Archaeologists verify history by excavating and examining relics (human remains) for genetic patterns that confirm origins and lifestyles of different peoples. Using modern equipment, it is possible to trace the origin (race) of bones from a human skeleton.[1] Though we are all humans, we are demarcated in different groups, where we naturally belong. From these natural groups, we obtain our identity and culture, before we engage other people and institutions. Hence, family, culture and race are parts of our undeniable facticity and foundations for launching into, and relating with the world.
There has been some confusion among people who seek higher reputation by aligning with ‘superior’ cultures and institutions. Their alignment with other cultures and institutions often come in partial or total denial and contempt of their origins and facticity. Recently, some Africans manifest the zeal to adopt other identities (religious, social or institutional) that appear better than their natural society. Some African Christians support alienating religious dictates over real concerns of their cultures, not because they are right, but because they come from a ‘higher’ religion. Even African Muslims fight and destroy their neighbours’ properties in support of religious incidences in the Middle East.
Culture is a people’s way of life. It shows how a people see themselves and others, and how they interact with environment.[2] Through enlightenment, some cultures have developed better methods and technical tools for solving human problems than other cultures. These cultures appear superior to others because of their ability to develop better methods for social and environmental adaptation. So, some people from supposedly “inferior” cultures align with the cultures with more achievement as justification of their civility.
Unfortunately, there are no superior or inferior cultures; they are all unique cultures because “all men are created equal;”[3] and all men continue to pursue happiness, despite their social and environmental challenges. What one culture lacks, another provides: mentally, physically, emotionally or otherwise; and human race continues to survive because of unique contributions from the diversity of cultures in the world. Yet, each culture continues to grow in their circumstance, to provide the highest possible environment for their people’s progress.
Though sub-Saharan African cultures were exempted from the socio-industrial interactions between various world cultures before the invasion of slave-traders, they were even more disorganized by the later invasion of colonial masters, who yoked their different African communities and kingdoms into artificial political units as nations.[4] Using military and foreign-made constitutions, the colonial masters placed those artificial countries under democratic forms of the colonial indirect-rule. In Nigeria, the colonial indirect rule is the British-made Nigerian government that continues to seize and supply cheap mineral resources to colonialists. Because of their economic edge and missionaries’ charity, Africans copied foreign cultures and religions, while leaving out industry. Hence, an African professor would brag for being more European, American, Asian, Christian or Muslim than other Africans.
Progressive societies are developed from the agreement[5] of the members to collaborate in using their resources[6] for producing what they need.[7] Great people are those who work to ensure freedom in that agreement for a progressive collaboration in the society. A nation primarily belongs to the people who constitute it, and is managed by the institutions they choose. Religion and secular education are adoptable ways of life that do not replace basic social structures and institutions. Instead, they assist people to form the highest possible environment for progress of the society. So, the relevance of any religion or philosophy is measured by their effect on the people and society as a whole.
You are not entitled to citizen’s benefit in Rome because you are a catholic, but because you are a citizen. You do not gain automatic Saudi-Arabian residence because you are born Muslim, but because you belong to their culture as a citizen. Africans who neglect the opportunities to create progressive structures in their places of origin, in pursuit of foreign alignment[8] are cultureless beings. A cultureless human being is a floating being, a loafer without existential anchor or bearing. Our different cultures are the foundations upon which we develop our potentials for the world. You are firstly human, a member of a particular family and culture before being Muslim, Christian or professional.
[1] Cf. http://www.saa.org/publicftp/PUBLIC/educators/03_whatis.html retrieved 07-02-2018
[2] Cf. https://www2.palomar.edu/anthro/culture/culture_1.htm retrieved 07-02-2018
[3] United States Declaration of Independence, http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/
[4] cf. Richard Dowden, Africa altered states, ordinary miracles. (New York: Public Affairs, 2010). p.3
[5] Cf. Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, Ed. Michael Oakeshott (New York: Macmillan, 1962).p187
[6] Cf. Adam Smith, analysis of Yousuf Dhamee, Adam Smith and division of Labour, http://www.victorianweb.org/economics/division.html retrieved 07-02-2018
[7] Cf. Gibran Khalil, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kahlil_Gibran
[8] Sorry, Foreign Identity