Comfort Musa, Award Winning Journalist shifts the narrative of being apologetical to a group of artist, persons from diverse backgrounds who have come together to learn about knowing one's roots in order to fuster development.
"We are not telling our best stories because we are not using our best languages. We think English is cool and pidgin is beneath us. We need to listen to ourselves and stop apologizing because it's ok to speak pidgin, it's ok to speak our local languages, that's where our authenticity comes from and we need to tell our best stories", Comfort Musa 2022.
Many of the participants attending the session in Banjoun, West region of Cameroon have described their session with Comfort Musa as a healing therapy, thinking African, within context and shifting from stereotypes of misrepresentation, inline with self denial in the line with culture.
" The language you use will strip you of your authenticity....We don't tell our best stories because we don't use the language we are comfortable with". This is Comfort Musa's conception.
She explained further that distancing selves from roots and culture to embrace what is foreign just to feel elevated or different, is a way of thinking which according to her must be shun.
"We should be proud to express ourselves in pidgin, in the vernacular. Talking about development, You cannot develop something you don't know and you cannot develop what you don't appreciate", Comfort Musa.
Language is described as words that are deeper than what it appears to be; just words. "It expresses what you believe, defines who you are, sets an agenda and language is political".
Making reference to when the German imposed their language on Africans rather than learning the native language they met, simply because they felt it was a perfect tool to control "our destiny". Comfort Musa says though they left but the control remains.
"We are promoted for speaking English, punished for speaking pidgin, promoted for speaking German". This explains why most Parents feel their kids are more inclined, better placed when they learn what is foreign which according to them gives them kids a better place in society.
Whereas it is rather valuable to have children study or learn their mother tongue in order to identify themselves wherever they go in society.
"Our ancestors gave us alot of blessings but the transmitted alot of trauma, we are dealing with some generational trauma, we need to develop by first of all changing our mindset, assert ourselves without excuses".
In contemporary society some people will often think that for people to speak pidgin or the vernacular in the midst of other people, its debasing.
"Colonialism is so active, we keep seeking for white validation. You need to be free, so that you can be yourself unapologetically".
It is important to trace your roots, know where you coming from in order to know where you going to. Embracing oneself is the only way to successfully develop your immediate environment.
By Ndefru Melanie in Banjoun
ndefrumelany@gmail.com
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