I came across this phrase today while reading. It had me thinking for more than 10 minutes, and the only question that came to my mind was: Why do we Africans have such short memories?
On one hand, I wanted to blame the colonisers, but I realised that it is the loss of this concept of Ubuntu that has made us the way we are today. This means that blaming whoever or whatever caused it would be a waste of time.
Can you believe that 28 African heads of state have either been assassinated or poisoned in the last five decades, yet we are not perturbed by this? We simply believe that we are better off on our own than united.
Many are in prison today because they dare to speak up for their people, yet those same people blame them for speaking out. Afufu gbaa nwoke obi, o di ka o na eke ike. (When a man becomes accustomed to suffering, he mistakes it for hard work.)
The question remains: What scares us about being united? The answer lies in our perception and understanding of ourselves. We are afraid of being betrayed because we ourselves are not trustworthy.
Almost on a daily basis, you discover people who sell fake or adulterated products to others just to survive, yet they turn around and blame the government for not working for the people. The foreigners rejoice because they know there are many saboteurs among us.
Ubuntu is not just a statement but a mantra that every African man or woman must embrace and practise. Enough of this religious confusion! The way or means you choose to worship God should not cause you to hate or despise your brother. Instead, it should unite us.
I also learnt that the full statement behind the saying “Blood is thicker than water” is “The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.” The real question is: Which covenant?
Now, if we could all come together and become one, believing that we need one another to truly become complete, I sincerely believe we would break free from this mental slavery and that is our covenant.
The important thing to note, though, is that coming together must begin among those who truly understand that there is no place like home. A man was told that he was going to die, and he smiled upon remembering his brothers who had gone before him and died for a noble cause. Every man must die, but how is not important; rather, why is very important.
It is saddening to watch our brothers and sisters work so hard to please those who are determined to keep them in perpetual suffering, blind them with lies, and cause them to fight anyone who dares to bring light into the dark room in which they are kept.
I am today because you are! Let it sink into your head. Any day you look at your brother or sister, smile and say to him or her, “I am because you are! There is no me without you!”
I stand for world peace, progress, and unity. However, it must start with self-awareness, understanding, and acceptance of who we are as a people. We must never repeat the mistakes of our ancestors; instead, we must build on their strengths for the future of our children.
A lot of things happening in the world should not concern you because a man whose house is on fire does not chase rats.
Ubuntu! Ubuntu!! Ubuntu!!! Until we are all united in love and progress!
I remain your friend and brother,
Maazi Onuora Obodoechi.
