The Eagle, Leadership, And Process of Justice

An Eagle is a bird whose head is odd and abnormally large. Other birds of the air frequently teased him and made disparaging remarks about his appearance. They did so with intent to hurt his feelings and to provoke him into a fight he could not win for they always teased him in league. The rapidity with which they hauled insults at him was unimaginable but he remained cool and refused to blow his top. Eagle viewed himself as one who had been battle-tested and hardened by the canons of many years of verbal attacks from his fellow birds. Teasings and other abusive remarks were to him like mild ripples on the surface of the ocean.

Having failed to lure him into a fight that could spell his end they devised another strategy. A group of birds made representation to the eagle, the grand master of the birds kingdom and urged him to banish Okpoko from their abode to the desert. They cited his big head as a disgrace to them all.

The eagle, being a smart diplomat and an adept in conflict resolution assured them that he would study their request carefully and apply required executive action. After they have departed he summoned his secretary, the hawk and asked him to call for a plenary meeting of all the animals of the air and to have Eagle’s head as the only agenda for discussion. The eagle further informed his secretary that Eagle will be asked to tell his colleagues why his head is extra large and his failure to offer an explanation will culminate in his being banished from the kingdom.

Both the Eagle and his secretary slated the meeting for Eke market day. The time for the meeting was fixed at 09:00 am, the time when hunters and traders will be busy at the market square. The sky is the wood for the birds but they decided to make the womb of the wood their venue for the meeting. All the birds attended except the dove who was said to be recuperating from wing injury he sustained from the hunter’s trap while returning from familiarisation tour. From his nest he wished his collegues a fruitful outcome in their deliberations.

Eagle was at the venue on time. He avoided eye contacts with other birds present and retired to the corner of the wood where he relaxed on a tree trump in a pensive mood. He behaved as if he had a premonition that the agenda of the meeting had something to do with his head. Hawk, the secretary was the first to arrive but left the venue for a site seeing at the waterfall not far away from the venue. He stood still and watched how the silvery waterfalls emptied into the shimmering river below. He was so enthralled by its beauty and purity that he forgot to return to the meeting venue.

Another bird was delegated by the eagle to go and fetch him. On their way back to the venue the hawk stopped to watch the spider’s web that hung like a gossamer silk between two branches of oilbean tree. The web strands were laden with dew drops that glittered in the early morning sunshine like miniature crystal tinsel. The hawk watched as the webs swayed to the music of the morning breeze and found it awesome. He reminded him that his exalted position as the honourable secretary should not be abused and urged him to leave for the venue.

On arrival at the venue, the hawk apologised to the eagle and his fellow birds for his lateness. The meeting was there and then declared open. The eagle flapped his wings three times to secure the attention of the birds. ”Eagle” said the eagle ”you have been teased and provoked by your fellow birds due to your head which they say is abnormal in size. Could you please explain to all present why your head is extra large”. He coninued: ”I must also add that should you fail to offer us an explanation, a resolusion will passed empowering us to banish you from our kingdom” the eagle said in a tone that reflected the seriousness of the matter.

Eagle flashed a look at his fellow birds as if trying to gauge their thoughts. He then looked down soberly. Having observed that Eagle was deeply touched by the question the eagle advised him to step aside from the meeting for three minutes in order to re-energise his spirit and to stage a comeback. Eagle left and returned with renewed vigour. ”I was not born with this big head you have been laughing at for years” pointing at his head with his right wing. ”The Eagles” he went on, were the first specie of birds to be created. When members of my family came into this world, there was no earth, not even to talk about trees to petch on. When my father died I buried him in my head. My head is a silent cemetery where my father was laid to rest and I respect that part of my body deeply. I deserve the understanding of my fellow birds in this regard” he said in a tone full of emotion and with eyes pregnant with tears.

His defense attracted much sympathy as well as respect for being the first family of birds to be created. The eagle turned to the birds and said: ”The floor is open for your reactions to Eagle’s defense”. The secretary conferred with the other birds and told the eagle that they were deeply touched by Eagle’s testimony and have unanimously resolved:

1) to reverse our previous teasing attitudes toward Eagle  and
2) to appoint Eagle as the deputy grandmaster of the birds kingdom.

An offer he gladly accepted with a bow. The eagle then gave the resolution his imprimatur. After the eagle’s seal of approval the weaver bird moved for adjournment of the meeting. He was supported by the vulture and sparrow. The meeting stood adjourned and was slated for the next Eke market day at the same time and venue for the installation ceremony of Eagle as the deputy grand master.

Lesson:
Interesting features one could glean from Eagle’s case is the good administrative gorvanance displayed by the grand master, the eagle. Sophisticated legal standard (devoid of jungle law) merged with admirable democratic principles. He created a conducive political space that allowed Eagle to air his views. He also made the birds present to the meeting to be the judge and the jury while he presided over the political gathering. He neither imposed his will on the ruled nor danced to the music of the faction that wanted the Eagle to be banished.

