Thanx for sharing Ya Soffie. Alibi's frustration and sincerity is palpable.
I wonder if Alibi is aware of our treatment of Watson's comments here? It may
be valuable to forward our mails to Alibi and chatAfriK just as we are made
aware of their notes. What that would do is to afford us the missing link in
beginning right. If Alibi knows that there are many more Africans who share
his/her frustration, a new paradigm in citizen collaboration can begin toward
societal organisation and manifestation of inherent intelligences as Alibi
also intimates. I have taken this liberty to share ideas with ALibi and bridge
our intelligence highway. I hope we can begin this valuable process of
reciprocal information sharing. It is immensely valuable.
Now then:
It seems ALibi does not really agree with Watson in the essence of the
latter's perspective. Watson deduced from genetic disparities ribonucleic acids
that the disparity is the explanation for disparate intelligences between whites
and blacks. ALibi on the other hand expresses disdain and frustration at the
black man's inability to harness his intrinsic intelligence. The two seem to
me to be mutually exclusive. Alibi is sharing, albeit in another audience,
what Jabou and I and our coleagues here have shared vis-a-vis Watson. And
Alibi's frustrations and chagrins are also our frustrations and disdain.
Therefore, a dialogue is issue among ourselves and Alibi or chatAfriK.
I will share some excerpts from ALibi to wit:
"He (watson) said what to me looks like a self-evident truth." Alibi.
Not really. I will show you why;
"He (watson) told The Sunday Times of London in an interview that in his
humble opinion, black people are less intelligent than the White people." Alibi.
Not exactly. James is a nobel Laureate in his work in the human genome
project. He had come across genetic differences between the races and among the
races. This means that there were genetic differences between blacks, whites,
Latinos, Arabs, other Asians. He then attempted to marry his pre-conceived
notions of blacks with the genetic difference between blacks and whites only. He
casually treated the differences apparent in the Latin gene by assigning
that to his pre-conceived perception of Latin carnal prowess. James did not
offer opinion on the genetic difference between blacks and Asians, Asians and
whites, Arabs and blacks, Whites and Arabs, etc. Therefore his opinion is just
that. It is not scientific discovery nor is it benign assignment in opinion.
Given James' pre-disposition, it was therefore racist.
"Since then, some of us cannot hear anything else but the outrage of black
people who feel demeaned by what Watson has said." Alibi.
I agree with you there is a certain sense of complex that fed the overly
frantic reaction.
"So many people have called the man names. To be expected, some have said he
is a racist. Some even wonder how a "foolish" man like Watson could have won
the Nobel Prize. Even white people who, deep in their heart, agree with
Watson want to be politically, correct so they condemn the man." Alibi.
Alibi, you have indicated that these reactions are to be expected. Further,
our disdain for James, at least mine, was because of his shortcoming in the
area of scientific process and reasoned deduction. And our expression of
disdain does not nullify James' dirth of acumen in this area. In fact, science and
discovery required us to review peers and the lunatics among us. That in
itself is a manifestation of moderate intelligence I would submit.
"Why are we blacks becoming so reactive, so sensitive to any remarks, no
matter how well-meaning, about our failure as a race?" Alibi.
I share your chagrin ALibi. I think however that you are letting your
frustration get the better of you. You did mention that it was not only blacks who
reacted to James' comments. Be that as it may, I'm confident you will agree
with me that the beginnings of innovation is the recognition of necessity in
that by reacting, I think blacks are well on their way toward action. It will
begin by you and I connecting and acting in unison where we agree. I will
caution you though that James' comments did not seem well-meaning to me, that is
regardless of how he himself meant them. And I do not agree with you that we
have failed as a race. We simply have not recognized the worth of our
inherent intelligence.
"Why are we becoming like the Jews who see every accusation as a
manifestation of anti-Semitism?" Alibi.
No. Jews are reacting in their historical context. To the extent we blacks
identify with their history, we join the Jews in their abhorrence of
re-appearing holocaust. Now we are also well within our marbles to react to our own
historical complexes, and to the extent Jews can identify with us, they are
free to join us in our contempts. This still does not and should not preclude
our ingenuities in life.
"I do not know what constitutes intelligence." Alibi.
Intelligence is the qualitative processing of information by a person,
animal, or a people to administer their lives on earth.
"I leave that to our so-called scholars." Alibi.
Very well. But I offer a valuable definition here. And I did not learn it
from the white man. I am self-taught, by-and-large, and I am black.
