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Africa...fix your mindset!

It’s been over two decades since the democratic system succeeded the apartheid era, yet Africans are still at the bottom economically, mentally and spiritually. We still see minibus taxis, mostly that are not in a roadworthy position carrying an overload of Africans while other races travel in the comfort of their private, mostly luxurious cars. The 1948 South African government is still in power, obviously while the general population is in utter oblivion. However, now there are opportunities for every race to empower its own people; why are Africans still at the bottom?

I am bold, and am readily receptive to any kinds of emotional reaction for my next statement; those who disagree are even welcome to abhor and lambast me. In my cognitive perspective, black tax and white privilege are just scapegoats for lazy Africans. There’s no such thing as “Black Tax" to a true African. As a true African, I was raised in a home that taught me that as an African, whatever I attain, I am obliged to share with my fellows; irregardless of the magnitude. White privilege? What’s that? Is that the new law which was promulgated while I was in utter oblivion? Does white privilege prevent you from being who you want to be? Does white privilege prohibit you from getting your dreams? If the world comprises black millionaires and billionaires, then somebody tell me why do we whine about white privilege if there’s nothing we can do to put an end to it? 

I, boldly, proclaim that no living Caucasian is more privileged than me. I am an African! I can spend almost the whole day exposing my skin to the sun without the aid of sunscreen nor a worry of an eventuality of being diagnosed with skin cancer, I am the only race which is allowed to use the word “kaffir" so gracefully, I am more powerful because I can utilize my “Is it because I’m black?” guilt tripping tool to have whatever I want, which I was precariously close to conceding it. 

Whatever other races can do, I can make them look like amateurs when offered a fair opportunity to partake in that particular activity. Therefore, my dear Africans, I say to you remove this “entitlement to handouts, black tax and white privilege” mentality from your subconscious minds. Before we look far, why don’t we address tribalism, afrophobia and all kinds of discrimination which exist within our communities? 

The way things are, I see Africans eliminating one another but expecting to regain power over their continent. In simple English, it’s called enjoying freedom in a chimerical world. It’s actually equivalent to a man who’s carrying a plane ticket and waiting to board his flight at the harbour. Utter buffoonery, I say! It is high time we amalgamate for the common good of empowering one another to ameliorate the state of our economy as a race because it is no use making frivolous efforts in making futile attempts of forcing the 1948 South African government to indemnify us. The mindset is what needs to be altered first. A simple example, in the United States of America, African Americans are divided into a gang of two colours, red and blue which represent “Bloods" and “Crips", respectively. The irony in this is that African Americans forever complain about police brutality, especially towards them yet the same gangs who are more than capable of wiping out half of the police force are eliminating each other; with or without the aid of logic, it would be feasible to conclude that their “black lives matter" campaigns and all their efforts of attempting to ensure that an African gets treated with dignity like the Caucasians, are all a waste. Unity is their first step to victory. If they continue to play oblivious to the fact that they need to unite in order to have a powerful voice, then the situation will remain stagnant or even be exacerbated.

I am not trying to make African Americans seem like they are the worst members of the black community. Segregation is deemed the coin of the realm in almost all black communities. The same reason why South Africans address their fellow African siblings from other parts of Africa as foreigners, while addressing Caucasians with utter respect by calling them names like “baas" or “madam". 

Simply, we should acknowledge the fact that nothing will change, until we fix our mindsets.
 

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