Africans must reclaim identity, self-worth, says psychiatrist

n n

A United States-based Nigerian psychiatrist, Biyi Oyefule, has urged Africans to reconnect with their identity and redefine beauty beyond physical appearance and Western-influenced standards.

n

Oyefule said Africans needed to understand the historical and psychological effects of colonialism on their perception of beauty, self-worth and identity.

n

He stated this on Friday in Lagos during the launch of his book, Assaults on Beauty: Colonisation of the African Psyche.

n

According to him, Africans inherited a system that was not favourable to them.

n

“We inherited a system where our humanity was questioned. It was not until the middle part of the last century that black people in the United States were considered three-fifths of a man, when policies were made with that in mind,” he said.

n

Oyefule noted that although colonialism had ended, its influence still shaped the mindset and self-perception of many Africans.

n

“We need to look back. What was it that we inherited from our colonial masters? Some people will tell me colonialism has ended. We got our independence in 1960. Why should we be worried about it now? But they seem to forget that things that changed during colonial times still affect us up till today,” he said.

n

He added that Africans must first understand the roots of these inherited perceptions before they could begin to address them.

n

“What we have to do is to understand what has happened to us. Most of our people really do not understand what happened. We got dealt the short end of the stick, and we didn’t know that, and we continue with that up till now,” the psychiatrist said.

n

Oyefule, who is a former Director of Psychiatry and Chief Medical Officer at the State Correctional Institution at Graterford, Pennsylvania, stressed that self-awareness and acceptance were critical to rebuilding confidence and restoring dignity among Africans.

n

“Once we become aware of the fact that there’s nothing wrong with us, and that we are functioning as full human beings among any set of people, then things will start looking much better for us,” he said.

n

Oyefule explained that the work went beyond physical beauty and appearance.

n

“It does not only address aesthetic beauty, the things we buy and wear. But what it actually addresses is the inner soul, the feeling of not being enough. It’s a subliminal message,” he said.

n

He maintained that true beauty was rooted in character, confidence and inner self-worth rather than external appearance or societal expectations.

n

“If your character is solid, you will be a more beautiful person, even if your face has not changed yet. Even if you do not have very clear skin. Even if you don’t wear long wigs, you will still be a beautiful person, as long as you feel beautiful inside,” Oyefule added.

n

Also speaking at the event, veteran journalist, Tola Adeniyi, said the book examined how Western influences devalued African cultural values and shaped the mindset of Africans.

n

According to him, the author approached the subject from psychological, philosophical, historical and anthropological perspectives.

n

Adeniyi added that there were plans to present the book at an African Union meeting in Addis Ababa to further promote its message.

n

“This assault on beauty must stop. When you talk about beauty, it’s not just physical beauty. The beauty of your mind, the beauty of your thinking, the beauty of your understanding, the beauty of your character, all those have been taken away or eroded by foreign cultures, and the book talks about it,” he said.

n

Conversations around identity, beauty standards and the psychological effects of colonialism have continued to gain attention across Africa, with scholars and cultural advocates increasingly calling for a renewed appreciation of African values, history and self-image in the face of growing Western cultural influence.

n n