SAGACIOUS SAWS

By OMOSEYE BOLAJI

“Ti bale ile bati’n fapari isu hon alejo, owe ile to lo nu”

- Yoruba Proverb

“The art of being a good guest is to know when to leave”-

- Prince Philip

The first aphorism above is an African (Yoruba) proverb, and the second quote has been made famous by an Englishman (Prince Philip). But the startling thing is that they mean more or less the same thing, eh?

Probably many of you out there are crying “foul” What is this? Though the Yorubas run into millions, there are countless millions who are not, and do not speak Yoruba. Here we can be intrigued by the one and only Ngugi wa Thiong’o who always says African languages must have primacy; and any translations would be diluted without the impact of the original.

Indeed this is often so. But since there are hundreds of languages in Africa alone, we have to make do with translations even if rather threadbare. So let us try to translate: “Ti bale ile bati’n fapari isu hon alejo, owe ile to lo nu” into English. We can say it means “When the grand host starts showing a shrivelled, truncated yam to the guest, it’s a covert way of telling the guest to depart!”

This is the same as what Prince Philip says; but the African version is more inventive and amusing. In parenthesis, the illustrious Chinua Achebe can reel out countless such inventive sayings by his own people, the Ibo (Igbo). No doubt this is the same all over Africa.

Sol Plaatje of South Africa, the first black man to produce a novel in English did all he could to highlight and preserve hundreds of Tshwana proverbs. Those in published form are also often inventive and intriguing.

But back to our proverb above, the Yoruba one. Many educated Yorubas will not be happy with the tentative translation into English. And millions of non- Nigerians too. For example the word “yam” which is referred to in the original ancestral proverb. It might sound incredible to many, but a very large number of Africans, including South Africans do not know what a yam is; have never seen one!

This might sound outrageous to Nigerians, and west Africans in general, but yam is not a staple food of countries like South Africa; it does not even grow there. But then again most Nigerians do not know good old pap (mealie meal), a staple for countless millions in southern Africa! But the problem still does not end here.

To appreciate the Yoruba proverb, one has to know what yam looks like, the stocky healthy one, its gratifying texture; its deep-seated, age-old, edifying role in many societies of yore. And even now! To be able to contrast wholesome, robust yams with the shrivelled ones. Perhaps with some imagination this can be achieved…

So back to the two “adages” quoted in the beginning of this piece. By now we can see how uncannily alike they are; from two completely different societies and cultures. “Do not over-stay your welcome!” Of course, the African (Yoruba) saying is more pithy and thought provoking. What do you think?

THE VAGARIES OF VILLAINS AND HEROES

By OMOSEYE BOLAJI


“The most excruciating unfair aspect of the World Cup from the African perspective was the exit of Ghana..."


The World Cup has always thrown up a compound of alleged villains and heroes – depending on the particular perspective. Just like classical history. Like Lord Nelson of the English naval battle fame is still revered by millions in England…but how do the French feel about him? Opinion is split on the likes of Napoleon Bonaparte …hero or villain?

But re football. In 1986 Diego Maradona scored his first goal against England in the World Cup, via a blatant handball. The “hand of God” episode which the millions of people in the English would never forgive him for – yet the same action elicited adulation for Maradona by many millions of Argentinians and South Americans.

To be more up to date, millions of Irish and their kindred “allies” like the English – were shocked when Thierry Henry “cheated” them out of qualifying for the World Cup finals after using his hand, even twice to create the crucial winning goal for the French. But millions of French were only too happy to get to South Africa, one way or the other. Henry was both a villain and a hero (Not that the French covered themselves in glory in South Africa, but that’s another story.

A horror story!

It continues to happen – incidents that tilt certain matches in favour of another side. Controversial incidents that the world would remember for decades, perhaps, for ever. Germany thrashed England 4-1 at this World Cup but millions of English would continue to blame the referee for disallowing what could have been a second goal converted by Lampard which would have made it 2-2.

Anyway even if the referee was not the most popular person in England or the British isles, you can bet millions of Germans would not see it that way. As far as they are concerned it was a comprehensive win for their side, whether the second English goal was disallowed or not. Such are the vagaries of villains and heroes even in football!

The most excruciating, unfair aspect of this World Cup from the African perspective was the exit of Ghana. There can be no doubt about it – Ghana should have won and been ensconced in the World Cup semi finals, the first African side to achieve this feat. With virtually the last kick of the match Ghana had more or less put the ball in the net, then Uruguay’s Luis Suarez handled, preventing the goal. The tragedy was compounded when Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan could not score from the resultant penalty award.

