his home area in Imo
> State.
> People even add things like Mr Engineer to their name, it's a kind of
> pomposity
>
> Man in Abuja
> Not a penny changed hands, he says.
> "Now you even have armed robbers, corrupt politicians and all sorts of
> people being chiefs," Chief Ibe says.
>
> "It costs a lot to acquire a title. These days, in all you could spend
> as much $200,000 to $250,000 - minimum to become a chief."
>
> Many prominent Nigerians including serving and past political leaders
> hold one title or another - either traditional, educational,
> professional or religious.
> Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was made chief shortly after he
> first stepped down from power when he was the military head of state
> in 1979. As chief he went on to lead a democratic administration two
> decades later.
> President Umaru Yar'Adua holds, but rarely uses, his traditional title
> Matawalin Katsina - "custodian of wealth of Katsina" - given to him by
> the Emir of Katsina when he was governor.
>
> And the trend for acquiring titles is not limited to the political
> elite.
> "People even add things like Mr Engineer to their name, it's a kind of
> pomposity," a man in Abuja said, when I went to canvass opinion in the
> capital about Nigeria's title obsession.
>
> One woman disputed whether it was solely a Nigerian phenomenon.
> "In the world in general they respect people with titles. If you are a
> nobody, people tend to look down on you - place you in the back
> seats," she said.
> However, Nigerians may have to realise that while a title may give
> your ego a boost and a step up the social ladder, the associated
> respect of old may no longer be guaranteed.
>
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