Paranoia - African Social Media psychology!

Currently, we on this other side of the enormous social media parapsychology coin are having fits.

In this 'free-for-all' world of social media the psychological frey: with all comer posts, comments, paraphernalia, innuendo, palaver and, the deadpan - throw the spanner into the wheelings. The most disaffected on this,  our African side, are the perrenially psychological security insecure!

What you post. Your comments. The quotes you make - show your African insecurity.

Yours is a wanting. A desperate attempt to leave a mark. A 'speedy gonzales' attempt to scurry-by noticeably and make your name (not your point) noticed - because, in our African-ness we hardly have a point of our own: Socrates, Shakepeareans, Darwin.. or quotes from the Bible are essentially all we have, from the Colonialism left over perspectives. We ask questions that have already been asked a thousand times by Western and Eastern philosophical thinkers - who also variably have scored all the 'grand design' answers.

So what do we Africans talk about?

Nothing! Actually, almost nothing that impress anybody anymore.

God, (you shall not mention the name of God in vain) created us Human beings and, protected us in our formative ages: Adam and Eve, and a score of others like them. Abram and Sarai, who became Abraham and Sarah. Lot and his family, who feature in that dawn strike over Sodom and Gomorrah. Melchizedek, King of Saleem were the first to experience direct interactions with God.

Then eventually came the age of the 'guardian Angels': even in the teachings of the Christian Churches - this is the unclearest.. factor in religious teachings todate! The guardian angel who stood there, watching over Adam and Eve seem to have been demobilized. That Army of burning sword Angels.. are no longer part of active modern faith.
It is worth the ventures anyhow, to reason-out what they might have left behind.. amongst us humans.

What immediately comes to mind is 'fineart' - in days goneby, inspired artwork cropped up to show imaginations that defined the relationship between Mankind and Heaven. Schools were created that developed inspirational canvas painting.
We Africans also learnt over the ages, that actually, the very causes of World War Two - were deeply rooted in history of those Austrian art School developments - with Hitler, as the one-man stigma of the conflict that killed six million Jews and, conscripted a score of Africans Colonial Armies fighting in that war 1939 - 1945.

Wait a minute - what exactly am I writing about here!?

Jesus Christ said: "I leave you my peace - my peace I give you". Meaning what!?

Gone he was! And, you and I, can only summon his Salvation through our own faith and beliefs!

If your faith might be the size of a Mustard seed!

In other words - just like the guardian angels who beat the grand heavenly withdraw, Heaven also recalled the Saviour! So that, verily, we are essentially on our own!

'God will quench your thirst - God will give you the water of life! Today!'

'God will give you good luck today - God will shower you with wealth today!'

'In the name of Jesus! Hallelujah!'

The African preacher sees God, as having a direct hand in the daily life and, activities of Earthlings.

Then why are Churches closing down in the developed world? In the UK, this is so and, the poor Africans in the Diaspora can't buy those Church buildings! How come!?. . Their faith  wouldn't generate that wealth!

'WHY?'

Because, 'that's the way it is...' - you need lots of luck to afford it! And, the definitive word 'luck' depict 'gambling'!

And, there is our African wits end.

In Uganda, my home Country, gambling is basically abominable - it got to be tolorated only of recent. Even then, the management ethics is way out beyond us Africans.
Africa can't move, can't advance, can't develop or generate wealth at all because - we don't have a realistic understanding of our own!

The 'dreams' of the 1970s &; 1980s - comes to us Africans, twenty years on, through Asian and, far Eastern understanding of our side of the coin! And, the European virtualization of our untapped infrastructural potential beginning 2005.

Where is the realism?

The realism is - God (forgive my calling your name) - left us, and Heaven has been on a withdraw mode from ancient history times - the last being the obvious recall of Jesus Christ, two thousand years ago! Since then, and gradually and grediently - Earth, is being controlled by a sort of 'wild bunch' Principalities.. it is a believe it or not situation! And, actually very much dicey.

It is bewilderingly unknown to us.. especially Africans - what those principalities are, but, more and more the bizarre nature of their activities are apparent. They mostly seem to stimulate dubiousness that lead us nowhere.. there is so much lack of inspirational development amongst us Africans. The principalities might more likely be engrossed in punishments and things.. END

Apprenticeship and, Tramp!