And Uruguay went on to march into the semi finals thanks to the penalty shoot-out.

The horror! (as Joseph Conrad would say). But what about the protagonist, Suarez? Certainly a villain to millions all over Africa, but a veritable hero in Uruguay. A shameless cheat from the African perspective, but the man who “greatly sacrificed himself to prod Uruguay into the semi finals” in South America. Which adumbrates the 2002 World Cup when Germany’s Michael Ballack “sacrificed” himself to put South Korea out of the very final. Hero to Germans, villain to South Koreans.

But Ghana being cheated out of the semi finals this time around takes the biscuit...

THE TOTTERING EDIFICE

BY OMOSEYE BOLAJI



“All our gods are weeping. Idemili is weeping.Ogwugwu is weeping. Agbala is weeping, and all the others. Our dead fathers are weeping because of the shameful sacril;ege..."

Chinua Achebe from his classic, Things fall apart


Yes, it does appear that things have been falling apart – big time – with our African representatives at the current football World Cup finals taking place here in South Africa. Things have been bursting apart at the seams as it were with our representatives, even to farcical proportions.

It is almost like a sort of melancholy procession, with concomitant elegy and dirge as our football takes a pummelling and battering at the highest levels. The omens were haunting enough when the fancied Cameroon became the first of our sides to be shown the doorway at this edition of the finals.

Some pundits have since claimed that there was no real reason why Cameroon should have been expected to pull up trees in the tournament. Tosh, says I. Cameroon have always been a formidable African side playing with pride, purpose, determination, élan and no small amount of skill. Who can forget Cameroon’s thrilling displays during the 1982 World Cup finals when they looked as good – even better – than any top world side (including Italy that they drew 0-0 with); refusing to lose even one of their matches at that finals?

Oh and by the way, yes we all know that Cameroon were superb and mesmerising during the 1990 finals; not only because of Roger Milla’s goals and creative play that prodded the country to the quarter finals; but also because of the titanic 1-0 win over Diego Maradona’s Argentina, when Oman Biyick secured victory with an incredible header. What remains of Cameroon’s pride and pedigree as they went out tamely this time – even losing to Japan!

Then it was the turn of Bafana Bafana, the hosts to depart the 2010 finals, happily with a win over beleaguered France. Many tried to put a brave face on it but it was still a tragedy; South Africa becoming the first hosts ever to depart at the group stages. So much more was expected from the team and its eloquent coach Carlos Alberto Parreira.

As South African writer and sports journalist, Pule Lechesa, told me in Bloemfontein (where Bafana’s last game was played, and just after the match with France): “It is a pity we are ousted now. It is like orchestrating a prodigious, mammoth banquet (hosting the finals) and just when the real course of the repast looms, the host is politely told to watch the revellers from just outside the door!” How piquant!

Ah, well. The same night South Africa went out (June 22) Nigeria also bowed out – very unceremoniously, as far as I am concerned. The most difficult part was done when Argentina (who had already qualified) did the Eagles a favour by beating Greece 2-0. So all that was needed was a Nigerian win against South Korea. Oh, what a horror story! From calamitous defending to cataclysmic misses in front of the net…the 2-2 draw seemed very much like a good thrashing for the Eagles (note I refuse to use the word “Super” which would be farcical under the circumstances)

So, would Algeria or Ghana (by this time most Africans’ favourites to do well despite facing a massive clash with Germany) salvage Africa’s pride? Could they somehow make it to the next round? Their fates were decided on June 23. Algeria went out to a late American goal; Ghana lost to Germany, but were reprieved thanks to Australia's unexpected win. But it was hardly heart-warming.

The punctilious ones out there would holler now: “Hey, what about Ivory Coast? They are now out yet. They drew with mighty Portugal” But that’s precisely the sad point here. “Mighty” Portugal hammered seven goals past North Korea. Ivory Coast will likely have to do as much to go through hosane (tomorrow). Oh, Mother Africa and its gods! How many of you out there really believe Cote d’Ivoire will score so many goals tomorrow?!…

WORLD CUP 2010: The perspicacious ones

By OMOSEYE BOLAJI

And so the sporting extravaganza, the cornucopia of football embracing the whole world kicks off Friday (11th June) in South Africa! Many might not appreciate this, but this awesome achievement is the culmination of a slow, global, eclectic process that nobody would have imagined just a short while ago.

