daniwise:


I spent better part of my life growing Ogun Waterside. I may not be correct though but I don't herders can take over that community. That place should be the H/Q of heavy juju.

Go and check again.
I stayed at ibiade but I'm hearing they've been disturbing at Iwopin.

Lolzzzzz.....the HQ of juju is funny. That place was the only place I see people display and carry juju like it's no big deal.

I don't believe every video I see on the internet nowadays since I realized that people edit videos to suit their own agenda. Some to seek sympathy, some to incite hatred against another etc.

Pimiento:

You are on point!
Farmers also sell portions or all of their maize farm to cattle farmers at this stage. Some do so when they need money while others see it to be more profitable with less stress.

Look closely, he’s cutting a portion.

God bless you, bro.

[quote author=MasterTeeUSA post=130582067]First, the guy with the cutlass does not look like a Fulani.
Second, people are standing by that look like his workers
Third, it might be his farm and that maize might have been planted just for the cattle so they could feed fat for Ileya

Come to think of it, how much can he sell those maize but if those cattles are fat, he knows how much they will command in the market. I was told of a lady that planted plots of greens...just so snails can feed on it. How much will she make on green plants when those big snails sell for N4k each as at that time.



your analysis doesn't make any meaningful sense.Come to think of it, which sensible farmer will purchase expensive grains only to feed cows?are you telling me its only that day's crop that will get those cows fattened?

YouAreNobody:


Go and check again.
I stayed at ibiade but I'm hearing they've been disturbing at Iwopin.

Lolzzzzz.....the HQ of juju is funny. That place was the only place I see people display and carry juju like it's no big deal.

wow! I grew up in Iwopin...there used to be one estate there then...those people can use mouth send juju to person.

But this well videoed act does not look like herdsmen, farmers issue. I do not absorb this monsters at all, but this very video has more to it beyond the usual herdsmen issues.
On a very good observation, you will see a Nigerian forces men supervising the act. Maybe land dispute matters!

All this is because we have never had a president without an aboki for vice or a vice without an aboki as president,
The day igbos will be president and yorubas as vice or yorubas as president and igbos as vice,
Abokis reign of terror will end

Mopolchi:
These people are very wicked. Army should do the needful.

i see some people in uniform in that clip....

Babastrong:
We are enjoying in my area. They no born any fulani well to enter someone's farm and eat. Hummn heads will

story....
let them increase in number first..

We4all:
Growing up as a kid, herders would stop by our family house to fetch our tap water with permission. We were friendly with most of them and I thought they were nice people.

Fast forward.... A different breed of Fulanis have taken over the country. They are evil, ruthless and ready to kill. The Government is not helping matters with the manner they are treated with kid gloves. And this brings us to the issue at hand.

Most of the cows you see are not directly owned by these Fulanis. They were purchased by top politicians and Government officials, and handed over to the herders to be managed.

Even David Mark used to own so many cows at some point. Now, do you see why it will be difficult to tame the herders?

Truly, Buhari failed to move against them because they are his tribesmen and that was why they got the guy to do what they like. State governors in the south should take a hard decision against them and the federal government throw support. People are now using them to make money from kidnapping. It's so annoying then in Benin, seeing them roaming the street. South south govs met and take a decision to stop open grazing but only our governor buckle out because some politicians, businessmen are into cow business. Esama of Benin has a lot in his hometown in okada and they move around the road with audacity.

IyfeNamikaze:
To read more about Goldie you're going to have to do a lot of work and digging. His lack of Fame is of his own doing. Perhaps no other man in Nigeria's history has put so much effort into his life's work, only to invest even greater effort to ensure that what he did would not be remembered. In a journal by Major Leonard Darwin ( journal of the Royal African society) Goldie was quoted to say this "I never want to be spoken of --- the less you say about me the happier I shall be" , and he forbade his children from writing his autobiography nor assist anyone in writing anything about him. He burned Every documents that relates to him and Nigeria, so all that's known of his dealings, treaties and atrocities in Nigeria can only be glimpsed from Journals and memoirs that others wrote about him like that one I mentioned above, you can also find a memoir by Dorothy Wellesley title Sir George Goldie, founding father of Nigeria. Vandeleur : campaigning on the Upper Nile and Niger, Mockler-Ferryman : British Nigeria, A.H.M. Kirk-Greene ; expansion on the Benue 1830-1900: journal of the Historical society of Nigeria volume 1.
In fact there are a lot of journals and memoirs that I have gathered and researched on concerning Goldie and the history of Nigeria as a whole but there was a book I came across sometime, a book that I IMO should be a must read by every Nigerian who desires to know Origin of this country, how it all started. The title of the book is " What Britain did to Nigeria " by Max Siollun.

