Reminisce 2001

For many 2001 was a seminal year and so it was for me too. In my case there was two reasons, the performance and tour of my first play Abyssinia and the consequences of the World Conference Against Racism in Durban South Africa. Both came to critical eruption in September that year . This year one of those seeds showed shoots again. The issue of slavery is abroad again. In the UK we focus on 200 years of legislation to stop the traficking of Africans. I commend a related article written to honour the complexity of the issue but simplifying the process to achieve the prescribed balm of reparations. I am not really sure anymore where I stand but present a view from that time.

September 2001 , Bristol, United Kingdom

REPARATION FOR SLAVERY AND COLONISATION

“ We acknowledge that slavery and the slave trade, including the transatlantic slave trade, were appalling tragedies in the history of humanity not only because of their abhorrent barbarism but also in terms of their magnitude, organized nature and especially their negation of the essence of the victim, and further acknowledge that slavery and the slave trade are a crime against humanity and should always have been so, especially the transatlantic slave trade and are among the major sources and manifestation of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and that African s and people of African descent, Asians and people of Asian descent and indigenous peoples were victims of these acts and continue to be victims of their consequences…”

WCAR Durban 2001 Para 13 Declaration

The world met in Durban to explore through common humanity how we have and intend to respond to our cultural differences. I packed my bag a pragmatic Diversity consultant; sceptical of activists and mindful that the press had declared the Durban conference a non starter as the powerful queued up to punch holes in the two balloons up in the air i.e. Reparations and Zionism as a form of Racism. I wondered about reparations and thought it to be a pie in the sky. Certain that it did not matter since in my head it was an excuse for those who did not want to accept responsibility of how Africans have squandered opportunities. As the United States threatened boycott it seemed that Durban was destined to become a fruitless exercise of left wing windbags’ self indulgence, maybe I should not bother I thought.

In Durban, my world view changed as I came to understand on a physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual level what reparation means. At the very least recognising the dialogue that it will generate is a much needed form of catharsis for our collective humanity. Perhaps more profoundly, it represents an opportunity to fundamentally change the relationship of African peoples and their descendants to a more sustainable and healthy one. This process is essential to improving our collective self esteem and prompting a more assertive and interdependent relationship with other cultures. Whilst the media focused on the walkout by the United States and Israel, the issue of reparation started to generate disequilibrium especially for the EU delegations. It brought home how little consideration is ever given to the collective pain and suffering engendered by the transatlantic slave trade, its legacy of European cultural supremacy and its pervasive by-product, institutionalized racism.

So lets talk Reparations, many of you probably come from the Condeleeza Rice School of thought, reparation she says “Given the fact that there is plenty blame to go round for slavery, plenty of blame to go around among African and Arab states and plenty of blame to go around among Western states, we are better to look forward and not point fingers backward”. Yes Condi and all those who have a bit of Condi in them, there is blame to go to all but the degrees are different. Heck this no simple blame game, I wonder how we can go forward when a substantial population of the world carry around a gaping sociopychic wound.

The wounds are deep and personal yet we want to gloss over it and move on. Those who were sold, abused and killed are not anonymous. For nearly four centuries, the Ibo, Oyo, Madinka, Benin, Ashanti, Hausa, Angola, Krahn, Wolof, Kalabari, Ibibio, Calabar, Ijaw, Itshekiri, Nupe, Igbira, amongst many other nations were thorn apart and institutions destroyed because of the transatlantic slave trade. Many individuals where subdued through sheer brutality and a few rose out of the adversity, Equanoh Oludah, Toussaint L’overture, Fredrick Douglas, Denmark Vessey, Soujourner Truth. These people’s lives were sacrificed to build great wealth from Tobacco, cotton, Sugar et al which greased the wheels of Global commerce and fuelled the industrial revolution. Whilst the Europeans used free African labour to accelerate their development , African societies were being weakened by depopulation, corrupted through its role in the wholesale dehumanization of its own people, damaged its institutions credibility and its long term viability . The spiritual structure was being laid for Colonization of the entire continent the seeds for the Berlin conference of 1885 was planted in the triangular trade.

There is no doubt there is blame to be shared and Africa holds a big share of that. I cannot absolve my ancestors from their complicity in this tragedy and its continuing consequences. As a proud Oyo man, I know the wars my people fought and their ascendancy in the 17th Century helped fuel the transatlantic Slave trade. We sold our people in a short sighted and greedy endeavour. Slavery existed from antiquity and was used in civilizations from Eygpt, Rome, Greece to Axum and Kush. It is also true that slavery in the African, Continent as it was in Europe was a benign and redemptive process. In Africa it meant slaves married into families and became Kings. Whilst all these mitigates African culpability there was enough learnt in the first century of the Triangular slave trade to have prevented any well meaning African from being involved in the trade. There is no doubt that the wealth from human sales generated greed and corruption which kept this trade going for the next 200 years. Many Kings rebelled and fought the trade but very serious consequences befell them from forced abdication and exile to coup d’etats. Every effort was made to stop the trade by the many who were against it including amongst my people the facial disfigurement that became so called ‘ tribal marks ‘ which still persists today. The many stories of disappeared family members that become the mythical stories of being carried off by the whirlwind. Yes in celebrating my ancestors I must agree their complicity in the triangular trade this means we are also culpable for reparations and the need to give account for the role of African nations in the dehumanisation of our own people. The transatlantic slave trade is unique in the human experience not only in its brutality but the systematic, institutional and efficient subjugation of humanity for generating great wealth and industrial growth. The work of slaves gave their masters space to pursue political, cultural, intellectual and scientific development to accelerate their socio economic expansion which they used to affirm their supposed superiority.
Take the much celebrated Thomas Jefferson whose words embodied in The American constitution are a source of great pride to every American. His words should be juxtaposed with his book on the Notes on the State of Virginia. This great American on art , science, beauty thought the African so inferior he comments “ Add to these , flowing hair, a more elegant symmetry of form, their judgement in favour of whites, declared their preference of them, as uniformly as is the preference of the Oran-ootan for the black woman over those of his own species. This heartfelt analysis of a man who will father children through Sally Hemming his slave. If we must celebrate his industry in nation building we must acknowledge how minute his humanity was and how underdeveloped his morality was even for those times.

