US Mid-Term Elections

I have no comments other than to remind you of the old Alfred E Neuman slogan- " Alfred E Neuman for President, you could do worse". Also please read the Inscription on the photo on the left above, "Come the millenium month 12, In the Home of the greatest power, the village idiot will come forth to be proclaimed leader- Nostradamus 1555".

The similarity is not coincidental, now it all makes sense.

Ps/ The truth be told, I've checked and this so called prophesy of Nostradamus is a hoax, there is no trace of this in any of the Quartrains. Its rather appropriate though.

The Quiet Men

I'm going to write about Nigerians in the diaspora. Nigeria? Yes the same country which has over the years acquired its well deserved reputation for Fraud, Corruption, lack of respect for any form of order or authority and more recently a penchant for kidnapping Foreign Oil workers.

On the bright side, Nigeria has produced a fairly Impressive list of achievers globally, there's something about the competitive nature of the Nigerian, which could possibly be attributed to the fact that 200 Million energetic and Intelligent people have been squeezed into a comparatively small land area. This is the same country that produced Wole Soyinka- winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature and Professor Kenneth Dike Harvard Professor of History of the 50's

There are a few popular Nigerians, mostly associated with the arts and sports, who are not necessarily associated with their home country, but who are relatively well known:

a. Seal; b. Sade; Daley Thompson; c. Hakeem Olajuwon (NBA player and member of the US Basketball Olympic winning Dream-Team; d. John/Justin Fashanu; e. Victor Ubogu (Rugby); e. Martin Offiah (Rugby); g. Keziah Jones; h. Shirley Bassey; i. Dr Alban; j. Adewale Agbaje (From Lost and The Mummy Returns);k. Chiwetel Ejiofor; l. Kriss Akabusi; m. Tunde Baiyewu (Lighthouse Bloody Family); n. Gina Yashere; o. Krystal Rose; p. Patti Boulaye; q. Baz Bamigboye- Arts Journalist; r. Herbie Hide- World Boxing Champion; s. Philips Idowu- Olympic Athlete; t. Ben Okri - Booker Prize winning author u. Lemar etc.

The fact is that Nigerians have always excelled in the professions, for over a hundred years Nigerian professionals have travelled to Europe and the USA to get an education and have- uncharacteristically for Nigerians- gotten on with it quietly. The purpose of this post is to focus on some of these people- the quiet warriors, who often against all odds have made their mark at their jobs and achieved considerable success. There are a long list of older achievers such Judge Sowande, the Jazz Drummer turned Barrister turned Crown Court Judge (in the 50's) who blazed the trail for the latter exodus of Nigerian prodessionals, however this list largely consists of the present generation of Nigerian born professionals in the UK and the US. On peculiar thing about these being that many of these people received a large part of their professional education in Nigeria.

a. Segun Aganga - Managing Director Goldman Sachs Hedge Funds
(Educated University of Ibadan, Oxford).

b. Adebayo Ogunlesi- Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Client Officer Credit Suisse NY (Educated Oxford, Harvard Law School).

c. Professor Fidelis Odita QC. Leading Corporate Finance Silk and Author also a Visiting Professor Oxford ( Educated University of Lagos, Oxford)

d. Oba Nsugbe QC Leading Financial Crimes Silk and Recorder of the Crown Court
(University of Nigeria)

e. Lord Victor Adebowale (Life Peer)

f. Dokun Omidiora Vice President Citibank- Europe

g.Chinwe Chukwuogo-Harry. Artist, Commissioned for a portrait of the Queen.

h. Sola Oni- Professor of Medicine only Black Member of the Board- General Medical Council.

i. Sokari Douglas Camp- Sculptor with works exhibited at the British Museum, Satagaya Art Museum Tokyo.

j. Ronke Phillips- Journalist/Broadcaster

k. Dr Femi Elias- Legal Author, Lecturer Kings College, London, Consultant UN International Law and err..wicked Bass Guitarist, rated as one of the world's top 15 Bass Guitarists.(University of Lagos, Kings College London).

