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James Watson
Face of a racist?
Nigeria is one of the few countries where the British or should I say the white men totally
evacuated from, at least that was my impression, still is by the way. I was born 7 years post
independence (Nigeria’s) so I can’t claim to know how the situation was before I was born.
All that I know, about the relationship between my country and the British, I got from reading
or what folks told me.
I read and I was told when the white men arrived my country he was welcomed. When he
sought to rule he was resisted, at least I understand he was resisted by some of the
kingdoms then on the ground in Africa, some Nigerian Kingdoms inclusive especially the
Benin Kingdom which was defeated on or about 1897. I understand that during the slave
trade our leaders sold our brothers and sisters for mundane things as worthless as
mirrors, guns, etc. That historical account is, however, not the focus of my article today.
I did not know the population of the white men during the colonial period, whatever it was it
must have thinned out considerably when the British left, they must have left Nigeria totally,
or the vast majority of them did. Reason why I said this is there were few white men walking
around in Nigeria then because whenever we chanced upon one on the street we would
gather behind him singing “oyinbo pepper, uku uku pepper you go…” can’t remember the
rest of the song. Behind the white man would be about 20-30 kids in tattered dresses, their
unprotected feet on the concrete streets running after the white man, who pretends to be
oblivious of their existence. It was cute a spectacle.
Some nice ones will stop and shake the kids’ hands thereby making the kids’ days. You
can notice the joy of each child on holding the hand of the white man, he was like God. I
never really liked following the crowd and believe me or not I can’t remember running after
any white man nor can I remember shaking the hand of any. Apart from the fact that I never
really liked following the bandwagon my dad, I’m sure, would have beaten the living daylight
out of me if he had caught me singing after any creature, white, green, black, whatever color.
He was a very proud man and would have seen singing after anyone an insult regardless of
the creature’s color.
So I grew up believing the white man was a very wise man, special even, which he was
since there were not many like him around or maybe I should have said unusual. When I
was in primary school, as it is called in Nigeria, I was told about the great feats performed
by some white men, I was told about Mongo Park and some other explorers, it appears that
the British text books were imported to Nigeria without any form of modifications to our
environment and heritage; we swallowed it hook, line and sinker. For example I was taught
that Mongo Park discovered river Niger. I did not know then of course that river Niger was in
Nigeria, I thought it was in some foreign land.
We sang of some strange places, I remember we sang about Mississippi, which I didn’t
know was in America then I can’t really say I know much or anything about the United States
then, everywhere outside of Africa was Ilu Oyinbo (the white man’s land). The song:
“Mississippi, Mississippi e, Mississippi,
Miss-i-ss-i-pp-I, Mississippi.”
Probably the purpose of the song was to teach us how to spell, if that was the aim it was a
very good tactics because of course I can spell Mississippi now, even if I was drunk, I might
not be able to spell some villages in my country even if I’m sober.
We were also told at any given opportunity how well the white man managed our country,
how everything was working, how there was electricity, good roads and good schools. Most
of the times we were told this story it is because whoever was telling the story was feeling
sorry for himself his people and his country because of the general decay that was and still
is the order of the day in the country.
Like I said, I was born 7 years after independence, when I was born the country was into
civil war.
I read and was told that the nationalists (whatever that means) told the people that it was in
our best interest for us to rule ourselves, the white men were reported to have retorted that
we were not matured enough to rule ourselves. That was total BS, the people were told,
after all before the advent of the white men we were ruling ourselves. Perhaps what the
white men meant then was that we had not mastered their techniques of governance
enough to utilize them to rule ourselves. Maybe we would have done better if we had gone
back to how we used to live with some modifications of course since there can be no
progress if the society is static.
Anyway, I was brought up under the belief, well founded if I may add, that the white man did
a better job than our so called nationalists. They were so greedy they went to war less than
10 years after gaining independence and let nobody fool you that it was in the interest of the
people, seem to me like a war based on inflated ego.
