HISTORY IS EVERYTHING

Spread across Africa you will find monuments and streets named after imperial figures who played a pivotal role in the colonization of the continent. It is one thing to reverence key figures of our past, it’s another to place them on a pedestal to be glorified. Frederick Lugard is a name every Nigerian should be familiar with, he is the one responsible for the name Nigeria and at his command, the genocide of tens of thousands of Nigerians.

I remember speaking to a friend not too long ago about this. I told her about the atrocities Lugard was responsible for in Nigeria, she was surprised. The version of this history that she was taught in school painted Lugard and his girlfriend Flora Shaw as heroes. In schools, children are taught through songs. I am sure you can remember some of the nursery rhymes you were taught back in elementary school. When I asked my friend why she thought Lugard and his girlfriend were heroes, she sang a nursery rhyme to me. The words of the song painted a picture. Each stroke from the paintbrush of those words fashioned a narrative depicting this couple as heroes who named the great country of Nigeria. Considering the history behind the name, Nigeria is not a name I am proud of!

In Africa today, there are more colonial reverences and monuments than there are of traditional legends. Streets, buildings, monuments, and effigies dedicated and named after colonial figures, in a manner to celebrate them.  The likes of Frederick Lugard are one not to be celebrated. The Kogi state government house for example is named The Lord Lugard House, we also have Lugard Hall in Kaduna, as well as Lugard avenue. When the British declared war against China, Hong Kong and other parts of China was under the control of Britain, but you will not find a monument of the British in China today. The same scenario when Germany occupied France. Why should Africa be any different? Why is Africa different? The reason is that this portion of our history is not taught to us. We know more about everyone else’s history except our own. Throughout my secondary school from elementary to high, I was never taught about Nigeria’s first and only civil war talk less of our history. There has been a deliberate campaign to suppress African history, and we continue to witness its effects.  This is a problem and needs to change.  This is little more dangerous than the disregard and the normalization of oppression, it numbs you to your own prejudice. You cannot enact change to something you have grown accustomed to due to unawareness. We are yet to recognize the sacrifices of our ancestors, yet we glorify colonialists.

History resides in the hands of those who write it. We cannot continue to allow the villain of our story to write our history. It will be written in a manner that best fits their bias. This has led to false narratives such as, “the reason for colonization was to spread Christianity and to civilize Africa.” I remember being taught this in school, and believe it or not, this is still being taught to our children today. I will get to that in a second. Yes, through colonization Christianity was spread across the continent, but make no mistake, was that the reason for colonization? I have no patience to answer that question. Was the reason for colonization to bring civilization to the continent?  Considering the exploits of Africans across the world, from Mansa Musa’s luxurious pilgrimage, to the kings of Great Zimbabwe, ordering the most luxurious items from halfway across the world, how much more civilization could Europe bring to Africa?

For the sake of our children and racial esteem, we must take charge of our history and tell our story. There is nothing more shameful than our children singing nursery rhymes of praise dedicated to the villain of our story. A couple who is responsible for the greatest genocide in our history. Every Nigerian today is suffering the consequences of their actions. If you google “lord Lugard and Flora Shaw statue” You will see dozens of pictures of proud Nigerians standing next to a monument dedicated to the couple, with a smile on their face not knowing that our country is still paying the cost for their actions.

 I say this not to stir up anger within you, but to show you the importance of our history. We experience so much pain and have no idea where it stems from. The root of our pain is a lack of Identity. To know where you are going, you must know where you have been, or else we will continue moving in circles. History is the cure to this pain.

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A few months ago, during my master’s program, I found myself at a high school. On my way to the restroom, I overheard a lesson on African history. I stood anonymously beside the half-open door. As an African enthusiast, I am naturally curious about any and everything pertaining to my continent. I did not hear the entire lecture and lack the context to the framework of the lesson, but what I heard was just enough for me to know that our children are in trouble. The teacher, with the most diplomatic terms as she could muster mentioned how Africa at the time was not civilized. She mentioned that Europeans came over and gave us clothes, introduced religion, and civilization. Mind you, she was teaching to a classroom of roughly around 60% African Americans. I don’t blame the teacher for that lesson because, like many others, I also had that same thought about Africa. I felt sorry for those children. I cannot fathom the psychological implications that that lesson would have on them. They are being told that they come from a lineage of savages that were saved by Europeans. A bloodline that has contributed nothing not only to them but to the world. I felt powerless and didn’t know what to do. I decided to embark on a journey to learn as much as I can about our beautiful history and culture, and to show the world what Africa truly is.

We have a lot of work ahead of us.

Join me on this journey where I document my work and findings under the YouTube channel “Akin Akin”. I have realized myself through my history and I believe the same can happen for every one of us.