How Gaddafi Lost His Battle For Libya

One would wonder how easily Gaddafi let go Libya after his promise that " No hostility from rebels will make me step down. I will take back MY City from these outlaws and then crush them on the streets of Libya". This statement today seemed to hold no water as the rebel forces NTC seemed to be winning the war against him. The rebels have taken all the vital cities in Libya. They are gradually taken over Tripoli. The rate at which they are going they are sure to take the whole of Libya within the next 30 days. So why and what happened to Libya's tyrant promise to hold on to mantle inspite of the rebellion commanding him to stand down.

The answer is not far fetched. On the 13th July, 2011. Gaddafi made financial commitment to some Sudannesse and Somalian Mercenaries who promised to help him take back Libya plus he gave money to a Russian Fidelio Servio Rasnokovic to supply him arms. This decision was made after a larger chunk of his military top brass officers no longer supported him and deflected to the rebel's camp to fight against him. And Realizing that his command of Libyan military and Arms have been lost to an internal mutiny within the military and without any feasible significant chance of ever surviving the rebellion with all his warfare gone and with all the arms now in possession of the rebels as well as intelligence, he resulted to external assistance.

An arrangement was made for him by his aide Saheed Husman Abeed (deceased) to meet the head of a Sudanesse Mercenaries from the North (Bashir Al Seidou Ah-him) nick named THE BARON to help him hold and stamp out the insurgency in his country. According to my source The Baron promised to help him recruit more fighters from across Niger and Somalia and he was to pay them $3,220,000usd mobilization after a successful campaign he was going to pay them the balance of $1,800,000usd.

The sum of $3,220,000usd was handed over to the Baron in Austria on the 13th July 2011 by a woman (name unknown) who was said to be head of Gaddafi's fund managers. Likewise an undisclosed sum was transferred to Fidelio for supply of arms. Fidelio made good his promise. On his way some of the ammunition were seized by NATO and some of Fidelio's men were killed in the process. As for the Baron, he merely neglected the campaign and did not return the money. For this his Aide Saheed was executed for Conspiracy against Gaddafi. My source disclosed that the reason perhaps why the baron failed to fulfill the agreement was due to the fact that Gaddafi had earlier agreed with the baron that he was going to have him supply the ammunition as well as mercenaries to fight for him. According to my source the baron wasn't happy when he learnt that the ammunition contract had been taken from him and given to Fidelio, the Russian. He had called Gaddafi that nobody does business like that and Gaddafi had discounted it with the wave of the hand

The Baron's treachery and Fidelio's arm loss to NATO buried Gaddafi's Campaign. To make matters worse, Libya foreign investment had been frozen by The UN. He had no funds to commit to his resistance or canvass any support. The locals that were loyal to him; his town's people were beginning to desert him as they feared the fate that awaits them if they are captured. So they decided to make good their escape before the rebels. get to their province. With almost 85% of Tripoli under the control of The NTC, Even Gaddafi knew it was all over.

oRACLE

dAYO pHILLIPS

"Between Obscurantism and Oblivion"

My impression on Courtenay’s “Between Untruth and Apology” on Soyinka’s “Between Truth and Indulgences”

