The Most Important Lesson
This is dedicated to the family of Master Naba Lamoussa Morodenibig.
My experience knowing Master Naba and learning from him has left me feeling like one who has recovered from amnesia. Prior to the initiatic education that Master Naba brought to Maanu, I was living a life without knowing myself. My life was good, generally speaking, with highs, lows, a few regrets, some accomplishments, etc... And yet, like someone coming out of an amnesia-like state, the initiatic education I began to receive at The Earth Center in Chicago is revealing my true reality to me. I had been trying to put together a jig-saw puzzle with all the pieces face down until Master Naba came from his bush and turned them over for me. I must state right here how grateful I am to him and his family for their sacrifice.
The unfortunate reality that our world faces today is that so many people are like I was and have been led into their ignorance by the leaders of today. Before I met Master Naba I didn't know how to clean my butt! My leaders told me to wipe it with dry toilet paper. These leaders have told me so many things that don't make a lick of sense but, without any sense of my own, hey, what else did I know to do? This was my condition before I met Master Naba, a barbaric state. It's a condition that millions of people in the so-called modern world are suffering from. It is even spreading further and further into the traditional world, as the keepers of traditional cultures become colonised.
As I understand it, the elders decided that it was time for good to gain some ground on evil. Evil, being the more dynamic force with any means at its disposal, has been gaining ground around the world since the invasion of Kemet and the beginning of imperialism. It is time for traditional culture to represent itself for the good of humanity. For this to be done, traditional culture had to be presented to the modern world from within the modern world Traditional culture has always had its place; but the modern world would never come there to expose it, to do this would let its own evil be recognisable in the light of good. The traditional had to be brought to the people of the modern colonial world so that they could hear the truth.
In these parts (colonial world), the truth is an offence, even a sin by some standards. But with dignified humility, Master Naba spoke it. People ran, covered their ears, cussed, got angry, loud, shocked, scared, jaws hit the floor, eyes wide, some may have fainted, I can't imagine all the ways people in this society reacted to the truth Master Naba spoke. There was much disbelief, and much denial. There still is, because we pass on these truths everyday. Because in addition to all the negative reactions, there were the positive ones. "Um-hmm" and "I heard that", the smiles, hugs, hand claps, laughs, joy, and genuine realizations people have when they learn truths about the human existence. The peace of mind that comes with a logical understanding of our existence provides a foundation for building a society that all humans can benefit from. In that sense, Master Naba was looking after all his children because as he said, you can't be an island of purity in a sea of corruption.
The last time I saw Master Naba I gave him a hug goodbye. I was leaving the Earth Center in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso after our school pilgrimage to Timbuktu and returning to Chicago. The hug was an expression of thanks when there was no more time for words. What I am most thankful to Master Naba for is showing me how to be a meaningful part in the struggle to reclaim humanity.
At The Earth Center we learn why the human being has a fundamental desire to do good. We also learn how humans can be tricked into doing evil while still thinking that what they are doing is good. The possibility of being unable to distinguish whether our actions are good or bad leaves us vulnerable to committing a lifetime of crime despite every intention of doing good.
It is to prevent such a scenario that the knowledge presented by Master Naba has been passed down by the Kemetic Priesthood, a knowledge that is immensely valuable. This knowledge can make an individual honest, pure, and humble. These are the qualities of a powerful person. These individuals are the foundation of a stable and harmonious society. The struggle to reestablish humanity around the world is the same struggle to cultivate these values in our lives. This is the goal of every human being.
To achieve this goal, the actions of every individual must be honest, pure, and humble. However, the first step is knowing. And for this knowledge we are thankful to Master Naba, our elders, and those that came before them. This knowledge has awakened us to a dawn of realization of how much work we have to do in order to achieve this goal. It may seem overwhelming at first but when put in perspective, Neb Naba greets an old friend and student, Nii Noi Nortey, the director of the Anyah Arts Library in Accra, Ghana as Master Naba would do, the main responsibility an individual has is his or her own development. Suddenly the goal is within reach.
Outside the house in Ouagadougou, we loaded our bags into the taxi. Before leaving, Master Naba gave me a hug goodbye. I considered it a gesture of thanks when there was no more time for words. It was a gesture to all those who embrace this knowledge and are willing to make the necessary sacrifices to preserve it and to preserve humanity at the same time. That's what it means to be human, it's what humans do. And that is the most important lesson that Master Naba taught me.