Ambassador Victor Asije, an Implementer of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Media and Information Literacy (MIL) in Nigeria, has called on Africans to be reasonably proud of their colour wherever they are, and wherever they may be in the world.
Asije gave the advice in a message to mark this year’s International Day of The Boy Child, which was observed globally last Saturday,May 16.
The Ambassador,who particularly enjoined African boys to always be law-abiding in foreign countries, reminded them that they were of the same biological composition with other nationalities.
“Dear African boys,I will to say to you all and other Africans in different nations of the world, to always be proud of your colour.
“I will to warmly remind you of your uniqueness just like your counterparts in United States, Europe,Asia, Middle East, and other nationalities across the world.
“As I appeal to you to be law abiding wherever you are outside your country and continent, do also,always, be awake and aware that you all have the same biological composition,potential, possibilities, and opportunities like your white, yellow,red, and brown counterparts!.” he said.
Asije, who noted that
African men and women,boys and girls were currently thriving cooperatively, and progressively with their other-coloured counterparts overseas,urged more Africans to continue to keep developing their intercultural communication skills.
According to the Ambassador, the reason some Africans are being discriminated against, is partly because of their low self-esteem, and feelings of inferiority when in the midst of other foreign nationalities.
Asije, who expressed satisfaction at the growing level of interaction and engagements between white, yellow, red, brown nationalities and Africans, added that more Africans urgently needed to begin to break away from all forms of social inhibitions, and self-limiting beliefs.
“It is vitally important that more Africans begin to see and relate with other white, yellow, red and brown counterparts, just the same way they see,and freely relate with their African family and community members, friends, business associates, colleagues, and clients.
“What is mostly needed is, first,slowing down to study and understand them, to enhance every form of engagement you would want to have with them.
“Again,I say that from experience, studies, and observations,we all have the same biological composition and genealogy with Americans, Chinese, Russians,Indians, Britons, and other nationalities on the surface of the earth ” he said.
The UNESCO MIL Implementer said that the growing awareness, and understanding of Africans engagement dynamics with other nationalities, had resulted in more intercultural marriages, business engagements, people-to-people exchanges, stronger international relations and diplomacy.
Asije also called on African governments to establish more educational institutions to prepare, and equip more Africans for relaxed mutually beneficial engagements with other foreign nationalities.
The Ambassador further encouraged more Africans to begin to invest, and reinvent themselves to self-improvement in peoples skill, language acquisition, and and think more globally.
“I can assure us all that after sustained period of honest and transparent interactions, and engagement with these foreign nationalities, you would discover by yourselves, that they are just your African type, but in different colours.
“But in dealing with them, you must, yes,must uphold, and repeatedly practice the Golden Rule of,”Do unto others as you want them do unto you” if you want a long-term relationship with them.”
Asije said.
According to the Ambassador, different cultures of different peoples and nations, are gradually being modified to meet with universally accepted standards and values.