Africans False Sense Of Solidarity

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Halloo,

To be an individual with your own sense of individuality is a very hard thing these days. There are so many causes that call for you to join their movements.

These movements are not necessarily bad, but when you disagree with somethings supported by the majority of people in the movement then you are considered disloyal, It is so bad that you start wondering why you become a member of the group in the first place.

I am an African by birth and by my whole being. I absolutely love my Africanness. It is in me. Just as I love my country of birth, Nigeria. I am a true Nigerian and African in all ramifications. But I refused to support or endorse bad behaviours just to show solidarity for Africans or the Black Race.

Being African is not a cause or a movement; it is who we are. Nobody can ostracise an African from being an African. So when an African choose not to support a particular cause, movement, or ideology why do some other Africans start questioning their loyalty or their Africanness?

My hearts bleed when I see my fellow human beings treated unjustly. That we, Africans and black people, are easy targets for some people because of the colour of our skin is a well-known and established fact. This is not just something that happened in the past, it is still happening.

How then do we deal with it? Certainly not by fighting everybody that we come in contact with. Some people even fight those who stood in solidarity with us. Let’s us exercise caution. Evil doesn’t have to beget evil. Not everybody with a different colour of the skin is against us.

I know peaceful demonstrations seem to make no impact. But my people, why play into our enemies hands by acting exactly the way they expect us to act. To the people doing these evil things we are nothing but animals to be hunted down, why are we behaving like animals?

Calling every injustice visited on the black people RACISM is cheapening the impact of the word. Those who died or get maimed due to racial attacks are being cheated by their fellow black people behaving badly and claiming racism when they are caught and dealt with.

Some Africans, especially those living in the diaspora, are quick to shout Racism and wants every African and Black Person to support them even when they are clearly at fault.

I have had situations where I refused to show solidarity for such episodes and was accused of selling my race out.

I am no saint. I have my own shortcomings and I do get things wrong sometimes. But I won’t sit back and support what is wrong just because the person doing it is from the same home country or continent as myself.

I am Black, and proudly so. I will not turn a blind eye if I see a fellow Nigerian, African, or Black Person being treated unjustly. But I am a human being first. So my support is for anybody being treated unjustly no matter their skin colour or where they are from.

Some Africans at their workplaces are made uncomfortable by their fellow Africans because they refused to join in movements created to cause disruptions without any tangible reasons.

They are ostracised by their own people and ignored just because they decide to think for themselves.

Some people have equated being African with going around with lots of anger issues and really terrible attitudes. Anybody who refused to follow suit will be accused of forgetting their history. Half of these people know nothing about African history except what serves their purposes.

Those of us who grew up in Africa know that Africans general attitude is that of Joy and celebration. We are people who laugh, sing, and dance even when in great distress. We are joyful people, that is just who we are.

This so much anger and forced solidarity are not us. To correct atrocities done in the past is not through anger. We can change our narratives by better educating ourselves, teach our younger ones the power of representing where they are from in a positive way.

Racial attacks, physical and verbal, are still happening daily. Anybody with a tiny bit of brain and human kindness will never support these attacks, no matter the colour of their skin or where they are from.

Not everything done unto a black person is out of racism. Let’s get our facts right before we jump on the wagon of solidarity. Let’s call out those behaving badly. Don’t let them keep dragging our name in mud and come running to us for support when things go horribly wrong for them.

Let’s start from home; raise decent children. Teach them about their origin with pride, not anger. Let them know that wherever they go their actions will be their identity. Stop planting hatred in their hearts.

There are fraudsters out there conning innocent people out of their hard-earned money. There are people who are provoking people without any reason. There are people out there who refused to obey any law. There are people out there who act so entitled. Asking everyone to support them because they are Africans.

All these are not to my taste. To me, that is not what being an African is or what African solidarity should be.

Some of our solidarity start and end at seeing some random posts on social media claiming someone disrespects Africa or Africans, and we all come out to show our rage. End of story.

How much of African history do you know? How many of the Africans who have fought and still fighting for great African causes do you know? What is your own contribution towards shaping the image of Africans?

I see posts on social media telling the history of Africans, people are silent. Those kinds of posts don’t get lots of engagement. We find it difficult to support progressive things, only sensationalism. Some of the story that is supposed to be rude to Africans are false, created to get people talking.

We can pour accolades on Africans behaving badly once they have some money in their pockets, or they are politicians, celebrities, or just at their perceived affluence. Even when it is a known fact that their money comes from shady dealings. Those working and earning honestly are either ignored or looked down at, even when their contributions to African society is really noteworthy.

African solidarity should be about celebrating and supporting progressive actions and contributions Africans bring to society. Let’s discourage bad behaviours by refusing to celebrate or support people doing them, forget where these people are from.

Let’s all really support the positive actions of our fellow Africans. Bring them to the limelight. Don’t wait till the world start celebrating them before you claimed them as one of yours.

Thanks a lot for reading. Please, your contributions to this post will be appreciated in the comment section below. Help by clicking like and share with your friends. Also, don’t forget to join other subscribers to receive notifications of new posts by email. I appreciate it.

Stay with me,

Ruka

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About Post Author

Ruka

My name is Ruka. Born and bred in Nigeria. Now living in Ireland. I am a Woman, Feminist, Wife, Mother, Muslim, Black, and African. I am an Entrepreneur who also works in Finance Administration. I am a Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Warrior. I love writing and hope to make a name for myself doing it.

rukaganiyu5@gmail.com

https://www.rukasplace.com

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