Conversation with Nandip Bongfa Vongwap on Nigeria Coronavirus.

Interviewer: Scott Douglas Jacobsen

Interviewee: Nandip Bongfa Vongwap

Numbering: Issue 1.A, Idea: African Freethinking

Place of Publication: Langley, British Columbia, Canada

Title: African Freethinker

Web Domain: http://www.in-sightjournal.com

Individual Publication Date: April 17, 2020

Issue Publication Date: TBD

Name of Publisher: In-Sight Publishing

Frequency: Three Times Per Year

Words: 949

Keywords: Africa, atheism, coronavirus, culture, humanism, Nandip Bongfa Vongwap, Nigeria.

Conversation with Nandip Bongfa Vongwap on Nigeria Under Coronavirus[1]^,[2]

Scott Douglas Jacobsen: Let’s start with some updates on the Nigerian political context. How are things developing despite the coronavirus?

Nandip Bongfa Vongwap: I think the Nigerian political climate is much less affected by coronavirus than the economic climate, though it’s often difficult to disentangle the two. Businesses have come to a virtual standstill in many parts of the country. But overall, I think Government approach to the pandemic (particularly pumping huge sums of money into the programme) seems to be well received by the public.

Jacobsen: How are some of the religious communities in Nigeria reacting to the coronavirus?

Vongwap: Religious community leaders seem to have displayed some ambivalence about the lockdown imposed by Government, perhaps because they are losing weekly tithes! But Government has made it mandatory for everyone to comply.

And some religious leaders, especially the Muslims in northern Nigeria, don’t believe that the coronavirus is real. One imam told his followers at a prayer meeting that the virus is not real, and is the work of the infidel West to stop Muslims in the world from praying to Allah.

To make matter worse, one of the youth in Kano northern Nigeria washed his dirty hands and drank the dirty water to prove what the imam was saying is true. The youth speaks in the Hausa language that coronavirus is not real; that coronavirus is a bastard; the video went viral on social media.

Nigerian Doctor Reacts To A Viral Video Of A Northerner Youth In Kano.

Another aspect is the lockdown, which is making people sleep without eating any food. People are hungry. Some people have nothing to eat, the government palliative did not go around; some officials sharing the food and sometimes mone. They only select their friends, relatives, and party members that benefit from it.

Jacobsen: What have been some of the public health measures endorsed by the state? How have some religious communities completely ignored this?

Vongwap: There is a total lockdown in some states (Lagos, Ogun, FCT, Plateau, etc.). The government has established testing and isolation/treatment facilities in many parts of the country; through extensive media dissemination, it encourages the wearing of face masks and social distancing among the populace.

Churches and mosque have also in lockdown, the Christians community are very obedient in obeying the government lockdown order, but the Muslims are not showing much interest by obeying the order from the government. In fact, some state government lifted the lockdown to allow Muslims to go and pray in the mosque on Fridays.

Jacobsen: How have your perspectives change in the last year or so on religion, science, and Humanism?

Vongwap: Coronavirus has not changed MY perspective on religion, science and humanism. I remain resolutely opposed to any form of religious superstition and see science as Man’s ultimate salvation.

Religion has completely closed their market for fear of the dead, because religion is a business, without people to give offering, pay tithe and donations, organized religion could have been long dead. The Vatican is closed, Mecca is closed, Jerusalem for Christian pilgrims is also closed. The only place that is open for humanity is the hospital, and the hospital is the product of science. You can see: science rules the world.

The religious leaders are waiting patiently for the scientist to get the cure for the deadly coronavirus. They would rush to claim that it is God or Allah that provided the cure, because there is this popular saying here in northern Nigeria in the Hausa language that “Allah bazaya haiko da chuta ba, be haiko da magane sa ba” meaning, ‘God can not send a plague to his people without the cure.’

Jacobsen: What are some of the developments important to highlight about the secular communities now?

Vongwap: Officially in Nigeria, secularism is only honoured in its breach, despite a constitutional provision imposing it on the country. I don’t think the present circumstances would incline diehard believers to change their minds to secularism. Still, many youths are increasingly embracing humanism.

Jacobsen: What is African freethinking to you? How does this provide a salve for the issues confronting African citizens throughout the continent in terms of the abuses of power and the rebuilding after Arab-Muslim and Christian-European colonization?

Vongwap:  African freethinking is still in the making; as more and more Africans get exposed to the world through travel, education and the Internet, they will surely move with the tide of secularism and humanism. That’s my hope.