The gaping wound on the soul of the world is the lack of conscience exhibited by European and American nations for the callousness with which their civilisation and development exploited Africans and their descendants as the labourers for their economic growth and expansion. While in Durban we heard the EU countries argue that Transatlantic Slave Trade cannot be a crime against humanity because such a principle did not exist during the period of its practice. I am sure Hugo Grotius the father of International Law would do a twist in his grave. Does this mean the principles of Jus Cogens the customary laws of nations can now be ignored? The fact that many accepted slavery to be a crime against humanity even then for example Lord Palmerston said

“If all the crimes which the human race has committed from the creation down to the present day were added together in one vast aggregate they would scarcely equal the amount of guilt which has been incurred by mankind in connection with this diabolical slave trade"

Let me be direct, the perpetrators knew the moral repugnance of their trade and were very calculating to maintain the economic advantage that slavery gave them. Even the Queen Elizabeth 1 who started with a strong anti-slavery position sold her soul to the economic riches which it brought. The grand design of what we call racism was laid, piloted and perfected as propaganda to defend the benefits of slavery. In fact from the building of cities, railroads to rearing of husbandry, cash crops, domestic and child rearing amongst many other slaves built the USA for free. In recognition of their economic importance, many insurance companies including Lloyds of London and Aetna of the USA issued slaves policies. There are many modern companies and institution which have the foundation of their wealth and greatness on the blood of slaves, the many newspapers Gannett publishers of USA Today, Tribune and Knight Rider. The likes of Fleet Boston descended from Browns bank owned by Mr Brown an active slave trader and founder. The Cotton trade financers such as Barings Bank and Rosthchilds which compensated slave owners after the abolition of slavery in England. What ensured both brutality and longetivity of Slavery were the economic benefits it provided.

It is against this backdrop the walkout of the USA government is particularly galling. An amazing disrespect for 13 million or more African Americans on the pretext that the walkout was in solidarity with Israel. So the interest of a foreign ally and a net recipient of national handout are prioritised over those of millions of taxpayers? It is obvious who has more influence. In spite contributions that started as early Jamestown 1619 if the dead could talk the thoughts of Antonio the Negro belatedly Anthony Johnson who worked his indenture with his white colleagues. In spite of achieving freedom and owning 230 acres of land and the respect of his community how Massachusetts’s legalisation of slavery in 1641 must have been a cruel joke. Unlike the white indentured servants who would have achieved respectability, tenure and social status probably as founding pioneers for Anthony and his people their way was strewn with severe adversity, constitutionally 3/5 of a human by 1787. The 1857 Supreme Courts finding in Dred Scott “we have come to the decision that the African race….. was not intended to be included in the constitution for enjoyment of any personal rights”. His pain must reach a high point at the disappointment that emancipation, promises of 40 acres and a mule and reconstruction were replaced with vilification and death, Jim Crow and segregation. The blood, sweat, bravery and assassination of the civil rights era till today’s mandatory incarceration. It is enough pain to drive anyone mad.

Over the years the seeds planted in the transatlantic slave trade have survived in many poisonous guises especially in the wholesale partition and colonisation of the African continent. The pain of subjugation was whitewashed into alleged efforts at civilisation and development. The structure and finishing touches were being put to the greatest and most enduring con job in the history of the world, the myth of African inferiority. Ancient and effective institutions were replaced by administrative shells for processing raw materials for European economic expansion. Africans were actively brainwashed to view anything African as a primitive and unsophisticated expression of underdeveloped minds. Those who rebelled were killed or expelled; genocide was practised as part of the process of keeping the natives in check. The Colonial administration was in effect the overseers of the Great African plantation project and it worked a treat. By the end of colonisation all the Institutions that were left standing were cheap European imitation guided by pseudo-European elites clamouring for the same unearned luxury with the brutal exercise of unchecked power. From European laws, education and clothing which are ill fitting clothes metaphorically and literarily. As ever we come cap in hand to the front door of the Worlds Institutions like the IMF and World Bank seeking handouts and occasionally throwing pebbles at windows. A once proud people reduced in meaning and ideas of self.