Reflecting the general views via their songs, some popular musicians sang in praise of the
white man, imploring us (black people) to use their achievements as examples to better
ourselves. Ebenezer Obey sang:
“oyinbo pogbon po won fi se motor” (the white men through collective knowledge
manufactured cars)
“Oyinbo pongbo po won fi soko ofurufu ( the white men through collective knowledge
manufactured the airplane)
“Oyinbo pongbo po won fi se keke (the white man through collective knowledge
manufactured bicycle)
“O jo wo le mi abo eyin eyan mi lowo rikishi pelu ote, tembeleku, iwa ika pelu ote iyen odara
rara. (When would my people free themselves from back biting, wickedness and evil
plotting, these things are not valuable)
That was Ebenezer Obey. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, after visiting Disney World, went back to
Nigeria to narrate the wonderful things he saw while he was there. During the story he said
“the white man uses the brain and knowledge that God endowed him with”
He begged us to do something, even if it is something as simple as fertilizer, which he
contended was from trash. He enjoined us to consider getting the chemicals made that is
added to the sand so that at least we can boast of manufacturing something, anything.
Both men were not just speaking for themselves; their songs reflected the mood of the
society. It is generally believed in Africa, based on facts, which you may dispute if you like or
point to one or two scientists of African origin that have contributed immensely to the
scientific world, that the white man is something of a genius and that but for him we would
still be in the stone ages.
When I wrote “Are blacks jinxed?” I was wondering if we could actually come together and
do something spectacular for our continent, a continent that doesn’t have much to boast of
except war, pestilence, hunger and illiteracy even when we lay claim to doctorate and
professorship we still act uneducated.
It is in this light that I see the claim or should I say the statement of James Watson that
whites are more intelligent than blacks. Hear the wise man, a member of the white (wise)
race, a very important scientists and a Nobel winner, his words:
“I am inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa'' because ``all our social policies are
based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours -- whereas all the testing says
not really.''
When people who do not know how to accept a factual criticism heard that they got on him
“like the wild animals that they are” and he, afraid for his life quickly apologized, hear his
apology:
``I am mortified about what has happened. More importantly, I cannot understand how I
could have said what I am quoted as having said. I can certainly understand why people,
reading those words, have reacted in the ways they have. To all those who have drawn the
inference from my words that Africa, as a continent, is somehow genetically inferior, I can
only apologize unreservedly. That is not what I meant. More importantly from my point of
view, there is no scientific basis for such a belief”
From his words you can see this gentleman is a very wise man, an intellectual who is
addressing idiots. Idiots who do not know how to interpret words and to whom everything
must be negative.
The man could not understand how he could have said what he was quoted as having said.
Isn’t that simple enough and can’t these fools see it as what it is, the man did not actually
say it he was quoted to have said it, he did not understand that. How could he have allowed
his loose mouth to say in public the joke that he and other wise men like him enjoy in
private?
He can understand why these animals are making so much noise, that is part of their
nature isn’t it? Their genetically inferior nature.
He didn’t really mean that so what’s the fuss? More importantly, from his jaundiced point of
view, there’s no scientific basis for his belief. He got away with that apology didn’t he?
Please tell me he did, he is such an honest and straight forward man. The basis of his
utterance was not scientific, he never said it was. Basis for his assertion? Their faulty social
policies which regarded both races as equal.
Leave this man of God and science alone and stop persecuting him for saying the truth. If
you’re going to the church and dressed scantily, so scanty that your titties are showing, you
couldn’t bend down to pick something without a generous view of your panties for those
who care to observe, how can you blame anyone for calling you a whore despite the fact that
you were on your way to the church. As long as Africa refuses to get her acts together some
wise men would teach wisdom and knowledge by letting people know that Africa and
Africans are nothing but inferior breed of human being.
Seriously, in conclusion, we need to look in the mirror and check ourselves out, we don’t
need anyone telling us about the level of our intelligence, if we cease behaving like idiots
we won’t be referred to as one. Respect is not demanded it is earned. First we must be
proud of who we are, we must be proud of how we look. Then we must be proud of where
we come from and be ready to put our collective interests first, then we must be proud of our
heritage, of our customs, of our way of life. If we do this then we would be on the way to
occupying our rightful position in the scheme of things. If we say we are Africans we have to
be one in spirit and in deeds.
Face of a racist?
Nigeria is one of the few countries where the British or should I say the white men totally
evacuated from, at least that was my impression, still is by the way. I was born 7 years post
independence (Nigeria’s) so I can’t claim to know how the situation was before I was born.
