The Great Divide between Black Americans and Africans -By Ginika Mbata

One race, two names. It’s not news that some days ago there was a feud on popular social media platform Twitter between Blacks and Africans. This feud was because of, wait for it… Black female rappers. It quickly escalated to Blacks calling Africans names such as “ape” and “booty scratcher”. One even went ahead to diss African Wi-Fi connection and of course, the “twitter savages” A.K.A Nigerians did not take sitting down. They fired back “savagely” saying things like “Our wi-fi lasts longer than a Black’s life span”, “no wonder your ancestors were traded for mirrors” and “your neck is a knee stool for the police.”

From the above exchange, one can infer that there is a great disconnect between Africans and Black Americans. Why is this so? I thought and thought until I came up with the following reasons:

1. Black Americans’ attitude towards Africans: Most Black Americans do not like it when the term ‘African American’ is ascribed to them. They think it’s only fitting for African migrants. Also they use hurtful African stereotypes such as “Africa is a poor continent”, “They have iPhones in Africa?” and “They don’t have schools in Africa.” And this irks Africans to no end.
2. Stereotypes: Just like the above-mentioned hurtful African stereotypes, Blacks are also stereotyped by the media. They are shown as uncouth people who are mostly uneducated and foul-mouthed, people of loose morals, drug addicts, gangsters and dissidents who spend most of their lives in jails and lazy people who would rather depend on the Government than get a paying job. Most of these stereotypes are perpetuated by Blacks themselves especially in their music videos. When Africans generalize that all Blacks fall into the aforementioned bracket, it does nothing to heal our relations with Blacks.
3. Victim playing: Centuries ago, the Whites came to Africa and colonized many nations. Many Africans were treated less than favorably by these Whites. Although it was nothing compared to what the Blacks’ ancestors suffered as slaves, Africans think that Blacks like the narrative where they are the victims. Even after so many years of freedom, Africans do not understand why Blacks like to scream “Racism!” at any slight transgression by the whites. The likes of Jussie Smollett and Bubba Wallace who faked racist attacks on themselves drives home the point. Playing the victim card does not endear Blacks to Africans.
4. President Trump and the Republicans: Surprising, isn’t it, that a white man is deepening the divide? How? You might ask but know this; the average African is not pleased with how Barack Obama who is affiliated with the liberal Democratic party ruled especially because he tried to get African nations to accept gay marriage among other things. They see him as a corrupter. Meanwhile, most Blacks think the world of him. Now, Trump, that’s a different kettle of fish. He belongs to the conservative Republican party and does not condone LGBT members. Africans see him as a godsend while most Blacks accuse him of being racist. Also, the Republican party conspiracy theorists called Democrats “anti-Christ” and in an über-religious continent like Africa, which makes them unpopular. The constant debates about President Trump further disintegrate the relationship between the two parties.

Now, I think that we are still one race no matter where we are based. All Blacks need to set their differences aside and work together to make life better for ourselves. A divided clan is easily wiped out. Blacks all over the world; from the Americas and the Caribbean to Africa must work together for the progress of the black race.

Or so I think.