[Article Comment]Sorry Chimamanda, We Need The Single Story Of Our Failures!

emj · Oct 10, 2009 , 03:43 PM

It is an insult to the great majority of Black Africans languishing in poverty, diseases and human rights abuses to propagate good stories out of Nigeria and Black Africa. We must focus more and more on the negative stories as it is probably the only way we can survive!!

[edited]

Go watch and listen to that video again...then, and just maybe u will get the real gist of what she's on about....The Single Story...as u seem to focus more on the negatives than the positives, there are several sides to the story..she brought to the fore..or rather front burner, the other side of the story, the side most people dont get to hear about....and just so u know everyone is aware of the poor masses and their story also being told in an incorrect manner by aid groups...when u watch World Vision in action..u will come off thinking the whole of Africa is poor..and that they dont even have access to any basic infrastructure...cos they want to wipe up sentiments..so u will give more...they fail to tell the story of bad leadership being the cause of why some have to go without food, or it being the reason why some women die at child birth etc etc. They also fail to tell the story of how the western world is complacent about it all, even encouraging in a supple manner some of this so called regimes..as they still do business with them.

John, write what u need to write..dont try to ride on the back of the tiger..Chimamanda is a modern day Tiger set to go places...nuff said

Johntina · Oct 10, 2009 , 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by emj

[edited]

Go watch and listen to that video again...then, and just maybe u will get the real gist of what she's on about....The Single Story...as u seem to focus more on the negatives than the positives, there are several sides to the story..she brought to the fore..or rather front burner, the other side of the story, the side most people dont get to hear about....and just so u know everyone is aware of the poor masses and their story also being told in an incorrect manner by aid groups...when u watch World Vision in action..u will come off thinking the whole of Africa is poor..and that they dont even have access to any basic infrastructure...cos they want to wipe up sentiments..so u will give more...they fail to tell the story of bad leadership being the cause of why some have to go without food, or it being the reason why some women die at child birth etc etc. They also fail to tell the story of how the western world is complacent about it all, even encouraging in a supple manner some of this so called regimes..as they still do business with them.

John, write what u need to write..dont try to ride on the back of the tiger..Chimamanda is a modern day Tiger set to go places...nuff said

Part of our disease is blind hero worshiping and or probably over-individuation. I assume that Nigerians that come to this square are mainly those who are concerned about our situation and would like to advise that blind hero worshiping and the habit to individualise public matters and interests are part of the hallmarks of the failed Nigeria we should change.
The fact that Chimamanda is a successful writer does not make her ideas infallible!
The fact that I tried to differ does not mean that I am challenging our dear Sister's intellectual acuity. It may interest you to know that I am not aspiring to be a writer or to compete with any writer. I am more interested in thinking about the development of the Black race...
I write out of conviction not out of the desire to show my skills.
I am sorry that you did not wish to see anyone difer from Ms Adichie's views, but my interest is to convince you and others that celebrating our failures is a dangerous waste of our opportunities!
People like Ms Adichie should appreciate the fact that they are very fortunate to have had the rare opportunities which have always been denied to the great majority of Nigerians and Black Africans in general.
People like Ms Adichie should be in the vanguard of telling our ugly stories more than anyone else rather than moaning about westerners pointing out factual issues of our failures for it will probably help to change us when respectable individuals like her help to highlight more of our negative stories in our societies.
Ms Adichie must surely appreciate that it is the single story of our failure which made her successful because she not only chose to study overseas where she enjoyed the standard of education that can only be imagined in Nigeria (she did not experience ASUU strikes), but was also recognised by the western world before her Nigeria or Africa!
It should not be the place of any enlightened African to moan against the prevalence of negative stories about Africa.