Jacobsen: Thank you for the opportunity and your time, Nandip.

Vongwap: Thank you. 

Appendix I: Footnotes

[1] Board Member, Humanist Association of Nigeria (HAN); Board Member, Atheists Society of Nigeria (ASN).

[2] Individual Publication Date: April 17, 2020: http://www.in-sightjournal.com/vongwap-jacobsen.

Chat with Nandip Andrew — Executive Committee Member, Western African Regional Representative. African Working Group AFWG International Humanist and Ethical Youth Organization IHEYOScott Douglas JacobsenScott Douglas JacobsenMar 27, 2018 ·

Chat with Nandip Andrew — Executive Committee Member, Western African Regional Representative. African Working Group AFWG International Humanist and Ethical Youth Organization IHEYO

Scott Douglas Jacobsen

Scott Douglas Jacobsen

Mar 27, 2018 · 

Scott Douglas Jacobsen: How did you find the humanist movement in Nigeria?

Nandip Andrew: The humanist movement in Nigeria for now, is moving at a snail’s pace, compared when the founder Dr Leo Igwe was in Nigeria, there was always meetings or conference been organized. but now, nothing like that, we only have one conference organized by one of our humanist chapter, the Humanist Assembly of Lagos. and most recently the African Humanist Youth Day AFHD 2017, host again by Humanist Assembly of Lagos. we have also some humanist group in Nigeria, like the Humanist Society of Nigeria etc, the chapter also have their meetings in Abuja the Nigerian Capital. i was invited last year, because of a very tie schedule i could not attend. people are really coming out to identify with humanism, but the humanist organization at the national level is very weak. I wish to encourage the various chapters to keep propagating humanism, freethought and critical thinking.

Jacobsen: What seem like the bigger threat to the practice of humanism freely in Nigeria?

Andrew: The biggest threat to the practice of humanism in Nigeria is fear… in fact fear causes members not to show themselves physically, but on the social media, members at the comfort of their homes, in their rooms express their disbelief, but call up a meeting or conference only few would attend. another aspect again is discriminations, when the community or society a humanist member is leaving, people tend to look at the member as dangerous or some kind of an immoral person, sometimes led to physical attack.

Jacobsen: Who is a personal hero for you there? Have they written any books? If not, who is a Nigerian who writes on religion your books that you like?

Andrew: My personal hero is Dr Tunde Arogundade, is my former part time lecturer, he helped me out in the late 2009 into the light of humanism from the darkness of dogma, provide books from his private library, books on atheism/humanism, the other person is Dr Leo Igwe, his commitment in the propagation of humanism in Nigeria and Africa as at large. yes, Dr Tunde is writing a book about the religion crisis between Christians and Muslims, Boko Haram, (Boko Haram are Islamic terrorists in northern Nigeria, that bomb and kill thousands of innocent children, women and men and adopted hundreds in the name of propagating islam) and the Nigerian politics. The Nigerian that writes on religion the book i like is Mr Adebowale Ojowuro, the tittle of the book is The Crisis Of Religion.

Jacobsen: Does your professional life impact your activist life?

Andrew: Yes, may professional life impact on my activist life. in my office i am identify as an atheist, in my home life i am call an atheist, in my local community i am call an atheist, my wife was nickname “MATA BA ALLAH” in Hausa language, (meaning MATA is wife, BA no, ALLAH god. a wife of a person that don’t believe in God). I feel very comfortable to identify as an atheist.

Jacobsen: What makes a good humanist?

Andrew: A good humanist, is one that does not discriminate based on religion or race, a good humanist is a peace loving person, a good humanist tries to make the world better and safer place for us to leave and our children, because this is the only place we got

Jacobsen: What are some positives of religion in your perspective?

Andrew: Some positives aspect of religion is allowing me to know the truth, through the reading of the bible and it led to my freedom. is very good that every humanist should study or read others religious books.

Jacobsen: How do you hope humanism develops in Nigeria for the next 10 years, at a minimum?

Andrew: There hope for the growth of humanism in Nigeria for the next 10 years, if only the majority of youths in Nigeria who are humanist should remove fear and replace it with courage. we have started seeing that happening, if it continues Nigeria will leave Uganda and Ghana far behind in 10 years to come, but i know they too will make sure they are not left behind.

Jacobsen: Any final feelings or thoughts?

Andrew: My final feeling is being unhappy that others like me in the Nigerian Humanist Movement have not made any impacts for the past few years. Hopefully, we will make sure we try our best.

