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Sun, 08 Jun 2025 Feature Article

African values are buoys on the ocean floor

African values are buoys on the ocean floor

African countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad and Niger are rising up against the influence of old colonial masters siting with their new colonial masters from Russia and China. This group of new African leaders stand in contrast to the old guard used to follow the instructions of the white man seeing their Swiss bank accounts overflowing. Democratic elected African leaders face the demands from their voters to follow the new trend and liberate their nations from outside influence, which would ultimately lead to a United Africa (that's what they think...really?).

The new wave of change involves complaints about the role the white man played and plays on the African continent. Mathews 7:3-5 states that people complain about the splinter in the eyes of someone’s brother while not seeing the beam before his own eyes.

In the 15th century, Portuguese traders entered the West Coast of Africa and set foot on the shores of the Gold Coast (Ghana). Their intentions were to trade with the unknown black Africans and find a sea route to well known India due to the blockade of Constantinople by Osman King Mehmet II. They introduced the system of corruption into Africa to take their minerals for free or small money. When the time came the Portuguese realized to bribe African Royals and make them their collaborators against the interest of their people, they decided to go one step further and colonized their countries of interest on the African continent. Other European nation followed in their footsteps.

Africans of sub-Saharan Africa were content with their continent and the blessings given by God seen below ground, above ground and in the sea. They did not see the need to conquer the world less to enslave white people in their territory. They watched the white man do what he did. Even when the European settlers in the USA came to take many of them as slaves soled to them from the Hinterland by black traders. No massive protest covered the continent as a dark and wild cloud filled with tears, blood, devastation, anger, fear and sweat. Instead, the hot sun of Africa was still shining and during rain season the blood of their loved once was washed into the Gulf of Guinea or the Indian Ocean.

Before the Portuguese and later their European competitors landed on the shores of Africa, Africans by far outnumbered the white man in their territory. In addition to it, the white man did not know his way through the jungle or desert of Africa as not being his territory. He did not know where to fetch water, grow a crop, how to survive in the jungle and not to get ambushed from behind a palm tree. Africans on the other hand were used to their terrain, knowing how to sustain life and grow as civilizations.

When the time came the European traders turned to European Colonial Masters to massively exploit African countries, they still by far outnumbered the whites and knew their territory much better than the white did who had started to learn their way around their places. The whites had serious, more advanced weapons compared to the black Africans, but weapons are inventions of a creative mind which anyone processes. While white started to exploit Africa, why did the Africans not invent new weapons in the jungle behind the back of the white man to fight him back and push him into the sea? After all, they still by far outnumbered the whites and knew their territory far better. Listening to corrupt royals or political leaders, the people of Africa must have had enough sense to uncover the truth by evidence on the ground about what was happening to them. Lack of education and the strong feeling of loyalty towards their leaders could and cannot sweep away the blood seen all over the countries. By visible evidence not by sweet words humans live through reality of life and when found not fair not right must a can stand up against injustice done instead of waiting for the Red Sea getting divided by God to make Africans pass through and the white man to drown in the ocean closed behind them.

Pentecost of 2025 is like buoys laying on the sea bed, not buoys in the waters helping the seamen finding their ways to new shores sound and safe.

Karl-Heinz Heerde
Karl-Heinz Heerde, © 2025

PD Dipl.-Pol. Karl-Heinz Heerde (Political Scientist and Historian, Hamburg University 1980-1985), married to Alberta Heerde born Mensah, Ashanti from Kumasi with Ewe roots from Volta Region, Ghana, Entrepreneur and Author of several novels, the new constitution draft for Ghana and various Articles.Column: Karl-Heinz Heerde

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Is Mahama's government heading in the right direction?

Started: 09-07-2025 | Ends: 09-08-2025

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