Do not be afraid, this too shall pass: A case against the conspiracy theories

Ghanaian President Akufo-Addo deserves special commendation for ever repeating the words, "This, too, shall pass", in every address to the nation. If for nothing at all, it is a clarion call to calm our nerves and let cooler heads prevail.

Many have taken advantage of the situation to cause panic, fear and anxiety. That is sad and unfortunate. Some ill-willed videos, already now, are making the rounds. Such videos postulate, among other things, that the Coronavirus, digital medical records, vaccine trials, and 5G Networks are all part of a grand scheme by the West to eventually destroy all Africans.

It is unfortunate that lots keep blindly believing in these theories in this 21st Century. From current statistics as at April 5, 2020 (23:11 GMT), out of over 69, 000 deaths recorded globally due to the virus, only over 400 are from Africa, representing about 17 percent. By common logic, these figures alone show that there is no conspiracy to kill Africans.

Can any White worth his time employ sophisticated methods that will engender his own people, just to destroy Africans? It is not possible. It is not plausible. It is defeatist and childish to have such a mentality. We, Africans, are rather conspiring against our own selves. We are the captains of our own fate.

The nagging questions we have to ask are: What is the ratio of doctors/nurses to patients in sub-Saharan Africa? How many valid medical labs and scientific researchers do we have as a continent? With only five percent (5%) of the World's mathematicians being Africans, how can we talk back when the Whites talk? Are we not the very people who gave the Whites the leeway to enslave fellow African kindred and still give them clearance to mine anything mineable in the African soil?

We do not have the moral authority at all to accuse the Whites of conspiracy to commit murder and its related charges, when we ourselves have murdered our very selves through inter-tribal wars and land disputes, greed and selfishness, poor healthcare delivery and what not. We stand answerable before our own very selves. Instead of investing in education and research, we had invested in black magic, sorcery and wicked wizardry.

While we pray for an end to this pestilence, let us pray for an end to the typical African Pull-Him-Down (PhD) syndrome too. While we invest in religion and politics, let us invest in science, education and technology too. Ultimately, while we hope that this pandemic too shall pass, let us hope for an end to a pan-Africanism that comes with racism and xenophobic attacks. Amen!