Understanding Racial Superiority and Its Global Impact: Insights from Professor Oluwafemi Esan on the Obehi Podcast
The notion of racial superiority, often termed supremacism, is the pseudoscientific belief that a particular group, defined by characteristics like race, ethnicity, or nationality, is inherently better than all others. This ideology is not merely a personal opinion; it has been systematically weaponized to justify exploitation and marginalization, fundamentally impacting the trajectory of African and Diasporic communities.
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This analysis draws on a recent conversation with Professor Oluwafemi Esan, who appeared as a guest on the Obehi Podcast to discuss The Legacy of Racial Superiority, Racism, and Its Global Impact. Professor Esan, a recurring guest on the show, offered deep insights into these themes during his dialogue with host Obehi Ewanfoh.
Renowned for featuring leading thinkers from across the African diaspora, Obehi’s podcast highlights voices from diverse fields including spirituality, history, culture, and leadership.
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The Historical Weapon: Scientific Racism
Before the mid-20th century, scientific racism (or biological racism) was tragically accepted within influential Western circles.
See also Racism: A Global Crisis in Need of a Cure – Confronting the Moral Dilemma of Discrimination
It used flawed methodologies and interpretations to assert that human species were divided into biologically distinct and hierarchically ordered “races.”
Political Structure:
This pseudo-science provided the intellectual scaffolding for colonialism and the transatlantic slave trade. It justified the systematic dispossession of land and resources across the African continent, claiming that European control was necessary for the “civilization” of “inferior” peoples.
For instance, the Berlin Conference (1884-1885), which carved up Africa among European powers, was predicated on the belief in European superiority, the idea that they had the right to dominate and control.
Economic Realities:
Scientific racism created a global economic system based on resource extraction and forced labor, with the profits disproportionately flowing to the colonizing powers.
This laid the groundwork for contemporary global economic disparities where nations in the diaspora and on the continent often face structural disadvantages in international trade and finance.
The Contemporary Manifestation: White Supremacy as a Global Health Problem
Professor Oluwafemi Esan rightly points out that White supremacy is a global health problem. This extends beyond overt hate groups to include systemic issues like cultural superiority (ethnocentrism).
This is the idea that one ethnic or cultural subset is inherently superior due to perceived achievements or idealized history, which is closely linked to imperialist and neocolonial perspectives.
Cultural Expressions:
Cultural racism manifests when widely accepted stereotypes about different ethnic or population groups become ingrained in media, education, and institutional practices.
This can lead to the marginalization of African languages, art, and philosophical systems—deeming them “less developed” than Western forms.
Exposing the Superiority Complex: Root Cause and Behavioral Signs
The psychological counterpart to the ideology of racial superiority is the superiority complex. In psychological terms, this is often understood as a defense mechanism used to mask deep-seated feelings of inferiority.
Behavioral Indicators of a Superiority Complex
People exhibiting this complex, whether individually or collectively (as in the case of an ideologically driven group), display specific behaviors that reflect an inflated sense of self and an unwillingness to engage with others genuinely.
| Indicator | Description in a Social/Racial Context |
| Boastfulness/Vanity | Exaggerated claims about one’s group’s historical achievements, often minimizing or erasing the contributions and history of others (e.g., historical revisionism). |
| Unwillingness to Listen | Disregarding the opinions, contributions, or lived experiences of marginalized groups (e.g., dismissing testimonies of systemic racism). |
| Bullying/Putting Down | The active dismissal, subjugation, or aggression towards groups perceived as a threat or simply “other” (e.g., xenophobia). |
| Overreacting to Loss | An ideological insistence on being “right” even when confronted with evidence (the behavior of the ideologue), because losing triggers profound insecurity and a threat to the inflated sense of self. |
The Defensive Origin
At its core, the superiority complex, and by extension, the need to enforce racial superiority, may stem from a profound insecurity (an inferiority complex) that is overcompensated for.
See also Racism And Slavery: African Crisis Is An Invention Of The West
In a societal context, this insecurity is reinforced by a system of positive reinforcement (privilege and historical narrative) that leads to a collectively inflated sense of self within the dominant group.
Counter-Narratives and Pathways to Healing: African Principles and Psychology
To address the profound societal damage caused by the superiority complex and the structures it creates, we must turn to frameworks that de-center the ego and emphasize universal human connection. African Heritage and psychological theories offer such powerful frameworks.
1. The Power of African Principles: Ubuntu
The philosophical core of many African ethical frameworks stands in direct opposition to the hierarchical and divisive nature of the superiority complex.
- Ubuntu (South Africa/Bantu): This principle translates roughly to “I am because we are,” emphasizing the interconnectedness of all humanity. It is an indigenous ethical framework that informs community, justice, and governance by placing mutual responsibility, empathy, and compassion at the center.
The essence of Ubuntu is the understanding that a person’s humanity is intrinsically tied to the humanity of others. This directly challenges the separateness and hierarchy inherent in racial superiority by foregrounding a universal ground of being.
2. Transpersonal Psychology: The Self Beyond the Ego
The Transpersonal Psychology Approach, pioneered by figures like Abraham Maslow, aligns conceptually with African philosophies by moving beyond the limited, individualistic ego, the very seat of the superiority complex.
- Core Tenet: Transpersonal theory focuses on the connection between the mind, body, and spirit, suggesting that true mental and physical well-being is influenced by one’s life purpose and connection to things outside the ego’s boundaries.
- The Transpersonal Self: This approach seeks to understand how realizing a universal ground of being sustains all individuals. It is an approach that offers a way for individuals and societies to disidentify from the ego (and its need for superiority) and discover a greater, shared reality. This process of spiritual and transcendental development is a healing pathway away from the divisive mindset of supremacy.
3. Biblical Psychology and Universal Kinship
The reference to Psalm 82:6, “Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most-High,” serves as another powerful counterpoint to any notion of exclusive superiority.
In this context, the phrase is an affirmation of a universal spiritual potential or a shared divine origin among all people.
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It directly contradicts the idea that divine favor or inherent worth is reserved for one specific race, instead arguing for a universal kinship that makes all claims of superiority, racial, ethnic, or otherwise, fundamentally false.
Conclusion: Moving Forward
The belief in racial superiority is a toxic Legacy that has resulted in global suffering and structural inequalities for the African continent and the diaspora. Confronting this destructive mindset requires a dual approach:
Systemic Challenge:
Continuing the fight against the political, economic, and institutional structures that perpetuate racial and cultural hierarchy.
Psychological and Spiritual Healing:
Re-centering human understanding around universal ethical frameworks, such as Ubuntu and the principles underlying Transpersonal Psychology, which affirm the interconnectedness and equal inherent worth of all human beings.
This shift from an ego-driven, competitive worldview to a transpersonal, collaborative one is essential for achieving true global justice and equity.
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