Hello Caleb! This was a well thought out argument. It is true we are not just a lazy generation, looking at the strides we have set in life. Only that our culture has always prepared us to take on independence so early, (which many have misinterpreted as lack of respect for authority.) This in itself would not be a problem if there were opportunities for mentoring, inspiration and motivation to nurture this independence to a point of embracing values of synergy, collaboration and cooperation.
My point is that, because these important ingredients that would shape a character of sustaining initiatives and building upon positive trends are hard to find in most people today, we often drift into who do you think you are? After all I also made it......, Ma nya midri ya attitude.... thus many think after all I can go it alone ........ Precisely those negative challenges you mentioned (not having a proper identity -First under the Belgians then under the British Protectorate ) to becoming a labor reserve, then the years of exile and eventual political and military marginalization) have entangled part of our generation into grief, apathy and a craving for external help. They have become powerless even to cultivate, Very many now rent out land and the proceeds are used to drink, buy Mairungi and smoke. These forces have made most of them dependent and the burden of shame - low self esteem on them is very high that they lack the energy necessary for keeping hope alive and the passion to challenge the situation in which they are. Remember some of them are role models; tell me what example will the young ones emulate? For some of those who have successfully crossed the Nile they look back and feel proud, which is a normal human feeling after an achievement but my problem is instead of empathizing they sympathies so much that the image they paint of where they have come from is negative almost equally in the dark. · The burning candles should make a deliberate effort to light the others that are not such that as they burn out others keep burning and the culture of making a difference continues. · WNF needs to create linkages with existing value development and clarifying institutions like the Family, schools, the faith institutions and community development organizations to first of all understand the nature of our challenges, the opportunities, map the resources available to deal with the identified issues, lay strategies and commit ourselves to act on them. Otherwise to me NUSAF and PRDP may not do much. We need to awaken the giant sleeping in the people of west Nile, tell them it is important to dig a well before they become thirsty, they are Lu-gbara (the bold people), they have the resilience to persevere, they have and they will always stand! Kind Regards Moses Akuma Odims ________________________________ From: Caleb Alaka <[email protected]> To: A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile <[email protected]> Sent: Wed, December 1, 2010 8:36:40 AM Subject: Re: [WestNileNet] Forgotten Point Apollo, Thanks for your rejoinder. Well I did not contribute much on the issue of laziness. I have never imagined that our people are lazy. I think it is unfair for us to write off our people as a lazy bunch of people without appreciating what our people have gone through. I do not think that we are the brightest or most intelligent generation. If any thing, we inherited this intelligence from those very people who did not succeed in life like us. Historically we have been disadvantaged. From not having a proper identity (First under the Belgians then under the British Protectorate ) to becoming a labour reserve, then the years of exile and eventual political and military marginalization. Our people have suffered historical, political and legal injustices; that's why some of them developed the negative attitude towards life. Life full of lack of opportunities, lack of career guidance, lack of self esteem and self belief will breed mairungi chewers and a generation of people who think in terms of hiding their head in the sand. People who take lira lira to avoid being sober to tackle life's challenges. The sense of being inferior is not only embedded in the rural West Niler but also amongst most of our young upcoming intellectuals. That's why we as a be-cone of hope should do what Museveni did to liberate the hitherto despised Banyakole. Ours will not be through waging wars but through building the necessary capacity. through influencing policies, challenging things we believe are oppressive to our people and uniting ourselves and of course tackling poverty, illiteracy and collectively offering leadership to our people through our joint efforts. If we can challenge BAT in Courts of Law for exploiting our people, if we can stand up and spearhead education revival in West Nile and if we can intervene directly in anything affecting West Nile then there will be no lazy person in West Nile other wise to be a watchman or night guard, or to walk all over Kampala City selling brooms, papyrus mats, ground nuts and or to dig in peoples gardens for survival is not a mark of a lazy person. --- On Tue, 11/30/10, Onzoma Apollo <[email protected]> wrote: >From: Onzoma Apollo <[email protected]> >Subject: Re: [WestNileNet] Forgotten Point >To: "A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile" <[email protected]> >Date: Tuesday, November 30, 2010, 2:22 PM > > >Caleb, > >Thanks to you and the core team for all the contributions towards >the achievements so far realised by the foundation and timely update/reminder. >This, i believe will guide and streamline some of our recommendations and >comments on various discussions. At an appropriat time, we may need a thorough >understanding of the details involved and get registered. I believe it would >also be good to get the Consitutution re-circulated to members for information. > >I also want to believe that our region faces alot of challenges and for one to >conlude that most of our problems are caused by laziness as the >only major factor, then we shall have missed alot on the major issues >contributing positively or negatively to our macro-economic/development >situation/problems in the region. I agree that alot of these are concerns of >the >region that need to be addressed systematically. > >I note that the contributions through Palui, Science cafe and up coming get >together are very critical for our progress and encouraging no matter how many >people have so far been reached by such arrangements. The key coordinators of >these arrangements are highly commended for the progress so far made. Every >initial begining is important and i note that how such benefits can be spread >further are part of what will form the strategies of the foundation. > >Regards > >On Tue, Nov 30, 2010 at 10:05 AM, Caleb Alaka <[email protected]> wrote: > >Members, the certificate of incorporation was granted as a result of the >registration of the memorandum and articles of association of West Nile >Foundation as a company limited by guarantee. The Memorandum outlined the >objectives of West Nile Foundation. It was posted on the net and widely >discussed with various changes and a lot of input from Nile Care >Incorporation. >The Articles of Association which is the Constitution is the internal >regulation >of how WNF has to be run. It defines key issues including membership, >elections, >the secretariat and so many others. This document was also widely circulated >and >several amendments were made to it. Usually when people see legal documents, >they do not take keen interest to go through them save for people like Avudria >Jackson and Father Ruffino who at least always contribute to the documents. >Any >way the bottom line is we should start subscribing to WNF by way of paying our >registration fee. We have already designed membership cards. The more we run >away from this the more we shall be acting the ostrich hiding our heads in the >sand. We can appoint a care taker to oversee the process of registration and >eventually carry out elections. But as I had indicated earlier. For the sake >of >civilization let it only be the registered members who should have voting >rights >as enshrined in the Articles of Association. > >> >> >>_______________________________________________ >>WestNileNet mailing list >>[email protected] >>http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet >> >>WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ >> >>All Archives can be found at http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >> >>The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including >>attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. >>_______________________________________________ >> >> > >-----Inline Attachment Follows----- > > >_______________________________________________ >WestNileNet mailing list >[email protected] >http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet > >WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ > >All Archives can be found at http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > >The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including >attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. >_______________________________________________ >
_______________________________________________ WestNileNet mailing list [email protected] http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ All Archives can be found at http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. _______________________________________________
