Lagos Na Wa! Humour abounds amid Lagos chaos:By Kieran Cooke, BBC News Nigeria

I laugh so te e after I read this article - but I no get choice but to gree with am -Lagos na real wa!!!

Eko Akete,
Ilu ogbon,
To ba duro
Ko shora...

God Did make us real speical people...

HUMOUR ABOUNDS AMID LAGOS CHAOS!

Nigeria is Africa's most populous country and has the potential to be one of the richest, but has been plagued by corruption since independence in 1960. But as our correspondent found on a visit to the sprawling city of Lagos, there's another side to life - the unfailing humour with which Nigerians confront the trials of daily living.

It happened as the aircraft was about to lift off. A muffled explosion followed by a grating, turbulent sound, rather like a dishwasher gone berserk. We were flung forward as engines were reversed, brakes slammed on.

The ornate red hat of the podgy man next to me went flying down the cabin, closely followed by a pile of newspapers, a handbag and, the most strange sight of all, a carton of washing powder.

My friend Ibim, a local journalist intent on showing me what she called "the real Nigeria" far away from Lagos, grabbed my thigh in a blood-stopping clasp. We came to a halt, slightly skewed, not far from the end of the runway.

What was most impressive about the incident at Lagos airport - besides the split second decision making of the pilot - was the behaviour of those on board.

No screams, no tears. A shrugging of shoulders - and then, chuckles and laughter.

"You see," said Ibim. "We Nigerians can take anything."

It is as if locals combat the haphazard, often frightening world they inhabit with bellyfuls of humour.

Read more at

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/6091682.stm

Lagos Na Wa!

Colombo, Not Christopher II

So what did I do at GKP IF06?

1. Attended the plenaries and heard some inspiring quotes 'Horses for Causes', donor concepts of innovation (really?)
2. Facilitated Open discussion on Issues around Sustainaibility of ICT&E Projects
3. Attended a panel on localised content
4. Met with potential partners across baord - two initiated and awaiting responses another two to be worked on in the following weeks...

Which did I gain most from?

2, 4, 1 and 3 respectively...

Colombo, Not Christopher

About the only thing that is mildly related to the ancient veteran traveller, Christopher Columbus in the city of Colombo is a few ancient British buildings peeking out of the masses of modern buildings dated for the seventies and eighties. Or maybe no relation at all read up on him.

The City of Colombo, in the Island of Sri Lanka could be mistaken for any other developing coastal nation in Africa or Latin America if simply looked upon from the surface. In truth, our major difference some rightly say is merely the color of our skin, across the globe - if we look closely enough we run the same race though differently.

So what has brought this Young Female Ajala here? I am attending my first GKP International Forum on “Creating Prosperity through Innovation: ICT at Work in Development” which refers to the multitude of innovative ways that information & communications technologies (ICT) are being applied to improve the human condition.

The GKP is the 'is the leading international multi-stakeholder network committed to harnessing the potential of information and communication technologies (ICT) for sustainable and equitable development. Ranging from grassroots practitioners to policy-makers, GKP members and partners are innovators in the practical use of ICT for development. Through GKP, governments, business and civil society organisations, share their experience, ideas, issues and solutions to unleash the potential of ICT to improve lives, reduce poverty and empower people. ' You can have a field day knowing more on this session at http://www.globalknowledge.org/internationalforum

I am here as a GKP member and will be facilitating an Open Space discussions on 'Issues around the sustainability of ICT4Education partnerships' on the 8th of May from 2:00pm. Open Space is an innovative way of facilitating communication, commitment, and action on specific topics or issues of interest among a group of participants. Topics and issues are proposed by the participants and the formation of discussion groups around the topics is on a spontaneous basis, assisted by a facilitator.

A broad range of panel's and plenaries include but is not limited to:

1. ICT in Sri Lanka
2. Redefining Context
3. ICT for Peace
4. Pioneering New Partnerships
5. Social Enterprise
6. Innovating Government
7. Cultivating Youth Social Entrepreneurs
8. Novel Content
9. Tech Devices for Development
10. Telecentre Interactive session

Will keep you posted...

Native of Nigeria,Citizen of the World

Its been awhile - I while be working a lot harder to make sure I do blog some...Headed to Tunis, Tunisia for the World Summit on the information Society...for about a week not more...will really try to keep this updated...

