So many things are wrong with the world today. So many things.
Racial prejudice, religious persecution, and diseases are the most popular topics on our TV screens right now. If you escape one, well, you land in another. Some people have to deal with all. It's a hard life.
I wonder what a picture perfect world would look like - Where there was a natural progression of life without disease; where we all worshipped freely and accepted the differences in each others beliefs; where we were all blind to the colour of our skin. But, I can only wonder. This picture perfect world? We can never attain it. So we try to make it the best we can. We protest for justice, sign petitions, write beautiful statuses to encourage people, and even pour ice water over our heads - because this is our world, and EVERY SINGLE LIFE matters. However, our different opinions get in the way sometimes and it becomes hard to see past them.
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is one that has taken social media, and the world by storm. This is a challenge where people pour a bucket of ice and water over their heads to raise awareness for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or Lou Gehrig's disease, which is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord (www.alsa.org). So many people from students to celebrities have accepted this challenge which goes with making a donation. This Ice bucket challenge has raised over $40 million for ALS research! How. Amazing.
Now I am writing this post because I have seen a lot of people hating on the challenge, especially Nigerians, because some Nigerian celebrities have taken part in this awareness and fundraising challenge. I couldn't understand why anyone would hate on a good cause in the first place so I took out some time to read what people had to say. To say the least, some of the words that have been used in addressing these celebrities have been downright disgusting, but I will address three main points that people have been making.
1. "Nigerian celebrities just like to hop on the bandwagon and do what is popular."
This is a challenge where you are nominated and have 24 hours to participate. All the Nigerian celebrities I have seen partake in the challenge have been nominated to do so, and in turn, nominate other Nigerian celebrities. It is a challenge that has become popular, and the more people do it, the more it becomes popular. It is also a challenge for a good cause. A great cause. ALS doesn't choose who it affects. We probably have people dying in Nigeria from ALS and dont even know it. If we can bring the awareness of this disease home, and contribute to the finding of a cure, I see absolutely nothing wrong with that. Bandwagon to save a life? By all means!
2. "We have more pressing issues in our country. Why aren't they raising awareness or money for Ebola? or Bringing back our girls?"
First off, let me give you an example. Eldee, long before he accepted the Ice bucket challenge, has been posting about Ebola and how to get educated about it. Look at his facebook and instagram. That is just one person. Secondly, there is no denying that Ebola is out there and awareness needs to be created about Ebola. Ebola has been on the news - local and international. Almost every body now knows symptoms and causes, and has a rough idea what the disease is, not because celebrities were posting about it, but because it was killing people at a rapid rate and gained global attention. ALS doesn't have this kind of attention. This challenge is what has brought this disease to the limelight.
The girls that were taken from Borno haven't been brought back. We can pray and trust God, but physically, I doubt that there is anything we can do. Or, is there? You want to rally and stand in the streets, and you want the celebrities to join you. The government doesn't even care about the families of the victims enough. You think they will care about P-Square standing in the streets demanding the girls be brought back? Meanwhile, half the people go because a celebrity is going. Why do you have to wait for a celebrity to go? To take pictures and say you saw them yeah? Why can't you leave them behind and just go and rally?
3. "So many places in Africa do not have water, and yet the nigerian celebrities are dumping water on their heads."
The amount of water people are dumping on their heads is not going to save the world. If they didn't dump it on their heads, they'd probably flush it down the toilet or take a shower with it. It's not like they are building wells and jumping in them. People that live in places where there is no water have a problem that a bucket of water can't solve. They need wells, bore holes; sources of water that are not temporary. Now, can we raise awareness for them and build these wells, or bore holes? Absolutely! Why not? But if that bucket cannot get to them, but can raise awareness for a disease that is killing people, why not raise the awareness?
I think that as Nigerians we hold celebrities to a standard that we ourselves cannot even reach. When last did you transport a bucket of water to a village where people had no water? When last did you do something to raise awareness for ebola? When last did you try to make a change? Yes, celebrities have A LOT more influence that the lay nigerian man, but why must the responsibility always be on them? Have you asked yourself? Was it a celebrity in America that started the Ice Bucket Challenge? Someone wanted to see change, and carried it on his shoulders to start something that would bring about the change. $40 million has been raised from people dumping ice water on their heads. Our country is part of the change. But you mad?
