Carbs! Carbs! And More Carbs!

Simple carbohydrates are the staple of people in developing nations all over the world. In the case of northern Nigeria--rice, millet, sorghum, yams and their related products, gari (made from cassava); pounded yam; tuwon- pounded rice; semon vita; amala-  are those staples. All are usually served with a type of stew or soup and a serving of beef, goat or chicken.  Just plain vegetable dishes are few. Coleslaw and a spinach type green is the most I’ve seen. Most other veggies (carrots, green beans, peppers, cucumbers) are chopped and served in fried rice or stew.  Okra is prepared in a spicy concoction called draw soup and served with a ball of one of the starchy dishes above, but not with rice.  (I was informed that draw soup does not go with rice.)

Some of my meals are provided in the workshops I participate in. This is an interesting tradition—a day long workshop includes at least two meals-- a morning tea break (a donut and piece of meat; a bun, meat patty or cupcake and a drink); lunch (a container of rice with a couple of pieces of meat; coleslaw or moin-moin); and sometimes an afternoon snack.  I explained to my colleagues that back home, we were happy when coffee (sometimes with donuts or bagels) was provided at a workshop, and  lunch is on-your-own.

Tea Break includes a bun and minerals (soda).Lunch -Jollof rice, fried rice a piece of chicken and beef and coleslaw. Tasty, but  waist enhancing.

This carb rich diet is perfect to fuel the physical activities required in rural and semi-rural living—chopping ,digging, hacking, walking, pushing, pulling, etc., etc.  It is not a good diet when activities are mostly sitting, talking, processing, gesturing etc. With this level of activity, this is the diet that rapidly spreads ones hips!  I guess more walking to the office and up the stairs to my room are in order. (Don't you dare oink!)

Driver 2 – Goats 0

We headed out to Azare early last Friday morning for meetings with the Head of Primary Education, faculty and Mentor Teachers at the College of Education. The cool, crisp early morning air was clear—the spirit of the Harmattan calmed for the day. 

 I sat back and enjoyed the serenity of the countryside as we passed through what have become familiar towns and villages.  Cattle tended by Fulani herdsmen walked along the road or grazed in distant pastures.  Unlike the tended (and somewhat tamed) cattle, goats are free-range. They’re everywhere, in cities, towns and villages alike; foraging for whatever morsels of food they can find.  I’ve asked but still can’t imagine how owners keep up with them. They’re everywhere!

Azare is about a 2 hour drive from Bauchi.  The hum of the cars engine and the earliness of the hour encouraged me to close my eyes for a light nap.  Just as I was nodding, the car lurched, slowed abruptly and swerved to the right, the driver grazed one of a small group of goats that dashed onto the road and then turned back.  The animal was knocked down, but got up and went on its way.  My companions talked about the hazards presented by goats and sheep that are allowed to roam.  At one point officials had cracked down and regularly rounded up strays—certainly at great loss to the owner.  Enforcement in the city no longer occurs. In the rural areas, well, how could it work?

By this time the goats eating from bushes along the road were eyed with suspicion.  Then it happened! The driver  tried to avoid two goats that suddenly dashed across the road.  Another in the herd wasn’t so lucky. Bam! It  hit  the right side of the vehicle, fell under the wheel and was run over!  Inspection revealed a seriously damaged front and right bumper. None of the passengers were injured.  Some family, I guess, had an unanticipated dinner. Pics of the car--

The driver is not happy about this damage. That goat was  formidable!!

Some of the Rudest Men I Have Ever Encountered

 I expected to encounter a strong patriarchal society especially here in the Northern part of the country with its Islamic influence.   Even the African men I know and work with back home present strong, domineering presences-and this is from those who have been in the U.S. many years.  Now, I understand traditional male roles as breadwinner and protector of the family, but I was not prepared for the downright rudeness and lack of respect shown by many men here.

In Kano, the largest city in the north, there are several larger, grocery/department stores. These multi-leveled businesses—Jufatu, Sa’haad, among others sell clothing, house wares, books, non-perishable foods—everything except produce.  

After an  shopping venture a few days after arriving, we were ready to check out.  No ‘line’ at the check out station was really defined. There was a couple with a basket who checked out as we stood around trying to get into the process.  Then this man walks in front of the woman in front of me and plopped his goods down on the counter.  The (male) cashier didn't skip a beat—he took the line-butter’s things and rang them up.  I hadn't noticed but the staff person who accompanied us, suggested that we go to the ‘women’s line’.  To my amazement, a separate checkout line was dedicated to women who were shopping alone—to avoid the rude men who feel entitled, but probably also as part of Sharia law which separates facilities for men and women in many situations.

A guy tried to hand his single item to a cashier when it was my turn at another store, but after an emphatic ‘excuse me’, he apologized and asked if he could quickly buy the item.  We’ve all had similar experiences here in the North.  I should keep a count of the men who have pushed past me to either get on or off the elevator here at the Zaranda.  My feminist sensibilities have been assaulted! Must I elbow my way onto the elevator?

Some of my male colleagues both Muslim and Christian have assured me that these behaviors are exceptions. Ok, but I see them everywhere.  Maybe it’s part of the ‘big man’ mentality…those affluent, influential types who sometimes consider themselves ‘above’.

