LINES OF THE DAY

". . . But the past does not exist independently from the present. Indeed, the past is only past because there is a present, just as I can point to something over there only because I am here. But nothing is inherently over there or here. In that sense, the past has no content. The past -- or more accurately, pastness -- is a position. Thus, in no way can we identify the past as past." p. 15

". . . But we may want to keep in mind that deeds and words are not as distinguishable as often we presume. History does not belong only to its narrators, professional or amateur. While some of us debate what history is or was, others take it into their own hands." p. 153

Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History (1995) by Michel-Rolph Trouillot

Friday, February 8, 2008

Black History Month -- Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti






[ Funmilayo Ransome Kuti (1900-1978) is described by many as the doyen of female rights in Nigeria and was regarded as The Mother of Africa, as she was a very powerful force at a time when it was a taboo for women to be heard and as a fighter of womens right to vote. Described in 1947, by the West African Pilot as the Lioness of Lisabi as the leader of Egba women on a campaign against arbitrary taxation of women, that struggle led to the abdication of the Egba King Oba Ademola II in 1949. Her husband, Rev. I.O. Ransome-Kuti, fought for commoners too, and was one of the founders of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) in the 1930s and of the Nigerian Union of Students (NUS).[1] She is the mother of human right activists: Professor Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, Musical legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Doctor Beko Kuti, and their sister Dolupo. ]
To learn more about the lioness of Lisabi, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, there is the book above by Cheryl Johnson-Odim and Nina Emma Mba, or you can go to the Assata Shakur forum, or even to wiki, and a long review on The Angry Black Woman.

2 comments:

Frank Partisan said...

Very interesting post.

I often read this blog, owned by London based Nigerian Molara Wood

http://wordsbody.blogspot.com/

I'm sure she'd like to read this post.

Foxessa said...

I'll bet she knows far more about all this than I do!

Her site is lovely.

Love, C.