This is not just about history but about how these dynamics underpin how Africa and her dependants are understood and treated in all parts of the world. In many ways the world is viewed from European eyes and meaning making system. Let’s borrow African eyes for a few moments and see the world through another perspective. In the Worlds most successful economy in spite of notable exceptions the descendants of those people whose unrewarded efforts built the nation are randomly vilified and treated with worst indignities even by the most recent immigrants. Take the disparity of sentencing in death penalty to differences in crack and powder cocaine mandatory sentencing they are subject to disproportionate incarceration in privately owned and run prisons. Major American corporations making profits out of their humiliation and exploitation. The G8 industrialised nations contains 4 major benefactors from the transatlantic slave trade and 34 of the 48 least developed countries are those forged out of the ravages of slavery and colonialism in Africa. The relations have scarcely changed the largest single destination for African exports is the EU and it is mainly primary products and few Europeans know that most if not all Francophone African countries use a cheap imitation of the Euro in the revised CFA as their currency. The brutal wars fought in Liberia and Sierra Leone two nations created for repatriated slaves seems to have their root cause in the enduring strength of the dynamics unleashed through the triangular trade. We relive the legacy of slavery and colonialism not because of the failure to blame but because of the disdain with which we treat its consequences.

The most remarkable aspect of the sorry process is the majesty of spirit and grace of slaves and their descendants so far. There is a remarkable ability to rise against adversity, to deal with daily and insipid injustices and ignorance rising to the challenge, often excelling when given the limited opportunities. This story disappears in a media industry that thrives on simple stereotypes and jaundiced self expression. All over the world every people are allowed the space to express anger, despair before translating into ambivalence and finally hope. For Africans the world worries and fears any attempt to have real catharsis we are so used to it that we give lessons through Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Martin Luther King et al on forgiveness and getting over pain. Compare the grinding humiliation, subjugation and murder that was Apartheid and explore how it would be received by any European country.
Reparations is about us exploring our pain, legitimising our anger, dignifying our ancestors and learning to build a new future. It is about sharpening our humanity and education posterity.

Whilst this not been about money, what made slavery endure to my mind is the economic advantages. I think there should be some financial restitution, allow me to suggest how any agreement of restitution can work. The first point is that African, European and American countries should give restitution. Africans should have a system of dual nationality for any person of African descent whose ancestors were sold or kidnapped. African countries should prioritise their limited International investments and partnerships with communities and organisations of such descendants Africans sold into Slavery.
Europeans should return all African cultural treasures and documents taken as part of their colonial pillage. Europeans and Americans should develop school curriculum that explore the issues of racism, its roots and consequences especially the primacy of the transatlantic slave trade. A major museum and monument be built on the Western Coast of Africa with sister structures in the Caribbean naming as far as possible those taken and telling their story as human beings possibly housing African treasures to celebrate their achievements and civilisation. Education Trust be set up for a free university education programme for anyone who is descended from those sold and kidnapped. Most importantly all interests paid on current African debts be used to develop economic plans for any area in the African Diaspora that needs long term development.

The first step will be that all Great powers were involved in the transatlantic slave trade should follow the brave lead of the French Parliament which in May 2000 stated
“We recognise that slavery and the slave trade have contributed to the existence of contemporary forms of racism and racial discrimination. They have also contributed to poverty, under- development, marginalisation, social exclusion, economic disparities, instability and insecurity which affect many people of the world.”

In Durban we stood children of Africa three and four deep candlelight burning, song in our throats, we spoke Spanish, French, English, Portuguese and Dutch officially as we translated bullhorn song intermingled. It was a beautiful sight our diversity in full display in honour of our ancestors. Of course this was the only demonstration that will be officially stopped. In spite of that and how little we knew of the tragedy to come in a few days, one thing was certain, the time for reparation is here and it is no longer whether it is possible it is how it will be fully achieved.

The Gidi Grind

Everyone with any depth of analysis about the 21st century acknowledge that the combination of speed, abundance, interaction and choices makes many people bewildered rendering their Linear and planned world appear Chaotic. I call it the Adaptive Age but if I have any ounce of courage I will name it the Gidi Age. Gidi is an affectionate name for Lagos as a representation of Nigeria. The Adaptive possibilities that Rem Koolhaas sees in the city of Lagos is the same that the Nigerian Extractive Elite deride in the daily 'bitch' about the chaos or failure of their National experience. In Gidi the world has a nation living the Adaptive reality but it is the last to know or turn it into the Laboratory for Excellence in the 21st Century. The question of how the worlds most inventive people are citizens of one of the least innovative countries? Using the Omoluwabi concepts lets review Nigeria as it enters its make or break year again. Somehow the so called 'Third most complex society on earth ' seems to perpetually relive Deja vu all over again. Well lets start reviewing Gidi against the Omoluwabi elements:

Isiju or Olaju which is about exploring the many possible ways of seeing the Gidi reality. For most part people see a failing chaotic place, corrupt and decaying. Often they see a failure of leadership. This choice of reality is mostly designed to disempower and paralyse the ability of people to dream. It always finds someone to blame rather than acknowledge co-creative capacity of all the forces in the country. In the salons of Lekki and the beer parlours of Asokoro they pontificate and argue about the Nolywood drama of the failing political marriage of Obasanjo and Atiku. The stifled evolution of Gidi has a lot to do with the addiction to competition and its peoples ineptitude at cooperation. As I indicated under my view on Mzansi you need effective use of the dynamic equilibrium of both competition and cooperation to evolve. Nigeria or Gidi is a society where people compete perpetually even when they are signed up to cooperate. Even when there is collective self interest they just bid their time and cooperate under a flag of convenience. There are too many examples to list but the current President and Vice President fighting is a classic`example. It means inevitably that in spite of innovation and entrepreneurial overdrive society never develops the institutional capacity to evolve. The formal systems only provide and are used as platforms for never ending rivalries and competition. It is impossible to organise people who do not cooperate meaningfully.

