Bridging The Gap
Dispelling The Myths About African Americans By Nigerians
What Are African American’s Crimes?
Eniti a pe kowa jeun toun dini lowo mu — Yoruba Proverb.
“A guest trying to hinder or disrespect the host”
Presented March 2023
I am aware, that many may object to the severity of my language, but is there not cause for severity? I will be hash as truth and as uncompromising as justice. On this subject, I do not wish to think, or speak, or write, with moderation…. I am earnest—I will not equivocate—I will not retreat a single inch—AND I WILL BE HAERD — William Lloyd Garrison, January 1, 1831.
John F. Kennedy reminded us that the great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie—deliberate contrived, and dishonest—but the myth—persistent, persuasive, and repeated. And, Mahatma Gandhi said, “we but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do”. And, Jim Rohn recapped that for things to change, you have to change to affect the desired change. While, Abraham Lincoln insisted that the best way to predict the future is to create it.
We were all human until race disconnected us, religion separated us, politics divided us, and wealth classified us ― Unknown. While ignorance questions our knowingness, the illusion of knowledge challenges the dimension of our intelligence. Africans, and African Americans are in a warfare they did not initiate based on misinformation of the truth. And, in every war, the first casualty is TRUTH ― Aeschylus. No one wins until someone changes the story. We must correct the omissions and errors of the truth between us. We must change the past narratives and articulate our future stories in a palatable manner. The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge — Daniel Boorstin. There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance ― Socrates.
Lies, misinformation, and conspiracy theories are not free speech. They are fraud and propaganda ― DaShanne Stokes. While, repetition does not transform a lie into a truth ― Franklin Roosevelt. And, truth hates delay ― Seneca. Thus, truth builds the bridge of trust; whereas, lie breaks it ― Ehsan Sehgal. In other words, Victor Hugo believes it is not easy to keep silent when silence is a lie. However, people who treat other people as less than human must not be surprised when the bread they have cast on the waters comes floating back to them, poisoned — James Baldwin.
The said Yoruba adage says: ‘Bi omode ba subu, yio wo iwaju, bi agbalagba ba subu, yio wo ehin’ (Upon falling, a youngster looks ahead for help; but an elder looks back for the cause).
This is a letter of appeal to the new generations of Africans to see itself and their conscience. It is not acceptable for Africans to traduced African Americans. I hope pardon for the boldness of this submissions. However, I am by no means apologetic for my observations, informed analysis, interrogations, and or mitigation strategies. It is not a hope that our relationship will change, but it is my duty to bring about a changed relationship. It must be opined to bridge the gap.
I have been on this mission for decades to bridge the gap between Africans and African Americans and to gain understanding and principles for dealing with each other in harmony, respect and with dignity. I saw how, over time, this degenerating relationship leads to a small amount of gain, and control of wealth and power, which hurts our collaboration to develop into a distinguishable force in America and beyond.
And, from the womb of time, Nigerians have been pulverizing African Americans in their country for no apparent reason; hence I often seek this pertinent question from Nigerians to gain understanding and insight into their crimes toward Nigerians in America. And I submit: What are African American’s crimes toward Nigerians that necessitate their persecution with disrespect at will and abuse, particularly from the Yorubas?
If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor — Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Short history lesson to Africans, particularly Nigerians, African Americans high labor force was very critical to the foundational growth of America and her economy. Their immersed contributions, sacrifices and triumphs, struggles and achievements resulted to benefits most Africans cannot enjoy in their home countries.
The wealth of the early colonies was so dependent on slavery that the American dream never would have happened without it. That system is still in place today. Corporate greed, the need for more, and racism are so intrinsically tied together, it’s hard to tell one from the other. Slavery, American’s first sin, was powered by the need for cheap, and expandable labor. Entire civilizations were destroyed to build this country on our backs — Lenny Duncan, Dear Church.
This group of Africans is notoriously known for labeling people. The Yorubas particularly are noted for this behavior. In Nigeria, they label other tribes, even amongst themselves to prove a sense of superiority, academic arrogance, rivalry or affluence.
This disreputable group, the Yorubas are the chief architect of this atrocity towards African Americans. It is the most disastrous labeling of all times, calling African Americans Akata, meaning an ugly animal; fill in the gaps with all conceivable adverse nuances imaginable, but Why! Why!! Why!!! Mark Twain advised that you can’t depend on your judgment when your imagination is out of focus. And, according to Dr. Ray Hagins, in order for those who have been misled to begin to see “correctly”, they must have a clear, analytical understanding of the origin, strategies, mechanics, purpose, and methods of the device that has blinded them in the first place. Neither love nor terror makes one blind: indifference makes one blind — James Baldwin.
Hence, Nigerians must remove their cloudy lens of America; an error or ignorance with perceived confidence. Richard Wright once remarked that blacks and whites are engaged in a battle over the description of reality, their experience is different, and so they interpret the facts of the world around them differently.
I encourage Nigerians to review the word “white” and compare the burden attached to the word “black” in their most advanced dictionary. The American experience that African Americans see is generally quite different from what other Americans witness. When African Americans describe America, they often see a different America.
Unfortunately, Nigeria is a country which incentivize impunity,
rewards criminalities and nurtures moral profligacy.
These derogatory attitudes, narrow-mindedness or negativities toward African Americans align with Minister Louis Farrakhan definition of the word “Nigger” as worthless, senseless piece of shit. Is this the Nigerian’s depiction of African Americans?
It disrespects with preconceived negative connotations and degenerates cooperative relationships between African Americans and Africans, particularly with Nigerians. Everyone has the right to dignity. By respecting others, we honor life in all its beauty, magic, diversity and unpredictability. And African Americans have the right in America to behave as they want or wish without being apologetic to any group of immigrants. However, imagine if Africa brings her Africanness, and African Americans their Americanness, the formidable powers of harmony, dignity, and healing.
Therefore, forming viable communities with African Americans and being in communities lead to a healthy sense of belonging, greater generosity, better distribution of resources, and a greater awareness of the needs of the self and others. Thus, in a community, the need of the one are the needs of the many. A Yoruba proverb about togetherness (Ẹyẹ ò lè fi apá kan fò); Birds cannot fly with one wing. We need one another, and together we can do more. Where is the Yoruba’s gift of sympathy?
While Nigeria appeals to Africans in the diaspora to invest in Nigeria, their politicians and the elites invest their loot abroad. What a contradiction or paradoxical fraud. Yet, Nigerians in America disrespect African Americans, the most advanced and affluent African descent.