Permit me to wade into this matter as a historical idealist , although I do not hope to rewrite the past but indeed intend to make a sound judgement or settle an apology for what I have always deemed the ‘enforced connivance’ of the slavers and slaves. Many are full of difficult expression yet with little knowledge to dissect the truth from the past for in truth, much have been said by historians that do not depict actual happenings of the Atlantic slave trade; but have successfully as commercial entrepreneur feasted on the oblivion of a primitive nature. Besides, subjective rejuvenation of a story that was not historical had been a licensed tool to haunt the minds of the likes of Wole Soyinka, hence I find it hard to throw a schmaltz at the ‘obsessed’ professor
To a large extent Courtenay, I have stumbled upon books that tell different versions (tales) of the Atlantic slave trade. From Johannes Postma, Philip D Curtin, Timothy Wells, they have all told it from different stand points, perhaps relevant to what they had witnessed yet all accounts differ.
The “enforced connivance” leaves a primary and secondary perpetrator. The west were the primary and the African leaders whose people and culture were being enslaved were the secondary. Although the west and the African leaders share a common border, what is common as human wants, hence one cannot totally absolve the African leaders of not committing crimes against their people.
In the past I had been a staunch critic of the Trans Atlantic slave trade. Perhaps then, I would have been a more abrasive candidate antagonizing Soyinka on this matter. Not that I have lost my vigour, instead I find almost all stories chronological to the time of slave trade sensitive to the state of minds and not in actual sense. Some indeed like Walter Rodney’s “How Europe Underdeveloped Africa” sounded too fictitious even as the erudite scholar managed to complement the opinionated beliefs of compounded historical tales.
Soyinka, you must understand is an iconoclast who always like a broken piece of mind would play a surreal character on the stage of comedy. I will always laugh at his disturbed genuineness. Like Okonkwo of “Things fall apart” he spits fire only to keep the world from feeling his waning embers.
Nevertheless I am quick to understand your dissatisfaction of Syinka’s polemics, logically because you see him as a traitor, I don’t know if that is good enough to suggest he is a traitor but I do know that even though he is a professor, he supports mediocrity, which is why you sometimes find toys in his hands (If you understand what I mean).
Enough of the jabbering on the ‘mindful’ Professor Courtenay let us fold our arms and hear how much we have failed from the mouth of the “GURU"

DAYO Phillips-arogbokun
©2010

Down to Earth

To think that Some banks such as Union Bank, Fin Bank and Afribank could get their MDs fired is unavoidable but for Intercontinental and Oceanic, it is quite disbelieving. If i were to rate banks in my candid and rather inexperienced statistics, I would put both Intercontinental, particularly Oceanic bank on the A list. It is indeed both painful and disappointing to know that Oceanic bank which was voted twice last year by three different institutions as Bank of the year is actually managing to stay afloat. This once again shows that what dazzles is not necessarily golden. This i believe is not limited only to the banks whose MDs are fallen, very soon more interesting and shocking revelations would unfold by the day if Sanusi keeps the torch burning and the flag flying. I hope he will not be daunted like his predecessor who saw the truth but rather allowed the camel swim. Although some people are beginning to chant a disapproval of the move taken by the gallant governor. They claim that he was being one-sided in his decision and action; that there are banks with more debts than the affected banks, yet they are untouched. This has always been the cry whenever the truth is being said in this country, even though the truth hangs against their rebuffs. Besides, Sanusi had promised us that eleven more are going under the knife soon. So that is a strong signal to the other banks who have no rhetoric in the ideal scheme of loaning their incredulous customers money. Anyway, I don't blame the 'big boys', it is generally the ways of business men. It is the duty of the bankers to cut their excesses. Imagine if you have a place you could always run to to salvage your bad business initiatives without any form of deed to bind your insatiable demand for pecuniary salvation to keep your wrecked business afloat even though it is not doing well in the market, wouldn't you rather do business with ease

Am i not rather surprised that Jimoh Ibrahim, the patriach of Transcorp and Global fleet is among the list of debtors. How about Aliko Dangote, the one time number one richest man in Africa, little did his admirers knew he was in debt than he was in riches. His brother Dantata who succeded in buying Chevron could have at least lent him some money (who knows if he too is not indebted to some banks) As for Otedola, I had a hunch A.P wasn't doing as well as it looked, (and to think that he just bought a new Airplane worth $500 million).

I do believe this is a clear instance of the problems of the elites brought to confront the fabric of the economy. Whenever a 'big boy' is doing bad in business, the banks are always there to salvage them from going under water and we ignorant observers do not know that our hard- earned money is being used to monetise the stupidity of some 'big boys' somewhere. It is indeed a dry land that needs to be watered so that the nourishmnent it deserved might once again flourish. And i believe that Sanusi is on the right path.

POTTY FINGERED SENATORS

I had promised myself that i will not be caught dead discussiing or reffering to the unresolved state of corruption in this country. however, much against my willed desire i am constrained to issue a slim statement after seeing a video of what our so called senators receive as their monthly take home salaries. It is an understatement to say that i was shocked, for indeed i almost suffered a cardiac arrest at the enormous figures mentioned as salaries of these blood sucking senators. Did you know that a senator of the federal republic of this country takes as much as these at the end of every month.

