Ezra, the Human Being

Ezra, directed by Newton I. Aduaka, is essentially a film exploring the life and personal battles of a child kidnapped and forced to work for a corrupt man in the conflict diamond business. These conflict diamonds have been a source of a considerable amount of civil war in countries in Africa such as Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, The Republic of Congo, and Angola. While these diamond wars clearly cannot be ignored, they are often shone in a very irresponsible light, which leads me to my argument -- that this movie,  Ezra, allows the viewers to see the personal affects attributed to a child fighting a corrupt war.  Unlike views of Africa we've seen in the first half of the semester, this view gives the main character dynamics and emotions. This captivating story of one child soldier creates an empathetic attitude towards those who are committing such brutal and ruthless crimes as he is. There are two contrasting views that are portrayed in the media--the children mutilated by these wars, and the children holding guns and machetes responsible for it. In Ezra, we are given the point of view of one of the children responsible for these acts of horror, including killing and mutilating civilians. Through this movie, we are allowed to see what we have been deprived of as a culture--the actual brainwashing and struggles of this child forced to fight "for the cause." Rather than being seen through the eyes of a Westerner, as seen in Blood Diamond starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Ezra provides a refreshingly accurate depiction of what portrayals like Blood Diamond is ultimately missing--the actual suffering of the people involved in these diamond wars on the side of the infantry and the civilians. By making Ezra, former soldier of war, and Ezra's sister, a civilian, the main characters and plot movers, we as the audience get what has deprived of Africans for years-- a very personal story and the life-long after effects of these diamond wars.

Conflict Diamonds in Sierra Leone

In America and Western Europe, diamonds are an extremely desirable indication of wealth. In Africa, however, diamonds are a catalyst of crime, war, and corruption. Such violence is depicted vividly in the movie Ezra, in which a boy recalls fighting since his youth in the rebel army of Sierra Leone. Upon his arrival at the war camp, Ezra, along with countless other child soldiers, are brainwashed by the immoral generals through involuntary drug use and constant practices of warfare. The children are told to forget about their respective families and hometowns, for they are now apart of the ‘brotherhood’. While the generals preach to the soldiers that their cause is just and the government is crooked, these same Klan leaders are profiting from the diamond trade right under the soldier’s noses. In more than one scene of the film, the generals are shown doing business with white men who either don’t know or don’t care about the horrible war crimes these ‘businessmen’ are committing on a daily basis. Throughout the civil war of Sierra Leone, approximately 120,000 deaths were totaled, along with numerous accounts of limb-hacking. The majority of these murders were committed by the soldiers who were torn from their homes and thrown into the war. The film does justice to these unconscious killers by recognizing that Ezra himself was not being tried for any of the terrible things he did. The question as to who should be blamed for these casualties goes beyond the physical combat. There are plenty of fingers to be pointed in the business of “conflict diamonds”. The rebel leaders are the enforcers of violence throughout Sierra Leone. They are the frontline root of the issue. The federal government of Sierra Leone does not deal appropriately with these criminals, and they are unable to hold anyone accountable for their actions. Finally, America and Western Europe are the biggest markets for the diamonds, which rationalizes the entire procedure in the minds of the greedy rebels. Unfortunately, there is as much a chance that the violence will stop as is the chance that Westerners will stop revering diamonds.

Teacher Don't Teach Me No Nonsense

“Teacher Don’t Teach Me No Nonsense” is a song about the results of an English education on Fela Kuti’s generation of Nigerian students. When I first heard the song, I noticed that it had a somber tonality to it. The beginning organ solo had many dissonant chords, notes played at the same time that don’t necessarily sound pretty. In this way, Fela musically introduced the song to be one of turmoil and trouble. The song talks about education in Nigeria.