Many Nigerians have a rose tinted memory of colonialism, this nostalgic feeling about that British colonial time that is so bizarre given the extreme cruelty and violence that the British used in Nigeria. The British massacred the natives, wiped out villages in their furtherance of it's colonial project.
Nigerian Historians should hide their heads in shame!

At the bold: partly true, but you should also blame Nigerian elites especially those from certain ethnic groups who fought hard not to allow History - as it was/is - to be taught to Nigerians. As it is, any Nigerian historian who narrates a period about Nigeria would be analysed not by the narration, but by his ethnic group. So, in a way, it is better for foreigners to tell our story, which on its own isn't good. Foreigners should not narrate our stories, but as it is, it is what it is.

Also, I agree that the British were terrible and the only good thing bequeathed to us is the English language. Most young Nigerians do not know their history, which is largely no fault of theirs. Even me sef, it is of recent and largely because of certain events and I must say, a big part of it is because of my ethnicity. Others would not be interested because the current arrangements favour theirs. Most importantly, I am naturally a curious person who wants to know why things happen the way they are, which is backed by facts. However, many Nigerians are not that curious and are adverse to fact-based sources. This was my first time coming across General Taubman. Many Nigerians of age only know Lord Lugard. I dare say even the older generation sef except elite Nigerians.

You see that colonial era national anthem that that idiot president just brought back? I will never sing it even if my life depends on it.

You know, I was surprised why he changed the anthem without public discourse. I found it so surprising, especially in an era of anti-colonialism and the rise of black culture/history on social media. So, the most populous black country reviving its colonial anthem as its current anthem is an anathema.

This country is not working because it was never designed to work, that amalgamation is a great injustice on humanity and the people who did it never cared about how it would affect the natives ( Nigerians) they only cared about balancing their financial books and the consequence of that is what we're facing now.

Yes. From the reviews and narration of the pre-independence/pre-amalgamation books, it shows one thing - Nigeria was created for the benefits of the UK. It was not made to work for the natives.

Lugard actively made sure that there were no good schools in the Northern part, only Islamic and inadequate vocational schools were allowed at a time when the south West and East were advancing in education, This imbalance of educational advancement is what brought quota system into Nigeria.

Northern leaders requested the retreat of Western education promoted by Christian missionaries because they feared their influence would be greatly affected. Since the leaders could control the population for their benefit and in return for the benefit of the British, Lugard did what he did.

Thanks for the other journal papers. I downloaded both. As for the book by Max Siollun, I know about it.

[quote author=OvertheTop post=130588968]
story.... let them increase in number first..[ we shall see]

dragunov:


Bitter Grievingory Hoebee will never be president.😜😜😜

sniffing cocaine addicted schizophrenic patient tulummbu 🤭🤭

They have eyes but cannot see.

Pimiento:

You are on point!
Farmers also sell portions or all of their maize farm to cattle farmers at this stage. Some do so when they need money while others see it to be more profitable with less stress.

Look closely, he’s cutting a portion.

My comments are not meant for people like you. Not everyone can discern what the wise says. Now, go back and watch the video slowly and think...maybe just maybe you will figure it out

Stephenmouka4:
sniffing cocaine addicted schizophrenic patient tulummbu 🤭🤭

😆😆😆😆😀😆😀

Namaster:
" I think it's high time government should criminalized their excesses..."

Except government don't care.

This is PURE evil. Destroying another person's livelihood to enrich yours.

These herdsmen will NOT stop unless they are stopped with a GREATER BRUTALITY.

Farmers and their communities need to drop hoes and wheelbarrows, it's time for GUNS and CUTLASSES.

The ONLY reason they continue their attacks is because the people they attack refuse to fight back. Their victims still look to the government for help.

Violence and slaughter is not exclusive to the herdsmen and they are not immune to fear and death.

They are just NOT facing any resistance.