I am essentially labeled “The African American lover and a defender”. To me, it is a badge of honor. I gladly accept challenging these myths because truth is its own defense, and truth is universal. And the truth is always the truth. An African American lover or a defender I would be. So mote it be. Sadly, I have roots there but am detached because I do not belong there.
Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for Humanity — Horace Mann.
I should remind Africans of the roles African Americans played in Ota Benga’s life, a Mbuti man who was brought to the America from Central Africa and displayed at the Saint Louis World’s Fair (1904), the Museum of Natural History, and the Bronx Zoo Monkey House (1906). Where were Nigerians in America to defend their fellow African in 1904 or 1906?
While African Americans demand reparation from her government, has African Union (AU) apologized to African Americans for the atrocities of the transatlantic slave trades, the sins of our forefathers’ collaboration? Four hundred years later, Africa is appealing to African Americans for help to develop Africa, while simultaneously, a new generation of Africans is disparaging African Americans. They are ignorant to history and consciously reluctant to learn the past history of their forefathers sins.
If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor — Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Short history lesson to Africans, particularly Nigerians, African Americans high labor force was very critical to the foundational growth of America and her economy. Their immersed contributions, sacrifices and triumphs, struggles and achievements resulted to benefits most Africans cannot enjoy in their home countries.
The wealth of the early colonies was so dependent on slavery that the American dream never would have happened without it. That system is still in place today. Corporate greed, the need for more, and racism are so intrinsically tied together, it’s hard to tell one from the other. Slavery, American’s first sin, was powered by the need for cheap, and expandable labor. Entire civilizations were destroyed to build this country on our backs — Lenny Duncan, Dear Church.
This group of Africans is notoriously known for labeling people. The Yorubas particularly are noted for this behavior. In Nigeria, they label other tribes, even amongst themselves to prove a sense of superiority, academic arrogance, rivalry or affluence.
This disreputable group, the Yorubas are the chief architect of this atrocity towards African Americans. It is the most disastrous labeling of all times, calling African Americans Akata, meaning an ugly animal; fill in the gaps with all conceivable adverse nuances imaginable, but Why! Why!! Why!!! Mark Twain advised that you can’t depend on your judgment when your imagination is out of focus. And, according to Dr. Ray Hagins, in order for those who have been misled to begin to see “correctly”, they must have a clear, analytical understanding of the origin, strategies, mechanics, purpose, and methods of the device that has blinded them in the first place. Neither love nor terror makes one blind: indifference makes one blind — James Baldwin.
Hence, Nigerians must remove their cloudy lens of America; an error or ignorance with perceived confidence. Richard Wright once remarked that blacks and whites are engaged in a battle over the description of reality, their experience is different, and so they interpret the facts of the world around them differently.
I encourage Nigerians to review the word “white” and compare the burden attached to the word “black” in their most advanced dictionary. The American experience that African Americans see is generally quite different from what other Americans witness. When African Americans describe America, they often see a different America.
Unfortunately, Nigeria is a country which incentivize impunity,
rewards criminalities and nurtures moral profligacy.
These derogatory attitudes, narrow-mindedness or negativities toward African Americans align with Minister Louis Farrakhan definition of the word “Nigger” as worthless, senseless piece of shit. Is this the Nigerian’s depiction of African Americans?
It disrespects with preconceived negative connotations and degenerates cooperative relationships between African Americans and Africans, particularly with Nigerians. Everyone has the right to dignity. By respecting others, we honor life in all its beauty, magic, diversity and unpredictability. And African Americans have the right in America to behave as they want or wish without being apologetic to any group of immigrants. However, imagine if Africa brings her Africanness, and African Americans their Americanness, the formidable powers of harmony, dignity, and healing.
Therefore, forming viable communities with African Americans and being in communities lead to a healthy sense of belonging, greater generosity, better distribution of resources, and a greater awareness of the needs of the self and others. Thus, in a community, the need of the one are the needs of the many. A Yoruba proverb about togetherness (Ẹyẹ ò lè fi apá kan fò); Birds cannot fly with one wing. We need one another, and together we can do more. Where is the Yoruba’s gift of sympathy?
While Nigeria appeals to Africans in the diaspora to invest in Nigeria, their politicians and the elites invest their loot abroad. What a contradiction or paradoxical fraud. Yet, Nigerians in America disrespect African Americans, the most advanced and affluent African descent.
I am essentially labeled “The African American lover and a defender”. To me, it is a badge of honor. I gladly accept challenging these myths because truth is its own defense, and truth is universal. And the truth is always the truth. An African American lover or a defender I would be. So mote it be. Sadly, I have roots there but am detached because I do not belong there.
Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for Humanity — Horace Mann.
I should remind Africans of the roles African Americans played in Ota Benga’s life, a Mbuti man who was brought to the America from Central Africa and displayed at the Saint Louis World’s Fair (1904), the Museum of Natural History, and the Bronx Zoo Monkey House (1906). Where were Nigerians in America to defend their fellow African in 1904 or 1906?
While African Americans demand reparation from her government, has African Union (AU) apologized to African Americans for the atrocities of the transatlantic slave trades, the sins of our forefathers’ collaboration? Four hundred years later, Africa is appealing to African Americans for help to develop Africa, while simultaneously, a new generation of Africans is disparaging African Americans. They are ignorant to history and consciously reluctant to learn the past history of their forefathers sins.
Martin Luther King, Jr. noted that nothing in all the world is more
dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
Africans always state, and claim how the continent is endowed with abundant mineral resources. However, a country is not rated based on what are underground but rather on how it manages what are above the ground and exploits the natural mineral sources. Africa; is a continent where the leaders behave with impunity, yet justice is the end of government and civil society. Societies where the strong readily unite to oppress the weak and the weak are not secured against the violence of the strong.
Africa, is a continent where impunity thrives, and criminalities rewarded.
Nigerians generally think they are the smartest, most enlightened, stylish and most educated of all Africans on the continent and in the diaspora. Formal education makes you a living, and self-education makes you a fortune, as posited by Jim Rohn. In spite of that, they are from a country drowning in corruption, and want to export their product, called “corruption” to other countries in the attempt to outsmart or gain the systems. That is why most African countries do not tolerate them.
If Nigerians claim to have all those wonderful qualities, why is Nigeria the poverty capital of the world? Nigerians blame their leaders for their utter poverty, but who are selecting these leaders? We hang petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office — Aesop, the rainbow coalition of the Nigerian leaders in office. Unfortunately, Sumner Sambo observed and declared Nigerians as bad decision-makers when selecting good leaders and complaining later about bad governance. He also affirmed that Nigeria builds strong men instead of strong and viable institutions.
