I never really used to dwell much on this subject, it seemed
all dreary and in truth, I figured it was not my problem. I had a sheltered
life despite growing up in a nation that merely 8 years before my birth, was
dipped in war and turmoil with the black majority fighting for their freedom
against the oppressive Rhodesian regime. I cannot say much about that war as I did
not get to see it, nor experience how life was for my people in Rhodesia but
from the images, footage and stories I have heard, it was an experience I cannot
even begin to understand, it was a grueling existence they lived. Much to my
current dismay, having had all possible necessities afforded me, I turned a
blind eye to all that happened pre-Bukhosi and just focused on me, me and me. How
shameful!
It took one man who had to travel all the way from the
United States to make me understand the true value of identity. Im going to
reveal a bit of truth I have never ever told anyone before. Despite having had
a few white people at my school, despite being friends with a few of them, and
despite having worked among white folk in South Africa, I still was in awe of
them up until quite recently. I once went drinking with a couple of my friends
at “Tin Roof” and I had never seen so many white people packed in such a tiny
space before. I did manage to grab a seat and drink quietly but deep within me,
my mind was racing, “I wonder if I could befriend a few and take selfies”, “I
wonder if I could chat up a white female and she agrees to date me, id probably
get her pregnant fast so she’s forced to marry me”, “My peers will be so
jealous when they see my pics with white friends”
It is sad to say but this line of thinking has crossed the
majority of our people’s minds at some point or other, and the fault lies not in
us, but in the people that oppressed us and made us think them superior and
infallible (Yes baas!).
The inferiority complex they instilled in our fathers is
passed on through generations and inherited by great grandchildren but after having my eyes opened, in my line it ends with me. When I met Sinclair
Skinner for the first time, I could hardly contain my displeasure at how this
American could come and tell me how to be African and how to be proud of it and
embrace my African persona. I was born and raised in Africa and have never
traveled beyond its confines so imagine the nerve of this person, born and
raised in America to come and tell me im not being African enough!! My line of though was that i was more African than he and understood oppression better than he:
Given some time to reflect, and having spent much time with
him, it began to dawn on me that our people are quick to embrace Western
influences. Our minds have been deeply colonized that whatever the West churns
out, we gobble up voraciously. Did you know that up until March of this year,
America had more sanctions against Zimbabwe than they had against North Korea? North
Korea is that tiny brave country in Asia that will most likely fire a nuclear
weapon at America than concede to be influenced by it. I have personally never
even heard of a rumour that Zimbabwe was remotely capable of producing a
nuclear weapon but there you have it, it had more sanctions. When they spin the
story however, they tell us they only have targeted sanctions against
individuals and that is what we are quick to believe.
This morning I got on facebook and came across this piece http://www.thezimbabwenewslive.com/business-18475-18475.html
and that is when it hit me. I was deeply affected, down to the core by the
views constantly expressed by Sinclair. Our people were oppressed and we were
not ok with it and we fought to claim our right to be considered as human
beings. Imagine that! Fighting to be considered human, something that you
already are, how terrible. We were deemed to be no better than animals, not
worthy of nicer accommodation, food, jobs or even a nice paved path to walk on.
In fact, if you go back in history, they used to claim our brains were so
inferior in every way and were more suited to being dominated and to submission.
How then can you drink in the same bar as an animal or brush shoulders in the
street. It is only through independence that we can now walk proudly in First
Street, Harare! The story is not over yet!
 |
| What Rhodesia Really Was Like |
My eyes are opening to the reality of things. We are still
an oppressed people, so much so that we cannot even be honest enough with
ourselves to see it yet its as plain as day. We aspire to live, work, talk,
sing, dance and even eat like the people who just 3 decades ago controlled
every aspect of our lives and denied us basic human requirements. Now we regale
them when they come guised as humanitarians proffering aid in much the same way
we regaled them centuries back when they came proffering Christianity and
redemption yet ended up taking everything we held dear. Ever asked yourself why
you need aid in the first place? I could go on and on but if you think you are
not colonized, then ponder this for a second: Imagine a time before Zimbabwe
introduced the indigenization act, who were the holding companies of Nestle,
Barclays Bank, B.H.P platinum mine, Rio Tinto, Makro, B.A.T., T.S.F only to
mention a few. Companies that were at the helm of our Nations’s GDP and could
control all aspects of our economy. It is our oppressors who controlled these
companies and hence controlled our country covertly but it took ingenuity and
innovative thinking to weed out this control and give it to our people. It
might not be you, or your father or even your relative controlling it but you
can sleep easier knowing most proceeds from the company will be retained within
Zimbabwe and give us a favorable GDP but under oppressive control, there was no
question as to where the revenue was being shipped to, England based holding companies!
My life is not perfect and I do not have everything I need
to live comfortably but id rather be free to make my own choices in truth than
be chained and fed on scraps under the illusion im a feasting king.
