Idang Alibi
25 October 2007
opinion
A few days ago, the Nobel Laureate, Dr James Watson, made a remark that is now generating worldwide uproar, especially among the blacks.
He said what to me looks like a self-evident truth. He told The Sunday Times of London in an interview that in his humble opinion, black people are less intelligent than the White people.
Since then, some of us cannot hear anything else but the outrage of black people who feel demeaned by what Watson has said. So many people have called the man names. To be expected, some have said he is a racist. Some even wonder how a "foolish" man like Watson could have won the Nobel Prize. Even white people who, deep in their heart, agree with Watson want to be politically, correct so they condemn the man.
Why are we blacks becoming so reactive, so sensitive to any remarks, no matter how well-meaning, about our failure as a race? Why are we becoming like the Jews who see every accusation as a manifestation of anti-Semitism? I do not know what constitutes intelligence. I leave that to our so-called scholars. But I do know that in terms of organising society for the benefit of the people living in it, we blacks have not shown any intelligence in that direction at all. I am so ashamed of this and sometimes feel that I ought to have belonged to another race.
Nigeria my dear country is a prime example of the inferiority of the black race when compared to other races. Let somebody please tell me whether it is a manifestation of intelligence if a people cannot organise a free, fair and credible election to choose who will lead them. Is it intelligence that we cannot provide simple pipe-borne water for the people? Our public school system has virtually collapsed. Is that a sign of intelligence? Our roads are impassable. In spite of the numerous sources that nature has made available to us to tap for energy to run our industries and homes, we have no steady supply of electricity. Yet electricity is the bedrock of industrialisation. When you agree with the school of Watson, some say you are incorrect because all these failures are a result of poor leadership. Why must it be us blacks who must always suffer poor leadership? Is that not a manifestation of unintelligence?
In the name of international trade, bilateral co-operation, globalisation and other subterfuges, the norm in the world today is for smart people to appropriate the wealth of other people for themselves and their countries. But more among the blacks than any other race, the practice is to steal from their own country and salt away to other people's country. Is it intelligence that our leaders steal billions of naira and hide in other people's country?
Anywhere in the world today where you have a concentration of black people among other races, the poorest, the least educated, the least achieving, and the most violent group among those races will be the blacks. When indices of underdevelopment are given, black people and countries are sure to occupy the bottom of the ladder. If we are intelligent, why do we not carry first when statistics of development are given?
Look at the African continent. South Africa is the most developed country because of the presence of whites there. This may be an uncomfortable truth for many of us but it exists nevertheless. If the whites had been driven away after independence, we would have seen a steady decline of that country.
In terms of natural endowment, Africa ought to be the richest of the continents but see the mess we have made of the potential for greatness which God in his infinite wisdom has bestowed upon us. We have proved totally incapable of harnessing the abundant natural resources to become great. Today, there is a renewed scramble for the wealth of Africa. China, our new "friend", does not bother about the genocide against fellow blacks in the Sudan by the Arabs who control the affairs of that country. They say they do not want to interfere in the internal affairs of any country. All they want is the oil in Sudan to run their industries. Yet, we blacks have not seen the Chinese action as an affront to our sensitivities. Every race takes us for granted because we are so weak and so foolish, if you permit me to say it.
I am really pained by our gross underachievement as a race. Instead of regarding bitter truths expressed by the likes of Watson as a wake-up call for us to engage in sober reflection, we take to the expression of woolly sentiment. For me, this type of reaction is a further evidence of our unintelligence. A man of intelligence recognises genuine criticism against him and takes steps to improve himself in order to prove his critics wrong. But for us blacks, our reaction is to abuse the man who expresses worries about our backwardness.
Other races are deeply worried about us because we are a problem to the world. We suffer from the five Ds: disorderliness, debts, diseases, deaths and disasters. Our disorderliness affects others or else they won't be too bothered about us. Many are afraid because our diseases could infect them. Polio has been eradicated all over the world yet it is still found in Nigeria here. When they give us money to help us eradicate it, our thieving officials will embezzle the money; the virus will spread and endanger the health of not only our people but other people as well.