Are Nigerians not the leaders they want their leaders to be?
Nigerians are a product of a failed and a beggar state. She is in a comatose stage and needs urgent care. Oby Ezekwesili confirmed that Nigeria needs to be rescued urgently. In short, Nigeria is a serial failure. Conversely, Nigerians may claim to be the smartest, most enlightened, stylish, loudest, arrogant, most educated and aggressive, and so on. They are suffering from a chronic deadly infectious disease called “corruption”. Hence they want to prove their relevance and superiority over African Americans. That is why they must not be allowed to infect the world, particularly African Americans, in their quest to connect with the motherland.
Nigerian politicians are valuable nothing — anonymous.
Apart from political leadership catastrophe, there are paternal failures, I categorized as “Poor Planning” by the parents. Africans tend not to discuss this syndrome called “Elders and God Giveth.” Generally, most Africans do not challenge or interrogate elders, even when they are dead wrong due to cultural values. This is why the elders and rogue politicians get away with impunity.
On the other hand, parents have children they cannot afford or maintain, stating; “God giveth and God will take care of them”. When parents transfer their responsibilities to God while simultaneously relegating them to their children and forcing them to become the breadwinners, resulting in a psychological state of learned instability, it creates a nefarious survival mentality, an impediment to their development and life’s success. This self-inflicted poverty created by the parents is some contributing factor to the high divorce rates among Nigerians in the diaspora.
Being smart is not unique to Nigeria, as they always claim to fame. Reference any
country without intelligent people? However, in the case of Nigeria, Nigerians are
hypocrites while brilliantly corrupt and have perfected the act because it is
normative and institutionalized in their instruments of governance.
Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe — Frederick Douglass.
Dwight Eisenhower hypothesized that a people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both. While Rufai Oseni redefined the quote in Nigeria’s context as a nation that values privileges over virtues, the people will soon lose both. Nigeria has become that nation, a classic case…the system is so corrupt that people get their way. In any society where the government institutions have become the enemies of the Rule of Law, that society eventually decays from within.
Nigerian institutions have become the enemies of the Rule of the Law; hence it is in a state of lawlessness with impunity and absolute corruption. And Prof. Bola Akinteriwa indicated that Nigeria is fundamentally dishonest. Furthermore, Nigeria is mentally corrupt, and compounded by the poverty of the mind syndrome.
The greatest tragedy that can befall a nation is for its citizens to suffer collective amnesia; the only country where terrorists are called bandits and are repenting, given special treatment while the families of their victims are in internally displaced people (IDP) camps in agony. Yet, those that were supposed to talk kept quiet because of their selfish and greedy ambition, claimed innocence of all these evils, now campaigning for votes — Prof. Wole Soyinka.
Nigeria is a serial failure where the fragile democracy is on sale.
Unfortunately, this governance, the basic principles of democracy, respect for the Rule of Law vanished from the elites’ consciousness. It became an instrument used by the elites to propagate bad governance with impunity that became the currency on the continent. Hence, Africa must develop and define its system of religions and governance to meet Africa’s needs.
A Nigerian Yoruba physician in Michigan once described the Yorubas as people that create a faux reality, the most arrogant, duplicitous, pusillanimous, and laziest group in Nigeria, even the way they lazily dance. What an observation! However, the Yorubas think otherwise, as the most brilliant group. A country where self, supersedes the African spirit and the concept of Ubuntu. A place where three individuals without wealth creation are wealthier than 83 million others.
That is why one of the biggest internet scam that defrauded America over $1.9B was perpetuated by a Nigeria, a Yoruba, Ramon Olorunwa Abbas aka Hushpuppi, now serving an eleven year prison term. Hushpuppi and his accomplice, when arrested, had in their possession: (a) $40m cash, (b) 13 luxury cars worth $6.8m, (c) 21 computers, (d) 47 smartphones, and (e) a list of two million names of victims. He also defrauded other countries on different continents.
Concurring with Abumere Igboa, head of cybersecurity at Stanbic IBTC, the main reason why internet fraud continues to be rampant in Nigeria is because family and friends of the fraudsters do not reprimand them. Youth who are still in school take large amounts of money home to their parents, and though it is rarely acquired through legal means, they are celebrated for it.
With this act and fact, should African Americans generalize all
Nigerians as internet fraudsters?
Most Nigerians do not study history or know the history of Nigeria nor, of Africa, so their historical ignorance should be expected when it comes to African Americans historical background. Is Nigeria not the country featured on the BBC series “Sex for Grades?” How many African Americans academia behave that way? How many African Americans kidnap students for ransom payments? How many African Americans are camping at the Nigerian embassies for visas to jettison out of America for Nigeria? How many African Americans are under-employed, and or in unprofessional jobs in Nigeria or Africa? How many African Americans politicians travel to Nigeria for medical tourism or send their children to colleges in Nigeria?
Innovation and inventiveness are powerful determinants that vividly propelled humanity forward, a country’s conditions and directions. What has Nigeria created to redefine the world in technology, medicine, and otherwise post-independence, apart from perfecting the imperfections of corruption? Which industry or neighborhood is dominated and populated by Nigerians in America?
Nigeria has perfected the imperfections in corruption.
Africa has over 2100 languages, with 3000 traditions and cultures. Nevertheless, Nigeria cannot coin a phrase from those languages to name its movie industry. But, instead for relevance by association and complex, named it Nollywood, fashioning it along Hollywood. And Nigerians forgot the fact that African Americans are Americans, yet they condemn African Americans. In 2022, Yorubaland has over four million children out of school. According to (2023) current stats, ten Yorubas fall into poverty every hour. Sadly most are children.
Most African countries national anthem does not include any element of African musical instruments in the arrangement compositions. Likewise, the Nigerian national anthem does not comprise any Nigerian’s distinct musical instrumental sound, a subtle neglect of self-identity in the process of westernization and conformity. What a shame!!!
In 1987, I interrogated a Yoruba, then a millionaire, now a billionaire, and asked him a simple question about the state of Nigeria. Question: How do you function in a dysfunctional country? Answer: That is the way we like it. We make money when the systems are dysfunctional. We make serious money when things are disorganized and chaotic. That was the mentality then, and that is the mentality of Nigerians now. He later owned a bank that failed. They all contributed to the destruction, ruins, and the corruptions. Nigerians do not want a changed Nigeria. A functional and conventional Nigeria would disrupt its corruption schemes.