"But I do know that in terms of organising society for the benefit of the
people living in it, we blacks have not shown any intelligence in that
direction at all." Alibi.
I understand your chagrin Alibi. I am with you. However, you have just
defined an aspect of intelligence. The thievery and cunning you have seen in
Nigerians is itself a demonstration of a modicum of intelligence, albeit for
self-distressing reasons. Intelligence nonetheless. The industrial revolution and
its attendant processes by the white man is itself a demonstration of
intelligence, albeit for self-distressing reasons. I think you confuse innovation
with intelligence. At least you risk to.
"I am so ashamed of this and sometimes feel that I ought to have belonged to
another race." Alibi.
I understand Alibi. If its any consolation, the white man's prior
"intelligence" has led him to de-engineer to begin right. You may not be aware of the
cranial awakening that is currently well underway. Blacks (you and I and our
black colleagues) should endeavour to lead the way here.
"Nigeria my dear country is a prime example of the inferiority of the black
race when compared to other races." Alibi.
Nigeria's case is one of greed graft and graffignette. Gambia is following
in that footstep. And they all follow in the white man's regrettable footstep.
"Let somebody please tell me whether it is a manifestation of intelligence
if a people cannot organise a free, fair and credible election to choose who
will lead them." Alibi.
I agree. It is not.
"Is it intelligence that we cannot provide simple pipe-borne water for the
people?" Alibi.
It is not. Not even an excuse for non-inventiveness. Make sure you do not
use lead pipes for that pipe-born water.
"Our public school system has virtually collapsed." Alibi.
It was headed for collapse all along. It was untenable and unsustainable.
"Is that a sign of intelligence?" Alibi.
No.
"Our roads are impassable. In spite of the numerous sources that nature has
made available to us to tap for energy to run our industries and homes, we
have no steady supply of electricity. Yet electricity is the bedrock of
industrialisation. When you agree with the school of Watson, some say you are
incorrect because all these failures are a result of poor leadership. Why must it
be us blacks who must always suffer poor leadership?" Alibi.
We must not suffer from poor leadership. Forget (the only ones). We must
remove the poor leaders by any means necessary. We must not tolerate them.
Besides some of them belong in the insane asylum.
"Is that not a manifestation of unintelligence?" Alibi.
NO. It is manifestation of uninventiveness. Remember the poor leaders are
also black. Just that they do not belong in leadership. They may be valuable in
another area of life.
"In the name of international trade, bilateral co-operation, globalisation
and other subterfuges, the norm in the world today is for smart people to
appropriate the wealth of other people for themselves and their countries." Alibi.
You do recognize the "subterfuges". Now you and I and our colleagues must
yield value from them. And it is not the norm in the world today. It seems
thievery and dishonesty are rife. That is the result of un-intelligent
development.
"But more among the blacks than any other race, the practice is to steal
from their own country and salt away to other people’s country. Is it
intelligence that our leaders steal billions of naira and hide in other people’s
country?" Alibi.
No it is not. You have just recognized some of the thievery, graft, and
graffignette.
"Anywhere in the world today where you have a concentration of black people
among other races, the poorest, the least educated, the least achieving, and
the most violent group among those races will be the blacks." Alibi.
These do not have a bearing on intelligence of blacks. It has more to do
with local innovation than anything else. If you say blacks are not innovative
Alibi, I could agree with you to an extent. You should visit the Lapplanders
and eskimos or the guarani indians.
"When indices of underdevelopment are given, black people and countries are
sure to occupy the bottom of the ladder. If we are intelligent, why do we not
carry first when statistics of development are given?" Alibi.
This is one of the problems. Those indices of underdevelopment have the
white man's sense of development as sub-index.
"Look at the African continent. South Africa is the most developed country
because of the presence of whites there. This may be an uncomfortable truth
for many of us but it exists nevertheless. If the whites had been driven away
after independence, we would have seen a steady decline of that country."
Alibi.
Alibi, you and I need to talk. I'm afraid we have a different view of
development and circumstance. I wouldn't be disappointed if the South African model
declines to nil. I would like them to begin on another track to manifest
their inherent intelligence.
"In terms of natural endowment, Africa ought to be the richest of the
continents but see the mess we have made of the potential for greatness which God
in his infinite wisdom has bestowed upon us. We have proved totally incapable
of harnessing the abundant natural resources to become great." Alibi.
