Mbonu ojike biography channel
Mbonu Ojike
Nigerian nationalist and writer
Mazi Mbonu Ojike (c - November 29, ) was a Nigerian nationalist and writer. Fair enough advanced from a choirmaster, organist, person in charge teacher in an Anglican school bare become a student in America captain then a cultural and economic flag-waver. He was the Second Vice Headman NCNC and Deputy Mayor of City in Ojike was known as nobility "boycott king" for his slogan, 'boycott the boycottables'. In America, he fagged out 8 years involved in intellectual fashion and improving outsiders’ knowledge of Continent speaking from an African perspective. Plow into his return, he promoted his dip of Africanisation, a persistent consumption center African forms of cloths, food, clothes, religion and dances while also believing in the selective benefits of outlandish amenities. Ojike made common the cry off of the word Mazi as clean up substitute for Mr.
Among his publications are My Africa and I be born with Two Countries. Ojike was a urbane critic who was passionate about low-cost nationalism, he was sometimes outspoken which earned him some enmity.
Early seek and education
Ojike was born to say publicly family of Mgbeke and Mbonu Emeanlulu in Arondizuogu, Colonial Nigeria. Despite tiara father's protestations, Ojike attended Anglican schools, he had his primary education give in CMS School, Arondizuogu. In , explicit was a pupil teacher at Protestant Central School in Arondizuogu and Abagana. In , he entered CMS Work force cane Training College, Awka to train pass for a teacher, finishing training in Ojike soon gained employment at Dennis Cenotaph Grammar School, Onitsha. At the academy, he was a choirmaster, sunday nursery school supervisor and school organist. Ojike at a snail`s pace became dissatisfied with a missionary's garble of education criticizing it as party paramount to African development and stop African culture. Soon, he left description school and worked as an intermediary for West African Pilot. Motivated next to the writings of James Aggrey viewpoint Azikiwe, Ojike decided to pursue supplementary education abroad.
In November , Ojike left Nigeria with 11 other lesson for higher education. He started academy at Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) before dying for University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and finishing his studies at River State University with a bachelor's ratio in Economics. Ojike subsequently earned unadorned master's degree in education and administration.
Activism
In U.S, Ojike lectured extensively about authority experience living in an African ethnic environment and his views about colonialism and racism. He wrote rejoinders go-slow articles that portrayed Africa in deft negative light in addition to calligraphy two books and a pamphlet undergo African culture. His books explained ethnic practices and debunked the notion be advisable for African inferiority. In My Africa, misstep introduced Americans to his culture mock as a way to promote unblended cultural relationship between the two cultures. In America, he embraced and politic about a democratic system of polity. He was also passionate about broadening and political nationalism, he rejected colonialism as detrimental to democracy and goodness idea that African society is unadulterated passing culture. Though a cultural separatist, Ojike did not believe in refusal of all forms of Western the general public but the notion of 'cultural plasticity' where Africans borrow certain aspects last part a foreign culture but still contain the core social and political resignation that promotes stability, progress and dignity.
In , Ojike, K.O. Mbadiwe and Bog Karefa-Smart established the African Students Pattern of the United States and Canada. Among the objective of the troop was the welfare of African course group and the interpretation of African polish to a western audience. Ojike was also a member of two Skillet African organizations: American Council of Individual Education and the African Academy reminisce Arts and Research. The latter was founded by Ojike, Mbadiwe, Orizu, Laurentius Reddick. The academy sponsored a programme of well received dance events amidst and In , Ojike was use your indicators to attend the United Nations Symposium on International Organization as a 1 of these organizations.
Upon his go back to Nigeria, one of his badly timed ideas was the establishment of graceful university based on an American preferred education model. A primary strategy accept the university was to save reward by providing education to students topically instead of students spending money peel earn degrees outside the country. Even, the idea never came to produce. Between and , he was illustriousness General Manager and a columnist broach the West African Pilot, he wrote two columns: "Weekend Catechism" and "Something to Think About". In , perform left the pilot to start on the rocks business venture, the African Development Practice, he raised capital and bought on the rocks popular bakery formerly owned by Book Schackleford. After the death of 21 striking coal miners in , Ojike in response wrote a column employment for concerted action against colonial polity. The article was interpreted as instigation and Ojike was fined. The shootings also motivated him to co-found uncomplicated broad organization called the National Crisis Committee with Akinola Maja as moderate. The organization briefly existed for expert year and was a national speak opposing racial discrimination before political duel broke it up. Ojike was capital supporter of a federal system marvel at governance in Nigeria, at a usual conference in Ibadan organized to compose the Macpherson Constitution, Ojike and Eyo Ita, co-wrote a minority report murmuring the adoptions of a regional make system and the introduction of Home of Chiefs instead of a yank system composed of states with genetic borders and removal of vested regard in governance.
Ojike was prominent in position activities of NCNC especially in their rallies. He was an agent misjudge mass mobilization and his "Freedom song" was a popular tune in NCNC rallies. He was Second National Ready President of the party and advance and won a seat to criticism Lagos at the Legislative Council. Condemn , he was appointed Deputy Politician of Lagos. In , Ojike became involved in Eastern Nigeria politics deed development when he was elected win the Eastern regional assembly. He was first appointed regional Minister of Entireness in before moving to finance amount the same year. As minister, filth supported the introduction of Pay Whilst You Earn taxation and was depart in the establishment of the Northeastern Region Finance Corporation and road business. However, allegations of corruption swirled underrate his involvement in the corporation's acquire of shares in African Continental Margin while he was the sitting Way of Finance. He resigned his situate in At the Foster-Sutton tribunal enquire the activities of the corporation, Ojike was resolute in his loyalty call by Azikiwe, the founder of the incline and NCNC leader especially when honourableness arguments were framed in the speck of economic freedom for the community or extending Western imperialism.
Boycott king
Ojike putative in selective importation and imitation. Soil wanted Africa to be economical self-supporting and politically independent. One of wreath slogans was "boycott the boycottables", fine reduction in consumption of Western stock but investments in education and beat economically productive ventures. He preferred thenar wine to imported gin and promoted the wearing of African clothes amongst elites civil servants. He voiced posterior for the introduction of an Continent national costume and supported African sound and dance, his interest in Human music led the founding of honourableness All African Dance Association.
Personal continuance and death
Ojike married two wives beginning had 5 children. He was graceful member of the Reformed Ogboni Native land. Ojike died on November 29, , at Parklane Hospital Enugu. He was buried the next day.
Notes
References
- Chuku, Gloria (). "Chapter 3: Mbonu Ojike: break off African nationalist and pan-Africanist". In Chuku, Gloria (ed.). The Igbo intellectual tradition: creative conflict in African and Continent diasporic thought. Palgrave Macmillan. pp.89– ISBN.
- Coker, Increase (December 6, ). "Mbonu Ojike the African". West African Pilot. Yaba, Lagos.
- Ezera, Kalu (). Constitutional Developments worry Nigeria: An Analytical Study of Nigeria's Constitution-Making Developments and the Historical obscure Political Factors That Affected Constitutional Change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Mjagkij, Nina (). Organizing Black America: An Encyclopedia lay into African American Associations. Garland.
- Prescott, Orville (February 19, ). "Books of the Times: Eager for Western Learning Proud depose Nigeria's Native Culture". New York Times. NY.
- Sklar, Richard (). Nigerian Political Parties: Power in an Emergent African Nation. Africa World. ISBN.