What this is not: It is not the history of Catholicism nor is it a trial of history of civilization. It is not even an evaluation of Nigerian Catholicism, etc. It is, simply, a personal historical-social analysis of why we, as African Catholics in general and Nigerian Catholics in particular, continue to romance certain circles in the Catholic Church instead of joining the Francis Effect that the Church is experiencing presently. Christianity...
Nke anyi bu nke anyi mana nke onye bukwanụ nke onye. Ọ bụ ezie na egbe bere ugo bere kama na onweghikwanu mgbe egbe ga-aga chọba ugo ka ọ bia bere n’ihi na nani onye i gwara ebe mmiri siri tiba gi ga-ahapụrụ gi ọnọdụ n’ihụ ọkụ. Ọ bụkwanụ ezie na nani nwata kwọrọ aka so ndi okenye eri ihe. N’ụbọchi olemole gara-aga, anyi dere maka umu okorobia ndi Afrika mepụtara Afrika...
Ndi mgbasa oziọma iri na-asato agbakọrọla ọnụ wee tinye olu n’okwu gbasara oziọma na omenaala. Ndi mgbasa oziọma a na-arụ ọrụ na nzuko di iche na Kebek ezutele onwe ha n’ụlọ ndi echichi ana-akpọ Jezuwiti iji ghọta nke ọma nsogbu di iche ndi na-arụ ọrụ mgbasa oziọma n’ebe enwere omenaala di iche na-ahụ. Na mkpụrụ ụbọchi atọ a puru iche, anyi lebere anya n’isi okwu : Nsogbu nke mbikọrita omenaala di iche...
À tous mes frères Africains Chers fils et filles d’Anowa Les Grands fils d’Oduduwa Et dignes filles d’Adroa Vos aïeux sont engendrés par Bumba Sur le regard vigilant du maître Anansi Alors que son cousin Kraag écoute La douce musique de Nana-Bukulu Et, quand Muwa-Lisa commençait encore La formation de nos lumières primordiales Il convoqua notre astucieux grand frère, GU Et, lui légua notre spiritualité et nos philosophies Ubuntu, notre philosophie fondamentale...
Sometimes, Western society seems to have either a selective or short memory. The problem is not just that the same ugly scenarios repeat themselves century after century, but that the society pretends to be in constant evolution, whereas it retrogrades. One is even called to ask if this society is genetically engineered to select which part of its ugly past it wishes to replay on and on. In the ’50s, when Josephine...
Fare thee well, brave brothers Commissioned to fight ghosts In a war dedicated to the gods With nothing indeed godly Sleep well dear comrades Freshly plucked from the pride And sent to the infested gallows To feed the rotten cackle of the Sambisa castle Rest in peace, valiant soldiers The pride of our peaceful motherland Boldly sacrificed at the shameless alter Of a cracked nation without leadership Cry no more spouses of...
Africa is blessed with varied languages and cultures, but her diversity has never been transformed into richness. She has been bleeding since she was fragilized by the colonial system and its post-colonial mismanagement. The blatancy of her fragility is so aberrant that she cannot even define her stand on issues like literature and religion. She has been so dealt with that she ignores how to value her cultures and languages. In his...
Last week I questioned the methodology of our «Katikizim Nke Okwukwe Nzuko Katolik N’Asusu Igbo» and I was told it has been upgraded. But from all indications, it was only furbished and nothing more. Now that I have a copy of the latest edition, I’m beginning to think that this Catechism is based on a 19th Century methodology (more than 100 years now). It is everything except adapted to the pastoral exigencies...
The Igbo of Nigeria believe that an eloquent speaker speaks not many words but garnishes his speech with proverbs and anecdotes. They are also excellent at passing information with short and sometimes witty stories. They fondly express it with the saying: “ilu bu manu eji eri okwu” which could loosely be translated into “Proverbs are ingredients used in cooking speeches”. For example, this popular story –The Wooden Bowl – could be reduced...
“I wanted to shoot a politician, but not seeing any of them, I then shot Police officers”, said Luigi Preiti, who yesterday opened fire before an Italian Parliamentary palace. The young Sicilian said he was motivated to do so after losing his job and being left by his wife and children. From all indications, the 49-year shooter, who had no past criminal record, is said to have bought his gun four years...
