Jeux De La Francophonie”
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Pinisi Journal of Art, Humanity and Social Studies Vol. 1 No 1, 2021. Page 44-53 e-ISSN : 2747-2671 Homepage: https://ojs.unm.ac.id/pjahss/index Rethinking Culture Through “Jeux De La Francophonie” Gloria Mayen Umukoro Department of Modern Languages and Translation Studies, University of Calabar, P. M. B 1115, Caalabar- Nigeria. * [email protected] Abstract This study exploits the idea of rethinking culture in Francophonie games using the survey research design. The study conceptualizes Francophonie games into sports and cultural competitions and rethinking culture into physical and non-physical aspects of cultural modifications. Three specific objectives are developed on the basis of the research problem as follows (1) Identify the relationship between the ‘Jeux de la Francophonie’ and the dissemination of the French language (2) identify the various rethinking culture modifications borne out of the Francophonie games, (3) determine the moderating influence of race on rethinking culture and “Jeux de la Francophonie”. Participating athletes in the last concluded “Jeux de la Francophonie” held in Abidjan were interviewed. Secondary sources of data also considered. Findings reveal that the Francophonie games is not a driving factor for the dissemination of the French language among non-French speakers. In addition, sports competition with physical rethinking culture, culture completion has no significant relationship with non-physical rethinking culture in “Jeux de la Francophonie”, and that race does not play a moderating influence in rethinking culture and Francophonie games. The study recommends among other things the introduction of variety of cultural games like voodoo, traditional cooking competition, traditional fashion parade etc. in order to boost culture rethinking via sports. Keywords: Jeux de la Francophonie; Rethinking culture; Physical culture; Non-physical culture. 1. INTRODUCTION salvage the hardship caused by the virus and Since after February 27, 2020 when the index case was consequent lock down. Such pecuniary move and recorded in Nigeria, there have been donations from commitment is laudable, impressive, show of kindness corporate bodies, Banks, International bodies, Nigerian and benevolence to the country and its citizens. One billionaires and philanthropists to aid in combating the can say, they have in no small measure given back to pandemic and alleviating the suffering and hardship the society that contributed in what they are today. occasioned by the lock down. This is a show of These monies donated by Nigerian billionaires, patriotism, magnanimity and good will which must be philanthropists and corporate bodies were channeled commended in all ramifications. Among the big donors through the Federal government to assist in the fight were Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Tony Elumelu, Modupe against covid-19 in Nigeria. and Folorunsho, Alakija, Abdulsamad Rabiu, Segun While we commend this philanthropic gesture, it is Agbaije, Herbert Wigwe, Oba Otedeko, Femi Otedola, high time we realized that our government and her Mike Adenuga, Jim Ovia, Ray Gupta, MTN Nigeria leaders have failed its citizens in several ways. The and other telecommunications, Commercial Banks people we elected to represent us have not truly (UBA,GTBank etc) amongst others (Abara 2020). These represented us rather it seems to be a game of egoism. billionaires, philanthropists and corporate bodies It is in this direction that this work argues that donated in billions to assist the government and channeling the full sum of these palliative monies to Nigerians to manage the challenging health crisis and the government is a misdirected act taking cognizance 44 Pinisi Journal of Art, Humanity and Social Studies of its antecedents. Our governments have a history of population. In fact they should have followed their unaccountability and lacks transparency especially in monies and ensure that the people gets what they have terms of fund management. This is a truism that is donated. There are reports from some corners that the glaring and evident in several sectors in Nigeria. Is it in palliatives were not felt by many vulnerable citizens of management of funds meant for capital projects, in Nigeria and this is worrisome considering the amount education, health, security mention it and you will of money donated and the extent of hardship Nigerians discover the height of unaccountability of funds are passing through occasioned by the novel corona channeled in these sectors and the worst of it all is that virus and its attendant lock down. The problem of this sometimes there is nothing to show that money has paper is the perceived weak accountability and been budgeted and spent on those areas. Being aware transparency of Nigerian government and her leaders of this ugly trend and canker worm that is troubling especially in managing public funds which covid-19 our leaders and the government one begins to question palliative funds may not be an exception. This has the motive