In an effort to challenge colonial narratives that often attribute the discovery of African landmarks to European explorers, a Nigerian man residing in the United Kingdom has uncovered a previously unknown lake in Leicester, East Midlands. He has christened it Iyi Ojemba in a symbolic gesture.
Mazi Uba Acho, originally from the Igbo Nation in West Africa, shared his discovery on Facebook, drawing attention to the inherent absurdity of the colonial mindset that historically claimed the discovery of locations already familiar to local communities.
He referenced Mungo Park’s assertion of discovering the River Niger in Nigeria and David Livingstone’s claims of finding the Zambezi River and Victoria Falls in Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Through his discovery and naming of the new lake in Leicester, Mazi Uba Acho actively resists the erasure of African knowledge and history. He encourages others to document and share this information, teach it to future generations, and take pride in their cultural legacy.
This act of counter-colonialism serves as a potent reminder that knowledge and discovery are not exclusive to any single race or culture. It emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and valuing the contributions made by all communities.
It also serves as a call to action for for indigenous people worldwide to embrace their history, knowledge, and heritage, and to contest the narratives that attempt to obliterate them.
