I got into a debate about African identity last night. The debate brought about two specific issues. Do individual African nations have to create their own identity first before subscribing to an African identity? also what part does identity play in resolving Africa’s issues? What are your thoughts?
2 Replies to “Is identity holding Africans back?”
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What is thing called African Identity? Africa is composed of 50 or so countries which are themselves made up of thousands of ethnicities. The only thing they have in common, apart from a shared habitation of the continent, is that they happen to be darker skinned that the most of the rest of the other residents of this planet. If that constitutes an identity, the so be it.
Otherwise, I would submit that the idea of an African identity is a construct of peoples originating outside the continent whose aim is to define those they find there; to understand and package them. I do not wish to be so defined and packaged.
“a close similarity of characteristics suggesting a relationship” among a people from the dictionary. There is a arab identity reinforce by islam. there is a jewish identity reinforce by religion. There was a marxist,socialist,indian identity reinforced by whatever factors were needed.
What concerns me are what the benefits and disadvantages an african identity will bring.
No need to say that such a project must originate from the African leaders themselves.
Unity of a land/people/market is oftentimes brought by outside forces. The common people of America,Europe,Persian empire,USSR did not wish to be one.