Apprenticeship and, Tramp!

You first - must have been a street Tramp - for you to have evolved into an Apprentice!

There, on the street, was and still is where you actually became MEN!
There was never any other way - an Apprentice always started from the beginning by first being a street Tramp.

MEN - challenges you and, interests and want drove you. You are street walking. Street fighting and all you want and need is just one initial win. The entry-level to MEN is clattered with actual and very real difficult situations.
Everyday you are deeper and deeper.. if you score against the enormous odds, you might find a warmth, waiting - she was your minute prize!

If you don't have this sort of experience in your life, then you are not.. just read and do nothing else, for here trips a live guillotine!

Back in my day, in the late 1960s Kampala, I often went street walking: young, interests driven and confident as a young Police recruit (1969), I learnt to play the practiceable elements of my training in the 'power of observation' roaming the streets.

Kishenyi - was the more fertile area, for it was loaded with criminals and prostitutes..

MEN interests and, it's challenges often gets the better of you! Inavitably, you follow the prostitute and empty your nuts.. in that warmth, for the 3.00shs. All, in the process of Apprenticeship - you are new to these forbidden fruit..

Outside. Someday, couple of boys want the entire content of your pockets! Suddenly, it is a skirmish with one down, you are 'Manix' - you run after the one who got away.. but then you were fleeing from a potentially deadly environment.

Kishenyi back then, was notorious with sampling of people from as far as Senegal, Mali, Gambia, Rwanda, Somalia - Kishenyi was squalid, but the most fashionable characters emerged from there.

In those bits and pieces of life experiences.. I too, emerged as an Apprentice Writer decades down the road.
I now live in the belief that, the pathway to Apprenticeship is, first to be a street Tramp! The University does not make you an Apprentice - it is only being a learning Tramp! End.

Generational African leadership - vis a vis - Generations in African leadership

Generational African leadership - vis a vis - Generations in African leadership.

'Great Expectations' - seem to lead African opinion towards a mixup of our thinking.
There ought to have been traditions that ruled over Africans before coming of the white man - and Balkanization of the continent.

What Africa seems to lack or, may have lost, is PURPOSE!

 That sense of direction: where were we the Africans headed.. before the white man came? Did we have a simple sense of direction? How were these if any, defined? What clue do we have towards that or those senses of purpose?

Are we aware - that having a genuine sense of purpose also hold the imbibements for self generated skills apprenticeship?

That, back then ancient Africa may have moved from stone age, to iron age and, onwards to industrial age - without the prop-up of the white man since Balkanization of the continent?

With this in mind. What do we Africans imagine - as generational African leaderships - that "come and go" don't seem to exhibit PURPOSE!

And, if at all, it is blood-letting that seem central - in purposes.. how do we then un-blank our side of the coin?

Colonialism built the East African Railway: Kenya to Uganda with partly imported labor (Indian), and partly conscripted local African labor - the stark ignorant African work force learnt impromptu, and the apprenticeship generated what they needed to implement instructions.

Sixty years after decolonization, we, of post independence Africa, live and enjoy, even celebrate our educated achievements!
Oblivious, of the glaring fact that, we failed to maintain or rebuild - what the uneducated colonial era African Laborers, under foreign supervision were able to do.
In Uganda, the network of railway tracks laid by Colonialism are overgrown with thickets of grass, weeds even trees.
Rhetorically, even the current generation of leadership in Eastern Africa have been talking of 'standard gague' tracks - even as the ancient track slippers have been caniblized or just disappearing for decades..

There has been talks of plans (for over a dozen years) for 'speed trains'. Words so sweet in the ears of those who know PURPOSE. But words that seem to thin-off..

It is true, first generation African leaders hardly knew their own leadership roles; Obote, Kwame, Kaunda and others of that generation were rehtorical and, labor unions often intimidated them!
They were not into material manipulation for constructive developments. Which set the stage for something else.

Second generation - Coup and overthrow makers! Were only there to spill blood and, set another stage for the revolutionaries..

The revolutionaries seem to have purpose and, know exactly what Africa needs in leadership! They also had the rare opportunity to know real HUNGER live, and one-to-one! Unlike their predessesors who knew hunger theoretically...

