As a former psychometrist at a large multinational public institution, I have an in-depth understanding of working with employees who operated in stressful environments across the world, from Cuba and Venezuela to Algeria and Mauritania. My interpretation is that the lockdown is not far from such environments of war and hardship.

A young Black male between 18 and 35 is more likely to die from unnatural causes than anyone else. It is this age group that makes up a large percentage of the prison population. At more tertiary levels, Black males suffer from serious mental health problems. When he commits suicide or kills his loved ones, his actions are simplified as “what would you expect from him anyway?”

The main argument is therefore that it is inaccurate to study colonialism as a historical phenomenon but it is a continuous affair that still defines the character of its former colonies. The presence of former colonial powers in the daily economic life of the so-called independent countries is something that continues to elude researchers, commentators and political activists alike.