In the Beginning, Human Beings everywhere were Ignorant and Barbaric
Light is a metaphor for education. It conveys a vivid imagery that the entrance of education illuminates the mind and frees humankind from ignorance and darkness. Across the world, the number of people with access to education has increased. In the not too distant past in my country Nigeria, you have to be been able to take your right hand across your head and touch your left ear to qualify for entrance into basic schools and at a time when malnutrition was prevalent in rural areas, most eight-year-olds failed this simple test. That was ignorance at work.
Also, across Nigeria, education freed the people from many backward cultural practices. Some readers may be familiar with how Scottish missionary Mary Slessor stopped the killing of twins in Eastern Nigeria, however, only a few know that the evil forest mentioned in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart existed in many villages in Eastern and Midwestern Nigeria until the late 1980s. Persons with swollen stomach, or feet were considered to possess ‘strange sickness.’ Upon their demise, they declared such persons unfit for burial within the community and so their families suffered the indignity of burying them in the evil forest. In earlier times, those with ‘strange illnesses’ were taken to the evil forest while alive. This accounts for the reason Unoka, the father of the tragic-hero Okonkwo was banished to die in the evil forest. Being a musician, Unoka went to the damned forest with his flute.
Regrettably, these cultural practices were not limited to Africa, they existed in some parts of America. In many Latin America cultures before Spanish explorers came with their colonialist’ policies disguised as ‘Expansion of Faith Mandate,’ it was common to make human sacrifices to the sun god. Among these cultures, it was believed at the time that the more human sacrifices offered to the sun god, the more warmth the sun god bestowed on its followers.
Indeed, the world owes much gratitude to the West for education and enlightenment. But even the West was not immune to the ravages of backward culture. Dueling was common in Europe and America until the late 19th century. Can anyone imagine two American statesmen engaging in gun battle today to settle personal scores? Surprisingly. this was the case between the sitting U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr and U.S. first Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton to settle political scores. The Heights of Weehawken in New Jersey hosted the mortal combat between the adversaries on July 11, 1804. one shot each was fired by Burr and Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury missed his mark but the sitting Vice-President did not. Alexander Hamilton died from his wounds the following day.
Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton were some of America’s brightest minds in their time, nevertheless, they succumbed to what Immanuel Kant describes as man’s primitive and egoistic nature that rendered their individual geniuses impotent. Aaron Burr was admitted to Princeton College at 13, and graduated with distinction at 16. It was argued that Burr was one of most brilliant students to graduate from Princeton College in the 18th century. Alexander Hamilton on the other hand grew up in Danish-owned Saint Croix in the West Indies and soon his remarkable intelligence caught the attention of locals after he penned and published an essay that aptly captured a hurricane that ravished the island. This spurred the community to crowd-fund his education in British-governed America. In colonial America, Hamilton’s talent caught fire, coupled with his industry, his fortunes soared rapidly. Indeed, humankind’s primitive cravings and ignorance wasted the best of us.
Let us turn our attention to President George Washington who like many of his contemporaries rose from very humble beginnings to lead the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War (1775 – 1783). He was also the President of the Constitutional Conference of 1887 in Philadelphia that decided America’s system of government. Remarkably, he was the only presidential candidate in America’s 237 years of democracy to receive 100% vote cast from election delegates.
Unhindered by any constitutional term limitation, the first president of the U.S. set the precedent for American presidents to remain in office for only two terms. In American history, President George Washington was shoulders above his contemporaries, in grace and in valor; only one man came close enough in comparison, Benjamin Franklin. However, this story is not about President Washington’s service to America, several monuments around America tell the story of his service. This story is about how a gap in knowledge robbed America of its brightest star at the age of 67.
Although it is recorded that President George Washington died by ‘divine providence’ on December 14, 1799 after distress from an inflammatory sore throat, the truth is that he was misdiagnosed, and his ailment labelled as ‘quinsy,’ what is now referred to as acute epiglottitis. Rather than treating him with antibiotics, his physician chose ‘bleeding.’
Also, U.S. first Secretary of War, Henry Knox falls into the category of persons snatched too soon by death due to gap in medical practice. A chicken bone lodged in his throat caused acute throat infection, what doctors today call peritonitis. He died three days later at the age of 56. If this happened in America, the center of knowledge and science in the 19th century, consider the fate of those in countries located on the fringes of the world.
Knowledge is Light, but it is not Enough without Refinement
In the 20th and 21st centuries, the world witnessed tremendous advances in science and technology. Life expectancy increased around the world and human population surged from about 1 billion in 1800 to about 6 billion in year 2000. Sadly, in spite of these advances, humankind is still attached to cultures of darkness. In the past, adherents of countless gods around the world made human sacrifices out of ignorance. Today, supposedly educated men around the world are making human sacrifices to balance the account of weapon manufacturers and to maintain geopolitical dominance.
In the past, countless individuals died from pestilence, famine, endless tribal wars and primitive cultures in Africa. Today, multitudes die due to a culture of greed by criminally-minded, yet educated politicians. It is common knowledge that the Boko Haram insurgency in Northern Nigeria is sustained by greedy political leaders and military commanders who benefit from the conflict. Many retired senior military officers have been prosecuted for siphoning funds meant for combating the insurgency. In a country where corruption is endemic and pervasive, often the prosecutors are as soiled as the prosecuted, though they are thoroughly educated.
Education without Refinement is a Waste
What then is the benefit of education if it does not produce better outcomes in our conduct towards fellow human beings? Today we are studying at Schiller University, working hard to get outstanding grades and receive our degrees, but the important question is: for what end? So we have better paying jobs and live the good life? Many political leaders who have set the world on fire for selfish reasons acquired education like us and are living the good life, but has the world become better because of their education?
There was a time in Nigeria when candidates with multiple university degrees, especially those privileged to attend ivy league institutions abroad are considered to be above board. Not anymore. There is the example of a medical doctor who spent many years working in the U.S and in 1999 he returned home to contest for governorship position in one of the South East states. A fine gentleman, or so the naïve electorates thought. For eight years he looted the state and impoverished the people. This is a common theme in Nigeria. The more extensive the travels across the globe, the longer the degrees and awards, the bigger the proclivity for looting.
If higher education, even global education is no guarantee for good conduct in public space, what then is the value of global education? Today, migration is a big issue across the West because of failures of government in other parts of the world. The frictions and conflicts generated by the clash of cultures and civilizations will increase in the coming years as the descendants of migrants take over the political space in cultures once alien to their ancestors.
A Congested West is Recipe for Crisis
The prescription for this crisis is for many of us who have acquired higher education abroad to be determined to return home and use our skills and knowledge to build better societies in our continents. Nigeria for example is a beautiful and rich country to live. One dominant piece missing is good leadership and that will not come from outer space.
The West has a part to play in helping Africa and other parts of the world to enthrone good leadership. Western support for African governments starting with election monitoring must shift from narrow economic interests that benefit only the West to supporting the democratic process to produce leaders who reflect the wishes of the voters. We must be determined to make our education, and our exposure count for true democracy and world peace.
