The Triumph of the Vulture(A Short Story)

By Bonka Archie

The kingdom of Agbado lies in the central part of Africa. Dense with tropical forest and abundance of natural resources including fertile land.

During the reign of king Agbakpa, his charismatic, wisdom and hard working motivated the whole people of the kingdom to be highly efficient. For example, by making use of the abundance in fertile lands and natural resources wisely. As a result of this, the kingdom became more prosperous among other kingdoms around and beyond its territory.

With this prosperity, there came an influx of non Agbado indigenous both from the northern and the southern kingdoms beyond its territory. Mostly artisans such as blacksmiths, goldsmiths, woodcarvers, bras smiths, soothsayers e.t.c.

King Agbakpa took an advantage of this influx by taxing non Agbado indigenous higher than the Agbados, making the kingdom more prosperous. Population also increased dramatically, and with this came the negative impact of the prosperity.

The deterioration of the forest was alarming as the scarcity of natural plants for medicines began to creep into the whole kingdom including the extinction in great numbers of dead carcases - the vulture. In the case of the vulture, it was rumoured that whenever one eats cooked vulture meat this will ward off witches and wizards in harming you.

Sensing the danger his kingdom is heading towards, king Agbakpa summoned his wise men - elders, herbal priests, chiefs to his palace to discuss this fatal issues and to warn the citizens of the dangers that will befall them if they don't refrain from their attitude.

King Agbakpa's message was delivered throughout the whole kingdom holding durbars with sub chiefs and elders but this fell on deaf ears since the citizens didn't want to part with their newly found wealth which had fueled greediness.

Unfortunate for the kingdom, a plaque-like virus struck the kingdom killing people in large numbers within twenty four hours thereby leaving numbers of corpses around the kingdom. To the surprise of chief Kongi (the chief herbal priests), the vulture did not contact the virus but getting strong after observing a flock of this birds for three days .

This was the good news he delivered to King Agbakpa who immediately decreed death sentence on anyone caught killing the vultures and destroying their inhabitants. So this is how the kingdom was saved by the great vulture and remained a symbol of the kingdom forever.

Sending Document or Letter Home

by Hakeem Babalola
It is quite reasonable to suppose that everyone knows the importance of a document or a letter. Although the computer has supplanted the act of sending letters to loved ones by post, sending document and other customised solutions still remain life, breath, or spirit that can never be replaced by the computer. Document is so essential that postal across the world have special delivery system which means quick and secure delivery. In turn, they charge exorbitant prices for such services.

Leading among these postal services are DHL, UPS, and EMS. DHL derives its name from the first letters of the last names of the three company founders – Dalsey, Hillblom, Lynn. It was founded in 1969 just months after the world had marvelled at Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon. The Deutshe Post world and UNICEF have launched a global partnership under the motto "We deliver help." UPS was founded in 1907 as a messenger company in the United States of America. EMS was launched by China Courier Service Corporation in 1980. Its motto: Your Satisfaction, Our Pursuit.

I have decided to produce the above short information in order to show that the aim of postal services is people’s satisfaction. It is obvious that quick delivery and safety are paramount to the success of this business. It seems to me that customers’ trust must never wane in this regard otherwise a map of alternative would be sought. Across the world, people use the services of these quick delivery system because they distrust the normal Postal Service which is slow and unsafe in some circumstances.

Here in Hungary, I normally use EMS because it seems to be the least expensive out of the three. But I have been disappointed each time. In 2004 I sent a document to my fiancee then. I was given assurance the addressee would get the document in three days. We decided to allow one day extra for unforeseen circumstances, so on the fourth day the addressee went to Shomolu Post Office to collect the document. It was not there and nobody cared to trace the location of the document, which she needed the following day. EMS Hungary apologised and even ready to compensate us but only if its Nigerian counterpart would forward the details. Till today my people never forwarded the details.

If I had option, I would have stopped using EMS. But since DHL and UPS are twice as expensive, I am forced to stuck with its shortcomings. However, this time around I must find out where the problem lies. I must know which branch of the EMS is slow and unreliable: Nigeria or Hungary. Before I embarked on this investigation, my wife had already prejudged the issue. She knew who the culprit would eventually be and she didn’t hide her strong views.

