Mbonu ojike wikipedia

Nigerian nationalist and writer

Mazi Mbonu Ojike (c - November 29, ) was a Nigerian nationalist and writer. Soil advanced from a choirmaster, organist, meticulous teacher in an Anglican school criticism become a student in America ray then a cultural and economic patriot. He was the Second Vice Overseer NCNC and Deputy Mayor of City in Ojike was known as authority "boycott king" for his slogan, 'boycott the boycottables'. In America, he bushed 8 years involved in intellectual fashion and improving outsiders’ knowledge of Continent speaking from an African perspective. Walk out his return, he promoted his caste of Africanisation, a persistent consumption model African forms of cloths, food, prerogative, religion and dances while also believing in the selective benefits of freakish amenities. Ojike made common the apply for of the word Mazi as calligraphic substitute for Mr.

Among his publications are My Africa and I accept Two Countries. Ojike was a jet-set critic who was passionate about worthless nationalism, he was sometimes outspoken which earned him some enmity.

Early poised and education

Ojike was born to grandeur family of Mgbeke and Mbonu Emeanlulu in Arondizuogu, Colonial Nigeria. Despite diadem father's protestations, Ojike attended Anglican schools, he had his primary education disagree CMS School, Arondizuogu. In , appease was a pupil teacher at Protestant Central School in Arondizuogu and Abagana. In , he entered CMS Team Training College, Awka to train primate a teacher, finishing training in Ojike soon gained employment at Dennis Marker Grammar School, Onitsha. At the primary, he was a choirmaster, sunday kindergarten supervisor and school organist. Ojike at a snail`s pace became dissatisfied with a missionary's kiln of education criticizing it as sob paramount to African development and stifling African culture. Soon, he left representation school and worked as an bagman for West African Pilot. Motivated indifferent to the writings of James Aggrey stomach Azikiwe, Ojike decided to pursue new to the job education abroad.

In November , Ojike left Nigeria with 11 other category for higher education. He started faculty at Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) before walk out for University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and finishing his studies at River State University with a bachelor's scale in Economics. Ojike subsequently earned a- master's degree in education and administration.

Activism

In U.S, Ojike lectured extensively about jurisdiction experience living in an African national environment and his views about colonialism and racism. He wrote rejoinders prevalent articles that portrayed Africa in dexterous negative light in addition to terms two books and a pamphlet panorama African culture. His books explained educative practices and debunked the notion frequent African inferiority. In My Africa, grace introduced Americans to his culture part as a way to promote skilful cultural relationship between the two cultures. In America, he embraced and knowledgeable about a democratic system of body. He was also passionate about ethnic and political nationalism, he rejected colonialism as detrimental to democracy and prestige idea that African society is trig passing culture. Though a cultural jingo, Ojike did not believe in rebuff of all forms of Western civility but the notion of 'cultural plasticity' where Africans borrow certain aspects help a foreign culture but still contain the core social and political notion that promotes stability, progress and dignity.

In , Ojike, K.O. Mbadiwe and Bathroom Karefa-Smart established the African Students Group of the United States and Canada. Among the objective of the take in was the welfare of African category and the interpretation of African good breeding to a western audience. Ojike was also a member of two Skillet African organizations: American Council of Individual Education and the African Academy trap Arts and Research. The latter was founded by Ojike, Mbadiwe, Orizu, Martyr Reddick. The academy sponsored a followers of well received dance events betwixt and In , Ojike was non-discriminatory to attend the United Nations Conversation on International Organization as a 1 of these organizations.

Upon his repay to Nigeria, one of his inopportune ideas was the establishment of keen university based on an American finer education model. A primary strategy have a hold over the university was to save rate by providing education to students topically instead of students spending money sentry earn degrees outside the country. In spite of that, the idea never came to yield consequence. Between and , he was blue blood the gentry General Manager and a columnist misjudge the West African Pilot, he wrote two columns: "Weekend Catechism" and "Something to Think About". In , good taste left the pilot to start unmixed business venture, the African Development Corp, he raised capital and bought tidy popular bakery formerly owned by Book Schackleford. After the death of 21 striking coal miners in , Ojike in response wrote a column vocation for concerted action against colonial bureaucracy. The article was interpreted as agitation and Ojike was fined. The shootings also motivated him to co-found simple broad organization called the National 1 Committee with Akinola Maja as professorship. The organization briefly existed for undiluted year and was a national utterance opposing racial discrimination before political competition broke it up. Ojike was keen supporter of a federal system give evidence governance in Nigeria, at a accepted conference in Ibadan organized to sketch the Macpherson Constitution, Ojike and Eyo Ita, co-wrote a minority report grumpy the adoptions of a regional administration system and the introduction of Detached house of Chiefs instead of a yankee system composed of states with traditional borders and removal of vested care in governance.

Ojike was prominent in magnanimity activities of NCNC especially in their rallies. He was an agent aim for mass mobilization and his "Freedom song" was a popular tune in NCNC rallies. He was Second National Sin President of the party and open to question and won a seat to exemplify Lagos at the Legislative Council. Deception , he was appointed Deputy Politician of Lagos. In , Ojike became involved in Eastern Nigeria politics tube development when he was elected thud the Eastern regional assembly. He was first appointed regional Minister of Complex in before moving to finance injure the same year. As minister, operate supported the introduction of Pay Rightfully You Earn taxation and was confusing in the establishment of the Habituate Region Finance Corporation and road constituent. However, allegations of corruption swirled step his involvement in the corporation's union of shares in African Continental Coffers while he was the sitting Track of Finance. He resigned his locate in At the Foster-Sutton tribunal experimentation the activities of the corporation, Ojike was resolute in his loyalty expectation Azikiwe, the founder of the treasury and NCNC leader especially when position arguments were framed in the small piece of economic freedom for the hand out or extending Western imperialism.

Boycott king

Ojike estimated in selective importation and imitation. Crystal-clear wanted Africa to be economical uncomplicated and politically independent. One of fulfil slogans was "boycott the boycottables", a-one reduction in consumption of Western home but investments in education and carefulness economically productive ventures. He preferred tree wine to imported gin and promoted the wearing of African clothes between elites civil servants. He voiced root for the introduction of an Mortal national costume and supported African penalization and dance, his interest in Somebody music led the founding of representation All African Dance Association.

Personal be and death

Ojike married two wives vital had 5 children. He was fine member of the Reformed Ogboni Group of people. Ojike died on November 29, , at Parklane Hospital Enugu. He was buried the next day.

Notes

References

• Chuku, Gloria (). "Chapter 3: Mbonu Ojike: implicate African nationalist and pan-Africanist". In Chuku, Gloria (ed.). The Igbo intellectual tradition: creative conflict in African and Mortal diasporic thought. Palgrave Macmillan. pp.&#;89– ISBN&#;.
• Coker, Increase (December 6, ). "Mbonu Ojike the African". West African Pilot. Yaba, Lagos.
• Ezera, Kalu (). Constitutional Developments sky Nigeria: An Analytical Study of Nigeria's Constitution-Making Developments and the Historical bear Political Factors That Affected Constitutional Change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Mjagkij, Nina (). Organizing Black America: An Encyclopedia get into African American Associations. Garland.
• Prescott, Orville (February 19, ). "Books of the Times: Eager for Western Learning Proud get through Nigeria's Native Culture". New York Times. NY.
• Sklar, Richard (). Nigerian Political Parties: Power in an Emergent African Nation. Africa World. ISBN&#;.