That too, is probably one of the main factors that ran Bashir out of office in the Sudan Republic more recently.

And, the real reason why President Museveni of Uganda might continue to occupy the State House...
Protected by: Rolex (not the watch), roasted cassava, maize, and all them road side and Street fast foods! Juices, bottled wines, Pan cakes, buiscuits, and, all them imported everything eats! And niceties.. and gamings!

The highly educated call that 'Micro Finance' activities and 'Macro Economic' broad based poverty erradicate measures.
Uganda has undaubtedly achieved that aspect of finance and economic solutions today.

People who like to poke fun and talk mindless innuendos - both inside or outside Government, also like to imagine that; the apparent possible demise of the railway, might cognitively be one-day laid at the doorsteps of haulage big-time heavy trucking concerns.

'Trains will put trucking out of work' others actually say..

Funny, but these clever guys don't seem to do 'binnoculars' to look see how trucks, trains and buses run Europe, Canada, Scandinavia, Russia, China, the Koreas et Al..

Which makes me wonder - did we Africans have any simple fundamental PURPOSES before coming of the white man? End.

CAPRICORN - (Born 21st December - 21st January)

CAPRICORN – (Born 21st December – 21st January )
Goatman humanoid – was in ancient times first to be known as the 'Capricorn race'. An affinity of the Planet Saturn .. historians ascribe their existence on Earth as more than just legend; The half man half goat creatures, were reputedly organized, intelligent and hardworking – having built a small City of their own and, maintained a proud culture!
Star gazing ancient Astrologers of the human race, may have inherited their ability to study the stars and planetary bodies, to those humanoid Capricorns.
In days long gone-by, matters of infinite time and space were first to be interpreted to humans directly by the humanoids. What was to confirm the goatman and goatwomans' affinity to the planet Saturn.
The humanoids had reputation as a very proud lot!
Thinking of themselves as superior to the Human race.. for constantly consulting with them in matters of spirituality… that 'star quality pride' had more and more isolated them from the human being.
Came a time when humans paid no-more attention to them; human Astrologers had already charted the birth signs and wrote their definitions. The Capricorn goatman race had reached their end… humans would no longer rely on their communication s via the planet Saturn; human astrology had taken firm root. The humanoid goatman capricorn were a relegated lot.. they would eventually drift down the annuls of history into legendhood!
Hardly would the humanoids venture out for a stroll in the woods; suddenly, the scent of their human/goat bodies attracted marauding carnivorous wild beasts who, mauled them day in and day out. The humanoids weren't protected by Saturn anymore, they perished and eventually became legends. Their small City on a little hill, provided humans with habitat structure and building.
Astrologers kept the secrets they had learned and, one day, the ‘Three Wise Men' following star signs, were to travel from the far East to Bethlehem  - where the Capricorn King of Kings was born on the ancient Hebrew/Roman  population day  known now as Christmas day! So that the perishment of all the humanoids that ever lived on Earth and, that of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah might be eventually resolved… Salvation was that day born.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAPRICORN!

Some reflections on Germany...