We want our celebrities to do everything. Where are WE? If you want a challenge for awareness and fundraising for Ebola, or the girls that were taken from Borno, START SOMETHING. Come up with a plan and put it to action. That is not 2face's responsibility. Neither is it Don Jazzy's or Genevieve's. It is yours. It is mine. If we want change, we have to be the ones to bring it. If we started a challenge to raise awareness or money for a cause in our country, what's to say that they wont join in? I bet you'd want them to hop on the bandwagon if it was yours.
It's amazing how quick people are to attack the characters of these celebrities and call them names. I can't tell you the kind of alarming things I have seen people write about these celebrities, all in the name of them accepting the ALS challenge. I think it's just wrong. First of all, there are so many things that we don't know about these people. Yes we know they buy the latest cars, and they live the most luxurious lives, but what they do behind the camera's and TV's with their money, we don't know. How do you know they don't contribute to other causes? I'm not saying that they do, but because we don't know, the judgement is uncalled for. Some of them even have foundations to help in different ways in our country.
I spoke to someone who has a passion for the suffering families in Borno. Today, I saw someone on facebook who is interested in starting a cause for wells in places where people have no water. These are amazing causes that will benefit our country. Start them. If you fail, try again. Let your passion lead you. Let the potential results motivate you. Forget about what Mavin Records, Banky W or Iyanya is doing. Focus on what YOU can do to bring about change. If we all worried about ourselves more than we worried about others, change would come! If you can't make a change in your immediate environment, by all means, make a change thousands of miles away. A life is a life, no matter where in the world it is saved.
The person who started the ice bucket challenge didn't need fame or money. All he needed was a passion for ALS awareness, and willing participants, and he used whatever means he had to bring it to the fore front. Be your own voice. Be the change you want to see. We are all accountable to God. Not each other. :-)
That's your responsibility... as i do it.
***~shanpepe~***
Photo Credit Photo Credit Photo Credit Photo Credit
Racial prejudice, religious persecution, and diseases are the most popular topics on our TV screens right now. If you escape one, well, you land in another. Some people have to deal with all. It's a hard life.
I wonder what a picture perfect world would look like - Where there was a natural progression of life without disease; where we all worshipped freely and accepted the differences in each others beliefs; where we were all blind to the colour of our skin. But, I can only wonder. This picture perfect world? We can never attain it. So we try to make it the best we can. We protest for justice, sign petitions, write beautiful statuses to encourage people, and even pour ice water over our heads - because this is our world, and EVERY SINGLE LIFE matters. However, our different opinions get in the way sometimes and it becomes hard to see past them.
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is one that has taken social media, and the world by storm. This is a challenge where people pour a bucket of ice and water over their heads to raise awareness for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or Lou Gehrig's disease, which is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord (www.alsa.org). So many people from students to celebrities have accepted this challenge which goes with making a donation. This Ice bucket challenge has raised over $40 million for ALS research! How. Amazing.
Now I am writing this post because I have seen a lot of people hating on the challenge, especially Nigerians, because some Nigerian celebrities have taken part in this awareness and fundraising challenge. I couldn't understand why anyone would hate on a good cause in the first place so I took out some time to read what people had to say. To say the least, some of the words that have been used in addressing these celebrities have been downright disgusting, but I will address three main points that people have been making.
1. "Nigerian celebrities just like to hop on the bandwagon and do what is popular."
This is a challenge where you are nominated and have 24 hours to participate. All the Nigerian celebrities I have seen partake in the challenge have been nominated to do so, and in turn, nominate other Nigerian celebrities. It is a challenge that has become popular, and the more people do it, the more it becomes popular. It is also a challenge for a good cause. A great cause. ALS doesn't choose who it affects. We probably have people dying in Nigeria from ALS and dont even know it. If we can bring the awareness of this disease home, and contribute to the finding of a cure, I see absolutely nothing wrong with that. Bandwagon to save a life? By all means!
2. "We have more pressing issues in our country. Why aren't they raising awareness or money for Ebola? or Bringing back our girls?"