On my radio show series in 1992 called “Bridging the Gap” between Africans and African Americans series, an African American called and stated “when Africans come to America, they see the good, bad and ugly of us. Likewise, if they go to Africa, we will see the same; the good, bad and ugly, so why castigate them in America?” The comment was a profound statement every African should reflect upon, particularly Nigerians. In the 1990s Atlanta, Georgia, it was fashionable for Nigerian men disgruntled with Americans, sailed out to Nigeria and marry Nigerian women for control and domination. Regrettably for them, 90% divorced within the first three years and 98% within five years.
So, what happened with the virtuous Nigerian women they brought back to America?
Nigerians in Nigeria behave worse than African Americans in all ramifications. However, Nigerians are whited sepulcher while pretending its situation is better, noting that their women are morally virtuous than African Americans, which contradicts the stats.
A survey conducted by Durex titled “Top 8 Most Unfaithful Wives in The World” in 36 countries, with 29,000 participants, and the result ranked Nigerian women number one as the most unfaithful in the world while the US ranked eighth. 62% of Nigerian women versus 14% of women in the US are unfaithful. A public poll conducted by NOIPOLLS in 2019 revealed that 85% of Nigerians recognized rape as prevalent in the country.
DNA: 30% of Nigerian first born children belong to other men.
Reports have been making the rounds that Nigeria has the 2nd highest rate of paternity fraud in the world after Jamaica. Many men have been unknowingly raising children that are not theirs and to curb the trend, there have been calls for introduction of mandatory DNA testing at birth — Sola Ogundipe, Yetunde Arebi & Evelyn Usman.
According to a forensic geneticist, Dr. Abiodun Salami, 30% of fathers are unknowingly nurturing and investing in children who are not biologically theirs. The perception that paternity fraud is high in Nigeria is not unfounded. Meanwhile in Nigeria, according to available data, at least four out of 10 men (40%) are not the biological fathers of their children. Lagos-based DNA experts confirm that many men do not know that they are not the biological fathers of their child.
McKinsey & Company analysis of 2022, African Americans spending power is expected to surpass $1.7 trillion. Fortunately, if African Americans were an economy, they would be among the tenth richest economies in the world, surpassing all African country’s economies. African Americans are roughly 21% Nigeria’s population, with 3.4 times the purchasing power of Nigeria. Nigerians perpetuate the fallacies of cultural and moral superiority, yet most stats deduced otherwise.
The viable cultural heritage advantage of the Africans has become diluted and polluted due to colonial indoctrination, westernization, and the enclosure of the mind syndrome (inferiority complex).
If African Americans were an economy, it would be among the tenth richest economies in the world.
African Americans should recognize and take their rightful position on the world stage as a significant economy and stop being disrespected or criticized by immigrants due to misinformation, discrimination, systemic racism and the conscious refusal to learn their history. Thus, there is no right or wrong culture, nor a superior one; every culture has its logic of philosophy guiding it. Therefore, African Americans should not accept any form of disrespect based on cultural superiority from any immigrant group.
Despite these fallacies about African Americans, Nigerians continue to treat African Americans as immigrants in America. Will any Nigerian subject themselves to be treated likewise in Nigeria by other foreigners? The answer is unequivocally “NO” Why treat African Americans ignoble manner? While Nigerians excuse others for worse treatments, how sardonic.
Nigeria remains the poverty capital of the world, a multi-dimensional poverty (2022), number three most terrorized country (Global Terrorism Index 2020) and roughly 15% of adults use psychoactive drug substances, a rate much higher than the 2016 global average of 5.6% among adults. Nigeria is the 14th most fragile state based on 178 countries and the ninth in Africa (Fragile States Index 2020). According to Nigeria’s Corruption Index 2020, the Nigeria Judiciary topped the list.
As noted by the Justice and Empowering Initiatives director, Chapman Megan, 1.74% (10.6M) of the 610 million children in the world that cannot read and do basic mathematics are in Nigeria. As of October 2022, about 20 million (8.2% of 244M in the world) children are out of school resides in Nigeria, according to UNESCO. In fact, the World Bank posits that Nigeria is experiencing learning poverty. And, Dele Farotimi was honest enough to acknowledged the “Education Deficit.” Nigeria has weaponized ignorance to control its citizens. The education is unfit for purpose and riddled with corruption while graduating functional illiterates, Farotimi further articulated.
Demographic and Health Survey 2013, in Nigeria, an estimated 23% of women aged 15-19 years have begun childbearing, of which 17% have had their first child and 5% are pregnant with their first child. The country has the largest number of child brides in Africa: 23 million girls and women were married as children, more than 40% of Nigerian girls are victims of child marriage. As of 2023, Nigeria has a fertility rate (birth per woman) of 5.4 as compare to the US of 1.7.
Nigeria has the highest population growth of the top ten most populous countries in the world. In 20 years, between 1990 and 2010, the population increased by 62.4 percent. This extreme growth rate is expected to continue. In the 20 years from 2010 to 2030, the growth rate is estimated to be 59.5 percent. The current population of Nigeria is 219,291,876 as of January 30, 2023, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data. According to the World Population Review 2023, the infant mortality rates of countries. The “Infant Mortality Rate” is the number of deaths per 1,000 live births. Nigeria ranked fourth on the list (72.2 per 1,000). The review of the infant mortality rate by country indicates the highest rates are in Sub-Saharan Africa, while those countries with some of the lowest rates are in Europe.
Life expectancy for Nigeria 2023 report is 55.75 years, and it is among the lowest
in Africa as well as in the world, while African American is 71.8 years.
Fertility Patterns Among Mothers by Race and Ethnicity. Among mothers near the end of their childbearing years, Hispanics and blacks have the largest families. On average, a Hispanic mother ages 40 to 44 has had about 2.6 children. By comparison, black mothers have had about 2.5 children. Average Nigerian woman has 5.4 children.
From their inception in 1619, African Americans had a horrible historical background, and they continue to experience discrimination, racism, and psychological ills in this society. No matter these challenges, they remain the most loyal of all Americans. Nigerians must learn to acknowledge these challenges and their achievements.
As indicated by the PEW research center, more than a third (38%) of households that African Americans live in are headed by married couples as of 2019. Roughly three-in-ten African American (32%) live in households whose household head is female, and 6% live in male-headed households. Fewer than a quarter (24%) are part of non-family households.
The median household income for black households (African Americans) in 2019
(PEW Research) was $44,000. And the median income in 2021 was at $48,297
for black households, an increase from 2019.