When he says, “All the wahala, all the problems, All the things, All the things they go do, For this world go start, When the teacher, schoolboy and schoolgirl jam together”, he means that all the world starts when schoolchildren met their teachers. “When we be pikin, ‘FATHA BE TEACHER, When we dey for school, TEACHER BE TEACHER, When we dey University, LECTURER BE TEACHER, When we start to work, GOVERNMENT BE TEACHER, Who be government teacher? CU-ULTURE AND TRADITION” means that when we are children, our parents teach us, when we are in school, our teachers teach us, when we are in college, our professors teach us, when we get a job, the government teaches us, and culture and tradition form the government. “Now the problem side, of a teaching student-ee, I go sing about” means that he is about to sing his song about the problems of his teachers. He goes on to sing about the problems with the government in his recent past, referencing Shehu Shagari, the president of Nigeria’s second republic, who was known to be corrupt. He then plays with the word, democracy, calling it “demo-crazy…crazy demo…demonstration of craze…crazy demonstration…” His view or democracy is a result of how Nigerians in the past had taken advantage of the democratic system and did not go about it the correct way.

In an interview, Fela discussed his inspiration for the song. He says that all of his education was in English and that all he learned about were English people. He never knew what it meant to be an African man until he experienced racism during his stay in England. The song is a reflection of this education. It also references to how the English taught democracy to Nigeria, but did not follow through by helping Nigeria when it’s presidents were corrupting the democratic system.

Fela Kuti's Controversial Song "Zombie"

The song that I chose to analyze was Fela Kuti’s Zombie, the title track to his album which was released in 1977 and contains four controversial songs in Fela’s Afrobeat style. Both the song and the album criticize the Nigerian government, using the zombie in the song as a metaphor for the Nigerian armed forces. Although before he was successful with Koola Lobitos, Fela’s first band in London, he admits to not being politically minded at all, “I made my comment as a citizen. I was just another musician playing with Koola Lobidos and singing love songs, songs about rain… What did I know?” After experiencing the Black Power movement when he lived in America in the 1960s, Fela Kuti was deported back to Nigeria due to his political affiliations ands started the band/renamed the band to “Afrika 70” with whom he produced Zombie. The song portrays the Nigerian army as faceless and senseless, an army of zombies mindlessly following orders, “Zombie no go think, unless you tell am to think.” Fela’s mockery of the Nigerian army with its upbeat rhythms and almost taunting vocals are tools used in the song to raise support against the government, taunting the military to its breaking point. After its release, the song led to a swift revenge by the Nigerian armed forces when they wrecked the compound Fela had established in Nigeria. During the attack Fela was severely beaten and his mother was thrown out of a window which ultimately killed her. Fela Kuti’s multiple albums with “Afrika 70” contain confrontational and controversial songs towards the Nigerian government and the Nigerian army. After being banned from Nigeria because of Zombie, Fela Kuti formed his political group MOP or Movement of the People, never resting and touring non-stop spreading his message. Zombie itself holds to be one of the most confrontational pieces in music and Fela’s message resounds ultimately in his multiple albums.

Coffin for Head of State

In 1976, Nigerian Vice President Olusegun Obasanjo succeeded Head of State General Mohammed. after his assassination, and continued the military junta until 1979. In 1978, Afro beat musician Fela Kuti’s Kalakuta Republic (commune) was stormed by Obasanjo’s military, Fela’s mother being thrown from a two story window and dying of consequent injuries. Fela Kuti’s song Coffin for Head of State is a voice expressing the political corruption, religious differences, and the people’s way of life in Nigeria, while also exposing a personal account of how Kuti’s life was affected under the military regime.

Coffin for Head of State is like a narrative, bringing listeners on a “waka” through Nigeria in 1978. First Fela starts out in “any village anywhere in Africa,” seeing the pastor’s house, the poor living conditions, but then eventually seeing the “business places.” Fela’s diction of business is business, but is likewise addressing the government. In the 1970s, Nigeria was governed by the economics of the oil boom which fed into the corruption of the state.