All that I know, about the relationship between my country and the British, I got from reading
or what folks told me.
I read and I was told when the white men arrived my country he was welcomed. When he
sought to rule he was resisted, at least I understand he was resisted by some of the
kingdoms then on the ground in Africa, some Nigerian Kingdoms inclusive especially the
Benin Kingdom which was defeated on or about 1897. I understand that during the slave
trade our leaders sold our brothers and sisters for mundane things as worthless as
mirrors, guns, etc. That historical account is, however, not the focus of my article today.
I did not know the population of the white men during the colonial period, whatever it was it
must have thinned out considerably when the British left, they must have left Nigeria totally,
or the vast majority of them did. Reason why I said this is there were few white men walking
around in Nigeria then because whenever we chanced upon one on the street we would
gather behind him singing “oyinbo pepper, uku uku pepper you go…” can’t remember the
rest of the song. Behind the white man would be about 20-30 kids in tattered dresses, their
unprotected feet on the concrete streets running after the white man, who pretends to be
oblivious of their existence. It was cute a spectacle.
Some nice ones will stop and shake the kids’ hands thereby making the kids’ days. You
can notice the joy of each child on holding the hand of the white man, he was like God. I
never really liked following the crowd and believe me or not I can’t remember running after
any white man nor can I remember shaking the hand of any. Apart from the fact that I never
really liked following the bandwagon my dad, I’m sure, would have beaten the living daylight
out of me if he had caught me singing after any creature, white, green, black, whatever color.
He was a very proud man and would have seen singing after anyone an insult regardless of
the creature’s color.
So I grew up believing the white man was a very wise man, special even, which he was
since there were not many like him around or maybe I should have said unusual. When I
was in primary school, as it is called in Nigeria, I was told about the great feats performed
by some white men, I was told about Mongo Park and some other explorers, it appears that
the British text books were imported to Nigeria without any form of modifications to our
environment and heritage; we swallowed it hook, line and sinker. For example I was taught
that Mongo Park discovered river Niger. I did not know then of course that river Niger was in
Nigeria, I thought it was in some foreign land.
We sang of some strange places, I remember we sang about Mississippi, which I didn’t
know was in America then I can’t really say I know much or anything about the United States
then, everywhere outside of Africa was Ilu Oyinbo (the white man’s land). The song:
“Mississippi, Mississippi e, Mississippi,
Miss-i-ss-i-pp-I, Mississippi.”
Probably the purpose of the song was to teach us how to spell, if that was the aim it was a
very good tactics because of course I can spell Mississippi now, even if I was drunk, I might
not be able to spell some villages in my country even if I’m sober.
We were also told at any given opportunity how well the white man managed our country,
how everything was working, how there was electricity, good roads and good schools. Most
of the times we were told this story it is because whoever was telling the story was feeling
sorry for himself his people and his country because of the general decay that was and still
is the order of the day in the country.
Like I said, I was born 7 years after independence, when I was born the country was into
civil war.
I read and was told that the nationalists (whatever that means) told the people that it was in
our best interest for us to rule ourselves, the white men were reported to have retorted that
we were not matured enough to rule ourselves. That was total BS, the people were told,
after all before the advent of the white men we were ruling ourselves. Perhaps what the
white men meant then was that we had not mastered their techniques of governance
enough to utilize them to rule ourselves. Maybe we would have done better if we had gone
back to how we used to live with some modifications of course since there can be no
progress if the society is static.
Anyway, I was brought up under the belief, well founded if I may add, that the white man did
a better job than our so called nationalists. They were so greedy they went to war less than
10 years after gaining independence and let nobody fool you that it was in the interest of the
people, seem to me like a war based on inflated ego.
Reflecting the general views via their songs, some popular musicians sang in praise of the
white man, imploring us (black people) to use their achievements as examples to better
ourselves. Ebenezer Obey sang:
“oyinbo pogbon po won fi se motor” (the white men through collective knowledge
manufactured cars)
“Oyinbo pongbo po won fi soko ofurufu ( the white men through collective knowledge
manufactured the airplane)
“Oyinbo pongbo po won fi se keke (the white man through collective knowledge
manufactured bicycle)
“O jo wo le mi abo eyin eyan mi lowo rikishi pelu ote, tembeleku, iwa ika pelu ote iyen odara
rara. (When would my people free themselves from back biting, wickedness and evil
plotting, these things are not valuable)
That was Ebenezer Obey. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, after visiting Disney World, went back to
Nigeria to narrate the wonderful things he saw while he was there. During the story he said
“the white man uses the brain and knowledge that God endowed him with”
He begged us to do something, even if it is something as simple as fertilizer, which he
contended was from trash. He enjoined us to consider getting the chemicals made that is
added to the sand so that at least we can boast of manufacturing something, anything.
