Dear reader, I beseech you to read this with a sober mind. While bracketing all the fore-prejudices you may have towards this text, recall that moment when a fist of the colonist knocked you down, either physically or emotionally. I presume you never succumbed to it, you kept soaring to unravel, revolt and decolonise your mind from any form of colonisation.
Colonialism is a practice of domination, which involves the subjugation of one people to another. It is not a modern phenomenon; rather world history accounts many examples of one society gradually expanding by incorporating adjacent territory and settling its people on newly conquered territories. Power and dominance are basically intrinsic mental cravings in both rational and irrational species. The desire to dominate and be socially feared and honoured and the privilege of getting better portions is what yields the thirst to colonise the weaker ones. Without restrictions to a specific time or place, nevertheless, from the 16th Century, the audible song of Western colonialism in Africa began to pick its lyrics to date.
The interest of this article sees the concept of colonialism as inhering in three trends in Africa. Factually, not static but progressive because it has engulfed the continent through three trends: Firstly, European/Asian perpetual influence – the main tree of colonialism in Africa which has established un-uprooted roots, perhaps necessary to be called eternal roots. Meanwhile, the following two are merely branches yet powerful. Secondly, despotic appetite – which refers to the tyrannical leadership imposed by many octogenarian African heads of state, followed by their refusal to retire. And lastly tribal superiorities – resulting in massive domestic tribal conflicts that have occurred and are still occurring in many parts of Africa. These three trends are prototypical to what I refer to as Africa’s Tripartite Colonialism.
Every nation attained its independence at a given time different from the other. We hoped and embraced the rapture of a triumphant independent Africa anticipating a ceasefire, emancipation of Africans and a peaceful progressing continent. Stuck in euphoric illusions, little was it known that the downfall of white-to-black colonialism in sub-Sahara Africa ushered a new tide of black-to-black colonialism, initially the uppermost vicious form of human subjugation. Countries like Zimbabwe are entangled in the nightmares of democracy and this makes one question the direction in which the country is headed because ideal independence hasn’t befallen the nation; it was simply a transition from British colonisation to Zanu colonisation. Countries like South Sudan, Kenya, Nigeria, Zambia, to mention a few, are still suffering the yoke of tribalism. We take pride in our diverse tribes, should we not pride in the tribal animosities on the ground?
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In the stream of these patterns, it mirrors an active colonialism that is fully alive, at work and at play. Though the very concept is fluid and lacks innocence to an African child due to the penalties borne, we inhabit a continent that is essentially an end product of colonialism. Actually, the flourishing business in Africa now is the continued disunity and subjugation of the powerless. Living in the web of such unprecedented disparities, a new set of revolution is called for.
Revolution has its complex politics and we should approach it with a critical mind in dichotomising these complexities. Some upheavals are schemed for the worst while some for the better. I am disillusioned with the latter because often times we have been entwined into it. We divide our communities, intensifying racism/tribalism, xenophobia and violence; we demolish bridges and colonise each other. A typical example is the case of Zimbabwe’s 2017 well-strategised coup which sought to oust the long-serving former nonagenarian president. It seemed like a revolutionary schemed motive, on the contrary, it served to harness another tyrannical system. Therefore, the ideal revolution which Africa starves of today is that which is fronted by philanthropic motives.
Consequently, this has resulted in a diminished originality, a deterred sense of belonging. The original Africanity in one’s self is slowly being washed away by the waves of emulation. I admit that the return to our original selves in this era is merely an illusion for we are encircled by a society of structured stereotypes. It is a two-way thing; we are stereotyped and we too, stereotype ourselves. To this, we need to rise above the strata of social stratification. The passage to this is not a physical upheaval rather a mental insurrection that fosters a change in attitude, promoting unity in diversity.
To this end, we cannot overlook the effect of colonisation on our educational system. Education in the pre-colonial African society was performative, but colonialism came and crashed that. Our educational system is at the core of the mental revolution. One of the commendable areas for indigenous resistance should begin in the classroom.
Thus, revolution can only come through an informed, gallant and daring mind. It is not only academic honour that liberates us, but an ideal revolution that begins from the mind – a revolution of the mind – that births a new evolution. Remember that the coming forth of every generation carries a new consciousness that has its demands. While some demands are met, some are not, we ought to keep revolting against all follies and change of mindset is key to this.
In his article, Indigenous Pathways to Action and Freedom (2005), Taiake Alfred argues that meaningful change to the colonial condition requires a lasting transformation of society through an indigenous renaissance. Luckily, there are a few individuals who are challenging despotism and corruption, the likes of Bobi Wine (Uganda), Nelson Chamisa (Zimbabwe) and Aisha Yesufu (Nigeria). Their daring attitude is a seed of resurgence. Nonetheless, the continent still starves for more revolutionary-minded individuals, resolute minds that are able to spike a new evolution and make Africa a welcoming home to Africans.
Robin Sharma, a contemporary motivational writer and speaker opens his book The 5am Club with a call to heroism: “The world needs more heroes and why wait for them when you have it in you to become one?” Additionally, a hero can only be identified if he thinks revolutionary and wears the mask of philanthropism. “Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth in times of crises, the wise build bridges while the foolish build barriers. Therefore, we must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe.” The pill to heal this crisis lies within you and me, to decolonise our minds, to develop, not skyscrapers rather, our minds; henceforth, an urgent call for mental revolution.
This is a great article. It’s sad as well that most Africans are not even bothered. To them, things seem normal and modern.