America, Nigeria And Cultural Imperialism

Many will want to ask me how come I have deviated so much from the teachings of my mother and the training of my grandfather. All i will say in my defence is that it was not a measurable change, I have always had a mind of my own and believed in towing my own line. There is an expression I learnt in the university about Garbage in-Garbage Out, it’s true in many cases that the seed you sow in a place brings forth fruits of the same, but not always. The good man of the farm might sleep and then the pollination agents like wind, air, water, insects and animals will arise and do their own bit of planting resulting in the harvest of much which was not planted by the farmer. I am not trying to be an escapist, i wouldn’t be writing this if i wanted the events of my life resulting in where i am to slink into obscurity and i am not trying to shift the blame or pile up the junk of the responsibility on someone else’s shoulder even though, that is what the world has taught us to do. One nutty Nigerian called Amutalab or something close to that went aboard an American airplane and attempted to do a repeat of September 11 and the blame comes on Nigeria as a whole. Suddenly Nigeria became a celebrity, making the list of America for all the seemingly wrong reasons, Nigerians started signing up on Facebook claiming that they blame the culprit and Nigerians are not terrorists. Who cares? America knows the truth but refused to be reconciled with it or do they really know the truth? We credit America with so much knowledge because of the innovative ability of some individual amongst them but time has taught me that America has a reputation but lacks credential. I think America is overrated, a bully is usually not powerful only oppressive. If America knows but has decidedly turned a blind eye to the truth, if they used to know but has forgotten or if they never even knew the truth, i believe they need to be made to face the truth, reminded or taught. Was it a Nigerian that demonised the numerous number of American citizens who carry guns and shoot fellow students in American schools, did Nigeria mastermind the founding of the KKK, Nazi, White Supremacy and other terrorist organizations that has plagued then within the walls of their own country? Fingers are made for many purposes, but they serve a unique purpose for the escapist who would rather bandage a festering wound instead of treating it, it only needs to be pointed somewhere convenient and succour will come. By writing this i am saying No to the American system that has eaten deep into the Nigerian subconscious so much that there seems to be nothing of the original left. They are the ones who walk about naked claiming they needed to tan their skins, they taught us how to wear half naked clothes in the name of fashion, they modelled lust for us as love and teach us divorce is the hallmark of a successful life. They taught us multiple personality disorder, drug addiction, homosexuality, murder, nudity, drunk driving, shamelessness, vanity and irresponsibility. They are everywhere, advocating their demonic messages of freedom, sensuality, obscenity, Godlessness and immorality in every sphere of life. Adverts and Commercial are full of naked ladies, films are covered in the toga of vulgarity, sexual content, murder, crime and recklessness. They forget that as the world leaders every nation is looking up to them and copying all their actions. They forget that freedom is not an expression but a restraint. They forget that for there to be world peace and morality, they cannot depend on speeches and diplomacy when what they really are is presented to the world on the internet, cable televisions and their entire packaging. One would think a country founded on such Godly virtues and values would learn a lesson from the September 11 attacks, after all history is supposed to be cyclic in nature and the children of Israel always return to God when they face disasters that has far less reaching effects. But, like the Roman Empire, the American Empire is like the Ostrich. Head buried. Body bare. Effectively hidden from every prying eye. All you need do is compare a Nigerian Hip Hop music with the ones done in the United States of America and you will see how fast we learn and how fast the world is learning to model itself after America. Some years back, less than two decades ago, our music genres are Gospel, Fuji, Juju, Highlife, Apala, Agidigbo, Waka, and other cantor and response music formed from the depth of our culture which was appreciated worldwide. Hubert Ogunnde, Oyin Adejobi, Ishola Ogunsola, Musiliu Aruna Ishola, Ebenezer Obey, Sunday Adegeye, Wasiu Ayinde (Barrister), Ayinla Kolawole(Kolinton) and other artistes subtly moulded the public opinion with their acts which was saturated with godly and moral messages and stories advocating patience, love, peace, unity and godliness. Then came America with their disco dances and half naked culture and like Esau we sold our rich and deep birthright for such a surface acts whose advocates were so dissatisfied with life that they commit suicide at will, were killed by their own fathers, go to prisons as if they were visiting the park and rather than marry many wives like the typical Nigerian will do and be responsible to all of them, sleep around indiscriminately and Nigerians fell for that. We fell for a culture that does not have a culture. A culture informed by sick minds. A culture improvised daily by vanity and excesses. An unharnessed culture, rule by emotion, lacking justice and depth. We fell for a culture that encouraged our children to be free to die miserably when they see that life is not enjoyed by self satisfaction but by caring for others. Charity became a corporate social responsibility, the act of Giving became an art. And you complain that the average person is just not satisfied with life!!! You kick God out of your life and you wonder why you are no longer able to live a balanced life? Look at Saudi Arabia and other Muslim countries that have refused to go through the paradigm shift experienced by Nigeria. I assure you they live a more contended life and have better results for their way of life. Whether the God they believe in is Right or Wrong is immaterial, they believed in a ‘god’ and that helps them to put their life into perspective and live a balanced life. America’s God is Psychology. The Psychologist does not know anything but what he or she is told. In other countries, people die and life continues, in America people die and the death must as a psychological matter have a long term effect on the living, who must be angry, aggrieved, bitter, mad or depressed as a result of the bereavement. And the anger, grief, bitterness, madness or depression experienced by this individual must be expressed by rebellion, revenge, suicide, drug addiction, wickedness and insensitivity. If anyone refuses to exhibit any of the listed reactions, he or she will be said to be in denial or the claim will be that the person has suppressed the emotion and a bottled up emotion will one day explode. So much gibberish and America is now a country of individuals who have nothing of substance yet they are rich in everything. Amutalab the terrorist is responsible for His actions, Nigeria is to blame for falling for the seduction of America and America is to blame for failing to understand that that when you are the leader, all eyes are on you and it is up to you to do the right things so that your followers will copy you and do the right thing otherwise as the offspring of Oka causes the demise of Oka, so would your own handiwork mastermind your destruction. The Yorubas say a child you refuse to build up will sell off the House you choose to build up. Period.