- By Leo Igwe
I woke up early this morning to work, which was close to midnight because living in a part of the world where there are frequent power cuts, one must be ready to work at anytime there is power, even if it is in the middle of the night.
I checked my emails and there was this week’s edition of the electronic magazine of the American Humanist Association. The subject was “Beating the Odds”.
Beating the odds! The topic resonated with me. It was the title of a piece by the AHA director, Roy Speckhardt recounting the daughter’s health challenge and how the family rallied and supported her while she underwent treatment.
The daughter was diagnosed with cancer that had metastasized through her body. Mr. Speckhardt recalled the family’s struggle, the pain, anguish, and also relief that the family experienced. He noted that the daughter beat the odds through resilience, science, support, and care.
In a related development, black humanists are meeting at a critical point in the history of the world, at a time of gathering clouds and raging storms.
Black humanists are meeting at a time when many fear and despair for their lives and health, at a period of much angst about the future of humanity.
This convention is happening when the coronavirus pandemic is ravaging the world and individuals, families, communities, counties, and countries and regions are taking drastic measures to combat and defeat this deadly virus.
The pandemic has taught us how fragile life is, but also how precious. With over 2 million deaths and millions more hospitalized many across the world are on the edge wondering if they would be the next to get infected, to get hospitalized, or to die.
At the same time, scientists, health workers, and politicians have been hard at work, spending sleepless nights at the frontline, searching and researching to find solutions, and cures for the disease.
As in the case of Speckhardt’s family, the pandemic has put our humanity to the test. The pandemic has tested human ideals and philosophies, patience and perseverance, knowledge and wisdom.
The virus has tasked human intelligence and ingenuity. Yes, the pandemic has tested our humanism. Amidst all the fears, uncertainties, and despair, the World Health Organisation advised that all persons to follow the science and the facts.
And thanks to human resilience and diligence, scientific endeavors, and solidarity, the vaccines are out and there are hopes that humanity could beat the odds of the pandemic.
And so it is, and so it will be with the odds against humanism in the black communities.
The challenges that black humanists face are real and overwhelming-pervasive superstition, blind faith in religious dogmas, hostility towards the non religious, the irreligious or religiously indifferent, witch persecution and harmful rituals.
Sometimes, these challenges seem insurmountable. The odds stacked against black humanists appear as if they may never go away.
They are such that many tend to be passive, or to resign to the situation. As Speckhardt’s family experience and coronavirus pandemic have taught us, these odds are beatable and surmountable.
Look, coming out as humanists in the black community is no mean feat because it is dangerous especially for blacks who live in muslim dominated sections to openly and publicly declare their non belief.
No doubt, identifying as non-religious is already a demonstration of activism and assertiveness. It is an act of courage and valour. But that is not enough.
Beating the odds against humanism in the black community requires and will entail much more. It requires active engagement in politics, in the civic and social lives. It requires devotion of time and talent.
To overcome the odds against humanism, energy and money will be expended sponsoring lobby groups, building coalitions, and executing projects that further the cause of reason, science, and critical thinking.
We need to invest in building a robust alternative to religion in the black communities. In fact, beyond the irreligious posts that are made on social media, beating the odds against humanism requires going out there and rolling up the sleeves and helping forge that reason and compassion-based community and world that we all aspire.
Yes, as the Speckhardt family experience and coronavirus pandemic have taught us, we can beat the odds against us; we can overcome and overwhelm the odds against humanism in the black community. If only we try.
Thank you.