Out of a shared sense of humanity, some cannot bear to see how we die in thousands almost every day from clearly preventable diseases and causes. For years now, our people die extremely painful but perfectly preventable deaths from buildings which collapse because they were poorly constructed. How can you tell me we are as intelligent as others when we set traps for ourselves in the name of houses and others do not do so? Some people are extremely frustrated about us. If they have a way of avoiding us, they will be too glad to do so because we are a problem.
As I write this, I do so with great pains in my heart because I know that God has given intelligence in equal measure to all his children irrespective of the colour of their skin. The problem with us black people is that we have refused to use our intelligence to organise ourselves socially and politically.
It should worry us that we do not invent things. We do not go to the moon. Our societies are not well-organised. We have the shortest lifespan of all the races. Something must be wrong with us. Why are we not like others? Our scholars will be quick to say that these are not the only ways of measuring intelligence. They will quote other scholars to adumbrate their point, but the fact remains that we are not showing intelligence. Others are showing it more than we're doing. If they are not more intelligent than we are, let someone tell me how to put it. God himself must be frustrated with his black children. They must be an embarrassment to him. He has given us everything he has given to other of his children; why are his black children not manifesting their own gift?
A few years ago, the whites used to contemptuously call the Japanese "little Japs". Today, the Japanese and other Asians have pulled themselves up by the bootstrap and have arrived. No one speaks of the Japanese or Asians with contempt anymore. When people like Watson speak about us in unedifying terms, we should take it as a challenge to prove them wrong by sitting down to plan how we can become world-beaters.
If our political leaders are the reason for our backwardness, we should resolve to get the kind of leaders who will be instrument for our rapid progress. I may not know how intelligence is measured but my limited knowledge of intelligence is that it can also be measured by the kind of leaders a people decide to have. If, for instance, our professors preside over the massive rigging of elections, it means that we do not have very intelligent professors. Such rigged elections will no doubt produce unintelligent leaders. Such unintelligent leaders will do stupid things which will prove that we are not as intelligent as other races. Do I sound confusing or intelligent?
I am ready for some of our 'patriotic' intellectuals who will write and abuse me for the 'outrage' I have expressed here but I stick to my guns: we lack intelligence and as stated in the Bible, anyone who lacks intelligence should cry unto God who is the custodian of wisdom to bestow some upon him. We should go on our knees today and ask God why we do not appear as intelligent as our other brothers. I am confident God will reveal to us what we must do, and urgently too, to change our terribly unflattering circumstances.
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Your comment is riddled with factual errors and omissions.
As though that were not enough, your stubborn and no doubt unintelligent refusal to recognize the reality of innate african unintelligence is compounded by the fact that your comment is filled with simple, indeed simplistic - dare I say simple-minded? - spelling and grammatical mistakes.
Thank you for confirming the (obvious) truth of Mr. Alibi's courageous message.
Sincerely,
- Lawrence Buckingham
New Orleans, Louisiana
Mr. Buckingham,
Do you really think staceyt26's spelling errors is proof of their lack intelligence. You know very well this comment area is simply a place to quickly jot down a few thoughts and as people's time is limited it is easy to make typos. I think your comment was really a bit petty.
That said why is it so important to you to have proof of what you state is "inate African unintelligence"? If it were proven what woudl that mean to you? As I stated in my other post if it were in fact true (I doubt it) then this would mean morally those that are more intelligent would be responsible for lending a helping hand to those that are not.
What is your goal in asking people to believe as you do?
Mr. Buckingham, how many languages can you speak? I live in South Africa, and many black people can speak over 9 languages. Most can speak more than 3. For an intelligent person as you, it is odd that you fail to see that the person you are targetting is not writing in his/her first language. I would like to see your attempt of an answer in your 2nd or 3rd, or maybe ninth language. Proudly South African
While I do agree that the black population has its problems and, as someone who is very scientifically minded, I believe that the comments made by Dr James Watson actually have scientific ground and have sadly been demoted to some form of prejudice comment (see the post by ascraa1), I must say that I think the author of this article doesn't quite realise the many other factors that have not aided the African population.
These other factors, I believe there are many. Some very simple and others more complex. I really don't believe that Africa has been helped by it's geography or it's history. the continent, has probably been the most abused of all by nature and by other races. It is no real excuse that Africa hasn't advanced as much as the rest of the world, but it has certainly been hindered throughout its history.
