PROVERBS, IDIOMS AND SAYINGS

I find proverbs, idioms and sayings good, fascinating and interesting. They always make me ponder. In Africa knowledge wasn’t usually transmitted in written form, we had stories, proverbs, idioms and sayings. The young would learn them while sitting round a fire in the evening, a way they entertained themselves and an opportunity the old and the young had to interact as well. Do we remember/ or ever heard the saying, ‘you harvest what you plant’, If you plant good, you reap good, evil you get evil, love you get love. I want to believe this is how the cycle of life is. For instance, what do we understand by, loving ones neighbor as yourself, or its negative version don’t do to others what you would not like them to do to you? When love is allowed to flourish, violence or discrimination will be unheard of, peace and harmony reigns. It’s bliss, right?

Our environment works in a similar way, you give it love and it gives love in return. I can;t help think when we last took time to think of the tree outside our homes/ neighborhoods or that leafy fence, or the grass outside our houses. When did we last take time to think of its benefits to us? Have we lost connection with nature?  Or maybe forgotten that our survival is entirely dependent on its flora and fauna, air and water? We are fed, slaked and supported by nature but we hardly put this into thought during our day to day hustles. Capitalism dates back in 16^th century England in what was known as agrarian capitalism that later developed to mercantilism through the 17^th and 18^th century, then to today’s capitalism, where public and political interests have become more individualistic rather than a collectivist (community) concern. It generally thrives on profits gotten from nature's raw materials inform of what we call goods and services (such as wood, iron, natural gases, the oil industry e.t.c). Its individualistic nature has fashioned a need to accumulate more profit creating an environment of competitors amassing significant quantities of raw materials for profit. This has resulted to over mining, over fishing, deforestation, increase in carbon emissions, negative technological advancements- such as cancerous pesticides and so on. A tendency to save for more profit also develops, leading to cuts in production costs through cheap packaging in the name of plastics resulting to environmental ruins such as the Great Pacific garbage (a heap gyre trash- pelagic plastics, chemical sludge and other debris) in the central North Pacific Ocean, that is the size of Texas State, USA 

Data from the World Bank indicates that carbon emission rose from 34.65 million kt in 2011 to 3.863 billion kt in 2014 in urban areas, that’s 11, 000 times more since 2011. Climate change is real and its not just hitting western nations and Asia. There is change in temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns, rising sea levels, and more frequent weather-related disasters in Sub- Saharan Africa and other developing regions. In Ada foah, Ghana, communities are losing land due to increases in sea levels, creating unemployment and poverty as there livelihoods are literally going under water. The elderly, are the most affected, since they don't have the strength to migrate to other regions to seek a livelihood. It has created urban migrants of climate change and not just unemployment like we know. Forty percent of West Africa’s population leaves in coastal cities and are threatened by sea level rise. Daadab refugee camp in Kenya on the other hand hosts a tent city of climate change refugees (caused by droughts in Somalia) and not just war or persecution. Between 2010- 2012, it was estimated that 260, 000 Somalis died of famine.

Lake Turkana region in Kenya, a region with one of the most fertile soils in the country, used to experience Long rains in the months of March, April and August and short rains in the month of December. Today the area receives light showers only once in two years. In 1973 the lake extended to as far as Ethiopia but has shrank tremendously into Kenya since 2010. The world's largest permanent desert and alkaline lake is shrinking due to long spells of drought (the blockage of the Omo river by the Ethiopian government through its Hydro- dam constructions is also a contributor), leaving communities dwelling around the lake who heavily depend on it and it's the aquatic life without a livelihood. This has caused tensions between the Turkana community of Northern Kenya and the Ethiopian Merilles community. Lets remember that tens of millions of Africans rely on the threatened fishing industry for their livelihoods.

 Nature doesn’t increase or loose the speed it takes to heal and rejuvenate like we human beings do, nature has patience. We are cutting our trees, killing wildlife and exhausting our resources so fast in the name of global economic growth that grew at only 3.8 percent in 2014 and yet we have a soaring global poverty index, with more than a third of the world’s population living in poverty. The human race isn’t the only specie on this planet, we have a cycle of life and we all know about it. Climate change is causing war, immigration, poverty, disease and death.  We need to start taking care of our environment or we will extinct ourselves just like we are doing to our nature and animals. Time for action is now, let us not wait for the political class, civil society or any other group to bring this change, Start community initiatives towards a better earth or support like initiatives such as the Kikapu campaign by the Myndz community, Wangari Mathaai once said that is very important for young people not to be afraid of engaging in areas that are not common to the youth. We need to get involved in local activities, in local initiatives, in leadership positions for we can’t learn unless we are involved. And if we make mistakes it’s fine, we all make mistakes and we learn from those mistakes. We gain confidence from learning, failing and rising again. The changes we are experiencing from nature today, are human made disaster and not natural disasters. Across Africa climate change intensifies resulting to farming and drought, poverty and increasing conflicts. It's real. The Turkana of Kenya have an idiom that goes like, ‘it will never end like a lake’ (Ans. L. Turkana). Is this idiom losing its meaning?

