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AN IGBO WITHOUT A MAJORITY

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The Igbo of the 21 st Century fit in either of three social classes- The Biafran , The Restructuralist , and The Democrat . Perhaps, there is another class I must have forgotten to mention- The Class-unclassified , where the bulk of Igbo youths soporifically sit, I will explain subsequently the feelings that have jointly justified the indifference amongst the Younger Igbo in their present-day community. Before we analyze these individualities, Ndigbo MUST understand that simply because one does not share the same political ideologies as you do, does not mean their opinion is garbage. Simply put, Odinaka could be a Pro-Biafran ideologist, while Ikenna, an advocate for the inseparability of Nigeria. Odinaka and Ikenna are just Igbos with dissimilar schemas. The Igbo race needs to allow more space for individuals to be entitled to their idiosyncrasies without vile disapproval. It has been over fifty years after the war and Ndigbo still suffer systematic marginalization in th...
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Understanding Sexual and Gender-based Violence (A reply to Augustus Bill)

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Tops of the day, Sir,  Firstly, I would like to acknowledge that I was undeniably exhilarated when I read your comment on my SGBV Article. I thank you for always sharing your thoughts, your encouragement keeps me going.  Sir, on your argument about the exclusion and disregarding of Nigerian women in National Politics/lack of participation by the women folk, I admit there are truths to most of what you said, but I have an argument in favor of the women (the sex I belong to).   You would agree with me that the society we belong to does not encourage women in politics, that women are given slots in several political parties to contest for free is merely theoretical. Customarily, Political gatherings usually take place at nights. I have a number of female friends working as aides. And, all of them arrive home at anomalous hours. People say that “Politics is a dirty game” and I can wholeheartedly attest that it is not a myth. Politics is so dangerous and time-consuming....
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Understanding Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV)

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As much as we define violence as “the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself or another person”. The real violence mostly perpetrated in contemporary African societies is what I like to tag as “Emotional Violence”. The term “Emotional Violence” could be used interchangeably with “Psychological abuse”. Emotional abuse could happen to anyone. This form of abuse is often characterized by a person or group of people subjecting or exposing another person to a behavior that may result in psychological trauma. Gender-based Violence (GBV) is commonly allied with the girl child. Well, it is important to note that, Gender-based Violence includes both men and women. Factually speaking, violence against women is one of the most predominant Human Right violations in the world. As you read this, an estimated one in three women have experienced physical/sexual violence in their lifetime.  Girls who are victims of these heinous acts could suffer devasta...
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The Unspeakable State of Hostels in University of Nigeria, Nsukka

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For the sake of this article, let me re-introduce myself. My name is Chisom Juanita Mefor, a 300 level undergraduate student of University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I live in Tafawa Balewa Hostel, a place students are reduced to inhuman conditions. Let me assert that everything written here  is thematic, though there are cross-references, it is wholly based on facts.                                                                       Personally, I think if Human Rights are Rights we get for being Humans, then decent accommodation should at least be Rights we get for being students. I live in Balewa Hostel, 200 series on the right wing. This hostel was built by Nnamdi Azikiwe in 1955 during the golden era, a time in which individuals who now serve as Heads of these same Institutions lived in single rooms, had acce...
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Armed Words: Totalitarianism of Igbo Marginalization (A letter from Adaigbo to Wole Balogun)

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I have delayed this article for two reasons. One- that I may come off as ill-mannered and tribalistic. Two- I may lose the little viewership that keeps me going. As matter of the former, people tend to feel a certain sense of entitlement when I write, most of whom I probably don’t even know- anonymous blog commenters. I want to assert that before being Nigerian, I am an Igbo girl, fast turning into a woman. And, if being defensive of Ndigbo (my people) makes me racist, tribalistic or bigoted, I wear that label with pride. I wrote this as a reply to an article published at the back page of Sun Newspapers on 20th October, 2018 titled Atiku/Obi ticket: S’West Igbo leader to Ndigbo: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket by Wole Balogun . In Balogun’s article, he ascertains that Ndigbo are politically unintelligent, outright unsmart by putting all their eggs in one basket. The “basket” of whom I suppose should be Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. This article is favored of neither APC nor PDP. ...
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Why Ayo should be Miss Apex Nigeria

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Ayomide Comfort Agboola is a native of Ekiti state in Nigeria. She’s a 19-year-old student of Agro-Economics in University of Abuja, Nigeria. I met Ayo in high school. To say, “I know Ayo” wouldn’t be an absolutely correct statement. I have known Ayo. I met her in SS2. For all I know, Ayo is dependable. Ayo is someone who’d be there for me rather than be elsewhere. Most recently was in August 2018, when I had so much alcohol at a friend’s place, I couldn’t exactly tell which house was mine and which wasn’t. Distance may be a barrier as they say, but never for Ayo, she was there the whole while on phone, all that was vital to her was my safety. She never left me for a second, showing up at my door very early the following morning and pleading with my parents to forgive me, almost taking the blame. I don’t know how she did it, that issue was forgotten at instant and never of spoken again. I prefer to call Ayo, a “low-maintenance friend” a friend that lets me be myself at ...
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Losing my Virginity

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Contrary to New Telegraph’s article, “Virginity isn’t something to regret losing.” I’m wholeheartedly telling you- Virginity is something you’ll regret losing if you haven’t lost it already. You may not agree with my methodologies, but the bible does, it says that soon as a man and woman join, they become one body and that’s a spiritual fact. Even the Quran condemns it. Purity and chastity may have gone out of fashion, the scriptures may be archaic, but wrong will never become right just because it is accepted by majority. Sex and intimacy are not the same thing. Dr. Patricia Love, the author of Truth About Love, writes that “a feeling of intimacy is created by a “chemical cocktail” that is produced in the brain during sex and stays with each person for up to 24 hours after intercourse.” Having sex is no guarantee that the deep emotional intimacy that everyone longs for will develop. You could be fucked and forgotten. Girls stand even greater risk to be latter. A slight sting of sol...
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