Letter To My Fellow Nubians

Letter To My Fellow Nubians
Posted on: 2009-Jan-13 : 10:33

Understanding this reality requires a reminder of how Nubian's’ arrived in Kenya. As William Faulkner once wrote, "The past isn't dead and buried. In fact, it isn't even past." We do not need to recite here the history of ethnic injustice in this country. But we do need to remind ourselves that so many of the disparities that exist in the Nubian community today can be directly traced to inequalities passed on from an earlier generation that suffered under the brutal legacy of military services, which Nubian's were forcefully conscripted into the colonial British Government as Kings African Rifles Army (KAR) in the early 1900s.
Nubians have further been marginalized and have experienced gross violation of their political, economic and social rights by both Colonial Government and Present Government. According to Sir Harry Johnson Commission of 1900-1901, which was known as Johnson’s commissions, recommends and propose among other things 1] maintaining Nubians’ presence in the region, 2] scatter the community in small number and 3] never allow the group to settle. This problem, which was created a century ago, has remained unresolved to date.
The Nubians, despite serving in different British services have been subjected to a process of ‘unclear status’ and created land ownership crisis. Johnson’s recommendation was taken seriously and tailored in creating a cycle of violence, blight and neglect that continues to haunt the Nubian community today – or it might even continue to haunt future generation; if we the present generation does at least solved these problem.
The challenges Nubian face are real, serious and many; we have achieved very little progress towards community development due to our divergence and conflict among ourselves. It is the time for us to wake-up and embrace the burdens of our past without becoming victims of our past. The time to work; as one community over meaningless division – meaning continuing to insist on a full measure of justice in every aspect of our life in this world - that working together to move beyond some of our old national wounds, and that in fact we have no choice but to continue on the path of a more perfect union.
Solving these challenges facing us it will depend on our HOPE to change towards UNITY of purpose over CONFLICT and DISCORD. Nubians must go back to the drawing board and solved the puzzle created by Sir Harry Johnson; and the secret is to work with his recommendations of 1900-1901 – we need to revise his recommendation and place it into work. We should used diplomacy when handling challenges facing and concerning us. Therefore Nubians must work on formulae-able “Blue-Print” for community development, which will bring the change to Nubians lives.

Unity
Our unity is the most fundamental aspects of sending message to our respective Government and to entire Universe about our identity, wherever we are. The enemies of Nubians are Nubians themselves – Most of the so-called Nubians elite society, spiritual leaders, professionals and political leaders are just marionettes rather than community leaders, they serve their interest first, and that of community later – moreover they are egocentric and reluctant on addressing the problem community are facing. Most Nubians’ always feels neglected on the decision-making concerning the community affairs and development. This results to lack of basic services towards community development, which undermines our own ways of development and lifestyles. All Nubians have a mandate in fostering Peace, Love and Unity among themselves; this should start right-away from our backyards, Mosques, Madrasah and in all our public and private gathering. We should embrace phrases like “Ana nubi”, or “Ina nubi” and avoid calling others by names, using abusive languages in public places, finger-pointing our mistake on others, for instance using phrases like “Ita kum nubi”, “Nubi keshim”, or “Ita nubi ta wen” – only cowards thinks in that line of hatred, remember we are all Nubians, “if we rise; we rise as a community – and fall as a community”. Original Nubians were borne to live, work and love one another as brothers and sisters, but the present Nubians have lost that faith and trust among themselves.

Embrace Our Culture and Heritage
We “Nubians” normally swank about our rich culture, yes we are? But try to ask for explanation, no one is ready to justify it. For how long should we keep deceiving ourselves about our rich art, culture and heritage - when we are not ready to learn and embrace our own art, culture and heritage?
We must maintain our identity as one people. Be proud of our art, culture and heritage. It is obvious that the present Nubians shy-away from their art, culture and heritage, copying foreign culture and behaviors. Unlike our forefathers who persevered, protects the culture and heritage safely for us. The question is, “what do we have for the future generation?” Some of Nubians’ arts, cultures and heritage are gradually been forgotten or completely disappeared.
The Nubian youth’s no-long engages and practice traditional weaving, plaiting, nose and ears piercing – most of Nubians handicrafts are been associated today with Ethiopians culture, perhaps soon or later; Nubian’s handicrafts like “Kuta, Tabaga and Birisi” will be in a wave of losing its originality rights from the Nubians – just like “Kikoi” to British and “Kiondo” to Chinese. A well built museum on Nubian art, culture and heritage that will help in portraying and promoting the real Nubian image, not only as way of persevering our culture and heritage – but as an educational and research centre that will open-up Nubian community to the rest of the world. The used of Nubian plays, songs, narratives and poems will help in shaping up our culture and identity. We should also take advantage of every government and private public holidays/gatherings, weddings, seminars in promoting our culture by wearing our traditional attires.

Working with Government
We must engage constructively with government at all levels. This means that Nubians community must learn to be proactive rather than reactive. For a century, we have been working outside government and the price is lack of development and basic services. Working within government of day will enable us to address our problems and tackles them directly. Our Ignorance, Rebellious and anger often prove counterproductive - Anger is not always productive; indeed, all too often it distracts attention from solving real problems; it keeps us from squarely facing our own complicity in our condition, and prevents the communities from forging the alliances that needs to bring about real change for community development.

Policy-Makers
We are living today in a world beset with widespread cases of corruption and misuse of high positions in almost every country. Who is an ideal Leader? According to Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (A.S), “An ideal leader of a society is the one who ever remains aware and conscious of the problems afflicting his people”. He meant a leader, who feels deeply concerned of their poverty, sickness and lack means for their upliftment, despite himself having sufficient provisions of food and other amenities for his own home, he refrains from remaining satiated in order to share with his people in their afflictions.
For a long time, Nubians’ Politician, Professionals, Spiritual leaders and Elite society “both from Home and Diaspora” have isolated themselves from community issues or perhaps, they might have been isolated from involving in community development projects - whichever come first, but the truth - they are adamant in the community development and social issues. The backbone of a community normally depends on Politician, Professionals, Spiritual leaders and Elite society, whose mandates are to oversees, runs and formulates policies to be followed – to our case; the leadership has been left to the hand of non-experts to lead.
The time has come for all Nubians Religious Leaders, Politicians, Professors, Lawyers, Investors, Entrepreneurs, Stakeholders and Elite Society in the community “both from Home and Diaspora” to come up with a BLUE-PRINT for community development – that will address challenges facing Nubians Communities in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and throughout the Universe. The Nubian policy-makers must work on a formulae-able recommendation and proposal on A FIVE YEARS VISION PLAN for community development. The focal-point of this Vision Plan must address: Unity, Education, Health, Agriculture, Youths and Women, Employment and Business, Housing and Infrastructure among others.

My dear fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and children, I wish to entreaty to all Nubian communities throughout the world, to embrace Nubian culture and heritage wherever they are.
Beledianubi focuses towards revitalizations and promotions of Nubian Culture, Art, Heritage and all aspects about Nubian lifestyle. We cannot achieve this alone, though we can play part in building community development strategies - therefore we are calling upon the entire Nubians communities and friends of Nubians throughout the universe to join hands and humbly make a difference, through your contribution and support to boost Beledianubi Organization in meeting its objectives and visions.
We ought to flash back on our past and be ready to save the future of the next generation – their future depends on us. “JITIHAD FI MILADNA”

SOURCE http://www.beledianubi.com/?page=correspondence&type=news&id=1