Creative Credits
Art Direction: Matthew Usukumah / @usukumah
“Light of Modernity is a project in which I reconcile my Nigerian (and in general, African) ancestry with my identity in a modern world. This reconciliation has been a source of light and solace when the western world continues to belittle or ignore the African continent and its past.
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My aspiration to attain a graduate degree, and then start a business is no coincidence…Perhaps I can become the living spirit by achieving what my ancestors had, and then some.”
Modern Praise
I went to a therapist once. I didn’t trust him; his remedies were nonsense. “You should come with me to church instead,” said my God-fearing Nigerian father. I found his advice perplexing; after all, he’s a doctor.
A striking difference between my father and I is our emphasis on religion. Whereas he prays and reads scripture to deal with psychological strife, I address them in a logical, secular context. But I can’t ignore the power of religion. Perhaps my immigrant, self-made father prays to cope with a cruel world.
Admiration
I can finally explore the continent without the filter of the white world. I once read a story of prosperous southern African farmers in the late 1800s donating to a relief fund meant to benefit northern English farmers, who struggled to compete in the global market. This story is in stark contrast with what I was taught about the continent. Nevertheless, admirable stories, like this one, are motivating.
Natural Inheritance
As a child, I dreaded haircuts. I was told by teachers, and my mother, to cut my hair. Cruelty from within and outside the home. From 2014 onward, I discovered a remarkable sense of peace with my natural hair. I also look better with it. Perhaps I was pleased with what I was forced to hide – my natural inheritance.
