We live in a world full of uncertainties,non-sureties and confusion. Despite this candid fact some of us sons and daughters of the almighty God just pay a mere attention to the real rocks that support the lives of many in this man eat man society. The African society at large has neglected core values that it used to uphold some decades ago when names like Kenneth Kaunda, Julius Nyerere, Samora Machel and Nelson Mandela were so common to many inhabitants of this second largest continent on earth.
The rate of core human values erosion is shocking and frustrating.
It is this observation that has rekindled the innate zeal in me to focus on the plight of young African men mostly those between their twenty and thirty five years. The young African man is at a greater risk of facing depression,psychological torture and stress if the life he is living now is the same that future young men would live in the future to come. If you are keen enough you must notice how the girl child empowerment is rapidly changing its core mandate in African countries and instead of focusing on how to better the environments of both the boy and girl child the agenda has been how to make the boy child appear the assaulter while the girl child show cased as the victim.
This to me is not the way we should go, we should revisit and reorganize our thoughts to fulfill our collective goal of gender equality and equity.
It is common to hear words like 'we ni mwanaume vumilia' meaning you are a man just persevere. They are always forced to leave their beds for their beloved female relatives during populous ceremonies like marriage or funerals. They do not complain when asked to warm themselves near fireplaces at around 1a.m while their mothers and sisters are enjoying sweet dreams during ceremonies.
They are the same people who will ensure that women have eaten first before they eat.And after all these sacrifices that quite a good number of young women perceive as responsibilities, they are never appreciated by many but still they move on because to them 'aluta continua.'
At a tender age some of them who come from poor backgrounds are forced to fend for themselves because the burden is too large for the low income earning parents. For those from wealthy families life is bearable but he is always reminded that 'hii mali ni ya babako tafuta yako' meaning this wealth belongs to your father source for yours. They struggle and some make it to higher learning institutions,some earn scholarship program while others source finances with casual jobs to cater for their studies. At the end of the day ladies who scored lesser grades than them will be enrolled for the same program as them and when the young man performs well it is considered normal but when a lady performs well it is to be a special congratulation message from prominent people and a village talk for about two weeks.
It still augurs well with them because life has hardened them and they won't complain much.
They face outright rejections from women they propose to. They move on because wisdom has taught them that love is not forced on anyone. They sacrifice their pocket monies and buy their lovers lot of goodies, escort their girlfriends when they have paid a visit but never to be escorted back because it is believed they can brace the night without fear. They still move on and ignore even facts that their so called sweet hearts are sleeping around with lecturers, members of county assemblies or even elected governors who are considered by the 'advanced ladies' as loaded and generous. The cheating girlfriends forget that these are the men that will marry them and not those wealthier,married but hungry men. The young men will still prove their love and if by chance things go astray they are left in stress while others may even threaten to commit suicide.
They toil in the sun in most urban areas and come in the late hours of the night due to overtime jobs just to support their diabetics ailing parents in the village.
A few may come to help them while others may watch at a distance and murmur 'It is his responsibility' but for them it is sacrificial love and abundance empathy and still the society with the help of corrupt police forces will forge or stage manage criminal scenes and put them in custody for no apparent reason.They are denied their rightfully qualified jobs in preference to their beloved sisters some of whom are under qualified but give their beautiful GOD given bodies to senior male bosses or job connectors who rob their virginity and make them unholy, GOD forbid and forgive us. They still man up and pursue their careers despite all odds. Some end up being killed by terrorists while on duty protecting their countries that neglected them in time of need and as usual they never harbor grudges all they want is peace and prosperity.
It is high time that young men from our blessed continent should be appreciated because they undergo lot of pain silence.Am not advocating for any discrimination against our beautiful and hardworking sisters and mothers am just seeking restoration of core human values and appreciation of everyone in this society.
No comments:
Post a Comment