according to Dr Ezekiel Ette in his article Annang Wisdom for July 8, 2013 “Ndaki- ikan” ache atie ufök agwuomo ichip (The individual who sees the impossible, is the one who gets assigned to storing the palm kernel) The oil palm has long occupied the Annang and has formed part of their economy. David Pratten, the British historian, opined that the crop is of such importance that it affected the Annang culture. The men separated the ownership of the land from that of the palm tree and banned women from climbing the tree in order to control access. Because getting the oil from the palm fruit was labor intensive, women easily tolerated and even encouraged polygamy. The religious class used the palm fronds in religious ceremonies and rituals such that the materials became a symbol of fear and veneration depending on the situation. When the Europeans arrived seeking other commodities besides the trade in humans, the Annang traded the oil palm with the Europeans and this led to conflict with King Jaja who wanted the oil monopoly. The war that ensued and referred to in the literature as Ikot Udo Obong War was one that the Annang fought for their right to be free. Nothing is useless from the palm fruit itself and our forebears learnt to use every material from this fruit. The fruit itself is cooked for the oil while the fiber (Nkwet) is burnt as fuel for heating and cooking. The palm kernel (ichip) must be dried in the sun then cracked and sold for use as material for making soap. Whoever is at home is expected to gather the kernels for storage in the event of an approaching rain. The Annang observed that those who see the impossible in life endeavors are usually the ones who stay home to perform this menial task. The ones who lack initiatives and could not see that the universe offers many possibilities are the ones who find themselves with nothing else to do except serve the menial needs of the household. We live in a world where we are constantly exposed to messages of what is possible and what is not. We are told how the economy is doing and what those with political power are doing . Implicitly, these messages are telling us what we can and cannot do given this information. When we factor in our background, our training, our capabilities, who we know, our abilities and how much money we currently need, it is hard not to see any undertaking as impossible. Yet, not trying and being discouraged simply is to shut the door and shut ourselves out of opportunities and possibilities. The fact is that the human mind can play tricks and what is seen as the impossible is simply a message from our subconscious about what we think of ourselves. Publilius Syrus, the ancient philosopher, once wrote that “No one knows what he can do until he tries. What is impossible is simply what has not been tried. So why are you not aiming high? The truth is that what we see as reasons for not trying are simply excuses that we have made up to justify to ourselves why we accept our present situation. Perhaps you are too young, Louis XIV of France was four when he became king; too old? Ronald Reagan was sixty-nine when he became the 40th President of the United States, Immanuel Kant did not publish his first book until he was almost seventy years old. Whatever your excuse for accepting the status quo, we are limited only by our imagination. Booker T. Washington a former slave who rose to become a great American educator once told his countrymen: “I believe that any man’s life will be filled with constant and unexpected encouragement if he makes up his mind to do his level best each day”. What excuses are you making to justify to yourself why you are not aiming high? Some may say they have nobody in high places while others say they lack money. Whatever your excuse, we hope your wavering doubt is banished with the weight of the words of love that says that we can do all things through the one who strengthens us. Ituum Ibonno Adede (Dr.) Ezekiel Ette For Annang Writers’ Association Annang Wisdom is an inspirational piece developed from Annang proverbs and produced daily as a free service of Annang Writers’ Association, a project of Annang Heritage Preservation Inc., an independent, non political and non sectarian organization that seeks to document Annang culture. Sharing is permitted provided it is not sold or exchanged and shall be accompanied by the word “Annang Wisdom is an inspirational piece developed from Annang proverbs and produced daily as a free service of Annang Writers’ Association by Dr Ezekiel Ette. It is a project of Annang Heritage Preservation Inc., an independent, non political and non sectarian organization that seeks to document Annang culture”. Please send all comments and requests to Prof. Ette at [email protected]. More inspirational pieces can be found in the book: Annang Wisdom: Tools for Post Modern Living Available at Amazon and at bookstores worldwide. Visit us at community.annangheritage.org/ To receive Annang Wisdom in your mailbox join the discussion on the web at the Annang newsgroup Annang-forum-subscribe@yahoogroups Like us on Facebook: facebook/Annangheritage Follow us on Twitter: twitter/#!/Annangheritage DISCLAIMER: Views expressed here are solely that of the author and do not represent the official position of Annang Heritage Preservation Inc. or any of its affiliate. Annang Heritage Online Community Official Website of Annang Heritage Preservation, Inc community.annangheritage.org
Posted on: Mon, 08 Jul 2013 10:47:00 +0000
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