“The environment and the economy are really both two sides of the same coin. You cannot sustain the economy if you don’t take care of the environment because we know that the resources that we use whether it is oil, energy, land … all of these are the basis in which development happens. And development is what we say generates a good economy and puts money in our pockets. If we cannot sustain the environment, we can’t not sustain ourselves.”

Wangari Mathaai.

The Kikapu Campaign: https://kikapucampaign.wordpress.com/ 

THANK YOU LAGOS, NIGERIA.

What can I say about this land? I found it one filled with beautiful people, men, women, and the children. A buzzing community full of energy and vigor. A place full of beautiful culture, full of spirituality such as Christianity, Islam to African traditional religion. It’s a wealthy country and Africa’s biggest economy with a nominal GDP of 568.508 billion dollars. I’m not saying its utopia. It has its flows, its imperfection. Just like in any country in Africa, the country’s resources only benefit a small percentage of the society, corruption is the norm of the day, there are laws that criminalize you for being who you are, there is inequality amongst sexes, and a majority part of the youth is unemployed. So Lagos isn’t perfect. But I saw beauty in Nigeria, I saw it through its people.

In Lagos, I saw young Africa respecting the elderly in a true African way- not only from their actions but also through their attitudes, it radiated when they spoke, when they greeted them- I guess you could say that I could feel the energy coming from it.  I was amazed by the connection between the elderly and the young, it’s a strong bond- something rare in society today. I saw three different sides of Lagos, Lagos Island- the Central Business District. Victoria Island, where the rich and elite reside in beautiful homes that I gazed at in rapt silence. Then Lagos mainland, Jibowu, the humble side of the Mega- city, it was beautiful and special to me, I got to experience the real, true and honest Nigeria. I met beautiful and different individuals. Individuals who told me there experience as Nigerians, its culture, beauties and pain. It made me love Africa more, love my culture and my African roots. It made me conscious of who I am, my land, my people and my history as African. I stayed at the AHI residence, it was comfortable and cozy. I felt safe there despite being in a foreign land, I knew there was acceptance, tolerance and love at the residence, just what the African culture teaches us. Like we like to say in East Africa, ‘Hakuna matata’. I made friends both in class and at the residence. I'm writing to let you know that I learnt a lot from all of you and that I'm thankful.

The cook who always said good morning and would inquire if the food was to our liking or if the pepper was too much. Mary, the hostess at the restaurant, you called every morning just to let me know that breakfast was ready and if I never showed up just to ask if I was well. William and Monday the hosts who said hallo with a warm smile before breakfast. Charity and colleague, the receptionists who always made conversation when I picked my room card and I’d end up forgetting anything discouraging I probably had heard that day, thank you. The lady who served us 11 am snacks and tea after class with a traditional Nigerian bend and smile, that was refreshing. Mr. Augustine and the whole house keeping team, thank you for cleaning my room, making my bed and for making sure I had enough lotion and shampoo. Mr. Barnabas, the driver, thank you for driving us around Lagos, allowing me to see the diversity in Nigeria. Thank you again.

To the Nigerian SLDF fellows team, Olufunke, a beautiful soul I met, there were little things you did or said unknowing that reminded me of the little beauties of life, like a baby’s smile. Ayodele, my Nigerian mother who would call to inquire of my well- being if she failed to make to class, I celebrate you as a woman and mother. Elizabeth the ever radiant beautiful, pregnant and energetic lady, may your child make you a happy mother. Dr. Esther- miss curvy babe- You are curvy, and I hope to see you in Washington in 2016. Prince, you were nice and kind to us- thank you for an amazing night out. My secret friend Catherine who always spoke sense and reality, thank you for building more insight in me. Cynthia an amazing lawyer- with an incredible mind and beautiful family- power to the women’s movement! Utah, a dancer who told me it’s okay to be me and be confident, thank you, those words will always be treasured. Adeola, 'wewe!' I don’t know what to say! You were warm towards us, took your time with us. Told us about Nigeria. Was curious about our Kenyan culture. Thank you. You are strong and independent. Thank you for teaching me some pidgin English- which I still find amusing. May you find kindness in people just as you showed it to us anywhere in the world you travel and 'Karibu' Kenya. 

Finally to the facilitators at the Action Health Incorporated, Lagos, Mrs. Iheoma Obibi, for an interesting Sexual Education class, I enjoyed it. Dr. Chima, thank you for expanding my knowledge and my understanding around sexuality. I’m more aware of myself and my sexual health and not embarrassed to talk about it. I plan to pass this lessons to others for better sexual health in Africa. I find it interesting also that you sat down and took time to write an entire article on the penis- which I’m yet to read. Dr. Uwemedimo Essiet, thank you for making me understand how sexuality and spirituality relate and to Mrs. Adenike Essiet for making sex normal and not the elephant in the room by talking about it as a mother, woman, educator and feminist. Thank you Lagos, Nigeria.