The modern world, as we know it today replete with incredible scientific gadgets and such ancillaries, owes a huge debt of gratitude to the original pioneers, the fantastic men of vision, the perspicacious ones; men and women who selflessly dreamt that one day marvels like electricity, Television, aeroplanes, vehicles, radio etc would be invented.

During their time, such great people were often regarded as madmen by their peers. How could the things they were working on, trying to invent, ever come into fruition? Hardly anybody ever supported or encouraged them. Just over 150 years ago, the things which are common place now hardly existed in the world. But thanks to the great ones, the perspicacious ones, the profound inventors, these things that looked like miracles in those days are now common place even in Africa.

And so as the World Cup comes to Africa from this weekend, let us pay our tributes to these all-time greats who shook and changed the world: people like Galileo Galili, Marconi, Michael Faraday (the inventor of electricity in particular)

And what about Alexander Bell? (the telephone), John L Baird (Television) Orville and Wilbur Wright (the aeroplane), George Stephenson (the locomotive), George Eastman (camera), Guthenberg (printing)...

But as we are celebrating football in particular today, we must commend the great foresight of gentlemen like Jules Rimet (France) who about a century ago dreamt of the idea of the World Cup, and little by little made it work. Now the Fifa football World Cup is the greatest show on earth with unbelievable media and electronic coverage thanks to early inventors!!!

It is apposite to express fulsome kudos and thanks to those who made this incredible celebration of football hosted in Africa for the first time ever from June 11 a reality: from the goodwill and bonhomie of Fifa President Sepp Blatter, world icon Nelson Mandela - to the painstaking, Herculean efforts of former President Thabo Mbeki, and now Jacob Zuma, Danny Joordan who has laboured in this wise for almost 20 years; Irvine Khoza etc...

Of course one is not happy that so many injuries to pivotal players have hit squads, even up till the eve of the tournament. Top-notch players like Michael Ballack (Germany), Nani (Portugal), Rio Ferdinand (England), Arjen Robben (Holland), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast). But assuredly the tournament will still be of the highest quality.

And of course this columnist, like countless other African football lovers, is solidly behind Bafana Bafana, Nigeria, and other African king-pins in soccer, to do the continent proud. History is being made in gargantuan, mammoth fashion and we are all proud of it. Let the games begin with gusto…

A cursory look at THE TORMENTONE!

BY OMOSEYE BOLAJI

It is always a heart-rending sight and spectacle – familiar not only in Nigeria but all over West Africa. The phalanx of the unfortunate, with horrifying diseases – terrible afflictions that have to be seen to be believed

This unfortunate corps of people do not lie supine in their private houses or hospitals – they are right there in the open with mind-boggling injuries, gaping, festering sores, diseased veins or arteries patently visible from the outside, incredible tumours, medicine defying growths on the body etc. In public places, these people can be seen begging for their living, part of the talakawa (very poor), bringing tears to the eyes.

They can be seen by the roadsides, around bus termini; and just like in the old ancestral days they can often be seen at the King’s palaces even now – knowing that people will often give them gifts and alms, often heart broken, stricken with disbelief that such stunted, suffering people could exist.- stunted

Because the sight of this phalanx of afflicted people is so common in West Africa much of the horror that one would normally feel whilst seeing them apparently has vanished. I remember whilst growing up in places like Ibadan, Lagos, Kano how horrified I constantly was upon seeing what is no doubt the wretched of the earth – with their unedifying afflictions. Sometimes, such beggars would actually come very close to one so that one could see, eg the bloodstained holes in their gaping, ravaged chests – and this would have a vicarious empathetic effect, resulting in one giving them some money

It used to pain me that some people, especially the comfortable ones, would just dismiss such beggars by saying things like “This is blackmail. these people are pests” I used to think it was exceedingly unsympathetic of such people – as it is understandable that these beggars would have to survive one way or the other since there was no real, institutionalised buffer against their suffering “Pests, pests, tormentone – as they say in Italy” a former employer of mine used to refer to these beggars as they besieged his car regularly.

