"BLACKNESS" HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MY PERSON.

                   That I'm black is no secret.I feel proud to be one.This is my heritage.It is inside me and I'm inside it.Don't think I'm racist.Telling truth is not racism.But it is imperative to ask hard questions on this.What is of importance,the blackness in me or the "composition" of the blackness? What is so funny about my blackness?...Methinks to base ones mind on this is wrong.To accept this kind of thinking is to accept inferiority .....This is how it happened.The other day I had a fruitful talk with my friend.The talk dwelt on politics and Africa's  position in the global politics.We discussed, analyzed, criticized and even suggested possible measures that (according to our shallow understanding) can propel Africa to greater heights.But one thing kept on popping up.This was the small thing of "blackness".

                    This was his statement,"if you come to my country,you will be the 'blackest' of all". This statement wasn't empty.It is full of interesting issues.Issues that cut across  the african man and woman.This is the matter of "thinking". The power of standing up to be counted.The power of looking at the content of a person,not his looks.It is about the "lost" pro-activeness.It is about the doing-spirit.The action oriented spirit.Yes this is it.

                   "Blackness" seems to be the rallying call for most africans to justify their failures.They have internalized the belief that "black is bad",that black is "devilish". With this,they have (un)knowingly deactivated their power of reasoning.They have resorted to mere theatrics.Theatrics of talking much but doing nothing.Theatrics of name-calling.Theatrics of believing that good can't come out of them.That good things are meant for "other people". 

                    Methinks it is high time for all people of this great african continent to avoid living in self-denial.Take this for instance,we say our heroes and heroins fought for our independence.But this begs the question,who were they fighting against?The colonialists?...They were not fighting against the colonialists.It was fight between two africans.One in the defense of the public good and the other on the side of the colonialists.And we boast of "chasing away" the colonialists!..Any lesson from this? Now is the moment of introspection.A moment of thinking.A moment of integration.A moment of walking together.Yes,this is the golden chance we all yearn to get.It is time to exorcise the spirits of division.The spirit of "blackness". And it is possible!

                    I have a deep conviction that the african people are capable of transforming themselves.They have what it takes to "push" their way into the world of success.But this doesn't come easily.We need to embrace new mindset.We must do more and talk less.We must embrace brotherly love.Love that binds.Love that doesn't look at the composition of someone's skin.Loves that sees no "blackness". Love that looks beyond tribe or nationality.Yes this is what is needed.HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013.