Culture and Science: A Wake-up Call for Africans

Each time I am in a position to explain the idea of culture to the children and young ones with impressionable minds, I usually think of the most simplest method that can be easily understood by them. It is in the quest of thinking of such a method that the idea of blood and physical appearance struck me. I am a strong believer in culture and I take special interest in science and technology. These are three formidable pillars of societal development and advancement. Culture builds the mind, science advances the mind. Culture is the foundation of a house, technology aids the design and aesthetics.

Culture is our physical appearance while science and technology represent the blood cells. In other words, science and technology are universal like the blood cells in humans while culture represents our physical appearances and differences. Every human being on earth possesses the blood cells; no one has a pink or yellow blood, it is the same RED BLOOD. However, we all have different physiognomy. This is instructive in itself. Science and technology, beginning from the existence of the first humans till the modern era, can be tapped and developed by any serious-minded society. They have been advanced by different people of different ages; from the first great Nubia-Kemetic civilisation in Africa to the Greco-Roman and Persian civilisations, down to Asian civilisations. Science and technology like the blood cells, belong to all humans but culture like the human physical appearance is unique.

Physically, it is not usually difficult to know a Chinese, an Arab or an African. What does this tell us? It shows that they possess certain things that are naturally special to them. This is what culture stands for. The Europeans and Asians understand this fact and they have continued to maintain their civilisations but how about the Africans? The Africans are the only set of people on earth today who exist in a state of confusion. They fight desperately to destroy their physical appearance literally and culturally. Some bleach their skins to beat the snow of Europe to the game while some simply tell you their cultures are 'archaic'. Then you ask, what happens to innovation? Everything in life has its phases. Innovation is the only concept that makes all things to be relevant.

Africans, rather than be ingeniously culturally Innovative, would prefer to be culturally enslaved by others. That is why they try to be more Royal than the Queen, holier than the Pope, more Jewish than the Rabbi and more Islamic than the Grand Mufti of Arabia. Can you ever hate your skin and love yourself? The result of hating your skin is bleaching. If you love the skin, you will do everything possible to improve it and that will build your beauty and uniqueness. It is the same with your culture. If you love your culture, you will separate the stones from the grains. You will be creative and innovative in building it than condemning it. 

Can you ever compare a bleached skin to the natural pink skin of any European? Meanwhile, the African blood is also contaminated. The average African does not understand or has refused to understand the power of science and technology in the globalised world. He remains attuned to miracles than surgical procedures. Whilst others build their health system to be medically fit by being scientifically and technologically creative, the African is religiously innovative; building the largest religious edifices and procuring private jets for heavenly spiritual evangelism.

If Africans are really serious about the daily lamentation of being underdeveloped, then we must begin to bring our minds back home. Europeans or Arabs will not build our homelands for us. They are also fighting for their survival and progress and they do not care who is enslaved or trampled upon for them to keep rising. Culture is a formidable foundation. It tells us who we are and how we must remain relevant. In its history, we learn where we began from and understand how we will be able to formulate implementable policies that will get us out of our quagmire. 

Culture is not static, it must grow in line with human creativity without losing its essence. This is the reason why cultural innovation is vital. Rather than lampoon what we have, we should put our brains to task and improve it. Pointedly, science and technology must not be joked with. If we do not dust ourselves off and begin to invest massively in the scientific and technological revolutions sweeping the world, we will remain a conquered people.