Black man's challenges: the ecological origins & sustaining factors

1. Black man's challenges: the ecological origins & sustaining factors Michael C Asuzu Dept. of Community Medicine, University College Hospital, Ibadan. Nigeria. Being a contribution to a 4-man symposium on “the Blackman's challenges and the way out” held at the UCH, Ibadan on Friday 04/04/14.

2. Gratitude and invitation • We are grateful to be part of this exercise for the reason of its time, circumstance and audience (explain) • I invite us all to think quite deeply at where we are, what we are about to do and what it implies for us in the immediate years ahead for this institution, our profession(s), our country, the black man and the world at large.

3. Our exact mandate and intention 1 • Africa and the black man were considered “the black continent” and primitive people, perhaps even up till now; and we all seem to accept it, otherwise there will not be this symposium! • The basis of the assertion are many and rather obvious; as there are many plausible explanations and speculations about it. None of those concern me, nor this presentation!

4. Our exact mandate and intention 2 • On the contrary, what concerns us and so, our intention and mandate for this symposium, are those facts which are not speculative, conjectural or controversial but all easily worked out by mere common sense – not needing faith, any other metaphysical prowess or any material human sophistications whatsoever! – that is, the clear environmental basis for understanding the black or Africa man’s developmental challenges, both as individuals and as a group of people under the sun.

5. Working out the environmental basis 1 • The black man’s so-called developmental challenges can very easily seen as the natural results of his physical location and environment. • When compared with people in the other continents, these issues are easily understandable • Necessity, they say, is the mother of all inventions; or is it not?

6. Working out the environmental basis 2 • No necessities in Africa compared with the other continents and peoples – no very serious weather extremes compared with their natural genetic and physiological equipments when compared with the other continents and races – heavily snowy winters; blizzards; extreme summer heat; very long or short nights and very long or short days and unstable; hurricanes; tornadoes; avalanches; earth quakes; non arable lands for much of the years and times; etc

7. Working out the environmental basis 3 • One good turn deserves another as a wise saying works in everything (check it out with your teaching on how to answer exam questions, especially when there are choices!) – the culture of one conquest after another and so of the so-called western civilization. Consider the contrast also! • Then came colonization – the heart of man is desperately wicked!; even in their own countries. Consider the internal liberators even in those countries and climes!

8. Working out the environmental basis 4 • The recycling effects of poverty, especially as re-enforced by colonialism – tribalism, nepotism, religious fanaticism, other hegemonies, corruptions and true “un-Godliness” (all non-universality or only charitable difference with mutual honour and respect); Does anybody here harbour any of these threats? PLEASE LET US ALL THINK DEEPLY ABOUT THESE THINGS AND REPENT ON THEM AS THE CASE MAY BE. • No one here will escape the judgment in the end, if after this they do not!

9. The way out, way home! - 1 • Recognizing a problem is more than 50% of what it takes to overcome it – which is what we have done here! • The best examples of civilization available to humanity today are still from black people – Mahatma Gandhi, Nwalimu Julius Nyerereand Nelson Mandela! • Where has the so-called western civilization led them now? – men “marrying” men, dogs, TVs, trees, etc; and women doing same; aborting the fruits of “their love” in its natural sanctuaries rather than caring for it as ought; defining 3rd gender; denying God, etc!

10. The way out, way home! - 2 • Can we become truly universal people? People of one brotherhood with ANYBODY WHATSOEVER? PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO TIME FOR HATING ANYBODY OR GETTING ANGRY WITH ANYBODY, INCLUDING THOSE WHO DO WRONG – because they know that NOBODY who does wrong understands fully the wrong that they are doing and/or the alternative beatitude of the goods they could have spent that same time and resources doing?

11. The way out, way home! - 3 • Can we (EACH ONE HERE, to start with) become people free of: religious fanaticisms, tribalism in all its very many ramifications, racism in its many dimensions, hegemonists, materialists, partisans or people who will differ for the mere differing but not in dignity and with mutual respect as due when such differings are matters of natural facts of charitable differences - for the varieties that make life the interesting thing that it is or has to be in nature!

12. Yes, we can; Yes, we have to! • The weight of history and of all evidences is that we can and have been destined to be the winners in the end of all these issues. LEARN!! • Can anyone see it as I do? • If you do not, I tell you: verily, verily, you are on your own o! You are walking against all evidence; against the Holy Spirit! And so I dare to warn that such will be unforgiveable!

13. I thank you for your esteemed audience!