>Killed in a Chicken Shop: Agnes Sina-Inakoju

16 April 2010 / Funmi / No comments

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How many of us have been in Chicken shops to stop for a bite to eat? Routine right? That is what 16-year-old Agnes Sina-Inakoju was doing on Wednesday 13th April before she was gunned down by two mindless youths dressed in black in Hoxton, East London.

Police say that they do not believe she was the target which makes the story even more tragic.

Gun crime in the UK, particularly in London is just getting stupid. The victims are getting younger and younger. Where does the solution lie? What will it take for these people who carry guns to drop their weapons. Everytime i hear another shooting or stabbing, particularly when it involves young people, it makes me wonder if I am in a Western movie. This is not the age of Cowboys and horses and we are certainly not in America so why do such situations persist?

The answer lies in the mindset of these people who think it is “ok” to carry guns and knives. But let us take a step-back and realy think about it. What conditions the mindset of these people – society. We must look at one another to find the real solution to gun and knife crime. What is it that makes these people think it is alright to carry such weapons. Is it the media? Music? Videos? Parents? Schools? To be honest it is everything. Everything plays a part when it comes to the developing youths mindset. The youth are very impressionable. The slightest influence can trigger a wave of ideologies and beliefs working together like a machine to create what potentially be a distorted ideology e.g. the fact that they must carry a knife or a gun.

I think society has become selfish. People no longer work as a community but as individuals so because of this people ultimately only think about themselves. Even within a family setting. With this in mind, why does it surprise us that another teenager has been killed in London because of another selfish act committed by another.

I sincerely offer my condolences to Agnes’ family in this hard time. Simultaneously, I ask people to think about this death that has occurred. Why has there been another number added to the statistic of gun crime in the Black community? I’d love to know your thoughts.

Fum Fum

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>BBC 2′s Welcome To Lagos

16 April 2010 / Funmi / No comments

>I’ve just finished watching BBC 2′s Welcome To Lagos.

I have mixed feelings if I am honest. Part of me feels that they portrayed the spirit of Nigeria very well in the first part of this 3-part documentary. I mean in the sense that they portrayed Nigerians to be hard working, ambitious, always striving to do better. On the other hand, why is it that the BBC choose to do a documentary on the most appalling part of Lagos – a dump.

Did they purposefully choose not to do a documentary on the parts of Lagos that are arguably just as good if not better than places in the UK. Did they choose to ignore the sky scrapers that one can see in V.I, the shopping malls, the HUMONGOUS houses that can be seen on the island of Ikoyi? Well, it begs the question.

To be honest, out of the two views on this documentary, my heart chooses the former. I do sense that they portrayed Nigerians to have the spirit of making the best of any situation. Yes, being proud to work in a dump does not paint Nigerians in the best light. However, I do believe that it is easy to focus on the negative in such a documentary and to lose focus of the reason why they chose to commission the documentary at all. Was it to portray just how bad Lagos is? Or was it to show that despite the situation Nigerians can always rise above their surroundings. Think about it. If this was only about the squalid conditions of Lagos, why would they show “Slender’s” other lifestyle as a potential recording artist – as well as his steps to achieving such a title.

Let’s face facts, the majority of people in Lagos do not live like those in Ikoyi. Although the lowest form of lifestyle in Lagos, what can be seen in that documentary is real and is the case for many Lagotians – even in this day and age.

Have a look. Form an opinion of your own. I would love to hear what you think about this documentary. Check it out on iplayer www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer. Type in “Welcome to Lagos” in the search bar.

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>B-ELECTION 2010 (The Young Black Vote): LIVE TELEVISION DEBATE

15 April 2010 / Funmi / One comment

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So tonight is the night… the first political Live Television debate. Well overdue in my opinion. If there is one thing that i agree on with David Cameron it’s that this should have happened ages ago! He’s right! America does it, France do it etc. So howcome the UK haven’t followed fashion. Particularly as our political ideology is so “murky”. We the general public generally cannot say for certain what each party stands for – we cannot determine what separates the Labours from the Conservatives.

Well tonight is the night where hopefully we shall receive some clear cut answers – although i doubt that very much. We’re very good at PR in this country and being politically correct. Isn’t it that they say it was really Alaistar Campbell who won the 1997 General Election for Labour?… well…. i’ll leave that open for discussion.

These are the key topics I hope to see debated and raised in tonights live debate.

  • Immigration
  • Education – particularly University tuition fees
  • NHS – staff pay and quality of service
  • Tax – who should get taxed the most
  • The War in Afghanistan – whether we should pull out or not
  • The State Benefit System – too much leniency?

There are probably more I can think of but these are the key topics i hope are discussed. How do you think these 6 topics are related to the Young Black voter if at all? Let me know your thoughts on tonights debate.

Fum Fum

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>”B-ELECTION” 2010 (The Young Black People’s Vote)

15 April 2010 / Funmi / No comments

>BELECTION 2010 – The Young Black Vote

In this blog i aim to give a different angle to the General Election 2010. I specifically wish to discuss the main parties manifestos and pledges in relation to how this will benefit or be a detriment to Young Black People in this country.

Young Black People are incredibly impressionable but at the same time have a high influence on those around them. So surely, isn’t it important that such a niche part of society have their voices heard in the coming General Election.

You can categorise me as a “Young Black Person”. I am a Black 21-year-old female of Nigerian Origin living in the suburbs of Kent but grew up in South East London. Being a first-generation black briton i consider myself one of many pioneers. I am a mix of cultures – western civilisation with African traditions.

Voting is important for me because not only am I exercising a right that people before me have fought and died for but because I use my vote as my voice. A voice that refuses to be dumbed down by current social prejudices.

In this blog I will be voicing my opinions about the coming election as well as discussing other Young Black people’s views about it. They will range from the uncaring attitude towards politics to voting for the BNP!

Exactly 3 weeks today till the election… here goes…

Fum Fum

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