Ibo Background Assessment

Note: Written from a non-Ibo person perspective, however the person has knowledge of what the Ibo culture is and what their achievements are and is speaking on behalf of it at the Royal Colonial Institute’s annual dinner. Set in the Late Victorian era, as the assignment suggests. Words in-between this: [ ], are explanations of phrases, and would not be said in the actual speech.

            Greetings, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Royal Colonial Institute. As you all know, this is a time of great change in this world. In the span of 100 years we’ve gone from walking on foot and horseback, to being able to get to Edinburgh from London in only 8½ hours whilst sitting, in relative comfort. Despite losing America a century ago, the British Empire has grown immensely since then, acquiring massive territories in Africa. Truly, the Sun never sets on the British Empire. But despite your dominance and hegemony over the world, the human cost of the colonies that form your overseas empire has been overlooked.

            There is this idea that the people who are natives to the lands you, and the ones who have come before you, have conquered, are ‘savages’. This is a false assertion, I can assure you all. Through research, I, among others, have discovered facts that deal a fatal blow to the assertions of Joseph Chamberlain and others like him. The Ibo people have a working social system, and despite not being as technologically advanced as us, they know how to smelt and forge iron into tools such as hammers and cooking pots, for instance, and have developed a sustainable form of agriculture, that yields a good amount of crop fairly consistently. In addition, the Ibo social system, while different to the British social system, is still orderly, there is an order to the way things are done there. As there is here in the UK, there to, is a form of democracy, or at least participation by the people. Decisions are not made by a single man or woman, but rather as a group, or at the least as a council; unlike even some European nations today, such as the German, Russian, and Austro-Hungarian empires.

            These attributes alone suggest that European empires have been getting colonialism wrong this whole time. The idea that Africans don’t have the same potential as Europeans to create new technologies and have ordered societies has now been completely debunked, just by these two factors. It is evident that either massive and radical changes have to be made on the issue of colonialism; or the idea that colonialism is an altruistic and beneficial endeavour must be put aside, and colonialism admitted as a policy of pure greed and lust for power. It is of my personal opinion that the European powers should pull out of Africa, and give the colonies back to the local peoples. Instead of subjugating them, they should aid them in transforming their nations into modern, industrial economies. 

            Let’s not forget that there are countries in Europe too that have not fully adopted into this age of industry, such as the ‘Bear to the East [Russia]’, or the ‘Sick Man of Europe’ [Turkey]. The Ibo lands, and others, do not need European ‘overlord-ship’ to succeed, and its not like European rule has done much for them anyway. How can the British Empire, for instance, espouse democratic values, yet at the same time, not let the local peoples that live in their colonies have a say. It is time for the British Empire to become consistent in democracy and its values, and give power back to these peoples. To do any less prevents Britain from having the moral high ground on the world stage. There’s no shame in not being the biggest empire in the world, if it means gaining the moral high ground. Surely as a nation that is practically wholly Christian, not including colonies, can agree on the importance of morals in the world, after all, Jesus too lived under the rule of an imperialist power, and was even executed on their orders. Think about it, although the British Empire is spreading Christianity, ask yourselves this: "Would Jesus agree with the way you have decided to spread the religion started in his name?" I urge all of you, despite your dedication and belief in the cause of colonialism, to change your view on the issue. All things born must die, the same goes for empires. All that is left behind are their legacies. Even the Romans, the ones who famously executed Jesus, and persecuted Christians for years, left behind their art, their language, and the ideas and philosophies they adopted, which was remembered in the lands that they held. What will the people you have colonised remember you for, a thousand years from now? A people who couldn't stay true to their democratic values? A people who couldn't even stay true to their own faith? A people who thought of rights given to us at birth, yet slaughtered those who only wished for self-determination [refers to the response to rebellions and other acts in the colonies, such as the killing of a village done by the British, in Achebe's Things Fall Apart]? Think of your legacy, think of your faith and God, think of the social contract of decency you have to your fellow humans, and make a decision in favour of them, for once in your lives.

Source for train time statistic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Scotsman_(train)