Dear Africa, Don’t Fall for the Muzungu’s ‘Values’ Trap—Again

Once upon a time, the colonialists came to Africa with crosses in their hands and Bibles under their arms. They preached salvation, baptized our ancestors, and in the same breath, dismantled our social systems, looted our lands, and redefined the African family in their own image. Fast forward to 2025—and here they come again. This time not with shackles and muskets, but with PowerPoint presentations, "cultural summits," and money trails leading to Western conservative think tanks.

Yes, you read that right.

A viral LinkedIn post by renowned journalist Larry Madowo recently lit up the internet after exposing a rather bizarre irony: European and American conservatives, some from countries that historically colonized us, are now lecturing Africans about preserving "African family values." The audacity! Suddenly, they’re the self-appointed cultural custodians of a continent they once deemed "uncivilized."

The Great Rebranding: From Colonizers to Cultural Evangelists

Let’s not be fooled—this isn’t a new love affair with Africa. It’s a clever rebranding strategy.

The Muzungu, in designer suits and flowing dresses, is back. This time, they're not preaching salvation, they’re preaching values—African values, they claim. They organize lavish conferences in our cities, fly in Western "family experts" and stir moral panic about sexual rights, feminism, and queer existence. And guess what? It’s all under the guise of “saving the African family.”

But ask yourself this: where were they when colonial systems tore apart African families through slavery, land dispossession, and missionary-led cultural erasure? Where were they when they criminalized our indigenous forms of love, expression, and gender fluidity?

Culture Wars on African Soil: Funded by Foreign Agendas

Make no mistake: Africa has become the newest battleground in the global culture wars; conservative organizations from Europe and America—many with deep pockets and even deeper ideological obsessions—are pumping money into Africa to influence laws, education, and public discourse. Their goal? To roll back progress on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), LGBTQ+ protections, and gender equality.

These campaigns are not about protecting African traditions. They’re about exporting foreign ideologies wrapped in kitenge and sprinkled with Swahili phrases. And ironically, they're preaching “authentic African values” using talking points copied from Western alt-right manifestos. If that’s not peak hypocrisy, what is?

A Word of Caution: We’ve Seen This Before

History has a terrible habit of repeating itself—especially when we forget. The same script used to colonize us in the 1800s is being played out again: create moral panic, divide communities, use religion as a tool of control, and extract influence (and resources) under the pretext of "civilizing missions." Only this time, the language has evolved.

Instead of saying, “You need saving,” they now say, “We’re here to help you protect your culture.”

Instead of missionaries, we get influencers. Instead of colonial offices, we get well-funded NGOs. But the goal is the same: control.

Africa Must Wake Up: Reclaim, Resist, Redefine

To SRHR advocates across the continent and beyond—this is not the time to look away. We must defend our right to bodily autonomy, to comprehensive sexuality education, to inclusive families, and to evolve our culture on our terms. Let’s not let the same playbook that once enslaved us now silence us.

The African family is not under attack from feminism or freedom—it’s under attack from imperial nostalgia dressed as moral concern.

So to the Muzungu, we say: thank you, but no thanks. We know our history, and we’re writing a new one.