Anthony Ekundayo Lennon (Image: @Lennon_Anthony/Twitter)
I was asked in a WhatsApp group of fellow black men to give my views on Anthony Ekundayo Lennon case which was sensationalised by the Daily Mail and denounced, accused of a tak[ing] away opportunities from black artists and creatives by many of those who like Ekundayo claim to be black.
Up to now I have been reluctant to comment as my partner does not agree with my views on the case, so I did not want to create further division or controversy. Now having been asked to comment and slept on the matter I am going to give my thoughts.
I believe identity is a construct.
Who you are is what you believe you are, your identity is what you believe yourself to be.
Look how artists invent re-invent themselves – Picasso, Bowie, Prince – each lived life on their terms on how they want or wanted to be, despite the consequences often leaving themselves open to ridicule only to be found later to have been right to have remained faithful to their beliefs.
That freedom of our autonomous mind to declare who we are is rooted in Descartes’s I think therefore I am your thoughts are you, you are your thoughts. That individual freedom of thought has been the basis of the modern world for past 200 years dating back to Kant’s view of the Enlightenment Dare to know – think for yourself. You do not have to let others tell you how to think you, you are free to think for yourself.
This is especially important for our youth who I urge to be the ‘first of you’ not to be the you that society tells you you should be.
There is of course self-reflection and reality checks along the way to finding out who you are, it is a very personal journey.
The journey begins with having a world view which one interrogates, challenges, questions to find one’s place, using imagination challenged by critical thinking to establish who one is. The model continues to question and challenged by the self to ensure that we are being who we believe we are – remain true to oneself.
I urge all young and old to be the first you – be who you want to be not what others say you should be or want you to be.
The reaction of some to Anthony Ekundayo Lennon is deeply troubling to me as he was faithful to himself he wanted to be bringing value to himself and others, which to my measure of success defined as the amount of happiness you bring to others and yourself – he was a success, true to himself.
His belief in himself and his identity he summed it well saying:
I will not allow anyone who can’t accept or understand my life to be relevant to my existence.
This is a mantra for those who know who have worked out who they are and will not accept others telling them who they are or who they are not. Like Ekundayo they have actively created their identity I urge that we should all do this, I urge all to be the first you.
