Did you know that in the mid-1800s, Britain—yes, that so-called “mighty” British Empire—labelled us as “primitive”? What they don’t teach us in schools is that:
While the British were parading about in their fancy coats, lecturing on civilisation:
- Their streets were awash with filth, flowing faster than palm wine at a chief’s funeral.
- The River Thames resembled more of a toilet than a river.
- Cholera strode through London like English gentlemen!
But wait! In 1874, during the third instalment of the Anglo-Ashanti War, the British burnt down the city of Kumasi out of envy for its magnificence. The Ashanti capital possessed what the British streets yearned for in every home:
- Private toilets (While London was playing “dodge the chamber pot”)
- Clean streets (While British kids were swimming in sewage)
- Organised sanitation (as Thames fish perished due to human waste)
The term “primitive” originates from the Latin “primitīvus,” meaning “first” or “original.” They have taken a term that denotes “original blueprint” and turned it into an insult! This is akin to labelling the master architect as an apprentice! Although the British were drowning in their filth, they had the audacity – to call our clean, organised cities “primitive.” That’s like a goat calling a lion ugly!
This isn’t simply history or family. This is the finest colonial comedy ever told: when their chaos portrayed our mastery as “primitive.”
From London to Los Angeles, what was once dismissed as Africa’s backwardness is now gaining popularity more rapidly than a viral TikTok dance. The same wisdom suppressed by our grandparents is now eagerly sought after.
HERBAL MEDICINE
Let’s discuss how they transformed grandma’s bitter herbs into a thriving business. The concoctions they labelled as having “witchcraft” are now sold in glass bottles for £50 each!
Take a look at these numbers:
– Moringa: From “primitive plant” to $8 billion industry
– Shea butter: From “bush cream” to premium beauty gold
– Bitter kola: From “pagan practice” to “superfood supplement”
Our ancestors weren’t “witch doctors”; instead, they were the original pharmaceutical companies. Yet, no one is sending them royalty cheques!
ORGANIC FARMING
Remember when they referred to our farming methods as primitive? Today, they’ve labelled them “organic,” which means they’re worth three times the price!
Our farmers grasped:
– No requirement for chemicals
– Crop rotation is essential.
– The land also requires rest.
However, wisdom is no longer regarded as genuine unless certified and branded with an eye-catching label. They are selling our common sense back to us at extortionate prices!
COMMUNAL LIVING

The same compound house system they labelled “uncivilised tribal living” is now the hottest trend in Silicon Valley. They’re referring to it as “co-living spaces” and “intentional communities”—grand terms for what our ancestors called “home.”
Look at these premium prices:
– Co-living space in New York: $3,000/month
– Community housing in San Francisco: $4,500/month
– “Innovative living solutions” in London: £2,500/month
Meanwhile, our grandmothers ask, “You mean people are paying to share kitchens?” The same system they warned us would hold us back is now considered “revolutionary” for mental health and social connection. Yet, here’s the real irony – they erect walls in these “communities” taller than colonial barriers!

PLANT-BASED DIETS
Allow me to share the greatest magic trick since colonisation. They have transformed our “poor man’s food” into a rich man’s gold!
Watch the transformation:
– Millet: From “primitive grain” to “ancient superfood” ($15/pound)
– Cassava: From “poor man’s crop” to “premium gluten-free flour” ($20/bag)
– Palm fruit: From “bush food” to “sustainable omega-rich supplement” ($40/bottle)
The same meals Europeans once mocked our grandparents for are now served in fancy restaurants where the cutlery costs more than our village’s cooking pots! They’ve repackaged our everyday fufu in attractive wraps, and now it’s considered “exotic cuisine” valued more than gold.
MINIMALIST LIFESTYLES
This one will have you laughing louder than a market woman’s bargaining! Remember when they mocked us for living simply? Today, they’re paying £200 an hour to ‘minimalist lifestyle coaches’ to learn how to live with less!
The great irony:
– Our “poverty” is now their “mindful living.”
– Our “lack of development” is now their “sustainable choice”
– Our “backward lifestyle” is now their “conscious consumption”
They’re paying consultants to show them how to discard items they never should have purchased! Marie Kondo became wealthy by revealing what African grandmothers have understood for ages: less is more!
NATURAL CHILDBIRTH
Family, keep your wrappers at the ready for this one! The very same birthing practices they deemed “primitive and dangerous” are now considered “revolutionary natural birthing techniques” with a price tag that could make a chief’s crown appear cheap!

Let’s break it down:
– Traditional midwife in the village: Community service
– Modern “doula” in New York: $3,000 per birth
– Ancient squatting position: “Primitive”
– Same position in birthing centres: “Revolutionary” ($5,000 package)
– Herbal pregnancy tea: “Unsafe witchcraft.”
– Same herbs in fancy packets: “Premium prenatal supplements” ($65/box)
Our grandmothers didn’t merely bring forth babies—they imparted wisdom. Today, that wisdom comes with certification, consultation fees, and an Instagram-ready birthing plan!
FERMENTED FOODS
This one is fermenting my brain! Remember when they said our fermented foods would make us sick? Today, they’re calling it the “probiotic revolution” and charging prices that would make your grandfather’s home-brewed palm wine taste bitter!
The transformation:
– Kenkey: Evolving from a “poor man’s ferment” to an “artisanal probiotic grain” (£15 each)
– Garri: From “basic staple” to “prebiotic superfood” ($25/pound)
– Nunu: From “primitive dairy” to “cultured probiotic drink” ($12/bottle)
They appropriated our preservation techniques—born of necessity and wisdom—and transformed them into a luxury that only their wallets can afford!
CHINK IN THE ARMOUR: THE BITTER TRUTH
Please permit me to offer you some truths zestier than pepper soup whilst they amass wealth from our ancient wisdom.
– Our people are still being told our ways are backward
– Our traditional healers need “Western certification” to practice their ancient arts
– Our farmers are being forced to buy patented seeds when our ancestral seeds are free
– Our young ones are paying premium prices for knowledge their grandparents had for free
The same wisdom they beat out of our ancestors, now beating down doors to learn. But here’s the real chink: They’re not just selling our wisdom – they’re selling it back to us at prices we can’t afford!
TIGER’S ROAR

To my African lions and lionesses, hear me roar!
Our ancestors were the true teachers of life! Their wisdom was not outdated—it was so advanced that the world is only just beginning to catch up! When they labelled us primitive, they were too unenlightened to recognise our progress.
It’s time we:
– Patent our traditional knowledge before they claim it
– Document our ancient wisdom before they rewrite it
– Price our premium before they steal it
– Own our narrative before they sell it back to us
Remember what our elders say: “The hunter’s gun may be powerful, but it cannot shoot what the forest has not granted permission to shoot.” It is time we ceased allowing our wisdom to be hunted and displayed as trophies!
The world recognises our wisdom and realises how foolish it was to overlook it. However, this time, let us ensure that the high costs of our so-called “primitive” wisdom benefit our people.
One audacious cut at a time. One piece of reclaimed wisdom at a time. If our primitive is their premium, then it is time we became the ones setting the price!
The drums are beating. This time, we are not just preserving wisdom—we are also protecting its ownership.