Over here in the UK, we have a large number of Nigerian immigrants. In fact, out of all the immigrants coming into the UK, the Nigerians are overall the best performing of them all. By performing I mean to say that these are the people getting into the best jobs and earning the most money. It is Britain who is taking on Nigerian doctors and nurses! That is an example of both the positive and the negative side of Africa today. Africa is seeing their skilled workers, the people with intelligence and ability to support and create a stable country, leave their homeland.
I must agree with the sentiment on Africa needing to pull itself together and prove to the world that it has something to offer. I am tired of hearing of the past and seeing all the dark fingers pointing at others, blaming them for their problems. They need to work for the collective and they need to do it themselves.
Anyone who has visited or lived in Nigeria knows that the difficulties go much deeper that what anyone is discussing on this forum. I love Nigeria and have a great affinity with the place and its people BUT until we change the people in power's mindset and way of thinking, stop them chanelling their intelligence into corruption and blackmail and give the people on the streets, the everyday people like you and I who have to function on a day to day basis and try to make a living, until we give them their basic human rights on a daily basis things are going to be a long time changing. Morality only come with a full belly. We in the west can criticise and make moral judgements BUT we do not know what it is like to have no electricity for 7 days and still be charged for it, no hot running water, roads that anywhere in the west would classed as impassable and salaries (if thats what you can call them) that do nothing to encourage intelligent human beings in making good sound decisions and judgements. When the government is openly corrupt and plays with people's emotions and black mails individuals when they have something they know someone else wants, how on earth can we expect most of the general public in Nigeria to behave with good ethics and morals when they have no role models at the top. Its a "if you cant beat them join them" mentality. If you and your family are starving, have no decent job that pays a decent wage, persistently have to drink dirty water thus contracting typhoid regularly, no electricity most of the time in unbearable humidity and heat and young children to take care of its inevitable that some will be forced to do things they know are morally wrong BUT desperate people do desperate things. This has nothing to do with who has the most intelligence, its the way we use our intelligence and how we apply it. I have visited and lived in Ketu, Lagos on many ocassions and I firmly believe that we in the west need to help with education and changing their thinking and mindset in order that they can see a beautiful future for a country full of many beautiful people who just want to be given their basic human right and get on with looking after their families and making a reasonable living.
Is this then not the actual problem the writer is putting forward. The lack of ability by the masses to see wrong and and respond appropriately as a people. If you see shit in your won backyard, wont you do anything to have it removed? Would you stand by and get busy with blaming the shiter, while the shit stays there? Wake up and smell the reality and don't be a statistic of what the author of this article is saying. If we be intellingent enough, then we should be acknowledging were we are and make concrete plans and strides towards where we would like to be, than keep defending the obvious!!!!
I find it strange that people immediately equate relative average intellegence to unintellegent. I am less intellegent than Albert Einstein. I am less intellegent than my daughter. I am less intellegent than probably more than half the population of the planet. But I don't think of myself as unintellegent. Also, what type of intellegence are we talking about ? If it was the ability to speak many languages, then I think black people are more capable in this type of intellegence, on average, than white peple (or at least more able to apply themselves). I also believe that Oriental people are more intellegent (at scientific logic for eg) than white people, generally. Yet I would be classified white - am I saying I am unintellegent? Of course not.
See all comments (41).
This article is an example of why as black people we are often our greatest enemies. How can you ignore all accomplishments of black througout history and agree that we are not intelligent. In ancient history, Look at the accomplishment Nubia, Mali (timbuktu/Djenne), Ethopia, Benin. In modern history, do some research on the black inventors, entrepeneurs, writers, and intellectuals. Please read some books before making broad, uninformed self-hating statements about the intelligence of your race.
Secondly, realize that the history of the degradation directly relates to foreign and domestic misdeeds. Let's look act the intervention of the CIA, the multinatinal corporations, and other interests that propped up some of these dictators. What would have happened to America, for instance, if the French decided to side with the British in the revolutinary war and worked systemically to kill off all progressives, would America be the same as it is today. Is this really an issue of intelligence?
Please do not succumb to ignorance and self-hatred, instead use your position to point people towards truth and understanding. I am all for personal responsiblity but that is very different from historical amnesia and the decision to agree with racists who call you inferior.