Jacobsen: Thank you for your time, Nandip.

Andrew: Thank you for the interview Scott Jacobsen.

The Taroh Tradition

The Future of The Tarok Culture and Tradition!

The Tarok people are mainly farmers producing both food and cash crops such as guinea corn, millet, maize, rice, groundnut, cotton, and yam etc. Rearing some domesticated animals such as local chickens, ducks, goats, sheep, dogs and cattle etc. Other economic activities of the Tarok people include Carving, Fishing, Blacksmithing, hunting and Pottery making.

Carving (npak akun), carving activities of the Tarok people is no longer in existence, in years back in Tarok market, various types of carving arts are display at the market such as mortar an pestle (atum), wooden bed (igbang), wooden chair (ituk), wooden spoon (igapji). In recent years, such items are no longer in existence in the market, except in some private homes. As future leaders what are we doing to preserved or bring back the forgotten cultural and traditional items?

Blacksmithing (ala), is one of the best economic activities of the Tarok man, in blacksmithing many materials are produce such as Hoe  (adir), knife (ikpal), big hoe  (ashan), Arrow (iwar) etc. In years back all those materials can be gotten in the market everywhere in Tarok land. But, in recent years, is difficult to see a blacksmith, either they have die or their children are not interested in blacksmithing activities.

Hunting (abaar), local hunting is another area of interest in the past, our ancestors always go as far as the south for hunting call (aninwar), during their many months of hunting, apart from the game they brought home, they will also discover fertile land for agriculture. Example is Langtang south, through local hunting, fertile land of Langtang south was discover and the movement of the people from north to south for farming, known as resettlement area. In recent past, the local hunting at home is a good business, fresh bush meat from the mountain are available to buy, but now, only very few people take to hunting.

Igee or ntaida (shooting competition), is a local shooting competition with bow and arrow, group by group or clan by clan challenge each other for shooting competition, a group or a clan will be known as the best shooters in the community. We have some best military from Tarok land. Nowadays, no group or clan challenge each other for such competition in Tarok land. In years to come, we would not have any culture and tradition in the future in Tarok land, our children children will never know about their culture and tradition.

Pottery (nmayiyem), is a big business in the past, pottery ware such as ideri, Isar, asu, agantang, ibechi etc, are earthenware items and are generally produced by women and are the source of income to their family. But, today is a different story and a sad one at that, you would no longer see any pottery ware in the market anywhere in Tarok land. This is a nightmare, it was replace plastic container.

Ideri and ibechi are use to store locally brew beer called burukutu is more chilling to take, drew from the earthenwares than from plastic container, is now been replace in the use of Jerry-can a plastic container, that has a health implications.

In the late 2000 to 2011, the use of pottery for brewing or storage of locally brew beer burukutu has completely disappear in Tarok land. What is now been use for brewing burukutu is a big aluminum pot instead of Isar. This also has a negative effect on the culture and tradition of the Tarok people. Apart from putting women out of job, it also bring our cultivated heritage to a stop.

In the same way, the use of calabash (adagde, achoya) for eating and drinking are no longer in  existence. ( find out from your villages or community, how many homes are using adagde for eating and achoya for drinking), you will discover that only few people use it in the name of modernization.

We particularly grateful to one person who maintain the Tarok culture and tradition (Igbarman Otarok) and some few other sons and daughter's of the soil.

The village heads and the Ponzhi nbin in every Tarok community should in the matter of urgency discouraged the use of Jerry-can and plastic containers in our market in Tarok land. When we do this, we will bring back our lost heritage. The more we stick to our pottery ware and calabash, the more it would be good for us and our future culture and tradition...

In recent years, there are many challenges on our ancestral worship, the challenge come mostly from the Christian religious belief, they can not mind their business as mostly trying to undermine the ancestral belief.

The question that need a honest answer from the Christian is, "Where was Jesus or God when the ancestral worship began?"

