AFRICA: Stopping Bad Cultures
Many bad cultures were practiced in Africa before the 19th century. These bad cultures range from killing of Twins, Osu (out caste) system, Widow inheritance, First daughters forbidden to marry, Human sacrifice, Eating of human flesh, Killing of Albinos and hunchbacks, etc. Some of these bad cultures were stopped by the coming of Christian and Islamic religion. Some also, like Osu system, killing of Albinos are legally stopped by the International Human Rights Organisation.
All cultures in Africa are not bad. Certainly, there are many good cultures that we practice which bring joy, happiness, healthiness and liveliness to the people. Good cultures also bring inter-tribal relations, friendship, overall healthiness and development of the community. Some of these good cultures include traditional dance, traditional marriage, traditional wrestling, masqurrade dance, etc. Good cultures are carried out with joy and happiness from every one and bring general liveliness, social-cultural relations, foreign investment, civilization, technological advancement and thus general development of the community.
On the other hand, bad cultures bring grief, sorrow and fear to the inhabitants. These hinder growth and development of the community. It might surprise you to hear that some communities in Africa still do not fully welcome electric light, especially in the nights. They believe that the light will disturb their traditional ceremonies. Recently in Lagos where I live, a king died and people were all in fears and announcing to their family members and friends to close work, or their businesses, early so as not to come home late. This was because as the king died, the knowledge is that they will look for up to seven human heads to bury the king. Such is the fear and unhappiness that bad cultures bring to the people.
Christian and Islamic religious groups are doing their best to stop these bad cultures, also followed by the establishment of human rights organisation. I think more actions and awareness need to be done to be able to tell some traditional religious fanatics among us that their practices are bad and inhuman. One aspect that just come to my mind is that of open, but secret, ceremonies especially those carried out in the nights. I call it ‘open secret’ because during the ceremony, announcements are made about the day of the ceremony but that certain people should not come out (should stay indoors) until the ceremony is finished. This type of ceremony encourages bad cultural practices which includes ritual killings and human sacrifice.
In western Nigeria, there are news of people killed while coming from their travel and unknowingly encountered the Oro (night masquerade) festivals. This has always caused clashes between the sons of the village and inhabitants from other tribes or towns because they normally use non-indigenes for their rituals. I have heard stories of people killed in the eastern part of Nigeria when they were coming from their night outs or travel and encountered the Ogbaagu (night masquerade) ceremonies. Some of these open secret festivals are also carried out in the day time, some even last up to a week. Before such festivals, announcements will be made that women and children should stay indoors and not to come out or they will be killed. When such announcements are made women in that towns affected will start to relocate, go to friends or relations who live in another town to stay there till the festival is over.
That is how bad these types of culture can be. Accepted, Africa is made up of people of many religious groups, the religious groups should respect each other and not discriminate against one another. But the practices of each religion should be 'open' and not practiced in some secret form that will frighten or kill people who are not members. The Christians and Muslims carry out their practices and ceremonies openly to everybody. You can participate in their worship and ceremonies if you like. You can even join in their meetings if you like and if you meet up with the requirements. The traditional religious group should be able to practice same (carry out their ceremonies and practices openly).
This aspect of secret ceremonies is one of the reasons, if not the major reason, bad cultures are still being practices and thriving strongly in Africa. With it, they strongly believe that they are doing the right thing and that anything they do, even killing humans, is justified. Africans should not live in fear, we should be free, have our freedom of movement, expression and all human rights maintained. We should acknowledge and agree with campaigns of the human rights organisation going on around the world and stop all bad cultural laws and practices to be able to measure up with the western world.