l. Richard Iferenta- (Solicitor) Partner KPMG London, Corporate Taxation (University of Nigeria)

m. Segun Osuntokun- (Solicitor) Partner DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary

n. John Adebiyi- (Solicitor) Partner Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

o. Dr Stanley Okolo- (Consultant Physician)Medical Director North Middlesex Hospital
(University of Ife)

p. Commander Eme Onyike -(Scientist)- Royal Navy (HMS Cumberland) Weapon Systems Engineer. (University of Nigeria, Kings College London)

q. DC Chukwudum Ikeazor (Barrister and Policeman)- Winner of the Anne Frank Award for Moral Courage on recommendation of Sir John Stevens (and yes he's my cousin, failure is a bastard as you know, success hath many friends)
(University of Nigeria)

r. Philip Emeagwali- Computer Scientist/ Winner of the Gordon Bell Prize (The Nobel Prize of Computer Science) for his work in single-handedly performing the World's fastest Computation, using a Super Computer. Described by Bill Clinton as one of the greatest minds of the Information age and by CNN as one of the Father's of the Internet. A survivor of the Nigerian Airforce bombings of Civilian targets in Biafra
(University of Oregon)

s. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie- Author- Orange Prize nominated Purple Hibiscus
(University of Nigeria)

t. Ayo Oke- Broadcaster/Journalist

u. Mr Bruce Okoye- Consultant Paediatric Surgeon -St Georges Hospital Tooting

(University of Nigeria)

v. Mr Olu Obaro- Consultant Radiologist Newham General Hospital

(University of Lagos)

w. Ogechi Nwachukwu- Chartered Accountant-Vice-President PPM-America
(University of Nigeria)

x. Obinna Ugochukwu- Programme Manager- IFC-World Bank

(University of Nigeria)

Y. Nowa Omoigui- Professor of Medicine- (Cardio-Vascular Disease). University of South Carolina- Columbia.
(Educated University of Lagos)

Z. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala- Vice-President- World Bank

There are loads more Nigerian professionals, quietly getting on with their task in various sectors of this and other economies, no noise, no fuss and who never get the publicity that one dodgy miscreant gets- which then tars the whole clan with the dubious brush of negativity.

Nigerians and indeed a large number of Africans, have a very progressive and proactive attitude to education, achievement and indeed possess a strong work ethic. One of the best things the Government has introduced is the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme, where people with skills to contribute come over here and inject their skills into the economy, only the ignorant would say that "we don't need them", imagine the NHS without Foreign Doctors/Nurses, read the writing on the wall chaps, Britain isn't producing enough of its own, deal with it and stop complaining and send some of your kids to Uni if it hurts you so much. Additionally I need to point out that all of the people mentioned in this post are either naturalised Brits or indeed born here.

The simple lesson here being that stereotypes are often unfair, whilst there are admittedly a large number of dodgy types who give this country a bad name, but clearly there are a lot of good things to come out of that country and in all honesty, I'm proud to acknowledge these. The only other question being, if we've got that many smart people, how come the old country is in such a mess? Could that be because they're mostly here? No, they're here because the old country did not appreciate their attributes and many like me resisted the urge to migrate until we were completely fed up with the seemingly immovable obstacles. That in itself is the real tragedy.

BIAFRA- A PHOTO VIEW

I've said one or two things about Biafra on these pages, however I need to clarify any doubts about certain facts before going into the meat of this post.

1. The war was an avoidable tragedy caused by the greed and egotism of the relevant characters and the lack of true statesmen within the Nigerian context;

2. The war showed (once again) the duplicity and cynicism of the so-called world powers, the UK inclusive;

3. I am not a modern day apologist for a new Biafra. Biafra was a creature of circumstance, those which do not exist- arguably- at this stage in time.