2021 PEW Research, about 10.3 million African American families were living in the United States. On average, Americans have 1.88 cars per family. Nigeria 2018, the estimated number of vehicles and population were 11,760,871 and 198,000,000 respectively. Nigeria’s vehicle per population ratio is 0.06. From extrapolation, African American families alone, own 20.6 million cars, more cars than the country of Nigeria. Nigeria’s car ownership rate was barely 6%, while America’s was 92% as of the 2022 census.
African American families own more cars than the country of Nigeria.
The World Bank recently affirmed in its 2022 Poverty Assessment Report that four out of every ten Nigerians (40%) live below the national poverty line. Over 82 million Nigerians now live on less than $1 per day. At a conservative black-market rate of N580 to a dollar, the average Nigerian survives on less than N580 daily. This amount cannot buy a standard loaf of bread of N600. The report added further that only 17% of the Nigerian working class earn wages that can lift them out of poverty, while the wages of the remaining 83% are too meagre to guarantee exit from the poverty domain.
As of March 2023, the Nigeria misery index soared by 11.9% points to 73.05%, as shown by The PUNCH findings, while the US misery index was 8.45%.
Nigeria has been ranked by the Global Hunger Index, GHI, 103rd out of 116 countries classified as hunger-plagued in the world, an indication of government’s failure over provision of welfare.
This is a mirror image of the depth of poverty in the country where some Nigerians go to bed hungry, while majority are unable to afford two quality meals a day, resulting in discontent and frustration. Yet, the country’s GDP is said to be growing, even as poverty capital of Africa and the world.
The Director-General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN), Olawale Fasanya, has lamented that between 2017 to 2021 alone, over two million businesses in Nano, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (nMSMEs) subsection died. He explained that it led to pushing more than six million Nigerians into the unemployment market — Amos Tauna.
For decades, I have argued and hypothesized that the majority (99%) of Nigerians have psychological issues, allowing few politicians and their enablers to relegate and subjugate them to multi-dimensional poverty without opposition. Recently, in 2022, the Nigerian government confirmed my hypothesis, stating at least 70% of Nigerians have psychological issues. The 70% figure is very conservative; it should be close to my estimate, considering their current state of mind.
Olusola Badero (Maiyegun Politico Dairy) described Nigeria as a country managed by criminals, populated by mad fools called humble slaves. Nigeria had become virtually synonymous with the word “corruption” — Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and according to the former head of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Nuhuru Ribadu, “when you fight corruption in Nigeria, corruption fights back with vengeance”. Nuhu further explains, “It’s probably the only hope we have—unless we are able to address and stop this, we will not be able to solve the other problems confronting us”. A country where returned loots of the politicians were re-looted by the politicians along with their enables. Nigeria is a country drowning in a cocktail of corruption with presidential intellectual laziness — Prof. Usman Yusuf.
Corruption is potent cancer that has mercilessly eaten Nigeria to a state of stupor — Professor Peter U. Nwangwu. Dumebi Kachicwu proclaimed Nigerians as an “unserious bunch,” meaning they do not demand from their government. In contrast, African Americans are exigent. While Omoyele Sowore, an activist, reiterated that the Nigerian governance system is a business transaction at best. Dr. Ruben Abati emphatically stated, election time is harvest time in Nigeria. He emphasized vote buying and ballot rigging by politicians. In other words, the concept and strategy are to rig now and explain later.
Robert Clark, an attorney and a senior advocate of Nigeria, strikingly enumerated the Nigerian 1999 travesty, called the constitution, was structured to impede development. He further acknowledges the constitution as rotten to the core and must change before any transformational development possibilities.
Nigeria is one of the most corrupt nations in West Africa, has long been struggling with deep-rooted issues of political instability, insecurity and epidemic corruption that have characterized the country for decades and still persist, have weakened it considerably, but it is by design. A divided country, united in poverty, caged in denial. A country so corrupt without checks and balances allowed a governor of a state to create a position called “The Mother of the Governor’s Office” What a calamity to governance and the future of democracy in the country.
Corresponding to Lewis Obi, the Nigeria National Assembly is nothing but a business enterprise, and the primary objective of the members is to make money for themselves. He further explained that the country’s National Assembly is the highest-paid legislature in the world.
The Chamber earns more than that of the United States of America and yet the American economy is much better than that of Nigeria. According to the documentation, United States senators make an approximate annual income of $174,000.00, while that of Nigerian senators is $2,183,685.00 — Authoritative Economist Magazine. Imagine the degree of disparity between the two countries.
Nigeria is a harvest of shame and misery to Nigerians by design, a tragedy to Africa,
and a disgrace to the world. In a nutshell, Nigeria, is a show of shame to humanity.
If law and order were conventions in Nigeria from the inception of independence in 1960, eighty percent (80%) of Nigerians would be ex-convicts, and the rest twenty percent (20%) would be in jail. Nigeria is a country where mediocracy is the accepted standard, whilst corruption is the legal business practice and tender of the land. In essence, Nigeria and Nigerians are corrupt at best, an undisputed fact. That is why Plato stated, the unexamined life is not worth living. Therefore we must not allow Nigeria’s original sin, a cancer called corruption to affect the psyche of African Americans and beyond.
WHO report about air quality which examined PM 2.5 (fine particulate pollution) and PM 10 (coarse pollution particles) levels in 3,000 cities across the globe has placed five Nigerian cities among the top ten most polluted cities in Africa. And ten Nigerian cities among the top twenty most polluted and dirtiest. According to the report, 80% of city dwellers are breathing in bad air and are at risk of life-threatening diseases like lung cancer. It also further stated that air pollution is rising at an alarming rate in urban areas of poor countries.
A recent report by the Economist Intelligence Unit has revealed that Lagos, Nigeria is one of the worst cities in Africa to live. In the Global Livability Index 2021, and as of 2022, Lagos, Nigeria, became the most inhabited city in Africa, with an estimated population of 15.4 million people. Lagos, Nigeria, has been ranked as one of the worst livable cities in Africa and 139 in the world.
According to the latest World malaria report (2022), there were 247 million cases of malaria in 2021 compared to 245 million cases in 2020. The estimated number of malaria deaths stood at 619,000 in 2021 compared to 625,000 in 2020. The WHO African Region continues to carry a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden. In 2021 the region was home to about 95% of all malaria cases and 96% of deaths. Children under 5 years of age accounted for about 80% of all malaria deaths in the Region. Four African countries accounted for just over half of all malaria deaths worldwide: Nigeria (31.3%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (12.6%), United Republic of Tanzania (4.1%) and Niger (3.9%).
