Greetings my fellow Africans and all:

For quite sometime, I have read my e-mail with quiet enthusiasm and
interest.  Now, it appears that we are becoming passionate about each
other's ideas and expressions to the point that many want to limit the
nature and content of the speech expressed.  I understand that not
everything needs to be stated or conveyed and at the same time, not
everything needs to be quieted.

In the past few weeks, there was a going back and forth of exchanges that I
thought was interesting and engaging. But, many considered it out of place.
 My friends and fellow continent persons, it is precisely this exchange of
thought that promotes civility among everyone of us.  In engaging in
discourse, we learn about and from one another.  And, above all, we
understand ourselves better.

I understand that this Internet service should not be used for levying
charges against one another, trade insults or deride one another's
respective home countries.  In no way am I advocating that we do that.
Remember, back at home, we live under different rules and realities.  What
we talk about here, we cannot talk about there.  Therefore, the very fact
that we can "argue" over this service or express ourselves, is a good thing.

If we cannot discuss things over the service, then what purpose does this
service serve?  It may as well be relegated to unilateral information
service without participation by members.  And, on that line, what useful
information can such a unilateral service provide when members cannot even
discuss what they want, care about, think, or believe and where the such
service does not know such.

Ladies and Gentleman.  I have learned quite a lot from the exchanges over
the past three  years.  I am silent, but not uninformed; and I am young,
thus I must learn from my elders and others, as I must.   Do not limit the
extent or nature of exchange that occurs over this service.  It is only
through this medium that many of us other fellow continent persons.

Respectfully,

/s/
Stanford Ndubueze Obi