We all know about the part in history in where the ancestors of modern African Americans were robbed of their authenticity via slavery. At that time their ancestors were taken out of Africa and lost their identity through dehumanizing conditions. And then you have the Jim Crow era that lasted up until the late seventies. During this era Black Americans were outcasted by whites, and the notion that they are not equal to whites was further more enforced and even legally justified.
Signs such as "White Only" were posted everywhere and Blacks could not attend school with whites or vote. So yes, Black Americans went through so much that gives them the right to be angry and hurt. But are they the only Blacks in the world who have gone through harsh circumstances? Should Black Americans remain stuck on the past and use it to remain in a state of expectancy?
Do not forget about Black Caribbeans, Black Europeans, and Black southern Americans who had to face the same slavery and racism. Do not forget about the Black Africans who experienced colonialism from the Arabs and Europeans which made us slaves in our own land. Even, the Arabs did worse when they first colonized Africa. As of today no trace of authentic African people can be found in Northern Africa which has been Arab-washed due to the African genocide they carried out hundreds of years ago.
During colonization Black Africans were told that their culture is evil and fetish. As a result we abandoned some of our culture and picked up that of Arabs and Europeans. We were told how ugly we are and that our body features were too big. Guess what this led to? Skin bleaching and coveting for non-African features. The atrocities Black Africans went through resulted in psychological issues as well. But according to African Americans, other Blacks are not allowed to talk about their ancestors experience because they were not slaves in America.
From slavery to colonization and the events that follow after that, Africans have been through many past and present atrocities that gives every African on the continent the right to be angry. In the country where my parents come from, there was a two year war known as the Nigerian Biafran War. The Nigerian-Biafran war was fought because the Igbos and other ethnic groups surrounding the Igbo kingdom no longer wanted to be under the governance of an oppressive system. In addition, the government wanted control over the oil in this part of Nigeria.
Up to two million Igbos and other ethnic groups that fought with the igbos died in the Nigerian-Biafran war. And then we had Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Rwanda. I'm sure you are familiar with the movies Blood Diamond, Sarafina, and Hotel Rwanda. Blood Diamond brings to light the oppression Sierra Leonians went through because of diamonds. Sarafina showcases the Civil Rights Struggle of Black Africans in South Africa. Hotel Rwanda tells the story of Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager that protected the Tutsi tribe from Hutu military forces who wanted to cleanse Rwanda of the Tutsi.
Black Americans seem to think that they are the only ones who have lived or is living under a corrupt and oppressive system. Not to downplay the plight of Blacks in America but what Blacks experience in America today is nothing compared to what Africans experience in Africa. And not to make Africa some poverty stricken place because parts of Africa is striving and developed, but travel to Africa to see what poverty, oppression, and corruption look like. The corruption is too much people have given up on combating the system. And because governmental funding is lacking due to greed, the Africans who do return to fix up the poverty stricken places find it hard to do so. And then you have the struggle. Unlike in America you either have (money) or you don't, and if you don't life is harsh. There is no government assistance programs such as welfare, section eight, health insurance, and federal loans for schools. So just imagine how life is for the less fortunate in Africa.
After all of the atrocities Africans went through, we did not play victim. Instead we rose and struggled hard to be the successful people we are today. My dad who had to train to fight in the Nigerian-Biafran war came from a less fortunate family. But regardless of the obstacles he faced, he worked hard to become an Engineer. Same thing for the other Nigerians I know. Today we are Pharmacists, Nurses, Doctors, Engineers, Lawyers, and other professions. And the thing is how African Americans respond with "your people were not enslaved." Well you are not enslaved either. You are just the descendants of Africans who were enslaved. How is slavery holding you back? And your ancestors who were enslaved and then oppressed during the Jim Crow era, they rose as well to obtain the freedoms we enjoy today in America.
The argument that annoys me is the argument around immigration benefits. Well there was no type of benefits my dad received for being an immigrant. When my dad first settled in America no fancy immigration bill helped him. He was a poor Igbo man who had to pay for college out of pocket, and worked as a janitor and security officer until he got his Engineering degree from Prairie View A&M University. Oh, and let me not forget. At that time our family of seven lived in a two bed-room apartment on the southwest side of Houston. Regardless of our struggles we did not play victim nor blame the system.
When Africans seem to be unsympathetic or lack knowledge about the plight of Black Americans, it is not because we hate them. We experienced our own plight as well. For goodness sake. Two million of my people were massacred just fifty years ago and we had to live under an era (colonialism) that kept us enslaved in our own land. But did the Igbos sit around victimizing themselves? No. African Americans must stop using the past as an excuse.
To some this write up may come off as unsympathetic and prejudice towards African American but that is not my intentions. I understand the plight but use your plight to do better. Yes, the western world is responsible for most of the poor conditions we face globally, but how long will we victimize ourselves? The best response is to rise instead of victimize yourself. You may agree that victimizing yourself is right but what has it done? Just make you more angry and hurt. No offense, but I refuse to remain in that state. If your ancestors can rise out of slavery and the Jim Crow era to gain the rights we have today, why victimize yourself? If your ancestors played the victim role the moment they were freed, do you think you would have the rights you have today?
And to the white people who may come across this post. Please do not use this article to ignore the systematic and global racism perpetuated by some whites. I know not all white people are racist because white people did support MLK and fought to end slavery. They even risked their lives to help Africans escape slavery by starting the underground railroad and organizations such as the NAACP. But do not ignore the racism that exist just because not all of white people are racist.
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