"We would wake up some day in the future, there will be no Tarok culture and tradition -the time to wake up is now" 

~Nandip Andrew

WAS MAN CREATED! By Henry A. Mott. The start, then, must be made with a homogeneous mass of protoplasm, such as the existing Protamœba primitiva of the present day, which is a structureless organism without organs, and which came into existence during the Laurentian period. It is to this simplified condition, as I have previously stated, all fertilized eggs return before they commence to develop. The first process of adaptation effected by the monera must have been the condensation of an external crust, which, as a protecting covering, shut in the softer interior from the hostile influences of the outer world. As soon as, by condensation of the homogeneous moneron, a cell-kernel arose in the interior, and a membrane arose on the surface, all the fundamental parts of the unit were then furnished. Such a unit was an organism, similar to the white corpuscle of the blood, and called amœbæ. Here we have two different stages of evolution; the protoplasma (better plasson) of the cytod undergoes differentiation, and is split up into two kinds of albuminous substances—the inner cell-kernel (nucleus) and the outer cell-substance (protoplasma). Edward von Benden, in his work upon Gregarinæ, first clearly pointed out this fact, that we must distinguish thoroughly between the plasson of cytods and the protoplasm of cells.

Let us now compare the inorganic world with the organic—the inanimate with the animate—and see if there does exist an inseparable boundary between them. The fundamental properties of every natural body are matter, form, and force. One important point to be noticed is, that the elements which compose all animate bodies are the very elements that help to build up the inanimate bodies. No new elements appear in the vegetable or animal world which are not to be found in the inorganic world. The difference between animate and inanimate bodies, therefore, is certainly not in the elements which form them, but in the molecular combination of them; and it is to be hoped that molecular physics will, at some not far distant time, enlighten us as to the peculiar state of aggregation in which the molecules exist in living matter. As to the form, it is impossible to find any essential difference in the external form and inner structure between inorganic and organic bodies—for the simple monad, which is as much a living organism as the most complex being, is nothing but a homogeneous, structureless mass of protoplasm. But just as the inorganic substance, according to well-defined laws, elaborates its structure into a crystal of great beauty, so does the protoplasm elaborate itself into the most beautiful of all structures—the cell unit. Just as gold and copper crystallizes in a geometrical form, a cube—bismuth and antimony in a hexagonal, iodine and sulphur in a rhombic form—so we find among radiolaria, and among other protista and lower forms, that they "may be traced to a mathematical, fundamental form, and whose form in its whole, as well as in its parts, is bounded by definite geometrically determinable planes and angles." Now, as to the forces of the two different groups of bodies. Surely the constructive force of a crystal is due to the chemical composition, and to its material constitution. As the shape of the crystal and its size are influenced by surrounding circumstances, there is, therefore, an external constructive force at work. The only difference between the growth of an organism and that of a crystal is, that in the former case, in consequence of its semi-fluid state of aggregation, the newly added particles penetrate into the interior of the organism (inter-susception), whereas inorganic substances receive homogeneous matter from without, only by opposition or an addition of new particles to the surface. "If we, then, designate the growth and the formation of organisms as a process of life, we may with equal reason apply the same term with the developing crystal." It is for these and other reasons, demonstrating as they do the "unity of organic and inorganic nature," the essential agreement of inorganic and organic bodies in matter, form, and force, which led Tyndall[14] to say: "Abandoning all disguise, the confession that I feel bound to make before you is, that I prolong the vision backward across the boundary of experimental evidence, and discern in that matter which we in our ignorance, and notwithstanding our professed reverence for its Creator, have hitherto covered with opprobrium, the promise and potency of every form and quality of life."
Returning now to our protoplasm, let us ask the question: Where did it come from? or, How did it come into existence? Though chemical synthesis has built up a number of organic substances which have been deemed the product of vitality, yet, up to the present day, the fact stands out before us that no one has ever built up one particle of living matter, however minute, from lifeless elements.
The protoplasm of to-day is simply a continuation of the protoplasm of other ages, handed down to us through periods of undefinable and indeterminable time.
The question of where protoplasm came from—how it arose—chemistry is unable to answer; but the question is answered, probably, by spontaneous generation. Only the merest particle of living protoplasm was necessary to be formed from lifeless matter in the beginning; for, in the eyes of any consistent evolutionist, any further independent formation would be sheer waste, as the hypothesis of evolution postulates the unlimited, though perhaps not, indefinite modifiability of such matter. As we have seen that there exists no absolute barrier between organic and inorganic bodies, it is not so difficult to conceive that the first particle of protoplasm may have originated, under suitable conditions, out of inorganic or lifeless matter. But the causes which have led to the origination of this particle, it may be said, we know absolutely nothing—as in the formation of the crystal and the cell—the ultimate causes remain in both cases concealed from us.
At the time in the earth's history when water, in a liquid state, made its appearance on the cooled crust of the earth, the carbon probably existed as carbonic acid dispersed in the atmosphere; and from the very best of grounds, it is reasonable to assume that the density and electric condition of the atmosphere were quite different, as also the chemical and physical nature of the primeval ocean was quite different. In any case, therefore, even[15] if we do not know anything more about it, there remains the supposition, which can at least not be disputed, that at that time, under conditions quite different from those of to-day, a spontaneous generation, which is now perhaps no longer possible, may have taken place. This point is now conceded by most all of the advanced scientists of the day, and is absolutely necessary for the completion of the hypothesis of evolution.
The answer may come to this—Well, suppose the first protoplasm did originate by spontaneous generation, where did the elements or force come from which compose it?
Science has nothing to do with the coming into existence of matter or force, for she proves both to be indestructible; when they disappear, they do so only to reappear in some other form. The coming into existence of matter and force, as also the ultimate cause of all phenomena, is beyond the domain of scientific inquiry. Science has only to do with the coming in of the form of matter, not the coming in of its existence.
 
