“In Biafra” of a surety, “Africa” actually “Died.” For it was, it seems, only in Biafra did Africa prove her technological advancement in the use of the trio of Scientific knowledge, Mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions to technical problems and to re-write the 1884/1885 balkanization of Africa by the European Powers. However, Emefiena Ezeani, I must quickly add, the “death” of the ancestral home of the black race and, of course, the “death” of the largest convocation of black man, has a dual nature: permanence as well as impermanence. The “death” retains its permanence so long as we use religion and ethnicity as a wedge to divide us; so long as we sacrifice Nationalism on the alter of religious and ethnic bigotry; so long as, especially as with the case in Nigeria, we, out of ignorance and greed, reject the urgency of dismantling the faulty foundation of mediocrity the nation stands on and ,subsequently, replacing it meritocracy. On the other hand, it assumes impermanence when Africa, particularly Nigeria, accepts that “the end of every religion, if well practiced, is the redemption of the soul of man for the service of God, whatever we call Him-Jehovah, Allah or olodumare.”Furthermore, impermanence is assumed when we “forgive” ourselves the wrongs done each other decades past. We, especially our leaders, need to “revisit great events in history, primarily to tap from their rich archives, lessons that would guide those who are committed to avoiding other peoples’ errors of omission/or commission.”African leaders, especially Nigerian leaders, must read history; they owe it to posterity to create common National pride. Each time I read history, I’m reminded of slavery, exploitation, balkanization, and the like blacks were subjected to. And, here, it behooves me to give credence to: Mathew Ashimolowo, in his “what’s wrong being black?”; Emefiena Ezeani, in his “In Biafra Africa Died”;Brian Browne and thousands of writers who have brought the need for the emancipation of the black race to the fore. The Black man has been through untold, despicable suffering, for no less than 400 years. Granted, Africa has leadership challenges, yet, if the truth be told, no Nation grows/or develops with the scale of armed internal terrorism. Yet,” in every nation, people have their moments, the French with Napoleon, the German Bismarck, the Soviets, Bolshevik. America had Washington, Lincoln, after him and Obama, after them. And do not forget Lula of Brazil. Where is our own moment in history?” Besides, the questions are thought provoking: where is our moment in history? Who will file us along a common national pride? Who will lead us to the wake of renaissance, lifting us from the stagnating valleys of superstition and half truth to the sunlit mountains of creative analysis and objective appraisal? Does Africa, indeed, Nigeria, not deserve leadership as well as a place under the sun? Happy Birthday, Orobome Agberegha!
Posted on: Fri, 29 Nov 2013 00:09:21 +0000
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