Page 44 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 5

AFRIKA IS GOD’S

touted by governments in Afrika had THRIVED for millennia prior
(and governments that have in- to the colonial experience. Yet,
terests in Afrika and the UN) as how soon we forget.
the key to Afrika’s growth and Recent pressure by govern-
development, but if we’re hon- ments in Afrika to ensure that
est, and if we look back with an every child receives mandatory
accurate lens, Afrika was never formal education are linked to
backward or poorly developed. MDGs, SDGs or whatever other
Additionally, Afrikans were train- development goals have been
ing their children in a home set- set by the global community
ting and in the field, long before and forcibly ingested by Afrikan
they ever heard of colonialists or governments. The indigestion
colonial or western style educa- is left to the people to suffer as
tion and it was sufficient. Some- their approach seems to over-
times you will find that ‘modern’ look such ancient and profound
terminologies and socially ac- – yet so simple – wisdom. Afrika
cepted norms such as school, has her own track and has had
along with the deliberate down- it since the beginning. The blind
playing that the colonialists en- embracing of methods proposed
gaged in with regard to the wis- by a global body cannot be al-
dom of Afrika that existed before lowed. Afrika must, of neces- We must create room for ho-
colonialism, tends to distract us sity, take into account the local meschooling in Afrika. We must
from the obvious. Afrikans had needs, settings, priorities and not over regulate this space and
established social norms, train- pre-existing wisdom of the na- force it to live up to an artificial
ing standards and methods of tions and communities in Afrika standard, but provide gentle and
socialization that guaranteed FIRST before anything else is carefully considered guidance
that their children would grow added to it. And we must do it where needed. Let the families
and graduate age-set by age- right now. that prefer to school their chil-
set into healthy and productive At the moment we have a com- dren at home be able to do so
members of their communities, munity of young people who are in an empowered manner. For
fully capable of raising up the so devastatingly detached from those who have neither the time
next generation well. This train- a way of life that was healthy nor the inclination to (which is
ing was conducted by parents, and wholesome and positive in fine and their choice), then allow
close relatives or trusted elders many respects. They are des- for the inculcation of indigenous
who passed on truths, under- perately damaged to the extent knowledge and wisdom into
standing and knowledge ben- of needing urgent rehabilita- their children’s training. This has
eficial to their young charges tion in order to re-acculturate greater value and depth than
as well as their societies. They to a level where they can be many give it credit for.
were supplied with the skills self-sustaining. The effect is so We must remember that west-
that were relevant to the sus- great that Afrika’s own trajec- ern education has its roots in
tainability of their societies as tory is now distorted beyond western imperialism and their
a whole. Such training included measure. But is it redeemable? strategy for global domination.
inter-personal and inter-commu- Yes, but we must change some We really cannot afford to deny
nity relations, mediation, conflict key things back. We must allow that or to pretend that the edu-
and conflict resolution (or what the families that are willing and cation that was introduced to
would be called international re- have time to pour into their chil- Afrika had no ulterior motives.
lations in modern parlance), ag- dren the wisdom that is needed, That would be just plain igno-
riculture, health and sanitation, before it is lost. People have rant and foolish! So for those
home science, culinary arts, become so busy that they don’t of you who go around the world
medicine, social skills etc. We have time to inculcate values forming allegiances with former
must keep in mind that the Af- into their children because they colonial imperialists, you would
rikan civilization had not barely are focused on paying bills and be wise to consider that they still
survived for millennia, but rather surviving. have their and only their best in-

44 | heal . restore . rebirth . Afrika