ADEREMI'S NOTEBOOK

I totally agree with you there. But it all depends on who the audience is. To me, a Nigerian, ”African town” is a pretty vague term. But a lot of people in the Western world would think ”African town” serves it purpose. Many do not know the difference between Nigeria and Mozambique - it’s all Africa.

Why do African people say Africa, when they mean a locality within Africa? it seems there is a greater idea of identity than just the mere national, regional or local identity, but a continental one. I think its good to have rather a continental identity in opposition to a national or ethnic identity if this identity is used to suppress others. Or even further a global identity as a human being. but we are not the same and people should stress their differences while accepting the others as the same valued in the cultural way and peaceful way.

But why do European people say Africa, when the mean a locality within Africa? Most people are not aware of the real geographical size of Africa, the world’s biggest continent. The geographical distance between Lisbon and Moscow fits one country like Congo (Zaire). The spoilt African image of genocide, HIV aids, famine, civil war and so on in the mind of most Europeans mixed with the ignorance about geographic leads to expressions like: “the children in Africa suffer, they can’t play like we do but have to work”. ”The human right situation in Africa has to be improved, the human rights are violated in Africa”.

Why can’t people and politicians differentiate between African countries? The human rights situation between Ghana and Zimbabwe is not the same. the same is also true for political situations within one country like Congo (Zaire); where as in Kinshasa the political situation is calm and around 3000 km further north east its not.

Africans shouldn’t give wrong impressions to the rest of the world about their continent. its simply wrong to say ” we in Africa do this way”, when the speaker lives in Togo, because in Angola they maybe would do it the other way. The same is also true for the Europeans who seem to forget about their detailed education when it comes to African issues.

Africa is not a country; it’s the biggest continent on earth.

Black American and whites think global. Africans would do well to think this way also. Tribal aspects are obsolete for a “presence” in today’s world. Power lies in unity, togetherness and numbers. Africans would do well to look aroung them and see what others are doing or have done to gain a foothold in the world.