Description of Five Stages of Oppressive Globalization

This paper describes five stages of oppressive globalization starting from the 15th Century discovery of new lands, grabbing of land from indigenous peoples, the hunting and capturing of African slaves for free labour on the alienated lands now turned into cash crop estates, colonialism and now “global village”. As far as African peoples everywhere are concerned this “exodus” though reversed is as powerful as the Biblical one and calls for remembrance, not forgetfulness. Memory serves good purpose in African Theology of Liberation, and narrative theology should make its contribution. The story is told of a boy who visited distant relatives. The first dish he was served as a way of showing him he was unwelcome was flies. Later the relatives repented and treated him exceptionally well hoping he would forget so that he does not repeat the episode to his immediate family in return. They made him rehearse the report he would take home but the innocent boy repeatedly started from the beginning - the dish of flies!