Africans are extremely religious people with more than half of the population visiting religious places seven days a week. They go to pray, they fast, offer sacrifices and whatever is required in pursuit of goodness. The belief in the universe is ingrained so much that students believe in praying over pens and pencils to ensure it doesn't cease working during an exam.
Despite all these, the poverty that prevails across the continent continues to baffle its people and politicians have been recorded asking the people to pray for a better country.
For such a prayerful continent, it is worthy to explore the actions leading to the entrenched poverty that seems more stable than the government.
Religion is supposed to be a way of life and if we look at the three major religions named Christianity, Islam and Traditional Religions, they eschew good conduct, love and karma. Africa prides itself on having all three, how true is this.
I am going to start with families. Family feuds are quite common places and sometimes go as deep as seven generations. The love we pride ourselves on having is mostly superficial in many homes. A family function is like a tour of an horror mansion for some. You have to remember which aunty is genuine and which has ulterior motives, you have to watch who you collect items from and who you give items to. Stories abound of families lodging in neighboring villages to prevent easy access by family members.
Should we speak of the assassination of returnees by family members they trusted or the recent spike in abuse of minors by blood relatives including grandfathers.
At this point, let me turn down the volume on that and speak about the culture of fighting to maintain a religious façade and exploiting the words of Faith, Religion, Culture and Love' to force victims of these acts into silence. Such love is exhibited sometimes by giving them something they have long desired, a scholarship, relocation overseas, a juicy position. All aimed at maintaining the semblance of a united family.
Do we truly believe that the victim would forget and their trust and innocence would be restored with these entrapments? While life must truly continue and these benefits that have only resulted from being offended by another would be useful to improve the quality of life going forward, it does nothing to assuage the offended. The offended would go on to raise another generation and would teach them to be wary, maintain the facade of good conduct and love but never forget to be available for karma.
The aggressor also goes on to raise another generation, teaches them to maintain their facade and also make themselves available for karma
Now we have a generation from within a single family unit just a few generations back guarded against each other, yet presenting a facade of religious goodness. All sides are ready to sabotage the other as long as their facade is not pulled off.
Now mirror this into societies, countries and the continent at large.
That is my current Africa, devoid of true love, truly religious but with many simply waiting to exploit and carry out the karma of battles that started before they were formed.
I Celebrate Every Self Aware African who has consciously disconnected from becoming a weapon for a battle you knew nothing about and has chosen to be a tool for Unity and Progressive across the continent.
God bless Africa
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