Can a growing band of unemployed and idle youths improve a country’s GDP? The majority are unemployed, implicitly, and are not adding value to the production of goods and services. With no income earned, purchasing power is prostrate. Rather than shrink, GDP is growing. The Nigerian economy is a study in contradiction — Michael Owhoko
The U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimates that Boko Haram activities have internally displaced over 2.9 million Nigerians. The survivors of violent attacks are most often children, who suffer the loss of loved ones, livelihood, access to education and physical and mental health, among many other challenges. Boko Haram frequently kidnaps young children and holds them for ransom, shuts down public schools and infiltrates existing gangs. They also radicalize large groups of young men to terrorize the northern regions of Nigeria.
The Jos crisis is a crisis long foretold by Robert Kaplan’s, book, ‘The Coming Anarchy: Shattering the Dreams of the Post-Cold War, in which Jos was seen as a fort line in which the whole of West Africa can collapse into anarchy. And any sophisticated serious political leadership that sees foreboding like this foretold begins to put in place crisis prevention mechanism. It needs to put in place high level intelligence service that will make it impossible for any surprise to come from such an area. But the Nigerian leadership has failed to do this repeatedly. Instead, politicians are more engaged in power tussle and personal aggrandizement. They are not serving the people. This greatly compounds the tragedy of the Jos situation — Prof. Pat Utomi.
Nigeria’s killing field; between May 29, 2015 and May 29, 2022, over 55,430 Nigerians have been killed by terrorist groups and criminal gangs operating across the country, a report by the Counter-terrorism Department of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change has revealed.
In 2022, 11,000 were killed. The report also indicated that in 2021 alone, over 3.2 million Nigerians had been displaced from their homes, mostly from the North. The Open Doors World Watch List 2023, released on Tuesday, January 17, said out of the total of 5,621 Christians killed for their faith during the reporting period, Nigeria recorded 5,014, marking the country as one of the most dangerous places “to follow Jesus.” Nigeria accounts for 89% of martyred Christians worldwide.
Politics, governance, corruption, poverty and violence are linked in Nigeria. With massive oil reserves, Nigeria is a potentially wealthy country, but 63% of its estimated 193 million people are classified as absolutely poor (multi-dimensional poverty). Patronage and corruption drives the country’s political economy, and leaves many destitute and marginalized. The resulting frustration and alienation felt by many have bred the emergence of numerous militant groups based mainly on ethnic and religious identities. Nigeria in general; a poorly coordinated, mainly military, response; multiple security challenges that stretch the army to the breaking point; and elite unwillingness to address the unsustainable status quo — JSTOR.
In an Afrobarometer survey of 2022, nearly 89% of Nigerians feel that the country is heading in the wrong direction, and 77% are dissatisfied with the way in which the democratic process has been put into practice in their country. The mismanagement in Nigeria, caused by the corruption and the incompetence of the leaders to capitalize and translate opportunities into capital and the inability to harness the diversities to strengthen the country’s unity will eventually destroy the country in the nearest future.
Nigeria’s literacy rate 62%, as of 2023, and US average, 79%.
Most Africans have ulterior motives toward unsuspecting African Americans, particularly the women. For this reason, they under-mingle, under-date, and under-marry African Americans, these relationships are not equally yoked, some cases defying their cultural values, hence the resentment towards them. And in most cases, they monetize their relationship with these innocent women and take advantage of their generosity, kindness, and openness to connect with their heritage.
Nigerian police use lethal force on the slightest pretext. Ranked the worst in the world by the 2016 World Internal Police and Security Index, the Nigeria Police Force kills an average of 841 citizens every year. Nigeria (estimated population 200 million) ranks eighth in the top ten of countries with the highest numbers of police killings. In 2019, the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) ranked Nigeria among the thirteen worst countries in unsolved murders of journalists.
Are Nigerian politicians, their enablers, and political contractors
patriotic to Nigeria or hypocrites?
Nigeria is a country where less than 10,000 individuals ransom and plunge the country into extreme poverty by design. And according to an Oxfam report titled “Davos 2023 Inequality Report” by Vincent Ahonsi, the richest 0.003 percent Nigerians (6,355 individuals worth $5 million and above) have 1.4 times more wealth than 107 million other Nigerians. While three Nigerians are wealthier than 83 million others.
Nigeria is corrupt by design; absolute power corrupt, absolutely.
A classic description of legal plunder according to Frederick Bastiat: the few plunder the many, everybody plunders everybody, and nobody plunders anybody. Legal plunder meant any use of the government to enrich one group of people at the expense of another. When plunder becomes the society’s norm by these politicians and their culprits, they create a legal system that authorizes it and a morally accepted code that glorifies it.
Are Nigerians abusing other Americans the way they insult African Americans?
Or do they call white American derogatory names? Yet, African Americans are their amazing saving grace.
So, what is the arrogance of Nigerians, coming from a place where they lack general intellectual curiosity? A Nigerian woman in England describe Nigerians as, “The females are prostitutes while the boys are criminals”, that is their state, yet they crucify African Americans for their generosity, willingness and openness to connect with people from the so-called motherland. In England, 75% of the Nigerian households are headed by single women.
The presumed giant of Africa, Nigeria, ranked 141 out of 146 countries by the World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Report 2022 for women’s political empowerment or participation and 143 for women in parliament. In African countries, however, Nigeria was rated last on the list. The ranking is not a success story nor a pathway for economic and political development.
A population without economic power and or lacks intellectual curiosity, is not a bragging right.
Nigeria is a place where they value power, worship wealth and life is meaningless, ie. no value. These are the reflections of the state of the country’s economy and leadership, and Nigerians will at all cost do anything to amass wealth, without hard work or following the rules of the land.
What is wrong with Nigeria’s floodgates of criminalities and negativities?
The challenge for Nigerians in America is to change their preconceived negative behavior, attitudes and their relationship with African Americans. How come Nigerians do not abuse other race at an alarming rate? What is the reason why Nigerians do not abuse other Nigerian Americans, instead prefers to abuse African Americans? These are the questions to be answered by Nigerians.
Although there are issues in the inner cities, however, most African Americans do not live in inner cities. About 19% of African Americans live below the poverty level, high compared to white Americans. This translate to 81% of African Americans live well (middle class and up). As of 2022, 133M (questionable 145M) Nigerians live in multi-dimensional poverty, roughly 70% of the population. However, the actual percentage is closed to 99% of the population live in abject poverty.
Nonetheless, these group of people have the audacity to call African Americans poor?
The U.S. Department of the Treasury reports that in the second quarter of 2022, the homeownership rate for African Americans was 45 percent. Furthermore, homes owned by African Americans are often appraised at lower values even when all other factors about the homes are equal than homes owned by White Americans. African Americans’ income distribution has a median net worth of $114,00.