Imagine DESTROYING a person's livelihood so deliberately and calmly and then making a video to post on their TikTok channel.

They could do that because there is no REPERCUSSIONS for their actions.

If a community of farmers had banded together to attack the CRIMINALS and slaughtered them along with their Cattle then LEFT them to rot in the farm as fertilisers, they will learn to thread with caution.

Repeat this 10 to 15 times. Use at least 150 herdsmen and a 1000 cattle as fertilisers. Let them learn that to invade a farmland is to become fertiliser.

Sit back and watch them BEG for ranches.

Yorubas will say he who has the most supporters among the council of elders even when guilty he is declared innocent

Gerrard59:


At the bold: partly true, but you should also blame Nigerian elites especially those from certain ethnic groups who fought hard not to allow History - as it was/is - to be taught to Nigerians. As it is, any Nigerian historian who narrates a period about Nigeria would be analysed not by the narration, but by his ethnic group. So, in a way, it is better for foreigners to tell our story, which on its own isn't good. Foreigners should not narrate our stories, but as it is, it is what it is.

Also, I agree that the British were terrible and the only good thing bequeathed to us is the English language. Most young Nigerians do not know their history, which is largely no fault of theirs. Even me sef, it is of recent and largely because of certain events and I must say, a big part of it is because of my ethnicity. Others would not be interested because the current arrangements favour theirs. Most importantly, I am naturally a curious person who wants to know why things happen the way they are, which is backed by facts. However, many Nigerians are not that curious and are adverse to fact-based sources. This was my first time coming across General Taubman. Many Nigerians of age only know Lord Lugard. I dare say even the older generation sef except elite Nigerians.



You know, I was surprised why he changed the anthem without public discourse. I found it so surprising, especially in an era of anti-colonialism and the rise of black culture/history on social media. So, the most populous black country reviving its colonial anthem as its current anthem is an anathema.



Yes. From the reviews and narration of the pre-independence/pre-amalgamation books, it shows one thing - Nigeria was created for the benefits of the UK. It was not made to work for the natives.



Northern leaders requested the retreat of Western education promoted by Christian missionaries because they feared their influence would be greatly affected. Since the leaders could control the population for their benefit and in return for the benefit of the British, Lugard did what he did.

Thanks for the other journal papers. I downloaded both. As for the book by Max Siollun, I know about it.

Indeed you're correct about apportioning blame to the elite especially those from the Northern part who fought tooth and nail to remove history from our school curriculum which has done a great damage to us. And like you said, any Nigerian who writes a historical account of Nigeria would be reviewed through tribal lenses which a sad reality but still that shouldn't deter one from such endeavors.

Oh the British were extremely terrible, they were so terrible that one member of the parliament had to speak up about it, especially about the extremity and illegality of the activities of RNC( Royal Niger company) which acted on behalf of the British.
Yeah they gave us English language but took away Our sovereign, Our identity and culture, levied us with taxes and unfair treaties. You resist you get killed and your village gets wiped out and burned to the ground to the glee of the British soldiers.

You're right indeed that a lot of Nigerians don't know anything about their history and don't even bother to get acquainted with it, probably due to the High deficiency in critical thanking and curiosity among the people. As an Igbo man I became very curious about the Nigeria history at an early stage. It all started when my late Father told us about the Biafra civil war, a was in secondary school when it started ( Coallary comprehensive, Enugu. Id I remember correctly) and got conscripted into the Biafran army under Gen. Achuzia, he was 16yrs, it was his platoon that blew up the Niger bridge to prevent the Federal Army from crossing into Ọnicha. His story piqued my interest in Nigeria history and history in. General. And popsy has a lot of good history books in his library that helped quench my thirst.
I found out about Goldie when I was researching on the RNC( Royal Niger company) the company that is now known as Unilever company, crazy when I found out he was Flora shaw's love interest at one point and Lugard boss at another and also has children from a Nigerian woman ( his mistress when he was in Nigeria).

Tinubu changing back to that era's anthem is a slap to our faces and shows that this people have no other plans than ro take us backwards. Try this in India and see if you're not impeached within a day, that's if you're able to last that long because they would probably assassinate you before the impeachment is completed.

