Afro-pessimism is the internationally accepted creed that Africa and her children will always be associated with disaster and failure. The belief that Africa is inextricably bound to poverty and will ever be a minor player in international world politics. The basis for this is the fact that Africa today remains naturally endowed but economically underdeveloped. The Continent of origin is debt-distressed, environmentally degraded and politically unstable. Any mention of Africa throws up ugly images of perennial crises: poverty-induced violence, refugees, religious riots, tribal and ethnic conflicts, structural degradation, collapsing economic indices and stagflation. Africa is not a player in world economics. She is currently involved in only 2% of world trade. Africans in the Diaspora have fared little better. The African in the United States, the Caribbean and Europe is seen as a feckless, irresponsible, crime-ridden drug addict, ungrateful beneficiary of Constitutionalized handouts and a burden to the welfare system. He is neglected and inconsequential wherever he is found. His intellectual prowess is downgraded to his sexual equipment, and bigoted references are made to his physical endurance in sports and coordination in dancing. Four Hundred years of slavery and its subsequent effects on Africans on Both sides of the globe have been erased from the collective conscience of Western authorities. There is an international conspiracy of silence on the slavery issue. The Continent whose back was the anvil on which the Industrial base for modern Capitalism was forged, is completely debt-ridden today. This is the tragedy of Mother Africa and her sons and daughters. It is left for Africans on the Continent and in the Diaspora to speak out. The dislocated children are speaking. It is now the turn of the home Africans. The natal Continent should be the moving force behind the remembrance of her own destruction, and Nigeria needs to take the lead.

February as the Black History Month in the African Diaspora was pioneered by descendants of African slaves in the United States of America. This has become the period for the worldwide commemoration of the African Holocaust. The Black History Month is a spiritual exercise in sensitizing today’s Africans and the rest of the world to the tragedy of Africans’ Centuries-long degradation, deprivation and victimization. World attention needs to focus equally on the African condition as well as the Jewish Holocaust and the Japanese – Korean atrocities. It is also a way of uniting the Continental and Diaspora Africans. Diaspora Africans have always tended to regard Continental Africans with suspicion and hatred as “those that sold us out”. This has engendered the need to evolve a new concept of Pan-Africanism in the creation of a necessary forum of expression for all peoples of African origin. The objective is the harnessing of this latent force in the vigorous search for an exit from the Stygian darkness into which Nigeria as well as the whole of Africa have been thrust. 

The Black History Month invokes memories of slavery, continental decimation, black subjugation and its attendant denigration. Africa’s denudation took place during the 350-year period between 1650 and 1900. More than 50 million Africans were taken in slavery, with five deaths to every slave that reached the Americas. During this period, Europe and Asia roughly quadrupled in population (400%) yet, Africa’s population increased by only 20%. It is reported that the largest number of over ten million blacks was taken in slavery from Nigeria during the four centuries of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. Today, Nigeria accounts for at least one third of the Africans in the Americas and the Caribbean. One in four Africans on the Continent today is a Nigerian. Nigeria has a central role to play.  It is time for the Continental voice to be heard, and not just from Ghana. Historically, Nigeria is a melting pot of all African Civilizations. Its strategic location on the West African Coast encompassing the great confluence of the Rivers Niger and Benue, the largest River Delta in Africa, the Niger Delta, attracted many peoples of various cultures in migration over the centuries. These are some of the reasons why Nigerians in particular should ennoble Black History. The major reason however is that we suffered from the very beginning. When the first 20 Africans were landed in the English colony of Virginia in 1619, one of them was called Ejiro, he was from the Niger Delta area.

Robot  # 1 | 07.02.2009 14:52

Afro-pessimism is the internationally accepted creed that Africa and her children will always be associated with disaster and failure. The belief that Africa is inextricably bound to poverty and will ever be a minor player in international world politics. The basis for this is the fact that Africa today remains naturally endowed but economically underdeveloped. The Continent of origin is debt-distressed, environmentally degraded and politically unstable. Any mention of Africa throws up ugly images of perennial crises: poverty-induced violence, refugees, religious riots, tribal and ethnic conflicts, structural degradation, collapsing economic indices and stagflation. Africa is not a player in world economics. She is currently involved in only 2% of world trade. Africans in the Diaspora have fared little better.The African in the United States, the Caribbean and Europe is seen as a feckless, irresponsible, crime-ri...Read the full article.

