Why Do Some Africans View Whites As Superior To Black-Americans?

Adwubi Kete, a friend who lives in Massachusetts, recently gave me a call. Adwubi moved to New England two years ago and met a man named Adam. Adwubi’s milieus overwhelmed her so she was grateful to Adam for helping her adjust. She contemplated dating Adam but she could not form a romantic attachment to him due to his adulation of Whites. Adam often expresses views that portray Whites as superior to Black-Americans.

Adam once declared that should he have a daughter in the future, he will not allow her to marry a black man, for white males make better spouses. It was then that Adwubi knew she could never love Adam – she deemed him a simpleton. Thus, Adwubi told Adam that she was not ready for an intimate relationship. Though resentful of the brio with which Adam expressed fondness for Whites, Adwubi kept it to herself. However, Adam’s admiration of Caucasians recently reached revolting levels, compelling Adwubi to finally speak up.

Adwubi griped to Adam weeks ago that a male colleague was making her uneasy. The man had given Adwubi jewelry – a gift she deemed improper – and was interrogative as to when she would wear it. Adam replied: “See black people, instead of gratitude they rather complain. I once gave a white female co-worker a common candy bar and she was overjoyed.” “You don’t know what she said about your gift in your absence!” Adwubi exclaimed: “People of all creeds are gracious when given gifts, and then complain to their friends if they find it vexing, so my race is irrelevant!” she added. Adam kept mute.

Days later, Adam praised: “Adwubi, in fact, white people are smart! I have learned that some guys who are high-income earners have acquired homes via the Housing program meant for those in low-income brackets.” “They are Whites so you deem their illegal manipulation of the system as smart. Had they been black men you would classify them as crooks.” “That is because Blacks overdo it and the method they use is not smart,” Adam ignorantly stated. “There aren’t degrees of cheating; either you are scamming the system or you are not! The method used by those guys is not indicative of high intelligence, but reflective of career thieves who have honed their skills!” Adwubi fumed and stomped off.

Adwubi hoped being vocal about Adam’s worship of Whites would be an instrument for him to tweak his views. Alas, her hopes were dashed! One night, as they watched a new sitcom produced by an Ebony man, Adam commented: “This is the first decent Black show that I’ve seen.” Adwubi sighed and numerated Black sitcoms of yore, e.g. Cosby. Adam argued that such Black shows were great only due to having White creators. Adwubi refuted Adam, educated him, and subsequently asked him to leave her house.

It was three days after Adwubi asked Adam to leave her home before they began to communicate again. The former was sure Adam had conducted introspection and thusly realized his folly. But Adwubi would again be disappointed! While discussing economic matters, Adam stated: “Adwubi, you know that white people differentiate Africans from African-Americans. Adam’s declaration sent a hot wave over Adwubi’s face and she shot back: “What is the relevance or import of that statement? Why attach such significance to the opinions of others? Adam did not respond. Moments later, Adwubi inquired: “The University of Ghana, Legon, of which you are an alumnus, has Black History as part of the curriculum. Were lectures not given on Black intellectuals?” “I know about the history of Blacks, but look at what is happening on BET?” “Adam, a person with any brain activity does not waste a nanosecond on that so-called Black Entertainment Television, much less use it as a yardstick to measure Black America.”

Adam waited approximately five minutes and sermonized: “You become upset when I talk about Blacks in this country, but the truth is we are different from them. We are serious about education, we work hard, and we take care of our families. Even white people can attest to this fact! I have had many Caucasians tell me that they prefer to work or live with Africans than Black-Americans and I, too, prefer to work with Whites.”

Before Adam could conclude his sermon, Adwubi unhinged: “You cannot be this stupid! They say colonialism is dead but in the minds of your ilk, it is alive and thriving! You extol white people and cling to their views of you as if they validate your existence. Your behavior is not only disturbing but also a humiliating and constant reminder of Africans’ mental bondage. Educated and ambitious Black-Americans are in abundance, but your mental bondage renders you oblivious to this fact! For your edification, a trigger-happy racist cop does not make a distinction between an African and an African-American and will not hasten to pull that trigger. The sooner you accept this fact the better for you!”

Having said her piece of mind, Adwubi got in her car and drove off – leaving Adam at the park bench they had been sitting on. It’s been eight days since the incident occurred. Adwubi is avoiding Adam and asks if she should end their friendship. To which I responded: “The second time Adam regurgitated his repugnant views, I would have educated him and then eliminated him from my social circle. So my answer to you is in the affirmative.”

After a long pause, Adwubi exasperatingly asked: “Why is Adam the way he is?” I opined: “Adam reminds me of those African males who make blanket statements about black women. These males are incapable of courting educated and classy black ladies, so they eventually settle for those that are referred to as “hood rats”. They then ignorantly claim that “hood rats” are the embodiment of African-American women. Such males never succeed in wooing enlightened, sophisticated white women either; and thusly resolve to date those that are branded “trailer trash”. But you’d be hard-pressed to find said males perceive “trailer trash” as the epitome of white women. No one knows why Adam and his ilk are like that; we can only attribute their behavior to mental slavery”.

Adwubi is uncertain on what to do about Adam. She finds it ironic that Adam views Black-Americans as uneducated when W. E. B. Du Bois, a Black-American intellectual, is buried in Ghana. It is needless to say African-Americans have endured untold miseries that paved the way for the Nubian race to migrate to the U.S.A. So it is mystifying how some Africans condescend to those who made it possible for the former to settle in America.

In your view, should Adwubi end her friendship with Adam? More importantly, why do some Africans espouse views that denigrate Black-America? How do we fix the Adams amongst us? And, how do we bridge the gap between Africans and African-Americans?

Lola, Washington, DC