Many view Nigerian under-performance as a failure of leadership but it can be simply described as a failure of cooperation. As a result of this competition everything is personalised. There is rarely a use of scale to observe how the system or dynamics is operating so problems are located in individuals and falsely so are solutions especially in the changing of the guards. This often demands drastic sackings e.g military coups. In fact a simple observation of the dynamics will reveal that cooperation occurs more consistently within informal interactions that are embedded in the local cultures such as extended families for social services and celebrations; ethnic groupings for socio-political development. However these mediums are degraded by years of lack of focus or intervention to consciously evolve them.Gidi is living through a very momentous period and the question is whether the Elites will stop at the brink of their voracious competition to cooperate for the benefit of the overwelhming majority of Nigerians who are under 18 and powerless to protect their future. A focus on the new possibilities will leverage the fastest growing telecoms market in Africa, the second most innovative society in the continent, the largest educated pool of Black people in the world, the biggest consumer market in Africa and the largest middle class population in the continent into a platform for evolving abundance for its people and partners. On the contrary the focus on the current simplistic reality will continue to elevate extractive resources over productive energy, increase the entitlement criminality as shown in the Niger delta, will reduce National census to competitive numbers game rather than socio economic data for evolution. It will continue to reward 'Agencratic rent seekers 'rather than genuine wealth creation as well as productivity.

Oju Inu provides us with the insight as to why there is this constant choice of reality. Why people like Soyinka, Abati et al who are celebrated commentators on Gidi perpetually feed us their nightmares and rarely share their dreams. For most part Gidi is a triumph of Ego over logic, where confrontation replaces dialogue and power is used to achieve everything. I remember watching the Dog Whisperer (my favourite programme) and Milan the expert Dog trainer always draws the difference between dogs and human saying that the former are pack animals exclusively so. Treating them like humans leads to psychological problems for both the dogs and arguably the owners. In the West people treat dogs like humans and in Gidi humans are treated like dogs. Not in just a simply derogatory way but just as pack animals and they comply for survival but use their ever present humanity to undermine, subvert or disengage inventively. Two things emerge out of this that the core of current Nigerian disposition is a value system of 'Survival at any cost, prosperity by luck'. The second point is the addiction to authority , power and ego as problem solving tools over leadership, organisation and ideas. How does one of the most complex societies in the world seek the simplicity of a messiah to solve its co-created problems? How does it perceive transformation can occur in its public spaces when it hangs onto borrowed tradition of management like a crack whore to a smoking pipe? Simply the Agencratic elite would rather destroy or split up the country than let any new dispensation occur. Even though they appear to fight each other they are all wedded to the same thing, holding onto their colonial inheritance. For why will a new political party adopt Mr Atiku at least under suspicion of corruption in Nigeria and the US as its presidential candidate? How do two candidates for election brief the US government on sensitive national issues as if reporting to their mentor? Why do Nigerians set up NGOs to pimp their nationally pathologies for International pay off? Why are Nigerians the only people with no websites for problem solving only regular and convulsive bouts of critical analysis? Why are Gidi people so obsessed with academic titles with no system for vocational education? Gidi is the home of the Alpha male on steroids and the Nigerian male at his best and worst is world class with all its implication. The sheer arrogance of overdose of testosterone is abusive sexuality, failure of leveraging and partnering with female capacity and unrelenting or even unmitigated aggressiveness. Gidi needs a new approach from women not hampered by orientation for marriage or addiction to social mobility nor prisoner to religious catechism but a crop of worthy an honourable warriors who would fight for a win-win with men on behalf of the next generation.

In exploring Ami we see the patterns and omens on the horizon. Most people are looking at the elections as the main issue along with the tragedy emerging in the Niger delta. For most part these are already consequences rather than trends. With most of the reputed 140 million Nigerians under working age or thereabout the main thing is employment. Since most are male the primary worry is crime. Look out for whether the focus of 2007 remains politics or economics. The main thing that matters is whether the private sector takes responsibility for evolving cooperation and providing employment in their 10s of millions. Watch for whether the incredibly large, super-dynamic and ever present informal sectors from the Bukka to the Vulcaniser and Tailors are facilitated into the formal economic sector through the micro credit or other institutional support systems. Look out for the evolution of Intra Africa trade especially if Mzansi (South Africa) recognises the potential synergy and liberalises its immigration approach to Nigerian capital and business. The same goes for Kenya and Tanzania amongst others. It is especially possible for Mzansi to make a mint out of the perpetual Gidi need for Academic recognition as well as phenomenal entrepreneurial desires.The stock market provides one of the largest returns on investment in the world and as one is seeing in Kenya it is capturing the imagination of everyday Nigerians watch out for full liberation of pension investment beyond government bonds to deliver a new powerhouse in African markets. The engine for change is the unempowered majority of women and young people who are yet to use their numbers to produce a new agenda. The power of technology especially co-creative aspects of telecoms will increase complexity and destroy hierarchy's like in the rest of the world. It is time to explore new possibilities and risk for dreams rather than paralysed by fear of failure.