According to the United Nation 2021, per capital income in Nigeria is $2,065 while in the US is $70,248, and African America median income is roughly $48,297. On average, Nigerian makes less than $2 per day. This means that the poorest American lives better than the upper class Nigerians, considering other social services, such as health, schooling, living conditions, utilities and general welfare support. According to the CNN 2016 report, the poorest American lives better that 85% of the rest of the world. The figure will be higher if extrapolated to the abject poverty in Nigeria.
What is the definition of a “so-called big men” in Nigeria, a question we should
ask Nigerians for their arrogance of ignorance towards African Americans?
Henry Louis Gate, chair of African American Study at Harvard University, recalls encountering racial myths during his undergraduate studies. I was shocked by the fact that when patients were writhing in pain, the doctors would say, ‘They don’t experience pain the same way we do.’ But this illustrates how it is always easier to distance oneself from the pain of ‘the other’ — Harriet A. Washington.
Nigerians who dismiss understanding of race often use their lack of experience with racial discrimination as the reason for their positions. A lack of a direct experience of another’s pain is not the basis for dismissal, it is an opportunity to demonstrate empathy and, more importantly, solidarity. What I find missing in my interactions with many Nigerians who dismiss our experiences of race is this: a profound lack of empathy that takes the form of unwillingness to understand and share the pain of another, as well as a willful refusal to self-examine the tacit, but powerful presence of the racialized politics that already operates in their society. Where would the world be if sharing a common experience was the first requirement for supporting another’s struggle? How can we have any meaningful pan-African, and indeed any other kind of solidarity if we lack empathy for those whose experiences we do not share? — Panashe Chigumadzi.
I am possibility. What I hate is ignorance, smallness of imagination, the eye that sees no further than its own lashes. All things are possible. Who you are is limited only by who you think you are ¾ The Egyptian Book of the Dead.
A Nigerian graduate student in Louisiana in 1984, along with an African American top official, was very critical of African Americans. The African American official whispered in his ears: “If you live here long enough, you will understand our story and struggle”. This Nigerian is now a cheerleader for the African American’s plight. What happened? He experienced and understood African Americans’ plight and struggle. Africa must defend, unite, and support all Africans in the diaspora, not because they were born outside Africa, but because Africa runs in the veins of all Africans. That is why Dr. Kwame Nkrumah hypothesized that Africa must unite for the greater good of all Africans, and only a united Africa can redeem its past glory, renew and reinforce its strength for the realization of its destiny.
According to Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, when you fight racism, you fight America.
Likewise, it is Nigeria’s intellectual responsibility to actively seek knowledge and understand the historical context of African Americans’ historical backgrounds. Their long struggles from 1619, so they will not be liable to the historical and decontextualized myths about their situations, if and when you encounter them outside Nigeria.
When asked for advice on financial investment strategies, Warren Buffet replied, there are many books and literature written on the subject matter already, do your homework. Similarly, there are many researches and books written on the institutionalized struggles confronting African Americans, Nigerians should educate their minds on the subject matter rather than be hypocritical.
This is not the age of selective ignorance — Abosede Adeoye.
John U. Ogbu, Nigerian-American, was a major figure in the application of anthropological theories and methods to problems related to minority education in the United States and abroad. His research demonstrated that cultural differences alone cannot account for differences in achievement, arguing that in the American context, one of the key reasons “voluntary minorities” such as Nigerian-Americans tend to outperform “involuntary” or “caste-like” minorities such as African Americans is because they lack the “historical baggage” that leads them to develop to an oppositional position to the dominant white American culture.
Ethiopians are the only Africans to have never been colonized. Amharic is the official language, and Oromo the main language. Ethiopia is the only African country with its own alphabet, and it is the world’s oldest living alphabet (Ethiopic) and probably one of the longest, with its 345 letters. Ethiopians have strong roots in orthodox Christianity. Ethiopians should be the ones with racial arrogance, instead, they show more humility than Nigerians. So, where does Nigerians’ sense of superiority is derived from, having never experienced direct racism? Whereas Nigeria is a country where impunity thrives and criminalities are abundantly rewarded, where the colonial status quo persists.
In his book “The Changing World Order,” Ray Dalio listed 18 measures of strength. He stated the single measure of wealth and power for a country, focusing on eight determinants: (1) education, (2) competitiveness, (3) innovation, (4) economic output, (5) share of the world trade, (6) military strength, (7) financial center strength, and (8) reserve currency status. How is Nigeria rated? Interestingly, religiosity (Gods, religions or prayers) is not in the measures of wealth or power.
Thus, the notion that Nigeria is the most religious and the populous country in Africa does not equate wealth or power.
A country where banks destroyed the economy, doctors destroyed health, the government destroyed freedom, judges destroyed justice, politicians destroyed accountability,
the press destroyed information, religion destroyed morals and ethics,
teachers destroyed education, and university destroyed knowledge.
In a desperate attempt to give meaning to life, many turn to religion, because a struggle in the name of a faith is always a justification for some grand action that could transform the world. “We are doing God’s work,” they say to themselves — Paulo Coelho. Religion, the opium of the poor, the organized fraud of the clergies, particularly in impoverished Africa. Religion is like drugs; it destroys the thinking mind — George Carlin. Albert Einstein deemed true religion is real living; living with all one’s soul, with all one’s goodness and righteousness. The greatest religion is to be true to your own nature. Have faith in yourselves — Swami Vivekananda. K. D. Foy brilliantly expressed that God is all things, so there is no path that you take that won’t lead you to the universal mind. Have allegiance to your soul, and not to any religion.
Disgracefully, in Nigeria, religion spiritualized poverty and misery. Instead of building businesses, they built religious houses and taxed the already poverty-stricken people in the name of offerings and tithes. A country where pastors prescribe non-clinical fraudulent symptoms called “spiritual illness or attack”, a strategy to isolate and control. Nigerians are now exporting this non-clinical illness to America. It must be stopped. Whenever Nigerians evoke the word “God” in the conversation, be alert, beware, cautious, and very wary! It is a strategy to disarm you for what is to come next. Be prepared not to be gullible to the pseudo-religiosity approach.
In Nigeria, religion spiritualized poverty and misery.
If you are emotionally attached to your tribe, religion or political leaning to the point that truth and justice become secondary considerations; your education is useless. Your exposure is useless. If you cannot reason beyond petty sentiments, you are a liability to mankind — Dr. Chuba Okadigbo
Nigerians in America have the audacity to disrespect African Americans, the most advanced and affluent Africans in the world, what an impetus? Is this a behaviour of low self-esteem or just pure jealously for economic benefits reversal? These are the questions confronting Nigerians in America.
