History as a Mixed Bag of Realities

By Okoi Obono-Obla 

History as a Mixed Bag of Realities-

History is sometimes the unvarnished and brutal truth. At other times, it may be exaggerated, garnished, distorted, or misrepresented according to the whims and caprices of the teller or presenter—especially in the oral tradition, which is prominent in African historiography.

When the brutal reality of history—the unpalatable version—is told, we should not get upset, annoyed, or resort to calling the teller or historian names. Instead, we should take whatever insights we can glean from the story, piece them together, and conduct further research into the subject matter.

History is therefore a mixed bag. It can be sweet or bitter, but it is always a reality that helps us interrogate the past—the events, the personalities (dramatis personae), and the factors that shaped and influenced it. In doing so, history enables us to project trajectories for the future.

No one should continue to nurse the illusion that ethnicity, place of origin, or heritage is cast in stone, sacrosanct, or immutable. We are part of humanity, and the history of humanity itself is a mixed bag—miscellaneous, sometimes messy, but always evolving. Human beings have always moved from one place to another in search of better opportunities, escaping poverty, famine, persecution, oppression, civil conflicts, or wars.

As people migrate, they marry, blend with the ecosystems they encounter, adapt to new realities, and forge new identities. From this interlinking and intermingling of humanity, new systems and cultures emerge, reminding us that identity is fluid, not fixed.

Conclusion
History, whether bitter or sweet, distorted or unvarnished, remains a vital compass. It teaches us humility, warns us against illusions of permanence, and guides us toward understanding the interconnectedness of humanity.