Indeed it's simply just to balance the accounting books that led to Nigeria existence. There's no other deeper reason. In 1900 Britain created TWO countries with similar sounding names, The protectorate of Northern Nigeria and The protectorate of Southern Nigeria, and for 14 yrs these two countries had separate government, different colonial personal, legal systems, land tenur laws, different Educational policy and commissioners. Lugard was the commissioner for Northern protection while Ralph Moor was for the South, yet herein lies the irony of all these, Goldie was a strong advocate for the amalgamation had this to say concerning the two separate countries " The two countries are as widely separated in laws, government, customs and general ideas about life, both in This world and the next, as England is from China ". Ponder on those words for a minute. They did their amalgamation anyway because it made their books look better.

I agree with you that the Northern leaders and Muslims were averse to the encroachment of western education because it was promoted by the Christian missionaries and Lugard had to try to curb religious unrest, but IMO that was not the only reason for his lack of enthusiasm for native schooling. Just as the slave trading states in America blocked slaves from receiving education because it gave them critical thinking and an aspiration for freedom, Lugard and some British colonial administrators abhorred the confidence that the education gave Nigerians and the assumption among educated Nigerians that their educational credentials and ability to speak English placed them in position of equality with their white colonial masters. Lugard was so irritated that he wrote in his dairy " the self assurance and importance of these anglicized Blacks is beyond calculation".... And also that " Education for Africans made them less fertile, more susceptible to lungs trouble and other disease, and to defective dentition".
Just imagine that!

IyfeNamikaze:
Indeed you're correct about apportioning blame to the elite especially those from the Northern part who fought tooth and nail to remove history from our school curriculum which has done a great damage to us. And like you said, any Nigerian who writes a historical account of Nigeria would be reviewed through tribal lenses which a sad reality but still that shouldn't deter one from such endeavors.

Oh the British were extremely terrible, they were so terrible that one member of the parliament had to speak up about it, especially about the extremity and illegality of the activities of RNC( Royal Niger company) which acted on behalf of the British.
Yeah they gave us English language but took away Our sovereign, Our identity and culture, levied us with taxes and unfair treaties. You resist you get killed and your village gets wiped out and burned to the ground to the glee of the British soldiers.

You're right indeed that a lot of Nigerians don't know anything about their history and don't even bother to get acquainted with it, probably due to the High deficiency in critical thanking and curiosity among the people. As an Igbo man I became very curious about the Nigeria history at an early stage. It all started when my late Father told us about the Biafra civil war, a was in secondary school when it started ( Coallary comprehensive, Enugu. Id I remember correctly) and got conscripted into the Biafran army under Gen. Achuzia, he was 16yrs, it was his platoon that blew up the Niger bridge to prevent the Federal Army from crossing into Ọnicha. His story piqued my interest in Nigeria history and history in. General. And popsy has a lot of good history books in his library that helped quench my thirst.
I found out about Goldie when I was researching on the RNC( Royal Niger company) the company that is now known as Unilever company, crazy when I found out he was Flora shaw's love interest at one point and Lugard boss at another and also has children from a Nigerian woman ( his mistress when he was in Nigeria).

Tinubu changing back to that era's anthem is a slap to our faces and shows that this people have no other plans than ro take us backwards. Try this in India and see if you're not impeached within a day, that's if you're able to last that long because they would probably assassinate you before the impeachment is completed.

As I suspected, I am Igbo as well. So, you see, the interest in Nigeria's history differs depending one's ethnicity.

Indeed it's simply just to balance the accounting books that led to Nigeria existence. There's no other deeper reason. In 1900 Britain created TWO countries with similar sounding names, The protectorate of Northern Nigeria and The protectorate of Southern Nigeria, and for 14 yrs these two countries had separate government, different colonial personal, legal systems, land tenur laws, different Educational policy and commissioners. Lugard was the commissioner for Northern protection while Ralph Moor was for the South, yet herein lies the irony of all these, Goldie was a strong advocate for the amalgamation had this to say concerning the two separate countries " The two countries are as widely separated in laws, government, customs and general ideas about life, both in This world and the next, as England is from China ". Ponder on those words for a minute. They did their amalgamation anyway because it made their books look better.