Basic salary: N2,484,242:42k (two million four hundred and eighty four thousand, two hundred and forty two naira forty two kobo).

Allowances

Wardrobe 25% of basic salary= N720,000

Recession, 10% " " = N248,000

Accomodation, 200% " " = N4.5 million

Utility 30% " " = N900,000

Domestic 75% " " = N1.2 million

Entertainment 30% " " = N900,000

P.A 25% " " = N750,000

Vehicle 75% " " = N1.2 million

Leave 10% " " = N248,000

Hardship 50% " " = N1.2 million

Furniture 300% " " = N7.2 million

Severance 300% " " = N7.2 million

Custom 250% " " = N6.2 million

all these added to the basic salary and of course some fringes and perks

Relieve them; they are yet to find…

Perhaps the Nigerian Society is yet to be delivered of a stock of youths that will reciprocate the available offers of its political institutions and incidents. Rather, only a wave of star eyed, explosive, randy, glitzy and funky youths litter and rock the floor of this inbred society. Except for some frustrated ones, in an outlandish manner, campaign their frustrations and noble background, with no exceptional output from the government. Yet the youths of this country are becoming more and more confused.

You may want to say that the teeming population of the Nigerian youths contributes largely to the corrupt practices that pervade the status quo. Do you blame them, When the only factor that could have presented them as responsible youths have been deprived them by the lack of good employment in the society. In the recent past, between the early 60s and close of the 80s, the desire to go to school was popular because there was the fine certainty of securing a fine future. Today a certain proportion of the Nigerian youths do not see the relevance of going to school. Even those who have the fixed idiosyncrasy are consciously engaged in academic malpractices. They merely dabble into. A stroll along the streets of the nation presents you with a chagrin maze of confused youths parading desultorily, smoking hashish with a configured head in expectation for a deux machine of opulence. Do you blame them, when those that preceded them have nothing to show for it but have become gladiators in the labour market, seeking a job that recedes in an apparition before them?

Nevertheless, some have been able to beat the need for education to survive. The progressive state of the music industry in the country has evolved a vibrant parvenu class of both professional and fledgling musicians all over the nation. They have opened a flood gate to address their socio-economic demands. This as well has projected Nigeria as possessing talented youths. Some of such images are Tuface, D-banj, 9ice, Durella, Timaya, P-square etc. the film industry has its impact on the youths as well. With the current pace at which Nollywood is going, it will rock the attention of the world and a craze by youngsters for the film industry as participants and schedulers is at an unprecedented spate.

What is more, the youths flagrant desires for the premiership and other European leagues show avidly that their hearts are no longer with the country. If they could have their ways, they would dump Nigeria for greener pastures. Their ways mimic in every way western values, properties and elements. You will agree that every Nigerian youth wants to become a model. Go to the higher institutions and you can bear me a witness. You will see clownish, repulsive looking ensembles that would remind you in quick flash cartoon and sometimes sardonic characters. Hence, the attention of youths is gradually being dragged away from more important issues such as political and leadership aspirations. Most seem less concerned about the frame work. They probably feel they lack the foundational strength to survive the harsh bureaucracy of political parties and subsequent party demands.

Jeffery Jackson’s description of the Nigerian youths; “a revolutionistic tendency in the future” might sound gloomy, offensive and grossly abrasive on the personality of the Nigerian youths, it however aptly defines the present nonchalant youths as a redefined and purposeful object of wind of change in the fabric of the distasteful apolitical system government the nation into what would then be known as the new Nigeria.

But today, the Nigerian youths are yet to display the propensity in taking part in the fleeting path of rediscovery for the nation, instead they find themselves more useful in criminal activities; where they indulge in credit card bunkering, telecom hacking, and internet fraud popularly known as Yahoo Yahoo boys, who incubate themselves financially on the internet.

