Strength in numbers

The Power of Unity: How Africa’s Majority Can Overcome Oppression?

I’ve always admired the relentless fight of Black Americans. Despite being just 13% of the U.S. population, they’ve fought from slavery to securing a Black president—proof that a minority can shake the foundations of power. As a teenager, I even mistook their visibility in social justice movements for numerical strength.  

Yet in Africa, where we are the majority on our own soil, we remain colonized in all but name. We elect our own leaders, but injustice, hatred, and disrespect persist—normalized as mere "business as usual." Why? Because weakness invites domination. To be ruled by force, you must first be defeated. And defeat lingers when the oppressed remain divided.  

The Car Theft Analogy: Africa’s Stolen Future

Imagine someone steals your car and parks it in their garage, claiming it as theirs. You, the rightful owner, take action:  

1. Legal Route: You report the theft to the police (who, like you, are Black Africans). But they dismiss you: “Case closed. The car isn’t yours anymore. The new owner is the settler." The verdict? Find another car.

2. Unity in Action: Admit weakness—but leverage your numbers. Rally a crowd to reclaim what’s yours. Casualties? Likely. But freedom demands sacrifice. This is revolution: the majority refusing injustice.  

Malcolm X once said of Black America’s 6 million during the Civil Rights era:  

“If the majority of Blacks were in the streets, it would mean regime change. But we’re divided.”

Is Africa a paradox? Yes, We are the majority yet act like a powerless minority. Democracy is the voice of the many—but only if the many speak with one voice. Our strength isn’t in arms, but in unity. A minority cannot forever dominate a conscious majority.  

The Question is: When will we stop complaining—and start acting like the majority we are?  

Marius C. Oula