So on August 15 I sent a document to Lagos, Nigeria from Budapest, Hungary. The forwarding fee costs 8840 HUF (47 US dollars), seven times normal postal charge. As usual, I was assured the addressee would receive the document in three days. I winked and asked, "What if it’s more than three days?"
"Then you must call our customer service".

To cut the long story short, the addressee did not receive the document in three days as promised. I was not furious for I knew it was impossible to deliver it in three days, after all, it was not the first time. But as mentioned earlier, I was determined to know why they always chew three days instead of eight or 9 days which is the usual delivery time to the addressee in Nigeria.

Meanwhile we had asked my mother-in-law to send a document from Nigeria by the same EMS. She was told the addressee would receive it in three days. Behold we received it in three days. We were as happy as we were surprised. EMS staff in Nigeria must be apt at their job than their Hungarian counterparts, I challenged my wife who had thought otherwise. See, EMS staff in Nigeria promised three days and it’s three days. I was really proud. I wanted to tell the world. But thank God I didn’t for I would have made an ass of myself.

This is the fact of the situation. The document we sent from Hungary on August 15 actually reached Shomolu Post Office, Lagos, Nigeria on August 18. Exactly three days as promised by EMS staff in Hungary. However, the EMS staff in Nigeria did not contact the addressee until August 23 – five days after. I was ashamed to know eventually that the problem does not lie with the Hungarian EMS but with the Nigerian EMS. How could I vouch for my people.

African Woman Sets Herself on Fire to Protest Racism

By Real Rap Talk

The horrifying sight which traumatized shoppers and office workers in the centre of Luxembourg City last week has now been labelled as a protest against racism. The Belgian woman of Congolese origin who set herself alight in the middle of Place d’Armes told witnesses that she was doing it to protest against racism, moments before she carried out the desperate act which has left her in hospital fighting for her life.

Maggy Delvaux-Mufu, a mother of three in her forties, alerted several national newspapers late on Tuesday morning last week that she would be burning herself alive on place des Martyrs at 12.45 am, before setting out accompanied by her husband to walk through the centre of town to her macabre rendezvous. The police were alerted and officers were deployed to the Rousegärtchen.

But the woman changed her plan when she came across a group of journalists gathered to cover an event organised by the ‘Mouvement écologique’ on Place d’Armes, opposite the Cercle municipal. She soaked herself in petrol before confronting the members of the press, announcing that she was about to sacrifice her life to protest against racism. Moments later, she struck a match, turning herself into a human torch in front of hundreds of people.

Delvaux-Mufu’s husband and passers-by jumped on the burning body, attempting to stifle the flames with coats and jackets. The scene made several people feel unwell and many witnesses who filled the square at lunchtime were traumatised by the woman’s shrieking screams of unimaginable pain. The flames were already extinguished when police, rescue services and the fire brigade arrived at the scene. One person is reported to have vomited after seeing the woman being transported into an ambulance. The events in Place d’Armes have also started a controversy regarding the authorities’ lack of psychological support for witnesses.

Delvaux-Mufu was taken to the Bon Secours hospital in Metz, where she is being treated in a specialised ward for burns and is fighting for her life. Grand Duchess Maria Teresa visited the woman and her family at the hospital last week.

RTL television was the first to run a news flash about the incident on its website on Tuesday afternoon last week. 352 reported the bulletin in its news in brief section, shortly before going to print. Events preceding the incident only came to light later on in the week.

The 42-year-old Belgian citizen and her husband had been facing financial difficulties. They had recently indebted themselves by buying a Citroën garage in Oberwampach, before realising they were missing the documents that would allow them to set up a business. Delvaux-Mufu wrote a letter to Le Jeudi recounting her story of bureaucratic difficulties and economic despair. “I’m against all forms of violence, but day after day, my family and I have to endure moral violence, discrimination, insults and much more from Mr Juncker’s administration”, she said in the letter published last week.

