Mr Collins has unconsciously demonstrated what I referred to as the historic disconnect and self-hate among Africans

Dear Editor,

I refer to Mr. Frederick Collins’s letter published in the Monday, September 10, 2018 edition of the Stabroek News (SN) captioned `By falling for the propaganda of Caucasian conceit, the black man has induced a feeling of inferiority in himself.’

I want to begin my response to Mr. Collins by saying that his missive had little to do with my letter that was carried in SN on September 5th, 2018 but was centred on the issues he chose to expound on in his attempts at demonstrating his “knowledge” of the subject matter. Consequently, his approach to the discourse left very little for me to respond to, except to point out the disconnect between what he had written presumably, in response to issues raised by me. His failure to make pointed rebuttals to the issues I raised and his preference for adopting the diversionary tactic of introducing irrelevant matters and information, conveyed the impression of one who was comfortable in avoiding the pertinent observations in my letter.

It is not accidental that nowhere in his letter mention was made to Africans in Guyana, which was the primary concern of my discourse. This omission on Mr. Collins part was deliberate and was intended to facilitate his generalized and unfocused discussion, which is irrelevant to the African condition in Guyana. That is the central theme of my letter.

Rather than having readers navigate an ocean of words, Collins can be more helpful to the discourse if he gives pointed and clear answers to the following: (1) Is he disagreeing with my contention that the present worldview is that Africans in Guyana – (inclusive of their religious views) - are products of enslavement, colonization, and European domination? Is this worldview rooted in the philosophical and spiritual thought of Alkebu-lan (Africa) before foreign occupation? (2) Is Mr. Collins denying that there were spiritual (religious) doctrine and practices common to indigenous Africans? Here I am not speaking about the trivial aspects of religion but of the fundamental thoughts associated with it. (3) Is he disputing that the vast majority of Africans in Guyana do not see their God as a reflection of themselves? (4) Am I wrong to say that African Christians in Guyana believe in a dominant “Male God” to the exclusion of a female equal? If Collins could clarify his position on just these few issues we will be able to have a meaningful discourse.

Mr. Collins for his part, in posing the questions: Who is an African? What is to be represented as an African belief system? What is an expression of self-hate? and What is Africa? has unconsciously demonstrated what I have always referred to as our historic disconnect and self-hate. For him not to know who is an African in the context of the Guyanese experience, points to his denial of being African. That is an identity crisis. Equally his question “what is Africa”? speaks volumes. I will, therefore, pose to Mr. Collins this question - Are you, sir, an African?

I was somewhat amused when Collins invoked what he called, “propaganda” from “Caucasian conceit” and used this to suggest that I am a victim. I believe that Mr. Collins is free to waste his time on Caucasian conceit vs white supremacy, particularly, if that gives him comfort. His point that the Caucasian has stolen things from other people and make them their own, is well established and is known to conscious Africans. But that matter was not raised by me in my letter since it was not important to my discourse.

In closing, I am eagerly waiting for Collins pointed answers to the questions I have raised.

Yours faithfully, Tacuma Ogunseye