Marketplace Blog
The Enlightened Africa
Africa, the lands striped of itself and yet still stands; the land that has experienced varying degrees of humiliation and plunder but still remains resilient; the land where experiences of pain have been turned into something even more phenomenal.
You see, Africa has had its own fair share of wars, ills, slave trades, and tragedy, but her people! Oh! Her people, have yet gathered themselves, heads held high; to stand, to build, to conquer!
The unique strength of this land, takes survival to a whole new level. You have to have experienced the highest level of pain, to have reached the enviable level of enlightenment and freedom, that Africans display.
A people of different languages, cultures, religious beliefs, held together by a stoic faith in each other that defies reasoning!
We see it in Ghana, Zambia, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Ivory Coast, and other countries. It’s visible and undeniable!
Our unique heritage, is second to none, even nature - as we know it - screams of our need to emerge, to birth, to become, to be.
We scream silently for recognition; this is seen in the loving way we create, in our decor, in our unique fabric patterns, in our handmade crafts, our organic skin care products, and our arts. These extraordinary works are gradually finding their ways into the international marketplace. Even our festivals and celebrations can now boast of international recognition.
Everything, from the texture of our hair, our gait, to our skin tones and voices, tell of our emergence.
We are and have become a people, the enlightened, not because we know or have all, but because we are a people who are - well aware of our 'Africaness' - constantly growing, learning, unlearning, and relearning.
We scream quietly “We are here, We will stay” “Yes! Look at us, We won’t hide anymore; See us, feel our uniqueness; Love us, know us”
Be us.
Be you.
Be unique.
Be African!
Wouldn’t you want to 'Be Africa'?
Think Africa! Shop Africa!! Shop Cartehub!!!
I miss home
I miss home..
I miss the shouts of welcome that greets me as I enter my father’s courtyard. My mom’s silent and yet proud gaze, speaks to me, telling me she approves of what I am becoming.
Her child.
The one who likes to push boundaries.
I miss my her.
I miss the familiar hustle and bustle that tells of a city that doesn’t sleep.
I miss home, home is in Africa.
I remember the way the harsh sun heats up my skin, with beads of sweat forming on my face, almost blinding my eyes, reminding that I am back where I Should be.
My mind remembers the humidity that comes with being home.
The air is poignant with it.
I remember.
I miss the meals, the oneness, the feeling of rightness, that comes with sharing family evening meals, our bonding time, all of us in a circle, sat on the floor, trading banters, voices raised in excitement as story after story, rolls off the tongue of each member of my family.
The nostalgia hits me, the longing hits me like, covering me like a blanket, I am sad, irritable, cranky, and filled with yearning.
I miss my home,
I miss me, you see, home is me also.
I miss the feeling of completeness that creeps in subtly in an All too familiar way that isn’t invading.
This is what home gives me and even more. I can’t explain it.
You see, it’s just there.
These feelings.
Oh. I miss the scent of musky sweaty bodies of kids playing in the open, the innocence played on their faces as they run along in careless abandon. No care in the world.
I would give anything to see that right now, but I can’t. Not just yet.
I miss home.
Home calls to me.
My Africa,
my land,
my birth place.
What wouldn’t I give to be home again?
Home beckons..
Soon.. I can’t wait.
Soon.
Nigeria Now Producing 8 Million Tons Of Rice Annually - RIFAN
Contrary to the report that says Nigeria produces 4 million tons of rice, the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) says it has established that instead, Nigeria being the largest producer of rice in Africa is producing 8 million tons of rice annually.
The RIFAN President, Aminu Goronyo who disclosed this said Nigeria has two rice farming season, in each season according him, 4 million tons of rice is produced.
He said the annual rice production of Nigeria is put at Eight million tonnes annually with twelve million farmers engaged in the production of the commodity.
Goronyo said Nigeria has no option than to put a total ban on rice importation before the end of this year.
“We have two cropping seasons of production and each season we produce an average of 4 million tons that will give you 8 million tons per annum”, Goronyo said.
He added that the association is collaborating with the federal government towards reducing the cost of production which will as well bring down the price of milled rice in the market.
“We have enough paddy in ground, the same thing with rice Millers, they have more than enough in stock, which means that we don’t need to import paddy of milled rice”, Goronyo added.
Also, Rice Millers have described smuggling as a major challenge confronting rice production and its business in the country.
The National President of Rice Millers, Muhammed Abubakar Maifata says smuggling is capable of crippling rice business in the country.
He appealed to Nigerian Customs and other security Agencies to come out with other strategies that will address the menace.
“Smuggling is our major challenge, rice keep on coming through land borders despite the fact that government has banned importation through land borders”, Maifata says.
--Curlled from https://allafrica.com.