Some reflections on Germany

'Die Alter’ – was an aging crime detective, series. Nearly entirely non-violent, a subtle German crime drama whose dragnets by 1980s standard – painstakingly wrapped up into some huge plot of conversant suspense..
To grip you on the edge – till next week!
Too short, so tasty, so gripping and entertaining to even hold attention of minors.. an A+ for a detective drama with little or no violence. The 'Old Fox', (English title) like 'Football made in Germany' were at a German public 5x frontier… a clever design of reprieve; a bailout from the accident; created by hardmanship of NAZI Germany. It was the making of the 'break' and shift of the new gear!
An automatic this time – the German Autobahn reeked of leaded nearly perfumed atmosphere. More than anything else apart from the heavier lanes, to and from work drive of the 1980s were fan-times.. leading European popular magazines said so…
 Certainly, hazards also occurred but, people didn’t have to actually dwell on them; it was the 1980s and, Mentality and the paradigm were on the shift – 20th Century was about to turn into 21st, and the universe was racing itself into another Millennium…
 Around the world there was new thinking, space exploration had picked up; in the US, 'Voyager 1’ was launched 1984.
Impetus for better, greater livelihood were in the making; the races were on and fasting away.. research, design, art and high-tech – promises of tomorrow that was yet to come! Were in the works in 'Silicone Valley' – occasionally the inspiring glimpses reached out to our third world as well. More and more third worlders picked on overseas traveling. O! The 1980s was traveling time. Unsponsored traveling; we Africans went overseas Europe, Dubai and elsewhere to learn or, for those of us not blessed with formality, we went there to experience. We were apparently a different kind of challenge… a decade earlier, another type had travelled Europe from elsewhere around the world. 'Toramolinos' Was a traveler novel I read those years; youth from around the world travelled to that city. The trends setting had began – the baby boomers generation of post Hitler had started it all. The generation of 'terror international' had followed. By the time I went to exile in Germany, the fire and passion of that baby boomers generation were dying down.
Suddenly, slum-bang! 'Berlin Wall' comes down! 1989..
What! And what is happening? Noh nischt!  NATO and the RED ARMY?
'Providentially quiet'
And true as Providence had it, this time the 'Old Fox' country was ransomed! War to the third worlders'
In the early hours of the ‘Crystal Night’ Jesus had said, in his own skirmish of all skirmishes; 'in the.. crow of the Cock… you will deny me!'
There is a privately and individually founded and built Church of the ‘Grand Denial’ with a Calvary scene by it’s throne side… stands grandly by the River Mainz, in Seligenstadt, Germany. I am inclined to believe that, there could have been no other spiritual purposes for an individual founding it. St. Peter’s and Marcellinous is Catholic, though founded privately. It is logical to align German's wartime misfortune to the night spiritually represented by this Church… to me, nothing elsewhere explains it better. Vatican research Authors like old Morris or Brown might someday clarify this part.
What caused the separation and what caused the reunification! Regrettable to me though, was the mindless brutality that took my daughter’s life one winter night, in Berlin – or how she was over many years, primed for that cold night.
Life among the Germans back then, (1986/88) was simple; do as they want you to do. A stoical unmouthed question seem to always hang loose.. what have you come here for? What do you want with us… don’t you see we are what we are.. and you won’t ever fit in it?
'Die Alter’ is without a doubt a humbled giant, he will deeply tolerated you; if he is intimidated a bit, it is by your typically African ignorance. Educated or uneduc'.
But rest assured you will live safe and even VIP life in the old country. Only, never will you get.. your dreams come true 'pound of flesh'– only what you can spend!
That much the 'Old Fox’ is the fox he is. Many a young African have trained in media, law, engineering, Journalism, tourism – returned to African shining stars, only for their light to blink-off! Or amber down to a deem glow.
‘Die Alter' kinmanship is strangely effective; just as you were about to return to your country, you might not feel or know it, but you are defused – there is a long think line.. whatever you do is automatically defused. Ruin is the name of that game! Stigma is that much ruinous – death of Daniela was the mad capper! The illogical bizarreness! Perhaps the hidden underlings!
Even then, there is so much to learn from the 'Old Fox’, best are the things you carry inside your head.. those you can later practice on your own. 'Die Alter’ prefers actually that you do it yourself. Germans don’t very much like hanging-on for dependency purposes sort of thing. Just do your own thing. Then get going – but stubbornly Africans more often like to overstay the hospitality!  For women, the 'Old Fox’ reputably has this soft spot for them – there is always this or that unique situations and, matters arising.. but otherwise, ‘Die Alter’ is very much easy with the African women.
German African development remain at average because, the Old Fox actually do not create stars out of anybody who is not of their kinmanship – it becomes 'corruption' by their principles and policies – meaning that anything given to an individual African, say, will eventually reflect negatively in subsequent years even on the giver! A permanent and evolutionary process of societal Audit.. will eventually find fault with some given values. Your star prize Award might be stained and tainted!
My family and I went to exile in Germany by a grand spirituality design – not by some cheap personal 'nice eating' diaspora interests.
The 'hand that taketh' – in the huge mix, stigma, ransom and things, why be the one to wither-off…
A young German/French lady, was our spirituality tow.. she did the 'Kite’ running back in the early 1980s. In Kampala of the old gun rattled Disco nights – my wife Genevieve, still living in Germany, was still a girlfriend of a few months – and soon to be fresher at Makerere University.
Long story short… French/German chic and I entangle on our bed with Genevieve – morning after, detective staff sergeant Bonny Okot and two (French/German) diplomats in a convoy spot the chic stepping out of the 'Three Stars' hotel near the Railway Station in Kampala and, chic is whisked away to Entebbe Airport. Huck Finn was still dribbling upstairs when it all happened!
(Sam u Gwe..) shoe shiners spill the 'Beans' story…
The dribbling has been going on for some thirty years plus… and to this day Lakery has been in the dark about the white lady in our life… I am moved to share this potion of our life because of the threats on my livelihood. People who don’t know anything in my father's family – are judges with impunity threatening me over matters that are personal to my life and that of my family – they don’t have the mind it takes, to understand the core spirituality involved, yet they persist with their own vainness. I have to say this, because my daughter was MURDERED in Berlin. And, people are sourcing money from the Germans – purportedly as silencer on the matter since I am not man enough to f**k my way into wealth! Ethics of today apparently dictates that, f**King is the undoing of everything that binds us to our suffering…
I think that may be so in the f**King political and other formal ethical fields… however, for some of us who merely made love to our spouses and so never f**ked them to death – we don’t know anything about extraordinary f**King that qualify some one towards graft. I have lost my daughter… however it had not occurred to me that, it all happened so that a few people access wealth – this stigmatism is hurting me!

