Woven Views is as a community and an archive. As Africans, one of the main results of colonialism was the erasure of our culture and realities. It was a way to disconnect us from our roots, while destroying our knowledge and replacing it with what they felt was acceptable. Now, they control the mainstream knowledge about our societies and define the standards of knowledge.
You do not have to be a well read professor or historian to write down what you experience. The human experience, as unique as it is, is very common. There are always people around the world experiencing what you’re experiencing. You might have overcome something someone else struggled with for years and vice versa. Sometimes all you need is a different perspective, some encouragement and the understanding that you’re never alone.
This platform is specifically for Nigerians. I am Nigerian, so I feel it’s only fair for me to create a space for us. I can’t speak for other african nations, neither do I think it is my place to. I’m taking into account the short term memory we have as a nation, plus how far our corrupt officials go to destroy history and alter the truth. I do think it is important for us to have a space where we can speak our minds, experiences, mental states, ambitions, anxieties and daily realities that are rooted in who we are as people and our lived realities that stem from us being Nigerian.
I also want to highlight perspective. Perspective is the understanding that even within a community that shares several traits, everything is not uniform. Human beings are not made to be uniform, nor can we ever really be. There are so many different ways to look at things, there are so many different ways to experience life. However each person’s perspective is valid, each person’s understanding of the world around them is real and valid. I want to showcase the different perspectives among us as Nigerians. Showcase our different realities and struggles, while building a sense of connectedness and letting us be in charge of documenting our history.