Enjoy...

Third Time Around: Cairo, Egypt

At GTP JKF Meeting...

Heheh e

Need to know the meaning? Go read www.globalteenager.org.

Its real hot now in Cairo but we ar ein mostly...

We have a Nile Cruise Dinner tonight...

I will Keep updating this et al as we go on.

See You Later

Dakar, Senegal: The White Walled City of Tall Ebony Humans

Hi,

I am meant to be working but in a funny mood...

1. I returned from Dakar on Friday - having changed my flight from Sunday the 24th to friday the 22nd - in good time it turns out as South African Airways decided to go on strike and flights went out of kilter et al...little mercies...Mosquito's in Senegal I have concluded are not huge, they are mutants that have specialised fangs not to bite but to just wine unceasingly in 'foreigner's ears :-) ( I discovered that in all South African Languages, there is no one word for 'stranger' - amazing)...It was my second time in Sengal and I visited the Goree Islands...and Lake Rose (which happened to be black and dirty looking when we visisted far from the advertised pinkish look...:-( But it was nice to have some time see a city I am working from for once :-)

2. Also turns out it was a good thing my trip to Egypt was shifted for me as you can read from www.bbc.co.uk on the events that just occured there...hmm...I am greatful Lord...

3. So what up with me today? I have three papers to write; I have reports to finalise and send off; I have trips to plan; I have funds to find but all I seem to have in my head is that I am irritated...

4. I leave for Egypt this weekend...for a week...okay what up?

5. I am getting a new look that I won't reveal to anyone till I see y'all in October...

6. Okay I have decided to have lunch, perk up and do my work :-)

Thank Our Father who first loved us on my Behalf.

:-)

Nairobi to Johannesburg to Limpopo to Abuja to Lagos

A motnh already?

Guess so...been around a bit since then...

All around Youth in the Information Society from ATPS/CTA to NEPAD to ITU to NCC supporting Youth in the Ifnormation Society...

Atimes I ask myself why did I do this to myself this WSIS YC facilitation thing? I get tired atimes but...

In Lagos on Leave and trying to rest and so far have kept offline till now...I need to send a list off to the ITU ortherwise :-)

Went to watch Mind Hunters (Stupid Movie) at the SilverBird Cinemas on V.I. notbad at all...

Okay got to go offline again now wil work on keepignthis up properly...enjoy oh...

Stuttgart to vienna

Yawwwwwwwwwwwwnnnnn...

I am tired this first night of the first day in June, 2005. Has it been a long day? Spent most of it bent over my laptop enrusing delivery on a draft docuemnt that has now returned to my table having morphed a new section which now has to be fleshed out in time for submission tomorrow - but I am not going to do it today.

Yup, not procastinating but have learnt that I am at my best and most creative docuemnt wise when I am not tired and practically nodding off...

So how was Stuttgart, you ask? It was restful and quiet...Walked around, met Sis. F.s colleagues, friends and got to know her apartment some. Then got hooked on Bodie Thoene...what/who is Bodie Thoene? Search google :-)

Its rasied my interest in History once again...our world is full and rich with so muchh forgotten...but a question arises in mymind that Iwill seek answers too - were there Blacks in Nazi German? Where they also classified as racially inferior? If yes not surprising, but hten who has captured thier stories, followed thorugh on what happened ot them? Questions, Questions.

I rode the train from Stuttgart to Vienna, with the serene danube River lilting next to me on the tracks...what beauty the country side, and to imagine it has seen so much, so very much.

If only forests and the earth could speak. If only we understood the language of the heavens when it thunders, then we would indeed be able to hear waht has been past upon our dear Earth.

Work which brings me to Vienna, began today with a little meeting for speakers and then a cocktail 9why on earth is it called this? We never eat tilas of no cocks :-()...Anyways, met up with far away old but familiar faces, met new ones and look sliek it will be a good netqworking session with relevant work coming forth from it.

I need to go sleep now is I am too wake up early enough to work on this docuemnt. But then woudl have to buy more Internet credit...well...will do...

Did I mention that the YC Facilitation team the other two have all of a sudden cancelled coming? Now we are trying to get someone else on to our panel so its not empty...hmmm...I love aving Plan A' to Z's ad inifinitum...

Okay,

O'daro eyin Ara.