Proudly African

During my early years, we were brought up – I am not sure if it was through socialization or what, but either by design or default we used to view other races, especially anyone lighter for that matter, as some superior beings to ourselves. This still continues to permeate most African countries especially in the villages. At one point I remember a friend of mine sharing with me how her niece came home after the Sunday service and told them that God did not come to church. They were shocked at what she said and further investigations revealed that the priest had not come for “Mass”. The priest was of white race and for whatever reason he had not been in church that day. So the priest was God?

It’s no wonder that some Africans want rush to other continents outside Africa to make money or gather wealth of whatever makes them feel being outside Africa is the greatest deliverance in their time. I have no problem living outside Africa, in fact I travel a lot and I love it, but more than, I want our children value themselves, love who they are and where they are regardless and not to think that Africa is cursed and it is a punishment by God to live in Africa. 

Talking of punishment, last Sunday, I was watching an  preacher (white) on television and I liked how he was candid with Kenyans. During his sermon he said that sometimes, Americans use Africa to portray their level of surrender and selflessness to God. He said something which made me laugh-some Americans would say “God, I surrender to you and to your will upon my life, even if it means sending me to Africa”. Oh.…really is it that bad? I still laugh when I think of that.

I am not here to bash other races-far from it, I have great friends all over the world and I value them dearly. 

But I have a problem with us Africans and how we raise our children and especially how we see ourselves. Worse still, instead of raising our children with great confidence and love for their continent, valuing their culture and their region, we have this tendency to show – the rest of the world is great, and being in Africa – we are to be pitied among all beings.

Actually at one point, I travelled to Europe, one of our trainers made a mistake of having an image of the devil and one of an angel. ( to explain some point on Human rights) The devil was black and the angel was white. One of the participants(from another African country) was so furious he stood up and demanded an apology  for painting the devil back and wanted an explanation of why the devil is not white and the angle black? Well, I thought that was quite extreme, but anyway…. Okay parents, or may be mums, because my blogs niche is Mums, please let’s learn to allow our children to value themselves. To carry themselves with esteem, Africans (black) are not less human beings, we all belong to God, He values each one of us just like all others, in fact is love is what my children would say ..same…same…..

Let our children grow proud and tall to be Africans! This is the message we must pass on to our children in this generation. That is the only we can make any positive impact to this awesome, lovely, beautiful, continent of ours....