The Dark Continent

Firstly, I’m actually very scared of the dark but I felt this was fitting for the subject matter.

Second, this is not about Heart of Darkness; maybe another day… or (preferably) never.


September 4, 2017, I was getting my hair done and seeing as the day was going to be a long one (9 hours to be exact) my mother’s lovely friend (who was braiding my hair)  and I started conversing. She quickly broke the ice by telling me of her dream of a party where she was able to share the good news* with little children; she was so bloody happy to tell me about it! Her excitement inspired me immensely in my walk with Christ** as I do not believe I have been as confident, comfortable or proud of my spirituality in years (people can be mean).

Naturally, as we were chatting, the topic of her pregnancy came up – she was very far along at the time. She was such a joyful spirit to speak with but as soon as we started talking about her unborn child she grew immediately uncomfortable as it brought back memories of her home – Cameroon. When she began reminiscing her fairy-like excitement altered and she grew increasingly somber. 

I recall very distinctly her saying if she were in Cameroon she would not be able to tell anybody about her pregnancy because someone would certainly attempt to harm the child. She spoke with a sense of victory as if she had overcome this risk now that she was in Canada but from the tremble in her voice it was clear that the fear of the evil within individuals was still with her.

As she continued my heart broke for her and her country more and more; she discussed the corruption within Cameroon and the cowardice within the people and how both of those factors came together to result in the ongoing troubles.

What she said that stuck out most distinctly to me was twofold – she said that the darkness in Africa (as in the people – an excellent pun if you ask me) was there so individuals could not be enlightened and could be taken into further darkness (as in the night – yet another excellent pun) if they attempted to speak against the evil that was present. They would be forced to live in ignorance for so long that any light, any sense of hope, would begin to seem like a threat. She spoke so viciously of the entire continent; of the wasted potential present throughout Africa – my home, in a sense. After further heartbreak, she introduced me to a perspective I had yet to consider until she brought it up: the European colonizers had their lives together.

After hearing what sounded like blasphemy, my jaw was plastered to the ground.

She said they were better off due to their ability to plan ahead in hopes that their children would be well off and safe, a trait she saw severely lacking in Africans ( a generalized term, I know, but what she was saying really did apply to nearly all that I know and have come to expect of the countries within the continent). A bitter pill to swallow but she was right; in many parts of the continent, it is as if they have yet to realize the abundance of resources at their feet to urbanize. As if each person would rather continue to live everyday fighting for what they could distribute to an entire nation – wealth was their greatest motivation and greatest handicap.

This beautiful woman (inside and out) had opened my eyes to a side of my home that I was never really exposed to as I was so quickly whisked away at the tender age of six.

Although she discussed the downfall of the people she also made it so clear that she believed in the wonders that Africa held for those who were willing to experience it. The environment, the culture, the people (conflicting, I know) – she loved it all! She was able to have such admiration and hatred for her birthplace without fear of feeling either mutually.  It really opened my eyes to see how polarized she was on a topic that I rarely gave a second thought to, regrettably.

This all goes to say that I walked into her lovely home expecting to get my hair braided and exited with a new perspective on the part of the world that I was born; where my heart will always lie.

***

Side note: This superb individual was able to so casually drop all of this wisdom on lil’ ol’ me in the span of a conversation lasting no more than an hour (time passes differently whilst your hair is being braided) and I do not believe that she’ll ever fully comprehend the impact that she had on me. Thus, this is an open thank you letter to her: thank you for your wisdom, your kindness, and your concern for my well being and comfort the moment I walked through your doors – your grace most certainly has not gone unnoticed or unappreciated.


*Jesus Fandom term for the Bible

**Yet another Jesus Fandom term -> basically just my personal growth in my faith and developing confidence in what I believe



Credit Where Credit is Due:

<https://www.reddit.com/r/Nyctophilia/comments/4vmjrf/nyctophilia_n_love_of_darkness_or_night_finding/?st=jbr8hnzu&sh=2f36d85c>

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6 thoughts on “The Dark Continent

  1. Dear Ibukun,

    Aside from the abundance of puns in this piece, I thoroughly enjoyed the frankness with which you approached the subject matter. In the space of one blog post, you showed unrelenting courage in sharing aspects of your faith, your heritage, and your life. You are certainly an example for me to follow and I can only hope that I will, one day, be as honest and as open as you are (not that I’ve been dishonest…). In all seriousness, though, I really liked how you addressed a subject that was so near and dear to your heart.

    Let me start by saying that I found nothing serious that needs improvement. To me, at least, both your diction and your voice gave character to your piece, and in regards to grammar, I found nothing that stood out to me like a “city on a hill that cannot be hid” (another Jesus Fandom term, as I’m sure you know ;)). Jokes aside, there was nothing inherently detrimental to this post and as such, your ideas were conveyed rather well!