Both men were not just speaking for themselves; their songs reflected the mood of the
society. It is generally believed in Africa, based on facts, which you may dispute if you like or
point to one or two scientists of African origin that have contributed immensely to the
scientific world, that the white man is something of a genius and that but for him we would
still be in the stone ages.
When I wrote “Are blacks jinxed?” I was wondering if we could actually come together and
do something spectacular for our continent, a continent that doesn’t have much to boast of
except war, pestilence, hunger and illiteracy even when we lay claim to doctorate and
professorship we still act uneducated.
It is in this light that I see the claim or should I say the statement of James Watson that
whites are more intelligent than blacks. Hear the wise man, a member of the white (wise)
race, a very important scientists and a Nobel winner, his words:
“I am inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa'' because ``all our social policies are
based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours -- whereas all the testing says
not really.''
When people who do not know how to accept a factual criticism heard that they got on him
“like the wild animals that they are” and he, afraid for his life quickly apologized, hear his
apology:
``I am mortified about what has happened. More importantly, I cannot understand how I
could have said what I am quoted as having said. I can certainly understand why people,
reading those words, have reacted in the ways they have. To all those who have drawn the
inference from my words that Africa, as a continent, is somehow genetically inferior, I can
only apologize unreservedly. That is not what I meant. More importantly from my point of
view, there is no scientific basis for such a belief”
From his words you can see this gentleman is a very wise man, an intellectual who is
addressing idiots. Idiots who do not know how to interpret words and to whom everything
must be negative.
The man could not understand how he could have said what he was quoted as having said.
Isn’t that simple enough and can’t these fools see it as what it is, the man did not actually
say it he was quoted to have said it, he did not understand that. How could he have allowed
his loose mouth to say in public the joke that he and other wise men like him enjoy in
private?
He can understand why these animals are making so much noise, that is part of their
nature isn’t it? Their genetically inferior nature.
He didn’t really mean that so what’s the fuss? More importantly, from his jaundiced point of
view, there’s no scientific basis for his belief. He got away with that apology didn’t he?
Please tell me he did, he is such an honest and straight forward man. The basis of his
utterance was not scientific, he never said it was. Basis for his assertion? Their faulty social
policies which regarded both races as equal.
Leave this man of God and science alone and stop persecuting him for saying the truth. If
you’re going to the church and dressed scantily, so scanty that your titties are showing, you
couldn’t bend down to pick something without a generous view of your panties for those
who care to observe, how can you blame anyone for calling you a whore despite the fact that
you were on your way to the church. As long as Africa refuses to get her acts together some
wise men would teach wisdom and knowledge by letting people know that Africa and
Africans are nothing but inferior breed of human being.
Seriously, in conclusion, we need to look in the mirror and check ourselves out, we don’t
need anyone telling us about the level of our intelligence, if we cease behaving like idiots
we won’t be referred to as one. Respect is not demanded it is earned. First we must be
proud of who we are, we must be proud of how we look. Then we must be proud of where
we come from and be ready to put our collective interests first, then we must be proud of our
heritage, of our customs, of our way of life. If we do this then we would be on the way to
occupying our rightful position in the scheme of things. If we say we are Africans we have to
be one in spirit and in deeds.
I don’t know how to describe the scene I’m about to
narrate here, maybe description is not the right word,
maybe I should have said I don’t know what name to
give to the conduct I’m about to describe, suffice it to
say that I consider it so shameful that I refused to write
about it, but after listening to the news tonight I said to
myself “what the heck, you might as well admit it, after
all we were kids when we did it, excuse is we didn’t
know any better.
THE WHITE RACE IS MORE INTELLIGENT, ISN'T IT?
Michael O. Ewetuga
Michael O. Ewetuga