There has been uproar of emotions about Black Panther, most especially on social media and other media outlets. It wouldn’t be fortuitous when I tell you I watched the movie twice in six days at the cinema and I plan to see it at least one more time and no! it’s not a function of promiscuity.
The question is why are people going gaga over Black Panther?
My answer is simple, Black Panther inadvertently preached Black Supremacy; which has been a subconscious dream of the majority of black race. Afrocentrism being the main core of this Marvel comic adaptation’s concept, helped buffer up this Ideology which I suspect got its inception from the time our ancestors were forcefully pushed into the ships.
The 134 minutes film depicts an Afrofuturistic country. A fictional black nation blessed with natural resources and Vibranium riches. A pure black nation that has achieved the most advanced technology civilization on earth hidden from the rest of the world, thus, free from the corruption of colonialism that births greedy and ambitious leaders. Why won’t most, even if it’s just an ounce of African descent want to be a Wakandan Forever?
I think the movie reminds us of where we are today as Africans at the same time shows us where we could be. Our continent has always had the potential to be great, sadly we remain a potential.
Let’s use our country Nigeria as an example. We were once considered the Giants of Africa by the westerners who evaded us centuries ago. We are one of the first African countries to take back our dependence from the white men who sort to rule us forever. They did bring education to our boarders; they did transform us from quasi-barbarism to a civilized nation. But we have chosen to remain dormant or even possibly decline in advancement, the aetiologies of this remain vast and debatable, little doubt it still centres round Corruption and Hate.
This two factors were well explored in this movie about Wakanda, both Chadwick Boseman,s T’Challa and Micheal b. Jordan,s Eric Killmonger characters were key to showing us how much our development has been affected by our leaders and the whole world in general.
My most favorite quote was killmonger’s when he begged the Black Panther (best pronounced blec pentah) to let him die saying “bury me in the ocean with my ancestors that jumped from the ships because they knew Death was Better than Bondage”.
The movie’s solution to a Wakanda Forever is Love and well obviously killing corruption.
