MUMMY, I WANT TO BE WHITE

“Mummy, I want to be white”. This was the plea of a 4-year old child of Igbo parents living in Europe to the mother some years ago. “Black skin is ugly. White is beautiful. I want to have a white skin.” He repeatedly begged the mother.

In the precolonial times, Africans were very proud of their skin, hair, eye lids, lips, in fact, their general outlook. No one thought of changing his or her skin, hair or culture.

Explorers thought that the easiest way to subdue, dominate, and exploit Africans was to tell them that they were ugly, cursed and primitive; and to present the white skin and culture as beautiful, blessed, modern, and godly.

To press home this view Satan was painted black whereas God – the father, Jesus, angels were presented in white skin. African culture, tradition and religion were also painted accordingly with the same brush.

Black became synonymous with everything bad and evil. Words or expressions like black sheep, black market, blackmail, blackout, black magic, blacklist and so on testify to this.

African Christians, pupils and students who became used to these images began to hate themselves and anyone that looks like them. Many Africans bought the idea that their outlook and way of doing things are bad and evil.

Consequently, many Africans began to bleach their skin, put artificial hairs, reject their culture, language and even their names in order to be accepted by the world.

Lack of sound history and African-oriented education prevented Africans from finding out, more than 6 decades after the “end” of colonialism, that it was envy and greed that led to the diabolization of the African skin, their general outllok and way of doing things.

What many Africans are yet to realize is how our “white” skinned brothers and sisters admire their chocolate colour, kinky hair, round lips, language and rich cultural heritage. In fact, they will tell you that the chocolate-skinned Michael Jackson was more handsome that the white skinned one.

Whether “black” or “white” we are all beautiful. Do not allow anyone to make you hate your skin colour, outlook or culture. Once you lose your self-esteem and originality you have lost your God’s given dignity. God who created you said that you are beautiful the way you are.