The choice of Gidi reality is reflected in behaviours that often appear to be pathologies but can easily been explained by 'survival at any cost' mentality and operating in an hyper competitive world. So Iwalewa affords us a look at behaviour and attitudes that can evolve Gidi and her people:

1) Take responsibility wherever you are for intervening and creating the society of your dreams

2) Check your Egos and power to cooperate for collective progress

3) Your financial success is depended on a productive economy not just your bank balance

4) Having a Phd does not mean that you are capable or have any original ideas

5) Teach critical thinking and problem solving in schools from Nursery

6) Educate for conscious evolution not for passing exams as well as complying with rules

7) Develop participatory business models based on indigenous culture

8) Challenge and evolve unproductive traditions and norms

9) Open public space to the world of dreams and possibilities not cynicism and criticism.

10) Stop substituting real spiritual and dynamic relations with God with religiosity and lining pockets of Pastors and Imams.

Enyan Lasomi for Gidi is ultimately about acknowledging that its destiny is linked to the realisation of the potential of its Daughters. Its power is in respecting the possibilities of its youth . Its future is in embracing the possibility for diversity as a powerhouse of creativity and innovation linking the over 250 meaning making system for a new original world that redefines how the rest can handle complexity. Then truly it can earn the title 'heart of Africa'. A truly African Renissance.

Mzansi Rocks

I can honestly say that Mzansi or South Africa is the most beautiful country I have ever been too. It inhabits all the landscape that makes my heart blossom. I remember a visit to Durban and staying on the coast in Umlhanga and Amaxinthoti. I often relive the effect of looking at the southern most tip of Africa where supposedly three oceans meet. Whether it is the beauty of Veldt of the Eastern cape or the lush grapevines overlooked by the Table mountain. It is truly Gods own country and this is not just a marketing strapline.The most awesome love pitch is President Mbeki speech on this issue titled 'I am African'. It is truly as he says. However in the middle of all of this is a nation with an amazing challenge because it refuses to come to terms with elements of its character that is the cornerstone of its uniqueness. Its Africaness.

Lets use the Omoluwabi elements to take a systematic view.

The first point is the Isiju or Olaju element. What are the revealations that emerge from seeing Mzansi with fresh eyes? It is one angry nation who in an attempt at respectability and western decorum stops itself from acting out like it feels other African nation have done. Somehow she tries to earn as well as keep the infracstructure and industrialisation by distancing itself from the premevial nature of what it sees as its Africaness. It is so rare to hear the noise, smell or even the colours of the rest of Africa in a city as large as Johannesburg. So it takes the noble course, rainbow nation, truth and reconcilation commission, model c schools. In spite of that, the duality plays itself out. The township protects the soul of the land, the blind unquenched anger of the young toughs, the possibility of a Zuma presidency, the loneliness of voluptous sisters waiting to exhale with dignity. The ever nagging doubt that maybe the masterminds of Aparthied might be right, exercebated by the glaring reward that is still bestowed on their benefactors whose inheritance are not being diminished but legitimised by BE programs.

Lets review another element called Oju Inu, the insight into the dynamics. The very things that helped the Black South Africans fight aparthied are now becoming burdens. The obsession for Social Justice is congealing into ever present sense of entitlement. A nation that protest incessantly that even the whites have no shame bleating discrimination even though they are largely a priviledged minority. At the top of the pecking order is an Activocracy always protesting one thing or the other. The highlight being the unions and their role in society. A society that focuses incessantly on cooperation treating her partner in evolution, competition with contempt. Its industrial development and infrastructure convinces her that life is linear and processed unlike the chaos in her sister countries to the north. Enter Ama Nigerians , brash, loud and big. Finding an angle in everything as well as bending rules everywhere, taking advantage through their sheer gall . All the insecurity of Mzansi finds a scape goat in them. Never mind the stereotypes of Hillbrow drug dealers it is the professional class in every university, hospital et al that is the real driver for insecurity. The Nigerian to use their individuality competitively sets them apart in a world that abhors confrontation and is easily embarrased to collude in its own timidity.

So what does this forecast or what are the signs or Ami of what is on the horizon. Everyone talks ceasellesly about HIV or AIDs and even Crime. The more sophisticated focus on the landless and the potential revolution in the manner of Zimbabwe. They lose sight that Mzansi has more powerful omens playing out. Watch out for the wealth at the bottom of the pyramid especially in the townships. Do not miss out on the drama of the Nigeria, South Africa investment and labour market twinning. What happens when South African Xenophobia becomes Nigerian anger? Does anyone remember 'Ghana must go' ? Also what will happen when the emerging , empowered South African women fight against the raw deal that seems to come with unaccountable males? Mzansi is where most of Africa meets and works in an urbane space, what trans african lessons emerge from that platform? Are white south africans a dying breed of Africans or a genuine and authentic representation of how everyone can embrace the Africa in them? Watch out for whether Mzansi acknowledges the heavyweight that Thabo Mbeki really is. Also watch how honestly it handles the Xhosa hateing green monster that is leading to the Zuma candidacy as well as support. Especially look at how inclusive the World Cup plays out either as a Pan African spectacle or an exclusive self congratulatory soiree.

The issue of Iwalewa i.e. the behaviours that can help evolve Mzansi are very specific and potentially liberating. In fact some are happening already:

- Reclaim the many African elements of its culture

- Allow itself to confront and compete openly and honestly

- Recognise the many sacrifices other Africans made to facilitate its current liberation. An historic amnesia that has to be corrected.

