#colonial nigeria

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"Ju Ju Doctor," Border Cities Star. June 1, 1934. Page 9. ---- DR. OGUNTULA SAPARA ---- Described by Gordon Sinclair as being the most successful ju ju doctor in all West Africa; is a medical graduate of St. Thomas' hospital, London, Eng. He is shown here from a photograph which Sinclair took during his present trip to Africa.

[Pretty typically racist caricature of a fascinating person, who led the fight against smallpox and bubonic plague in Nigeria, was a leading public health figure there, was educated in Scotland and England with multiple degrees. Read more here.]

[reasonsforhope]

"When Ghana’s parliament voted to decriminalise suicide and attempted suicide in March, Prof Joseph Osafo felt a weight lift from his shoulders.

Osafo, head of psychology at the University of Ghana, had been engaged in a near 20-year battle to abolish the law – brought in by the British – which stated that anyone who attempts suicide should face imprisonment or a fine.

“It was a very good feeling. I felt like a certain burden had been removed. I was extremely elated,” he remembers. “Then the next morning, I realised we had a lot of work to do.”

Four countries decriminalised suicide in just the past year

Ghana is one of four countries to have decriminalised suicide in the past year – Malaysia, Guyana and Pakistan are the others. More could soon follow, which campaigners say is a sign of greater awareness and understanding of mental health. Kenya and Uganda have filed petitions to overturn laws and members of the UN group of Small Island Developing States have committed to decriminalise. Discussions are also being held in Nigeria and Bangladesh.

“There seems to be a domino effect taking place,” says Muhammad Ali Hasnain, a barrister from United for Global Mental Health, a group calling for decriminalisation. “As one country decriminalises suicide, others start to follow suit.”

“It is quite unusual,” adds Sarah Kline, the organisation’s chief executive. “It’s a huge sign of progress and an important step forward for the populations most at risk, as well as the countries as a whole.” ...

A large number of laws were introduced by the British during colonial rule. Suicide was decriminalised in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in the 1960s – it was never criminalised in Scotland...

The results of these punishments can be “devastating” and present “a huge barrier” to addressing the problem, says Natalie Drew, a technical officer with the mental health policy and service development team at the World Health Organization. Health experts and advocates argue that suicide should be treated as a public health issue rather than a crime.

Criminalising suicide denies people the right to access health services and discriminates against them because of something they’re experiencing, Drew adds. Research shows that in countries where suicide has been decriminalised, people can seek help for mental health and rates tend to then decline.

Next Steps

In September, the WHO is due to release a guide on decriminalising suicide for policymakers, with explanations of how countries have managed it...

“[Ghana’s decision] should have an impact on the work ongoing in other countries, especially in the Africa region,” says Osafo. Within the past couple of months, he has set up a mental health working group with representatives from about 20 African countries, and one of the biggest issues on the agenda is decriminalisation of suicide, he says. “Nigeria is active, Cameroon is active … Kenya has joined and is doing fantastic work. We have Uganda. People have been asking us how we did it.”

Since suicide was decriminalised in Malaysia last month, Anita Abu Bakar, founder and president of the Mental Illness Awareness and Support Association (Miasa), has already seen things change. Crisis response teams and helplines are expanding, and money from the mental health budget is being given to organisations who work in the community. “This is the shift we’re so happy to see,” she says. “It was such an archaic law.”

She adds: “I’m a person with lived experience. What does decriminalisation mean to people like me? We feel supported, we feel this conversation can go to a different level. Obviously decriminalisation is not the only way to prevent suicide, but it’s a big one. I’m happy for this progressive move – better late than never. I’m excited to see what happens next, not just for Malaysia but for the rest of us.”"

-via The Guardian, July 20, 2023

[notyourtoday]

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

By John Parker

Today’s most dangerous period of the push towards World War III by Western imperialism – led by U.S. imperialism, which also leads NATO – can only succeed with the participation and obedience of the former colonized and neocolonized governments and peoples.

However, the Aug. 12-13 Forgotten Peoples: International Conference to Decolonize the World" in Abuja, Nigeria, made it clear that the anti-imperialist organizations, activists, and youth in the colonized orbit will more likely become the gravediggers of the imperialists.

[nando161mando]

France to deport Sheikh Abdul Rahman Radwan to Nigeria over his criticism of the Israeli genocide in Gaza and the West's hypocrisy.

[thepeopleinpower]

Cannot bring myself to engage with this but I wanted to share some of the rhetoric I’ve been seeing. This was posted with Free Palestine tags and also pro life and anti abortion tags

They really don’t know how they sound huh

[ausetkmt]

BENIN COURT IN Museum CAPTIVITY -

[panicinthestudio]