Strangely enough in South Africa such people – with extraordinary injuries, afflictions, patent eyesores – cannot be seen en masse in public places. It can even be argued that one can hardly see them at all. So it is not easy to paint the grisly picture in west Africa for many South Africans. What one intermittently comes across in SA, whether black, white or coloured, is a solitary beggar, blind man, or “half crazy” element; and this is VERY tame whilst juxtaposed with the army of the unfortunate in west Africa

Many might ask: why aren’t such horrific sights available in South Africa? Does it mean people with heart-rending diseases prefer to stay at home? That there are special homes for such people, so they do not constitute grisly sights in public? That such people are anyway limited in number in SA? The most accurate observation, I can state from experience, is that there are a number of special homes for such people in South Africa.

In any event the tormentone come across as very limited in public places South Africa. What is more common here are the so called street kids, the tsotsis, the skelms who are also tormentone in their own way – but often in a polite, meretriciously harmless way.

And they are almost always friendly, well-spoken, courteous, even if potentially dangerous. They often ask for money and other items from vehicle drivers, from the general public, and some of them confess to horrific crimes they have committed, once they become somewhat close to you. These pests also have their ways of vandalising things like public phones (for the money – coins - !)

Anyway let us just congratulate South Africa for preparing to host the world now, re the latest edition of the Fifa senior World Cup. It is a gargantuan achievement which goes with a myriad of responsibilities. South Africa has been pulling out all the stops to ensure that the event is a stellar success – from the infrastructural innovations, to the logistics. Here’s wishing all the African teams at the fiesta – Nigeria, South Africa, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Algeria and Cameroon the best of luck as the event gets underway!

A TALE OF TWO CROOKS

By OMOSEYE BOLAJI

“Each thing that goes away returns and nothing in the end is lost. The great friend throws all things apart and brings all things together again. That is the way everything goes and turns around. That is how all living things come back after long absences, and in the whole great world all things are living things. He will return”

Ayi Kwei Armah, in Fragments


I have a confession to make right from the outset – by using the word “crook” I am exceedingly guilty of euphemism; and some might even go as far as saying I am being disingenuous. Because these days “crook” has rather weak connotations, and I do have in mind the quintessential criminals!

I am talking of dyed in the wool, ruthless, unconscionable criminals. Those who take reprehensible things like murder, mayhem, bloodshed and rape in their stride. Think of legendary crooks like America’s Al Capone, and you begin to get the picture.

Alas, it is unfortunate, but true enough that over the decades such criminals have emerged in Africa and intermittently become a law unto themselves until the powers that be - via the police services, or even the military in certain cases! - finally manage to bring them down. But whilst their “reign” of terror goes on, for many, horror, undiluted fear and sleepless nights is their lot.

But let us cut to the chase, as I want to briefly focus on two notorious criminals, one based in Nigeria and one in South Africa. In Nigeria, the name of Lawrence Anini has become synonymous with vicious gangsterism; in South Africa a few years ago a criminal named “Chicken” terrorized many and achieved a larger than life reputation of his own.

Just as in the case of Anini, incredible rumours spread all over about the exploits and devilry of “Chicken”: many believed these men were not only invincible, but could also make themselves invisible; strange or unusual events were attributed to the evil and macabre machinations of these criminals. Children were exhorted to be careful always, and many even ensured their children did not go to school whilst these criminals were on the rampage.

In the case of “Chicken” in South Africa (Free State) his notoriety and fame reached a peak when virtually everybody began to display palpable fear and churn out stories of his latest macabre feats; when “Chicken” somehow temporarily managed to escape from prison (after being arrested) his notoriety reached a crescendo!

And both Anini and “Chicken” loved publicity. Anini, it was reported, believed he was some sort of “Robin Hood” whilst jumping from one woman to another. “Chicken” also loved the fairer sex and reportedly had his way with many of them in ruthless, despicable fashion. Anini and “Chicken” loved being the centre of attention, goading the media with both criminals believed to have actually phoned media houses, introducing themselves with élan, and reiterating their invincibility. This of course precipitated panic!

Yet in the end both criminals were exposed as mere mortals when they met their ultimate waterloo; in the case of Anini sentenced to death, having had a leg amputated upon arrest (Gone was his smugness when even then President Babangida could say something like “where is Anini?”) to law enforcement officials). And many still remember Anini’s pathetic: Erie a gbon ye? In fact both Anini and “Chicken” turned out to be rather frail looking and quite attractive; with the world wondering what all the fuss was about!