A cursory survey carried out on youths and crime by the Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs in 2007 revealed that 70% of youths that are neither students nor graduates have an insignificant means of livelihood. In other words, they couldn’t identify a reasonable source of income. Their investigation showed that 45% claimed they do contract jobs such as marketing imported goods and other inanities, while the remaining 55% could not identify any form of job, yet they adorned themselves in very expensive clothes.

There is no doubt the government has not been fair to the country and especially its generation next. Perhaps they forget they are the future leaders of this country. Except that they have fractionalize the society into an inbreeding system of leadership, I do not conceive any other reason why they should forsake those they are meant to cater for. Like disowned children, the youths seemed to have been forgotten and discarded and they likewise are acting like one. The government has no plans for them and they have planned themselves wrongly. It is a mystified shame that the network that ought to be the most vociferous, stimulating and disciplined have become ensnared by wedlock of political anomalies. Remember the 1953 Cuban revolution, the Norwegian 1932 youth march and of course the popular Kenyan Mau Mau revolution. All these were foisted by a depressed and changes seeking youths.

Finally, I dare say that the Nigerian youths are yet to possess the much needed trait of leadership. Like the unresolved youth of Leonard Cohen’s Letter , the Nigerian youths have become rustic, complacent and impervious to the political absurdities of our fuehrer. Nevertheless, I believe that one day, like the words of Rev. Jackson, they will finally awaken from their slumber and hold tenaciously the reins of politics consciousness. The prayer is that; when they are ready to dawn a new Nigeria there would be enough left to salvage.

IT HAPPENED TO SOMEONE I KNOW CLOSELY.

I have often been perturbed by the lack of human feelings for the spiritual. Man was fused in the maze of the mind, body and spirit. interestingly we seem to be more attainable towards the former two. It is not irrational, delusional or psychologically demerit for one to be informed of the spiritual ambience and forces that revolve around our stately being. after so many confusions about the components inherent in the manufature of man, scholars have 'managed' to agree that afterall there is indeed an extention of the metaphysical in every man. Whether one has learnt its admission or relate to its generative flux, matters less for a man could either utilize his spiritual force or have it utilized for him by a fellow man who understands and could even manipulate it.

People witness several grotesque things every day and they bother not to to talk about it, for they fear they would be reserved for the senatorium. which brings me to tell this story which actually happened to a friend of mine.

I remember that very cold afternoon clearly. It had rained heavily and the weather was bitingly cold. I was in a recumbent position on my bed when he bolted into my room, sweating inspite of the freezing air about. I equally jumped at his entry, in readiness for an attack. Although my position presented a man in no state to encounter an onslaught cause I was more frightened than defensive in my posture. But when I realized it was just him and he was the cause for alarm, he was visibly shaking all over like someone who had seen a ghost. And really, he indeed had. I slid of the bed slowly watching him cautiously. I approached him the way a lion would attempt its prey, touched him. His body was surprisingly cold. I motioned him to sit down but refused, shaking his head in rejection to my gesture. I left him for a while, went into the kitchen to see if I could fix him a hot cup of tea. But before I could walk out of the room, he began talking, like a record that was remotely set off, I listened. I will be presenteing his story to you in the first person, with every detailed punctuations and references to his exact expressions

Retire not resign if you want

it is quite a story to tell about the mismatch between the country and the president that has been selected to serve it. it is indeed a wrong idea at the wrong time all together. i dare say that the only thing the country is being served with is nothingness from the whims and caprices of a jejuned mind.
when Obasanjo inserted Yaradua into the presidency, arguably did we compromise the decision perhaps because of the indiciplined method by which he got his mandate, however more to that the man is just imcopetent
In well over 2 years Mr. President (servant and savant leader) had been as redundant as his predecessor when he first took power. the difference is just that his predecessor soon assumed the post of the foreign minister while in his own case became a guinea pig under the scalpel of surgeons.
i find it perplexing when i realize the indebtedness of our leaders to failure. they are practically glued to their offices while they imitate a finely defined work of art in their offices doing nothing.
it goes against my grain at such fissure of incompetence. a popular artist once said if you can't don't do it.