Money problems had driven the woman to desperately plead her case at the Prime minister’s office early on the same day of the incident. Her threat to burn herself alive on Place des Martyrs after being turned away by the authorities caused government officials to contact the police. A city-wide search was organised, but nobody could foresee the woman would change her plans."

Re: Fekete Pákó: Symbol and Victim of Media Hatred for Africans in Hungary

The writer of this rejoinder pleads for anonymity

Well, where should I start? Firstly, I am glad and grateful for encouraging me to express my opinion, meaning you are open-minded and not pompous which is a common journalist disease.

I would like to tell you that your article has some factual mistakes perhaps due to lack of correct information. One fact is that "Hungarian media" and "most Hungarian journalists" do not care about Fekete Pákó to the smallest extend at all. What you refer to as Hungarian media should be referred to as Hungarian gossip media (tabloids and commercial TVs).

If you write Pákó in the Google, you will not see a link from Népszabadság or Magyar Nemzet or hvg or any significant, traditional newspaper or magazine, but only tabloids. No serious Hungarian writer would go and question Pákó on African lifestyle, on what they eat and so on. On the other hand, you are right about those journalists that do use Pákó as an interview subject; but in fact, as we both know, that is the way – though disgusting. The tabloid writers and RTL reporters work in this manner from the world go. That is not typical Hungarian at all; it is typical tabloid and gossip show and paparazzi etc.

Yes, the low life folks that greedily chew on sex life of Pákó and on what flesh Africans eat might declare him to be the most popular African in Hungary, perhaps only for them.

Moreover, Pákó does not play any Hungarian folklore. His style has nothing to do with Hungarian folklore, which has about 500 year’s tradition. It is not played with synthesizer and not sung with incorrect pronunciation and not performed with glittering jeans and western cowboy boots; does not contain the songs he sings. His style is called "Lakodalmas rock" which is of course not rock, but a genre arose in the late 80's by small bands playing at weddings.

I have the impression that Pákó is painting a false picture of Hungarian journalists. Meanwhile I wish those Nigerians that display and symbolize African values, like Tunde for example, would not be going to Fábri show to tell the showman that "in Africa, you can have four wives and stuff like that. Instead they should air their views in serious media so they will be correctly portrayed to the Hungarian public.

On the symbolism of Pákó, I think that Pákó could not be a symbol of anything in Hungary unless the symbol of silliness, to be polite. Did you see how he was "inaugurated" to be Hungarian? www.youtube.com pákó magyarrá avatása - totally ridiculed. Also can be seen in youtube, he made such a fool of himself in legyen ön is milliomos, with his performance. Honestly, sometimes I feel that I am more African than some of you guys. I am joking of course, but on the serious side, how could a former university student - even if being a drop-out - not know about Mir Space station and about what countries are in the continent?

And such person should be an icon? No. Neither do I think he is a victim. Once you decide you want to be a tabloid star, with common sense, you should expect silly provocative questions but you are expected to handle them well. Definitely not by saying yes, we eat human flesh. So I think comparing Pákó with corrupt African politicians in your article is a bit "lame". Those politicians are endlessly evil; Pákó is not evil but only stupid.

Well we can not say whether or not Hungarians like him, since no one ever made a public opinion poll about this. Smiling and admiring him on the street might be a common reflex of "wow-I-am-seeing-a-celebrity". However, all I can say is that he cannot be taken seriously with this genre by educated people. Most likely, he is not popular amongst those. You see, it is always more people going for the low quality and drink cheap pálinka than a bottle of szeremley wine. That does not mean that pálinka is better. Meanwhile, no harm meant at all for Pákó. At least I was happy to see that he apologized in the naija event.

Finally, I hope Pákó will eventually get more serious, and I also pity him for not having found a way to introduce his authentic musical culture instead of the "dadidedadidi" and so on. But if it is good for him, it is fine with me.

