Africanews
African institutions, both secular and religious are quick in labeling "dissident" and "extremists" whoever does not agree with the routine and the established policy. In doing so they deny themselves also the contributions of the real prophets. |
"How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You make fine tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of those who lived good lives; and you claim that if you had lived during the time of your ancestors, you would not have done what they did and killed the prophets. So you actually admit that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Go on, then, and finish what your ancestors started! You snakes and children of snakes...." (Matthew 23:29-34)
The "teachers of Law and Pharisees" of Matthew's gospel had grown into an institution. They could be identified as such during Jesus' time. They drew his ire not as individuals but as a group; not particularly because of personal hypocrisy and insincerity, but rather on account of collective blindness which the system had induced into them. Protected as it were, by a sinful system, they could and did hide behind it to kill the messangers of change, the "prophets, sages and teachers," crucifying them, publicly shaming others in their places of workship, and chasing still others from place to place.
There is something about institutions and systems, as we note here, that renders them at best impervious to criticism and at worst extremely violent towards it. This is the only logical explanation for the long existence of oppressions, such as slavery, colonialism, and lately the autocracies, dictatorships and other forms of institutionalized violence in Africa. The founding fathers of African independence movements were invariably harassed by the colonial system. But after independence, other oppressive systems developed to replace the colonial regime. The one-party system of the very same founding fathers and their successors in political power soon brooked not the slightest contradiction nor opposition from their citizens. Whoever dared to do so almost invariably paid with their blood. This 25 or 30 year period before the 90s may be described for many African peoples as "government by terror".
Yet it is hardly warrantable to assert that the heroes of African independence, or all their successors in government, were bad people. Nor can one assert, witnessing the current situation of violence there, that the contending forces in Rwanda, Burundi, Liberia, Somalia, Sudan, and in so many other places in Africa, are all composed of "evil" women and men. What is possible to state equivocally, however, is that mistrust and hatred in those circumstances have been institutionalised, and that these institutions are evil and facilitate violence. They have thus made it possible for even otherwise good people to kill, maim and whip others in their name. And among those who have suffered most at their hands are the critics of these institutions, the prophets of peace.
Obviously, it is not only colonialism, one-party system, autocracies and dictatorships that are intolerant of critics and prophets. Religious institutions and systems cannot claim to fare any better either in this matter, given the evidence at hand. After all, Matthew's Jesus was not addressing his remarks to civil but to religious authorities. And it is arguably because religious institutions are guilty of institutionalised violence that civil institutions cannot be restrained from doing so. By whom? For if religious spoke and acted vigorously against the violence of tribalism, favouritism (nepotism), corruption and selfishness, much violence would be reduced in society; many Africans are members of organised religion.
Are religious systems in Africa therefore effective in terms of change from violence to speak? They could do more if they themselves did not harbour violence in the form of intolerance. Where example is lacking doctrine is over hollow. Today Christianity and Islam marred the world over by way of thinking and acting which are dangerously narrow and bigotted. A few examples will suffice. When church authorities muzzle or banish loyal critics and dissidents, they are crucifying and killing the prophets and sages. Church authorities may argue today, as many an institution has argued before, that these people are "extremists," come here to disturb the "order," that is, the system. Thus the system is made impervious to change. At any rate, it is difficult to justify to the listening world how the "extremism" of the critics deserves in response the extremism of the institution in terms of promoting and maintaining peace. Similarly, if Moslem fundamentalism embarks on a campaign of terror as a means of putting a religious point across, the claim of peace as the mainstay of the religion becomes a travesty to all with eyes to see.
Religious and civil institutions in Africa are in greater need of prophets and critics today more than ever. They need loyal dissidents whose calling is anchored in God in the sense that they are inspired by and speak in the name of God. This is the basic characteristic of their ministry to society: whether dependent on careful study and intellectual analysis of situations - as is the critic - or on "seizure" by the divine spirit to become its mouthpiece - as, strictly speaking, is the prophet - both are intensely concerned with moral values. The issues at the centre of their lives are practical. They are concerned with the promotion and protection of human life and dignity. In other words, critics and prophets are preoccupied with issues of justice which forestall violence and make true peace possible. Oppression, poverty, corruption and open tribal or factional conflict, as external manifestations of structures of injustice, must of course be fought against in Africa. But for enduring and meaningful peace much more needs to be done. The "infrastructures" that make violence endemic need to be addressed as well. Systemic cultural; political and religious violence are such infrastructures and also constitute a real enemy to justice and peace. The prophets and critics in Africa have refused to mystify and sanctify these systems and institutions. The are to be acknowledged in this as instruments of divine order.
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