In Africa, tradition is a word that brings up strong emotions. For many it represents heritage, culture, family etc. One could argue that it is everything to some people. As African youths we have been taught to believe that it is the backbone of our society. Any departure from tradition has been seen as a signal of societal decay. This is why most people (especially those from older generations) have linked society’s problems to our abandonment of the ways of our forefathers. But is this really the case?
I have listened to and watched reports of harmful acts all done in the name of tradition. We have cases of arranged marriages, child brides, killing of albino children, female genital mutilation- the list goes on and on. Attempts to tackle such issues have been resisted by those who claim that any form of change is harmful because it goes against the ways of the ancestors. As a result of these attitudes, the societies which have experienced these issues have had great difficulty progress. This lack of progress is made clearer when we compare such societies to those of the developed world (i.e. Europe, North America, Australia, and Japan).
Now some of you are going to say that I am being biased or disloyal and that Western society has its problems. I strongly disagree with the first two points and wholeheartedly agree with the last point. If you bear with me, my point would become clearer. While Western society does have its obvious problems- the main ones being a gradual loss of moral values and a lack of communal spirit, the fact remains that it has still progressed further than our own society. We can see it in the political, social and technological innovations that they have made and how these have allowed them to dominate world affairs. Many people would be tempted to think that they are inherently different from us but the truth is that they are not. In fact the major difference between their society and ours is that they embrace their curiosity. In a discussion about the economic and technological inequality between Western and 3rd world countries, historian Niall Ferguson (feel free to Google him) referred to a period known as the ‘Age of Enlightenment’ (Google again). This was a time when the leading thinkers of that time willingly and openly challenged traditional ideas. The key point there is that they were solely focused on the progression of society as opposed to the adherence of traditional ideas. If a traditional practice was beneficial to society, it was kept and improved on. On the other hand if a particular practice was detrimental to society’s progress, it was discarded. As simple as this idea may seem, it has been the major reason behind the dominance of Western society throughout history. This is why they have taken ideas and resources (both human and material) and used them for their own benefit.
Africa is a continent blessed with resources and ideas. All we need is the willingness to challenge ourselves and accept our failings. If we accept our failings instead of burying our heads in the sand, there is a lot that we can achieve. I am not really against tradition in its entirety as it does have some benefits. I am against the baggage that it comes with. The stubborn adherence to traditional practices even with evidence that shows otherwise is very harmful. If we are ready to discard ideas that are detrimental to our progress then we can eventually catch up and hopefully exceed the societies that have surpassed us. The first step to this will be a free exchange of ideas particularly among the youth. If we young people continue to be held hostage by the cultural/tribal/ideological prejudices of our ‘all knowing’ forebears – (all in the name of tradition), we will not progress as a society. Once we begin to understand that our forefathers were men like us- prone to errors in judgement, it will be easier for us to objectively assess their practices and see how it impacts our present day society. We should not forget that yesterday’s new ideas are now today’s traditions. There is nothing wrong with positive change and as young people that is what we should stand for.
Now some of you are going to say that I am being biased or disloyal and that Western society has its problems. I strongly disagree with the first two points and wholeheartedly agree with the last point. If you bear with me, my point would become clearer. While Western society does have its obvious problems- the main ones being a gradual loss of moral values and a lack of communal spirit, the fact remains that it has still progressed further than our own society. We can see it in the political, social and technological innovations that they have made and how these have allowed them to dominate world affairs. Many people would be tempted to think that they are inherently different from us but the truth is that they are not. In fact the major difference between their society and ours is that they embrace their curiosity. In a discussion about the economic and technological inequality between Western and 3rd world countries, historian Niall Ferguson (feel free to Google him) referred to a period known as the ‘Age of Enlightenment’ (Google again). This was a time when the leading thinkers of that time willingly and openly challenged traditional ideas. The key point there is that they were solely focused on the progression of society as opposed to the adherence of traditional ideas. If a traditional practice was beneficial to society, it was kept and improved on. On the other hand if a particular practice was detrimental to society’s progress, it was discarded. As simple as this idea may seem, it has been the major reason behind the dominance of Western society throughout history. This is why they have taken ideas and resources (both human and material) and used them for their own benefit.
Africa is a continent blessed with resources and ideas. All we need is the willingness to challenge ourselves and accept our failings. If we accept our failings instead of burying our heads in the sand, there is a lot that we can achieve. I am not really against tradition in its entirety as it does have some benefits. I am against the baggage that it comes with. The stubborn adherence to traditional practices even with evidence that shows otherwise is very harmful. If we are ready to discard ideas that are detrimental to our progress then we can eventually catch up and hopefully exceed the societies that have surpassed us. The first step to this will be a free exchange of ideas particularly among the youth. If we young people continue to be held hostage by the cultural/tribal/ideological prejudices of our ‘all knowing’ forebears – (all in the name of tradition), we will not progress as a society. Once we begin to understand that our forefathers were men like us- prone to errors in judgement, it will be easier for us to objectively assess their practices and see how it impacts our present day society. We should not forget that yesterday’s new ideas are now today’s traditions. There is nothing wrong with positive change and as young people that is what we should stand for.
Is Tradition a hindrance to our growth?
