THE EXETA

CHAPTER TWENTY

Suddenly, the afternoon merged into night. The sun had taken his natural hiatus and the reign of the moon was due. The Court of the Black Guild was not so completely packed today. There three empty seats for the new recruits and that had become a brother for all the brothers. The fours horse man had taken this seat. And where ready for another convocation. Grandmaster Clarence Frimpong Manso stood to his feet and addressed the current conundrum – the three missing seats of the new recruits. Recruit 45 and Setinel Okoh were called as they both stood up. Clarence then begun to speak,

            “Recruit 45, do you know where you brothers are?” Recruit 45 was valiant. The then bellowed.

            “My apologies Grandmaster I have no idea where they may be. During the course of I have had conversation with them, and all seemed doing well except recruit 34.”

            “This is strange. Any one knows the here about of our fellow recruits.” Clarence bellowed to the all the brothers. They all responded the same. They had no idea where they were.

            “Sentinel Okoh, with the current development I have to give you a charge. We are tasking you right not to depart to the apartment of the recruits and to any other place where you can find them now and give us a feedback. Today’s convocation is very precious and they cannot afford to miss any bit of it.” Clarence said.

            “Yes grandmaster.” Setinel Okoh replied and moved out of the auditorium to do what he had been told to do. Clarence was still standing stunned by all that have happened.

            “Seven days more to turn in the result of the decryption of the ciphers. Recruit 45, I hope you are aware of that?” Clarence bellowed.

            “Yes grandmaster. Mine is ready for submission.” Recruit 45 said and moved over to the central table and delivered his answers to Lawyer Lokku. All the brothers watched on excited.

            “Good, and now without further ado, we cannot wait for Sentinel Okoh and the other recruits, but as we are supposed to, we will proceed with the activities for tonight. We have received all the questions that came in from the recruit. And we are delighted to give you a fair idea what we know and think. After today’s convocation we will also give you a listed catalogue of books and the authors that confirms most of the assertions we will be expounded on today. I will now let Prof. Aikens to handle that. And brothers we are all in this together.” Clarence said and sat down. With that, Prof Aikens took the floor and spoke.

            “So, I will go straight to the point. The first question here says, what accounts for the skin of the different continents in the world example Africans have black skin and Europeans have white or fair skins. And how does the blackness of our skin affect us culturally and psychologically. Mmmh.” Prof Aikens chortled on his throat a little. All the other members have heard it all. Some started to write down stuff from the questions.

            “Great question indeed. And I believe my brother here have answers for you. So who will go first. And to add to, Recruit 45, I will propose you record today’s proceedings and deliver it to your colleagues in cases they do not make it on time.” Prof Aikens said.

            With that, recruit 45 took out his cell phone and started a recording. Mr. Renario Ademoney then took the floor to talk. He had been itching to speak for a long time and he thought this was a great chance to do that.

            “An interesting question like that will deserve an interesting answer. Now what you have to understand is that, the colour of the human skin whether white or black is as a result of the natural element called Melanin. Melanin stems from the greek word Melas, which means black or dark. Thus, melanin is dark and found in all nature. In plants, in humans, in water, in the cosmos, in animals, in the earth. Every natural thing that exist contains melanin. Melanin can also be defined as intelligence thus, that particular trait the different humans from animals. It is also believed that, melanin is produced in the Pineal glands in the brain. A special group of cells called melanocytes are the site for the production of melanin. There are three main types of melanin and they include; eumelanin, pheomelanin, neuromelanin. All these three are found in the body of a human. Now to answer the question, the eumelanin also has two kinds thus the brown and the black. And the black eumelanin is the one responsible for the back colour in many Africans. And in cases where we have African with black skin it is all the work of the brown eumelanin. Then to the pheomelanin which is responsible for the white skin of many Americans and the Europeans. Then finally to the neuromelanin this is more of the forming material that forms the brain and the spinal cord. The neuromelanin are the main components of the brain and the spinal cord. When we say melanin in intelligence, we are basically talking about the neuromelanin that forms the brain and the spinal cord thus collectively called The Central Nervous System. So it then same melanin but different people exhibit the different kinds of the melanin. It does not necessarily mean that the white melanin is superior to the black. No that is wrong it all melanin, but have different manifestations in the human.” Renario ended his exposition.

