Post: chat with Fola after the storm

Today I bumped into Fola on yahoo. After greeting each other we got into discussion, first about the photos he posted recently (see end of post for others) then about other issues.

With his permission I'm sharing our chat - edited down for ease of reading, and with a few notes and sub-headings to help you find the part most relevant to your interests.

NB This post may be too long for posterous - so could be truncated.

1 - We started by discussing the storm
2 - Then we discussed other immediate practicalities
3 - Fola and I are both teachers by profession so our discussions often turn to education and learning - and the Internet
4 - Then we discussed the possibility of Fola meeting up with Chief Adejumo in Ibadan and updating him on progress
5 - We discussed the roles that different people have played over the years and how we need to bring people together again.
6 - Then we drew our chat to a close

1 - We started by discussing the storm

Pam McLean
how are things after all the storms and the scorpion?

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
waoh
you saw my post
the whole land in disturbed by the whirlwind
my little computer shop was disturbed
i have packed my computer and other gadjets back to my house
it was terrible
i had to sundry them
my laptop survived
and the desktop
(a)few things were damaged
PD (Pastor David G)AVE ME A RUG
it was wet
papers were destroyed
in the mud
my printer fell off and got scattered on the floor
so serious
the local government is planning to assist the people
though they later announced that the damages done is more than what the local govt could do
so they are appealing to the state to come to the aid of the people
many are now sleeping outside
because their top roof has been carted away

Pam McLean
it is very serious - but not quite as bad as it might have been - at least some equipment has survived and it sounds as if your home survived better than your "little computer shop"

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
my home survived
but many people in the community were not happy
though it is not as serious as huricane rita
but to the local dwellers this is a great natural disaster

Pam McLean
this whirlwind...
did it just affect Ago-Are - or other areas as well?

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
ago are
alone

Pam McLean
Ago-Are alone!
Is such a disaster very unusual

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
yes

Pam McLean
I know there are often bad storms in Nigeria - once there was one in Fantsuam that toppled the Internet tower - and I have seen other building that have lost the roof .. but this seemed extra bad.

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
this is pathetic
many houses wall fell down
as you know
some of this houses are ancient
and old
i am sorry to say this

Pam McLean
I hope there was no loss of life
no serious injury
but I fear there may have been

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
no loss of lives
it is only properties
and electric poles

Pam McLean
that at least is good news
but serious financial damage for people

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
yes
many farmers
traders
are now looking for money
to repair their family houses

Pam McLean
how will they find it? I think they do not take out insurance policies as most people do over here - I think they rely more on people in their families or communities helping each other in times of trouble.

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
correct
govt could help

Pam McLean
This storm - the date. Did it happen during the night between Tuesday April 24th and Wednesday April 25th?

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
it happened on the 24th
tuesday night around 8pm
when chelsea and barcelona were playing

Pam McLean
So people were still awake

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
yes
that saved the day
it could have been fatal
if people were sleeping

2 - Then we discussed other immediate practicalities

Pam McLean
Where are you now?
will you be able to join us on Thursday for First Thursday May 2012 http://etherpad.openstewardship.net/May-2012-First-Thursday

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
I came to ibadan

Pam McLean
with your laptop?

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
i should be able
i will
yes
i move every where
with it
when my phone is no more
my laptop
is doing the job
and my camera with me

3 - Fola and I are both teachers by profession so our discussions often turn to education and learning - and the Internet

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
i am now a photographer
thanks to the training i got from fantsuam foundation
the camera is with me in the football house
i still desire to learn more
learning continues till death
i take after you
of course

Pam McLean
Ref -" i still desire to learn more - learning continues till death - i take after you" - I was just thinking something similar - we are both true "Dadamac learners"
and Dadamac learners are teacher-learners ... and you are also a great teacher and sharer or knowledge and skills

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
hmmnnnn
i will never forget the day i met you
you have impart a lot of knowledge into me
i quite appreciate this

Pam McLean
I appreciate you also - and your interest in learning and the way that you share your knowledge - we learn together.

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
sure

Pam McLean
i am very happy that we met each other - thanks to PD and all the groundwork of people connected with the info centre at Ago-Are - and the initial vision of Peter Oyawale, and the support of Fantusm Foundation. Quite a team!