This rejoinder is a chat with the author who simply wants to remain anonymous. I grant the request because the submission provides some fact I believe the readers should know...Hakeem

Fekete Pákó: Symbol and Victim of Media Hatred for Africans in Hungary

Fekete Pákó and audience; with fiancee; with a dancer; in a bull game

By Hakeem Babalola

The Hungarian tabloids knew their mission from the moment they discovered and created Fekete Pákó. A great deal of media hype has surrounded the making of this African till today. Fekete Pákó is what the local media circus needs to placate the Africans as human eaters, polygamous, and perhaps dummies. Hungarian tabloids need a figure, an African to generate intense media interest. They found the figure in Fekete Pákó.

Perhaps the above observation explains why the Hungarian tabloids could hardly do without our brother who seems to to be the vehicle by which they ride to roughshod Africans in Hungary. Hungarian media is so obsessed with him that unless he was present at an event organised by Nigerians, the media would not cover it. Such approach to news reporting further shows that certain segments of Hungarian media is biased in the portrayal of Africans in Hungary.

Although a newspaper or magazine or radio or television has the right to define what is newsworthy, at least, Hungarian media should have searched for an African whose view is different from Fekete Pákó's. This is highly necessary as to preserve the integrity of the profession that chew on fairness and balance. Surely it is an open secret that the news media are interested only in bad news. To come clean, I am of the opinion that Fekete Pákó should not be the only African to delight them, relating to African affairs.

It is apparent that Hungarian media is not ready to search for Africans who could match them word for word, even in Hungarian Language. Most Hungarian journalists are not interested in seeking knowledge about Africa from Africans in Hungary who are knowledgeable and competent to speak about African politics, culture and social life. Rather they need African man or woman who does not speak Hungarian well; or is desperate for publicity; who is ready to accept sarcastic jokes about his or her continent and country.

No, Hungarian media does not need a Gibril Deen or a Olu Owolabi or a Gasper Mtenga or a Peter Ihaza or a John Sessi, or a Tunde Komolafe or a Sammie Adetiloye to speak about Africa. Of course it suits their agenda to use someone who is somehow naive and who could easily be hoodwinked – to symbolize Africans as nonentity. A typical example is the continuous referring to Fekete Pákó as Nigerian singer. I think the appropriate phrase should be Nigerian born Hungarian folklore singer.

Of course they know the difference but most Hungarian journalists would rather choose the one closer to their innate ambition. Perhaps this is the main reason they often exaggerate whatever comes out of this Nigerian who says he is turning over a new leaf. Headlines such as "Pákó Fekete Officially Crowned Dumbest Hungarian" and "Cleb Dish: Szulak Stalked by "Cannibal" Pákó" is nothing but the kind of sensational misrepresentation typical of the tabloids. Blowing news out of proportion is their image.

Although Fekete Pákó, who has Hungarian golden platinum with 3 CDs should share the blame, I want to believe him when he says: "They asked me, do we really eat human flesh? I thought it was a joking question. They hounded me until I told them if you say we eat human flesh, yes just leave me alone. I just want to finish this question. I am Yoruba. Nobody eats flesh. Now I know that whatever you say in the newspaper, the media will exaggerate it. I speak for myself and not for Nigeria or Africa. I am surprised Nigerians turned against me because of this."

But should we blame the media? I am going to dodge this question simply because media publicity is a double edged sword. It can make or mar an individual, especially those who crave for media attention. However, it seems to me that this kind of approach by western media against Africans is a continuous trend all over the world. That Africa means poverty, disease, lazy, and full of unintelligent people pervades the thinking faculty of average westerners. Anyone who reads Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness would probably grasp the whole story.

Gone were the days when I heaped scorn on Fekete Pákó’s ideas which I described as pointless publicity meant to tarnish the image of Nigeria and Africa at large. Afterwards I sat down and asked myself some provocative questions:

Is this guy tarnishing the image of Africa more than African Presidents like Mobutu Sesse Seko, Sani Abacha, Idi Amin who deliberately destroyed Africa financially by siphoning people’s money to Europe and America? Is Fekete Pákó demeaning the image of Africa more than our African elite who are intellectually bankrupt to effect a positive change? Is Pákó spoiling the image of Africa than our eggheads who after finishing their studies remain in Europe or America or other similar countries?