- Use the opportunity of townships to create a Renaissance

- Define differences beyond Race into culture

In trying to do these things she must recognise another element Eniyan Laso mi. Her success is dependent on the quality of its relationships. In defining itself a rainbow nation it must recognise the potential of mass migration to diffuse current unplesant ethno national rivalries. It must develop a more honest relationship between all its ethnic nationalities. It needs to develop a relatioship with other African countries that is mutually respectful rather than reward the wealth of the Western tourist.

It is difficult to see where the shift for the future will come from since the young South Africans need to be the force for their country as a new African possibility or as their President describe it a backbone for a new African Renaissance.

Back in time for a new year

It has been quite a while friends. Honestly life has been so demanding and experiences so engaging that writing would have been rather premature. My own personal evolution has demanded the restrain in understanding what was emerging from my experiences before i share them with you. I have for one been travelling to South Africa (Mzanzi), Nigeria (Gidi) experiencing them through the eyes and challenge of my work on a book on the 21st century Omoluwabi. I have also been to Sweden a few times in this context as well. I will share with you my observations and revealations. In each place I engaged co-travellers who in their own ways are creating powerful movements of warriors of light and delivering as soldiers of ideas. In Sweden there is the Gringo movement redefining their countrys character for the 21st century not only to include but to celebrate through humour and satire new possibilities. In South Africa Leeza, Vuyo , Siphiwe et al creating Random window, The Off Ramp amongst many other concepts to define the new generation of South Africans beyond the debate of race into the productive capacity of an emerging continental class of Young people inspired through the possibility of a pan african marketplace. In the middle of that I briefly met the phenomenal Zola, actor, activist, musician and general home boy. His powerful performance in Sophia Town is an hallmark of his talent. He made quite an impression in a very short time. In Lagos, Sola Kuti is pioneering the Omo Naija platform for the young Africans through publication of Switched On magazine. There is so much to tell of each of these journeys and it will be told. Over the next few days each element will be explored through the Omoluwabi lenses.

In the same period I started working on a spoken word album. We are seven tracks into the album and it has been an experience that exposed many fault lines in the core of my essence so that I expereinced myself anew. It also moved me through my mental block about experiencng my own voice as a musical possibility rather than just as a storytelling tool. I am grateful for the mentoring of Bruce Russell , my producer and guide .

There were two powerful milestones in the middle of all these travelling and creativity which in their own different ways brought love alive in my life anew. Exposing me in my vulnerabilty to both its piercing pain as well as its reassuring compassion. My first son graduated in Law from University in Bristol applauding a transition in my life. Olaiya born when I was 18 and trying to become a man. He made me an adult and crowned it by confirming me a successful father in both his character and behaviour. His comments on our recent podcast on Black boys and character is a reflection of the man he has become.

The second milestone is the marrriage of my sister , the only girl of six siblings, the youngest of us orphans. In fact my own 'daughter' as I brought her up after the loss of both parents. Abimbolas wedding was to be a right of passage in the way that Yoruba weddings are designed to be. It became a chartasis for a lot of pain especially the premature loss of a whole generation of my family.

Each one of these events open up deep meaningful lessons not just about myself but also how character operates on a systemic level. It highlights the failure to understand as well as engage complexity because of our habitual or even addictive focus on linear reduction of logic or the blind reflective obsession with emotive sentiment. The rareness of the wise application (Mo lo) of these two powerful lenses and many more besides is pervasive. All these happening within the context of a world wracked with omens of profound changes. Think elections; the dramatic shift in the United States houses of Congress; the slow tortious exposure of the decadence of the Nigerian political classes; the possibility of a new Swedish model from a new centre right unorthodox and diverse government; the expectations of a post Mbeki South Africa. Think fault lines especially religions .From the debate about political islam to the blind allegiance to America (the theology of hegemony) and the obsessive cocoon of the growing global pentecostal movement. That polarising ignorance, judgement and chauvanism creeping into all spaces and context ensuring the multitudes bewildred by the pace of change are corralled into demonising each other by the advocates of the very heart from which compassion was designed and from which love springs.

Over the next few days I hope to walk you through my world and revealations so that we can continue our dialogue. I work to in a small way encourage us to embrace purpose with greater vigour, life with deeper commitment and love with greater vulnerability. I hope to deepen my compassion along with yours and expose many waves of possibilities in the hope that the battle of ideas is joined from all corners of the globe. Thank you for visiting again .

Ire O

The Review: Ipade Omoluwabi

Ipade omoluwabi was unique in its conception and perhaps even in its execution, most certainly in its combination of contents especially for its audience in Lagos. Like most parts of the world, entertainment and serious intellectual exploration are largely kept into two or many completely detached containers labelled ‘radioactive if mixed’. With Ipade Omoluwabi we not only mixed we turned into one dish. We had three powerful elements:

1) A presentation of the conceptual model that is ‘Omoluwabi’ using a multimedia presentation that used the blend of data, video clips, audio commentary, photographs and analysis. It was not a lecture but a facilitated interaction with the audience. An excursion into the drivers of Omoluwabi for the times will live in globally and in the locality of Lagos, Africa. It was also a deliberation of each of the seven elements and case studies of how they play out in the individuals, organisations and societies.


Lesson: The crowd participated, debated and were passionate. We as facilitators needed more questions than answers and materials for the audiences as well as participants so that it takes their journey to the next level of depth when they go back to their homes.


