Reflections 2.10

Yesterday, I visited the Lion’s Park in the outskirts of Johannesburg. Approximately 30 minutes drive (most of it on a road called Malinbongwe Drive).

The experience was both eye popping and exhilarating.

It was closest I have seen and been with wild beasts in their natural habitat – and except I decide a PhD in the science of wild mammals that may the closest I will ever be to wild beasts in their natural habitat.

At the lion’s park the environment was as close to the wild as possible – the animals were set up in camps with gates and wire fencing around each camp and free roaming as would have been possible in a jungle is restricted to the camps. Also restricted or totally impossible is the usual territorial wars amongst lions and the subsequent mass murder of the losers offsprings (the new lord usually does not want to have anything to do with the defeated lion except for his wives (lioness) which are the only spoils besides the jungle that the new lord takes on as part of the benefits of war- something about the Lion’s pride)  thus the life expectancy of the Lions in the park is higher than that of a typical lion in the Jungle – I was introduced to a 19 year old Lion (forgive me, I have forgotten his name).

Many things came to live for me.

• The ‘regalness’ of the King of the Jungle;
• The stupidity of the Ostrich (whose eyeballs are bigger than its brain) and;
• Role reversal of conception and delivery of offsprings in some birds and mammals – forgive again if I should have learnt those in my biology classes amongst others!

The lion’s park strikes me as some tourist attraction like many others like it around (Rhino and Lion Park, Craddle of Humanity, Kruger National Park etc) contributing in many ways to the economy of south Africa.

Even if some of those sites were naturally occurring, like our Olumo rock, the Ikogosi Springs and it is clear that their preservation were deliberate.

My home country does not lack natural occuring sites (the Olumo Rock,Ikogosi spring), heritage sites (Osun groove) and jungles that can be set up as parks – (until the churches came, the Lagos Ibadan express road was fenced on both sides by jungle). But we perhaps are not interested in the multiple soci-economic opportunities deliberately developing these can bring to us, we are too blinded by our love of the liquid gold.

For me yesterday was another eye opener!

Foot note

I was at the University Ibadan Zoo in 2005 – mention the word zoo in Nigeria and those of us born n the 80s think about the UI zoo, that is the only thing we know as Zoo – and most of the animals were either dead or have absolutely lost hope in life. There were more plaques in memory of great animals that once made the zoo thick and in some cases stuffed remains of such animals than were real animals.

As the fire laden balls of water hit my back, I feel the tired muscles in my back untense. And the the ladder laden water wash down my face, away with it the tension of the day going past, giving me another opportunity to start again refreshed in another 24 hour cycle.

I am grateful for the invention of the shower!

Dear Sir,

It was shocking-very shocking-to learn of your demise last night.

Whilst I join others to wish you a safe trip to your next destination, I can not help but wonder how in humane man can be. I remember clearly how they flew you in (though we still have doubt you were on that flight) and smuggled you into Aso Rock even though Aso Rock did not provide the life sustaining medical equipments you needed.

I also remember how they wickedly rouse you from sweet (and possibly healing) coma to make you sign the 2010 Appropriation Bill (that I guess is the name for the annual budget). My friends here thinks i should not have been suprised at the inhuman treatments you suffered from your wife, aides and close allies in your last five months on earth, they argue that you have always been a subject of such treatment, at least they argued, you were forced against your will to contest the 2007 elections (and made to cu short your well needed medical pilgrimages to Germany during the campaign).

Sir, so long since we met – actually since I met you – sad we will no longer hear from you, but please do keep in touch with members of the various cabals ruining our nation and remind them sir of their mortality as humans…please share with them tales from where you are, perhaps they may have a change of heart and allow us common people (I don’t know what that really means) have the Nigeria we desire and deserve!

All the best in your new endeavours.

All the best,

Some concerned Nigerian

I have found many ways to do things other than the traditional approach.

One is that though I still have the latest (may be not exactly latest) edition of the Oxford’s advanced learner’s dictionary sitting somewhere on my book case, I have not opened my trusted lexicological friend of many years in months. Read the rest of this entry »

Written originally on Monday 30supth/sup November 2009
I hate to get unnecessarily emotional, but learning earlier today the President’s ailing health took a worse turn and as such has postponed his return from Saudi Arabia indefinitely was/is scary.
Last Thursday’s rumour of his death is the second in one year. The first being earlier this year when there were no official releases as to where he was or what was happening to him –after he refused to return on time from the lesser hajj, the lesser hajj in itself is critiques stated was a mere cover up. People were forced to speculate and it did not take long for rumours to circulate he was dead. A broadcast media (a TV station) was fingered and punished by the state for igniting a search for the President’s true status then. Read the rest of this entry »