Experiences with villagers and the stranger who came to explore Africa take many humorous paths. There are some wonderful aha moments, and to rewind back, especially after so many years of interaction with Whites, one is forced to laugh nonstop. I recalled in High School, one of my Geography teachers, Mr. Camara telling stories about a certain village. According to the humorous Mr. Camara when the villagers see a Whiteman, they waived their hands and greeted the White tourists aloud. He found it very funny and it was mostly how he entertained the class. Eddie Murphy’s “Coming to America” where he acted as the Prince of Zamunda, his depiction about Africa’s kingdoms, animals, and the beautiful norms that defined a culture so well structured and diverse all helps to show how Africa is perceived.
On today’s humor, I will focus on a certain man called Alkali from one of Gambia’s remote villages. Alkali has gotten seriously ill and was forced to coma by this ailment. He was rushed to the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) and to no avail on resuscitation. He was flown to a private hospital In New York (USA) where he was admitted in a hospital responding positively to medical treatment. All this time, Alkali was in a deep sleep of coma, sandwiched in-between life and death, and not once did he realize that he was not in the Gambia. He was in a new world; the world of the White man –America..
Upon recovery and to Alkali’s utter surprise, all he saw was the Caucasian (White) Nurses approaching him in their beautiful uniforms and head covers. Alkali never saw a White man in his whole entire life prior to that incident. Even though Alkali heard stories about the Whiteman before; it was mostly about tourists and prior colonizers, and his thoughts about the Whiteman were structured around tourism or a slave catcher. Alkali’s new home could only mean nothing else to him but holy heaven. The last time he recalls, he was still sick lying in his bed in his home village. It was just a complete astonishment to see some White figures (Angels) around whom he doesn’t know from Adam. Alkali was conclusive that he was dead and was being given a red-carpet reception by Allah’s most serene angels. You could see the joy of the much talked about heaven in Alkali’s glittering face accompanied with a wide smile as he hastily welcomed the Nurses.
It was at that moment, the following nice conversation occurred.
The Nurses: Hello. How are you sir?
Alkali: I am fine.
The Nurses: What is your name?
Alkali: When I was alive on earth (Duniyaa), I was called Alkali. In here (Al-lahira), I do not know what name you all have for me.
The Nurses: (Laughter). You are in America so you still maintain your name.
Alkali: (Surprised). You mean I am alive and not dead?
The Nurses: Most definitely; you are alive and recovering from a sickness.
Alkali: All praise is due to Almighty God (Al-hamdoullilah).
Note: The story goes that the man is a certain Yeteh-hono with origins from Sareh-hono. Readers are welcome to help with identification of the man and his origin.