Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - NIGERIA'S LITERATE ZOMBIES

...I have had an uneasy and often painful relationship with the globally dominant educational system, originating in Europe and spreading round the world.
To Oluwatoyin Adepoju's premise: Sir, the educational system did not originate in Europe and spread around the world.On the conrary, the Europeans harnessed the global educational system from every part of the world and used it to their advantage. Let us not unnecessarily hero-worship the mental capacity of the Europeans.They are just human beings like ourselves. Through their own struggles to make life better for themselves, they have made inventions that are beneficial to the world, like the chinese, Indians, native Americans, Egyptians, Africans, yes Africans before them.
I can understand the frusrations of Mr. Kadiri here. Seeing that Africans are lagging behind the rest of the world in technological development, it is easy to come to a conclusion that something is wrong with our intelligence. Of course this is how the Chinese thought of the Europeans centuries ago. Or even the Romans of the Anglos; or more recently, the Germans of the rest of Europe. We spend too much time castigating ourselves and talking ourselves down. This is pitiable indeed.
Now, while we are at it, I would like for Mr Kadiri to explain the unusual intelligence of the following Africans:
Orunmila, Oduduwa, Sango, Or more recently, Achebe, Soyinka, Ajayi Crowther, Awolowo, Nyerere, Olunloyo, Chike Obi, Adichie, Mandela etc.
The Europeans celebrate their heros, and even manufacture heros like Tarzan to make their coming generations believe that they are superior. We, Africans throw our heroes under the bus or trample upon them.
Even now, there are many Africans all over the world and in many areas of human endeavor,doing fantastic work to elevate the well being of humanity. If we refuse to acknowledge the achievement of these people, we will be forever live in self pity.
Our biggest problem, to me, is Africans castigating the intelligence of other Africans. We, particulary the educated ones, have completely shut ourselves out of educating ourselves about the ahievement of Africans. And this is terrible.
As an anecdote, I realised I was a complete illeterate the day I picked up a text detailing the medicinal uses of many African herbs and roots as practised by our forefathers. And this was after I had had advanced degrees in the medicinal chemistry. I knew there and then that I had been had. I simply did not know anything about myself. I have since then been struggling to trace my way back to me - and it is a difficult task. At least, I knew I lost the way.

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