0902 Spring 2005.pdf - Friends of Nigeria
0902 Spring 2005.pdf - Friends of Nigeria
0902 Spring 2005.pdf - Friends of Nigeria
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~e.EN~ O~ Me.Ee'lJ<br />
NE\Ii~LE""Ee<br />
National<br />
Editor<br />
Andy Philpot<br />
awphilpot@mountaincable.net<br />
<strong>Nigeria</strong> News Editor<br />
Virginia DeLancey<br />
v-del.\ncey@northwestern.edu<br />
Book Editor<br />
David Strain<br />
destrain@pacbell.net<br />
Update Editor<br />
Dave Sugarman<br />
ilw.lcoboy@comcast.net<br />
Production Staff<br />
Earl (Buzz) Welker<br />
mysk3@aol.com<br />
Gregory Zell<br />
gregzell@mindspring.com<br />
Peter J. Hansen<br />
pjhansen@ia.net<br />
Printer<br />
Leesburg Printing Company<br />
Leesburg, Florida<br />
BOARD<br />
QU3rterly public:ltion <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Friends</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Nigeria</strong>, Inc.<br />
3ffili3[c <strong>of</strong> the<br />
OF DIRECTORS<br />
President<br />
Gregory Zell<br />
gregzel1@mindspring.com<br />
Vice President<br />
Frieda Fairburn<br />
frieda@madbbs.com<br />
Membership Chair<br />
Peter J. Hansen<br />
pjhansen@ia.net<br />
Secretary<br />
David Strain<br />
destrain@pacbell.net<br />
Lucinda Boyd<br />
cindarboyd@mindspring.com<br />
Virginia DeLancey<br />
\ -delancey@northwestern.edu<br />
Mike Goodkind<br />
mgoodkind©earthlink.net<br />
Bob Perito<br />
rperito@usip.org<br />
Andy Philpot<br />
awphilpot@mountaincable.net<br />
WebSite<br />
friends<strong>of</strong>nigeria.org<br />
Website Manager<br />
Greg Jones<br />
Web site Newsletter Manager<br />
CLeigh Purvis Gerber<br />
2 FON NEWSLETIER<br />
Peace Corps Association<br />
Letters to the Editor<br />
40 Years later and still fluent in<br />
Yoruba<br />
And, now, after almost -10years since I left<br />
my Peace Tour <strong>of</strong> duty in Dorin, I\-e been to<br />
<strong>Nigeria</strong> 3 times to work -September, ~003<br />
(Abuja), March, ~OO-l( Abuja), August, 200-1<br />
(Kana, Abuja) and anticipate going back in the<br />
near future. It's really J joy to work in <strong>Nigeria</strong><br />
after allthese years, as my Yoruba is still pretty<br />
good and has even improved because <strong>of</strong> my<br />
recent trips. \X1hat'sreally fun is to correct the<br />
Yoruba <strong>of</strong> non-Yorubas in Abuja who are just<br />
learning some Yoruba, especially as they say<br />
"good afternoon" before noon and I correct<br />
them with the proper greeting for "good<br />
morning". It was amazing enough back in<br />
1965-67as a ~O year old Oyinbo (white)<br />
kid speaking Yoruba, and it's even more<br />
amazing to people as a 62 year old!<br />
Here's a picture <strong>of</strong> me with drummers at<br />
a "turbaning" ceremony in Hadeija, Jigawa<br />
State.<br />
I've got more pictures for those who want<br />
to see the castle <strong>of</strong> the Emir <strong>of</strong> Hadeija, and<br />
other scenes <strong>of</strong> Kana and the turbaning<br />
ceremony.<br />
And, if anybody wants to renew contact<br />
with <strong>Nigeria</strong>ns they taught or worked with,<br />
just let me know, as I now have a newer<br />
<strong>Nigeria</strong> network.<br />
About a year ago, because <strong>of</strong> a talk I gave at<br />
Peace Corps headquarters, I helped reconnect<br />
Ron Raphael<br />
(13) 64-66 with<br />
a former student<br />
<strong>of</strong> his, who has<br />
been living in<br />
the DC area for<br />
years, isa US<br />
citizen, is a DC<br />
PeaceCorps<br />
staff member<br />
Me! Schnapper from the and whose<br />
<strong>Nigeria</strong> 15 training manual. daughter IS a<br />
Three degrees <strong>of</strong> Separation<br />
I had an unexpected e-mail from the wife<br />
<strong>of</strong> my Principal while I was a PC Volunteer in<br />
Maiduguri. Apparently she had seen my name<br />
on an article I had written for the FON<br />
Newsletter a couple <strong>of</strong> years ago!!Her husband<br />
has passed away but she is alive and well in<br />
Me! with drummers<br />
at a<br />
"turbaning" ceremony in Hadeija,<br />
Jigawa State.<br />
Peace Corps Volunteer in Africa! I was there at<br />
the reunion and I was really moved by the<br />
ceremony and my playing a role in getting<br />
them reconnected.<br />
I was back in DC for five weeks, after a<br />
year <strong>of</strong> being out <strong>of</strong> the States, mostly in<br />
Afghanistan for 8 months, 10weeks in<br />
<strong>Nigeria</strong>, 6 weeks in Cairo (that's Egypt, NOT<br />
downstate Illinois, for those <strong>of</strong> you in<br />
Chicago land!) and -Iweeks visiting my younger<br />
son in Shanghai. I'm now in Baghdad on a<br />
one year contract, for lots <strong>of</strong> money, but no<br />
life!Still learning about security issues and not<br />
sure what I am allowed to share regarding my<br />
existence here, so there'll be no more about<br />
Iraq, for now. But do let me know if you want<br />
to know more about <strong>Nigeria</strong> .•<br />
Mel Schnapper (15)65-67,Washingron,<br />
DC ~OOl~ , ~0~-88~-1066www.schnapper.com<br />
England-he was the first Principal <strong>of</strong><br />
Bunumbu Training College and helped me get<br />
through those wonderful years. It's amazing to<br />
me how these strands <strong>of</strong> our lives keep pulling<br />
up memories and contacts.<br />
Buzz Welker (05)62-65<br />
www.friends<strong>of</strong>n<br />
ige ria. org<br />
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