Wake Up, Africa: The World’s Not Waiting for a Latecomer

Africa seems to be caught in a long, nostalgic nap, clutching traditions and beliefs that have kept us mentally boxed in. It’s like we’ve been holding the key to freedom all along, but instead of unlocking the door, we’re just staring at it, hoping it’ll swing open on its own. Time, however, keeps poking us on the shoulder, whispering, “Hey, you’re getting left behind.” The beliefs we hold so tightly aren’t stairways to progress; they’re more like quicksand, pulling us deeper into stagnation.

While the West was busy being nosy—questioning everything from the earth's shape to the mysteries of the cosmos—we were over here treating curiosity like it was a contagious disease. Poor Copernicus had to keep his groundbreaking work under wraps because heaven forbid, anyone questioned the sacred doctrine that the earth was flat. Meanwhile, Columbus decided to hop into a barely seaworthy ship and take a joyride around the world. Spoiler alert: he didn’t fall off the edge, proving that audacity sometimes pays off.

Religion came into Africa like a new sheriff in town, armed with a moral compass and a mandate to "civilise" us. Apparently, our rituals—while admittedly a bit intense—weren’t exactly winning any awards for humaneness. So, the newcomers decided to soften our rough edges with a blend of sermons and laws. Sure, we had our own systems of morality, but they were conveniently brushed aside for the “better” blueprint that came with colonisation. We didn’t just get a new religion; we got a whole new way of life, governance included. And let’s be honest: we didn’t have much of a counteroffer.

Fast forward, and we’re still riding on the coattails of systems and structures built by those who colonised us. It’s like we’ve rented a house but never thought to build one of our own. Now, as the world shrinks into a global village—where everyone can FaceTime each other from across the planet—we’re still clinging to cultural and religious borders that no longer make sense. Pretending that these boundaries define morality is like trying to steer a modern car with a medieval map.

Our refusal to adapt is almost comedic if it weren’t so tragic. We’re quick to judge others for their beliefs, lifeclasss, or identities, as if diversity is a disease. This mindset isn’t progress; it’s a “Do Not Disturb” sign hanging on the door of our collective mind. True freedom comes from questioning, exploring, and evolving—not from enforcing uniformity.

And let’s not get started on how globalisation is rewriting the rules while we’re still reading the prologue. The world is becoming one big melting pot, and instead of seasoning the stew with our unique spices, we’re sitting on the sidelines, clutching our old recipe book, grumbling about how things were better back in the day. Spoiler: they weren’t.

So, what’s the way forward? Wake up. It’s time to stop hitting the snooze button on progress. Our future isn’t in replicating the past; it’s in reimagining it. We need to embrace change, not as a threat but as an opportunity to define our place in this global narrative. The world isn’t waiting for Africa to catch up—it’s moving forward with or without us. And unless we want to be the punchline in the joke of history, we’d better start running.

Isaac Ofori
Social Activist and Human Rights Advocate
isaacofori449@gmail.com

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