In a bold move to challenge colonial narratives that have long claimed the discovery of African landmarks, a Nigerian man living in the United Kingdom has discovered a new lake in Leicester, East Midlands, and named it Iyi Ojemba.
Mazi Uba Acho, a native of Igbo Naton in West Africa, posted on Facebook about his discovery, highlighting the absurdity of the colonialist mindset that sought to claim discovery of places already known to local communities.
He cited examples of Mungo Park’s claim to discovering the River Niger in Nigeria and David Livingstone’s claim to discovering the Zambezi River and Victoria Falls in Zambia and Zimbabwe.
By discovering and naming the new lake in Leicester, Mazi Uba Acho is taking a stand against the erasure of African knowledge and history. He urges others to put it on record, teach it to their children, and take pride in their heritage.
This act of reverse colonialism serves as a powerful reminder that knowledge and discovery are not exclusive to any one race or culture, and that we must celebrate and value the contributions of all communities. It is a call to action for Africans to take pride in their history, knowledge, and heritage, and to challenge the narratives that seek to erase them.
