God did not curse Africans
Sep 18, 2007
The quest to explain Africa’s economic backwardness has led to the advancement of a number of theories.
BY NSABA BUTURO
The quest to explain Africa’s economic backwardness has led to the advancement of a number of theories.
The suggestion is that Africans are genetically more gifted in bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, but seriously challenged with logical-mathematical intelligence. This theory should be rejected outright.
Africans have not only excelled in logical mathematical intelligence; there is evidence that they have been pioneers in fields of mathematics and science.
The second theory is that Africa was cursed by God. People who make this claim are generally referring to the biblical story of Ham and Noah. Those familiar with the story will dismiss this theory on account that it was Noah and not God who cursed Ham.
Historically, it is Cush and not Ham who is considered to be the ancestor of Black people. It goes without saying, therefore, that God did not curse Africans.
God holds all individuals and every generation responsible for their sins. People suffer for the sins of past generations only when they continue with the unrighteous practices. The point is that people are not helplessly destined to doom for the wrongs of their forefathers. The Bible gives us a basis for trusting God for forgiveness, cleansing and restoration. When Jesus died on the cross, he carried on himself all the sins of humankind. We are assured that any people who acknowledge sin and seek forgiveness will experience forgiveness, liberation and restoration. So, Africa’s problems should not be blamed on either genetics or spiritual shortcomings of past generations.
Arising from the above is an emerging school of thought, which believes that the main key to Africa’s transformation into a first world continent is leadership. President Yoweri Museveni has argued that the negative economic situation of African countries is due to the failure of her leaders to maximise the enormous natural resources of the continent.
From this position, it becomes imperative to understand ways of transforming existing leadership mindsets into new and more fruitful ways of thinking and leading.
Let me posit a few assertions. Actions of leaders at all levels of society stem from their thought life. Africa cannot solve the problems she has if she remains at the same level of thinking she was at when her present problems started.
To renew leadership action, therefore, there needs to be renewal of leadership mindsets if the dream for the emergence of a new Africa is to become a reality.
The first of these mindset shifts relates to how Africans define themselves. People are what they think. This is what makes the issue of self identity a primary factor in addressing transformation challenges in Africa.
One of the serious areas of mindset shifts is related to a view that progress requires becoming other than African. Across Africa, there has been a tendency to borrow ideas and resources from outside and to depend on foreign expertise in the execution of strategies for development. It is the “somebody save Africa†campaign being championed by Africans and non-Africans alike. One of the exceptions to this is Museveni who advocates for value addition, access to markets of, and trade with more industrialised countries.
In Africa, there is a consistent erosion of confidence in things original to Africa. Social institutions and norms that once clarified what was acceptable in African societies are being challenged by the introduction of liberal values. The destruction of the original morality of Africans is continuing in the name of human rights.
It is obvious that some of the changes are not for the better. For example, replacing the African sense of communalism with Western individualism, materialism, permissiveness and general deterioration of human relationships is not a change for the better.
In order to reverse dependence on foreign ideas and resources, what is required is a radical decolonisation of the African mind to help Africans appreciate values, ideas and resources that are original to Africa. Preference in this process should be given to the utilisation of African resources with openness to adopting and adapting positive elements from other peoples.
Dr. Kwame Nkrumah advocated for a redefinition of African Personality as part of a new political ideology that would lead to a developed and technologically advanced Africa. The reconstruction of a positive self identity in the global community is necessary for a minimal level of self confidence that will encourage Africans to exercise the kinds of creative initiatives needed for their development. The trend where the rest of the world has taken it upon itself to define Africa for Africans needs to be replaced with the new situation whereby Africans take the initiative for their self definition, self image and self confidence.
The writer is the Minister for Ethics and IntegrityM
The quest to explain Africa’s economic backwardness has led to the advancement of a number of theories.
The suggestion is that Africans are genetically more gifted in bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, but seriously challenged with logical-mathematical intelligence. This theory should be rejected outright.
Africans have not only excelled in logical mathematical intelligence; there is evidence that they have been pioneers in fields of mathematics and science.
The second theory is that Africa was cursed by God. People who make this claim are generally referring to the biblical story of Ham and Noah. Those familiar with the story will dismiss this theory on account that it was Noah and not God who cursed Ham.
Historically, it is Cush and not Ham who is considered to be the ancestor of Black people. It goes without saying, therefore, that God did not curse Africans.
God holds all individuals and every generation responsible for their sins. People suffer for the sins of past generations only when they continue with the unrighteous practices. The point is that people are not helplessly destined to doom for the wrongs of their forefathers. The Bible gives us a basis for trusting God for forgiveness, cleansing and restoration. When Jesus died on the cross, he carried on himself all the sins of humankind. We are assured that any people who acknowledge sin and seek forgiveness will experience forgiveness, liberation and restoration. So, Africa’s problems should not be blamed on either genetics or spiritual shortcomings of past generations.
Arising from the above is an emerging school of thought, which believes that the main key to Africa’s transformation into a first world continent is leadership. President Yoweri Museveni has argued that the negative economic situation of African countries is due to the failure of her leaders to maximise the enormous natural resources of the continent.
From this position, it becomes imperative to understand ways of transforming existing leadership mindsets into new and more fruitful ways of thinking and leading.
Let me posit a few assertions. Actions of leaders at all levels of society stem from their thought life. Africa cannot solve the problems she has if she remains at the same level of thinking she was at when her present problems started.
To renew leadership action, therefore, there needs to be renewal of leadership mindsets if the dream for the emergence of a new Africa is to become a reality.
The first of these mindset shifts relates to how Africans define themselves. People are what they think. This is what makes the issue of self identity a primary factor in addressing transformation challenges in Africa.
One of the serious areas of mindset shifts is related to a view that progress requires becoming other than African. Across Africa, there has been a tendency to borrow ideas and resources from outside and to depend on foreign expertise in the execution of strategies for development. It is the “somebody save Africa†campaign being championed by Africans and non-Africans alike. One of the exceptions to this is Museveni who advocates for value addition, access to markets of, and trade with more industrialised countries.
In Africa, there is a consistent erosion of confidence in things original to Africa. Social institutions and norms that once clarified what was acceptable in African societies are being challenged by the introduction of liberal values. The destruction of the original morality of Africans is continuing in the name of human rights.
It is obvious that some of the changes are not for the better. For example, replacing the African sense of communalism with Western individualism, materialism, permissiveness and general deterioration of human relationships is not a change for the better.
In order to reverse dependence on foreign ideas and resources, what is required is a radical decolonisation of the African mind to help Africans appreciate values, ideas and resources that are original to Africa. Preference in this process should be given to the utilisation of African resources with openness to adopting and adapting positive elements from other peoples.
Dr. Kwame Nkrumah advocated for a redefinition of African Personality as part of a new political ideology that would lead to a developed and technologically advanced Africa. The reconstruction of a positive self identity in the global community is necessary for a minimal level of self confidence that will encourage Africans to exercise the kinds of creative initiatives needed for their development. The trend where the rest of the world has taken it upon itself to define Africa for Africans needs to be replaced with the new situation whereby Africans take the initiative for their self definition, self image and self confidence.
The writer is the Minister for Ethics and IntegrityM