STRANGE BUT TRUE

TITLE STRANGE ENCOUNTERS
AUTHOR WALE OKEDIRAN
PUBLISHER HEINEMAN
YEAR 2004
NO OF PAGES 312
REVIEWER ADEDAYO PHILLIPS AROGBOKUN



An insight into the moral decadence of the people of the northern part of Nigeria might have been evocatively presented in Okediran’s strange encounters. The book flays the criminal attitude of Nigerian police while at the same time showed the grouse and ignorant status quo of the people of the northern part of Nigeria. According to the book poverty and sleazy lifestyle coupled with grim ignorance keenly contributed to their perverse livelihood. Almost out of place is the major issue of homosexuality which out rightly laughs in the face of religion at the detriment of Christianity spiting Catholicism.

Barely touching on the political and government involvement in all these decadence, Okediran wittingly masks the foundation of these problems and went on to talk about the effect of the neglect and non effectiveness of government policies by criticizing The Nigerian police and their endless corruptible ways. The Nigerian Police had indeed been a major organ of the society which has bedeviled its every essence. It is chagrin to know that the police who are supposed to be charged with the onus of protecting the society against criminals and warring crimes have unfortunately methodically become perfect criminals. A corrupt police officer is more dangerous than the worst known civilian criminal. This is because the former is masked and the law is always on its side, choosing to punish whomever it pleases in order to achieve its aims. Okediran depicts the ugly interaction of the Police of how the innocent is punished and the guilty are set free with the face off between Dr. James Abe and the D.P.O superintendent Kuru

The response of homosexuality is a silent one in the country but with more attention to it, it will become a major motif and will begin to form major discourse at forums. Presently it is a very sensitive issue in the country because most gays are underground and do not find their sexual orientation particularly comfortable when discussed. However, Okediran took the brave initiative to address the issue but as secondary theme with Rev. Father Raleigh the culprit of social misdemeanor who sodomizes the students of St Francis. He was discovered when two students were both admitted for anus tear. This consequently led to protest from the students calling for the removal of the Rev. Father Raleigh but the principal who owes the Rev. Father a favour declined the protest and even punished the protesters. And as an act of punishment, the Rev. Father was brutally murdered with his groin scraped off


The book narrates the ordeal experienced by a young doctor, Dr. James Abe, who out of his boredom for the southern Nigeria was eager to practise his medical skills in the northern part of Nigeria.
He was posted to serve in Faith Medical Clinic which was situated in the heart of a northern town Gom, about two hundred miles from Jos. To his chagrin disbelief he discovered the depth of corruption in the town and tried hard to stall it but was constantly warned by the senior Egyptian doctor Dr. Saheed not to, because the police know of every crime in the town. Hence it will be a risk to make such attempt. An example of such is the relationship between Alhaji Adamu, the quack doctor who has repeatedly maimed and ended the lives of people. The people continue to patronize him because the hospital in the area will not carry out abortions. Those whose cases are referred to Jos by the hospital for medical attention prefer to go to Alhaji Adamu instead of embarking on the two hours journey to Jos and he continues killing them while the lucky ones are being salvaged by the hospital, yet the police conform to him. His exploit reached a climax when Kudi, the daughter of Alhaji Gidado, an influential man in the area died after an ill fated abortion

Perhaps Okediran protests the general lack of faith in foundational beliefs and institution as he presents Rev. Father Raleigh a convent priest as a gay; Sister Martha being vainly infatuated with Dr James who consequently became pregnant in that respect and Sister Castello in disguised love affair with Rev. Father Raleigh. Or he shows the police as an institution that cannot be rated equal with its responsibility. All these are evident enough to show the regrettable act of those who are supposed to be at the height of moral ethics.

The plot is well woven round the characters but it lacks a substantial attention for the setting. The time frame of the plot is not unified as the time difference between a particular scene and a corollary scene are not cohesive. For instance the time between the meeting of Dr. Abe at the mechanic shed and when they both met again in the cell is vague. This is because few scenes had taken place and not more than a week had progressed until the arrest of Dr. Abe. Perhaps the reason why the audience might fail to understand this is the lack of time communication between the author and the audience. For instance such narrative techniques that communicates time such as ‘two days later’, ‘one week after the incidence’ might have illuminated the time frame and movement.