I would however like to share these photos with you. I was a mere baby at the time, but these photos give me an insight into what my parents experienced and the suffering of the people who lived within the territory of Biafra, as well as the raw courage and determination of a people fighting for their survival against incredible odds. Young men and women who gave their lives for a simple cause- the survival of their people, not for money or for fame. People who fought often with home made weapons and often times without food for several days, against a vastly better-armed enemy.

You will find a photo of Jimi Hendrix and Joan Baez supporting the Biafran cause, photos of civilians- including women and children, escaping, mourning and dead from the effects of bombardment by the courageous Nigerian Airforce - propelled by the Intrepid Egyptian and British mercenaries. Also a photo of the great Count Von Rosen fitting a Minicon Aircraft of the "Biafran Airforce". Raw courage and moral justification alone sadly do not win wars, life's a bitch and then you die right? Well say what you will, these guys held out for three whole years inspite of the far superior force of arms and resources, as well as the Genocide of hunger used by the Nigerian Government. The blood of these people will not be in vain, the full picture may not be put together for a number of years to come, but it will eventually. I found a letter sent to and posted on the website of the Nigerian Scientist- Professor Philip Emeagwali, which summarises what I've waffled on about here.

"I was a year perhaps when my father left to fight in the war..just a baby yet I still feel the aftermath 34 years later because my father never returned...I class myself as a war victim and my soul is lost and will remain lost until the wonderful reunion between my father and me happens... whether here in this life or in heaven...Thank you for your work and pictures they were my first link to the reality...Maybe one on the photos of those brave soldiers going to war had my father in who knows.. god moves in mysterious ways....All i know is I am proud of my Nigerian heritage....Godbless all those who died in the war may they rest in peace...."

Yours Sincerely,
Grace Mullen,
United Kingdom
January 9, 2000

Also a quote from an article- Nightmare in Biafra in the Sunday Times of London of 4th February 1968 at page 12

"I have seen things in Biafra this week which no man should have to see. Sights to search the heart and sicken the conscience I have seen children roasted alive, young girls torn in two by shrapnel, pregnant women eviscerated, and old men blown to fragments, I have seen these things and I have seen their cause: high-flying Russian Ilyushin jets operated by Federal Nigeria, dropping their bombs on civilian centres throughout Biafra ...

At Onitsha - the 300 strong congregation of the Apostolic Church decided to stay on while others fled and to pray for deliverance. Col. [Murtala] Mohammed's Second Division found them in the church, dragged them out, tied their hands behind their backs and executed them."

Jane Tomlinson

Quite simply one of the most courageous and Inspirational human beings to walk the face of the earth. The description heroine is simply inadequate to describe the character of this remarkable woman.

I will not say a lot about her, suffice to say that she has just completed a 4214 cycle ride across America- from San Francisco to New York. The enormity of this is exemplified by the following factors: a. The debilitating nature of her ilness and b. The equally destructive nature of the Chemotherapy which she is undergoing.

I shall simply ask you to read the following quote from her website and click on the link. http://janesappeal.com/

Jane is 42, from Leeds, Great Britain. She is the only person with incurable cancer to complete a full Ironman (4km Swim, 180Km bike ride and full marathon – to be done inside 17 hours). Has completed two half Ironmans, the London Marathon 3 times (She’s the only person to do the marathon whilst on Chemotherapy), the New York Marathon and three London Triathlons.

Awarded the MBE by the Queen in 2003, winner of the Helen Rollason Award at the BBC in 2002, twice recognised at the Sportswoman of the Year Awards, won a Great Briton Award and voted the most Inspirational Woman in Britain in 2003.

Jane completed the London marathon in April 2003 and was the first person in the world to have run a marathon on chemotherapy.

Jane has received over 15 awards for her unique charity efforts, including BBC Sports Personality of the Year award 2002, and a Pride of Britain Award in 2005.
Jane has raised £1,120.000 to date for charities including Macmillan Cancer Relief, SPARKS, Damon Runyon Cancer Research and Hannah House.

The first race Jane took part in was the 5 km Race for Life in May 2001, and 5 years on is participating in a bike ride that totals a distance of 6781.8 km.