What is African dynamics or what is black family dynamics? In general family dynamics involves patterns of relating/interacting between family members. Each family system has a particular dynamic and unique ways of interacting, although there are some common patterns. All families have some helpful and some unhelpful dynamics which affects individuals personally, emotionally and even mentally.
My discussion today is related mostly to African families or black families. I am discussing this topic because it relates to me, my life and what I have gone through. In a way I am examining myself, any one who has ever studied philosophy must have read Socrates quotes, especially the one where he said "the unexamined life is not worth living", and as a student of philosophy I can not live my life without examining it. That is how philosophers acquire knowledge and wisdom.
The African family dynamic is made up of a father, mother, and siblings, but that is not all, you have uncles and aunts from your father's family and you have uncles and aunts from your mother's side of the family. You also have grand mothers and grand fathers from both your father's family and mother's family. And remember your grand parents have brothers and sisters too, those are also part of the family at least the black family or African family. In the black or African family we also have cousins, nieces, nephews and extended families.
Don't get me wrong the African family dynamic is very important, it plays a role in our lifestyles. It helps shape who we become. But the fact is if we allow certain family relations in their lives, they may drive us to our early graves or they might just kill us. And some do kill us either because we are progressing in the family or because we speak out against them. This has being part of the black family dynamic. Black on black crime is a perfect example. This is where black people kill each other. Some kill each other by using guns, or machete-the African style. Another African style is through traditional medicine, what we call 'Juju'. Your own uncle or aunt or cousin will be jealous of you because you are smarter or more hard working or just because they don't like you and they will eliminate you. This has been part of the black family dynamic since before slavery. Another example of how blacks contributed to slavery: A family member during the period of slavery could sell a close relative to slavery because she or he does not like him or her. Many family members sold their own family members during the slave period. It was very common.
We Africans must re-evaluate ourselves, the way we think and the way we act towards one another. Life was given by our creator and every human being should have a chance to live their life. If anyone is facing some kind of problem with a family member I will suggest you use you brain. Use your mind to overcome this kind of problems. Life is too short to be fighting small issues. Most often it is better to avoid those family members completely. Live your own life, concentrate on what you need to survive. Cameroon has real problems, Africa has real problems, we need to try to solve these problems by coming together. To the Francophones and Anglophones in Cameroon, I am speaking especially to the youths. We need to stop tribalism and discrimination within ourselves. For 35 years President Biya has not done anything significant to better the system in Cameroon. The leaders in Cameroon have failed us and the leaders in Africa have failed us; though the leaders in Africa are doing their best to make an improvement. I have said it before and I will say it again I am happy that African Union is leaving ICC in June this year. Each country in Africa must contribute some sum of money towards the inception of the African Justice system. We need to keep our differences aside and tackle these issues Cameroon and Africa faces. Africa is for Africans. Black Power, rise!!
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