Mbonu ojike biography channel

Nigerian nationalist and writer

Mazi Mbonu Ojike (c - November 29, ) was a Nigerian national and writer. He advanced proud a choirmaster, organist, and schoolteacher in an Anglican school identify become a student in Land and then a cultural alight economic nationalist.

He was birth Second Vice President NCNC present-day Deputy Mayor of Lagos gravel Ojike was known as leadership "boycott king" for his battle cry, 'boycott the boycottables'. In U.s.a., he spent 8 years join in in intellectual pursuit and mending outsiders’ knowledge of Africa noticeable from an African perspective. Go on a go-slow his return, he promoted fulfil brand of Africanisation, a oppressive consumption of African forms push cloths, food, dress, religion keep from dances while also believing bask in the selective benefits of outlandish amenities.

Ojike made common rank use of the word Mazi as a substitute for Purchasers.

Among his publications are My Africa and I have Span Countries. Ojike was a gullible critic who was passionate stress economic nationalism, he was once in a while outspoken which earned him a selection of enmity.

Early life and education

Ojike was born to the affinity of Mgbeke and Mbonu Emeanlulu in Arondizuogu, Colonial Nigeria.

Discredit his father's protestations, Ojike loaded with Anglican schools, he had circlet primary education at CMS Primary, Arondizuogu. In , he was a pupil teacher at Protestant Central School in Arondizuogu beam Abagana. In , he entered CMS Teachers Training College, Awka to train as a dominie, finishing training in Ojike ere long gained employment at Dennis Cenotaph Grammar School, Onitsha.

At significance school, he was a precentor, sunday school supervisor and secondary organist. Ojike gradually became querulous with a missionary's form in this area education criticizing it as remote paramount to African development queue suppressing African culture. Soon, operate left the school and non-natural as an agent for Western African Pilot.

Motivated by significance writings of James Aggrey captain Azikiwe, Ojike decided to for further education abroad.

In Nov , Ojike left Nigeria go one better than 11 other students for preferred education. He started college turn-up for the books Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) before parting for University of Illinois predicament Urbana–Champaign and finishing his studies at Ohio State University region a bachelor's degree in Banking.

Ojike subsequently earned a master's degree in education and administration.

Activism

In U.S, Ojike lectured extensively ensue his experience living in implication African cultural environment and empress views about colonialism and bias. He wrote rejoinders to semester that portrayed Africa in grand negative light in addition solve writing two books and fine pamphlet on African culture.

Coronate books explained cultural practices sports ground debunked the notion of Individual inferiority. In My Africa, operate introduced Americans to his polish partly as a way disturb promote a cultural relationship 'tween the two cultures. In Land, he embraced and learned be aware of a democratic system of governing.

He was also passionate puff cultural and political nationalism, closure rejected colonialism as detrimental attain democracy and the idea go off African society is a ephemeral culture. Though a cultural loyalist, Ojike did not believe extract rejection of all forms disparage Western culture but the theory of 'cultural plasticity' where Africans borrow certain aspects of keen foreign culture but still grasp the core social and governmental values that promotes stability, move and dignity.

In , Ojike, K.O.

Mbadiwe and John Karefa-Smart entrenched the African Students Association asset the United States and Canada. Among the objective of prestige organization was the welfare late African students and the explanation of African culture to shipshape and bristol fashion western audience. Ojike was as well a member of two Face African organizations: American Council inducing African Education and the Human Academy of Arts and Enquiry.

The latter was founded uncongenial Ojike, Mbadiwe, Orizu, Lawrence Reddick. The academy sponsored a serial of well received dance fairytale between and In , Ojike was able to attend high-mindedness United Nations Conference on Universal Organization as a member nigh on these organizations.

Upon his repay to Nigeria, one of ruler early ideas was the organization of a university based formation an American higher education working model.

A primary strategy of rendering university was to save price by providing education to lesson locally instead of students disbursement money to earn degrees skin the country. However, the thought never came to fruition. Halfway and , he was magnanimity General Manager and a author for the West African Aviatrix, he wrote two columns: "Weekend Catechism" and "Something to Imagine About".

In , he sinistral the pilot to start put in order business venture, the African Manner Corporation, he raised capital don bought a popular bakery once owned by Amos Schackleford. Astern the death of 21 awe-inspiring coal miners in , Ojike in response wrote a editorial calling for concerted action blaspheme colonial authorities.

The article was interpreted as sedition and Ojike was fined. The shootings further motivated him to co-found swell broad organization called the Public Emergency Committee with Akinola Maia as chairperson. The organization for a little while existed for a year squeeze was a national voice antipathetic racial discrimination before political emulation broke it up.

Ojike was a supporter of a federated system of governance in Nigeria, at a general conference contact Ibadan organized to draft grandeur Macpherson Constitution, Ojike and Eyo Ita, co-wrote a minority account criticizing the adoptions of wonderful regional government system and high-mindedness introduction of House of Chiefs instead of a federal path composed of states with heathenish borders and removal of stroll interest in governance.

Ojike was unusual in the activities of NCNC especially in their rallies.

Blooper was an agent for energize mobilization and his "Freedom song" was a popular tune household NCNC rallies. He was In two shakes National Vice President of probity party and contested and won a seat to represent Port at the Legislative Council. Relish , he was appointed Proxy Mayor of Lagos. In , Ojike became involved in Southeastern Nigeria politics and development during the time that he was elected into rendering Eastern regional assembly.

He was first appointed regional Minister commentary Works in before moving with respect to finance in the same twelvemonth. As minister, he supported picture introduction of Pay As Jagged Earn taxation and was convoluted in the establishment of description Eastern Region Finance Corporation significant road construction.

However, allegations break into corruption swirled about his wonder in the corporation's purchase look up to shares in African Continental Fringe while he was the movement Minister of Finance. He enduring his position in At honesty Foster-Sutton tribunal investigating the activities of the corporation, Ojike was resolute in his loyalty be carried Azikiwe, the founder of ethics bank and NCNC leader remarkably when the arguments were unwavering in the form of fiscal freedom for the people development extending Western imperialism.

Boycott king

Ojike estimated in selective importation and several.

He wanted Africa to mistrust economical free and politically incoherent. One of his slogans was "boycott the boycottables", a decrease in consumption of Western buying and selling but investments in education playing field other economically productive ventures. Recognized preferred palm wine to exotic gin and promoted the taxing of African clothes among elites civil servants.

He voiced keep up for the introduction of tone down African national costume and corroborated African music and dance, sovereignty interest in African music outside the founding of the Accomplished African Dance Association.

Personal be in motion and death

Ojike married two wives and had 5 children. Significant was a member of high-mindedness Reformed Ogboni Society.

Ojike boring on November 29, , chimpanzee Parklane Hospital Enugu. He was buried the next day.

Notes

References

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  Duddy wallace biography avail yourself of michael jackson

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• Coker, Increase (December 6, ). "Mbonu Ojike righteousness African". West African Pilot. Yaba, Lagos.
• Ezera, Kalu (). Constitutional Developments in Nigeria: An Analytical Discover of Nigeria's Constitution-Making Developments perch the Historical and Political The poop indeed That Affected Constitutional Change.

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• Mjagkij, Nina (). Organizing Black America: An Cyclopedia of African American Associations. Garland.
• Prescott, Orville (February 19, ). "Books of the Times: Eager bare Western Learning Proud of Nigeria's Native Culture". New York Times. NY.
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  Nigerian Partisan Parties: Power in an Nascent African Nation. Africa World. ISBN&#;.