the ArmChair Thoughts

Shortly after I wrote “saying A Prayer”, my [virtual] friend Tunde Shaba wrote a piece about the plight of African nations (in this case nigeria) that I found brilliant. The poem used the George Orwell style of awakening (in Animal Farm) to point the corruption that the country’s leaders are wreaking to the nation. And, [...]

Every now and then, I hear people say things like: “…there is issues is India, Malaysia, Brazil, Africa, …”, “…Like it happens in Africa…”, etc. ‘Africa’ is almost always in mainstream media categorized as a Country its a continent containing several countries. Even we Africans are country-zing the continent. Yesterday a friend was introducing herself [...]

Racism and Classism. No matter how much we talk about it, I doubt it will go away [soon]. I’m resolving to quit the rant on how badly blacks have had it — scratch that; being specific — how badly Africans have had it. Yesterday I was in discussion with some fellow Africans discussing the cause [...]

I spent a good deal of today talking to my colleague about the continent Africa. She started by wondering why anytime she sees Africa portrayed on TV, she said, it’s only desert, wild animals and starving children that’s shown — before you start judging the media she’s exposed to, remember, this is America and if [...]

The question I get almost all the time is, “what’s your nationality?” Many have noted  that my name sounds Japanese and I look Haitian and seem to have a French accent. Which ever way, there’s only one way to settle the confuion — prove how Nigerian I am. Inspired by the trending on twitter of [...]

Africa, Afrika, Afrique which ever way you prefer to spell it is not a country, it’s a continent like Europe, North America or Asia. Somehow I thought I should get that out of the way (even Sarah Palin doesn’t know that). But, that’s not the discuss of today, I’m looking for that Africa in us [...]

I have been thinking of writing a book for years now unfortunately, thinking about writing doesn’t get any book written (otherwise books will be getting published every minute) so, as an effort to not only think about it, I’m getting my hands and mind to it. Two days ago I started working on a storyform [...]

Wyclef Jean in his recent album Memoir of an Immigrant advised immigrants not to forget their countries of origin, “When you’ve made it, go back home and spread the wealth” or as I would rephrase, avoid the brain drain. The discuss here is not about brain drain, it’s on the cost of avoiding a brain [...]

There is so little one can call one’s but when it comes to my heritage, Africa is truly mine. I would share this to all ready with a passion. Why just say it? I’m starting a section ‘Ask an African’ which I intend to answer questions I’ve come across overtime on Africa and its culture. [...]

Africans have a problem and that problem is Africa. Africa has a problem too, and that that problem is Africa. As an African, I and many Africans find it easier to blame the West (yes, they do play a part), or to blame the continent’s topography or more often, we can blame voodoo. Whichever we [...]