Wake up and smell the coffee, because there's a name you might not know but definitely should: Lucien Bia. Who was this enigmatic character, you ask? Born in 1854 in Belgium, Lucien Bia was not your run-of-the-mill historical figure. Bia was an explorer, a military officer, and a colonial administrator during the height of the European imperialist frenzy. Imagine the Victorian Age with all its stiff collars and relentless thirst for new territories, and then put Bia right in the thick of it, charting the Congo and expanding the boundaries of European influence. He passed away in 1902, leaving behind a legacy of exploration and conquest largely swept under history's rug.
Now, why is Bia's name not etched in the textbooks we read today or celebrated in the fairs of innovation and exploration? Well, it could be that his endeavors in colonization are not exactly bedtime stories for the idealists who rewrite history to fit a feel-good narrative. Yes, colonialism had its dark sides, but, unlike today’s cancel culture zealots who prefer erasing the parts they don't like, Bia was a man of his time, adopting the attitudes and philosophies that were considered progressive by the standards back then.
One might even say Lucien Bia was a kind of pioneer. As a military officer and an explorer, he took on uncharted territories and faced dangers most of us modern snowflakes couldn’t handle if you paid us. His expeditions into the Congo were not a walk in the park. He didn’t have GPS or Instagram to document his miles-long hikes through some of the most treacherous terrain on Earth. Instead, Bia had guts, maps, and a winning determination.
Furthermore, Lucien Bia played a role that facilitated some of the geopolitical shifts of his age. Belgium, which was just a budding participant in the race for empires, managed to position itself as a formidable power in Africa through the efforts of men like Bia. He helped cement Belgium’s place in the annals of colonial history. Strategically, his work expanded European influence and open trade routes that had been closed to the western world.
Despite these accomplishments, Bia is yet another character lost in the shuffle of modern historical revision. With an overwhelming focus today on diversity and inclusivity, the narrative is often driven by those who lack an understanding of historical context or the contributions made by individuals whose views don't align with today’s liberal perspectives. It almost seems heretical to appreciate someone like Bia, but like it or not, he was instrumental in shaping a world that allowed for the freedoms we sometimes take for granted.
The price we pay for ignoring men like Lucien Bia is the same price we pay for ignoring history that doesn't fit the chapter and verse of today's hymnal. Those who controlled their destinies and pushed the boundaries of known lands provided the platform for technological advancements and global interactions we thrive on today. Was Bia’s era aggressive and flawed? Sure, but it laid the foundation for a larger, interconnected world.
Modern education often bypasses the contributions of figures like Bia, leaving a void that fails to recognize the complexity of history. Every student knows of Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.—individuals whose contributions deserve praise. However, understanding the full scope of history also means acknowledging all pieces of the puzzle, including unpleasant or politically controversial ones. To do otherwise is to oversimplify and romanticize the past. The complexities of individuals like Bia teach us that history is not just a series of noble causes but a tapestry of aspirations, triumphs, and mistakes.
In present-day conversations about empire, nationalism, and patriotism, the inclusion of men like Lucien Bia can shed light on the motivations and challenges of nation-states that shaped our current political climate. Want to talk about nationalism? Colonialism? The ripple effects are still with us, after all. Ignoring the role people like Lucien Bia played in the formation of new political and economic alliances is like looking at a painting with half of it covered in paint thinner.
Consider Lucien Bia a challenge to the prevailing tropes that restrict historical inquiry to sanitized tales of moral giants. His influence, silent though it may be now, was instrumental. Ripping open this chapter of history, instead of disregarding it as an inconvenient truth, might poke some uncomfortable holes in those new-age fantasies our utopian thinkers like to imagine we all should live in. And isn’t that just exactly what an honest look at history should do?