In Nigeria, there is a religious divide, Northern Nigeria being mainly Muslim and Southern Nigeria being mainly Christian. Throughout the song Kuti praises “Through Jesus Christ our Lord, by the grace of Almighty Lord” but eventually transitions to “Through Mohammed our Lord, by the grace of Almighty Allah,” speaking for all Nigerians to pray to God to end the military rule.

At the end of the song, Fela sings, “I go government places, I see see see, all the bad bad bad things, them dey do do do,” pointing out Obasanjo and Yar’Adua. Kuti then proceeds to list the “bad bad bad things” the government has done, from stealing money, to killing students and burning houses. The song then switches to a personal note, for “they kill my mama.” Kuti then describes his embark up to the doors of Obasanjo and Yar’Adua to deliver his mothers coffin, where “them no want take am, but them take am!” The acceptance of Kuti’s mothers’ coffin symbolizes the beginning of the end to the Nigerian military governance.

Coffin for Head of State is not merely an Afro beat song by Fela Kuti, but an account of the political corruption and military government Nigeria faced for over a decade, as well as a personal story of how this regime affected the Nigerian people, like Fela Kuti himself.

"Zombie", a political crisis musical.

The song/instrumental that I chose to analyze is one that comes from the musician, Fela Kuti. The name of the song is called Zombie, which not only has lyrics from Fela Kuti, but also instruments that are put together by a band named Africa 70. As the song first comes on there is simply nothing but instruments being played with a funky/jazzy vibe that caught my ear. Before I go into the lyrics that Fela Kuti chose to put with the melody of the beat, i would like to focus on the title of the song for a better understanding. As I do this I plan to give an explanation of why "Zombie" is a word that can describe what is going on and maybe why it was chosen by Fela Kuti. The song may have a title that is deadly, but the instruments of Africa 70 along with the vocals of Fela Kuti are what brings the song to life for listeners.

Zombie is a word that is usually used pertaining to those who are dead, but have the ability to come back to life. A zombie is also seen as a mindless human being. For the time period in which this song was made and performed there was a political struggle with the military government. From information I looked up about the song it deeply explains the wrath of the government in which Fela Kuti was also subject to. Not only is Zombie a song from the great musician Fela Kuti, but it is also a full length album that focuses on issues dealing with the Nigerian military.

I would now like to focus on the lyrics chosen from Fela Kuti in order to put this track together. As Fela Kuti starts of with the word Zombie, there are also other phrases and statements he puts in his lyrics to give a better understanding of exactly what or who he is addressing. By stating the word zombie, following with something as "no go, unless you tell them to" or " no go stop, unless you tell them stop", he is showing how a specific authority has control over these "zombies", in this case the definition being a mindless human being. The authority being the military government that has these soldiers, but are metaphorically looked at as zombies. The last couple of words said towards the end of the lyrics of the song are those dealing with military commands. Fela Kuti vocally states; "about turn", "salute", "halt". This gives me more than enough reason for me and anyone else to understand that the Nigerian military are these mindless zombies that are targeted through the music of Fela. Fela Kuti is a very talented musician who seemed to express exactly what was going on through his eyes and was able to put it in his music to show the attacks which were made on Nigerian people by these political zombies.

