RECLAIMING OUR AFRICAN LOST IDENTITY FROM AN UGLY PAST-A MASTERPIECE FOR A GOLDEN GENERATION

By Nwanna Benjamin

For: Family Writers Press




First of all, let us look into how Africa has managed from the beginning to where we are today. We were never the laughing stock to the rest of the world. We have done everything apparently on our own without the help of the whites.

Africa excelled in every aspect of life, from politics, architecture, astronomy, education to medical etc.




ARCHITECTURE


We have done well in terms of architectural development. By 12th century Africa was leading the whole world in architectural modernizations. Africa was the center of attractions in structures. Egypt has the greatest pyramid in Giza Egypt, Zimbabwe and Mozambique was also doing perfectly well in developing new architectural designs and patterns.


EDUCATION


The first teaching, writing and reading was first done by Africans, the Egyptians, Soweto’s, Ethiopians and Malians. The first mathematical invention was done by the Lembobo in Swaziland around 35,000 BC.

We did well in other aspects of life.


But what happened? How did we loose all our identity? How did we find ourselves in this present ugly realities? Where did we go wrong, so many questions yearning for answers!


This write up is solely targeted to help us look inwardly into our current realities and retrospect where we have gone wrong in times past and proffer probable solution to help redeem our long lost Identity.


THE ABANDONMENT OF OUR CULTURAL AND TRADITIONAL VALUES


Africa’s major mistake was the abandonment of their culture and tradition for that of the whites, wherein we lost our African values and dignity. We became dependent on them. We copied every aspects of their social lives and forsook ours. They told us that our culture and tradition are fetish and abominable, yet they rooted all our artifacts and sculptors, and today they are using it to extort us. The hardest and most backward thing to do is to live one’s life as an imitator of another, thereby neglecting and forsaking our own identity. This has relegated us to a second place. They got us infected with a psychological deficiency; problem that we surfer till this day. That syndrome is known as inferiority complex. That’s what is killing us in Africa. Nothing that we do is good enough for them and to us too.



For example, some people will tell you that they will never ride INNOSON vehicle because he doesn’t want to die, but the same person will ride in a rickety golf 2. Why? Because INNOSON is an indigenous motor and he doesn’t trust his work. I did not just give that example as an illustration but it's a true life story. Even many of you reading this piece have the same mentality.



THE GREEDINESS OF OUR LEADERS



The leaders in Africa are driven by greed and hunger for more wealth. They are vision less and selfish. Our leaders in Africa do not understand who a true leader is and what it means to be a true leader, rather their aim and intentions are to become a leader, acquire all the wealth so that the people can bow down to them. They care less about the legacy they will leave behind after they are gone, and unfortunately, the masses always fall prey to their political traps. Also, before the got into power, they are ready to do anything. They divide the people through religious lines, tribe and gender. A perfect example of these African leaders is the current President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari. In 2011 he threatened the entire country and everyone who was against him running for the presidency, he said and I quote ‘I will soak this country with the blood of monkeys and baboons if I failed to win this election" And he made good his threat after he lost the election. He killed hundreds of people including serving Youth Corpers. These are the types of leaders that we have in Africa. We don’t have men of good virtues again in our land. Men like Nelson Mandela, Chukwuememka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Nnamdi Azikiwe and Herbert Macaulay. We don’t have men with vision again, men with two balls beneath them. All we have now, greedy men, selfish people, men who keeps quite in times of oppressions. Men who cannot speak out like Mazi Nnamdi KANU the dynamic leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Africa have lost all their men. Look at Zuma of South Africa, a disgrace to men like Mandela. Look at Mugabe, a disgrace to men like Gaddafi of Libya. We need new sets of young leaders with a new approach to solving Africa’s problem. We need to retrace our steps and correct where we have gone wrong.


NEGLIGENCE OF OUR ABILITY



Africans always neglect their abilities and capabilities. We don’t believe in ourselves anymore like our fore fathers did. We rely on the whites for everything. We forgot how our fathers survived the civil war without the whites. They manufactured basically everything they needed for the war on their own. They refined their crude oil, built air strip, mines and grenades, guns, tanks and to an extent flying rockets. What a generation of believers and men with great ingenuity and trust. They believed and trusted in their capabilities and strength.



THE QUESTION NOW IS WHAT WE SHOULD DO?



We have seen where we started from and where we are right now! What are we to do? We must go back to who we were before the coming of the Europeans, African women values, our African men dignity. We Africans must restructure ourselves within. We must develop our own teaching patterns with our own languages, just like the Asians did. Confucius did it in China, he developed a writing patterns and codes to help the nation in educational uplifting. Lee Kuan Yew also did it in Singapore. Men of great valor. So many of us in Africa has forsaken our traditional and native names. Before, we do have something like Okonkwo Ezedike, but nowadays we have things like Peterside Paul, Macaulay Mabel and Alexander Goodwill. who did this to Africa? We must go back in time if we are ever going to reclaim who we are [our identity]. Our government must implement the teaching of every subject in school with our native languages. China and India did it and it worked for them and still working for them. We have to free ourselves from European influence. Our young generations can hardly speak our native languages because of the influence of English language, another mans language. Let's think home, let's think Africa. Let's for once try to be independent from these whites. We must stand on our own if we are ever going to reclaim our identity. You can not be dependent on someone and expect to have all you deserved and respect accorded to you.



WHEN IS THE PERFECT TIME FOR US TO RISE UP?



Now and now. We don’t have time on our side any longer. All other people in the world have woken up and have taken their positions in the world's affairs. Europe, America, middle east and Asia at large. China, Japan, Korea, Singapore and Malaysia are doing Asia proud, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Quarter are also not doing badly. Are we going to talk about American countries? They are at the top. Europe is at their peak. Only Africa is still struggling with development. We Are now an object of laughter in the international community. Let us stand up on our feet and say enough is enough. its not late until its too late. An Igbo adage says that he who starts today starts early. A stitch in time saves nine. Support Biafra restoration if Africa must see the light of the day.



#FreeBiafra

#FreeAfrica