The Riots in England - Kwesi Linton Johnson, Ingland is a Bitch
The Riots in England - Kwesi Linton Johnson, Ingland is a Bitch
{
"The Price of hating someone is loving yourself less." - Eldridge Cleaver, Soul on Ice.
"My biggest fear is that by the Whiteman will discover love, the Blackman would have turned to hatred." - Alan Paton, Cry the Beloved Country.
As the world watches the so-called right-wingers run amok in England venting their anger and frustrations on people of darker, irrespective of nationality or length of stay in the country which likes to call itself the Mother of Democracy, let it be remembered that this is nothing new.
As I wrote a few days ago in reply to a post on LinkedIn: "While we in Africa blame our insufferable reprobate misrulers for our woes, Europeans always blame FOREIGNERS for whatever ail them.
For myself, it is quite sad to see that what I have spent the past four decades warning against continues to manifest itself. I have done my bit to warn both Africans and Europeans that, to escape from the pitfalls of past experiences, it is vitally important for both groups to study HISTORY.
Unfortunately, neither was willing to invest in such knowledge.
Given its persistence over the centuries, we can argue that racism is part of the European DNA.
In my article, On Germany, I wrote: “Xenophobia is part of the German BEING. Hatred and persecution of strangers is part of the German SOUL. As far back as the twelfth century, history tells us, Germans have been organizing attacks against foreigners. One such group was the ARMLEDER, members of which wore red leather and short jackets to roam the streets with nothing but lynching intentions. In 1298 a German Knight, Rindfleisch, organized a series of pogroms against Jews whom he accused of murdering little children.
The story of Adolf Hitler, another product of German homophobic is too well known to need recounting here.
While the Africans prioritized frivolities over the serious business of thinking strategically about their future, the Europeans dismissed my warnings as the undue of a radical. A writer in one of the Dutch newspapers even called me the new Malcolm X!
Today, here we are. It gives no joy to watch lives and properties being destroyed, but such things are inevitable as long as we continue to bury our heads in the sand and refuse to confront the monster of European RACISM.
We in Africa know that our misrulers are in cahoot with their curators and sponsors in the West to exploit our resources at thieving prices. We are not blind to the fact Western corporations, aided by their governments and intelligence agencies, are sponsoring wars and mayhems in our continent so that they can continue to loot our wealth.
Yet, we do not go out in orgies of frenzy to attack the Europeans in our land. Yet, we watch those who called themselves Civilized Christians parade through their towns with lynching intentions because our people are doing the shitty jobs that they are not willing to do.
}
Kwesi Linton Johnson, Ingland is a Bitch
"W'en mi jus' come to Landan toun
Mi use to work pan di andahgroun
But workin' pan di andahgroun
Y'u don't get fi know your way around
Inglan is a bitch
Dere's no escapin it
Inglan is a bitch
Dere's no runnin' whey fram it
Mi get a lickle jab in a bih 'otell
An' awftah a while, mi woz doin' quite well
Dem staat mi aaf as a dish-washah
But w'en mi tek a stack, mi noh tun clack-watchah
Inglan is a bitch
Dere's no escapin it
Inglan is a bitch
No baddah try fi hide fram it
W'en dem gi' you di lickle wage packit
Fus dem rab it wid dem big tax rackit
Y'u haffi struggle fi mek en's meet
An' w'en y'u goh a y'u bed y'u jus' can't sleep
Inglan is a bitch
Dere's no escapin it
Inglan is a bitch
A noh lie mi a tell, a true
Mi use to work dig ditch w'en it cowl noh bitch
Mi did strang like a mule, but bwoy, mi did fool
Den awftah a while mi jus' stap dhu ovahtime
Den awftah a while mi jus' phu dung mi tool
Inglan is a bitch
Dere's no escapin it
Inglan is a bitch
Y'u haffi know how fi survive in it
Well mi dhu day wok an' mi dhu nite wok
Mi dhu clean wok an' mi dhu dutty wok
Dem seh dat black man is very lazy
But if y'u si how mi wok y'u woulda sey mi crazy
Dem a have a lickle facktri up inna Brackly
Inna disya facktri all dem dhu is pack crackry
Fi di laas fifteen years dem get mi laybah
Now awftah fifteen years mi fall out a fayvah
Mi know dem have work, work in abundant
Yet still, dem mek mi redundant
Now, at fifty-five mi gettin' quite ol'
Yet still, dem sen' mi fi goh draw dole..."
©️ Fẹ́mi Akọ́mọláfẹ́
Farmer, Writer, Published Author, and Social Commentator
My latest book, From Stamp to Click (it’s still a hello) is published and is available online at:
https://www.africanbookscollective.com/books/from-stamp-to-click-its-still-hello
How to order it: https://www.africanbookscollective.com/how-to-order
My book, “Africa: A Continent on Bended Knees” is available on:
• Amazon
My other books on Amazon:
• Africa: it shall be well (Get a FREE Chapter Here)
• Africa: Destroyed by the gods (Get a FREE Chapter Here)
You can follow me on Telegram via this link: https://t.me/+AAcRr0htFc9lNDQ0
On VK: https://vk.com/fakomolafe
Kindly subscribe to my Substack here:
HTTPS://femiakogun.Substack.com