2) A Fashion show provided the second element as an exposition of character in action. It was a composition from four designers complementary to the core of Omoluwabi that ‘Africanisation is the new modernisation’. Models were bearing ethnic tattoos on their faces, music was the Ijala Omoluwabi and all designers used elements of the concept in fabric, cut or look.


Lesson: The creations were not completely thematic even though they were quite a spectacle. Models have to range the shapes and sizes of African women not thin waifs. The fashion element needs to be more philosophically integrated.


3) Obalola the accompanying play was the third element. It was written to explore and examine the character of the ruling classes in Lagos. Looking at their buffoonery as` caricature of the west and exploring the possibility of their conscious evolution.


Lesson: The most successful aspect of the day. It blew away the audience and shows that the most controversial views are absorbed through myths and stories. The dialogue it excited and the fun that accompanied it were a true testament of the power of Satire. Each play should be relevant and specific to each locale the Omoluwabi wisdom is being played out.

Overall
Our audience for the 9th of September were a largely an unprofiled and random group of people from all works of life, part of a larger network of contacts. The event was organised as a pilot and it was delivered on the sense that ‘if we build it they will come’. Invitation was exclusively by email and there was no prior media publicity. There was no follow up to the 100 invitation sent out originally.

On the 9th of September we had about 70 or more people attending. Along with other contributors we got about 100 signed up people for our future activities. They are new addition to our growing network of co-travellers.

The event has captured the imagination of all those present. It has led to many new possibilities including partnership with a National talk show as well as regular platform with a Cultural Centre. Feedback continues to flow and they have all been positive. It seems the time of Omoluwabi is now. Hope you will join us next time most likely Johannesburg in January, London in March and New York to be decided.

For more on Omoluwabi see www.omoluwabi.com

Character is destiny Part 2 ' The dream of cohesive communities'

Many years ago after the riots in the northern mill towns of England I wrote a piece for the Labour Market Review titled ' Summer of discontent'. It was a gripe at the simplification of the complex challenge of evolving a society in which the broad range of human possibilities is given the opportunity to evolve and prosper. Since then what has become abundantly clear to me that 'Western civilization' is currently incapable of rising to the organisational challenge of effectively adapting to the emerging complexity of the 21st Century. It is a prisoner of its manufacturing success and its technological breakthroughs which has created an inflexible as well as linear orientation. It is critical for all our futures that these limitations are addressed here in the West and that the rest of the world strive to evolve more appropriate alternatives. As usual ets explore the unique challenges that are being faced today. I see them in three phases: analytic capacity, intervention approaches, evolving solutions.

Analytic Capacity:

The most disconcerting aspect of western orientation is its ability to view the world exclusively through a self serving position that polarizes all things mostly into right or wrong, good or bad. It refuses to accept paradox and the inherent ambivalent contradictions that demand wisdom not just intellect. It seeks balance rather than accept the dynamic equilibrium of most things. A good example is the whole issue of terrorism as defined by the West. Here in the UK the Home Secretary in taking up the 'sword of truth' against mealy mouthed political correctness warns Muslim families of the responsibility to keep their children out of the claws of radicalising Imams. The traditional British disease strikes again i.e. BSE (Blame someone else). The government in all its efforts refuses to accept that these radical children are more a creation of the unique interaction of class, ethnicity and gender here in the UK. These boys mostly descendants of parents of Pakistani origin are showing the same pathologies that make their white mostly working and lower middle class counterparts turn Friday nights in every town center into a miniature orgy of violence, drunkenness and crime. The sense of dislocation which leads many similar boys of Jamaican descent to shoot and maim each other at the slightest sign of competition or disaffection. It is neither shocking or surprising that those of Pakistani descent will locate their pathology in the heady whiff of tribally adulterated Islam that provides some refuge from the disorientation and dislocation of the failure of modern Britain to live up to all propaganda of fairness, equality of opportunity and integration.

It has been the choice of the government and the media to confuse understanding with agreement and to use simplified stereotypes rather than meaningful or incisive analysis. As I pointed out in my original article the census categories are meaningless to define identity in any way that offers insight. Take the category Black African which lumps Somalis, Ghanaians and Zimbabweans into the same heading with no consideration for culture, migration patterns, economic mobility or even education attainment. It is this world a more urbanised and Politicised Muslim generation is emerging seeking identity that accords them respect, challenging the docility of their parents and expecting the fairness that they have been socialised to expect. The disillusion that results from societies inflexibility is ably reframed through the ability of 'new mentors' to show them pattern or history of disdain and disrespect that spans generation and centuries. These feelings are excercebated by callous party political choices and government policies that confirm that this disrespect is not just a personal slight it is a world view. In a world where individuals can effectively start wars these young men are responding to an apparently self serving choice. The only empathy they receive and understanding they share are from the very people they are warned about as dangerous, muderous, killers. Go figure, the governments of the west refuse to see these children as theirs even though they hold their National passports. They refuse to exercise power with mercy and address legitimate security questions with empathy or even take time to recognise their role and responsibility for co-creating the conflict. The truth is that these failure is not only because they are callous (which is partly true) but also because of the hubris in thinking 'west is best'. It is especially lazy to think that reason is only approach to human analysis worth any effort. At the very basic level reason is variable and contextual. Beyond that the disdain for emotional or spiritual faculty as irrational, reduces discourse and undermines any attempt at profound analysis of Western interaction with other cultures or civilsations. It is quite a failure in an interdependent 21st century .