Who are the people running America?
If Nigerians claim to be morally sound, how come they have a higher divorce rate than any other immigrant groups in America? Also, if Nigerians pretend to be religious than others, how come their callosity to each other’s and hide under the veil of terrorism. Who are the terrorists, are they not Nigerians? If Nigeria offers these social and welfare benefits, will they reject or refuse nor accept them? Are these not the benefits they equally desire from their government? Nigerians are hypocrites when it comes to the benefits they enjoy in America but unable to get in their homeland. Are Nigerians not enjoying the benefits available to all Americans?
By the way of conclusion
Despite these false narratives about African Americans, Nigerians continue to mistreat African Americans as immigrants in America. Will Nigerians accept similar maltreatment from other foreigners or be treated as immigrants in Nigeria? The answer is unequivocally “NO” Why maltreat and disrespect African Americans in their domain? Nevertheless, Nigerians excuse others, what an irony. Sadly, and very soon, Africans will exhaust their welcome and supports from African Americans. It is just a matter of time. Nigerians are mostly tarnished by this behavior.
Nigerians in America should let their positive attitude shine in a way that invites people to come closer. All cultures and religions should be accommodating. The goal is to let others know they are confident without acting arrogant, culturally, or religiously superior. Hence, there is a thin line between arrogance and confidence. While confidence attracts, arrogance repels. These are the state of Nigerians in America, repelling Africa Americans, a costly mistake and a dangerous precedence. This is the state of Africa and African affairs today. It must change.
Despite of these negativities, the Yoruba language is the most robust with the highest idiomatic expressions in the world. It is the only religion transported from Africa to the new world during the transatlantic slave trade: The Osun God Worship.
Final way of concluding these myths about African Americans and my interrogations to Nigerians?
If Nigeria offers her citizens social and welfare services, will they reject or accept?
Are Nigerians religiously sound, ethically superior or morally right?
Why is Nigeria the poverty capital of the world?
What is Nigeria Misery Index?
Are Nigerians the most advanced Africans in the world?
Is Nigeria among the tenth richest economies in the world?
Why treat African Americans as immigrant in America?
Which is the best or superior culture in Nigeria?
What is the source and reasons behind the animosity towards African Americans?
Why model yourself on or imitate the very people you despair so much?
Have African Americans requested economic assistance from Nigeria to develop their communities?
How many African Americans are under-employed and or in odd jobs in Nigeria or Africa?
Where is the Yoruba’s gift of sympathy?
Nigeria is a country of strangers, corruption, where impunity runs wildly unchecked, with religious fanatics, and are in perpetual denial.
Never look down on anyone no matter their condition, and try to help
them if you can but never add to their sufferings — Yoruba Adage.
We must take the lead, Nigeria. Us. There is no one else. But if you are reading this writings, I have bad news for you. You are the leader you have been waiting for. You are the one to change the narratives. We need to stand up. We can no longer ignore this wound. We must repair the breach we caused. But now is the time for all of us to step forward boldly, to finally repair the relationship we destroyed long time ago with African Americans. In addition, Jimi Hendrix reminded us that when the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.
Of all the Gods, Love is the best friend of humankind, the helper and
healer of all ills that stand in the way of human happiness — Plato.
Kindness does not have a price. Kindness without expectation transforms. Dignity does not have a price. Dignity honors. Human respect does not have a price. Respect is a human right. Justice does have a price, and it is often paid by the oppressed. No healing without justice. Justice, then healing. The Buddha’s teachings state that thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.
Kindness is the language the deaf can hear and the blind can see — Mark Twain.
The way forward to building better relationships, I believe, will be drastic to bridge the gap we created by bridging the gap. We must develop the spirit of kindness without expectations. And, I am very convinced that this is an actionable step forward that can change the dynamics of our relationships with African Americans and the world.
We need to change the fundamental ingredients of our relationships with African Americans and continue singing the hymn of justice along with them. And I commit to using the power, privilege, writings and voice to speak out—under the direction and guidance of those for whom this is an everyday reality—whenever I see toxic African hypocrisy at play.
Nigerians should demonstrate the understanding of oneness and humility towards African American’s openness to connect with their heritage. Africa must unite for the greater good of all Africans. Nigerians must learn to continue the humanist African philosophy and in the spirit of Ubuntu, “I am, because you are”.
As a society, looking after one another plays a major role in the success of humanity — Barack Obama.
Share kindness and niceness with everyone you meet on your life’s journey. How easy can it be to live fully in the present moment and make the human race your partner and friend? Can you imagine what the world would be like? It would be a world of PEACE.
To close, African Americans, particularly women, beware! Do not be mesmerized by their flamboyance, loudness, pretentious riches, so-called smartness, and or religiosity.
A warning to the wise is a blessing, to the fool an insult — African Proverb.
God Bless America! America, the possibilities!!
About The Writer
I was born in one country, but I found my life in another. Africa, however, molded my foundation, and America shaped it, the world fine-tuned and polished my ideas. I am a renaissance man and a visionary with the mind of a strategist. A leader of self with an eye for beauty and a simple taste, easily satisfied with the best. And I have a deep-rooted, innate curiosity for knowledge, grounded by intellectual humility with absolute courage to act with tenacity and confidence, no matter the complexity of the challenges.
Hence, I am very grateful for the opportunities which put me in a unique position to analyze Africa’s issues intensely and critically. A revisionist and a shock therapist of truth to the conscience of Africa to see itself. Thus, I am not abashed to harangue the ills of Africa because it is a disrepute for Africa at the expense of the truth, because truth is its own defense, and truth is universal. While, the truth is always the truth, a potent tool, for this reason, truth is the Soul of All Gods, as expressed by Pharaoh Hatshepsut’s name, Maatkare — Truth is the Soul of the Sun God. And, some fundamental truths are worth defending. Therefore, the voice of truth is easily known, and it is free. While, credibility is earned through action, practiced by words and knowledge.
That is why I am a veteran advocate for bridging the gap between Africans and African Americans, not because I was born in Africa but because Africa runs in our veins. A vision for better today and tomorrow is in our hands. It is time to change. Happiness and kindness never decrease by being shared. Unfortunately, most of the uphill battles and oppositions stem from Africans and African’s close-mindedness. The only way to ensure a better future is to create it. The world is changing, change your thinking. When we change, the world will change with and for us.
My final supplication is for my mind to continue to grant me the wisdom and understanding to pursue truth in knowledge!
Comments