We Speak in the Language We Think in
What you do for yourself depends on what you think of yourself, and what you think of yourself depends on what you know of yourself and what you know of yourself depends on what you have been told. – Kwa David Whitaker
Words are powerful, creative, and active and they are the foundation of all we see and see not. But words do not necessarily manifest out of the blue. They are the outer manifestations of the words and dialogues that take place in our minds. So, speaking in the language we think in simply means that there is nothing on the outside that does not have its source on the inside. Also, because creativity starts with imagination, it becomes our constant responsibility to be very careful of what we think or imagine, for those things become what we see in our daily reality. The question is, what do you as an African think about Africa and what do you speak about Africa?
As Africans think…so
It is common knowledge that as a man thinks, so is he. As he does not think, so he is not. But what about as a community of people, a nation of people or a continent of people think? So they are. And what that means is that the Africa we want to see is right beside the thoughts we have about Africa.
There is a deep-seated inferiority mentality that has blanketed Africans in regard to what they think or perceive about Africa. Some Africans think nothing good can ever happen with Africa and so they run away from the continent to what they call greener pastures. But the irony about this mindset about greener pastures is that, as Africans are running away from the continent to Europe and America, Europeans and Americans are running to Africa. They set up businesses and they thrive. Which poses another question. Why do foreigners thrive in Africa, in the very sectors that Africans have run away from? There are a whole lot of answers to this question, but one thing comes to mind. MINDSET.
The European or American that followed in the footsteps of their ancestors, who in their time saw Africa as their cash cow or farmland for cheap natural resources, will come into the continent bearing the same mindset, and go into sectors that Africans have refused to explore, set up shop and then the African will be happy to be employed by them. But how come Africans do not see the opportunities available to them until a “white man” shows them to them? MINDSET. We definitely need to change such a trend. But we cannot do that until we change our thought patterns about the continent.
The politician who stole the money meant for hospitals for the people and goes to Europe or America for healthcare needs his brain checked. He is not thinking right.
The pastor who preaches without understanding that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God, but he and his family spend their vacations in Dubai, is not thinking straight.
We all need to reimagine what it means to be African, what Africa needs from us collectively, and what it requires of us to bring forth the Africa that matches what we have imagined. No one is coming to change Africa, neither can change manifest by itself if we refuse to change our thinking and words about Africa.
Africans, think, speak, and create a better Africa.
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