'Job' - a day in contemplation.

‘Job’ – a day in contemplation.

JOB – the name that evoke infinite and forlorn, emptiness! A name that wells up feeling of pity and sympathetic demeanor. Job, a name that brings about apprehension in deep spiritual solitude and penitence… the name that instills stark fear and terror of insecurity, pain, rejection, and dejection.

Job, the name that carries with it the ultimate divine contact and communication… the mainstay of awesome courage, strength in the faith that holds the link with the Creator for eons upon eons.

How do the ordinariness of the humans - ever in simpleton, get anywhere near to understanding the phenomena of ‘Job’, the name and the synonymous ‘Job’ the word?

The millenniums upon millenniums of its mystery… in the relation between the Creator and the ordinariness of the Human. The ultimate divine link.

How do the ordinariness of the human – ever in simpleton, discern this huge technology of Man and God in [conversation] - what never slipped away in this enormous fog of descent! That; humanity dies and is born day to day, through centuries and ages – to forever live in this mystery of ‘Job’!

An existence forever planted in a divine and patriarchal call in affliction; pain even misery and bodily suffering! To whom, of the human kind shall this phenomenon of ‘Job’ make sense? In addition, indeed for whose benefits?

That through this strange affliction, the human kind finds the opportunity… tapping-in, onto the abundance! Thus, enabling the interactivity and creativity that formulate, devise and implement this enormous phenomenon of ‘Job’ the word! So that we actually develop the occupation and tenets of ethical ‘Job’ solutions and creations.

How do the ordinariness of the human – ever in simpleton, own this occasion of thanks and appreciations - that must be long overdue to ‘Job’? For the contact that over the ages never was severed… for the cafes of modern friendships and even caves of ancient learning that was over the ages gone by.

What does it ever matter to the modern day youths with jobs in the media fraternity? How will they ever understand the true roots of their jobs? Lost, in the vainglory of their superb employments – who packaged it all and delivered to their localities? Will not, ever, come to mind!

That should you be the head of a global entity, a national entity, an international entity where would you place your luck or pride for what you are.

Where would you begin your thinking from… if you were a thinker? I’d bet just one dollar [that I don’t have, for a million to one – you would [or should?] begin your thinking from within the fundamental holy books. Where the story of humanity begins…

This, my contemplation comes from the ‘Book of Job’! For it is understandable to me – that, humanity has this enormous task; to piece together the communications technology – which by and large, has a trendy path already achieved – what remains a mystery… are the physical torment and ailing suffering narrated in the phenomenon of ‘Job’? An inherent part of that divine conversation! A human heritage obviously! Just thinking…   

   

  

  

Personal initiative - hallmark of the Arts

Personal initiative - hallmark of the Arts!

WRITING is an art. I am a little bit dismayed, that some of the things happening in the field of ‘literary developments’ in Northern Uganda Schools, seems to be pre-designated to discourage ‘literature’ among pupils and students in Northern Uganda.

