Those that went to school in the 70s and 80s still remember the words such as ‘explorers,’ ‘missionaries’ and ‘merchants’ bringing civilization to Africa. History teachers made their students believe that Africa was discovered and civilized by a white man.

Ironically, in Tanzania where I went for my primary school, I still remember how David Livingstone, Henry Morton Stanley, Columbus, Mungo Park and Vasco Da Gama were revered to the extent that some families named their children after them. It is sad that learners at their foundation level were taught to revere such people. On becoming adults, they will nary know the reasons of most of the problems they are facing.

Consider Christopher Columbus for example, who sailed with the quest of reaching India. Instead, he landed in West Indies in the modern Haiti where he caused a lot of problems.  Columbus’ aim was to buy gold at a cheap price and bring it back to the king of Spain who sponsored his mission.  On arriving he forced the indigenous people to get him gold. After noticing that the country he thought was India happened to be Haiti and there was neither gold nor spice or silk, he captured 15, after killing many more and sailed with them back to Europe to prove that he had been to a foreign land.  What was the difference between Columbus and modern day pirates? Africa goofs by idolizing criminals.

The following excerpts from a song by Burning Spear in the  Hail H.I.M. Album Lyrics expose who Columbus really was

I and I old I know
I and I old I say
I and I reconsider
I and I see upfully that
Christopher Columbus is a damn blasted liar
Christopher Columbus is a damn blasted liar
Yes Jah

He's saying that, he is the first one
Who discover Jamaica
I and I say that,
What about the Arawak Indians and the few Black man
Who were around here, before him
The Indians couldn't hang on no longer
Here comes first Black man and woman and children,
In a Jam Down Land ya
A whole heap of mix up and mix up
A whole heap a ben up, ben up,
We have fi straighten out,
Christopher Columbus is a damn blasted liar
Christopher Columbus is a damn blasted liar
Yes Jah

In Tanzania, there are many mementos and commemorations for say Livingstone. In Malawi, one whole region is called Livingstonia in honor of the man who ushered colonialism in. can people who do not know their true history emancipate themselves? This is a crucial question that can give us the answer as to why man African rulers go to western countries cup in hand begging. This can tell us why many African rulers whose countries sit on vast amounts of resources still live by begging and acquiring unnecessary loans.

At independence, most African countries were at par with countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea. Interestingly, the same are now begging from the countries they were at par with! Why?  Simple, they don’t know their true history especially the legacy of the icons they commemorate instead of agitating that the countries that sponsored them return the wealth they looted. Countries like Spain, Belgium, France and Britain are richer today not just because they have resources: they robbed other countries.

Although I am not a fun of china, I would argue that if African countries play their card nicely, China is likely to bring the balance of trade that Europe has always denied African countries. Shall African countries bargain smartly with China as opposed to the West, chances are that International Trade is likely to embark on fair trade by eliminating all strings that the West has attached on business with Africa. This was evident recently in Sudan. When western countries shied away from developing its petroleum infrastructure, it went to China and made a deal so as to not only survive but also make its ruler Omar Bashir evade the long arm of ICC.

Looking at the naivety of African rulers, one would think that they are not normal mentally. The fact is, they were taught wrong history and they are using the same knowledge to keep on watering colonialism and exploitation. This wrong history has made Africans dependent, incompetent and devoid of self-awareness.

Africa needs to revisit its syllabi and revise its history with a view of discovering itself and removing distortions. If you read for example the true history of the coast of east Africa, you will find that cities like Kilwa, Sofala, Mogadishu, Lamu and others were more civilized by the whole Europe put together at that time.

By Nkwazi Mhango

The author is a canada-based Tanzanian and author of Saa Ya Ukombozi.