Josephine Odumakin, Nigerian Women's Rights Activist

The mantra from the 70's was to "Think globally, act locally".  In that vein, for today's Women History Month post, I today offer Josephine Odumakin, another International Women of Courage.  You can read more about her work at

http://www.bellanaija.com/2013/03/11/a-courageous-woman-nigerian-human-rights-activist-josephine-odumakin-honoured-with-the-2013-united-state-secretary-of-states-international-woman-of-courage-award/

and a revised Wikipedia bio follows.

Peace.

***

Josephine "Joe" Obiajulu Okei-Odumakin is a Nigerian women's rights activist. She is the president of the rights groups Women Arise for Change Initiative and the Campaign for Democracy. 

Odumakin was born in Zaria, Kaduna, on July 4, 1966.  She grew up in a Roman Catholic household. She received a bachelor's degree in English Education in 1987, followed by a master's in Guidance and Counseling and a doctorate in History and Policy of Education from the University of Ilorin.  She has frequently been arrested for her activism, especially during the military rule of Ibrahim Babangida, and she met her future husband, Yinak Odumakin, while in prison.

In 2013, Odumakin was presented an International Women of Courage Award from the United States Department of State. 

Beatrice Mtetwa, International Woman of Courage

March has been designated as Women's History Month and, in celebration of the month, I offer this first tribute to the international women of courage to Beatrice Mtetwa.  You can find a brief film about Beatrice Mtetwa at 

http://ruleoflawfilmproject.com/?page_id=53

and a brief description of her at

http://ruleoflawfilmproject.com/?page_id=1306

You can also read about her in the edited Wikipedia listing below.  It may take a little time, but I hope you do.

Peace,

Beatrice Mtetwa is a Zimbabwean lawyer who has been internationally recognized for her defense of journalists and press freedom.  The New York Times described her in 2008 as "Zimbabwe's top human rights lawyer".

Mtetwa received her LLB from the University of Botswana and Swaziland in 1981 and spent the next two years working as a prosecuting attorney in Swaziland. In 1983, she moved to Zimbabwe, where she continued working as a prosecutor until 1989. That year, she went into private practice, and soon began specializing in human rights law. In one of her more notable cases, she successfully challenged a section of Zimbabwe's Private Voluntary Organizations Act which allowed a government minister the authority to dissolve or replace the board members of non-governmental organizations. She also challenged the results of 37 districts in the 2000 parliamentary elections. In a PBS documentary, Mtetwa described her motives for her activism as "not because there is any glory or cash to it and not because I'm trying to antagonize the government... I'm doing it because it's a job that's got to be done".

Mtetwa is particularly noted for her defense of arrested journalists, both local and international. In 2003, for example, she won a court order preventing the deportation of Guardian reporter Andrew Meldrum, presenting it to security officials at Harare International Airport only minutes before Meldrum's plane was scheduled to depart. She also won acquittals for detained reporters Toby Hamden and Julian Simmonds from London's Sunday Telegraph, who had been arrested during coverage of the April parliamentary election on charges of working without government accreditation. In April 2008, she secured the release of New York Times reporter Barry Bearak, who had been imprisoned on similar charges. She also defended many local journalists arrested in the run-up to the 2008 presidential election.

In 2003, Mtetwa was arrested on allegations of drunk driving.  At the police station, she was reportedly beaten and choked before being released three hours later without a formal charge. Though unable to speak for two days after the attack, she returned on the third day with a folder of medical evidence in order to file charges against the police officers who assaulted her. Police officers reportedly attacked Mtetwa again in 2007, beating her and three colleagues with rubber truncheons during a march protesting harassment of Zimbabwe's lawyers.

In an interview with the Committee to Protect Journalists, Mtetwa described her procedure for averting potential attacks:

"I think I confront the danger immediately before it happens. I always make sure that if, for instance, I'm called in the middle of the night to a scene that is potentially dangerous, I make sure that there are as many media practitioners as possible, particularly to record what will happen there. And in the glare of cameras I find that people don't want to do what they would want to do. So in a lot of ways I think I've been lucky, and I haven't received as much harassment as one would have expected, or as much as other human rights defenders have had."