HIV, RELIGION AND MY AFRICAN ROOTS

 The Swahili saying ‘mwacha mila ni mtumwa’ - meaning he who leaves/ forgets his culture is a slave- sure speaks truth. What is culture? To me it refers to that unifying characteristic and at times features that a group of people share dependent upon our capacity as a people to learn and passing the same to succeeding generations. Religion is part of culture, every culture has a belief in a being higher than they, and this forms a major aspect of culture. Are we forgetting our culture as Africans whatsoever our religious background? Are we paying for this?

The HIV/ AIDS epidemic has been around for more than a decade now, with roughly 70% of the people living with it in Sub- Saharan Africa- which only hosts 13% of the global population. In 2007, it was estimated that 33.2 million people were HIIV positive, and that a total of 2.1 million were killed by the disease, including 330, 000 children. Over three- quarters of this deaths occurred in Sub- Saharan Africa. Kenya’s National Aids Control council (NACC) published a report showing that 435, 225 adolescents (ages 10 to 19) are living with HIV while another 119, 899 have the virus but haven’t been identified yet which resulted to 7, 500 adolescent death in 2014 due to delayed treatment. Additionally, the report indicates that annual infection among adolescent is 5% higher than that of mother to child transmission unlike preceding years. These figures are majorly attributed to early sexual encounters. It is estimated that 20% of the Kenyan youth (ages 15-24) had their first sexual experience before their 15^th birthday.

In religion sexuality is seen as a scared, natural and a God given phenomenon whether in Christianity, Muslim, Buddhism, Hinduism or African Traditional Religion. In many African communities, sex education was passed through informal education when one got to puberty- which was the initiation stage and the stage which one was welcomed into the community. It was both a family and community affair and grandparents, aunts and uncles would be involved in passing sexual education to teenagers. Sexual discipline was maintained through elaborate parental and societal guidance and supervision. In the Iteso community of Kenya who despite not having physical circumcision, adolescents would visit their older respectable relatives who took it upon themselves to take them through sex education. Christianity also views sex as scared and spiritual, for both unitive and procreative purposes. The bible sees it as a connection of two into one, just like the Trinity, a sacred connection. Sex was talked about in the Jewish culture. The songs of Solomon is an example in the bible. In Muslim sex is seen as one of the human instincts and its satisfaction as theological and legitimate. And this is so in other religious cultures.

Today religion, has made sex abnormal. It’s no longer viewed as a scared venture where two come together in union and connection even by our religious leaders and institutions. It’s the elephant in the room that no one wants to engage. When sex is treated as abnormal we stop talking about it and one of the outcomes of a society that doesn’t talk about sex is disobedience (Debby Herbenic- research scientist, professor, educator, human sexuality expert…). Which is evident in Kenya’s society today, like the 500 minors found participating in a group sex orgy or the 15 boys from Embu High school who were found sleeping in St Marys Gachoka girl’s dorm in early November 2014. Today, having sex is natural but talking about it isn’t. Teenagers are sexually active, do we know if they are practicing it safe? Do they understand what comes with it? And is the community talking about this?

When we don’t talk about it as a society, as the church, the mosque, the temple or any other institution and more so as parents, the internet and media will and this is where they will find this information. When we don’t talk about sex, people tend to say inaccurate information, we then don’t know what’s true about sex since we don’t talk about it. And this inaccurate information takes away its purpose and beauty, ending up with 435, 225 HIV infected adolescents while another 119, 899 having the virus but not identified resulting to 7, 500 adolescent deaths over and over again. When sexually transmitted infections are mapped, it tends to cluster in areas where sex education lacks. The Umma in the Muslim community, for instance, is responsible for giving sexual education to followers and some modern Islamic movements organizing seminars and workshops on sex education for their members, not surprisingly, areas that have a predominate Muslim population tend to have low HIV prevalence such as Mandera, Garissa, Isiolo. Lamu or Wanjir in Kenya. They talk about sex.

If we make sex abnormal we don’t talk about it and preceding generations will not as well, as a result they will not talk about their sexual experiences or changes happening to them since there is no one comfortable with the topic, someone sex positive, someone willing to listen to them. If we want to achieve target 3.3 of the Sustainable Development Goals, we need to talk about sex as a community, as religious institutions and as parents. Let’s not be hypocritical, this are our own health we are advocating for and for those after us. To religious institutions, organizations and parents who have already taken the initiative, thank you for breaking the silence and for making sex normal. And as we talk about sex let's not discriminate giving this education on basis of sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, we need to be inclusive. We shouldn’t forget our culture as Africans and the responsibilities placed on us by it, he who leaves or forgets his culture is a slave.