John Iteshi

ikoyiesho1 · Oct 10, 2009 , 05:31 PM

lol

abdulmumin · Oct 10, 2009 , 05:38 PM

Originally Posted by Johntina

Part of our disease is blind hero worshiping and or probably over-individuation. I assume that Nigerians that come to this square are mainly those who are concerned about our situation and would like to advise that blind hero worshiping and the habit to individualise public matters and interests are part of the hallmarks of the failed Nigeria we should change.
The fact that Chimamanda is a successful writer does not make her ideas infallible!
The fact that I tried to differ does not mean that I am challenging our dear Sister's intellectual acuity. It may interest you to know that I am not aspiring to be a writer or to compete with any writer. I am more interested in thinking about the development of the Black race...
I write out of conviction not out of the desire to show my skills.
I am sorry that you did not wish to see anyone difer from Ms Adichie's views, but my interest is to convince you and others that celebrating our failures is a dangerous waste of our opportunities!
People like Ms Adichie should appreciate the fact that they are very fortunate to have had the rare opportunities which have always been denied to the great majority of Nigerians and Black Africans in general.
People like Ms Adichie should be in the vanguard of telling our ugly stories more than anyone else rather than moaning about westerners pointing out factual issues of our failures for it will probably help to change us when respectable individuals like her help to highlight more of our negative stories in our societies.
Ms Adichie must surely appreciate that it is the single story of our failure which made her successful because she not only chose to study overseas where she enjoyed the standard of education that can only be imagined in Nigeria (she did not experience ASUU strikes), but was also recognised by the western world before her Nigeria or Africa!
It should not be the place of any enlightened African to moan against the prevalence of negative stories about Africa.

John Iteshi

I feel your anger and understand it John as it is perfectly justified in the face of the scourge of war, rape and decay that typifies sub-saharan Africa. My fear is that in our fixation on this our sorry pass, we miss the little things we could still celebrate to restore some bit of our lost humanity. We miss all the essence of living when we do not do this and get consumed by the cancer of rage and despair.

emj · Oct 10, 2009 , 07:20 PM

Originally Posted by Johntina

Part of our disease is blind hero worshiping and or probably over-individuation. I assume that Nigerians that come to this square are mainly those who are concerned about our situation and would like to advise that blind hero worshiping and the habit to individualise public matters and interests are part of the hallmarks of the failed Nigeria we should change.
The fact that Chimamanda is a successful writer does not make her ideas infallible!
The fact that I tried to differ does not mean that I am challenging our dear Sister's intellectual acuity. It may interest you to know that I am not aspiring to be a writer or to compete with any writer. I am more interested in thinking about the development of the Black race...
I write out of conviction not out of the desire to show my skills.
I am sorry that you did not wish to see anyone difer from Ms Adichie's views, but my interest is to convince you and others that celebrating our failures is a dangerous waste of our opportunities!
People like Ms Adichie should appreciate the fact that they are very fortunate to have had the rare opportunities which have always been denied to the great majority of Nigerians and Black Africans in general.
People like Ms Adichie should be in the vanguard of telling our ugly stories more than anyone else rather than moaning about westerners pointing out factual issues of our failures for it will probably help to change us when respectable individuals like her help to highlight more of our negative stories in our societies.
Ms Adichie must surely appreciate that it is the single story of our failure which made her successful because she not only chose to study overseas where she enjoyed the standard of education that can only be imagined in Nigeria (she did not experience ASUU strikes), but was also recognised by the western world before her Nigeria or Africa!
It should not be the place of any enlightened African to moan against the prevalence of negative stories about Africa.

John Iteshi

Anger is more like a terminal disease.....can u please breathe in and out b4 u explain the bolded part of ur statement...it seems contradictory....methink

PS>>>.....i dont see the celebration of Chi's success as hero worship.....or shld we not toot the horn of some successes anymore....just becos our continent is still darkened by corruption and a lot of complacency?

A lot of people had to go on self exile to get the enabling environment needed for them to advance in life...shld u be angry that they did? Shld they also hang a banner of system breakdown round their neck? Everything about what is bad about Nigeria is being daily highlighted by the foreign press with some very exaggerated....i believe that's what u'll prefer.....keep em down syndrome.....be angry at everything and never see that which is good....the fact that one is a success does not mean that one had forgotten the so many failures.

PAPIG · Oct 10, 2009 , 09:52 PM

YES - WE SHOULD AND MUST WASH OUR DIRTY LINEN IN PUBLIC

Preferably using the most caustic of detergent and most certainly NOT IN A WASHING MACHINE!!

Lack of TRANSPARENCY both at village and govermental level is the REAL REASON CORRUPTION has hit EPIDEMIC and SUICIDAL PROPORTION in NIGERIA and most part of AFRICA.

