Social ills in African communities are connected to dysfunctional relationships between parents and children, among siblings, relatives, friends, generations, colleagues and lovers. An evaluation of the sources of murder, robbery, housebreaking, fraud, substance abuse and all other self inflicted social ills, confirms the interrelation between these vices and dysfunctional relationships.
The extent of this social deficiency is self evident in murder and suicide statistics. It is an established trend that the first suspect in investigation of gruesome murders is usually the victim’s spouse. It is sad that most murders occurs with spouses involvement in the planning or/and execution. The public domain is full of insurance spouse payouts schemes; prisons are full of domestic violence related offenders; and the courts hear bitter accusations and counter-accusations between spouses or ex-lovers.
High teenage suicide crisis is another reflection of this social crisis. The main cause of these young lives cut short is disappointments by lovers, parents’ expectations and bullying by peers.
Indeed personal relationships are a cultural matter. The rules of engagement, expectations and conducts are defined within a cultural context. There are visible community scars resulting in centuries of active and consistent cultural genocide directed at African people. The resilience of African culture is taking a toll and therefore the centre no longer holds hence community disorientation. The cultural disorientation of Africans has resulted in collapse of personal relationship pillars. Individualism, pride, ego, showing off and self centeredness were heavily discouraged within African communities in favour of collective values and common good. An individual is nurtured to develop personality traits that enhance the strength of relationships.
The cultural chaos visited upon us has deprived Africans of their most productive time in their lives. This crisis demonstrates that economic trends play a crucial role in the cultural development and outlook of a people. The gender war is also caused by shallow assimilation to foreign culture which hits during the peak of the individual’s economic participation. This is the age of thirty to fifty when a person has acquired skills and substantial experience to contribute to society productively. It is for this reason that culture is consistently assaulted. The assault is designed to guarantee permanent dominion of Africa’s enemies.
Like this:
Like Loading...
