#africanicity

Africa's Plans?

First, what is Nett Carbon Zero?

There is an internationally decided upon goal called Nett Zero Carbon. That means that by 2050, the world's countries have agreed to and signed agreements that state that by the year 2050, the country would have reduced carbon emissions by putting measures in place like using #CleanGreen power sources, like solar panels, power generated from wind turbines or hydro-electricity. But feasibly even using electricity and the carbon by-products of making electricity add to the carbon emissions of a country. To ve a consumer of our #CleanGreen power sources, we need to mine materials, manufacture them and produce devices which leaves a carbon footprint.

Offsetting this carbon footprint is a methodology whereby, paying a levy, which is utilized to plant trees, to offset a company or country's carbon footprint. So, emitting greenhouse gases and rubbing the carbon emissions damage, by erasing it all out again with offset measures is not Nett Zero. But it's an excellent place to start until Climate Strategizers have had a chance to make studies, publish findings and assert suggestions to our National Government's Yay!sayers.

So, Nett Zero Carbon dictates that when carbon emissions can't be helped, we plant trees to offset those carbon emissions.

U.K., Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Germany and a few other European countries have signed. I am hoping to start a concern which will change the power source portfolio of African countries. We will sign. And we will meet our targets but as usual, we have been doing things irregularly in an African way. And that's ok.

Euro ways, steeped in archaic laws passed amid a 1600's type mindset, doesn't work for us and they have been established with our oppression as the mode of operandii - power inequity is unacceptable and needs to change today. The ANC, God Bless Them! are really not too concerned about the complaining, spoilt, white-people-problems of the suburbs. National Government works their bums off getting Township something to eat for the day. And can't rebuild a shattered and downtrodden society alone. Not that it's their responsibility anyway. But they do. RDP houses was all guvvie could afford this year. Next year we are going to get our dreams-come-true gated biometric access control estate with cattle kraals and a Sangoma sanctuary for herbs, goats and space to work, a Resource Learning Centre, a soccerfield and a footlit path from shebeen to khaya. For example. With full consultation and votes and samples to decide between and crazy cool times. That include the khaya dweller and their desires and tastes and not just putu pap and no nyama or sauce. Fields of morog everywhere and a chicken slaughterer a few houses away. A cherished ideal and not a put-away disappointment because we put on a brave face and faced hell alone.

African Sovereigns and chieftains and Struggle royalty needed to FIRST be consulted, a presentation delivered to them and for them to have opportunities for q&a, input and to be able to draw a line in the sand with their decision that will be upheld.

Oya nah... Post-Colonial type ppl and Pro-Us African muzzafukkahs, neh?

(OLU)FELA KUTI - THE AFRICAN GIANT

A human rights activist, who used music and performance as a vehicle to protest his government was Olufela Kuti, known as Fela Kuti. He was a Nigerian from the Yoruba tribe; born to a minister father and a political activist mother in October 1938 on the 15th. Sent by his didactic parents to London to study Medicine, he gave that up and instead attended the Trinity College of Music. Kuti married his first wife, Femi and thereafter married a further 27 women, all at the same time. He was a polygamist and eventually divorced all of the wives, who doubled as the same brightly-decorated back-up singers and dancers, in his shows. They were all the daughters of his enemies: oppressive state politicians and leaders in their chosen fields. His marriages to their daughters, was a thorn in the side of a repressive system. This made of him a beacon of hope, a Struggle icon, as the only Nigerian rebellious enough to refuse returning the runaways home, at once. This mindset could have been as a result of his '69 US tour, when he had met and been influenced by the Black Panthers and Malcolm X.

As the pioneer of Afrobeats, his shows were audio visual extravaganzas of African patterns, syllables (ayah katah); to foreigners at least; instruments and dancers, moving in unison; their movements a manifeatation of their encompassing this African Jim Morrison (of The Doors). A lot of effort was put into wardrobe for Kuti's shows: faces and bodies were painted and adorned from top to toe, boldly showing off to the world African taste and putting forward a new flavour, engineered by Kuti himself. He lamented the post-colonial Nigerian narrative and designed the antithesis, evoked it and lambasted to all within earshot. His resident nightclub was habitually raided by the Nigerian police and army. Near the club was his communial compound, named Kalakuta Republic.

His shows were legendary amongst Europeans and his messages: political, sarcastic, brutally honest and dangerous. His house was raided by the Nigerian army who threw his mother from a first-story window. She died a year later from her injuries.

He didn't give in, however declaring to the world the debilitating injustices of colonial residue and the idiocy of Apartheid in South Africa, the putrid stench of black domination and a government existing only to oppress and rob and plunder the masses.

At the centre of the saga was this African man, who would not bow. Arrested over 200 times, Kuti bore the scars of many beatings. His life was an ode to the protest and a tribute to its effects. But he was also proof of the bitter costs.

In 1979 he formed The Movement of the People (Bob Marley reference) and campaigned for president. Needless to say, according to the polls, he lost. 20 months later, he was arrested for smuggling. The government could not concede victory to this Vagabond In Power, a song title of Kuti's. Jailed again in '93 for murder, he beat the charges. How he died is really no-one's business. Unless, there was foul play suspected, which I definitely do. He pissed EVERYONE off; except the downtrodden, so he would never be left alone by their wardens, clinging to the last vestiges of their black domination and white imperialism and everybody capitalism. I hope he made it into exile, somewhere safe and I hope 1-a-day was available there. After a funeral procession, which was attended by 1 million people, his casket was laid to rest in his front yard.

