A TRIP TO AFRICA: 10 Reason Africans Are Black

“Daddy, I want to visit Africa’’ Patrick said excitedly. “Hell no’’ Liza stopped abruptly, half way in the living room, shocked “what did you just say?’’ she turned to Patrick aghast. “I’d love to see Africa, mum’’ Pat repeated. “Who gave you such a berserk idea? Besides, you’re just 10 and quite little to start thinking odd things’’ Liza said “Africa is not a good place to visit. It’s full of ugly black people that live in bush and huts. Africa is not developed like our country America; there are a lot of terrorists there. The people are dying of hunger and poverty!’’ Liza said with scorn and disapproval. John and Patrick starred back at her, bewildered. “And oh’’ she continued “I forgot to add that their wild animals do eat human beings and you are going there to suffer’’ Liza paused, gazing at her husband then to her son, they stared back at her in silence. “But mum, I heard that Africa is mostly undeveloped because we Americans and other European countries enslaved and colonized Africa. And extorted, extracted and controlled their natural resources. Our ancestors forced, kidnapped and sold Africans into slavery. Do you know what those slaves would have achieved in their homeland towards African development?’’ Patrick said thoughtfully to his mother. Liza blinked in astonishment “who told you all that?’’ she asked. “My friend Jeffrey told me everything’’ Patrick responded. “That black boy? I’ve told you several times not to associate with that black monkey anymore” she fumed. “Honey don’t, that’s a racist remark” John cautioned his wife “Pat is free to associate with whomever he’d like to associate with’’ John said. “Dad please let’s visit Africa. I want to help some poor kids there. I want to apologize to them for what the European forebears did to their ancestors” Pat pleaded. “Pat” John called “you’re beginning to make me wonder who told you all these” John said to Patrick with a frown. “My history teacher told us a story about a black world called Africa”. “Hold on, Pat. Black Africans are not the only indigenous Africans. White Africans also exist in Africa” “Also” Patrick continued “Jeff told me the story about slavery, says his mama told him everything. Jeff said he wanted to hate the whites like us for what they did to blacks in the past, but because most whites are nice people, he decided not to hate anyone but to tell the story to others both blacks and whites’’ Patrick said calmly to his father. “That’s cool’’ John nodded “he should also be careful how he tells the story so that he won’t create more hate.’’ He added and exhaled diligently. Pat nodded in silence. “Anyway, I’ll think about the African trip. I’d love to visit too because I’ve heard a lot about Africa both negative things and the positive ones, I want to see things myself. There’s so many fascinating history about Africa that are left in the dark that really need to teach us a lot about Africa and its complexity’’ John said after a long thought.