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
quite a small world

Pam McLean
indeed - it is wonderful to live in the age of the Internet and the possibility to rub minds the way that we do.

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
yep

Pam McLean
I believe that 21st century can be a brand new age of collaboration
if we do the pioneering work in the right way, so that others can more easily follow

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
yes you are right

Pam McLean
imagine if we had many more places like Ago-Are, and Fantsuam, and many more people like you and John and others we know who have the same heart and similar visions.

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
hmnnn

4 - Then we discussed the possibility of Fola meeting up with Chief Adejumo in Ibadan and updating him on progress

Pam McLean
Ah - if you are in Ibadan please try to contact Chief Adejumo.
It would be so good to update him on all that has been happening

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
i will call him
i must travel back tomorrow
~~~~~~~~~~~
Pam McLean
I have just told him that you will call him
perhaps we should stop our chat now so that you can do so
i have been telling him what great work you have been doing
but of course the details are much better to come from you
I am so glad you and I met up again today Fola

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
same here

~~~~~~~~~~~

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
i just called him
i will see him before i travel
tomorrow

5 - We discussed the roles that different people have played over the years and how we need to bring people together again.

Fola is a comparative newcomer to the project (since about 2006) and he is not an Ago-Are indigene (he was sent there from Ibadan to teach in a very rural school). These are both issues which can adversely affect his efforts as an Internet evangelist in Ago-Are.

Pam McLean
excellent
remember that he is a good friend of Chief Adetola. (NB Chief Adetola is an Ago-Are indigene. Although he lived and worked in Ibadan for many years he built a house in Ago-Are for his retirement)
They were both very active in continuing Peter's work in Ago-Are
i knew them both through Peter

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
abi

Pam McLean

(NB "abi" means "fine" or "okay"- It is one of the first words I noticed. I heard it so often that, early on, I asked what that sound meant)

Pam McLean
I met both face to face for the first time at Peter's funeral
Chief Adetola was Peter's main contact and supporter when he was preparing his project from the UK.
It was Chief Adetola who invited Chief Adejumo to get involved - he was inviting someone from each of the local governments in Oke-Ogun
Chief Adejumo represented Okeho
At the funeral (I think I told you) I happened to meet Chief Adetola when I stopped to take a photo of the "Welcome to Ago-Are" sign

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
yes

Pam McLean
He introduced me to Chief Adejumo (who speaks good English) and from then on Chief Adejumo was my "mentor" helping me to do the best things to move Peter's project forward.
You might be interested to hear from Chief Adejumo what he said to the congregation at the funeral
about Ago-Are had missed out on the agricultural revolution and the industrial revolution - but it should not miss out on the information revolution.

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
you are vast in history

Pam McLean
Learn from him about the early work to set up the centre - and how important Mr Timothy was

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
ok

Pam McLean
It was the 3 Chiefs who set up the committee to continue Peter's work and then suggested that Mr Timothy Oyawale should be included.

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
you once told me

Pam McLean
you remember well
ask Chief for the details
the more you understand the history the better you can work with other collaborators
it is important that they understand we are continuing the same story .. that you are building on their foundations in a good way - in collaboration with me
They must not get wrong ideas
It would be sad if they thought you were some outsider who was trying to hi-jack their project
when really you are continuing the work

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
yes

Pam McLean
We do not know what strange ideas arrive when people are not in regular communication with each other
We need to rebuild those old strong early links

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
yes

Pam McLean
We need to fit your work into the context of what people wanted to happen

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
we need to

Pam McLean
The chiefs know so many people - it would be good if they could share your vision and support it.

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
i will be happy

Pam McLean
There is a good history of trust and collaboration between the Chiefs and me
and also Mr Timothy and PD and me
and also Fantsuam and Ago-Are project - and John Dada and Chief Adejumo also have good relationship of trust and respect
These are all useful resources for you to build on

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
yes

Pam McLean
It is good if you can work in collaboration with them all - not so much on your own as a comparative newcomer

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
i will

6 - Then we drew our chat to a close

Pam McLean
I have to go out soon
Thank you for this chat

Fola_Sunday From_Ago-Are
nice chatting
with you once again

Pam McLean
I hope we will be together again on Thursday - and Chief also hopes to join us - perhaps you can tell him more about it.
Byeeeee

chat with Fola after the storm April 30, 2012