Okediran might also have discovered a fictitious story and a fictitious setting but he did not replicate an unknown society. He gave less attention to the society which he used as the prototype. The story stands aloof from the society. He dwelled too much on the immigrants. For instance, less of muslim names were mentioned in the story, what is more not a single word in Hausa or Arabic was uttered by the limited indigenous characters. Besides, the existence of pigs in a muslim community does not behove its creativity. A direct impression of the indigenes minds were left bare and was not made manifest. For example an indigenous domestic home ought to have been created by Okediran to let the audience into the kind of orientation that pervades the society. Listening to their ideologies from the incidents that happen and Okediran’s own narratives is not convincing enough. At least the book is a novel and not a diminutive version.

Although, of infinitesimal attention, Okediran inconsistency in his narrative mentioned his main character as Dr. James Abe, James and scarcely referred to him as Dr. Abe. This caused a confusion of the subjects in the narratives as it tends to confuse the audience. The author ought to select a name by which he will refer to the characters rather than using any of his names as if he *author* is one of the characters.

Kudos must be given to him to have written so well about medical interaction and researched deeply into portable medical jargons that at required level presented the story with its quality and clarity. Also the sustained suspense indeed is worthy of applause as Okediran managed to maintain the intrigue in spite of the compacted plot. For example he managed to keep the suspense of the word homosexuality until page 230.

In succinct, strange encounters is a unified literary presentation that has opened the canker worms of a society in one fold. Gom served as a micro representation of the nation. It soon addresses the lingering ugliness caused by individualism and emotional aggression. It also like other novels that are morally themed punished all its antagonists except Alhaji Adamu whom he left in order to strike the virtual social balance between right and wrong and also to attain artistic ending.

Power? How responsible

Although many have had singular or series of definition for the concept of power, I simply find the issue rather repulsive, for as far as I can tell power here in Africa is a reign of fire and brimstone. I am not actualizing a brazen and hopeless Africa by writing this excerpt or simply being unwisely vain at the effort of some others who have over the years sacrificed their lives for the glorification of Africa and her people, instead I am reeling with discomfort the chagrin display of military might by some ignorant rebuffing leaders who take an inglorious desire at massacres and unflinching disregard for human lives.

The debate that power confers great responsibility on the possessor is unarguably dented within the perspective and orientation of some African leaders. Just when I was about to start writing this piece, a friend of mine had pointed out that the article is coming a bit short of its time, in other words, it no longer fits the contemporariness of the time. I had been a little dissuaded but being possessed by an innate desire and a psychological return which I believe had formed a catalyst on my psychic over the embattled subject matter, I felt too obliged to discuss regardless of the advice.

Before Africa became a charted region, before slavery, the world had not been static of violence and arrogant selfishness, or should I say persuasive necessity, camouflaged within the confines of the survival instinct which has made home with thousands of lives as a mightier race feels the unbecoming desire to tumble a nation, conquer it for her own glory. Needless to mention the nations involved in these atrocities, besides how many will agree with me that afterall it was a natural call that must be heeded. Like I said earlier it will not be popular for this essay, because I feel it will remove the desired applause for its wants. Today, I must say that Africa had indeed inherited that secular act and art defined as survival instinct with nations rising against one another. Only the vulnerable ones suffer and occasional defeat of the war lords after several pogroms.

An inbreeding of leaders is what we have in Africa today, such as we had in the monarhical system of government. Old presidents want their children to take over from them in power at all cost in a democratic government, the children also like the trigger of a gun is maddened with the responsibility to rise to kill any one who dares challenges. Perpetuity of leadership role by incumbents significantly cause a deluge of protests And with resistants from different quarters, rebellion becomes the near song with millions of lives hanging in the balance and fortunate ones displayed, lost forever from their homes. A pressing demand for peace keeping force lead to a harrowing and fierce battle occur with the federal, guerilla and the foreign peace keepers, even with more death. Eventually a peace talk is finalized, probably somewhere in France (France has always been the country where peace agreements are signed and sealed), and a tentative cease fire is observed with fragile peace and quiet vendetta upheld across the country. At the end of the peace talk, both warring parties sign treaty to stop the war. Question is what about the million dead. Over the years we have had millions sacrificed, killed in war both accidental and deliberately all because of some dispensable reasons which leaders find unnecessary challengeable. i need not mention these wars. i bet we all know them. it fails to fit permanently on my perception the infinite disasters that have been imbibed into the psychic

