Re: Race does have a problem and coloureds can have caused it too
Reply #1 –
Race is a feature, not a problem. I think it is a problem when we cannot talk about it, except to "celebrate" it or something weird like this. The slant of the following story is definitely odd.
'My Nigerian great-grandfather sold slaves'Nwaubani Ogogo lived in a time when the fittest survived and the bravest excelled. The concept of "all men are created equal" was completely alien to traditional religion and law in his society.
It would be unfair to judge a 19th Century man by 21st Century principles.
Assessing the people of Africa's past by today's standards would compel us to cast the majority of our heroes as villains, denying us the right to fully celebrate anyone who was not influenced by Western ideology.
I agree that people in a given culture are best understood in terms of the given culture. However, this also means that concepts like "hero" and "celebrate" are best withheld at first, possibly even discarded altogether.
My great-grandfather was renowned for his business prowess, outstanding boldness, strong leadership, vast influence, immense contributions to society, and advancement of Christianity.
[...]
"He was respected by everyone around," my father said. "Even the white people respected him."
I can easily see why white people, coming to Africa to buy slaves, would respect such a man. But why would his own people, apart from fellow slave traders, respect him rather than fear or envy or despise him?