Conservative societies, especially those of the Middle East, North Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa, have for centuries been immersed in a moral quagmire.
Cultural traditions developed over millennia have been challenged by Abrahamic religion, colonialism, and western modernity. This has bred intolerance, moral confusion and endless debate as to which is better – old or new?
Imagine a father in northern Nigeria who decides that his daughter should do without a modern education and marry her cousin at the age of thirteen – while at the same time an alien culture is telling him that women should be allowed to choose their own path in life.
Debates like this have caused rebellion and insurrection throughout northern Nigeria and the Sahel, and they continue to do so today.
Now consider another cultural tradition. Until relatively recently people living on the Gulf of Biafra believed that the birth of twins was a bad omen and that it was therefore necessary to abandon twins to die in the bush. Eventually, the Christian missionary Mary Slessor had some success in combating this tradition.
Some cultural practices are evil and have no place in modern society.
Many parts of sub-Saharan Africa have largely retained their traditional belief systems even as much has been lost elsewhere due to the impact of Abrahamic religion. Although development came at a cost, we have chosen to forget the pain our ancestors endured so that we can enjoy the benefits of the conquering civilisations.
In northern Nigeria, for example, traditional beliefs have been pushed aside so that people who still hold to the old beliefs are seen as being weird and uncivilised.
Both the Kano State Emirate and the secular government have expended huge resources to convert people to Islam, and no one bats an eye. Clerics shame those who do not conform, the federal government looks the other way, and most people think it is all for the best.
The traditionalists now survive only in a few enclaves of farmers and herdsmen. Yet still they are cajoled, emasculated, and overwhelmed – all in the name of converting them to Islam. This should change so that they have a new voice and advocates for their rights. But it may be too late – the decimation has been near total.
Government and society should recognise that not all traditional beliefs are bad, and that it is wrong to discriminate against long-standing beliefs if they are harmless.
However, those which are bad – such as the facial marking of children should be curtailed. This practice served to guard against the theft of children by invaders, slavers, and jihadists but it now serves no useful purpose.
Harmful practices should be abolished to make space for modernity. But the harmless remnants of the old world should be preserved just as the relics of the ancient Egyptian culture are preserved. Moreover, injustices should be put right and reparations should be made where necessary. The right to freedom of belief should be upheld, and state resources should not be used against any section of society.
This is the dream.