Page 58 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 6
P. 58
FEATURES
advantage and only incidentally with my little experience, that ists" were at least optimistic that
for the good of the African (qtd the African nature will be hap- with intensive guidance and
in Uzoigwe, 1978:28). pier, produce the best, and live kindergarten-like tutelage, Afri-
The Portuguese historian, under conditions of prosperity cans may reach minimal matu-
Adriano Vasco Rodrigues has when his labor is directed and rity, but the "trusteeship" school
opened another debatable di- organized by his white brother were absolutely pessimistic on
mension of the argument, still to who has all these million years' the possibility of transforming
justify the humanitarian and civ- start ahead of him (qtd. In the African into a normal human
ilizing mission of the European Crowder,1968:36). being.
race. According to Rodrigues, Jomo Kenyatta, the first Pres- Europe saw Africa as a con-
it was through colonization that ident of independent Kenya in tinent that suffered total and
the African was elevated to a perceptive analysis of colo- incurable dwarfism. A people
the status of a human being: nialism has faulted the idea with a defective religion and
“Colonization, principally that that colonialism enhanced natural victims of psychic mal-
practiced by the Portuguese, the economic fortunes of the function. That was the mind-set
raised the Negro to the status of Africans: They speak as if it that prevailed in Europe when
human being, to the extent that were somehow beneficial to an missionary interest was revived
they considered him to be their African to work for them instead in European Christianity. The
equal” (Rodrigues, 1968: 440). of for himself, and to make sure idea of a defective religion
The argument here is val- that he will receive this benefit was anchored on the concept
ue-loaded and ethnocentric they do their best to take away of heathenism, which was the
with a faulty conclusion that it his land and leave him no alter- preoccupation of missionaries
was colonization, that aided the native. Along with his land they in the nineteenth century. The
full development and matura- rob him of his government, con- conversion of heathens and ab-
tion of the African to the status demn his religions ideas, and olition of pagandom at all cost
of a human being. Apart from ignore his fundamental concep- was a task that must be done.
technological superiority, there tions of justice and morals, all N. S. S. Iwe has defined colo-
was also a concomitant feeling under the name of civilization nial mentality as a mind-set that
of moral and racial superiority. and progress (Kenyatta, 305). sees Africans as people who
The white man was theoreti- It was speculated that through are not competent, or mature
cally placed at the top of the the process of intensive conver- to manage their own affairs.
hierarchy, while the black man sionism, a colony that excelled It also connotes lack of confi-
who was deemed irredeemably in adopting western values to dence in Africa and the African
inferior and senseless was the maximum may achieve a way of life. Colonial mentality
placed at the bottom. Thus pseudo independent status sees the African as imperfect,
the conquest of Africa and and merit the description like wanting in self confidence,
the subsequent scramble and "overseas France" or "overseas dignity, resourcefulness and
partition of the entire continent Portugal". Another theory of creativity, hence do not deserve
were carried out supposedly imperialism was called "perma- any honor and respect from
in the interest of Africans who nent trusteeship", or "paternal- civilized humanity. Colonial
required many years of tute- ism". For this school of thought, mentality means a lower or
lage to become normal human Africans were incurably inferior negative self-image, lack of self
being. Lord Leverhulme at a to Europeans and are naturally esteem and the belief in one's
dinner in honor of the Governor incapable of adopting the civi- own inferiority. In colonial Afri-
of Nigeria, Sir Hugh Clifford lized standards of the "superior" ca, colonial mentality was the
said: I am certain that West races. There is no possibility of outcome of intensive European
African races have to be treated future improvement or devel- propaganda, brain washing and
very much as one would treat opment. Africans perpetually psychological warfare against
children when they are imma- are to be protected, supervised Africans and anything African.
ture and under-developed... and monitored by the "superior" Colonial mentality has affected
Now the organizing ability is the races. The difference between all the segments of African soci-
particular trait and characteristic "conversionists" and "trustee- ety. Anything that is indigenous
of the white man. .. I say this ship", was that the "conversion- is looked down upon as unim-
58 | heal . restore . rebirth . Afrika