It pains one to think that those who have no hand in the spur of the war are the ones who suffer majotirty of the crimes committed during the war times. Even the harbingers either get front seat in the country they plundered over the years or get undisclosed compensation. Compensation for what? I guess compensation for smearing blood. That is the kind of trophy they receive for their callous deeds. Although some are being tried for war crimes, it is not compensating enough for what was done.

The Symphony of Religion; its piety and delusion

Perhaps soyinka irreverence for the inbred convebntional credos of the worship of God is subjective to his mind filled categorical bohemianism, for in true sense his credo of being and nothingness is an atavistic reaction against the two imported and most enshrined religions of Africa.

The book is an essay that attempts a propagation of the uniqueness of indigenous African religion much against the background of the inherited factions of religions (Christianity and Islam) that have since become popular sects of religion in Africa. Soyinka however, tries to identify the relationship between the two religions by comparing the Eucharist proclaimed by the bible and Koran with Mahapralayi of Buddhism; a return to the state of nothingness and void. To him if there could be a similitude between Buddhism -which happens to be an indigenous religious belief among the Indians- and the inherited factions of islam and Christianity, it would suggest that Buddhism is true, likewise, Africa indigenous religion which is the bed rock of African spirituality.

Soyinka informed a critical confrontation, assailing Christianity and islam as embodiments of banal fanatism and lacking constructive and accommodating culture for other religions. He avowed bitterly the complex structure of man’s tyrannical and impious attitudinal support for his beliefs. This according to the book has been attributive to the series of wars between the warring religious groups. The attempt for either religion to stifle the existence of the other has characterized them as both been passive and active violent harbingers on the polity. According to him, the two religions are not particularly worthy of the standard that befits a pious one.

The book shed light on the conceptual nature of nothingness, the rhetoric and underlying metaphors. The supercilious belief of nothingness immediately would mean worthlessness in indication of its lexical semantics; however Soyinka discerned nothingness as the origin. He gave an analogous representation of sheik Gumi’s memoable statement ‘Christianity is nothing’ using the seemingly profane statement as an elucidation of what he understands by nothingness. In the beginning was nothing, everything was void,so if Christianity could be described as nothing it should be observed as a gesture of compliment rather than derogation or profanity. One could not shun from the profundity of Soyinka in his cryptic explanation of the concept of nothingness, which forms a conflicting pulse on the conventional belief of nothingness, instead, the enlightenment provided therein should be admitted in gratitude by Christian.

Belief is a crucial phenomenon in the creation and sustenance of religion. A man who believes nothing is nothing. Perhaps Soyinka would have sounded this much better as a man who believes not in Christianity and islam is nothing. Noting Soyinka’s disgruntled perception of the foundational status quo of religion, his dialectics on the weighty incubus of beliefs contrasts against the regulation of mundane desires. The battle between man’s desire and the essential values of religion -which ultimately serve its ritualistic significance- has presented religion a substance of human inclination rather than a doctrine to be adhered with. Soyinka simulated instances by narrating the sad ordeal between the Christian community and the Islamic at the university of ibadan. A contest between both parties, on which totem would grace the religious icon of the citadel, is it the crucifix or the crescent. Painfully, both are just symbols determinant of the histories of the two and not the essential rudiment perceived in favour of good religious sects.

The book shows the significant influence of religion on secular politics, giving a crucial example of the fatal skirmish that erupted in Uttar Prudesh between the hindus and the Moslems. Conceivably, the hindus claimed that the Moslem shrine (mosque) sits on the origin of hindu the birth place of Rama. This consequently led to a clash between the two major religion of the state, which subsequently led to the fall of Mr. Singh the Prime Minster of the State. In this indication Soyinka proved that religion is biased in its fundamental doctrine which its bed rock is on piety, humility and truth. Apparently, these have been found laking in the above scenario. For soyika religion has only successfully built a cult of self preening, inbred, ostentatious power brokers whose legacies are abortive of religion fundaments

The credo of being ad nothingness berates the intolerance of religions, of course, all religions in this perspective are guilty except the African indigenous religion which according to Soyinka contains that true spiritual and communal value that trails a good religion. His dissatisfactory remark about religion especially chritianity and islam might have been foisted by the effervescent individual attempt by the two religions to stifle the sustenance of African spirituality. Perhaps a passage from the book will lend a hand of understanding.