Another Artist

If I were to ask you in which country this photograph was taken, or even to name the continent, I don't think you would be able to do so without taking a lucky guess, a 1-in-6 chance like rolling a die, because this could be of a village in Nicaragua, a hillside town in China, a painter's home in rural Pennsylvania, a cabana on an Australian Beach, or a corner shop in the English countryside, but I doubt that the answer elicited would that of a "Commercial Artist's Shack" in Kumasi, Ghana, which is indeed what the image depicts. Robert Lyons' photograph, from his book Another Africa, neither confronts nor confirms any of the widely held opinions about Africa because it is simply ridiculous that such a picture, if any, could make a statement about an entire continent, and that is what is so refreshingly fantastic about this image. Yes, the "shack" as Lyons titles it, leads one to assume that this artist is poor, but that is a statement about artists not Africa. Throughout history and the world today, artists have lived a simplistic way of life and continue to do so. In another culturally and ethnically diverse place, New Orleans, I have seen an artist, a rapper, record in a studio (insert: empty, unfurnished house in the 9th ward) for days on end in the insatiable quest for artistic recognition and maybe even some money for dinner. Not so different, I would imagine, from the artist here who paints portraits and logos for commercial consumption, using the same essential marketing strategies that the rapper does. To market his talent, this artist has chosen to paint a quite realistic portrait of classic icon recognized all over the world, James Bond, and by displaying it on his storefront, has chosen to allow passersby to consume his art for free. The rapper aforementioned, named Bruce Dillon, recently covered "What's My Name" by Rihanna, and released it on Youtube; he used an icon that everyone knows, added his own talent to it, then gave it to the public for free so that they might consider purchasing some of his art at a later date, sound familiar? To establish his ethos, this painter has chosen to inscribe two verses from the King James version of the Bible, so that his potential patrons will know that he is a man of God, similar to how the rapper says he is a man of God on his Facebook page. Across varying times, nations and people, many things are done differently, but what Robert Lyons has done with this image is show that this is not "Another Africa", it's just another artist.

Another [Less Exoticized] Africa

The above picture is one that majorly arouses suspicion, with the majority of it being negative in nature. My point is that even the simplest things of everyday life that we could somehow identify with, and even things we cannot, produce some of the more negative connotations in the minds of unwary onlookers who have been brainwashed to believe that Africa is this one place where normal things cannot take place.

In the photo referenced above, how many of us could say that the first thing to catch our attention was not the fact that there was an African woman holding a baby that appears to be white. This primary aspect of the picture draws a significant amount of attention from other things that could be taking place at the time the photo was taken. For example, only after a second look did I take the time out to admire the elaborate and royal designs on the dress of the woman. I also failed to pay any attention to the motorcycles in the background. Now, I could be finding out that I am a hopeless racist who notices nothing but color, or there are some people reading this who can relate.
Upon first glance, the common onlooker who has been fed by American media would maybe firstly think, “Why is she holding that baby that is obviously not hers” or “I bet she’s the nurse maid for some white woman”. But please take this time to second guess yourself.
Why is it automatically more plausible for this woman to be a nursemaid than for her to be holding a close friend’s child, or to have even adopted this child herself?
We, Americans primarily, have this tendency to view color as the primary defining facet of every person that we meet. As we encounter different people, the first thing we notice of course is ethnicity and/or race. This is the foundation for who that person is to us a lot of the time, and plays an important role in the perspective we have of that person. Why do you think we ask a person their race when we cannot readily identify it ourselves? We take into consideration what experience perceptions we have had pertaining to others of their race or ethnicity, and attribute it to that person. Automatically, by color contrast with the baby, we have already presupposed that there could be no real positive reason that this woman could be holding this child.

Based on difference instead of similarity, we find ways to "other" people, especially those in Africa who we have not given the proper chance to make an impression on us for themselves.

I do however, think that the photographer Robert Lyons does an excellent job of taking pictures that would not interest the common American looking for exoticism, and it calls for you to ask yourself what is the real reason you do or do not enjoy or appreciate the photos in the book. If you are looking for the wonder displayed in media, you may be disappointed.

