The lost art of being a black conservative.

Most black people grew up around "conservative" black people. For many black people, their parents seemed conservative. The English dictionary definition of the word "conservative" states; "One who seeks to promote or preserve traditional values or institutions." Black conservatives are just black traditionalists. 

At some point in a black individual's life, they have been conservative about something & liberal about other things, this is why sticking to one political label is so complex, people seem stuck on leftism or rightism as labels when they are more a spectrum across various differing matters. One person may be conservative on immigration matters & at the same time liberal on economic matters, the vice versa is also true. 

Black conservatives are usually seen as uptight, privileged & often unreasonable when it comes to matters black people are faced with. Especially because being from a disenfranchised populace, being conservative comes off as siding with oppressors of an "un-black" system. This is why populism almost always wins against traditionalists in Africa, disenfranchised people want a man of action - they want someone in power that they can relate with. They want someone who looks familiar & seems like they walked the same streets in life as them & so, thinks like them. 

Conservatism, in it's nature comes with siding with old orders i. e. 'old models of power' & ultimately power attracts power therefore there are black conservatives who end up siding with colonial oppressors in some fields (as do black liberals). This is where other black conservatives draw the line & become nationalists/populists because while African conservatives are about order, they are about black indigenous/African order. Again, you can't really box people into left & right, populists can be conservative. And it will always be counterculture to be a conservative popular leader of a disenfranchised people because either, your people thrive unstereotypically for a black nation in Africa or you become an oppressive dictator. 

While African politics is filled with popular leaders who you often see riding through streets upon streets of cheering followers & unpopular "conservative" dictators who are often pictured as very troubled & grumpy when leading a displeased populace, I believe conservatism can still succeed in Africa. We have old orders which many laymen recognise & still respect which could hold the key to the emancipation of Africa in future. 

N. B.: Old doesn't always mean outdated, old can also mean established or tried & tested through the centuries. 

African liberalism vs African traditionalism. 

I feel while African politics is often filled with charismatic politicians - I believe sensible, progressive brother-figures have a place in African leadership & tradition can still save us despite secular liberalism being the order of the day in modern Africa. 

For more, see: Kwatuism & Repartition Africa.