ninehillsRAMBLE in the JUNGLE
Party Politics is a Colonial Construct
By Wanaku Verdzekov · · Africa & the Gulf of Guinea
Date note: Undated Facebook post, estimated to about 2020.
Tags: party-politics, family, divide-and-rule
As indigenous Africans, my GrandPa and GrandMa had NOTHING to do with party politics, for a simple reason: it is a colonial tool for DIVIDE AND RULE.
In the context of the Cameroons, if you like, re-examine your own family and you will find opposing family members, some belonging to the CNU/CPDM, others to Party XYZ… and both sides ready to pull knives on each other for little or no practical reason.
Note: the definition of "family" in Europe and the US is NOT the same as in an African indigenous community. So just because Europe and the US "play" party politics, it DOES NOT mean African indigenous communities should "play" with their families.
That will not work. It has never worked. And the current DYSFUNCTION of government is evidence of the truth we speak here.
Ija'iku fɨlasi!
TM
See also: "Colonialists didn't fail to root out Africa's tribal politics. They created it." (African Arguments, 6 August 2019).
— Wanaku Verdzekov
Reading & grammar
Reading level: Gr 9–11
Understand
- Why did the author's grandparents have nothing to do with party politics?
- What does the author say happens inside families because of parties?
- How is "family" defined differently in Europe and in African communities?
Grammar focus: the word construct. A construct is an idea built by people, not a natural fact. "Party politics is a colonial construct" argues that parties were introduced, not native.
Try it: Name two other social constructs (for example, time zones, school grades). Explain who built them and why.
Discuss: Are political parties necessary for democracy? Argue with reference to the text.