Page 73 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 22

Community

Mothers no longer think and act
as women with dignity. They love
drinking in bars and the wayward-
ness that comes with it. Fathers who
are supposed to be the images that
the Afrikan child sees to understand
what is expected if him, have be-
come vapors with no soundness of
mind and willpower to stir up good-
ness and character in a child. We all,
including the foreigner who likes
to paint the Afrikan child as sick,
poor, are telling ourselves that the
Afrikan child does not deserve love,
how they affects our children. Love, kan child under some psychological hope and faith in the future. But we
care, acceptance, training are good attack, just like his fathers have been forget that the Afrikan child is the
foundations for the wellbeing of our for ages? Should the light of the direct image of the Afrikan society
children and the society at large. Afrikan children only shine when
In other words, the Afrikan child they supposedly win a scholarship and whatever we portray him to be
deserves love too. to study abroad or when they are both at home and outside is what
we really are as a society. Meaning
adopted by some I-am-feeling-good we can actually measure our levels
Is it a coincidence? foreigners who now use the already of hope, joy, intelligence, goodness,
Because of this magazine, I do a lot innate intelligence of the Afrikan kindness, compassion and love as a
of searches for Afrikan photos on child to tell their own stories of how society when we look at our Afrikan
various stock photo websites. And if good they are at changing a sup- children.
like me you work with photos, you posed savage Afrikan child to a ge-
would have noticed that when you nius? We cannot pretend about this Which way now?
search for photos of young Afri- reality and we cannot keep telling The day a child was born, he was
kans, you will either see a child seat- ourselves that the Afrikan child is born with the blueprint of his life,
ed on a broken wall in a run down not under attack. The Afrikan child purpose and destiny. But somehow,
Afrikan village, or a child running is worthy of love, acceptance and we have learnt, or let me say over-
after a dirty tyre or a child coming bold representation. It is our duty to learnt, how to live. We no longer
back from school in tattered school see it happen. pay much attention to the indicators
uniform and torn sandals and look- in a child’s life that show who they
ing just terrible and sad, with a face The child is a mirror of the are and what they are supposed to
begging for answers to the question: society be, even at birth. We have turned
“what about me?”. The Afrika that I grew up in is the Hollywood and all the other woods
I wonder why this is? Especially one in which a man measures his into classrooms where our kids get
when I know that Afrika has some inner strength and manliness by their education and moral standards.
of the most beautiful cities, high how well his wife and children are But surely, our kids deserve better
end and quite expensive schools doing. And I am not talking of just models and mentors to mold them
in the world. What happened to money and how the things money on their paths into their destinies.
photos of such cities and schools? can buy can create a false identity or Between the male child and the
Or is there something wrong with image of wellness, but about how female child, there is none that is
the pictures of Afrikan children the kids in a home uphold the family better or more desirable. Both are
dressed in nice uniforms with smiles creed irrespective of what comes important and both deserve the
of excellence gracing their faces? their way. Discipline, good morals, love, acceptance, grace, goodness,
Does the Afrikan child not deserve kindness, goodness and every good good education from the society
some love, joy and hope in the face thing one would expect from a sane and room to create and be creative.
of a failing world? Does the Afrikan human comes from the beauty of Answers come to those who ask
child not deserve a better represen- the family creed. But right now, we questions. So, what about the Afri-
tation in the eyes of his community seem to have a very crazy appetite kan child?
and the world at large? Is the Afri- for foolishness and mindlessness.

WWW.MSINGIAFRIKAMAGAZINE.COM ISSUE 22 | APRIL 2022 73