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What an insult and absolutely undermining of the supremacy and efficacy of the rich African cultures. After the British succeeded in invading Nigeria/ Lagos, they bombarded Lagos in November 1851 and expelled the great Kosoko of Lagos who was one of the brave African traditional rulers of those days whilst established a treaty in 1852 with the newly installed Oba Akintoye, who was more amenable by the British colonialists. And of course was to fulfill the British interests to the detriment of Africans. The above outrightly marked the beginning of the eradication, distortion and destructions of African cultures. Which of course, could still be traced to the recent unimaginable and incorrigible behaviour of former president, Olusegun Obasanjo in Iseyin Oyo State
By Kunle Alaye
The imperial invasion to African continent was not just an aberration but a perennial distortion to Africa’s Cultural Heritages and values.
Sequel to the Histo-Cum-Thematic Paradigm of the imperial invasion to Africa which of course, began with the British incursion of Lagos, the South Western part of Nigeria in 1851, dated as what gave rise to colonialism.
Although, the actual period of colonialism hitherto, cultural colonialism did not begin until 1861; when Lagos was officially annexed as a colony: up until 1960 when Nigeria gained her independence; almost a century after Lagos was annexed.
The imperial dominance with such conjuctural insolence on the rich African cultures, began with the prohibition of “slave trade” by British subjects in 1807 through the “Slave Trade Act” which was called an act of the parliament in Britain. What an insult and absolutely undermining act of the supremacy and efficacy of the rich African cultures.
After the British succeeded in invading Nigeria, they bombarded Lagos in November 1851 and expelled the great Kosoko of Lagos who was one of the brave African traditional rulers of those days whilst established a treaty in 1852 with the newly installed Oba Akintoye, who was more amenable by the British colonialists. And of course was to fulfill the British interests to the detriment of Africans.
The above outrightly marked the beginning of the eradication, distortion and destructions of African cultures. Which of course, could still be traced to the recent unimaginable and incorrigible behaviour of former president, Olusegun Obasanjo in Iseyin Oyo State, recently.
Obasanjo’s vacuous display, no doubt was a regurgitation of colonialism and product of cultural imperialism. Where in those days with the deceitful introduction of the British system of “indirect rule” in 1914, following the Amalgamation of the region’s as one entity, subjected traditional rulers to the imperial dominance and control of the British.
In those days, British district officers who were whites ruled over the traditional rulers as they claimed to be subjects of the Queen of England, the Head of the British colonies. Very sad and appalling though but that was the trends for almost a century of colonialism in Nigeria.
Unfortunately again, even after their (colonialists) departures, since 1960 after the independence and 1963 respectively when Nigeria became a full sovereign nation, you could still imagine one of the supposed Nigerian leaders like Obasanjo in September 15th, 2023 almost sixty to sixty three years after, came out to display what could be best described as a “self-inflicted cultural imperialism”. What a regrettable development for Nigeria and Africa at large.
One of the great Pan African crusaders, (Kwame Nkrumah) once said “My People have been successfully managing their political system before the incursion of the whites to Africa and that the presence of the whites rather brought a distortion to the African Political system.”
Do you blame Obasanjo for desecrating the pre-eminence of Yoruba traditional rulers? Quite honestly, you may not want to come directly hard on him (Obasanjo) even though, such act could be regarded as exuberantly antithetical and forbidden to the rich African cultures, values and heritages.
It is incredibly disappointing and incredulously sad, that those who are supposed to be dissuading or launching a more empirical crusades against all forms of imperial sloganeering in Nigeria, are the propagandists and mouth-piece for such disaster
Hence, an elder statesman of such pedigree has ever been “consistently inconsistent”. His chained hypocritical nature, has apparently and indisputably characterised him among his contemporaries when one draws a comparative assessment.
Ironically and interestingly too, such act may not be too alien or surprising to so many Nigerians, especially for those who are very abreast of his (Obasanjo) person or antecedent in Nigerian politics.
Frankly speaking, colonialism did more of harm to the Post-colonial African States than good, if you ask me. Unfortunately, the continent has been consciously subjected to the conspiratorial pervasiveness of such unscrupulous demagogues and unrepentant kleptocrats.
They (Comprador bourgeoisie /kleptocrats) are deliberately planted by their western counterparts (imperialists) as subjects, in their formal colonies so as to continually exhibiting and representing their interests, even after they have departed the shores of their formal colonies.
It is incredibly disappointing and incredulously sad, that those who are supposed to be dissuading or launching a more empirical crusades against all forms of imperial sloganeering in Nigeria, are the propagandists and mouth-piece for such disaster.
This is the critical moment when Nigerians and Africans at large should shun all forms of self-inflicted colonialism at any form or disguise. Be it Economic, Political, Security, Educational or cultural imperialism like it was consciously or subconsciously displayed by a supposed elder statesman, former president Olusegun Obasanjo. African/Nigerian traditions should not be soiled or ward-off for any inconsequential or hedonist tendencies.
Adekunle Alaye, PhD. (Doctor of Political of Political Science)
