What is this revolution that we keep talking about? First, African people, especially African women must never be intimidated by the idea to make the African revolution, in which you must play the fundamental role for its triumph. Secondly, our definition of revolution is what matters, not what our enemies, internal and external deliberately misconstrue it to be. Indeed, the triumph of the African revolution will transform humanity for eternity.
This revolution is our determination to resolve our own internal social contradictions such as feeding, clothing and sheltering our people using our own human and natural resources. This revolution very much requires abandoning old ideas and practices by our own decisive evaluations and persuading methods to move into an advance and forward — looking society. Essentially, African problems require African solutions, however “primitive” the problem is perceived. Personally, I long ago vowed that my daughters will never be subjected to this practice for health reasons and that it doesn’t make biological sense compared to male circumcision.
Beware of “feminist imperialists” and their opportunist surrogates
It is therefore imperative that African women provide us leadership in resolving the FGM contradiction through the African revolution and not leave it to career opportunists (men and women) who have been grossly impregnated with the “feminist imperialist” agenda. Countless Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) inspired careerists, Africans and non-Africans make their living off our backs in support of programs and projects that continue to perpetuate ignorance, impoverishment and abject misery. By now, we should know what solidarity is when we see one. Charities and handouts have not done us any good for the past centuries.
There is no such a thing as “women in general”. This condescending generalization is suggesting that white (European) women share the same interest with African women and other women in general. This long held illusion by some African women and other non-white women must be exposed for what it is; an imperialist hidden agenda and an extension of “the white man’s burden,” the white man’s notion that Africans cannot solve any of their problems without white people’s involvement.
All social contradictions (problems) have solutions! We must understand that every problem or contradiction has its internal causes which are the basis for change. This practice of female circumcision is our own making, therefore solutions to resolve this contradiction must be internal. Conversely, there are always external causes that are the conditions for change. All or any the potential contraindications of this practice on young girls, imagined or factual such as pregnancy complications and possible sensory deprivation are secondary or external contradictions, the conditions that are persuading to end this practice. This practice of female circumcision as it was originally referred to, before the “feminist imperialists” intervention that popularized it as “female genital mutilation”; a weaponized slogan that attracted international attention in major European and American cities littered with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) to propagate and lead the campaigns against their coined word “mutilation” of the female genitalia must be examined from its historical context.
First, we must rip the shroud covering the true history of FGM by asking questions. Is the practice of female circumcision of religious (Islam) or cultural origin? If it is an Islamic practice as claimed, mostly by reactionary backward men, why is it not practiced in the Arab societies but only among African “Muslims” and rarely among “Christians”? Besides, not all African Muslims practice female circumcision. In addition, is the practice of cultural origin? Was it women’s decision to have this practice done on them or was it imposed on women by reactionary “powerful” men? In our culture, African women have been known to perform certain bodily alterations on their faces (ears, noses and lips) as signs of beauty. The most common beauty practice in SeneGambia was the “Njamb,” the darkening of the upper and low gums of the mouth by using a needle and a special black indelible dye.
The woman is given an herbal local anesthesia on the gums and lower lip while lying on her back on the laps of the woman performing the procedure. She meticulously pricks the gum to allow the dye to penetrate the insides of the gum and lower lip. The local anesthesia minimizes the bleeding during the procedure. During the process, a chorus of melodic songs and rhythmic drumming on a big calabash immersed into a container full of water throughout the procedure. These rhythms are claimed to have calming hypnotic effects on the person undergoing the “Njamb”. This cosmetic practice to beautify women and other old traditional (tribal) practices of facial and bodily markings have withered away over the decades without any imperialist intervention. Lessons learned from our wretched social conditions and subsequent social maturity impacted on our societal consciousness to abandon old ideas and practices. Female circumcision, weaponized as “Female genital mutilation” by “feminist imperialists” will also wither away if we raise the struggle within the orbit of the African revolution. Neither the feminist imperialists nor the religious and traditional opportunists in our midst can resolve this contradiction. African women must come to the realization that some of brothers really do care, therefore let’s make the revolution and put an end to all oppressive relationships between us. African men and women share the same destiny, a united Africa for Africans at home and abroad.
The world is yet again on a vigorous centrifugal force, beyond what it was in the 1960s, the era of world revolution when we almost wrestled the capitalist beast to the ground but neocolonialism rescued the monster. The planet earth is rife with crises, natural and man-made. Peoples of the world are looking for solutions and genuine leadership out of this human misery. This phenomenon presents itself when nature and the wretched social conditions of human beings are no longer tenable and the old order must be discarded for a new beginning. Imperialism and its neocolonial appendage are in serious crisis as evident in Africa and the world over. The prevailing coups and counter coup d’etats that result into reactionary proxy wars are just a dress rehearsal: a prelude to the genuine African revolution. This time around, when the centrifugal force come to a stop, Africa must surface to the top and not remain as sediment at the bottom. And this can only happen through the African revolution.
Long live the african revolution! Freedom in our life time