Things are evolving.  In workshops the men often call for ‘women’s equality’, participation by the few female participants.  Then the men proceed to tell the women how to do the task they have been volunteered for. Evolving!

Primary Elections @ Zaranda

Things are heating up as Nigeria approaches its presidential elections in April.  Members of the ruling PDP party have gone through the process of determining who their candidate will be.  To my surprise the nominations for Bauchi state were held here in the government owned hotel where I live rather than in a stadium as was done in some other states.

 There were hundreds of people in the lobby, parking lot and first floor. Armed military were stationed everywhere.  In our first floor workshop sessions, people could be heard chanting in the parking lot.  Some members of the military came up to advise those who had cars in the parking lot to make sure they were secured.

Eventually the campaigners and rabble rousers were moved outside the gates of the property.  During a break, I had to go to the lobby when a surge of people, armed men and cameras moved through.  My very protective colleague suggested that I should not be there gawking at all that was going on. Hmm, I wish I had my camera.  

Goodluck Jonathan, the current President who assumed the office after the untimely death of his predecessor, won the Primary for the PDP party.   Jonathan is from the South and the agreement of this new democratic government is for the presidency to alternate from northerner to southerner. Let the peoples will be done, greater unification,  is what is needed.

Start of School Delayed for 30 days!

On Facebook I wrote:  I'm flabbergasted, parents are upset and some students are jumping for joy.  Public and private schools in Nigeria were scheduled to start the second semester around January 4th. The national elections commission  asked the department of education to delay the resumption of school, initially until  early February.  That date has been revised. Students will now begin school on January 30th.  The reason for the delay is related to national elections scheduled to take place in April.  Schools are being used as voter registration sites.  The Elections commissioner feels that, in order to help guarantee fair elections with access to a many citizens as possible, the opportunity for voters to register must be extended. Teachers will be used to assist in the registration process while students are not in school!  


What does this move say about support for education?

Hooked on Nollywood

My introduction to African movies came while waiting (and waiting) for my stylist to finish washing, coloring, locking, twisting, braiding, weaving the hair of the three people who had walked in her shop ahead of me.  She turned on the 12”(well it was small) TV set which sat on top of a DVD player on a table between two display cases across from the row of three salon chairs.  After a few attempts at adjusting the antenna didn’t produce a picture on the set, she asked if we wanted to watch an African movie.  One of the women enthusiastically said, “Yeah, do you have that one with Beyonce in it, the African Beyonce?  She did, and I must have seen that movie plus a few others at least 5 times each.

So now that I’m in Naijaland, the supply of Nollywood movies and soaps is endless! Little did I know that Nigeria is either second or third in the world in annual movie production behind Bollywood   and Hollywood.  Nigerians love soaps whether they are produced at home, the Middle East, Japan or Mexico!

 I commented to a friend that the faces of many of the actors in a program we were watching were familiar to me, that I had seen them in other programs.  His response was that since there are relatively few Nigerian actors, they appear over and over in different roles.  There are lots of movies, mostly sold directly on DVD.  I read about one movie mogul who boasted that he could write and film a movie in 3 days! The storylines are familiar ones—love, lust, greed, generosity, infidelity, virtue, incest and so on. Some stories have a strong religious message; others are just plain fun featuring some rapscallion whose mischief often has hilarious consequences.  There are plots that address the struggle between traditional and modern values and scores of topics in between. 

I just watched a two-parter with some salacious twists and turns: the wife was having an affair with her daughters boyfriend because she felt neglected by her businessman husband who was having an affair with an ex-girlfriend who he dumped while she was on holiday in the US some 20 years earlier and whose father is a chief of great wealth and influence holding the deed to land needed for the husbands business expansion.

I didn’t pay any attention to the soap/reality series back home, but they serve as a source of entertainment here in my place which only subscribes to basic cable—two channels with traditional music in Arabic, a sports channel (football, of course), CNN International, Aljazeera in English, AIT (African Int.TV) and of course, African Magic where I get my daily dose of Nollywood dramas.  The sound quality of the programs is seriously inconsistent.  It’s hard to believe that when the credits roll there is actually someone responsible for continuity (I think they sleep during filming and post production). But, I love them—great insight, great fun and they can be found everywhere!! No, Blockbusters, but street vendors can be found in every major intersections.

Ok. Legends of Nollywood is coming on.  Let me go and find out who’s who in the industry!

Sai an juma (later)!

Eyes on Cote'D'Ivoire

I don't know who first said it, but democracy is a messy process. Making the process work -providing a forum for diversity of ideas and ideals is not easy, but it is the way to proceed in order to build a modern productive nation.  Some countries in Africa are still struggling with  or actually have not accepted this process and either ignore or suppress the will of the people. The situation in Cote d'Ivoire is troubling.  Our volunteers originally assigned there were evacuated to Ghana two weeks ago.  Despite pressure from all over the continent and the world, Mr. Mbabo has refused to step down. One ego vs the choice of the people hmm. Yes, I know this is oversimplified, but in so many instances it seems that some countries here on the continent are not reaching their full potential because of this kind of 'leadership'.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/Politics/5659526-147/ecowas_special_delegation_to_return_to.csp