Another aspect of the failure of analytic capacity is the refusal to accommodate scale of perspective. There is a long tradition in our land of blaming 'the other'. The riots of the 80's that burned most large British cities were laid at the doorstep of children of Caribbean immigrants and before that there were the Jews amongst many other immigrants whose failure to integrate would destroy these green and pleasant land. Is it remotely possible that the inflexibility is not the problem of any group but a systematic failure of society to redefine and adapt to the unique challenges that it faces as times move. Often immigrants are only symptoms of the failure to allow for the fact the constant evolution is not a reaction to the latest crisis but an essential, proactive choice for any successful sustaianble society. Evolution is a mixture of cooperation and competition but because the industrial thinking is either, or. The assumption is that resources as well as opportunities are scarce so automatically the government sides with the majority but suggestan after thought of tolerance for the minority. It never ceases to amaze me that Western governments in pursuing their national interests never stop to see that this signal of competition is asking others to sign up to a world order in which they will always be losers. If countries do not see themselves as inherently inferior it is inevitable that the clashes we see are part of their efforts to win sometimes militarily, culturally and economically.

Whilst on this issue of analytic capacity one other area of blindspot is the issue of character. The fullness of a person, organisation or societies character comes out when its back is to the wall. The amazing thing is that 11 September 2001 seem to have shown that most Western governments do not really believe in the very values they claim their opponents or enemies are trying to kill us for. From the norms of Public International law, the universal declaration of Human rights, democracy et al . Our governments have used our insecurity and the fear of dying to erode, values expand the state and undermine humanity. Killing with impunity at war and with haste at home.

So the universe holds a mirror to us in our enemies showing that we are all willing to kill as well as torture for our so called values, dehumanise the other side as the epitome of evil rather than be more nuanced. We all define our contest as a war of ultimate survival and we are fulfilling that prediction gradually.

Intervention Approaches

Our challenges in the 21st century are so fundamental that we should redefine all our relationships. To intervene successfully in any complex issue we need to be able to mobilise the problem solving capacity on all levels of society. So if we reframed our challenge on terrorism from a war to a quest. Our quest should be how do we frame dialogue with those who are hurt by our choices so that we can define areas of conflict more clearly and effectively? We should take time to model our dynamic within our different societies so we can fully see our patterns and how they play out before we test out processes that will then lead to evolving structures. We should entertain the possibility that all we know so far blinds us from seeing what we need to see in order to evolve. Recognise that inhumanity towards anyone no matter how reasoned in dehumanisation of all.So to intervene we need more reflection and understanding rather the confusion of activity with progress.

Evolving Solutions

Here in the UK the most socially segregated community is the Jewish one with all its unique amenities and provision for its people. It stands different but mostly because it is economically successful it is not seen as a threat even with its own militants in the past. On the other hand the ring of steel around the city of London designed to stop the IRA disproportionately led to 'Stop and Search' of more Afro caribbeans than any other group even though they are the most unlikely to be members of that group. In fact Afro Caribbeans are the most integrated of ethnic groups in British society if you use inter marriage but they are also mostly working class. We are at a unique cross road where government needs to become consciously incompetent. We need to allow dialogue to occur in local areas with facilitators from within to enable the true conflicts and cooperation to emerge. It is also critical that solutions be evolved within those spaces and innovative ones to be shared. Rather than trying to engineer from the centre allow the unique flow of interaction, initiative and innovation to reframe how people experience each other so that when the inevitable conflicts occur they have humanised each other enough to see it from a broader context and possibilities.

As`we get deeper into the world of complexeties that is the 21st century we need new thinking, habits as well as orientation. In fact we need to redefine the chracteristics of what and who we celebrate. Everything is in the direction of those who are committed to the progress from inside, out i.e. the importance of intangibles such as values, relations and connections as opposed to those addicted to materials, consumption and hegemony. You know in the end the mall will become a garish echo chamber all that will remain at best is the memories and only if they are valuable.

IPADE OMOLUWABI

Sorry if you were not invited to this event. There was a limited amount of space and resources. In fact it was a pilot with three core elements:

1) The introduction to concept of Omoluwabi which can be distilled to three slogans for those who seek instant gratification

' Modernisation through africanisation'
'Character is destiny'
'Elevating the dynamic equilibrium between cooperation and competition'

Our excursion was a powerful presentation of facts, figures, images and sound.

2) Obalola, a play that I wrote to hold a mirror to Nigerian society, its addiction to power and authority especially possible ways to evolve its interaction

3) A fashion show that was a platform for Four powerful designers, Penelope Fish from Johannesburg, Ituen Basi lately of London, Olamide Ajayi the current flavour of Lagos whose debut still captures the daily newspapers and Omoluwabi Fashions my own efforts.

The review of this event held in Lagos on the 9th of September to come shortly. A heartfelt thanks to many people who made the event possible and powerful especially my colleague and co director in A3andO media Adewale Adeyinka, Egunla himself Oga Tunji Lardner, the truth Mr Kwabena Smith, the genius that is Sola Kuti (Switched On till u drop), Mzansi magic of Lelethu Lumkwana (unto Jozi) and resourcefulness of Hakeem Ajadi. So we are now out there with our co travellers, the 100 people who took time out to break Saturday rituals of Lie ins and strolls to participate. It is amazing they are out there.

We have open doors to many waves of possibilities in this battle of ideas. It is not going to be easy neither is it going to be celebrated but at least it will not be business as usual any more.