I agree with you that the Northern leaders and Muslims were averse to the encroachment of western education because it was promoted by the Christian missionaries and Lugard had to try to curb religious unrest, but IMO that was not the only reason for his lack of enthusiasm for native schooling. Just as the slave trading states in America blocked slaves from receiving education because it gave them critical thinking and an aspiration for freedom, Lugard and some British colonial administrators abhorred the confidence that the education gave Nigerians and the assumption among educated Nigerians that their educational credentials and ability to speak English placed them in position of equality with their white colonial masters. Lugard was so irritated that he wrote in his dairy " the self assurance and importance of these anglicized Blacks is beyond calculation".... And also that " Education for Africans made them less fertile, more susceptible to lungs trouble and other disease, and to defective dentition".

The colonial masters were wicked and brutal just like their cousins who championed the slave trade in the US. It is one of the reasons I support the rise of a strong and wealthy China 'cos as it is, we don't have the wherewithal to avenge. Let China do it on everyone's behalf.

Ikpunekenwa:


Na lie, they are muslims and are on muslim conquest, this is the real reason IPOB And ESN started exysting and why the evil government is hunting them, any Fulani that tries this in south east knows he/she will remain on borrowed time.

Have you asked yourself why if 10 fulanis enter Igbo land with these their nonsense, only 2 returns or none.

He thinks he can use Taqiyya to deceive us

Santalpharay:
Nnamdi Kanu established ESN to stop things like this and you fight against him. Oya go buy gun and cutlasses as advised by someone here. If you are not well trained, you can't fight these criminals with their sophisticated weapons. There are some people that are more NIGERIAN than Nigerians. Chaii

Once they carry AK47 to defend themselves, those people who asked them to get guns will call them out as terrorists.

To fight the Fulani jihadist, you need to match their weapons, and if you do that, then their sponsors(FG) will come after you.

babazak:
We are talking of food security. Imagine what these Fulani Herdsmen are doing to this farmer's crop. They are even bold enough to record their action on camera. I think it's high time government should criminalized their excesses and treat their trespasses and willful destruction of farm products as criminal act.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33pyQ13xyQs?si=ClZhwIeH8MeQz_Db

I think the farmers are now taking the bull by the horns.This particular farmer lazed his crops with poison, in their usual manner, the herder came with his cattles,ate up the farmer's crops and all cattles died in the process.What a justice!



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ud_r_zDS5s

Namaster:
" I think it's high time government should criminalized their excesses..."

Except government don't care.

This is PURE evil. Destroying another person's livelihood to enrich yours.

These herdsmen will NOT stop unless they are stopped with a GREATER BRUTALITY.

Farmers and their communities need to drop hoes and wheelbarrows, it's time for GUNS and CUTLASSES.

The ONLY reason they continue their attacks is because the people they attack refuse to fight back. Their victims still look to the government for help.

Violence and slaughter is not exclusive to the herdsmen and they are not immune to fear and death.

They are just NOT facing any resistance.

Imagine DESTROYING a person's livelihood so deliberately and calmly and then making a video to post on their TikTok channel.

They could do that because there is no REPERCUSSIONS for their actions.

If a community of farmers had banded together to attack the CRIMINALS and slaughtered them along with their Cattle then LEFT them to rot in the farm as fertilisers, they will learn to thread with caution.

Repeat this 10 to 15 times. Use at least 150 herdsmen and a 1000 cattle as fertilisers. Let them learn that to invade a farmland is to become fertiliser.

Sit back and watch them BEG for ranches.

I have echoed something similar before:
https://www.nairaland.com/8120783/bandits-destroy-crops-after-collecting/1#130416256

When your livelihood and your very life becomes threatened, and help is far away, (justified) self-defence is well permitted.

Gerrard59:


As I suspected, I am Igbo as well. So, you see, the interest in Nigeria's history differs depending one's ethnicity.



The colonial masters were wicked and brutal just like their cousins who championed the slave trade in the US. It is one of the reasons I support the rise of a strong and wealthy China 'cos as it is, we don't have the wherewithal to avenge. Let China do it on everyone's behalf.

I also came to the conclusion that you must be igbo after you pointed out the fact that one's ethnicity may lead to reject of his/her historical account. Only an Igbo could have seen it from that angle.

