Nigeria as a Country Is Besieged by Three (3) Main Problems Namely: Unemployment, Corruption and Insecurity
“AFRICA WAS A CULTURAL WASTELAND, UNTIL THE EUROPEANS SOWED THE SEEDS OF CIVILIZATION ON HER CULTURAL BARREN SHORES”
BY
OKOJIE EHINOMHEN PETER
APRIL 2012
INTRODUCTION
That “Africa was a cultural wasteland, until the Europeans sowed the seeds of civilization on her cultural barren shores” amounts to no culture in this geographical entity inhabited by people until the Europeans brought them the way of life. It is tempting to want to be subjective rather than being objective in discussing this topic, but bearing in mind that the Europeans are as rational as the Africans, one cannot but try to detach self from every sentiment in order to appraise and come out with substantial arguments with regards to the subject matter.
Africa is of the continents of the world where Homo sapiens inhabit. It has been a stage upon which the drama of human development and cultural differentiation has been acted since the beginning of history. Yet, no continent has suffered: mistreatment; misunderstanding; misrepresentation; misinterpretation and have been misreported either in people’s conversation or on the mass media. The African continent has been described as synonymous to famine, drought, barbarism, peoples without culture until the Europeans in their magnanimity brought civilization to them. These amongst others are the opinions of many Eurocentric thinkers and ideologists. Yet, the fact remains, that the African like the European have eyes, hands, organs, affections and passions; laughs when tickled; angry when provoked; searches for food and security; reasons and judges. Like the Europeans can be murderous, hypocritical, rude, polite, selfish and loving so is an African capable. In whatever ways, the African as well as the Europeans are subject to the same laws of nature. It stirs equivocation in attempting to place superiority of one over the other. Thus, this work shall however, try to clarify the conceptual terms in the topic of debate as well as provide answers to
BY
OKOJIE EHINOMHEN PETER
APRIL 2012
INTRODUCTION
That “Africa was a cultural wasteland, until the Europeans sowed the seeds of civilization on her cultural barren shores” amounts to no culture in this geographical entity inhabited by people until the Europeans brought them the way of life. It is tempting to want to be subjective rather than being objective in discussing this topic, but bearing in mind that the Europeans are as rational as the Africans, one cannot but try to detach self from every sentiment in order to appraise and come out with substantial arguments with regards to the subject matter.
Africa is of the continents of the world where Homo sapiens inhabit. It has been a stage upon which the drama of human development and cultural differentiation has been acted since the beginning of history. Yet, no continent has suffered: mistreatment; misunderstanding; misrepresentation; misinterpretation and have been misreported either in people’s conversation or on the mass media. The African continent has been described as synonymous to famine, drought, barbarism, peoples without culture until the Europeans in their magnanimity brought civilization to them. These amongst others are the opinions of many Eurocentric thinkers and ideologists. Yet, the fact remains, that the African like the European have eyes, hands, organs, affections and passions; laughs when tickled; angry when provoked; searches for food and security; reasons and judges. Like the Europeans can be murderous, hypocritical, rude, polite, selfish and loving so is an African capable. In whatever ways, the African as well as the Europeans are subject to the same laws of nature. It stirs equivocation in attempting to place superiority of one over the other. Thus, this work shall however, try to clarify the conceptual terms in the topic of debate as well as provide answers to
Bibliography: Ajayi, S. Ademola. ed. (2005). African Culture and Civilization, Ibadan: Atlantis Books. Byron, William ed. (1982). The Causes of World Hunger, New York: Paulist Press. Ehusani, George O. (1991). An Afro-Christian Vision “OZOVEHE”: Toward A More Humanized World, New York: University Press of America. Lamb, David (1986). The Africans: Encounters from the Sudan to the Cape, London: The Bodley Head Press. Ngugi Wa, T. O. (1986). Decolonizing the Mind, London: James Curray Press. Rodney, Walter (2005). How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, Abuja: Panaf Publishing, Inc.