An IJAW man does not want to hear that Diepreye ALAMIEYESEIGHA or Chief E K CLARK were INDICTED FOR CORRUPTION.

HAUSA-FULANI and NORTHERNERS refuse to believe that BABANGIDA AND ABACHA are COMMON THIEVES.

URHOBO people refuse to DISOWN THIEF JAMES IBORI inspite of being fully aware that HE WAS A THIEF, and STILL A THIEF AND WILL MOST CERTAINLY DIE A THIEF.

YORUBAS tolerated LAMIDI ADEDIBU AND OBASANJO knowing fully well that they are IRREDEEMABLE THIEVES and will not mention TAFA BALOGUN.

MIDDLE BELT folks are prepared to continue to celebrate SENATE PRESIDENT DAVID MARK inspite of his pedigre as a COMMON ROGUE.

What about the IGBOS, celebration of CRIMINALS like ANDY UBAH and KALU is an entrenched PAST TIME.

The EDOS will not disown common thieves like TONY ANENIH and OGBEMUDIA because they also need their men and women of timber and caliber to rival other ethnic groups.

I have only left out your ethnic group for the sake of BREVITY.

Do you still maintain that we SHOULD NOT WASH OUR DIRTY LINEN IN PUBLIC? A BEG LEF MATTERS.

tayewo12 · Oct 10, 2009 , 11:09 PM

Even Chimamanda acknowledged that the system has failed. Why do the good people of our country harbour crass patriotism? What is tantalizing about Nigeria? We are all concerned and that is why we bother. But then I cant point at one thing (take Yar adua Govt as an example) that has been realised from the 7 pointless agenda. Who is fooling who? Even Oprah, an american black (and you know how much Americans know about others - little) knows a lot is wrong with Nigeria. We have to first acknowledge that there are man made problems before we can ascend from the abyss Nigeria is presently in. Or are you confirming that Ibori, sorry, Yar adua is working?

N101 · Oct 11, 2009 , 12:21 AM

On my most recent trip to Nigeria people were asking my opinion of my experiences. I knew exactly what I thought but didn't think the "blunt" version would go down well. A friend who lives abroad and visited for the first time in six years told me how horrified he was, that Lagos was a "decaying city that had gotten worse" in that space of time. We love to boast about our achievements, yet we will always find an excuse for the state of the nation.

While the "good" stories need to be told, we also need to put those alongside the not-so-palatable ones. The reality is that, for a country with considerable wealth by comparison to many others, Nigeria's political and social systems have broken down and, in some quarters, irretrievably failed.

When you have to dash money to get every little thing done from getting married to getting past a police who's randomly stopped you or someone who's "clamping" you with a makeshift clamp, and this is considered the norm, something is wrong. People should not have to live like that. We brag on the one hand but on the other do not want anyone to address our shame which we are all too aware of.

If I were a tourist in Nigeria, being the kind of tourist I know I am, visiting VI would not be high on my list of things to do. I'd want to see how ordinary people live, and life for the ordinary Nigerian is not easy on any scale. We need to embrace and address both the good and the bad, even if it's what we - or even the world - don't want others to hear.

I Love Nigeria · Oct 11, 2009 , 02:06 AM

Distraction, a very distracting RUBBISH!

Mr. Iteshi, you displayed such a miscomprehension and I think Chimamanda's point is completely lost on you. She never said Nigeria and Africa was perfect

All nations does have stories of failures! Why do too many Nigerians/Africans prefer to wallow in the mud of denigration? Why are too many Nigerians/Africans so fatalistic?

Reading articles like Mr. Iteshi's, moves one to think that too many Africans are happier, when they are lampooned and denigrated by outsiders and by themselves! Chimamanda's point was to remind you, to think and balance things... the good, the bad and the fact of universality of virtues and vices!

Iyke · Oct 11, 2009 , 05:22 AM

Mr John, i understand your feeling on the failure of Nigeria. however Chimamanda is actually doing her little part towards restoration, namely to multiply narratives. she actually said that if you tell the same story over and over again, people may start to believe that they are made to be so. multiplying the narratives has a psychedelic effect. in other words people may start saying that actually we are not meant to be like this. they can renew the will to reaffirm the actualities of the good narratives. Kudos to her as a story teller. the question remains what of others who are not storytellers, how can they multiply the good story. Mr John over to you.