You do acknowledge you disagree with James then do you not? And it is
generally the manner of harness that determines value in intellect.
"Today, there is a renewed scramble for the wealth of Africa. China, our new
"friend", does not bother about the genocide against fellow blacks in the
Sudan by the Arabs who control the affairs of that country. They say they do not
want to interfere in the internal affairs of any country. All they want is
the oil in Sudan to run their industries. Yet, we blacks have not seen the
Chinese action as an affront to our sensitivities. Every race takes us for
granted because we are so weak and so foolish, if you permit me to say it." Alibi.
This is reasonable and sensible. Now you and I must play our part and
encourage our colleagues to do the same to be sure we don't let this happen. I have
been cautioning my colleagues of Africa's re-colonisation. That demonstrates
enormous fortune for Africa but it also requires innovation and proper
industry on our part as you have declared.
"I am really pained by our gross underachievement as a race. Instead of
regarding bitter truths expressed by the likes of Watson as a wake-up call for us
to engage in sober reflection, we take to the expression of woolly
sentiment. For me, this type of reaction is a further evidence of our unintelligence.
A man of intelligence recognises genuine criticism against him and takes
steps to improve himself in order to prove his critics wrong. But for us blacks,
our reaction is to abuse the man who expresses worries about our
backwardness." Alibi.
Alibi, my friend, if you read your immediate above, you agree that we must
first recognize James' cluelessness crouched in high-fallutin science. Then we
use it as a wake up call to engage in sober reflection. That is where we are
now. Another opportunity presents itself for self-examination and
re-conaissance. Will you join me in that endeavour?
"Other races are deeply worried about us because we are a problem to the
world. We suffer from the five Ds: disorderliness, debts, diseases, deaths and
disasters. Our disorderliness affects others or else they won’t be too
bothered about us. Many are afraid because our diseases could infect them. Polio
has been eradicated all over the world yet it is still found in Nigeria here.
When they give us money to help us eradicate it, our thieving officials will
embezzle the money; the virus will spread and endanger the health of not only
our people but other people as well." Alibi.
Alibi, I'm afraid you are being too harsh on yourself. You risk
incapacitating yourself. After you get through feeling sorry for yourself, you may not
have enough energy to join me on the renewal journey toward valuable innovation.
"Out of a shared sense of humanity, some cannot bear to see how we die in
thousands almost every day from clearly preventable diseases and causes. For
years now, our people die extremely painful but perfectly preventable deaths
from buildings which collapse because they were poorly constructed. How can you
tell me we are as intelligent as others when we set traps for ourselves in
the name of houses and others do not do so? Some people are extremely
frustrated about us. If they have a way of avoiding us, they will be too glad to do so
because we are a problem." Alibi.
The trick is not to compare yourself with the others. You are as unique as
your genes inform. Now are you ready to do something about these problems or
are you gonna remain sulking like the rest?
"As I write this, I do so with great pains in my heart because I know that
God has given intelligence in equal measure to all his children irrespective of
the colour of their skin." Alibi.
You go Alibi. I understand what is driving your frustration. But it should
not yield agreement with James' knucklehead.
"The problem with us black people is that we have refused to use our
intelligence to organise ourselves socially and politically. It should worry us that
we do not invent things. We do not go to the moon. Our societies are not
well-organised. We have the shortest lifespan of all the races. Something must
be wrong with us. Why are we not like others?" Alibi.
You are so seriously frustrated Alibi, you sound funny. Maybe we shouldn't
go to the moon just yet. Why will you be so eager to disturb another ecosystem
when you have so much work down here? And what do you wanna invent anyway? We
need to talk.
"Our scholars will be quick to say that these are not the only ways of
measuring intelligence. They will quote other scholars to adumbrate their point,
but the fact remains that we are not showing intelligence. Others are showing
it more than we’re doing. If they are not more intelligent than we are, let
someone tell me how to put it. God himself must be frustrated with his black
children. They must be an embarrassment to him. He has given us everything
he has given to other of his children; why are his black children not
manifesting their own gift?" Alibi.
Hehehehehe!!!! Don't worry about the scholars. They may be dumber than you
and I. And we are not scholars.
There is nothing more useless than a coward of a scholar. You see they don't
say much. You could swear they're scholared to death.
"A few years ago, the whites used to contemptuously call the Japanese
"little Japs". Today, the Japanese and other Asians have pulled themselves up by
the bootstrap and have arrived. No one speaks of the Japanese or Asians with
contempt anymore. When people like Watson speak about us in unedifying terms, we
should take it as a challenge to prove them wrong by sitting down to plan
how we can become world-beaters." Alibi.