 

A Moneron (Protamœba) in act of reproduction; A, the whole Moneron, which moves like ordinary Amœba, by means of variable processes: B, a contraction around its circumference parts it into two halves; C, the two halves separate, and each now forms independent individuals. (Much enlarged.)—Haeckel.

A, is a crawling Amœba (much enlarged).—Haeckel. The whole organism has the form-value of a naked cell and moves about by means of changeable processes, which are extended from the protoplasmic body and again drawn in. In the inside is the bright-colored, roundish cell-kernel or nucleus. B, Egg-cell of a Chalk Sponge (Olynthus).—Haeckel.

Represents the next higher stage, Mulberry-germ or Morula (Synamœba).—Haeckel.
 

 

THE COMING INTO EXISTENCE OF MAN,
BY THE SLOW PROCESS OF DEVELOPMENT.

It is necessary now to take up the little mass of living matter, admitting its coming into existence by spontaneous generation as probable, and so probable that it almost amounts to a certainty, and follow it through the many changes it is about to make under the influence of the laws which govern evolution until it has culminated in man, and these laws still acting on the brain of man, perfecting it, and leading him on to the comprehension of a grander and nobler conception of the Almighty and of his works.
The start, then, must be made with a homogeneous mass of protoplasm, such as the existing Protamœba primitiva of the present day, which is a structureless organism without organs, and which came into existence during the Laurentian period. It is to this simplified condition, as I have previously stated, all fertilized eggs return before they commence to develop.
The first process of adaptation effected by the monera must have been the condensation of an external crust, which, as a protecting covering, shut in the softer interior from the hostile influences of the outer world. As soon as, by condensation of the homogeneous moneron, a cell-kernel arose in the interior, and a membrane arose on the surface, all the fundamental parts of the unit were then furnished. Such a unit was an organism, similar to the white corpuscle of the blood, and called amœbæ. Here we have two different stages of evolution; the protoplasma (better plasson) of the cytod undergoes differentiation, and is split up into two kinds of albuminous substances—the inner cell-kernel (nucleus) and the outer cell-substance (protoplasma). Edward von Benden, in his work upon Gregarinæ, first clearly pointed out this fact, that we must distinguish thoroughly between the plasson of cytods and the protoplasm of cells.
An irrefutable proof that such single-celled primæval animals like the amœba really existed as the direct ancestors of man, is furnished, according to the fundamental law of biogeny, by the fact that the human egg is nothing more than a simple cell.
The next step taken in advance is the division of the cell in two;—there arise from the single germinal spot two new kernel specks, and then, in like manner, out of the germinal vesicle two new cell-kernels. The same process of cell-division now repeats itself several times in succession, and the products of the division form a perfect union. This organism may be called a community of amœbæ (synamœbæ).
From the community of amœba morula, now arose ciliated larvæ. The cells lying on the surface extended hair-like processes or fringes of hair, which, by striking against the water, kept the whole body rotating—the lanceolate animals or amphioxus were thus first produced. Here we find from the synamœbæ which crept about slowly at the bottom of the Laurentian primeval ocean by means of movements like those of an amœba, that the newly-formed planæa by the vibrating movements of the cilia, the entire multicellular body acquired a more rapid and stronger motion, and passed over from the creeping to the swimming mode of locomotion. The planæa consisted, then, of two kinds of cells—inner ones like the amœbæ, and external "ciliated cells." The ancestors of man, which possessed the form value of the ciliated larva, is, of course, extinct at the present day.

Andrew Nandip
IHEYO: nandip@iheyo.org
Email: nandipandrew@yahoo.com
Twitter: @AndrewNandip
Skype: andrew.nandip.paul