Like so many countries in the world where poverty, disease, and ignorance are the norm, it is always difficult to adapt or reform based on a new technology or invention. Every product or service is received with chronic skepticism and colonial paranoia of “The white man wants to kill us!” No wonder my Nigerian government had to struggle with Nigerians to come to terms with the reality of the Covid-19 pandemic.
White man syndrome is evident in all contexts of scientific discovery. He slowly but steadily progressed through the corridors of power
It’s contagious denial that pops up at every function often out of the blue in speeches, dinners with brewers and their hosts and my best guess may have found its way into our deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).
It is likely that if scientific research is conducted, it may find that people with a colonized history are less likely than their colonizers to adapt to new information, products or services in different disciplines.
The hypothesis is consistent with the conclusions of Quamrul Ashraf to Williams College Department of Economics who found that the level of genetic diversity within a society has a bump-like effect on development in the pre-colonial and modern era. This has detrimental effects on productivity.
While the intermediate level of genetic diversity that prevails among Asian and European populations has been conducive to development, the high degree of diversity among African populations and low degree of diversity among Native American populations has been a negative force for the development of these regions.
The importance of DNA testing
We live in an age when science can determine its biological parents through DNA testing.
Despite such an incredible process of DNA testing on human existence, DNA testing and results remain somewhat illusory and looked down upon as too gullible by Nigerians.
Traditionally, lineage was determined by cultural practices that include sacrifices to the gods, validation of a paternal aunt, and observations of bodily characteristics such as the size of the head, eyes, and nose among indigenous African communities.
To this day, in many African societies, a person’s ethnicity, tribe, and clan can be accurately determined by the size or shape of their nose, eyes, and other bodily characteristics. While this is somewhat true, this form of determination is only about the tribe and ethnicity of the wearer. There is no evidence that body characteristics are good determinants of lineage or parents.
Hence the countless and seemingly endless discontent, resentment and bitter quarrels between members of the same family or different families. Such debates have often divided marriages, broken homes and continue to contribute immensely to the number of majority homeless children in Africa.
The scientific adaptation of DNA testing to solve lineage issues in our community has been made possible not only by the curiosity that precedes the results, but also by the attention the media has given to cases where the DNA results were revered as the “supreme court”. ”.
In turn, tarnish a social justice perspective which in turn shapes the perceptions of supporters and opponents of the results.
The dissatisfaction has often not been about the results themselves, but about the likelihood of doctors agreeing with skimmers to alter the DNA results.
The mistake in this disconnect is that its opponents dismiss the DNA results not for what they reveal, but because of the likelihood of the results being altered or deliberately delayed.
The implication that follows is that this disconnection reinforces mistrust between physicians and users, which is likely to hamper both scientific adaptation and the shaken relationships built over the years.
Similar concerns have been raised around the world about corruption and the excessively increasing commercialization of DNA testing work by various hospitals.
Many of these concerns also arise about the confidentiality and protection of information in the absence of specific protections in health law and health research ethics in several countries.
Work around legal understanding of health laws and awareness campaigns around DNA could be the pillars to maintain the bridge that connects history and genetic diversity.
Laetitia Mugerwa is a Ugandan writer and founder of Empowerment Initiative for Women and Youth Uganda which helps rural women and youth to become economically empowered through skills development.
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