And what did James offer as the reason for the difference between Asian or
Japanese and white
genomes???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
"If our political leaders are the reason for our backwardness, we should
resolve to get the kind of leaders who will be instrument for our rapid
progress. I may not know how intelligence is measured but my limited knowledge of
intelligence is that it can also be measured by the kind of leaders a people
decide to have. If, for instance, our professors preside over the massive
rigging of elections, it means that we do not have very intelligent professors.
Such rigged elections will no doubt produce unintelligent leaders. Such
unintelligent leaders will do stupid things which will prove that we are not as
intelligent as other races. Do I sound confusing or intelligent?" Alibi.
That's the spirit. Remove the idiots first. And whoever comes in their wake,
don't accept any nonsense from them.
"I am ready for some of our ‘patriotic’ intellectuals who will write
and abuse me for the ‘outrage’ I have expressed here but I stick to my
guns: we lack intelligence and as stated in the Bible, anyone who lacks
intelligence should cry unto God who is the custodian of wisdom to bestow some upon
him. We should go on our knees today and ask God why we do not appear as
intelligent as our other brothers. I am confident God will reveal to us what we
must do, and urgently too, to change our terribly unflattering circumstances."
Alibi.
Don't worry Alibi. Over my dead body. If you receive as much as disdainful
mail, much less abusive mail from any idiot, send them to me. Please.
Your brother. Haroun Masoud. MQDT. Al Mutawakkil. Darbo. Black as midnight.
In a message dated 10/26/2007 6:48:01 A.M. Mountain Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
Wonders never cease - Soffie
[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> wrote:
To: [log in to unmask]
From: [log in to unmask]
Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2007 19:45:33 -0400
Subject: [ChatAfriK] Idang Alibi: I agree with Dr. Watson
I agree with Dr Watson
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Written by Idang Alibi
Thursday, 25 October 2007
A few days ago, the Nobel Laureate, Dr James Watson, made a remark that is
now generating worldwide uproar, especially among the blacks. He said what to
me looks like a self-evident truth. He told The Sunday Times of London in an
interview that in his humble opinion, black people are less intelligent than
the White people.
Since then, some of us cannot hear anything else but the outrage of black
people who feel demeaned by what Watson has said. So many people have called
the man names. To be expected, some have said he is a racist. Some even wonder
how a "foolish" man like Watson could have won the Nobel Prize. Even white
people who, deep in their heart, agree with Watson want to be politically,
correct so they condemn the man.
Why are we blacks becoming so reactive, so sensitive to any remarks, no
matter how well-meaning, about our failure as a race? Why are we becoming like
the Jews who see every accusation as a manifestation of anti-Semitism? I do not
know what constitutes intelligence. I leave that to our so-called scholars.
But I do know that in terms of organising society for the benefit of the
people living in it, we blacks have not shown any intelligence in that direction
at all. I am so ashamed of this and sometimes feel that I ought to have
belonged to another race.
Nigeria my dear country is a prime example of the inferiority of the black
race when compared to other races. Let somebody please tell me whether it is a
manifestation of intelligence if a people cannot organise a free, fair and
credible election to choose who will lead them. Is it intelligence that we
cannot provide simple pipe-borne water for the people? Our public school system
has virtually collapsed. Is that a sign of intelligence? Our roads are
impassable. In spite of the numerous sources that nature has made available to us
to tap for energy to run our industries and homes, we have no steady supply of
electricity. Yet electricity is the bedrock of industrialisation. When you
agree with the school of Watson, some say you are incorrect because all these
failures are a result of poor leadership. Why must it be us blacks who must
always suffer poor leadership? Is that not a manifestation of unintelligence?
In the name of international trade, bilateral co-operation, globalisation
and other subterfuges, the norm in the world today is for smart people to
appropriate the wealth of other people for themselves and their countries. But
more among the blacks than any other race, the practice is to steal from their
own country and salt away to other people’s country. Is it intelligence
that our leaders steal billions of naira and hide in other people’s country?
Anywhere in the world today where you have a concentration of black people
among other races, the poorest, the least educated, the least achieving, and
the most violent group among those races will be the blacks. When indices of
underdevelopment are given, black people and countries are sure to occupy the
bottom of the ladder. If we are intelligent, why do we not carry first when
statistics of development are given?