    I liked how your ideas evoked memories of social studies, especially in regards to colonization and globalization. In a world like ours, we often cannot help but develop a love-hate relationship with our homelands; love for what it has given us, and hate for it hasn’t. No matter where history has brought the world, we still have to face it as it now stands, and your post allowed me to ponder upon this reality. Despite the flaws in our world, we have to face its problems or suffer the consequences of neglecting them. I also liked the character of your piece, infused with your unique voice and the quality that allowed it to be truly personalized. Because of this, I found it very honest, open, and thereby, quite a compelling read!

    All in all, I loved your piece and I truly hope to read more posts like this in the near future! Great job! Thanks to your blog, I was given insight into uncharted territory which, though yet unexplored, was strangely familiar to me. Throughout your composition, it was interesting to note the internal struggles in loving a land so abundant in contradictions; like many places, Africa is a continent where wealth can be both the greatest handicap and the greatest motivation, where there are both terrible downfalls and thrilling wonders to behold, and where one can love both the brilliance of day and the stillness of night. The question is: how far into the darkness are we willing to go?

    Ever yours,
    Jieo

    1. Dearest fren,
      Thanks for reading and commenting on my blog. 🙂 I am so happy that you enjoyed it & all the included puns. I find that I beat around the bush on basically everything so I cherish your comment on my “frankness”. Thanks for also building on the Jesus Fandom terms and I am glad that nothing was overly distracting in this one – yay! I am glad I was able to share some insight and agree with you in regard to living in awe of night and day equally; however, concerning how far into the darkness I am willing to venture (without a flashlight) not very. As I stated, in the beginning of the blog, the dark (as well as the unknown monsters that are hidden by it) frighten me, just a ~tad~.

      Thanks again for the comment.

      Hugs,
      Ibukun

  2. Dear Ibukun,

    I heard my heart chime in sync with this piece if that makes any sense at all, but I’m not sure how to describe it; it was beautiful nonetheless. Your sincerity and reflection could be felt and it made me be more mindful of the country of my origin (origin of my race); despite not even being born there. I could tell that this insightful woman had inspired something within you just by reading this (and it has passed on to me too).

    The last line really struck me,
    “This all goes to say that I walked into her lovely home expecting to get my hair braided and exited with a new perspective on the part of the world that I was born; where my heart will always lie.” because it highlights the idea of fate, destiny, or perhaps serendipity (at least I’d like to think) as well as the significance of meeting a certain individual in your life.

    Other lines I marveled at:
    1) “As if each person would rather continue to live everyday fighting for what they could distribute to an entire nation – wealth was their greatest motivation and greatest handicap.”
    2)”Although she discussed the downfall of the people she also made it so clear that she believed in the wonders that Africa held for those who were willing to experience it.”
    3) “She was able to have such admiration and hatred for her birthplace without fear of feeling either mutually.”

    Thank you for this excellent read as it has opened my mind up to more topics regarding identity. I was able to learn more about myself, and you as well in this sweet but pragmatic, sensible, and perceptive moment of time in your life.

    On a side note, thank you for also pointing out the puns because I am so oblivious to most things in life.

    Sincerely,
    Faith

    1. Dearest Faith,
      Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment on my blog – I am so so so so greatful!!!! I am overjoyed that you were able to find some personal truths in it as well – I am so glad that I was able to play any sort of role in that personal understanding. I am also happy that you found so many of the lines interesting – yay! It is very humbling to have such a magnificent writer in my comment box; it’s kind of a big deal for me to have someone as brilliant as you are leave such endearing, encouraging words. I will not be quick to forget what you have written.

      Thanks again for reading the blog.

      Hugs,
      Ibukun

  3. Dear Ibukun,

    Wow – you have such a great voice in your writing. I don’t know how you managed to write about a topic of such significance so gracefully and humorously at the same time, but I really admire that about your writing because never in a million years could I do that.
    There were so many lines that stood out to me, so I won’t go through and list them because it would take way too long. But I have to say that that I really admire your ability to be an insightful writer and an entertaining writer, because it can be really difficult to do both. I also think that this piece has a great flow to it – it didn’t feel choppy and nothing felt out of place or overstated or anything. Everything seemed like it was said the way it needed to be said.
    As for something to work on, I would just offer that you go through your piece to look for sentences that don’t make sense and GUMPS issues – I know the very first sentence had some sort of mechanical issue, and as it’s meant to be the hook that draws people in, that would be something I would go back and fix.
    I’m impressed and in awe of you! Love it!

    – Ziyana

    1. Dearest Ziyana,
      Thank you so much for reading and commenting on my blog – much appreciated. Not going to lie, I admire your work immensely and was over the moon excited when I read that you enjoyed it!! OMG! *arm flailing excitement* Anywho, fangirling aside, I am really glad that you liked it and were able to find it to be of some worth. You admire ~my~ writing? I’m quaking, thanks!

      As far as your edits go, I’ll be sure to revise my intro ASAP. I totally agree with you that an error off the bat makes it a tad difficult to grab the attention of your reader in an immediately positive manner.

      Thank you again for reading and commenting.

      HUgs,
      Ibukun

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