Mr John

godfather · Oct 11, 2009 , 06:31 AM

Some people just have comprehension problem or is this just an attention seeking article?!

ikoyiesho1 · Oct 11, 2009 , 10:42 AM

Attention seeking jargon..rubbish of an article..!@#$#

mathelize · Oct 11, 2009 , 03:20 PM

So we are yet to agree that the black race is dumb. John, thanks for hitting the nail on the head.

ebosocrates · Oct 11, 2009 , 09:34 PM

There is nogainsaying that Ms Chimamanda is an achiever. That talk of hers is a great speech. However, Mr. Iteshi's point is valid. Iteshi is merely telling another story - the story of Africa ravaged by corruption and avoidable misfortunes.
The facticity of poverty in Africa should not be overlooked. But should Africans do nothing in the face of Western bigotry?
Nay. That is where Chimamanda's story comes in. Remember that Mr. Iteshi condemned, not Ms Chimamanda but her opinion on thiscontentious issue. The thesis of Mr. Iteshi's work is that the over-riding story of Africa is that poverty. While Ms Chimamanda might be called a literary activist, I would like to call Mr. Iteshi a radical activist. Each has his place.
There is no doubt that the Nigerian situation has stunted a lot of potential genuises in Nigeria. Chimamanda was lucky to escape this syndrome. Her forebears paved the the way for her. As the daughter of a Deputy Vice-Chancellor and a University Registrar, she was opportuned to be facilitated a scholarship, an opportunity many a Nigerian lack. She was recognized by the West even before Africa.
The point here, is that, if the situation in Nigeria improved, she could produce a lot of Chimamandas.
Obviously Ms Chimamanda did not extend his story to this dimension in that beautiful speech. But her empathy for the suffering poor in Africa is evident in that story especially as she tells the story of Fidelis. Therefore, I round up my submission by saying that Mr. Iteshi actually recognized the danger of telling a single story and told a different story. In this, he owes his inspiration to Ms Chimamanda.
Ebo Socrates, 08064641470
www.eagleeyereports.com

Sergeant Bele · Oct 12, 2009 , 01:01 AM

N101, you are the most sensible of all the commentators so far.

I agree with John even though I might not be an extremist.

It is very difficult to see the good in a country filled with people of the idea that 'every man for himself'.

Concerning Nollywood, I would rate it 3/10 at best. Can we please strive to be more creative in this regard?

Balo · Oct 12, 2009 , 02:18 AM

Chimamanda's "talk" was about the so-called narrow perspective individuals or even groups of individuals can adopt in looking at a more complicated issue in an overly simplistic manner and not on how positively or otherwise Nigeria should be regarded.

Having said that though, I agree with the submission of many others that there are a lot more negatives about Nigeria that definitely need highlighting.

Auspicious · Oct 12, 2009 , 02:38 AM

+

Hehe!

I think I have an idea what Mr. Iteshi was trying to say. Alas, in my opinion, he lost the message to the deficiency of a veritable tool which comes almost natural for Ms. Adichie: a superb ability at communication such that, with a few simple words or analogies, your audience gets your message at the first try.

Mr. Iteshi may want to try again.

Auspicious.

Auspicious · Oct 12, 2009 , 02:50 AM

Originally Posted by ikoyiesho1

Attention seeking jargon..rubbish of an article..!@#$$

Dude (Or dudess, whichever category you fall into).

We hear you di first time, we gentle.

We hear you di second time, we still gentle.

Look, if you diaby say it a turd time, we might be forced to axe for ya koro-koro opinion (besides endless chants of "ignorance!") o, make yu nor jus' expose yasef to yawa. Ehn-hen!

Auspicious.

Balo · Oct 12, 2009 , 02:52 AM

Originally Posted by Auspicious

+

Hehe!

I think I have an idea what Mr. Iteshi was trying to say. Alas, in my opinion, he lost the message to the deficiency of a veritable tool which comes almost natural for Ms. Adichie: a superb ability at communication such that, with a few simple words or analogies, your audience gets your message at the first try.

Mr. Iteshi may want to try again.

Auspicious.

No doubt you empathise with Mr Iteshi, especially given the fact that you often come out as being similarly challenged in that respect.