By Samuel Nnadi/ Paul Ugwu

Despite all the societal awareness to end racial abuses, racism is still perceptibly witnessed by every Black or African person who has ever lived in the UK.

This evil is so woven in the UK society that it feels as if you committed a crime solely because you are black, even though the crime was perpetrated against black people. On one occasion at work, I felt like an alien of the little green man during what I called ignorant white male that was displaying me as a coon survival.

The effect of these abuses has gradually compelled me to start seeing history in an unjust and erroneous way, that portray all black people as victims of slavery. Aside this, it is untrue that I, like millions of others, think that Britain’s extensive involvement in Africa is only what shaped our history. This clear assertion that highlights the contributions of Africans during this period with the intention of absolving them of any responsibility is very deceptive.

The focus of this article is to recognise the hidden truth of Africans’ contributions—both positive and negative—to this history of our continent. This, in my opinion, will be important as well in the process to facilitate our exclusive growth.

My intention is to unveil how we share equal responsibility with Europeans for the problem of our past and how the current abuse of discrimination is still very much flourishing in our communities today just like Europe. Prejudice and discrimination are still pervasive in both Enugu, Nigeria, and London with the main distinction being that in London it is called racism whereas in Enugu state, where I was born, it is called tradition.

To examine further, let me first go over the unacknowledged role the Africans played throughout slavery and how frequently they continued to nurture this evil past unnoticed, while blaming everyone else. Furthermore, how we are quick to criticise the descendants of European slave buyers, while not considering the descendants of slave sellers in our own towns; this is also to investigate how their descendants remain prominent and their victims continue to suffer their cruelty.

Continuing, I’d prefer to discuss this in contrary to European perspectives; my testimony will be based on African perspectives, utilising real-world evidence, and focusing on what I discovered in the hamlet where I was born. Growing up, I was frequently warned that if it had been back then, I would have been sold into slavery for my bad attitude. This subject is very conversant to everyone around my hometown and was not considered offensive until I moved to the UK; to discover the tragic history of slavery, and why it should not be used as a precedent or warning.

To investigate further on this, I started researching these heinous acts committed by Africans under traditional slavery. In one of my findings, I read of a man who desired for an Ozo title. According to the story, this man sold two of his children in exchange for the title. His reasons were that his age group was mocking him for not affording the Ozo title. In another story, a father had so many children that he had to sell two of them in exchange for one cow; and this story will go on and on.

Nevertheless, one could argue that these are stories from the past, but apparently those who were victims of this awful calamity are still tortured in the villages as osu or ofu, just like I am racially slurred in the UK as a nigger. When the osu caste system initially developed, the Igbo were ruled by the natural rules of the land, known as Odinani.

It was said that because of these laws, people bought slaves to be offered as sacrifices at festivals to atone for their sins. (Remember that the offence of the osu was also sin.) Although this practise has tainted presently, the thorny subject of becoming the community’s King is still being opposed, which in certain instances has resulted in protests, fights, and disputes. This was the case in Obuno Akpugo community in the Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, where 19 out of the 30 kindred groups protested to the Enugu Government House and warned of potential conflict if such a traditional ruler was placed in the community. The osu are up to date viewed as second-class citizens in comparison to the Diala. In today’s Ngwo where I was born, they are still objected to when seeking for love, marriage, or often amicable connection outside of their cast, denial of chieftaincy titles. This practice is most prominent in parts of Enugu State, precisely in Nkanu and Ngwo where cultural and political issues are laced with segregation. This wickedness manifest in different forms, in my village the practice has changed into nod and code languages, just like they are called by different names in various communities. Adding that the biggest problem in Africa, is how we let wicked tradition divide us, even though we protest it abroad; racism and apartheid in Europe and South Africa, yet we still treat one another unfairly due to a toxic rule that our ancestors left us.Another area this has gradually survived is the Church, even though this so-called group was among the first Igbo people to adopt Christianity, resulting in how civilization and modern education have influenced Igbo culture. This vexing practise has continued to persist.

However, the active influence of Christianity was part of what reduced some of the practise, yet most churchgoers still maintain their views on topics such as marriage, thus why the outcome has been the same as it would in the broader society. According to Chinua Achebe’s No Longer at Ease, osu are given special places in churches (referring to Okonkwo’s Christian father and mother who oppose his marriage to Clara). The osu caste system has also drawn criticism from some who think it violates people’s rights to be free from discrimination as the Igbo tribe begins to modernise. According to some of this human rights groups, this group are still meted with punishments like disinheritance, ostracised, denial of membership in social clubs, violent disruption of marriage ceremonies, denial of chieftaincy titles, deprivation of property, and expulsion of wives in other part of Igboland. The late Nigerian premier, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, was also a fierce opponent of the Osu caste system. Dr. Azikiwe said, “It is devilish and most uncharitable to brand any human being with a label of inferiority due to the mistakes of history,” in a speech delivered to the members of the now-defunct Eastern House Assembly (The IGBOs) on March 20, 1956. Igbo leaders and pressure groups are also raising their voices, but most of these leaders are unwilling to set the example with their household. When I discuss prejudice of using two different standards, I mean this. Its bias that is subtle and hidden instead of overt or blatant.

This is what I call Invisible racism, a type of prejudice towards specific people, using deceptive or purportedly passive tactics; This is Prejudice decisions originated and then hushed up or rationalised in a way that society would accept. This only tends to result in several circumstances that enhance the oppressors while impairing the rights and capacities of the oppressed. Subtle racism is still common in my tradition, and it is frequently used unwittingly to a substantial extent. I say this because it seems contradictory to me how the same people that demand equality in the land of the white man will maintain silent or even support the same unfairness rife in their own community.

The notion that charity begins at home is well recognised. The fact that people are afraid to bring up this injustice makes it terrible that it needs to be stopped because it is so harmful. All of us must have equal rights because we are free at birth. In most situations, the so-called Osu are more successful, wealthy, and attractive, and because of this unpleasant culture, most of them marry outside this community they inhabited all their life.Finally, until I put my own conscience to the test, I had always upheld that Martin Luther was speaking exclusively of white Christians when he said, “In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. Then it became clear that prejudice is not just committed by those who promote evil, but also by those who merely speak out against it, according to Luther. Therefore, anyone who witnessed evil without protesting it, is complicit in it. Furthermore, the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

The Big question remains, within this period we have hauled this evil. What progress has it brought to the entire society, or do we hold the view that our misdeeds would only be overlooked during election years? Just as we complain about marginalization in Nigeria, our brothers, with whom we eat and dine daily, have worst at our hands.

This practise has only resulted in unfulfilled hopes, premature deaths, and tragic endings for all individuals who have been directly or indirectly influenced by this ritual.

Samuel Nnadi is a Nigeria born British citizen.He studied politics in Nigeria and Computing in the United Kingdom. He is currently working as a data analyst for Foundation Development Limited in London.He is passionate about Racial related topics and human right. He is a follower of Black Life Matters.