            Recruit 45 nodded his head for that as he had been enlightened so well. The other members of the Guild also nodded for the profound explanation by the Farmer – Renario Ademoney.

            “Thanks a lot brother. Ademoney, now to the next question about how this colour difference have or affects us culturally and psychologically.” Prof Aikins said. With that the Clinical Psychiatrist from South Africa took the floor.

            “For many years, there have been a battle between the blacks and the whites. We call is the white supremacy to the detriment of the black inferiority. The white man had been able to create the dogma or notion that everything black is bad and evil. That is what many have grown up with. That everything black is evil and negative. And as psychiatrist and someone who has studied psychology for the past twelve years of my life. One of the strategies of control and colonization a people is physical enslavement and also psychological enslavement. To be able to effectively have the co-operation of the lesser humans -- thus the pole you want to e*****e, all you ought to do it to create the notion in their minds that, tell them that where they come from and who they are is all negative. So the idea is to induce the notion into the minds of the whole world that Africa is negative, everything about Africa is negative and bad. So as a young child growing up in Africa they call you a n***o or a nigga which both denote evil and negativity. So from your early stages you have lost all self-confidence and esteem. The beauty of the thing is that it does not end there, they take it globally such that, anything they show about Africa on the TV are images of propaganda, rebel, evil military regimes, poverty, drought, famine, lack of development and all the negative stuffs you can ever imagine or think about a people. So that is what a lot of people all over the world see and turn to believe is true about Africa. But the truth is all these things are just a minute part of Africa all done to degrade and to create an evil mindset about Africa. So is the colour of our skin. They say black is evil and white is good so they paint Jesus white and the Devil black. So if you see the white man you think he is God and when you meet your fellow black African you think he is the devil. But I want to tell you that there is not factual evidence in the Bible that says that Jesus was white. So, do not be moved by whet the white man had created rather be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds that Black is beautify, black is nice, black is nature, black is the cradle of humanity, black if life, black is goodness, black is God. That is what am talking about.” Brother Sbu Makoena ended his exposition.

            The whole auditorium was charged as there were all learning a lot. And that was a sporadic murmur and talking’s among the brothers. What they were talking and murmuring about, we had no idea.

            “This is getting very exciting, we will then move on to the next question which says that; Why is Africa naturally endowed with so many mineral and natural resources but still we are the poorest and undeveloped. Who will like to take this question?” Prof Aikens asked.

            For this particular one Khami Keita the History Teacher from Guinea took it.  “What a great question. But I will do well to go straight to the point.  Now what you have to understand here is that, Africa is the home of rich and an avalanche of mineral and natural resources. We can talk about the gold from Ghana the more reason why they were called the Gold Coast, the oil and gas from Nigeria, the bauxite from Tanzania, and others…Africa is so rich and endowed so I do believe the question of eligible to be asked. During the slave trade, the colonial masters made away with a substantial amount of the natural resources that are now with them at the moment. England do not have any natural resource. All the they have is their sea and fish. So the gold they possess are the one they took from African countries they colonized. That was the same for all other Colonial masters. The slave trade was not the only merit they had they also took away a lot of mineral resources from the lands of their countries they colonized. After this Africans have found it to developed because they lack the technical knowhow to do so. And also, the finances.

“And one other reason whey Africa is spoor is what we called the SAP – the Structural Adjustment Programmes that are imposed on African nations by the IMF – International Monetary Fund, The World Bank, and the USAID. These three organization all in America come into Africa and loan huge sums of money to those who need them and then charge a high interest rate that they know the Africa nations can never pay back, thus enslaving the entire nation and infact the entire continent.

A typical example was what happed to President Murmur Al Gadhafi of Libya. A lot of people do not understand why Gaddafi was a taken down – thus killed. Now listen.

“Gadhafi was taken down because he together with all the other African heads of atates of the African Union were about to entrench the world biggest Central African Bank. Something that was believed it would have been a stronger and more powerful than the World Bank and the IMF – International Monetary Fund. And what would have happed to the global economic order? We know the American dollar was not backed on any natural resource, the British pounds is not backed on any natural resource. The Canadian dollar is not also backed on any natural resource. Europe do not have any natural resource but Africa does. And If Gadhafi had succeeded in creating this Central African bank then Africa would have crippled any other countries resources and that was going to be a revolution that could have eliminated modern s*****y and neo-colonialism from the African continent.” Keita ended his speech.

