Zumo News

In 2019, while representing his country at the 2019 African Cup of Nations in Egypt, Senegalese football player Krepin Diatta was subjected to online trolls and racist abuses for his looks. He was mocked for “being ugly”.

In response to the massive attacks online, Diatta wrote this very touching piece:

“I am very sad to see some African brothers making fun of me. I work for our beautiful and dear African continent, and what I receive in return are only insults, and mockery from my brothers.

This is too bad of you and racism comes from there. I need your encouragement and not your insults.

Thank you to everyone who supports me. Only God makes my strength and I am proud of my physical person. Your mockery won’t change anything in my life. But one thing is for sure, we are all African.

This took me back to my younger years, growing up in my village. I was used to being called all sorts of names – mnyamane, lefifi, darkie, mantsho. At the time it hurt to be called these names, but one tended to outgrow it.

However, it ingrained in me the thought that being dark is a crime in this world. Why are we, people of darker complexion, always at the receiving end of abusive behaviour by our fellow human beings?

What hurt most about this was that I did not choose to be dark and it was something I could not change and had no control over. It’s like when you are a student and you lose a girlfriend to a working person! You are hapless and helpless.

I was born this way; there is nothing I can do about my colour. I was once stopped by police officers (some darker than me) on the streets of Joburg who demanded my identity documents asked me things in Sesotho or Setswana, just to check if I wasn’t a foreigner.

But me being me, I would tell them where to get off. I find this behaviour amateurish and discriminatory, particularly from fellow Africans. This is black-on-black racism, period.

At the end of the day beauty is not about physical appearance or your face, but your inner self.

Our real beauty lies within us and not in our appearance. Why do we like this “pull him/her down” syndrome as Africans? The majority of our people have perfected the art of pulling each other down.

Instead of celebrating each other’s success, many of us hurl names at those climbing the ladder of life. Why can we not we celebrate and accept each other as we are rather than go the insults route?

At first I thought this was apartheid mentality. Clearly not. If people in other parts of the continent, who have never experienced apartheid, could behave this way, then the issue is more than what I had assumed it to be.

This is one of the reasons we are not progressing faster as a continent, as we are preoccupied with pettiness. Let us change the way we think and treat each other as Africans – together, we can do it."

Website: www.theafricandreamsl.com

share on
           


Kindly Login or Register to comment and like and earn

Others are reading

President Ruto declares three days of mourning following the death of the gallant military officers. Kenya Defence family and the whole nation has been thrown into mourning after the death of 10 military personnel. Urinating at night significantly disrupts both nighttime rest and overall well-being. The health crisis in Kenya continues to escalate as the nationwide strike by doctors, clinical officers, and laboratory officers enters its fifth week. These ibe the word which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side This explains the covenant will establish with isaac State officials give governor's sleepless nights As you age, focusing on a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats becomes increasingly important for maintaining health and vitality. Fake friends often use excessive flattery as a guise to gain your trust and manipulate you. Unease in Ruto, Raila camp as young leaders challenge status quo