These words, “they ripped us off, they used us as cheap labour,” are not lies. History proves them. Yet I keep hearing them every single time. And I call them silly, not because these things did not happen, but because of how often we sit in those words and turn them into permanent excuses, excuses for evil.
One of the most uncomfortable conversations you can have with people, yet one I find comfortable, is the topic of “extortion.” Why do you enjoy extorting people? Whenever you hear the word extortion, the first thing that comes to mind is the colonial masters. But let’s think again, does it not apply to you as well? (If this question triggers you, then it’s you I am talking to.)
I studied history at the university, and I understand what it means to be extorted. Colonial systems placed a high value on the products extracted while deliberately suppressing the value of the labour that produced them.
As much as this damaged our economic systems, Africans did not let the act of extortion end there; we picked it up from where the oyinbo stopped. And the frustrating part is, they never take responsibility for their actions. Instead, they use words to make the weight of extortion feel lighter. The main word? Profit. I am definitely not against making profits. Why should I be? I like money too. But where does profit cross the line? At what point does making a profit start to look exactly like extortion? When there is an abuse of power.
And now you might be wondering, “How am I abusing power?” You are abusing power when the choices of others are limited, when they have no real alternatives but to give you what you want. You are abusing power when the value of someone else’s work is deliberately suppressed so that you can pocket more. You are abusing power when profit comes at the expense of fairness, dignity, or survival. This is exactly what extortion looks like, disguised as business, disguised as trade, disguised as “profit.” And yet, those who benefit will never admit it. They will smile, sign contracts, and call it efficiency. They will measure success in numbers, not in the human cost. We know this. Africans have always known this! And yet, the irony is bitter: while we were exploited, we also learned the game, and some of us picked up the same tactics, continuing the cycle. Profit becomes a weapon, and the line between business and extortion blurs. We cannot change the past, but we can control the present. Let profit remain profit, not a cloak for extortion. Let responsibility replace excuses. Let us build systems where labour, fairness, and value are respected, not just products and profits.
The girls are talking. Get in the conversation.