By Abena The Village Girl
Pan
Africa
I vent.
I sit and wonder how long can we
suffer in silence. Is this the easier way to suffer? Why? Because it's done
collectively or on a mass scale? Yet largely ignored. Anytime a people
have to look outside of self to find a means of happiness, it is suffering. So
why do so many shake at even the thought of its mention (pan-africanism),
mostly our own people. We seem to be studied on various terms, theoretically
and conceptually. Our ancestors laid the underlying principles of life coupled
with universal laws of nature, yet as a solution to Africa's problems, when
mentioned on its own terms one shakes. Or it can never be done, or you have to
be in the system to change the system, why? If I don't like the way you operate
I'm out. I know that may have many roads of objections, but if you don't like
the way a factory operates you can’t change it, you either leave or stay. Some
may spend their life working for promotion till they can be part of a leading
managerial position, but then they will know change doesn't come easy, haha all
that stuff bores me.
Back to this suffer matter, as
long as I can remember when hearing about Africa's greatness coupled with its
current state, its solution to me was easier than 'A, B,C'. We have to do our
own thing. Please bear in mind when I say Africa, this includes those in the
diaspora, blacks all over the world, growing up as a 'black british' myself. In
fact when I mention Africa, it is a matter of nature, since Africa is in the
centre of the world and produces majority of the world’s natural
resources. (Blah blah we all know this and) granted I am not the first to
make such a proposal about us doing our own thing, but why then, why has it not
been done? Are we happier to suffer, born into suffering then die suffering den
abi we sufferers! State what you are, loud and proud, but we can't can we,
because it not be so and we know it in our souls. Why is compliance good enough
or deemed to be easier? One may say 'abeg look at all the atrocities our people
don suffer, me im just happy for life'. But only if one looks at life as just
the physical, separate from mental and spiritual. Why then are we younger
generations being born and adopting the baggage of emotional stress, spiritual
(not knowing who the hell we are or why we are here just to comply to a system
that does not benefit us) mental, what do we do next and where do we go
from here, economical, financial etc. Why bother? Yet why becomes more
important than prevalent situations when attached to the front of every as
such. It's no longer why it’s what can and should be done, by each of us
individually.
I throw the idea of 'easy' out of
the water again, because although the solution has always been easy it has
taken a lot for me to come to this practical step. Knowing and believing that
through the knowledge I have gathered throughout my years, together with
general life experiences, we are greater than what can be imagined. Indeed it’s
that which most have dumped in the bin somewhere and yet even rubbish has to be
collected, so dem dey carry the baggage 24/7 and my does it stink. We have to
recycle and refresh ourselves just as the body does to survive everyday,
incorporating our greatness, learning from our strengths and weaknesses.
There’s nothing special about me
I cry, I laugh, I'm human, I feel emotional pain, I've carried it with me, it
almost broke me down but self comes first and if I don't at some point in my
life be good with myself then I will have to answer to self and that’s what I
fear the most. Some will say it’s hard to be a great leader, it’s hard to run
away from the system but na true that everybody go answer, whom to is relative.
Abeg I think it’s high time that we look at the holistic content of a person,
their heart and potential. For who will come after these leaders, they came,
they tried but our turn will come also. Every wise man knows that life is a
constant lesson for old, young, small, big as we learn from our elders they
must learn from us also and I truly believe that the great answers, solutions
and steps must involve the youth.
Therefore it is necessary for us to
learn our true nature, true history, true ancestral heritage and what we can do
to become a self-fulfilling people and truly help ourselves and our nation. We
must have a chance. Many of our great leaders are not taught in our books and
many of the youth are unaware of so many in recent times who put their lives on
the line to help develop even just our minds.
I believe a new time is
approaching where we must deal with ourselves to be the most balanced
individuals we can be and learn from ourselves. Abeg no more time for focus on
those who want to only point out flaws for in that case the whole system is
flawed. This is a case for living truly with nature and becoming self-fulfilled
individuals, who can build something for themselves, their children to come and
really live life. May I just point out that this is not by force, this is for
those individuals who have an interest in something more than just following
man-made rules of life whether it’s to debate, share ideas, showcase talents,
learn or just layback listen and enjoy. True pan-africanism focuses on nature,
arts and craft, knowledge building, musical inspirations and self-development
in summary. Let’s remember that what hinders one mainly is self so let’s all
build from self, working and learning with each other.
I have
vented.