In 2005, she won the Interantional Press Freedom Award of the Committed to Protect Journalists.  The award citation stated that "in a country where the law is used as a weapon against independent journalists, Mtetwa has defended journalists and argued for press freedom, all at great personal risk."  She also won the group's Burton Benjamin Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2008.

Mtetwa was also received several awards from legal organizations. In 2009, the European Bar Human Rights Institute awarded her the Ludovic-Trarieux International Human Rights Prize ("The award given by lawyers to a lawyer"), reserved each year to a lawyer who throughout his or her career has illustrated, by activity or suffering, the defense of human rights in the world.  Mtetwa also won the 2010 International Human Rights award of the American Bar Association.  In 2011, she was awarded the Inamori Ethics Prize by Case Western Reserve University in the United States.  And, most recently (2014), she was named a recipient of the International Women of Courage Award that is annually given out by the United States Department of State to women around the world who have shown leadership, courage, resourcefulness and willingness to sacrifice for others, especially for better promotion of  women's rights.  

The Lovings of Virginia

Mildred and Richard Loving on their front porch, King and Queen County, Virginia. April 1965

When Mildred and Richard Loving married in Washington, D.C. in 1958, they didn't think they were breaking the law. Both were from the small town of Central Point, Virginia. Mildred was of African-American and Native American decent and Richard was white. They did know it was illegal for them to marry in their state-as well as 15 others, which is why they left to tie the knot. Within a month of returning home, police burst into their bedroom in the middle of the night and arrested them under the state's anti-miscegenation law. They were sentenced to a one-year in prison term that could be suspended if they left Virginia.

Banished to Washington, D.C., Mildred Loving, who did not consider herself a political person, wrote about her plight to Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. The American Civil Liberties Union took up the case and brought it all the way to the United States Supreme Court. In 1967, in a landmark Civil Rights ruling, the court struck down America's laws against interracial marriage.

On the 40th anniversary of the ruling, Loving issued a statement that read, "I am still not a political person, but I am proud that Richard's and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness, and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight, seek in life."

The "Perfect" Lunch and No Easy Walk to Freedom

During lunchtime today, I left the office to go and pay my monthly YMCA pledge amount. After doing so, I decided to get a bite to eat. I began driving towards Assemble the restaurant over near the Rosie the Riveter Center when I noticed a new restaurant at a nearby strip mall. The restaurant was named Cafe Pascal and I became intrigued. I went to the restaurant and upon entering noticed that they had a live singer singing. Although this was Thursday noon, and this was Richmond, this guy was pretty good. Intrigued even further, I decided to dine at the Cafe Pascal. I actually ordered some French toast and bacon (yes, a bit bad on my part) along with some hot water with a lime twist and I grabbed an old Los Angeles magazine that had an article about the 52 best weekend destinations in the West. I then settled in and listened to the music.

The singer was actually a folk type singer who sang familiar tunes from the 60s and the 70s. Being the Old School nostalgic type, his singing fit right into my mood. I felt happy being there. The French toast and bacon tasted delicious and the hot water with the slice of lime warmed both my tummy and my heart. I grew more mellow. I even noticed the blooming cherry trees located outside the cafe. I noted that the unseasonably warm weather here in California has perhaps caused the trees to bloom a bit early, but at that moment, it seemed so appropriate to frame the day. Indeed, in a Zen like reflection, I thought about the scene from the movie The Last Samurai where the mortally wounded Katsumoto looks up to see the blossoms on a cherry tree and with his last breath says "Perfect." Looking at the cherry tree blossoms outside the Cafe Pascal while listening to the music from the mellow folk and soft rock music of the 60s and 70s, seemed to me to be "perfect."

As I prepared to depart, the singer sang a song that I had never heard before. The song seemed to be entitled "No Easy Walk to Freedom". Mellowed out but intrigued nevertheless when I got back to the office I looked up that song, viewed it, and became even more appreciative of the "perfection" of the day.

And being who I am, I naturally felt inclined to share it -- to share a little bit of perfection -- with some of my closest friends. I felt naturally inclined to share it with you.