My brother China is making me proud the way they're not bending over backwards for US and their NATO lackey and I also like that Russia seems to not give a damn! Britain and USA are all big hypocrites there's not a single crime against humanity that these two haven't committed in history of man, and none of them have ever been punished, sanctioned or criticized for it. All their sanctions and propaganda are aimed at Russia, the same Russia that saved the entire western Europe by sacrificing thousands of their men on the battlefield in WW1 to stop the advancing German from strolling into Paris. Russia although being ill equipped still made the sacrifice and when their death toll became astronomically High they asked for the west's reinforcement but they were abandoned and left to die like rats, most of the Russian soldiers went into that battle empty handed, they had no guns or rifles, still they fought on . Most Russians became tired of the war and wanted to sign out from the war but these same western Europe would not allow them to that. Russians kept getting slaughtered until they had enough and caused a coup which overthrew the government and the soviets, which was dominated by the Bolsheviks under Lenin took power and immediately signed a peace agreement with Germany which led the West to start printing propaganda articles in unprintable words in the media against the new Russia government. Hypocrites, na propaganda them Sabi write.
Had it not been for this same Russia, the joint libration force in Omaha and Normandy beaches , France, would not have been possible. It was after Russia successfully beat back Hitler's Nazi invasion in starlingrad with a great loss of Russian life during operation Barbarossa, and the subsequent Russian counter attack that created the opportunity for us and Britain to liberate France from Nazi hold. It was the Russian counter that first liberated the death camps, pushed back the Nazi and conquered Berlin which resulted to Hitler suicide, it was Russia that defeated Hitler. At the end of the war, it was Russia that paid the highest price military death toll in WW2.
My brother everytime I start to reason wetin this Britain do us I go just dey ferment anyhow.

Happy Sunday

IyfeNamikaze:
I also came to the conclusion that you must be igbo after you pointed out the fact that one's ethnicity may lead to reject of his/her historical account. Only an Igbo could have seen it from that angle.

Sure, and it is largely because of the history between Nigeria and Igbos. The interesting thing is, even if a "detribalised" Igbo does act deliberately naive about the history, events in the country would ALWAYS remind the person of his/her place in Nigeria. Chinua Achebe stated it: “Nigerians will probably achieve consensus on no other matter than their common resentment of the Igbo.” Recent events have proved that statement to be true. Just as killings pre-independence have done the same. I became aware during the 2011 elections, especially the aftermath, and the events leading to the 2015 elections coupled with its aftermath. It is why I was not fazed by the events of 2019 and 2023. Sometimes, when I read about events in Nigeria, I just smile. I have seen it from the end: https://www.nairaland.com/7621766/tinubus-nigeria-nigeria-2050 Nothing surprises me anymore.

Other ethnic groups, especially ethnic minorities might feel powerless, but they too are feeling it.

P.S. A "detribalised Nigerian" is an oxymoron.

My brother China is making me proud the way they're not bending over backwards for US and their NATO lackey and I also like that Russia seems to not give a damn! Britain and USA are all big hypocrites there's not a single crime against humanity that these two haven't committed in history of man, and none of them have ever been punished, sanctioned or criticized for it. All their sanctions and propaganda are aimed at Russia,

Oh! As for China, I am PROUD of them and their steadfastness in ensuring they develop without kowtowing to anyone. This is being discussed here: https://www.nairaland.com/7801886/multipolarism-versus-hegemonism-great-power It is an ongoing thread and I have contributed my share. It is informative and an eye-opener. Before the Ukrainian-Russian war, I was not interested or I was ignorant of the hypocritical moves by the West. But now? Nothing they say surprises me. I am glad to have seen things from different angles.

the same Russia that saved the entire western Europe by sacrificing thousands of their men on the battlefield in WW1 to stop the advancing German from strolling into Paris. Russia although being ill equipped still made the sacrifice and when their death toll became astronomically High they asked for the west's reinforcement but they were abandoned and left to die like rats, most of the Russian soldiers went into that battle empty handed, they had no guns or rifles, still they fought on . Most Russians became tired of the war and wanted to sign out from the war but these same western Europe would not allow them to that. Russians kept getting slaughtered until they had enough and caused a coup which overthrew the government and the soviets, which was dominated by the Bolsheviks under Lenin took power and immediately signed a peace agreement with Germany which led the West to start printing propaganda articles in unprintable words in the media against the new Russia government. Hypocrites, na propaganda them Sabi write.

Thanks for the summary of the events during WW1. Although, I would love to read about Europe's history, I want to commence from Nigeria's then Africa. You have done well in rooting yourself in history.