Page 63 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 14

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.

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