Some might have seen this day coming while others were so blind to see. The presidential campaign of Donald Trump was rocked with different dramatic episodes and one of them which aimed at making America great again. Whatever that means, some were able to read between the lines that Trump was basically calling for white supremacy. This time he just spoke what his mind and heart are filled with. Trump has shown us the fullness of his heart through what his mouth has spat out.
Citizens from Africa, El Salvador and Haiti are quite angry with what President Trump has said about them, people from “shithole” nations. I would like to argue that this is just the peak of an iceberg. There are many such white people out there who in their closets speak ill of people coming from the so called third world countries. People like Donald Trump and Richard Spencer are only the ones who cannot exercise “diplomacy” in speaking of the state of the people who are up to date regarded as second class, having different blood from white people, the cursed of the earth, and whatever they call and other things they only mention in their closets.
There is enough evidence that anything related to black people or Africans is looked down upon. This story goes a long way as recorded history can recall. The 18th century the world saw the rise of African slave trade. In 20th and 21th century we have just seen the racism taking different courses. Black and white segregation in America, Europe and even in the home land of the people that are looked down upon is just a sign that whites do not regard blacks as equals.
Some might think of that age to have passed. I am afraid that is not over. White people still look down on blacks. I only read about American racism, I may not have much to say about that. However, books by the likes of Ta Nehisi Coates are enough evidence to show that the black and white race conflict rages on. From an Africa stand point, White people still look down on Africans. This is seen in different places on the continent. Ousting and ushering in different regimes of choice through their manipulation is another way the white race shows their supremacy over Africans. There are cases where white employers have called their employees “monkeys”. Magazines from the western nations know no restraint in writing articles on the hopelessness of Africa. Western countries are so eager to send an African leader to the International Criminal Court (ICC) than sending their leaders to the ICC for the numerous children who have died in non-ending rich nations wars. Africans are looked upon as “children” who would be lost in the civilization jungle if it were not for America and Europe. All these seemingly trivial examples portray how Africans are being despised.
It is easier for a white person to get a job in Africa in these booming international non-profit organizations and other foreign corporations as opposed to hiring someone from the country where organization is operating in. For the same position, a white person gets a better package as opposed to the African man or woman. I heard of a case of workers at a non-profit operating under a prominent religious body in Malawi. The workers were calling for higher pay only to be given a rise of 5% rise and a consolation that God would reward them. While their Caucasian bosses were being paid lavishly and enjoying different benefits. This is inequality just in the non-profits whose apparent aim is to “help” Africans.
Arabs, Chinese, Japanese and other non-black nationals have taken their share now and again in despising Africans. It seems as if being an African is a license to be a punching bag for other races lighter than blacks or Africans. One cannot help but notice how some white citizens of USA or Europe behave when see an African in their country. They feel so unsafe. They think Africans will soon come flooding into their countries and finish up their resources. They have forgotten that its them who are finishing our resources here in Africa. They would prefer a fellow white person from another all white dominated country settling in their country than an African doing the same.
One sits back and wonder. With all the history that the African continent has, how can it qualify to be called shithole? The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is enriched with artifacts and historical materials from Africa. How can a nation that calls itself great come to “shithole” countries and collect valuable history? What is the point of collecting things from the people you say have no contribution to the world? It is rather surprising how so many white archaeologists come to Africa to find out about the rich history of the very people they look down upon. They take away artifacts that speak of our forefathers, sometimes smuggling the artifacts without our consent, and later have the courage to call African countries shitholes.
I wonder still. Why a nation that calls itself great would be part of a plot of the assassination of Patrice Lumumba just so that they have a share of minerals that Democratic Republic of Congo has? A nation that is among the shitholes. Are you not just collecting shit?
I really think and get surprised why an American like Donald Trump would have the guts to call these nations shitholes when the very foundation on the American economy was build by people who came from Africa. The nation he seeks to make itself “great” again was built by people who came from such nations he calls today shitholes.
I think no white person has the right to call or even think of any other race they look down upon as being shit. This is because most, if not all, white nations have been built on the exploitation and stealing of resources belonging to the people they despise today. The countries they destabilize and later on give aid and keep in debt as they loot out rich natural resources through the back door. White nations have now and again meddled in politics of such countries they call shitholes and only later to exploit the people they greatly scorn. Great men from Africa have died or struggled at the hands of white supremacy. Men like king Leopold II and Cecil Rhodes killed millions of African just to control their land and steal resources. If Africa was a shithole, why kill these innocent Africans who sought a better life for their people? After all it was a hopeless land. Men like Kwame Nkrumah, Patrice Lumumba, Chris Hani, Steve Biko, John Chilembwe, Thomas Sankara, Amílcar Cabral and the list goes on. All these have died at the hands of white people like Trump who like laughing at Africans yet fully knowing that it is primarily because of their making that these shitholes have been created.
I do not care if Trump apologizes or not. This is because his apology will not take away the pain that his words have caused. Secondly, the apology will not make the world look at Africans any better. There is no point for African nations to be begging for an apology from Trump, forced apologies are never sincere.
However, for us to make the best of this ridicule, we need to wake up from our slumber. One of the things that have caused us to receive such dishonor is the never-ending aid that we are getting from these western nations. African nations are always seen begging at the doors of these white nations. There has never been a time when we said enough is enough, let us work together and plan for our future. We are always making plans and hardly acting. This is not healthy for our economy and neither for our honor. There is no sense in having an African agenda that awaits the funding of the G8 countries. The agenda will always favor the benefactor. Africa needs to develop its financial muscle and this needs to be done by African themselves. It is because we wait to be fed, clothed, healed, and many other things that is why proud people like Trump will have the audacity to use foul words on us.
Africa has abundant natural resources but because of lack of sound leadership we still live in poverty. Most leaders are willing to compromise and sell their nations than speak fearlessly as the likes of Patrice Lumumba in the case of DR Congo. Our resources are not benefiting us. Now we even have more who want our resources. The whole world has been feasting on African resources and getting richer yet out state has grown even worse.
We need leaders who think more of their future than go to bed with white capitalists for a mansion which they never even get to enjoy because they die too soon. We need a crop of leaders who have the socioeconomic development of their people at heart. Leaders who can make Africans live in harmony. Leaders who will not let one African nation be exploited or attacked in a quest to kill the African future. We need leaders who have Africa at heart and do not enrich western nations through off shore accounts and dodgy tax deals. We need Africa leaders who can allow to be corrected and not stick in power for the sole reason of hiding from the law. We need fearless leaders who can say no to corruption and exploitation no matter the odds. Leaders who can sacrifice a lavish life style for them to build a better tomorrow for their citizens. We need fresh, wise and young courageous minds in our African political system. Fresh dreamers, visionaries, those who can embrace every son and daughter of Africa no matter what religion the other professes. We need African leaders who show action than go about begging for apologies that mean nothing.
The road is not smooth, but worth it. We have been looked down upon for so long. The honor of our beautiful and rich continent has been thrown to the dogs. We come from a long line of great kingdoms. Our parents were able to invent, they did trade, they did govern, they worked hard, they had everything that they needed to survive. There is nothing that can stand in our way that we cannot conquer if we fight together as sons and daughters of Africa. Africa can feed itself, cloth itself, it can name the price of its oil and gold, we can rule ourselves. We can be African and walk with no shame. Long live the great African continent and its beautiful land and people.
Ceaser's Blog 