Why did we not see it or even attempt to verify it? I have had the privilege of getting the first-hand story of how Africa especially Nigeria was colonized by the white masters. In a bid to make this article very clear and understandable to everyone who will attempt to read it through, I will tell the story just the way I had it. Not everyone had the opportunity of meeting their grandparents alive; I was opportune to meet my grandmother before she died in 2002, that should be 19 years ago. I should say that it was faith that made it possible for it to happen. It was the best days of my life because, for someone like me who loves to delve into stories of the old and the history of my people (Igbo’s from Nigeria), I was so happy hearing it first hand from a woman who lived through it all. For purpose of clarity, my grandma died at the age of 115 years so I believe she must have seen it all.
In one of the nights, while she was lying down on her bed, I was sitting on my bed because I shared my room with her when she was brought from the village to come live with us in the city as age was seriously stopping her from doing some of the things she used to do for herself. Being the type of person who wants to know about anything and everything that borders around history, culture and the hidden secret of my people, I asked her to tell me about the ways of the Igbo’s before the coming of the colonial masters. She looked at me and spoke in our language with her frail voice saying “osisa a juju gu numa e hika, a jahun ako do gbu ya la nyasi” (translation; the answer to your question is big, I cannot finish it this night). Being somebody who has a little stubbornness running in my blood, I begged her to just start that we can continue in the morning anytime she gets tired. I did not tell you that I was her favourite grandchild and that was why my father made me share my room with her.
As her favourite grandchild, she gives me almost everything she eats and sometimes she does not eat unless I am sitting with her so this made it hard for her to maintain her stand. She began by clearing her voice and to my greatest surprise; the first statement that came out of her mouth was “we were deceived”. This statement got me thinking and immediately I asked her; grandma, why do you say so? She looked at me again and said that I won’t understand it now till when I become a man. Her response left me wanting for more but I had no other choice than to allow her to continue with what she wants to say. She told me that the Igbo tribe of Nigeria had a wonderful way of life before the colonial era. She said that during those days, you can’t hear stories of stealing, killings or even any form of the wicked act because they believed that whatever a man sows, that he will reap. They also believed that for one to receive favours from his Chi (God), he must be able to live aright both in the presence of his people and of God. This made them love one another in ways you can imagine. No one will hear a brother who is in need and not reach out to help. She continued by saying that in those days, they don’t build houses with a fence or any form of a barricade. She said that it was the days when the moonlight dance enjoyed by everybody.
As she was saying this, I noticed that she was sobbing subtly; this made me move over to her bed and held her hand because I found out that tears were running down her cheek. I told her to wait for a little so that she can get hold of herself and instantly she obeyed. After a little silence, I asked her to continue. This was when she dropped the bombshell. The first statement that came out of her mouth was; “the colonial master took away everything from us”. I was caught by her statement and I asked her to explain what she meant. She looked at me and said; “they told us that our Chi (God) and way of worship is evil”. I was shocked at her statement but before I could say another word she continued. When the white people came (this was actually what she called the colonial masters), we thought that they came to make life better for us but what we saw made us understand that our life may never be the same.
She asked me if I knew the people that bought slaves during those days; I looked at her and said that it was the white men. She made a sigh of relief like someone happy to hear it from another mouth. She continued; while we were still trying to understand what the white men wanted, they were already taken the things they wanted even without our consent. She said that they went into the shrines and carted away the symbols of our religion and worship. They told us that it was paganism and that we were worshipping idols. She cleared her throat and said; “how can they tell us that the worship of our God is paganism?” They said that we worshipped idols and took away our symbol of worship. How come the symbol of their God is someone hanging on the tree crucified?
I looked at her to know if she was directing those questions to me, but she was just trying to get me into reasoning and thinking critically. She continued; we foolishly accepted their ways of life and even worshipped their God thinking that we were doing the right thing. We did not know that they used our religion as a means of conquering us or getting us to submit to them. How can the one through God be a white man and not a black man? This question shattered my soul because, before that time, I have never thought of such before. She continued; if the one true God is a white man, does it mean that white people are demigods? The only reason they made to believe that the one true God is white in complexion is for us to bow to them as though they are Gods. They gave us a book they called Bible and in that book, they read to us a portion that says we should leave vengeance to God meanwhile that was a way of stopping us from fighting back their injustices.
My grandma called my name and said; “do you know that there is a portion in their Bible that supports slavery, this portion tells the slave to obey his master in all things?” I was became glued on her bed and she looked at me a noticed that I was lost in thoughts, she just patted my back and told me not to forget these things she told me. She encouraged me to try and know more about our ways of life and how we lived in the olden days because if I can do so, I will experience God’s blessings. She looked at me and said that I should go to my bed and lie down because it was already past sleeping time, but before as soon as I stood up to go, she grabbed me by the hand and said; “my child, do not believe everything written in that book called Bible because some of the things written there was just a way to colonize Africa as a continent”. She left my hand and said; “good night we will continue tomorrow”. I said thank you, grandma and moved over to my bed, but I was completely lost in thoughts all through that night and from that day, I started digging deep to understand the whole concept of a white God, this led me into finding out about white supremacy and how they see Africa.
CAVEAT: This article is written not to attack any religion but for a proper understanding of the African colonial era and the twisted truth.