I seize every occasion to call attention to the resilience and vibrancy of these religions; I shall do so again today, employing extracts from statements I have made before. Their validity remains unchanged and, they repeat a necessary warning against the unrepentant in this stubborn reiteration of the nothingness credo against African spirituality.

Let those who wish to retain or elevate religion as a twenty first century project feel free to do so , but let it not be done as continuation of the game of denigration against African spiritual heritage.

‘Althoh the African indigenous religion is the outset but today languishes at the outskirt, like an outcast’ (Oswald mtshalli), perhaps ‘a land owner that has since become a serf’ (Okot p bitek). These are statements in the wrks of some of africa’s literary giants. They might have shared serried minds with soyinka on the subject of the annihilation of African indigenous culture and origin.

However, wole soyinka atavism is not extreme for he recognizes to a certain elevation all religions –Islam and Christianity inclusive-

I must not be misunderstood. I extol, indeed, I partake with creative and human enlargemet, in the inherent and productive value of all religions, their monumental legacies to the world, their piety and unflagging spirit of the search for truth. I acknowledge that the wold would be a much poorer place without the phenomenon of religion.

Soyinka’s conceptual definition of godhead unifies all religions. It attributes the intrinsic quality of truth, beauty and wisdom in one fold for all religions. Hence if the definitive quality of every god head is based on this trinity –truth, beauty and wisdom-, it therefore suffices to hold that every god head is symbolic of these universal virtues.

… it will be sufficient to accept that wherever we find truth, wisdom and beauty in their purest essence, we have indeed glimpsed fundamental attributes of god head.

In spite of Soyinka’s indefatigable heralding of the concept of belief, he traced an outcome to the philosophical. What are we? Who are we? Why are we? In answering this queer qyestion, he bears an explanation of the human specie, describing the difference between the man and all other things that surround him.where the man is indirectly ‘we’ and other things the ‘otherness’. The philosophical summary therefore is that; should man be perceived worthless without his cognizance for this otherness. If so then the attributive statement such as I believe then I am should not present a man more worthy of his desired status in the society. In summary, it is not necessary for man to have a religion as that does not define man. Soyinka sees man a complete being even without the events of religion piety, economic power and political might. Therefore the ultimate definition of man should be I feel therefore I am and not any of I believe therefore I am, I produce therefore I am, I rule therefore I am.

In final, Soyinka advised that selectiveness is the key. He subtly charged individuals to pay more attention to their inward mind than be buffeted into a religion that contradicts their individual doctrines. Here Soyinka is encouraging people the way of bohemianism and heresy all together as some may conceive it. He preaches the acceptance of the indigenous African religion exalting Obatala, Odu Ifa, Orunmila.

I say to you go to the Orisa, learn from them and be wise. The religion of the Orisa does not believe in tenet, liturgy, catechism or practice

It must be mentioned here that Soyinka mitigated his passion by not mentioning other indigenous related African gods but restricted his canvass for the Yoruba mythological gods. Perhaps soyinka dose not recognize that human nature takes a systematic and gradual process in changing orientations. In simpler terms it is not easy to preach liberalism to a tortuous mind of religious background.

In all credo of being and nothingness is a revolutionary essay seeking to reestablish the lost African heritages which are being shoved into extinction by foreign beliefs, while at the same expressing disgust at the fanatical religious war that rage between the so much revered religions. He prophesized a surviving Africa if there will be reconciliation and tolerance of the indigenous African religion. He berated the excuse that African religion does not have a documentation for its survival and sustenance, arguing that such statements position Africa as a race without a history. After all, the real documentation of African history was documented from the oral performance and rendition of its sages.