Palamedes  # 2 | 07.02.2009 17:00

Could Count 1 explain to those of us who are AFRICANS, why it is called, “The Black History Month?” Why should any AFRICAN have anything to do with it? Is it not the case, that it is mainly those from the Carribean Islands and the UK that prefer to describe themselves as “Blacks.” And that they prefer “Blacks” to AFRICANS because, they are ashamed of Africa. Granted, why should AFRICANS join in, in the celebration of their History Month? Where is the “Yellow History Month?” Where is the “White History Month?” Where is the “Red History Month?” Where is the “Brown History Month?” Of course, the absence of these variants, is not an argument for or against a “Black History Month,” nevertheless, it raises the question: “Why are these people still ashame to embrace their Africaness. Might I also remind you of the organization called MOBO, which stands for (cough) “Music of Black Origin.” (Even rap music has it roots in Africa—just ask Quincy Jones.) And what these MOBO people are doing is claiming that the types of music they are promoting have their origin in “Black.” (cough) But there is no continent or country, called Black; so we must assume that they meant Africa. I can just imagine someone suggesting, “Music of African Origin (MOAO)” in the “naming” brainstorming session, and the silence followed by the horror of someone mentioning the “A” word: Gawd! I am not sure about that! I fink some people might fink, it is African music we are doing,” says one; “Naa! It is not African; it is rock, indie, soul, funk, jazz, rap, blues, house, that kinda fings, ya now a mean,” says another. Where is “Music of Yellow Origin?” Where is “Music of White Origin?” Where is “Music of Red Origin?” Where is “Music of Brown Origin?” In the sphere of copyrights, organizers of both “The Black History Month” and the “Music of Black Origin” could be accused of theft, but let me explain: The heritage they are claiming is the “African heritage” but there is no acknowledgment to that effect, on the contrary, the heritage is attributed to what they call “black.” I, therefore, call on all Africans—and that includes Carribeans who are proud Africans--to boycott these events. Let these organizations change their names to make us all feel welcomed.

Eja  # 3 | 07.02.2009 19:08

Count1, thanks for this. To Ejiro...and all that shared a similar fate..rest in peace.

Count1  # 4 | 08.02.2009 04:01

=Palamedes;322898>Could Count 1 explain to those of us who are AFRICANS, why it is called, “The Black History Month?” Why should any AFRICAN have anything to do with it? Is it not the case, that it is mainly those from the Carribean Islands and the UK that prefer to describe themselves as “Blacks.” And that they prefer “Blacks” to AFRICANS because, they are ashamed of Africa. Granted, why should AFRICANS join in, in the celebration of their History Month? Where is the “Yellow History Month?” Where is the “White History Month?” Where is the “Red History Month?” Where is the “Brown History Month?” Of course, the absence of these variants, is not an argument for or against a “Black History Month,” nevertheless, it raises the question: “Why are these people still ashame to embrace their Africaness. Might I also remind you of the organization called MOBO, which stands for (cough) “Music of Black Origin.” (Even rap music has it roots in Africa—just ask Quincy Jones.) And what these MOBO people are doing is claiming that the types of music they are promoting have their origin in “Black.” (cough) But there is no continent or country, called Black; so we must assume that they meant Africa. I can just imagine someone suggesting, “Music of African Origin (MOAO)” in the “naming” brainstorming session, and the silence followed by the horror of someone mentioning the “A” word: Gawd! I am not sure about that! I fink some people might fink, it is African music we are doing,” says one; “Naa! It is not African; it is rock, indie, soul, funk, jazz, rap, blues, house, that kinda fings, ya now a mean,” says another. Where is “Music of Yellow Origin?” Where is “Music of White Origin?” Where is “Music of Red Origin?” Where is “Music of Brown Origin?” In the sphere of copyrights, organizers of both “The Black History Month” and the “Music of Black Origin” could be accused of theft, but let me explain: The heritage they are claiming is the “African heritage” but there is no acknowledgment to that effect, on the contrary, the heritage is attributed to what they call “black.” I, therefore, call on all Africans—and that includes Carribeans who are proud Africans--to boycott these events. Let these organizations change their names to make us all feel welcomed. Palamedes, This is what I term, " A gunfighter's challenge". Hokay draw when you hear the sound of the clock striking noon. The issue of nomenclature of persons of African origin is currently a front-burner one due to the controversy of the belief that white establishment is trying to claim President Barack Obama as a "mixed race" person rather than "Black"or "African-American" based on the "one-drop" principle that has existed for centuries. You have a sweet sounding argument on the surface. You have raised a valid issue here. I suspect however, that you are transposing an argument you have preconceived over the MOBO issue onto the Black History Month. It is as ill-fitting and this is why. First let's do some definitions. 1. The Human Race is one. There is no White Race or Black Race or Yellow Race. There are Sub-phyllae of the human Race. So you cannot have someone of Mixed race. That is a misnomer. 2. Africans are a definite Sub-race/phyllum of the human race with distinguishable and definite characteristics of culture, genetics and language. 3. Black is a colour. In this case it also is a concept encompassing all persons of partial African origin whose dark hue declaims but includes the blood and characteristics of other sub-phyllae of the human race in them. 4. African Americans used to be called "Black Americans" until recently when it became politically correct to be called "African Americans". This was a progression from the early nomenclature, "Negroes" (perjorated to "niggras), which was followed by "American-Negroes". 5. I suspect strongly that the word "Black" is used in most cases and is more appropriate because of the admixture of sub-phyllae of the human race that can be found in the dark skinned "African- American". Mostly you have negroid, native Indian, Caucasian and Mongoloid all mixed up in a man with dark skin. Calling him African American recognises only one of the input sub-races. 6. The 7th Century Moor invasion of southern Europe and subsequent inter-marriages resulted in the genetic balance, swarthy complexion and curly hair of Spain, Sicily and the South of France. There are over 6 Million People in Southern Japan called the Ainu of African origin. The whole of Southern India are Black. Australasia and Melanesia have native peoples of swarthy skin. Can all these people be categorised as Africans in the cultural sense that you embrace? No. 7. The First week of the Black history Month is dedicated to African American history (in obvious recognition of the slavery experience). Paramedes, it is this totality of input unrecognised yet still stigmatised by prejudice towards the dark coloration of the skin that is termed "Black". Hence the Black History Awards and I assume , the Music of Black Origin. As James Brown said, Say it Loud, I'm Black and Proud! BTW, President Obama could never be categorized as mixed race or even African-American. His father ONLY studied in the US. He never immigrated or naturalized. America is being headed by a native African who holds an American passport by virtue of his mother. Bang! You're dead! Count 1