AFRICAN DANCE

Dances

African dances are mainly done to express cultural living and beliefs. The dances are connected to the African music.

These  dances teach social patterns and values and helps people work, mature, praise or criticize members of the community while celebrating festivals and funerals, competing, reciting history, proverbs and poetry; and to encounter gods . The   most widely used musical instrument in Africa is the human voice.

The  sound and the rhythm of the drum express the mood of the people. The drum is the sign of life; its beat is the heartbeat of the community. Such is the power of the drum to evoke emotions, to touch the souls of those who hear its rhythms. 

In an African community, coming together in response to the beating of the drum is an opportunity to give one another a sense of belonging and of solidarity. It is a time to connect with each other, to be part of that collective rhythm of the life in which young and old, rich and poor, men and women are all invited to contribute to the society. Enjoy the video below!!!!

   

THE BALD EAGLE

The bald eagle is a magnificent bird of prey. It is not really bald, it just has white feathers on its head. The derivation of the name "bald" is from an obsolete English word meaning white.

Anatomy

Bald eagles have a long, downward-curving yellow bill, and large, keen eyes. These strong fliers have white feathers on their head, tail, and wing tips; the body has brown feathers. The feet have knife-like talons. Eagles have about 7,000 feathers. Adult eagles have a 7 ft (2.3 m) wingspan and can reach 3 ft (1 m) in height. They weigh between 9 and 14 pounds; the females are 30% larger than the males.

Flight and Swimming

Bald eagles are powerful fliers who can reach speeds of up to 100 miles per hour (160 kph) during a dive. Average flight speeds are about 20 to 40 mph (30 to 65 kph). They can soar for hours on end.Eagles can also swim, using their wings to propel themselves through the water. Since their diet is primarily fish, this skill comes in quite handy.

Prey

Eagles are carnivores and hunt during the day (they are diurnal). They use their sense of sight to find prey. Eagles  can spot a rabbit from as far as a mile away. Eagles can see color. Prey is grabbed with the eagle's strong talons. Their diet is mostly fish. They also hunt small mammals, snakes (even snakes), and other birds. They also scavenge dead animals (including road kill).

Eagles use their beak to remove undigestable feathers or fur before eating a larger animal. They eat smaller prey whole and regurgitate (vomit) the inedible parts (like hair, feathers, and bone).

Nesting and Reproduction

Eagles reach maturity at 4 to 5 years. When they mate, they mate for life. They live in forests near the shores of lakes and rivers.

Bald eagles build an enormous nest from twigs and leaves. The nest can be up to eight feet across and may weigh a ton! Nests are located high from the ground, either in large trees or on cliffs. Eagles may use the same enormous nest over and over again for years.

A clutch of one to three eggs eggs is laid sometime from December to March. The eggs take about a month to a month and a half to hatch (this is called the incubation period). Both males and females help incubate the eggs in the nest. They will feed the hatchlings until they learn to fly (fledge).

MY BEST SONG EVER

The favourite song of all

ENJOY the music !!!!

THE BIG FIVE

When you start researching an African safari, the term "Big Five" often crops up. The "Big 5" refers to the African: lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and cape buffalo.

The African elephant

The African elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the largest mammal in the world and remarkably adaptable. Elephants live in woodlands, forests, deserts and savanna, spread across the sub-Saharan Africa. Elephants are quite peaceful if left alone, but if they feel threatened

Elephants  are very social animals, they communicate using a variety of low frequency grumbles and rumbles which can be picked up 6 miles away. They live in family groups of up to 100 members, headed by a matriarch. Elephants are social and affectionate animals. Elephant mothers are very attentive to their babies, orphans are nursed by other mothers in the group.

The African rhino

There are two species of rhino in Africa, the Black rhino (Diceros bicornis) and the White rhino (Ceratotherium simum). Black  rhinos are usually solitary, whereas white rhinos tend to be more social and live in groups. Black rhinos live in savanna, shrub and tropical bush areas, they eat leaves, bushes, small tree branches and shoots. White rhinos live in the savanna and are grazers. Their lips are what distinguish them from one another, a black rhino has a prehensile lip to strip leaves off bushes. A white rhino has a long, flat lip adapted for grazing. Rhinos are large mammals (only second in size to the elephant), an adult white rhino can weigh in at 6,000 lb's! Rhinos are indeed shortsighted, a little bad tempered, but magnificent to look at.

The African leopard

The African leopard (Panthera pardus) is more numerous than the African rhino in the Big 5 pantheon, but they are just as difficult to spot on safari in Africa . Leopards use trees as observation platforms and for protection, so you have to remember to look up to see this solitary, beautiful cat. Leopards are shy and nocturnal, quite modest for a cat that can climb, swim and live in a wider range of habitats than most other wild cats.

