The long-overdue African unity and the unity of people of African descent have been impeded by foolishness including greed and selfishness of leadership, ignorance, lack of education and poverty which is the real root of all evil.
At the individual level, people are engaging in divisive arguments over who has the best colonial language and recently, who was the most oppressed – Africans or African Americans.
The latter was a debate on Twitter after a user who goes by the handle @sacajareefa tweeted: “AFRICANS GOT TO CHILL WITH THE “N” WORD. YOU DONT GOT THAT PASS JUS CAUSE UR BROWN. WE DONT HAVE THE SAME HISTORY”.
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AFRICANS GOT TO CHILL WITH THE “N” WORD. YOU DONT GOT THAT PASS JUS CAUSE UR BROWN. WE DONT HAVE THE SAME HISTORY
— KAELA (@sacajareefa) August 3, 2018
This tweet that suggests Africans had a different oppression in the days of slavery opened a can of worms especially when the slaves transported to the Americas and Europe were Africans taken from their families and communities in Africa.
This is one of the arguments that take away focus from the urgent issue of demanding equal rights, justice and fairness, if possible, reparation for the damage caused to an entire race that is hurt and still being abused by the descendants and laws of white oppressors.
Isn’t it about time the viral issues are centred on rights of black people and the needed unity that will bring about a much stronger tie and a powerful voice?
Here are some reactions to the foolish tweet that is going viral and getting succinct responses.
The whole of Africa went through colonization! What do you mean “don’t have the same history” ?
— Mitchelle ? (@mich3ll3_a) August 4, 2018
Colonization and slavery were both terrible, but def not the same. I don’t see the harm in acknowledging this.
— _bblife_ (@_BBLife_) August 4, 2018
Please when you say def not the same what are you implying? In severity? That you had it worse? What is this, the oppression olympics?
— Soph. x (@vintagebougie) August 4, 2018
Please when you say def not the same what are you implying? In severity? That you had it worse? What is this, the oppression olympics?
— Soph. x (@vintagebougie) August 4, 2018
More like Ballon D’orpression.
— Baba Folarin (@That_IjebuBadoo) August 4, 2018
People think colonization was just white people occupying the land. Millions died, people were physically tortured,people were alienated from their lands, some were enslaved etc. So no, we aren’t going to do the oppression Olympics of who suffered most
— Soshi (@daidey) August 5, 2018
@vintagebougie Implying one involved the removal of a diverse pple from their homeland to the new world. The other resulted in the subjectification of natives on their own land. Both shaping the differences in our respective cultures today. YOU implied oppression olympics.
— _bblife_ (@_BBLife_) August 5, 2018
Please disregard her tweet on the behalf of the African American community ?? she’s clearly in the sunken place
— 12/21❤️♐️ (@duh_nia) August 4, 2018
Come get her please, out here making a fool of black people all over the world.
— J.J. McAvoy (@JJMcAvoy) August 4, 2018
Mhhhmmmm pic.twitter.com/ItFS8NmvBY
— Prof.Oak (@OluActivist) August 4, 2018
You wouldn’t have a “culture” if we didn’t have one first.
— sandy?? (@sandyyafia) August 4, 2018
African American culture is not African culture. It wasn’t handed down it was created by African Americans who had their culture beat out of them.
— NecoleTho (@Necol_Tho) August 4, 2018
Come on sharrap ? stop borrowing our culture and I will dash you the N word. I want all the braids, all the colorful patterns( dashikis, Ankara, kente cloth), I want all all our dances, music, etc. People love to forget Africans were also dragged through the dirt but ok sis pic.twitter.com/WMnXuMcA2O
— Chief (@shesoforeign1) August 5, 2018
I don’t think black am. Can steal african culture. But the N word was exclusively a black American struggle. I understand where she’s coming from but it doesn’t too much bother me.
— Yosemitie Sam I Am (@namemenellie) August 5, 2018
They’re unity & theyre foreigners. Foreigners may seem like they got it bad but they are the first to get all the loans to start any business esp. the Asians. Africans can come here… build… then leave. Black Americans don’t have that luxury. Yea Africans have wp problems
— Yosemitie Sam I Am (@namemenellie) August 5, 2018
We have a lot of AA in Africa too but you will never hear that because we don’t make a big deal out of it.
— ????⌚? (@T_Carmen22) August 5, 2018
Ppl from the so called “first world” countries think that globalisation is something that only exist in their own countries and everyone is moving to their nations. Lol, it’s called globalisation for a reason, not westernation. All people move to and from everywhere.
— ????⌚? (@T_Carmen22) August 5, 2018
Y’all didn’t have that same energy when Black Panther came out. Wearing dashiki doesn’t make you a real african. We don’t have the same history
— Daniela ?? (@danielaishere18) August 4, 2018
Ever heard of colonialism? Or apartheid? You seriously must have heard of leaders like Nelson Mandela, Thomas Sankara, Patrice Lumumba… I could go on. Africa wasn’t sitting and eating good, they were fighting for their rights and independence. A fight that is still not won yet.
— N’golo Mbappé (@iRespectSomalis) August 4, 2018
When most of them think Africa is one country
— Diablo? (@Escorpion_DelR) August 5, 2018
Y’all need to chill with that “motherland” shit then
— Developed Blastocyst (@puselletso) August 4, 2018
No one is asking u to claim Africa, but Africa could barely protect the ones left on it (colonialism and slavery too, apartheid etc.) and your mad that it didnt fly over in a cape and come rescue you?
— Oh no she didn’t! (@Mahlatse6277) August 4, 2018
Oddly enough I actually get it. Especially when I’ve seen Africans who feel a certain type of way about Black Americans (let’s not front like we didn’t grow up on prejudice statements concerning them). We do have a different experience even if we do face racism as well.
— SknDeep✨?♍ (@SheKnewNothing) August 4, 2018
Yall using our gold and diamonds but you out here saying that BS! Gerara here man! pic.twitter.com/ME4gyjNSdc
— ????? ?’??? (@notAvailablePre) August 5, 2018
You seriously want to be territorial and possessive about a derogatory, degrading and an insulting word used to put you down as sub-human? Go ahead keep your filth.
— Nkwenkwezi (@NtombiStarr) August 5, 2018
Every year, someone like you comes along and shows us that the level of ignorance shown in the previous year is just the beginning.
— Ayo (@Elaoyi_) August 4, 2018
