On Whether Africans Are Intelligent

– A Rejoinder

 by Oliver Mbamara

Recently, there was a piece which addressed the comments of a taxi-driver that Africans are not Intelligent. Having read through the piece, our Editor-in-Chief proffers a rejoinder.

Ironically, to categorize the whole people of a continent as unintelligent shows the level of intelligence of such a commentator. Enough said.

This piece will only go further simply because it is worrisome that some Africans would easily agree with such a statement simply because of such reasons as – bad politicians, corruption, tribal conflicts, poverty, or other ills in Africa. It would help if we do not fall prey to such provocations by reacting emotionally to the extent that we begin to antagonize and engage ourselves while the provocateur or such commentator stands aside and laughs at us. That may actually be the “intelligence” of the matter.

Let us not be tricked into judging the intelligence of the African people based solely on the standards set by Western scholars and institutions. Even in “English” (which is not an African language), the word “intelligence” is relative and varies by degrees from other words like “wisdom,” “perception,” “insight,” “awareness,” “judgment,” etc. That a person cannot read and write in English (or study western education) does not mean the person is uneducated. African ancestors were educated in African cultures using vernacular languages and other factors peculiar to African societies at the time. See Essay: English Is Not My First Language

Also, it is sad to think that “our contribution to the progress of the human race is ZERO because we don't make cars, spacecrafts, elevators, bicycles, planes, ships, cell phones etc etc.” Firstly, let us not forget that in some cases, the real inventors were unknown, suppressed, or kept behind the scene by those who took credit. Yet if we take time to do some research we will be amazed at the revelation of several inventors of African origin uncelebrated by the West. Secondly, the human race actually revolves and progresses on other important factors some of which are somewhat abstract and unrecognized by the common senses.

Finally, comments that tend to deride a people actually test the integrity, honor, and consciousness of such a people. How they take it, how they react, and sometimes whether they believe it. Wale Ajibade of African Views organization, had used a quote by Alfin Toffler in a related rejoinder he wrote elsewhere, this piece will close with the same quote:
“The illiterate of the 21st Century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” – Alvin Toffler

Oliver O. Mbamara
Editor-in-Chief
www.AfricanEvents.com
June 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Oliver O. Mbamara, Esq., is a filmmaker, writer, poet, and playwright. He is also a judge with New York State, OAH. For more on Oliver Mbamara, please visit www.OliverMbamara.com 

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