            With that there was a minute clap that was cut shot for him. That was proscribed in the Court auditorium. No clapping, and all the brothers knew too well. Clarence then took the floor again beckoning Prof Aiken he will take over.

            “I believe to day will be a day you all -- you recruit will never forgets. It is sad the most of your colleagues are not here. I pray Sentinel Okoh comes back with a viable and positive reason for their absence. In the light of that, we shall continue. Next question here is a little controversial since it deals with the topic of faith, spirituality and religion. The question says that, why is that currently the White man – the Europeans and the Americans who brought us the gospel of Jesus Christ -- Christianity, to teach us how to live our lives so we can make it to heaven and not end up in hell, are now themselves skeptics – they do not believe anymore in God. What happened?”

            The brothers moaned to this.  It was apparent this question at hand was cardinal. The brothers started looking at each other’s faces, looking for the daring on to take the question on board. Yosir Bouaff then stood to his feet with a high sense of resolution, poised to give his take on the topic at hand.

            “Brothers before I start to speak I like to say Any person who is not Christian in this auditorium should listen carefully. I mean not to cause any misunderstanding or strife. I just want to give my candid exposition on the topic. All I want you to know is that Christianity have it own historical that goes way down from ancient Israel. Thet are archaeological evidence of texts called the apocrypha that establishes that indeed the man called Jesus Christ live here on this earth. Christianity is not a myth, or a legend is real. Add to add if you have even heard the great king of Rome, Flavious Valerious Constantinus popular know as Constantine – many years in the AD. It was during his time that Christianity really took a stand after the incessant persecution of the disciples and followers of Jesus Christ by the vicious emperor Nero. Then according history, a lot had happened as the time most Christians were eager for the second coming of their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, so a lot of theories and Church leader rose and gave decrees about the fact that, they were the once to establish Christ literal kingdom here on earth. It was believed that the second coming of Christ was not going to be coming in flesh but rather he indwelling in the heart of his followers. So a lot of factions tries to obtain that accolade, then it came to the British. Brit, meaning covenant and, ish –  meaning man. Putting them together we get British -- the covenant man. And they believe the were supposed to manifest Christ literal kingdom so then begun to sponsor missionaries all over the world to spread the message of salvation. And African countries were not excluded.  The beauty was that when the word of God was used in the colonization process it made it easy and more effective. Because at the time, all the paintings they had about Jesus and God were all white. So the Black man as he see the white image of God will also accept the fact that the White man was ordained by God to colonize or to be superior to the black man. So what happened, Christianity spread, not for the correct purposes for which was intended for. The gospel of Jesus Christ is about hope, and salvation not s*****y and oppression. But the white man turned the message and used that to e*****e his fellow black man. And now do you know what I think, Africa has become more grounded in religion, spirituality, in Christianity ubiquitously, because when we heard the word we took hold of its truth and live according to it. But the White man did not so, his original intention was not to save lifes but to e*****e them. So, with the current increases in knowledge, power, vast mineral and natural resources, scientific advancement, they do not need God any more. They do not need Jesus any more. And they are trying to also persuade us to be like them by making us accept Homosexuality, b********y, telling us there is no God and that we should stop going to church. In all that I have leant, all I can say is that you can never trust the white man.” Mr. Buaoff ended and took his seat. Another profound exposition there.

            Clarence shook his head in acquiescence to all that his brother had said, and added.

            “And just to add, to what Mr. Bouff had just said, is not all Europeans and American who do not believe in God. There are Americans and Europeans who are still staunch Christians. Just for you to know. So, we will move on to our final question. For me this was my favourite. I hope it will also be your too.

            Clarence said and took a deep breath, and read from his iphone, “Why is there some incessant cases of police have to molest and arrest blacks in the America. So simple but yet very pressing. So, this is the question, the floor is opened. The brothers were quite with this particular question when Mr. Edibo Fetumba rose to speak.