Another Africa

“Another Africa” provides pictures taken by photographer Robert Lyons in the African countries of Senegal, Mali, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Ethiopia. The photos taken by Lyons present a hopeful counterpoint to the untrue portrayal of Africa as a place of drought, famine, primitivism or constant civil war as well as the opposite extreme that Africa is an overly exotic land. Lyon’s addresses Africa on its own terms, as an insider that does not have the clouded perspective that has been intentionally formed by non-Africans who have much to gain by misrepresenting the continent. Inaccurate worldviews involving contemporary Africa are prevalent in modern society, but are never seen as the driving force in Lyon's photos, signifying that African stereotypes are never the leading components African society. Lyons addresses that the common misconceptions exist but must be eradicated. Through his photos, Lyon’s suggest that we are all humans and we all share most of the same desires and daily routines. He brings to light a reality that differs greatly from the view that Africa is just an exciting place of exotic plants and animals and constant chaos, but beautiful place that needs to be seen in its true form; as well as place where people experience daily struggles and mundane, routine lives just like most others around the world.

Robert Lyons aims to present Africa in a way that is highly relatable to non-Africans to emphasize that the continent does not reflect the prevailing misinformed, stereotypical perceptions.

In the photograph below, a scene of Africa is present that demonstrates the established impression of African life by most uninformed non-Africans. It is a scene that encompasses many of the words and images commonly associated with Africa including the small huts, mesmerizing sunsets, livestock running free, women carrying water basins on their heads, endless nature and serenity with little development, and so on. All of these depictions seem to represent a very primitive way of living that is routinely associated with modern day Africa. Even though the painting is the central focus of the photograph, Lyons is not attempting to prove that this is the predominant lifestyle for Africans; the scene is merely a painting on a wall of a modern African building. This layout illustrates that while stereotypes exist and can seem to be the reality like the belief that the African lifestyle is less advanced, the true reality of Africa is a lot more familiar and less glamorized than the false images engrained in most people. In actuality, Africa does not represent the widespread misjudgments and Lyon’s asserts this truth by including the building surrounding the painting that looks like it could be from any contemporary country.

There is nothing super glamorous about this next photograph scene. The woman is simply reading a book (implying that she is literate and educated despite the belief that in Africa this is uncommon). The set of keys lying in front this woman suggest that she either drives a car or lives in a house (she probably does both), implying that her lifestyle is modern and not representative of African stereotypes concerning modes of transportation and living. In addition, most uniformed observers invision African's concept of beauty to be greatly contrasting other cultures around the world. Contrary to this belief, this woman's jewelry looks very similar to jewelry seen in every other modern culture. It is not outlandish or shocking, it is womanly and fits the standard of beauty accessories around the world.

On Lyons’s website he states his aim of these compilation of photos, “What I’m hoping to do is to show you what we share, what human beings share. Rather than saying what the differences are, I’d like to celebrate our common humanity.”

Jay-Z is More Worried About His Image than the Image of Africa

After analyzing this photo of Jay-Z campaigning for Rocawear apparel, it is apparent that the Brooklyn born rapper/entrepreneur cares about his personal image and wealth, but does not care to address America’s interpretation of Africa. Instead, Jay further embeds America’s ignorant depiction of Africa by using a remote setting (Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa) along with ‘exotic’ animals. Jay is a talented rapper and a savvy businessman, but his mistake of misrepresenting Africa has repercussions that he may never comprehend.

Let’s assume that Jay was not considering his impact on the image of Africa while he stood next to two gorgeous women holding lion cubs in the middle of a South-African game reserve. If Jay had understood how great of an influence he holds on America’s illustration of Africa, would he have taken the shot in the most stereotypical African scenery? As the owner of Rocawear, Jay could have chosen any male-model to be in the picture, yet he chose himself to strike the powerful pose. He could have chosen any place in the world to take the shot, yet he chose an area of Africa that is home to tourists and wild game. He could have made a positive difference in the way Americans perceive Africa, yet he showed the continent as an uninhabited territory that epitomizes the western world’s ignorant concept of the land. Although Jay’s conscious intentions likely included appealing to the masses, glorifying himself and his product, and making money, his exotic approach towards accomplishing success is no different than that of the colonial European map-makers, who recorded Africa solely to appeal their consumer’s interests and desires. With Urban-America in the palm of his hand, Jay-Z has unintentionally engrained the stereotypical image of Africa into the minds of America’s youth.