In his popular book, ‘What Is Wrong with Being Black? Celebrating Our Heritage, Confronting Our Challenges’, Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo researched, and argued that people of color have a positive history, that they were the first to give structure and order in society, that Scripture cites Black role models, that racial equality is an undeniable truth, and that, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being black. If all that is true, and I believe it is, then, why does the Black man still behave as if ‘he didn’t complete his days in the womb – bi wi pe ojo e ko pe?’
If you think I’m just trying to look for trouble again, let’s reason these matters together:
1. In a weather this hot, imagine some people still wearing suit and knotting tie. ‘Ngba won fi se’yan.’ And, it’s all in the name of looking ‘corporate o!’ The Black man, thinking he’s educated, will open his buccal cavity wide, and say the ‘Sokoto and Buba’ that his father wore while struggling to see him through school, is not ‘corporate!’ The Black man’s biggest problem is his lost (lack of) identity. Instead of going for ‘Tuxedo and Black tie events’ on our own African soil, when are we going to start going for ‘White Agbada or Red Ibo Cap events?’ Would the cocktail party become a cowtail party if we appeared in Dashiki and Sokoto? When will the Black man start CELEBRATING his HERITAGE, and dressing his ROOTS with pride and satisfaction? When will the Black man be FREE from mental and cultural slavery?!
2. For how long would we continue to teach our children ‘Moti-Sorry’ in our nursery and primary schools? Maria Montessori developed a teaching system to meet an identified need in her environment. When are we going to develop our own teaching system that would address, and possibly eradicate, our peculiar challenges? Is this how we’ll be copying everything the Europeans and Americans churn out? Is there a dearth of thinkers in our education ministry ni, or we’re just too lazy to do the right thing ni?! When are we going to start CONFRONTING Our Peculiar Challenges, and finding HOMEGROWN SOLUTIONS to them?
3. Of all the races on earth, none other migrates en mass to another man’s country/region like the Black man. He doesn’t seem to be satisfied with whatever he has, always thinking that “What they have in Europe and America and Canada and Australia, is better than what I have here.” An American can stay in his County, or State, all his lifetime. Same for the Europeans, except for the adventurers among them. If only the Black man would stay in his country, like the Japanese, and develop from within, the entire world would be begging to live on our continent.
4. A typical ‘educated’ Black man looks down on his fellow brother and sister if they can’t speak ‘good’ English. See the way they mocked our own Sina Peters when he said, “Soonest recover”, when he was actually richer, more famous, and by far better off than the nonentities who ridiculed him. What is English?! What is French?! They’re not, in any way, better than our Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa languages; and sensible people teach their children to speak their mother tongues, and to take pride in their cultural heritage. The Black man will shamelessly open his mouth and say, “My children do not speak our ‘local’ dialects o!” Shame! Shame!! One or two fellows, thinking they love me, have advised me to stop using Yoruba in my write-ups, arguing that it won’t allow for global appeal. My answer, and attitude, is, “To blazes with global appeal! I’m a ‘proud’ Yoruba man (Nigerian), and I’ll NEVER hide who I am, especially in my own country!” Right here, global appeal will meet me!
In conclusion, until the Black man starts LOVING himself, and what he has, he’ll remain a slave to the West, and he’ll never be his own man. Until we begin to wear our AGBADA, SOKOTO and BUBA with glee and pride, we’ll keep slaving for our oppressors. What is designer suits and French jackets?! Shio! Until we start valuing our natural endowments and peculiarities, the White man will forever take advantage of us. Unlike most Africans, I do not think, nor believe, that anyone, just because he/she is Caucasian, is better than me. No! I believe absolutely in Psalm 82:6, which says, “I have said,… ALL of you are CHILDREN of the MOST HIGH.” We’re all equal before GOD. Do you believe that?! I do! And, I pray this delivers you from every form of colonial mentality. Amen!
DA