            “Interesting question it is, so I will do well to say what I think about that. The real questions I believe we should all be asking if that is it with the White man. Because you have to know that, the Black man have not problem with the white man. It is the white mans who has a problem with the Black man. We all know what happened. The white man came to the black man lands to spread the message of God, but they ended up colonizing and taking away all the black man had. Black did not go to Europe to colonize them. It was the Europeans that came to Africa. And why that? Because that say, we had all that mother nature could possibly endow mankind with. And they did not have. So that had to use persuasion through the barter trade, then later force through s*****y to take all that we had. From the inception, the ideology was that the black man was the inferior and the white man was the superior. Everything about the African is evil. Nothing good can come out of Africa. Africa is a place full of negativity and no one succeed and thrived inn Africa. that it the kind of ideology and notion the white man has about the black man. So now what do you think? Can anyone tell me what will happened next.” Fetumba said now moving about the auditorium with so much zeal, he asked again,

            “So what will you think will happen? Its simple, since you have your continent or your origin but have refused to stay in your home land or home town and you rather prefer to come to the Whiteman’s land every misfortune or every plight that befalls the White man will be directed toy you. Yes, you the Africa or black man living in America. Because their fore fathers have thought them that, the black man is the source of all evil and predicaments. Nothing good ever comes from the black man. So with every little issue it is the black man then look to, but when it comes to success and good feats then it all goes to the white man. That is the sources and origin of all racism all over the world. Every good thing comes from the white man and every evil thing comes from the black man. And this is not going to end now if we do not rise up and defend ourselves and love each other. This is going to get worse, I tell you brothers, racism is not dead, its still alive and healthy.” Fetumba ended and moved to his seat. He had been drawn so much into his speech such that, he was virtually crying.

            All the brothers were quiet for some time. Then Hagos Ghebreyesus also stood to his feat and added,

            “So this is it brothers, the struggle for black liberation and equality. If you find yourselves in this auditorium that I believe you should not have a shred of doubt about what we stand for or what we hope to achieve. As a musician a listen a lot to the songs of Kendrick Lamar and all that he always talks about is that Edibo has expounded. Our fellow Africans in the diaspora are going through a lot. Some going through so much depression and humiliation. A lot of economic crises and what have you. The ball is in our courts and whatever we do now will be the legacy we leave for posterity.” Hagos then sat with that brief admonishing.

            Matthias then move ahead to the center of the auditorium and on the projector. The LED light then flicked straight to the screen. On the screen as he explained,

            “Recruits, excerpt the fat that most of you are not here, but All that we have said are knowledge we have obtained from research had book we have read from stanch and great writers. If you want more information on Africa and the Black in the diaspora you can check this list on the screen;”

THE DESTRUCTION OF BLACK CIVILIZATION: GREAT ISSUES OF A RACE FROM 500 B.C. TO 2000 A.D BY CHANCELLOR WILLIAMS

HOW EUROPE UNDER-DEVELOPED AFRICA BY PROFESSOR WALTER RODNEY

AFRICA AND THE CURSE OF THE NATION STATE BY BASIL DAVIDSON

AFRICA MUST UNITE BY KWAME NKRUMAH

BLACK CONSCIOUSNESS & THE QUEST FOR A TRUE HUMANITY BY STEVE BIKO

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT IN HISTORIC AFRICA BY JAMES D. GRANT

COLOUR PREJUDICE, PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE BY HENRY V. H.  SEKYI

PAN-AFRICANISM: THE STRUGGLE AGAINST IMPERIALISM AND NEOCOLONIALISM, DOCUMENTS OF THE SIXTH PAN-AFRICAN CONGRESS BY PROFESSOR HORACE CAMPBELL

I SPEAK OF FREEDOM: A STATEMENT OF AFRICAN IDEOLOGY BY KWAME NKRUMAH

PAN-AFRICANISM: THE IDEA AND MOVEMENT, 1776–1963. BY ESEDEBE P. OLISANWUCHE

            “All these books can ground your foundation and can give you a lot of insight into all that you need to know as a future member of the Brotherhood. Mattias ended and Clarence took over thanked the brothers and promised to give them a feedback as soon as he received a message from Sentinel Okoh about the recruits. After all was said and done, the convocation was dissolved.