There is always some mystery surrounding every invention which is usually termed Science or Technology by the inveterate detractors of Africa’s civilization. Africa, we were told by historians was the sanctuary of civilization after it was pursued and apprehended by the west. It befuddles me how Africa turned to be the most poorest and dehumanizing war torn continent in terms of good governance, political stability, technological advancement and the general welfare of the natives. Indeed, those who first had contact with the continent had defaced the one time beautifully rich “primitive values, customs, tradition and religious” but highly revered continent.
No country can move from a third world status to a developed nation without placing emphasis on technology which is found in their values, traditions and customs which certainly is embedded in language. Therefore, by far, every serious nation that seeks to attain economic might to better the lives of her people must first and foremost have a national language that will reflect the cultural practices of the people. This will make learning and acquisition of knowledge easier for people to explore freely to bring about innovations to move the nation forward. The obstinate dissension of the African culture by others does not make is inferior.
What is more witchery than the inspiration to manufacture a gun? What really is the use of a BOMB? Yet, when an African flies above some altitude to seek knowledge, it is termed as devilish and Satanic which could have form the bases of our version of technology. But an airplane goes over and above the altitude of a "witch" and they refer to it as technology. Is that not also witchcraft since every invention has some level of mystery surrounding it? Do we question what is behind an ignition of an automobile engine? Just recently, the South African government placed a ban on witches not to fly above a certain altitude which certainly might be a directive from the west. How did they get to the moon? Why don’t we question all the inventions they made? Is it not witchcraft to do the absurd? Whose words are Science and Technology?
The African dream to invent is usually met with snag and condemned to the dustbin by those who bamboozle us with their language. Witchcraft is what is called technology just as the way they demonize our religion, customs, traditions, values and norms and introduce to us their version of God/Allah which creates a whole lot of hallucination in the minds of the African. Our regression in development can strongly be attributed to how Africans have deserted their Culture and religion to copy blindly other cultures.
The gods were predictng any grim future kismet and admonish the people against it. Africans could distinguish between evil and good through their traditional system until the “white pale looking creature” reviled and fondled the pure heart African by demystifying the potency of our gods. The African now sees everything good/civilized through the western spectacle making it more intense by falling for their policies and directions to govern our people. Was our traditional political setup and practices not faced with hitches as contemporary western democracy?
For instance, if the French think their language is superior and therefore Africans must learn to speak it and adopt it as a national language, then the French should do well and let the English, Italians, Germans, Portuguese, Dutch, Spaniards, Arabs, Russians, Greeks etc all abandon their national languages and adopt it as their own. The reverse is also true to the so called international languages and nations that impose their values, norms and cultural practices on innocent nations through no fault of their current generation. The advanced countries have demonstrated to Africans that, what they referred to as Science and Technology are entrenched in the language, religion, tradition and cultural practices of the people hence they wedged to their own.
Most if not all the developed countries all have their native languages as official which reflect their traditional practices making it more flexible for knowledge and reason acquisition. This explains why a school drop out in the so called “advance cultures” can easily invent or bring innovation into the system as a quota to help his/her nation. No nation can get to a developed status without having its own national language that reflects the ideals of the people. Until the break up of the USSR, most of the eastern European nations had all adopted Russia as their official language which placed them poles apart from their western counterparts with regard to standard of living, political stability and technological progression.
For instance, the UK, USA, Japan, China, Russia, Germany, Italy, Spain, South and North Korea, the Netherlands, etc all have native language which the people can easily identify with as their official medium of communication. On the other hand, Countries in South America, Africa and most Countries in Asia are seriously struggling to move out of the third world ladder in the midst of plenty. Is it not pathetic how we allow ourselves to be confused by others in all spheres of our lives? Are we now not civilized enough to say enough is enough, we will no more tow with your dictates? Even if nothing at all, the Chinese have shown us the way with their mandarin language merge with tradition and culture.
Knowledge and reasoning is embedded in our cultural environment and not at the four walls of the classroom. Consider the early philosophers/scholars whose work, ideas and principles we build our current generational education, none of them was a university product yet we base our current knowledge on their wisdom. It seems to me like a farce, when a university graduate in Africa cannot bring forth any meaningful proposition to add to knowledge. Why? Because the language of his education is foreign mixed with alien tradition, norms and values. Our ancestors were filled with perspicacity considering the rich language at the time which our generation would have build upon since perfection comes out of constant practice.
Until the African is able and defiantly reject the obnoxious language of the west and monstrous offers that are usually packaged in desecrate in disguise, getting to the level of self dependant will be in long illusion of reality. Our brains are raped off, our resources are stolen, our effort to live as one people is in shambles and our quest to live in “paradise” is mask in a form of support but in return used to develop the “perceive perfect” west. Africa must let the west know they are not above reproach for the purpose of liberation. May God broaden our level of understanding in our homeland Africa.
Kashaa Nuhu babnuh11@yahoo.com
