Introduction
‘An African solution to African problems’ has been the slogan
and way of expressing the truly pan-African spirit. It is always unlikely for one to comment
about Africa’s lost glory without mentioning the word ‘colonialism.’ It is
associated with a devil who took away with him what was African, including
minerals, most strong and intelligent Africans, and African symbols of
civilization as was civilization.
Background
Africans had pride, endowments, peace with nature, peace with
their God, employment for all, systematic transfer of knowledge or education
for all, undisputed position of the elderly and adults in society, community
duty to love and care for the young ones, peaceful families and clans,
collective responsibility and democracy, happiness and contentment in their
places of birth, strong-therapeutic unity and ready support for one another,
greater sense of humanism and respect for one another, most beautiful and
nurturing ecosystem, and far well-organized system to preserve those
attributes. These assured them of holistic peace, moreover sustainable.
Social values and responsibilities were handed-on at family
level, where children got instructed. Families were critical learning centers
for children and adolescents (a kind of junior and high school) while the
community was the university. A person was identified as belonging to a given
family and clan. The high reputation of a given family was attractive: every
one wanted to socialize, and pick a married partner from it.
From childhood, as early as baby years, families as much as
community members knew their job descriptions, which were intuitively acquired
and developed over time until they got manifested as skills known and
recognizable by the family and community. It was on the bases of developing an
orientation to a given but positive behavior, powerful creativity, and
exhibition of amazing works that practicing members got elevated to the fore.
A person’s fame for exhibiting highly desirably qualities and
skills elevated him, his family and clan members to prestigious positions for
many years while only tasked to preserve values of their ancestors, who began
the walk to prosperity they now share as it might always be.
Findings
Africans failed to stand up for their political, cultural,
economic, and spiritual rights when they were invaded by new tribes and
forceful immigrants from outside the continent. They fell prey to the invading
parties by adopting new cultures and other aspects of life, and got mixed-up or
confused. The new structure accelerated internal conflict, which persisted
until now, worsened by globalization effects. Any problems in Africa traceable
before internal and external invasions were tribal wars, aimed at shaping the
power of individuals and societies, and establishment of individual or social
identities from the rest of the communities.
Aggression was employed and exercised to create a measurable
impact, mindful of the need to prevent unnecessary damage or destruction to
themselves. When their intentions got visible enough to give society and
individuals’ new social, economic and political outlook or structures, very
quickly agreements were reached. In other words, war could not be endless.
The situation was only worsened by elitism created by the
powerful invaders, when they labeled their ideals as ‘better,’ and demonized
what they found (indigenous). The demonized and ridiculed parties continued to
fight for their rights to exist as historically and naturally predisposed.
The elite class soon got themselves in a single position to call their
great-grand father’s customs satanic. It is true that satanic people exist
everywhere, especially where the social and cultural fabric no longer exist,
from which to nurture new generations. It can be noted however that, in any
practice, whichever area on the planet it started, practitioners do error or
misuse it for other motives, which turn out to be really devilish.
While in the traditional structure, there were ways through
which to reconcile wrongful people and be reintegrated back into society for
sustainable peace, today, there is no formula for abusers of African knowledge
and practices as for modern day ethics and moral expectations. They are often
arrested and tried in courts of laws, which maintain the crime within the minds
of individuals (criminals) as society waits to continue to ostracize them.
Today the challenges are victimizing to the new generation.
It lives without leadership from childhood. If there is any such leadership, it
is irresponsible and neglectful.
Conclusion and Suggestions
Society is met by sections of unruly, destabilizing,
and life-threatening section of its own members, so hard to deal with, in the
category of robbers, corrupt leaders, greedy individuals, prostitutes, street-beggars,
lazy people, poor people, unmarried people, unemployed youths, rapists,
diseased, and agitated and violent people.
The present troubles like food insecurity, unemployment, lack
of medicine, crime, unmarried living, risky sexual behaviors, and problem-children
and youth were well addressed in the African setting. Therefore, as we look for
solutions to Ugandan (or African) problems, even for the search of national
cohesion, we should not look any further than Uganda (or Africa).
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