A leopard's spots offer excellent camouflage as they move about their range, seldom staying in the same area for more than a few days. Males tend to have larger ranges than females and mark it by urinating and leaving claw marks. Leopards tend to store their fresh kill up in a tree to avoid it getting poached by lions and hyenas. Leopards are smaller than lions but an adult male can still weigh in at 200 lbs. They can run at speeds of over 35 mph, and are extremely agile jumpers.

The African lion 

The African lion (Panthera leo) king of the sub-Saharan savanna is  admired  for its beauty and strength. It's one of the most exciting animals to see on safari. These beautiful, large cats are excellent hunters but it’s more likely to see one sleeping than hunting.

Lions are very social animals, unlike other cats, they live in prides of several females, their young and a couple of males. They will cooperate when hunting difficult prey like a buffalo, but usually they'll take down an antelope on their own. Females hunt more than males and all lions will happily scavenge given half a chance. Lions ambush their prey, (like leopards), rather than track and chase (like hyenas).

The cape buffalo

Cape Buffalo are commonly found in protected wildlife areas (that have plenty of water), throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Four sub-species of African Buffalo have been recognized and basically reflect the different type of regions and habitats they live in: Forest Buffalo (S. c. nanus); West African Savanna Buffalo (S. c. brachyceros); Central African Savanna Buffalo (S. c. aequinoctialis); and Southern Savanna Buffalo (S. c. caffer). The forest buffalo are smaller than those found in the savanna.

On the more open grasslands, Cape buffalo appear in large herds that can number up to a thousand individuals. Cape Buffalo need to drink every day, so are often found close to water and never in the desert. They prefer to eat tall, coarse grass as well as bushes. Check out the big five of Africa in action !!!!!!!!!!!!

ONE OF THE WONDERS IN ZIMBABWE

Victoria falls

The Victoria Falls constitutes one of the most spectacular natural wonders of the world. The Local people call it "Mosi-oa-Tunya" -- the smoke that thunders and the Falls are remarkable. 

Victoria Falls is the largest curtain of water in the world, spanning more than a mile along the Zimbabwe-Zambia border. From the Zimbabwean town of the same name, a full-frontal view of its majestic power is within walking distance. It's also ground zero for adrenaline junkies, offering bungee jumping, whitewater rafting down the Zambezi River and microlight flights. Wildlife-packed game parks and sunset river cruises among wallowing hippos add to the local thrills. 

Bungee jumping

Surely Bungee Jumping 111 meters off the Victoria falls Bridge has to be one of the most challenging, terrifying, crazy things to do. It is said to be the best Bungee jump in the world. It’s  not the highest though but  it is because of the backdrop of the Victoria Falls and the falling down towards the Mighty Zambezi. It  is a massive adrenaline rush!!

Victoria falls is a waterfall located in southern Africa on the Zambezi River between the countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe. The falls are the largest in the world. Many activities are also found on the mighty Zambezi like fishing, river rafting, boating swimming etc. 

Remarkably preserved in its natural state, Victoria falls inspires visitors, don't you want to  be inspired?  Come visit Zimbabwe !!!!!!!!

MUSIC

 Memory is a mental system that receives, stores, organized, alters and recovers information from sensory input. Memory is affected by many different factors, one of these factors is music which  stimulates parts of the brain. Music reduces stress, aid relaxation, alleviate depression and help store and recall information . Recalling   is  improved partly due to the effect music has on increasing the release of certain hormones in the body.

Music is one of the few activities that involves using the whole brain. It is intrinsic to all cultures and can have surprising benefits not only for learning language, improving memory and focusing attention, but also for physical coordination and development. Of course, music can be distracting if it's too loud or too jarring, or if it competes for our attention with what we're trying to do. But for the most part, exposure to many kinds of music has beneficial effects:

Music heals 

 Music gives a patient a sense of control, causes the body to release endorphins to counteract pain and slow music relaxes a person by slowing their breathing and heartbeat. Nursing homes often hire music therapists. People are likely to feel depressed and grief-stricken when moved away from their homes and families into a facility for strangers to take care of them. Music therapy helps to relieve grief and improve emotional tones and feelings. Music can also boost the immune function.

Music even makes you smarter

Listening to music or playing an instrument can actually make you learn better. Listening to music facilitates the recall of information. Information learned while listening to a particular song can often be recalled simply by "playing" the songs mentally. Children  who take music lessons develop a better memory compared with children who have no musical training.

Music improves physical performance 

Choosing music that motivates you will make it easier to start moving, walking, dancing, or any other type of exercise that you enjoy. Music can make exercise feel more like recreation and less like work. Furthermore, music enhances athletic performance, it reduces  muscle tension and improves body movement and coordination. It also plays an important role in developing, maintaining and restoring physical functioning in the rehabilitation of persons with movement disorders.

 Hope this will help you and make you  love music more, see it has many priceless benefits that can be triggered automatically by listening to music. Hey come on music the best go for it!!!!!!!!!