ARTICLE OF THE WEEK
GOOD LIFE IS WORTH THE FIGHT - Adagbada Dipor-Exzie
African millennial and our younger counterparts would often be found ignorantly making such statements as, 'Why has God blessed the Americans and Englishmen, but chose to punish Africans?', 'The black man is no match for the white' or 'The white has good-witch, it uses for technological enhancement and societal development, while Africans have bad-witch used for torment and punishment of follow men'.
No man can be lost like the man who takes his past with a pinch of salt. Was it not on this platform, a pseudo-human said he sees no point in making an entrepreneur take history classes while having his/her Bachelors program? His shortsightedness is not worth the distraction it is about to cause to this post, however.
The 'good life' (buoyant and thriving economy, high life expectancy, structured and concerned government) enjoyed today by the English and the Americans was paid for through sweat and blood by their great and grand parents. The #BlackPlaque of England in the 14th century, or the Agricultural depression that befell the same country in the 15th century are a few examples of what England went through in the hands of hunger and incurable wide spread disease. Read of the bloody religious war that rocked England that saw thousands killed after Henry VIII broke off from submission to the Pope.
You look at Las Vegas, California, New York and other beautiful states in America, and you 'merely' wish your indigenous state would look same way. Some 250 years ago, the Americas was a new nation in a great battle with Great Britain for their independence. This was a war that would see people sacrifice their lives in thousands. This war brought along with it innovations and discoveries, as Americans were pushed to the wall to be self sustaining and reliant and therefore had to come up with the resources to fight and 'loose the dependence'.
You watch Discovery channel these days, and you are amazed at the industrial and technological advancement achieved and enjoyed by our white brothers. However, don't forget so quickly, the America Civil War that lasted four (4) years, 3weeks and 6days as a result of the long standing controversy over slavery. This was a war that saw of 620,000 people dead, and transport system destroyed, but in the end resulted in the freedom of 4 millions black slaves (our great-grand parents).
Did you know of the Whiskey rebellion of 1791 in the United states between the government and american farmers (supported by and war veterans) who believed that they were fighting
for the principles of the American Revolution, in particular against taxation without local representation? The 1812 war against England (even while the latter was at war with Napoleon's France) for supplying Indians who raided American settlers on the frontier which hindered American expansion and provoked resentment, is another example. Over to Asia, you read of the Boxer Rebellion in China in year 1899, against foreign oppression and western missionaries, among other struggles and fight to promote their interest and for the enhancement of better life.
Of course, Africa, no matter how little or insignificant, has her history of revolution and war against oppression, but to what end? What innovations came from such wars? What lessons were learnt and how have they been applied? Protests or rebellious acts may not always be the final answer, as there is always room for discussions and dialogue in the civilized now. However, if war, protests and rebellious movements are the only guarantee of a better future for the coming generation, we are left with no choice if we must move forward.
African millennial and our younger counterparts would often be found ignorantly making such statements as, 'Why has God blessed the Americans and Englishmen, but chose to punish Africans?', 'The black man is no match for the white' or 'The white has good-witch, it uses for technological enhancement and societal development, while Africans have bad-witch used for torment and punishment of follow men'.
No man can be lost like the man who takes his past with a pinch of salt. Was it not on this platform, a pseudo-human said he sees no point in making an entrepreneur take history classes while having his/her Bachelors program? His shortsightedness is not worth the distraction it is about to cause to this post, however.
The 'good life' (buoyant and thriving economy, high life expectancy, structured and concerned government) enjoyed today by the English and the Americans was paid for through sweat and blood by their great and grand parents. The #BlackPlaque of England in the 14th century, or the Agricultural depression that befell the same country in the 15th century are a few examples of what England went through in the hands of hunger and incurable wide spread disease. Read of the bloody religious war that rocked England that saw thousands killed after Henry VIII broke off from submission to the Pope.
You look at Las Vegas, California, New York and other beautiful states in America, and you 'merely' wish your indigenous state would look same way. Some 250 years ago, the Americas was a new nation in a great battle with Great Britain for their independence. This was a war that would see people sacrifice their lives in thousands. This war brought along with it innovations and discoveries, as Americans were pushed to the wall to be self sustaining and reliant and therefore had to come up with the resources to fight and 'loose the dependence'.
You watch Discovery channel these days, and you are amazed at the industrial and technological advancement achieved and enjoyed by our white brothers. However, don't forget so quickly, the America Civil War that lasted four (4) years, 3weeks and 6days as a result of the long standing controversy over slavery. This was a war that saw of 620,000 people dead, and transport system destroyed, but in the end resulted in the freedom of 4 millions black slaves (our great-grand parents).
Did you know of the Whiskey rebellion of 1791 in the United states between the government and american farmers (supported by and war veterans) who believed that they were fighting
for the principles of the American Revolution, in particular against taxation without local representation? The 1812 war against England (even while the latter was at war with Napoleon's France) for supplying Indians who raided American settlers on the frontier which hindered American expansion and provoked resentment, is another example. Over to Asia, you read of the Boxer Rebellion in China in year 1899, against foreign oppression and western missionaries, among other struggles and fight to promote their interest and for the enhancement of better life.
Of course, Africa, no matter how little or insignificant, has her history of revolution and war against oppression, but to what end? What innovations came from such wars? What lessons were learnt and how have they been applied? Protests or rebellious acts may not always be the final answer, as there is always room for discussions and dialogue in the civilized now. However, if war, protests and rebellious movements are the only guarantee of a better future for the coming generation, we are left with no choice if we must move forward.
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