Ignorance as a Dangerous Bliss.

Since a major part of my job is to drive (a patrol car) all through the night, my motivation comes primarily from listening to music and talk shows on radio. My most favorite talk show though comes up at 6AM and that is the Steve Harvey Morning Show. With several segments, those I can’t do without are the Morning Motivational by Steve Harvey himself, the Prank Phone Calls, Phone-in contributions and the Strawberry Letter

This morning, Steve asked; “If it was made legal, would you marry more than one wife?” The responses by callers were filled with anticipated excitements. Almost all the male callers fervently wished it were possible in the United States for a man to marry more than one wife.

There really was no problem with all of these excitements and clamor for polygamy except that all the callers premised their belief on “that’s how they do it in Africa…every man has more than one wife.”

This is a grand example of the ignorance being exhibited by many of our black diasporans in God’s own country. Every silly idiosyncrasy is not only attributed to the Motherland but also proudly imbibed without any prior recourse to confirm from those who know better, the continental Africans.

Some fifty-something years ago, a typical big-time farmer or business merchant, irrespective of religious believes, would marry more than one wife. This was strictly in a bid to have many kids who would assist him in whatever enterprise he was involved. It was all about economic reasons. Even back then, many men would faithfully stick to one wife because of the reality of their humble financial status.  And as western education flourishes and abounds, even those who are financially comfortable shy away from the emotional stress that comes with polygamy.

Ironically, whatever social, moral or traditional habit or “fashion” that continental Africans have long discarded either due to obsolescence or sheer distaste, is what some blacks in the diasporas grab with all excitement. It’s no wonder therefore that some blacks in the United States are mandating their wives or girlfriends to wear some head-to-toe, body covering black costume in the name of Islamic religion. This is a practice that many continental Africans have reduced to a mere hijab which only covers a woman’s head in humility. And even this is worn by many Moslem women only on Fridays.

In the olden-day-continental Africa, it was common for a man to wear his hair braided if he belonged to certain indigenous religious sects. But with the advent of Christianity, Islam and other religions all over the place, only the mentally disturbed men will dare to spot such a hair style on their heads. Yet, several black men in America will easily attribute their braids to some African “heritage”. But how many continental African men worth their salt do they see with braids?

With many of our diasporan kith and kin naming their kids all kinds of meaningless “African-sounding” names, it will not come as a surprise if they suddenly start the “tradition” of cutting tribal marks on the faces of their kids as continental Africans used to do some “zillions” of years ago. And neither will it be a surprise if the same folks commence the practice of female circumcision. Of course, all of these practices will simply be described and defended as being part of some African “heritage”.