Is Fekete Pákó guiltier than those of us who claimed persecution at home yet could easily return to our different countries without being persecuted? What of those African diplomats who use their exalt office to transact personal business with host countries?

Is Fekete Pákó denigrating Nigeria more than Nigerian official delegates who absconded in South Korea? Is Fekete Pákó soiling Nigerian image more than Nigerian former governors who stole money and kept it in a foreign account? What of Nigerian presidential candidates who needed to treat common cold and bruised leg in far away Germany and Britain respectively? You, Fekete Pákó and I are victims of our leaders’ lack of sagacity and rectitude.

Yet this should not justify attempt by Africans in the Diaspora to engage in activities that might further tarnish our image. But my buroda and sisiter, the issue is larger than that. I quite understand why we expect Fekete Pákó to be sophisticated or watch his tongue. It’s psychologically demanding to assume that whatever he says would be enlarged beyond the truth, thus representing Africa. But then I suppose Hungarians are more intelligent to think Fekete Pákó represents what Africa and Africans stand for.

Fekete Pákó, who is expecting his second child with his fiancee, Plank Ágnes in March, is a victim of bad leadership which has sent most of us into voluntary exile. Many of those who threatened to shoot this guy themselves would love to be in his shoes. It is not easy for Africans to sing in Hungarian language, although if Fekete Pákó were to be in Nigeria or Ghana or Kenya or Senegal or Cameroon, he might have starved to death because no one would have taken him seriously as a singer. But then, that is the beauty of it. Coming to Hungary and becoming the most popular African. I consider it a remarkable feat.

Though he has apologised to Nigerians, Fekete Pákó, whose next project is a reality show termed Fekete Pákó Babysitter to be aired in January on TV2, still does not know what he did wrong to the extent of reporting him to the Nigerian Embassy. "What did I do wrong?" he asks. "Nigerians don’t like what I do. They don't want to be my friends. They want to shoot me down and that was why I appeared during the celebration of Nigerian Independence Day. Let them shoot me there. I have been attacked several times by Africans and Nigerians especially."

Fekete Pákó whose real name is Oludayo Olapite, came to Hungary in 1994 on scholarship to study Law but later dropped out. He becomes emotional when he charged that his critics assumed antic disposition by repeatedly castigating his singing prowess. "If they think it's easy for an African to sing in Hungarian and maintains the tempo for 6 years, let's them try it," adding that, talking about TV personality in Hungary today, it's Fekete Pákó after Gyözika.

Olapite, who stole a warm handshake from the Nigerian Ambassador to Hungary during the Independence Celebration, is not the one to forget those who inspired and nurtured him on the way to becoming the most popular African in Hungary. Two people particularly came to his mind as he looked in retrospect. "Osubu (Tunde Komolafe) took us here and there. He encouraged me to play congas, and especially how to face Hungarians. I thank him for that."

He continued: "My relationship with Toyin (Akinwumi) dated back to 1997. Whenever I have problem, I call him. He is like a father to me. He produced my third CD, A Csoki a Szadba Olvad."

His fiancee is another person in his life he would never forget because of the unwavering emotional support he constantly gets from her. "My wife supports me," he says as he blew her a warm and long kiss. "We would soon get married."

Olapite says he got the nickname, Pákó, from those days when he used to chase girls. ″You know, my friends think I like girls too much. They asked me why I liked girls too much and we started joking about it and phew the word Pákó came up.″ On how he actually got into showbiz, Olapite recalls that it was actually his friend, Molnár Sándor who came up with an idea. Sándor had asked what seemed to be a crazy question: ″What if a black man sings Hungarian folklore?″ The rest as they say is now history.

All in all, I see Olapite as a victim of a larger conspiracy against Africans living in Hungary. Instead of outright dismissing our buroda, let us come up with a programme that would counter whatever we think damages Africa's image in Hungary and let us see if Hungarian media would report it or not. Anything other than this would amount to what Gibril Deen says about African man. " The problem is, African man doesn’t want another to progress. That is our problem."

copyright 2007 mysmallvoice@yahoo.com