Nnamdi Azikiwe once said, “The lack of respect for human dignity has led to the political bondage of man by man in Africa,” He continues, “Under no circumstance shall we accept the idea that the black race is inferior to any other race.”
Marcus Garvey said, ” A race without authority and power, is a race without respect.”
With these wise words from these black heroes who through their lifetime fought for the dignity of the black race.
After the abolition of slave trade by Abraham Lincoln, the black race faced another situation of the supremacy of the white race some of whom engaged in the slavery and were masters of the black slaves. They believed the white race were superior and should not only possess the blacks whom they see as sub-human, they were also entitled to material belonging to the black and a right to exploit and utilise.
Slavery is evident in many cultures and races. What marked the difference in the slavery of the black race is the forceful removal from the culture, identity, environment, then sold, dehumanised in forced labour and low wages.
While that was done, the same white race arrived in Africa to colonise yet again the black race while also exploiting the human and raw materials. It was again a struggle to be independent and to be able to manage their own affairs. These affected the pride and dignity of the black, psychologically and socially.
Throughout post slave trade, the black race has been in a struggle to assert themselves in a world that constantly looks down on them.
But, these struggles have over the years yielded more success towards racial equality and human engagement among the races.
Racism exists and colorism exists too. While racism counts on prejudice and discrimination, colourism among the blacks attack the confidence in their identity while also projecting the biracial or light skinned blacks as better advantaged.
It may be instructive to determine who is an actual black as regards the ancestry, geography or social identity. But colourism pitted the black race against themselves where the efforts became to look more white through interracial marriages and bleaching of skin.
The black skin is touted as ugly or laughed at or unattractive.
Several movements aimed at restoring the human dignity of the black race which makes the blacks to be confident in themselves were founded. From the Harlem Renaissance which was based on the intellectual, cultural formation of identity, through art, music, literature and more. The Garvey’s UNIA which sought to establish an independent black nation in Africa and racial pride. More movements like the Negritude which advocated black consciousness and identity and Pan Africanism, a movement for Africa’s freedom.
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Blacks have contributed immensely to the growth and development of the world through raw materials, talent, culture and technology. These should add to the pride of the blacks.
Psychologically, the black race is seething from the oppression and dehumanising treatments meted centuries ago which caused generational trauma as they are still reacting to it.
Few years ago, Ye said, “When you hear about slavery for 400 years. For 400 years? That sounds like a choice…My point is for us to have stayed in that position even though the numbers were on our side means that we were mentally enslaved.”
Over the years, there seems to be reluctance to acknowledge the past and chart the way forward with pride and dignity. There is constant internalisation of hurt, trauma and experiences of the past which many generations apart could have healed but slavery slipped into mental captivity which continuously causes limitations of belief in self, self pity and lack of power which seems to have devolved into victimhood. Perpetual victims of circumstances, overtly emotional feeling of hurt and continued internalisation of hurt and subjugation.
For a hundred years, February has been set aside to commemorate the black history. Starting from two weeks, it developed into a month of programmes, symposia on culture and contributions of the black not only within the USA, it became a celebration across the world. Many men and women dedicated their life towards the emancipation of the blacks. Many decades later, the black are called upon to continue the march towards total emancipation which is no longer from slave oppression but from slave mentality which hampers progress.
Black pride embedded in the black is beautiful movement was part of the ideas to lift the black race out of the cage of victimhood.
While we celebrate the black leaders over the last hundred years who strived and worked towards the black emancipation, the black countries and the leaders, though with government authority, suffer from a form of slave mentality which affects them in their dealings with other global powers. They are also affected by their neglect for the dignity of the black people especially in their governance.
The black race after over a century of movements aimed towards having profound faith in self, must never accept continued loss of dignity or inferiority.
The black race has lost respect because the black race has failed to fully emancipate. Will it take another century to realise the power and authority they have?
In the emerging world shaped by the United States of America whose policies are countering the rules based order, globalism and multiculturalism in favour of sovereign nationalism.
Remember, in the words of Marcus Garvey, if African leaders and African countries and the black race don’t have authority, there will be no respect. ASEAN countries did.
In this emerging world, will Africa continue to be the footnote?