One wouldn’t envisage it otherwise! Given certain negative factors often highlighted in the newspapers.

In the ‘Daily Monitor’ report seen in this picture below, it is disturbing to note that, a Schools ‘Essay writing competition’ targeting lower education and, above all organized by ‘Bank of Uganda’, should end on such a note.

[By Cissy Makumbi – Daily Monitor Monday August 1^st, 2016 – in part reads]:

“GULU – The principal education officer at the Ministry of Education and national coordinator Essay Competition, Mr. George Mutekanga, has said District Education Officers whose schools failed to show up at the Regional Essay Competition will be subjected to disciplinary action. Mr. Mutekanga made the remarks while officiating at the regional essay competition – at the Bank of Uganda, Gulu Branch, on Wednesday…”

It is not so easily believable, that this actually happened in Gulu. The story of writing in the Acholi land Northern Uganda has very fertile roots in the personifications of these great Acholi sons, who did it all in ‘the box’ as it were; poet ‘Professor Okot p’Bitek’ rip (Song of Lawino and others), Professor Ocitti JB rip (Acholi Stories), Professor Dr. Alexander Odonga rip (Acholi Fables), Onyango KuDongo (topics on Luo) and, many others known and unknown Acholi writers, who over the many-many years, were the early generation contributors’ to ‘literary inspirations’ in the Acholi land.    

What moves me to come-out, and weigh-in on this matter, is the simple fact that – going by the little detail report I captured off the pages of the Daily Monitor – the BOU essay writing project should have been fully embraced by the local Schools.

There is certainly no ‘but you see…’ lame excuses here. I am another personification of the fertile roots of writing in the Acholi land, and I did it all outside the box! So how do Acholi pupils and students chicken out of an essay  writing competition?

I think, unfortunately, many people are not telling nothing at all… if that impress upon you anything at all! How do whole and entire regional schools be termed “Dodgers” of a Bank of Uganda essay-writing project? Where do all these proud and ‘GREAT’ fathers, sons and daughters actually materialize? If suddenly, not all their children feature on such schools creative essay writing challenges…

The finding I bumped into sometimes ago and, banked off – only to have reason to recollect it this morning, does not impress me! Nor does it challenge me either. As a writer of a researched book – all these anger me.

One S4 student recently impressed me though – donning a T-Shirt with the inscriptions [School Writing Club] – she instantly grabbed my full attention.

I was walking to Gulu town from the direction of St. Mary Hospital Lacor [my village home side], and so were a group of three or four girls. I strike conversation with the T-Shirt girl…

“I am a member of our School Writing Club because I want to become an Author” she says it so powerfully I, actually laughed and, believed her!

“What is your name?” I ask

“Jud Piyoo” came the toothy all inspired reply – we talked at length and she exhibited character and composure. I liked her straight and felt fatherly to her.

By the time we reached the Customs Corner roundabout, she had passed my basic test on reading, by narrating the “Merchant of Venice”. A child of the arts, I finally conclude and qualified her.  

How then does this Bank of Uganda schools essay writing challenge draw nothing from Gulu schools, but “Dodgers” who must be “punished?” According to the Daily Monitor piece.

“Not all that glitters are gold”! So goes an old adage.

If the story of the Gulu BOU essay ‘dodgers’ might stick, then Gulu and indeed, the sub-region as a whole has a very prickly observer – watching over its literary developments with ill intentions. Or, these might be the new signs and symptoms of a very bad disease killing formal literary developments.  

I am an Author [The Water Trap] who developed as a freelance writer – I walked [off-the box] all my reading and writing life. People who are overcome by their own achievements as [in box developed] – often downgrade me “The Water Trap – was not written by him,” they say! I was for a while psychologically reduced to nothing by the doubting Thomas’s vainglory…

Now I am all positive - these are all non-performers and breeds of the jealous – Sir Samuel Baker SS recently closed down! Some students in jail… aha ha ha… I know these are sons of very proud parents!   

I am self-published, though the Thomas’s want to belittle what I have so far achieved and accomplished, I can defend my own book anytime, anywhere… so really, whose children are the “dodgers” – and who are their bizzare teachers anyway?    Talk about pride and prejudices, in the sometimes-stark stupid fields of education in Uganda…