Returning colonial looted art to its countries of origin, July 18, 2023

Colonial looted art is finally being returned to its countries of origin. But new problems lie ahead, as former colonies now fear the return of looted art may take the place of a comprehensive reparation for colonial crimes. The documentary shows how the return of looted art leads to new disputes. One example is Nigeria. In move that would’ve been considered unthinkable just a few years ago, Germany is returning a large part of the disputed Benin bronzes to Nigeria. For years, legal arguments had been made as to why the bronzes were "rightfully" in Germany despite colonial crimes. Now, however, a heightened awareness of post-colonialism moral obligations is increasingly determining action. But descendants of Nigerian slaves have criticized the terms of the return of the Benin bronzes. These cultural goods are being returned to Benin City - a center of the criminal slave trade. So is restitution being made to former perpetrators? Were too few descendants of those affected included in the restitution considerations? To whom exactly should the looted cultural treasures be returned? To nation states whose arbitrary borders are often themselves the result of colonialism? Or to the descendants of traditional cultures of origin within these states, who were once the victims of colonial encroachment? Debates about this have only just begun. What are the arguments in favor of art historian Bénédicte Savoy's "give it all back" demands? And is there merit to the warnings of ethnologist Brigitta Hauser-Schäublin, who says: "You are gambling away world heritage"? The shift in position on looted art also affects Europe. Poland and Germany, for example, are fighting over the precious manuscripts of the "Berlinka" collection in Krakow. The indigenous Samí people in the far north of Scandinavia also have justified claims for restitution - and not just to Berlin. Deutsche Welle

[dailyanarchistposts]

The origin of May Day, International Workers Day, lies in the historic fight for decent working hours that culminated in the execution of four trade unionists in Chicago, the United States, in November 1887. This was a decisive moment in the struggle for a just society through militant trade unionism. In Nigeria, May Day was first declared in 1980 by the People’s Redemption Party (PRP)-led government of the late Abubakar Rimi in Kano State.

Therefore this article draws attention to the anarchist ethos of, first, building a people’s counter culture to unravel the dominant class culture in the society and, second, building a counter-power that draws its energy from the trade unions, peasantry, the unemployed and the oppressed to change the world.

This article is concerned with reflecting on the May Day commemoration as a platform to harness the power of the working class into a counter movement for a better society. Across the world, ordinary people are faced by ecological problems, the financial crisis, massive unemployment, low wages and all sorts of oppressions and injustices. The solution does not seem to lie in more state regulation of the economy since politicians have often been part of the problem, not the solution. To understand this, we must look more closely at what the “Chicago,” or “Haymarket Martyrs” stood for — as well as the role and potential of Nigerian trade unions as a means to change society.

[helmort]

Unforgivables⭐(Friday's Tale)

In 2160, Earth underwent a profound metamorphosis. Africa, long synonymous with poverty, had transformed into a conglomerate of highly advanced nations. This rapid evolution mirrored China's ascent in 2000, establishing itself as a global powerhouse akin to old Europe. The dominant force, comprising Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, and Congo, surpassed even the modern USA in wealth and technological prowess. Amidst this paradigm shift, a scientist unveiled a revolutionary weapon, employing sub-atomic energy to instantly erase individuals across the universe by discerning their specific thoughts.

The president, envisioning global harmony, turned to Dr. Olumide Adebayo, entrusting him with the unprecedented responsibility of using the weapon for transformative purposes. Confined to an impenetrable bunker, Dr. Olumide meticulously curated a list of targets on his dark screen. Initial eliminations included global terrorists, justified by the millions of innocent lives they claimed. Extending his scope, he targeted extremists, violent offenders, thieves, murderers, pedophiles, and societal aberrations.

As time progressed, Dr. Olumide's objectives expanded to include rebels and political dissidents, all in pursuit of a tranquil world devoid of perpetual strife. Childhood scars prompted the elimination of bullies, and eventually, those who feigned love, causing widespread suffering.

His toughest decision loomed eliminating all soldiers and armies for lasting peace. Nations faced accountability, starting with the USA for oil wars and global war crimes. Historical colonialism led to the disappearance of British, Spanish, Dutch, French, Portuguese, Belgian, and Italian nations. Germany vanished, a reminder of its Second World War sins, and Israel for actions in Palestine.

Contemplating potential sources of conflict, Dr. Olumide targeted religions, starting with Muslims, then Jews, and finally, Catholics. A sense of accomplishment led him to whimsically type like a kid, "Delete all the bad people and bad things happening in the universe." His mission was accomplished.

Exiting the bunker, Dr. Adebayo confronted an eerie emptiness. His refuge stood as the lone testament to material existence post-Big Bang. In this desolate void, he contemplated immediately suicide. Yet, death, along with all experiences, had evaporated. In line with Buddhist philosophy, pleasure had led to attachment and malevolent actions, causing the obliteration of both good and bad. Condemned to eternal darkness, devoid of pleasure, pain, or any emotion, Dr. Adebayo endured an intellect suspended in a boundless void, reminiscent of a snapshot of what once constituted existence in the universe.

💀

[jccheapalier]

Exposing Africa's Part In The Slave Trade

[therealmackenson10]

Check out my latest track. Now on Spotify

“MACK- Hidden Knowledge“

Freedom, free doom, I wonder what they believed before they got on the boat. Once dripped in gold, bling from head to toe, Now we got credit cards and a right to vote.

[portal-to-the-past]

Visit the Empire - London Underground poster, 1933 // Design by Ernest Michael Dinkel

Source

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

Struggle-La Lucha's Berta Joubert-Ceci at the International Conference for the Eradication of Colonialism, held in Abuja, Nigeria, from August 12-13, 2024:

We are witnessing the deepening of a colonial process through neoliberalism by the United States in Puerto Rico that, if not stopped now, will completely displace the native population to create another entity with the substitution of our population … to the point of no return. They did it to Hawaii and Alaska. We don’t want it to happen in Borikén!

[allweknewisdead]

Things Fall Apart (1958) - Chinua Achebe

There is no story that is not true. The world has no end, and what is good among one people is an abomination with others.