But what makes a man to become a ruthless criminal? This is the province of psychiatrists and sociologists, perhaps. But some will state that in the end what we are inundated with are largely theories being churned out; as sometimes an individual will just branch out on his own into crime despite a good background and relative comforts. I know a few of these in South Africa!

It is also claimed in some circles that even if one is “destined” to be a criminal, the individual can fight the urge and take the path of the straight and narrow. Socrates (the great Greek philosopher) for example was reportedly told early in life by a fortune teller that his destiny was to be a most accomplished criminal! But yet he fought it and went down in history as a profound man of wisdom…though some would still say that he was still killed by society in the end! (forced to commit suicide via hemlock)

Law enforcement agencies are doing their best all over the world to nip a medley of proliferating crime in the bud. Their task is not helped when the likes of “super-crooks” like Anini or Chicken emerge from disparate societies and throw their societies into panic. But at least history continues to show that nobody in fact is super-human or invincible…

THE PULSATING VANGUARD OF CHANGE

By OMOSEYE BOLAJI

“We must acknowledge the fact – pimps, whores – are the familiar vanguard of the army of change. When the moment arrives a woman like Iriyise becomes for the people a Chantal, a Deborah, torch and standard bearer, super-mistress of universal insurgence. To abandon such a potential weapon in any struggle is to admit to a lack of foresight…”

- Wole Soyinka, in Season of Anomy


Dateline: 19th April, 2010


The hordes of people gathered at the Magistrates Court in Bloemfontein City picketed with élan. They protested lustily and ventilated their grievances for hours. And to boot, it was a “lawful” gathering as permission had been granted for them to get into their stride!

Some passers-by commented that those picketing were a “rabble” or some sort of trouble makers; but as they got closer they realized that this was a serious protest. Documents were in fact given to some of the passers-by touching on the root cause of the picketing. Others muttered that “Oh, we’ve read about this matter in the papers” and joined those protesting in the purlieus of the court.

Actually, most if not all of those picketing were decent people who had made a name for themselves. Many of them were “cultural activists” comprising dramatists, poets, musicians, painters – the whole gamut. They were all here in unison to protest what had been heralded as a “racist” killing – as a group of white men allegedly brutally beat a very talented young black man to death.

The facts briefly are as follows:

Sideku Gareth Wotshela (36) a black man was allegedly killed by a group of white men, with the main attacker being Marius van Niekerk who has been charged with the murder of Wotshela. Subsequently, controversial bail was granted to Niekerk – after Wotshela was viciously attacked by a group of white men at the Bloemfontein pub last year.

The deceased, Wotshela, was training as a manager for Metcash at the Trade Centre in Bloemfontein, and at the time of the attack he was on a business outing with colleagues and a client when he was allegedly attacked by a group of white men. “Sadly he passed on, dying on the spot; but shockingly the main attacker Van Niekerk was released within 24 hours of his arrest on bail hearing.” a family spokesperson said.

Race relations in South Africa, with so many disparate peoples and cultures, and the unseemly legacy of apartheid, have always been fragile and tenuous. The recent murder of a long-standing white supremacist leader, Eugene Tereblanche had not helped matters with many whites incensed at the brutal murder of the (now) ageing white man. In matters like this opinions are often polarized along colour lines, and the “Wotshela” matter was hardly different.

Now the gathering at the court premises included a plethora of well known “artists” One of them was renowned poet and public performer, Raselebeli Khotseng; Ntate Botsime, author, and musician who was in fine fettle with his guitar! ; Hector Kunene, writer, poet, columnist, and pungent literary activist; Mpikeleni Duma, journalist extraordinaire who over the years has strutted his stuff for a wide medley of publications nationally and internationally; F Qoopane and Co; these gentlemen seemed to be in the vanguard of the protest.

Mpikeleni Duma said: “I feel very strongly about this matter for many reasons. For one thing, I knew the late Wotshela personally and cutting such a talented gentleman down in his prime is completely unacceptable. For donkey’s years I fought against the scourge of apartheid, starting from a very young age and like the late Denis Brutus, the scars are embedded in me. I have no doubt in my mind that this (Wotshela) killing was racially inspired; and with others, no stone shall be left unturned in ensuring justice is done”

Oh, by the way, this columnist also knew the late Sideku Gareth Wotshela fairly well too, and he was a splendid journalist. To spout the usual banality - which seems so trite and inadequate under the circumstances - may his soul rest in peace.