Page 63 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 14
P. 63

Leadership




          finding  a  grandparent  in  retirement
          homes like you see in the West, you
          find  grandparents  either  living  with
          their children or in their own homes
          but closely monitiored and cared for
          by the entire family of children and
          grandchildren.

          As with  many family orientated
          cultures, nepotism does not have a
          negative connotation. In fact, hiring
          relatives is part of the cultural con-
          text, since it not only provides for the   Street food in Cameroon
          family, but also ensures that Camer-
          oonians work with those they know   spirituality and the surrounding nat-
          and trust.                         ural environment. We are carriers of
                                             life, health, lovers of brotherhood
          Cameroonians who have a common     and creators of healthy communities,
          background tend to organize them-  which were  built  with  one  thing in
          selves  into  small groups commonly   mind-UBUNTU. All of these good
          called associations. Individual mem-  things and character of the Afrikan
          bers refer to themselves as sons and   people have been watered down to
          daughters of a given community.    the  point were, its  now  big news
          Associations  handle  two  major  fi-  when an Afrikan does good or excels
          nancial  activities. A trouble bank is   in a particular sector of the society.
          a  special assistance  fund to which   As if the original pattern of the Af-
          every  member contributes  money   rikan person was that of failure. In
          at regular intervals and from which   fact, I hate the phrase they now use
          money is given to members who fall   when  an Afrikan does  something
          victim to a misfortune. A “njangi” is   spectacular. They say he or she ‘has
          a financial activity similar to a bank   put the name of his or her country
          based  on mutual trust.  An unem-  in the global map’. How stupid that
          ployed but hard working association   is.  Afrika as  the  Mother continent
          member who does not own property   heself  is  the  definition  of  a  global
          or real estate may receive a loan from   map and  we don’t need any Afrikan
          the njangi.                        achievement to put us on the global
                                             map.
          The Afrikan path
          While I am not here to bad-mouth   We  have  to  correct  all this  twisted
          anyone or any race of people, but I   narrative of backward, brainless and
          think I owe it to myself and the Af-  rudderless Afrikans. This, in its total-
          rikan people to remind us that, be-  ity, is what it means that things will
          fore the coming of the  white  man   come  together again  and  the true
          who later became colonialists and   identity  of the  Afrikan will  again
          whatever else  they  became  across   manifest for all to see.
          time,  Afrikans were  not known  for
          all the diseases, wickedness, global   Know this, that you, the people of
          domination  push, mental weakness,   Cameroon, are loved by the Creator
          and the heartless  things  we have   who made you and placed you in this
          come to be accustomed to globally.   magnificent continent called Afrika.
          Afrikans were  known for life  and   Do not despair nor be discouraged
          original thoughts which were guided   for all things will come together for   Street food in Cameroon
          by wisdom and the knowledge that   your good and the good of Afrika.
          comes through an understanding of   God bless you.


           WWW.MSINGIAFRIKAMAGAZINE.COM                                         ISSUE 14 | AUGUST 2021       63
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