The Scripture, as written:
“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…….”. (Genesis 1:26)
“Man”, made in the image of God. This “man”, repudiated God by disobedience, embracing Satan’s wiles, thrown out of the Garden.
Despite which God effected “Man’s” Redemption, for “man” to return to his created state. In the process, destroying the “old world” with the flood, after which “man” was dispersed all over the earth, with different languages and territories; Redemption continuing, till date.
The Redeemer, by whose Blood we are Redeemed, when questioned by Pilate as to his being a king, responded thusly: “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” (John 18: 37)
The Truth is the cause, the cause is the truth.
Non-recognition of which made Pilate look foolish with his next question, to wit:
“Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all.” (John 18:38)
Coming to the realization of facing the Truth, in person.
Affirming what is written:
“And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD. ” Then He closed the book and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:17-21).
“Man” therefore, had been given dominion over all things created, to wit: “fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:28)
Because “man” had turned from his created state, becoming like every other thing created, exchanging dominance for domination, becoming an object of exchange—by “toiling” over all things created; these, becoming objects to be exchanged for use, which determines its value and is determined by it.
Commodities.
“Man”, in this instance, the African, became transformed into a commodity.
Black Lives, becoming commodities, “living things”, chattel slaves, bought and sold, a possession, through the Arab and Trans-Atlantic Slave Trades, with all the implications for the humanity of the African.
The “Black Lives Matter” movement, leaning on the shoulders of the Civil Rights Movement, itself anchored on the various revolts by the enslaved Africans, whose freedom, by virtue of the Emancipation Proclamation, effectively ended the American Civil War, once again, manifesting how “Black Lives Matter”.
The “Black history Month”, begun by the pioneering efforts of Carter G. Woodson, a Christian, though critical of the contradictions of the “church” in his day, restating the humanity of the African and their contributions to the development of the American Society, in all fields of human endeavor.
By which we know that “Black Lives Matter”.
The consummation of imperial plunder on the African Continent, actively sustained by European/White Christian Missionaries, glorifying the commoditization via their “3cs”—Civilization, Commerce, Christianity, reinforced by the establishment of the various military forces, pressed into the service of suppressing the humanity of the entire Africa Peoples, corralled into the Colonial State.
The anti-colonial struggles, proclaiming “African (Black) Lives Matter”, re-establishing the humanity of the African; and for the Yoruba Nation, now heightened with calls for her Autonomy.
Re-imagining our humanity, and for the Christian experience in the Yoruba Nation, “Black/African Lives Matter”.
Mojola Agbebi at the 1911 Universal Races Congress against racism, advocating self-governance for African churches, his 1902 Inaugural Sermon bearing witness and establishing the Yoruba Baptist Convention in 1914.
Fulfilling the Scripture: “Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works”. (James 2:18)
Mirroring Abraham, Moses, Caleb, David et al.
The saving Faith.
“Black Lives Matter”, in words and deed.
In the political, anti-colonial firmament, in Nigeria, the 1918 Adubi War against colonial taxation; the 1945 formation of Egbe Omo Oduduwa, changing the nature of anti-colonial narrative, introducing the Federalist notion into anti-colonial discourse; the 1947 Abeokuta Tax revolts; Omowale Malcolm X’s visit to Ibadan; anti-military “June 12”, its human symbol, the champion of reparations for slavery, and de-commoditization of Africans.
Globally, the Haitian Slave Revolution, rejecting the commoditization of their humanity; Isabella Baumfree, also known as Sojourner Truth because “I was to travel up and down the land showing people their sins and being a sign to them, and Truth because I was to declare the truth unto the people”; Marcus Garvey of the United Negro Improvement Association, the forerunner of the “Black Star”, the Montgomery Bus Boycott; the March on Washington; the Summer Freedom Rides; Soweto; “melo ni a o ka lehin adepele”, a. k. a, the list could go on.
Despite which the wheels of racism and white supremacy unrepentantly and continuously recreates itself, through its African/Black surrogates; and this, not only an “African/Black” phenomenon.
Despite which “Black Lives Matter”.
(To be continued).
Written by Wale Odeku February 13, 2022
© Viewpoint Ministries international. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission, from this blog’s author and/or owner, is prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, if credit is given to Viewpoint Ministries international, https://viewpointministriesinternational.org