behind fully channeling these huge funds resulted in increased level of corruption, huge waste of to the government- is it motivated by egoism or national fund and decay of economic infrastructure in altruism? Nigerians are very intelligent and smart the economy. The paper will strengthen its argument beings and when they act it is pertinent sometimes to and stance of not supporting complete donation to the consider and investigate the motive behind their acts Nigerian government by reason of its history of which could be hidden from the uncritical mind. It is corruption and conversion of public funds to private arguable that some of the donations are done just to get estate as seen in the case of alleged relooting of the government recognition, some in anticipation of recovered funds by the suspended EFCC acting long awaited bogus project and contracts, others in chairman, Ibrahim Magu. anticipation of government appointments and others want to show that they are still relevant in the Nigerian 2. CONCEPTUAL CLARIFICATIONS political circle. All these motivations are not bad in 2.1 Covid-19 Palliative Donations themselves but are not motivated by altruism and as A palliative is something done to reduce the effect of a such not morally commendable. Further it is arguable particular undesirable condition without solving the that these motivation can be termed egoism. Although root cause of the problem. It aims at reducing the harsh this does not negate the laudable act of the donors nor effect of a bad condition but does not bring a the fact that some still donated selflessly and just for permanent solution to the problem. In medical field, the common good but it becomes worrisome that palliative care is described as a treatment that relieves knowing the kind of government and leaders we have suffering without curing the actual illness. Its aim is to experienced in Nigeria these palliatives donations may improve the quality of both the life of the patient and not be judiciously used or get to the most vulnerable the family. Palliative care is concerned with the needs targeted people in the society. This is the reason this of the patient rather than the patient’s prognosis. paper argues that it is a misdirected act to channel the Palliatives has become a household name since the full sum of the fund totally to the Nigerian outbreak of the novel covid-19 virus especially the government. The view of this paper is that part of the terms “palliative donations” and “palliative money could be given to the government to assist in measures”. They have become household terms in combating the spread of the virus (purchasing or recent times. Covid-19 Palliative donations are cash or production of test kits, medical equipment and funds, relief materials donated by corporate bodies, personnel and other logistics) while the chunk sum international bodies, billionaires and philanthropists to directly spent on the targeted projects and vulnerable aid contain covid-19 virus and cushion the ravaging populace. This can be used to purchase face masks, effect of the pandemic on the poor and vulnerable food stuffs, provide portable water, hand sanitizers, persons in the society. The palliative donations could and equip the health care centers in the rural and urban be in form of money, relief materials like food stuffs, areas by the donors themselves, their delegates or medical equipment and personnel but the focus of this through Charity and faith based organizations. If the paper is on the covid-19 cash donations to the donors were altruistically motivated, they would not government. These palliative donations (cash) are launch the full donations to the government but meant to support the government and the general consider spending part of these monies on palliatives populace in the fight against covid-19 pandemic. that will directly get to the targeted projects and 45 Pinisi Journal of Art, Humanity and Social Studies 2.2 Altruism and Egoism advised to take safety measure to curb the spread of the Defining Altruism and egoism is a herculean task virus. Those who earn their living on daily income because these terms have been understood in radically were the worst hit because they need to go out to earn different ways in philosophy, biological and social a living. People were directed to shut down all sciences. The focus of this paper is the philosophical manners of businesses and stay indoors. This standard conception of altruism and egoism. The generated a lot of fears and panic among Nigerians as proponents of these views agree that humans help economic hardship began to set in. People could no others in various ways but their point of disagreement longer provide their basic daily needs and many is on the reason d’etre. The term altruism is derived families now find it difficult to feed. This is felt more from the Latin word “alter” meaning “other”. August among the informal sector which comprises of about Comte the French Positivists coined the term to 80% of Nigerian workers which covers several workers describe his ethical doctrine which he summarized like street traders.