Other on-point song titles are:

Beast Of No Nation - The album cover depicts Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan as illustrations of vampires, baring fangs dripping blood.

V.I.P. - This was a non-judgy, all -inclusive power-to-the-people encouragement to Nigerians to stand up against the travesty of a black government taking any value out of the man on the street through it's unconcerned, oppressive rule.

Zombie - Criticizing the Nigerian soldier's almost-Nazi salute of their Heirr.

Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense

Coffin For Head Of State

Blood, Sweat and Tears

Mr Follow Follow

Colonial Mentality

International Thief Thief

Underground System

Black Man's Cry

Confusion Break Bones

In his lifetime, he produced over 50 albums in total and gave Nigerian people a sense of self-worth and broke the power of the oppressor over African minds.

Nigerian Grammy winner, Burnaboy is a keen disciple and reflects and reinterprets Fela's shows in Anybody. In 'Ye', he repeats the mantra: "I do' wan' buy. I do' wan' die. I do' wan' permit. I wan' enjoy. I wan' job life. I wan' buy moto. I wan' build house. I still wan' Dollah" from Kuti's Sweat, Blood and Tears. In Zlatan Ibile's Lagos Anthem, he refers to "Money No Dey Lagos x 3, Our Fela Giant". There are too many current day African artists to list, that pay tribute to his political, social and performance genius. His work lives on and his attitude demanding African worth, now the norm.

Pg1 "Life in South Africa consists of a network of legislation that enshrouds the Africans in legal restrictions every minute of their lives to such an extent that at any time, wherever he is and whatever he may be doing in South Africa, the African will most probably be breaking some law."

This was during Apartheid times. As an ode to that suffering not being lived through for nothing, the Constitution, that was enstated by the ANC in 1996, does just the opposite. Study that Constitution and you can initiate just about any upliftment and empowerment of yourself or others. This is the legacy of black people being in a position of "Like, am I allowed to breathe?"

"The South African Black population is a people that white South Africa has tried to physically exterminate socially, legally, politically as well as economically. How black people have survived in such a hostile climate is a manifestation of the endurance and perseverance of their spirit. They have survived with their culture, pride, even though both have taken some beating.

'Traditional' black South African drama like most African drama, is different from western drama. It is an oral drama, whose essence is in the performance. Its transmission and preservation is a social obligation of all members of the society, unlike western drama whose creation, maintenance and perpetuation is on the hands of a few, the scribes."

So, in other words, this poor theatre needs to speak to the heart as it is devoud of the trappings of a wealthy set OR because Africans are not so easily impressed with listening to a wealthy, white dude. Or any white. You really have to show a kinship to the people and a thorough knowledge of their culture. The work needs to grab people's attention, especially when it is a clip that will be used online. Used. There is the first problem. I can't perform something that will win people over for a brutal director whose mind belongs to the warden and his ways. In those days, we would perform in township amongst our people. For their entertainment and upliftment and for spreading ideas. Not for the warden and his friends so that they have all the info, details, players profiles and so on. It can be compared to handing your defense plan to the other team members and coach. By the author saying "it's transmission and preservation is a social obligation of all members of the society" (popularise the idea). Transmission says to me, it should be in the media, forced down people's throats. "Unlike Western drama ... is in the hands of the few, the scribes. "

African philosophy and infrastructure and modern history is currently being written. And it differs from Western ways. It is much more social, straightforward and transparent (like, you may look under my tunic; a willy leather cover).

It is more empowering and gives you the tools for change in the direction of empowerment of anyone who is acting to promote human rights and it shuns, ostracizes and casts out any wardening or enrichment or support of the wardens. Wardens are not given volume and are censored as a reminder of "Do we want that guy back in power?

Whereas in ancient times, antiquity and modern times, in drama, when the king was in the audience or would hear of the play, complaints were analogized so as not to anger or inform the king of a school of thought making the rounds. We do not down like that here but unfortunately where corporate or wardens benefitting from a certain system that we are complaining about, for example, the Malaria Must Die campaign that David Beckham initiated or was hired to endorse. In this case African governments, police and clinic and harbour officials all benefit from receiving free medicine for the people, which they either administer charging the recipients exorbitant rates, demanding bribes from those transporting the medicine, or demanding bribes from ships with free medicine and treatment on board for free as it was The Dulos, a floating hospital that was an organisation. So. When the performance is not direct, we can guess that the king is nearby in the audience and dis rooi. So, in that case, the government and it's officials, the corporate world who want to capitalise or profit from the sale of prophylactic and the social media site, which has to be audited for the amounts of views eg. R1 for every view of your YouTube post in which you added an ad. All views collected must go to the mandate of the organisation and it's implementation. Even those few doctors, former refugee camp resident who contracted malaria etc. Those are all local ambassadors and who should be paid the same rates as David Beckham.

Upon first view, this appears to be a lament of the artist, giving what seems like an insider's view into a country falling apart. Naming, either visually or lyrically, is the stereotypes the world usually attributes to Nigerians: political fraudsters, corrupt officials who take kickbacks, decapitation of the nasarra and kidnappings of the wealthy, 'everybody be criminal', virginity checks, police stations closing at 6, no electricity, blackmail of politicians using their children who are attending universities etc. etc. This is when people are watching.

The reality is, in the background, you hear the word able, sampled. Nigeria is a church attending, Spirit filled, God fearing nation, in some places and they have a strong attendance at the international Universal Church of the Kingdom of God. Who is Abel? God is able.