In 1884, colonialism in Africa officially started with the Berlin Conference. One of the justifying principles behind colonialism was the need to civilize the supposedly backward peoples of Africa. History reveals that there are four basic ways in which the Western world was able to achieve this objective. One, signing of treaties; two, military conquest/force; three, company rule; and four, treachery/tricks. During a parliamentary session, a British parliamentarian suggested that the best way to capture the native Africans and make them submit to Britain’s authority is by convincing them to do away with their civilization and embrace the British civilization through systematic brainwashing cloaked in the garb of Education.
The gullible African traditional African rulers soon did away with their civilization and assimilated the Western civilization, expectedly; they came under Britain’s control. That was an idea out of many ideas mooted by the whites to loot us dry. For instance, apartheid philosophy was a demonic idea that had deep-seated support in the Dutch Reformed Church. It was championed by clergy who used the pulpit as a tool to pursue this diabolical cause. Can you imagine this? Racial segregation right within a congregation that claimed allegiance to Jesus, the Son of God.
That is how powerful an idea that develops into an ideology/philosophy can be over time. The unwary white people in the church were systematically indoctrinated to believe that they were superior to their black brothers and sisters in the Lord. On the other hand, these white supremacists, wearing the toga of a clergy strove to convince the black brethren to graciously accept their fate to exemplify deep humility towards Christ and the white brethren. Those that can think will ask, why not the other way round? After all, Jesus Christ was great, and yet in His greatness, he operated like a servant. So, why is it that my white brethren who are superior to me do not behave like Christ, since they perfectly fit the analogy of the servant-lord?
Coming to the political situation in Africa, especially Nigeria, some expect us to accept bad, wicked, illegitimate, and kleptocratic leaders as our fate while throwing the righteous nature of God into the dustbin. Or, perhaps, they are ignorant or pretend not to know that God is a God of Justice and Righteousness. It is against God’s justice system for the wicked to rule over the righteous.
These unrighteous African leaders are introducing another civilization just like their colonial masters did. It is a civilization of thievery, smear campaigns, and broadcast of falsehood to hood-winking the unwary public and dissuading them from pursuing the truth so that they can maintain perpetual power. They systematically re-educate our minds to accept falsehood as truths. They turn facts to fiction right before our very own eyes and expect us to believe and accept whatever their governmental agencies and ‘turn-coated’ agents are saying. You have the right to stand against the position of government if it stands against God’s position and that of the constitution that governs the land.
No one can live and operate beyond the scope and classification of the thoughts that he entertains from time to time. A man is known by the way he thinks and talks. You are a product of your thought processes. (Pro.23:7). Nigeria and Africa are the way they are because of the thoughts which we allow into our biosphere.
Most African nations have been freed from the physical shackles of colonialism but their minds are still shackled, because they are still under the influence of socioeconomic and political ideologies of their colonial masters. The kind of Independence that was granted to African states by their colonial masters is pseudo. Unfortunately, most Africans became free from their white overlords but fell into the hands of merciless, indigenous, black overlords who feed them with ideas/ideologies that will make them remain hypnotic in bondage; hence, the suffering and smiling syndrome that has become characteristic of Nigerians. One such ideology that has lost its original meaning and intent over time in the African continent is democracy, which is not democracy but fascism, nepotism, etc. We can’t accept this pseudo version of democracy which is supposed to be the “government of the people by the people and for the people”.
There is a calculated attempt by people in power and their proxies who are sandwiched among the masses to blackmail these dissenting voices as tribalists, religious bigots, coupists, saboteurs, etc. These are labels that are being re-echoed by their foot soldiers (living as cancerous cells among the masses) who feed from crumbs falling from their tables. There is no need for name-calling or display of juvenile fulminations. If you have a superior argument, ascend the podium and debate your viewpoint without resorting to a show of shame and incivility. That is the way it’s done in saner climes.
For they know that as soon as the victims awake from their stupor, their dominance is over. So, what do they do? They employ propagandists whose stock in trade is deception, manipulation, and intimidation. This is similar to the tactic which was deployed by the colonial masters. Daily, the unwary public is fed with regular doses from their gourds. This keeps them inebriated and mentally emaciated much like some of our educated elites who still speak and write under the intoxicating influence of these doses. The villain (master minders/protagonists of such diabolical ideologies) ensures that they remain in that stupefied state by ensuring that the glass of wine does not leave their sight so that they can continually use them to lend credence to their evil schemes because of their position of authority in our commonwealth. (The glass of wine before them is refilled perpetually).
Until Nigerians, and other citizens of other African nations awake from their inebriated state and refuse the wine of delusion, there is no freedom in sight. Unfortunately, the educated elites, pseudo-literates, semi-illiterates, and illiterates are all rolling in this cauldron of deceit, and manipulation. Just like flies hurtle unreasonably in the direction of palm wine because of its captivating scent, they cuddle around ideologies whose strength is like strands of spider webs that the foolish attempt to use to draw water from a well. Holding tightly to such unwholesome ideologies is the reason why things are beginning to fall apart, and the center is failing to hold in Nigeria and Africa. They move from sipping to drinking till they can’t take their mouth off the gourd until they perish in the wine.
Certain thoughts can hold sway in one’s life for as long as possible, in the absence of counter thoughts which are as strong as the intrusive and invasive thoughts in question. The inability to self-reasoning and unwillingness to submit to intellectual debates is majorly responsible for this. The present President of Nigeria evaded the latter. Why? Such intellectual exercise will expose his ineptitude/docility and reveal the sagacity of his opponent(s) thereby putting them at an advantage.
If African leaders and their citizens subject themselves to constant self-reasoning, which they seldom do, as evidenced by our present odious predicament we would have birthed saner, safer, and more productive climes. Rather than do this, they embark on an evil agenda of brainwashing the citizens who easily fall prey to their antics and tactics because most of them refuse to think.
Invasive thoughts can gain dominance and prominence in the victim’s mind because of the void in him, a void created by the inability to engage in constructive reasoning. Persons with such docile minds will remain in perpetual captivity of the masterminders of such thoughts, ideas, or ideologies unless there is a tolerated and celebrated emergence of deprogrammers. These are saddled with the task of reversing the effects of brainwashing programs of unwanted governments through intensive psychotherapy and confrontation. This has proved to be somewhat successful, particularly with religious cult members. Because it will work is the reason why the government and its allies blackmail and blacklist them (the deprogrammers) at every given opportunity. It’s time to be free!