Look at the African continent. South Africa is the most developed country
because of the presence of whites there. This may be an uncomfortable truth for
many of us but it exists nevertheless. If the whites had been driven away
after independence, we would have seen a steady decline of that country.
In terms of natural endowment, Africa ought to be the richest of the
continents but see the mess we have made of the potential for greatness which God in
his infinite wisdom has bestowed upon us. We have proved totally incapable
of harnessing the abundant natural resources to become great. Today, there is
a renewed scramble for the wealth of Africa. China, our new "friend", does
not bother about the genocide against fellow blacks in the Sudan by the Arabs
who control the affairs of that country. They say they do not want to
interfere in the internal affairs of any country. All they want is the oil in Sudan
to run their industries. Yet, we blacks have not seen the Chinese action as an
affront to our sensitivities. Every race takes us for granted because we are
so weak and so foolish, if you permit me to say it.
I am really pained by our gross underachievement as a race. Instead of
regarding bitter truths expressed by the likes of Watson as a wake-up call for us
to engage in sober reflection, we take to the expression of woolly sentiment.
For me, this type of reaction is a further evidence of our unintelligence. A
man of intelligence recognises genuine criticism against him and takes steps
to improve himself in order to prove his critics wrong. But for us blacks,
our reaction is to abuse the man who expresses worries about our backwardness.
Other races are deeply worried about us because we are a problem to the
world. We suffer from the five Ds: disorderliness, debts, diseases, deaths and
disasters. Our disorderliness affects others or else they won’t be too
bothered about us. Many are afraid because our diseases could infect them. Polio
has been eradicated all over the world yet it is still found in Nigeria here.
When they give us money to help us eradicate it, our thieving officials will
embezzle the money; the virus will spread and endanger the health of not only
our people but other people as well.
Out of a shared sense of humanity, some cannot bear to see how we die in
thousands almost every day from clearly preventable diseases and causes. For
years now, our people die extremely painful but perfectly preventable deaths
from buildings which collapse because they were poorly constructed. How can you
tell me we are as intelligent as others when we set traps for ourselves in
the name of houses and others do not do so? Some people are extremely
frustrated about us. If they have a way of avoiding us, they will be too glad to do so
because we are a problem.
As I write this, I do so with great pains in my heart because I know that
God has given intelligence in equal measure to all his children irrespective of
the colour of their skin. The problem with us black people is that we have
refused to use our intelligence to organise ourselves socially and politically.
It should worry us that we do not invent things. We do not go to the moon.
Our societies are not well-organised. We have the shortest lifespan of all the
races. Something must be wrong with us. Why are we not like others? Our
scholars will be quick to say that these are not the only ways of measuring
intelligence. They will quote other scholars to adumbrate their point, but the
fact remains that we are not showing intelligence. Others are showing it more
than we’re doing. If they are not more intelligent than we are, let someone
tell me how to put it. God himself must be frustrated with his black
children. They must be an embarrassment to him. He has given us everything he has
given to other of his children; why are his black children not manifesting their
own gift?
A few years ago, the whites used to contemptuously call the Japanese "little
Japs". Today, the Japanese and other Asians have pulled themselves up by the
bootstrap and have arrived. No one speaks of the Japanese or Asians with
contempt anymore. When people like Watson speak about us in unedifying terms, we
should take it as a challenge to prove them wrong by sitting down to plan
how we can become world-beaters.
If our political leaders are the reason for our backwardness, we should
resolve to get the kind of leaders who will be instrument for our rapid progress.
I may not know how intelligence is measured but my limited knowledge of int
elligence is that it can also be measured by the kind of leaders a people
decide to have. If, for instance, our professors preside over the massive rigging
of elections, it means that we do not have very intelligent professors. Such
rigged elections will no doubt produce unintelligent leaders. Such
unintelligent leaders will do stupid things which will prove that we are not as
intelligent as other races. Do I sound confusing or intelligent?
I am ready for some of our ‘patriotic’ intellectuals who will write
and abuse me for the ‘outrage’ I have expressed here but I stick to my
guns: we lack intelligence and as stated in the Bible, anyone who lacks
intelligence should cry unto God who is the custodian of wisdom to bestow some upon
him. We should go on our knees today and ask God why we do not appear as
intelligent as our other brothers. I am confident God will reveal to us what we
must do, and urgently too, to change our terribly unflattering circumstances.
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