The war in Ukraine has revealed a very painful known secret, that which we are aware of, but most often pretend to be surprised when it happens. African migrants and students trying to flee the war; are not allowed to board the train heading out of Ukraine to other European countries, they were simply told the train is only for Ukrainian passengers.

Racism not only showed its ugly face in Ukraine; but also at the border entrance to a European country, there were numerous video reports of African migrants and students, held up at the border standing in the cold for hours, after trekking for almost five hours to get there, while their Ukrainian counterparts were giving free and easy access, there is a lot of such report from the Polish border.

Yes, we can attest to some European Governments, organizations and individuals; doing what they can to assist migrants caught in the situations, but so have we heard reports of Africans, being refused help in places where migrants or refugees of the Ukraine war, were supposed to be attended to, they were simply told no, Ukrainians only here. But thanks to some Afro-organizations that set themselves ready and sprung into action.

Are we going to just sit down, fold our hands and be a lame duck? And wait for a saviour from another race, to come to rescue us when the situation arises? Or we are going to roll up our sleeves, pull together, organize and prepare for the unknown like every other race of human are doing. We especially Africans in the diaspora, where are the leaders of our black organizations, leaders of communities, associations and tribal meetings? there should be synergy, cooperation and working together within these various Afro-organizations, or we would pay direly for our unpreparedness and our unwillingness to deal with facts.

Quoting Booker T Coleman “You can find your strength; when you find your weakness and as an African people our weakness is our love, and as well our strength.

By Samson Onoja Itodo