First off, let me give you an example. Eldee, long before he accepted the Ice bucket challenge, has been posting about Ebola and how to get educated about it. Look at his facebook and instagram. That is just one person. Secondly, there is no denying that Ebola is out there and awareness needs to be created about Ebola. Ebola has been on the news - local and international. Almost every body now knows symptoms and causes, and has a rough idea what the disease is, not because celebrities were posting about it, but because it was killing people at a rapid rate and gained global attention. ALS doesn't have this kind of attention. This challenge is what has brought this disease to the limelight.
The girls that were taken from Borno haven't been brought back. We can pray and trust God, but physically, I doubt that there is anything we can do. Or, is there? You want to rally and stand in the streets, and you want the celebrities to join you. The government doesn't even care about the families of the victims enough. You think they will care about P-Square standing in the streets demanding the girls be brought back? Meanwhile, half the people go because a celebrity is going. Why do you have to wait for a celebrity to go? To take pictures and say you saw them yeah? Why can't you leave them behind and just go and rally?
3. "So many places in Africa do not have water, and yet the nigerian celebrities are dumping water on their heads."
The amount of water people are dumping on their heads is not going to save the world. If they didn't dump it on their heads, they'd probably flush it down the toilet or take a shower with it. It's not like they are building wells and jumping in them. People that live in places where there is no water have a problem that a bucket of water can't solve. They need wells, bore holes; sources of water that are not temporary. Now, can we raise awareness for them and build these wells, or bore holes? Absolutely! Why not? But if that bucket cannot get to them, but can raise awareness for a disease that is killing people, why not raise the awareness?
I think that as Nigerians we hold celebrities to a standard that we ourselves cannot even reach. When last did you transport a bucket of water to a village where people had no water? When last did you do something to raise awareness for ebola? When last did you try to make a change? Yes, celebrities have A LOT more influence that the lay nigerian man, but why must the responsibility always be on them? Have you asked yourself? Was it a celebrity in America that started the Ice Bucket Challenge? Someone wanted to see change, and carried it on his shoulders to start something that would bring about the change. $40 million has been raised from people dumping ice water on their heads. Our country is part of the change. But you mad?
We want our celebrities to do everything. Where are WE? If you want a challenge for awareness and fundraising for Ebola, or the girls that were taken from Borno, START SOMETHING. Come up with a plan and put it to action. That is not 2face's responsibility. Neither is it Don Jazzy's or Genevieve's. It is yours. It is mine. If we want change, we have to be the ones to bring it. If we started a challenge to raise awareness or money for a cause in our country, what's to say that they wont join in? I bet you'd want them to hop on the bandwagon if it was yours.
It's amazing how quick people are to attack the characters of these celebrities and call them names. I can't tell you the kind of alarming things I have seen people write about these celebrities, all in the name of them accepting the ALS challenge. I think it's just wrong. First of all, there are so many things that we don't know about these people. Yes we know they buy the latest cars, and they live the most luxurious lives, but what they do behind the camera's and TV's with their money, we don't know. How do you know they don't contribute to other causes? I'm not saying that they do, but because we don't know, the judgement is uncalled for. Some of them even have foundations to help in different ways in our country.
I spoke to someone who has a passion for the suffering families in Borno. Today, I saw someone on facebook who is interested in starting a cause for wells in places where people have no water. These are amazing causes that will benefit our country. Start them. If you fail, try again. Let your passion lead you. Let the potential results motivate you. Forget about what Mavin Records, Banky W or Iyanya is doing. Focus on what YOU can do to bring about change. If we all worried about ourselves more than we worried about others, change would come! If you can't make a change in your immediate environment, by all means, make a change thousands of miles away. A life is a life, no matter where in the world it is saved.
The person who started the ice bucket challenge didn't need fame or money. All he needed was a passion for ALS awareness, and willing participants, and he used whatever means he had to bring it to the fore front. Be your own voice. Be the change you want to see. We are all accountable to God. Not each other. :-)
That's your responsibility... as i do it.
***~shanpepe~***
Photo Credit Photo Credit Photo Credit Photo Credit
Thank you! !! WORD!
ReplyDeleteThat's my responsibility...! Gospel truth.
ReplyDelete