Enjoy.

Peace.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=750QHbksHe8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND-QPvtexGM

Brother martin was walkin with me,
And every step I heard liberty
Tho he’s fallin’, come a million behind!
Glory, hallelujah, gonna make it this time!

Chorus:
No easy walk to freedom,
No easy walk to freedom,
Keep on walkin and we shall be free
That’s how we’re gonna make history

Across the ocean, the blood’s running warm
I, I hear it coming, there’s a thunderin’ storm
Just like we lived it, you know that it’s true,
Nelson mandela, now we’re walkin with you!

(chorus)

In our land, not so long ago,
We lived the struggle, and that’s how we know
Slavery abolished, comin’ freedom’s call
Keep on walking and apartheid will fall!

(chorus)

Oh, bread for the body, there’s got to be
But a soul will die without liberty
Pray for the day when the struggle is past!
Freedom for all! free at last! free at last!

(chorus)

You and me!

Pete Seeger, Folk Singer and Political Activist

I note with sadness the passing of Pete Seeger. From childhood memories, I remember singing many of his folk songs growing up as a child. As an adult, I came to know of him as a man of commitment and conviction whose rendition of the song We Shall Overcome became the theme song for the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. I mourn his passing but cherish his contributions to making this a more just, a more humane, ... a better world.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/29/arts/music/pete-seeger-songwriter-and-champion-of-folk-music-dies-at-94.html?_r=0

http://www.businessinsider.com/pete-seegers-history-of-we-shall-overcome-2014-1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-FmQEFFFko

Peace,

P.S. I also note that Mr. Seeger's passing occurred only a few months after the passing of his beloved and devoted wife Toshi. It somehow gives me joy to think that they might be together again somewhere ... somehow.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/12/arts/music/toshi-seeger-wife-of-folk-singing-legend-dies-at-91.html

Hiroo Onoda and Teruo Nakamura, A Contrast in History

Read last week about the passing of Hiroo Onoda. The obituary appeared in the New York Times and can be found at

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/18/world/asia/hiroo-onoda-imperial-japanese-army-officer-dies-at-91.html?_r=0

Mr. Onoda's story has always fascinated me because the notion that a man would continue to wage war for thirty years is beyond my comprehension. When I first heard about Mr. Onoda's story some years ago, I decided to look him up on Wikipedia and read more about him. The following is the current

Wikipedia listing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroo_Onoda

In reading the Wikipedia article, I noticed that there was one Japanese soldier, a Teruo Nakamura, who held out longer than Mr. Onoda so I became curious about him as well. His listing is at

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teruo_Nakamura

In reading the accounts of Onoda and Nakamura, and seeing the disparate reactions to their deeds, I was forced to reflect about the often strange twist of fate that can occur. How strange that one man would be received with such acclaim while another would be so quickly relegated to obscurity.

Life, and history, can be so strange... and unpredictable.

Peace,

The Spiritual Side of Lady T

Along with my Aaron Neville find, I picked up a collection of hits by Lady T -- Teena Marie.  No surprise many of the hits were jammin'.  However, surprising to me, was the final tune on the CD.  It is titled "Deja Vu" and it presents a softer, spiritual side to Lady T.  This evening I tried to find a video of the song and the one I found is an artistic beauty of its own.  I hope you too will be able to enjoy both the video and the voice.  Both are simply beautiful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNEipulJUTY

Peace.

My baby sister wrote to me regarding my post about Lady T and noted that Lady T also did a special soft song titled "Irons in the Fire". Its on my CD and it is indeed quite special. However, when I looked it up on Youtube I found that a fan had prepared a tribute album featuring photos of Lady T and her daughter. That video is a work of love and all you Lady T fans can find it at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNLfhK5AHlU

However, for me, it is about time for me to get back on the road. And folks, IT IS FRIDAY! Back in the day, that would mean that there would be party somewhere. Well, I don't know where the party is but it is about to be in my car. And all I got to say to the rest of you is "Y'all need to get up and dance!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9wotiDai5U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Txyp-mYYi0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4jGRe9m-Pw

Peace.