Count1  # 5 | 08.02.2009 04:09

=Eja;322928>Count1, thanks for this. To Ejiro...and all that shared a similar fate..rest in peace. Eja, thanks a lot. We need to get together sometime. Count 1

Law Mefor  # 6 | 08.02.2009 05:25

My problem with the Black Race is actually its sad Bat Syndrome: Like the bats that are neither here nor there, Africans are neither Africans nor Europeans they now wish to be. The Japanese, Indians, the Chinese, and many others withstood the culture shocks occasioned by colonialism and remained themselves ever after. Africa could not; every thing African was rubbished by colonialism and, in the pressure cooker cultural interaction process, Africa remains tied to aprons of the imperial economies and social life of Europe and America to date. Europeans saw and still see Africans as a people without savvy - a story savages. The saddest aspect of this is that Africans appear to have accepted it. In effect, the Blackman does no longer see anything African that is worth his while and would prefer to be Americanized or Europeanized and yet he is not . Not yet. So, like the bat that is neither a mammal nor a bird, Africans are truly neither Africans nor Europeans. If this summation is fair and square – as I honestly believe it is – the call by this article is not only apt but also should challenge any Blackman that looks forward to African renaissance. This is the time for Africans to return to their roots.

Law Mefor  # 7 | 08.02.2009 05:26

My problem with the Black Race is actually its sad Bat Syndrome: Like the bats that are neither here nor there, Africans are neither Africans nor Europeans they now wish to be. The Japanese, Indians, the Chinese, and many others withstood the culture shocks occasioned by colonialism and remained themselves ever after. Africa could not; every thing African was rubbished by colonialism and, in the pressure cooker cultural interaction process, Africa remains tied to aprons of the imperial economies and social life of Europe and America to date. Europeans saw and still see Africans as a people without savvy - a story of savages. The saddest aspect of this is that Africans appear to have accepted it. In effect, the Blackman does no longer see anything African that is worth his while and would prefer to be Americanized or Europeanized and yet he is not . Not yet. So, like the bat that is neither a mammal nor a bird, Africans are truly neither Africans nor Europeans. If this summation is fair and square – as I honestly believe it is – the call by this article is not only apt but also should challenge any Blackman that looks forward to African renaissance. This is the time for Africans to return to their roots.

Eja  # 8 | 08.02.2009 08:16

=Count1;322993>Eja, thanks a lot. We need to get together sometime. Count 1 I will be honoured Count1.

fxo  # 9 | 08.02.2009 12:03

=Count1;322992> < BTW, President Obama could never be categorized as mixed race or even African-American. His father ONLY studied in the US. He never immigrated or naturalized. America is being headed by a native African who holds an American passport by virtue of his mother. Count 1 Barrack Obama never grew up with his Luo' father(who was no better than a sperm donor), he never imbibed anything from him, he was brought up by his Maternal grandparents in Hawaii, USA. He has visited Africa twice, maybe. Has a US birth certificate. Not identified with any of the African nationalities, Luo, Maasai et al. While in the senate he never moved a motion, drafted a bill or lobbied a trade policy position on behalf of Africa. What makes him a 'native African' ?

nero africanus  # 10 | 08.02.2009 14:15

=fxo;323079>Barrack Obama never grew up with his Luo' father(who was no better than a sperm donor), he never imbibed anything from him, he was brought up by his Maternal grandparents in Hawaii, USA. He has visited Africa twice, maybe. Has a US birth certificate. Not identified with any of the African nationalities, Luo, Maasai et al. While in the senate he never moved a motion, drafted a bill or lobbied a trade policy position on behalf of Africa. What makes him a 'native African' ? in every society certain dynamics exist, no matter how much we try to deny this if obama goes to kenya to settle , he will be seen as luo, that is how african societies work . assuming that obama's father is yoruba, and he comes back to nigeria and engages in the political process, are you assuming for one moment that the igbos, hausa/fulani, ijaw, edo , and kanuri will see a nigerian and not yoruba man?

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