NEOCOLONIALISM, MY THOUGHTS.

Today, let’s not dabble in research for any meaning of any word. Let’s just walk through my thoughts, then you can tell me what you think after we reach its end. Neocolonialism happens to be the indirect dominance of previous captors, or neocolonialism is the indirect rule of white supremacy, or neocolonialism is the thoughts and fears that previous colonies habour as to whether they can be able to do without their previous lords, thus, forcing them to seek the latter’s directions in almost everything they do, making the lords take advantage of ruling behind the scenes. I do not know about the other colonies. My questions revolve around the African continent and they are as follows:

What makes Africans think managing their affairs need chaperoning?

Is it lack of internal resources? Or

Gratitude to whites for their forefather’s colonialism?

Is it for the fact that the leadership of Africa can sit and dine with them for their citizens to see their superiority?

Or is it just an inferiority complex?

I look on when whites visit African countries and are hailed by many black men. I do not know why, but I’ve never been the type to hail people no matter their statuses in society. I guess I have always thought that respect and reverence must be earned not by what people do (as in their jobs) but by their ability to stretch their hands in respect and look at you with the same eyes you look at them. My thoughts have always been respect me and I will in turn respect you. But many blacks call onto whites, waving and sometimes pushing themselves closer for friendship. I also see some groveling for the little crumbs they can get off their plates and the worn clothes they can offer.

If I happened to be hailed like that, and I am not white, I would develop the urge to cheat the other or even make those people my dogs. This is the situation. Not that I’m blaming the whites for this, no, not at all. They are right when they do take advantage. My question for those who grovel when they see these people are;

Have you no shame?

 Do you not hear how your people are treated when they go to their countries?

Must you throw away your dignities just for second hand clothing and some little financial gains?

Why do you always wash your dirty linens in public in order to pave way for ‘whitemailers’ to ‘whitemail’ you?

For those who do not know, some white people just come to Africa to look for whom to prey upon. A picture depicting your sympathetic state is all they need to get rich. They pretend not knowing what your culture entails and show you to their peers, begging them to give out their monies which you mostly do not get to spend, not even a little. Now, their peers who give thinking they are helping people in need sometimes develop a paranoia and a sense of having a say in whatever it is you do. That is why we get their insensitive opinions whenever our cases crop up. Yes, many of your own people who have seen the logic of the whites now go with proposals, take some little amount of money, set up offices in Africa, help one or two people and keep the bigger part of the money for themselves while the white lords enjoy the biggest portions from the gains of so called sympathizers.  

When will we feel any sense of shame and desist from these embarrassing acts?

 Every country has its own problems; every country has its own attraction.

Must ours always be negative?

Must poverty describe us?

Must we continue to grovel at the feet of those who see us as nothing but animals?

Do not get me wrong, some white people actually do have respect for humans, there are those who will never indulge in racial discrimination. But for those who do;

must we always throw them a rope which they’ll use to climb, (while we stand down, hoping they’ll get there and pull us up) get to safe spots and cut it into pieces or strangle us with?

I will forever respect those who respect me, be it black, white, red, or whatever colour there is, in fact, even if that which respects me happens to be an animal. I will never see my fellow human who has no connection to me and lick their boots even if I am close to my deathbed because of hunger. That fact that our leaderships grovel at their governments’ feet, take their monies (which they mostly spend with us with a chunk going into the coffers of our very own rulers) and attach bonds which work against we the citizens, does not mean I must also lick the boots of their citizens. Let us learn to respect ourselves, let us build our confidence and love ourselves, let us work hard, forgoing corruption and indifference, for only by doing so will we be able to gain respect for ourselves.

              Amoafowaa Sefa Cecilia © 2014.