Africa 101: The Wake Up Call 8965069841

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HER EXCELLENCY, AMBASSADOR ARIKANA CHIHOMBORI-QUAO, MD. FAAFP

Her Excellency, Ambassador Arikana Chihombori-Quao, MD. FAAFP Founder - African Diaspora Development Institute www.OurADDI.org Library of Congress 1-8965069841 © 2020 by Her Excellency, Ambassador Arikana Chihombori-Quao, MD. FAAFP First published by Foxworth Consulting, LLC No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the express permission of the author. Printed in the United States Book design and layout by IncuBiz Marketing Group Because of the dynamic nature of the internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have been changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author.

DEDICATION

I dedicate this book to all Africans, people of African descent, friends of Africa worldwide and all who have good intentions in support of the continent’s advancement and development. I also dedicate this book to our African Ancestors, those who died on the continent as well as those who died as enslaved people across the Atlantic. They paid the ultimate prize and it is their shoulders we stand on today. In addition, I also dedicate this book to all black men and women who were murdered by racist white men, from Emmett Till to George

Floyd.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I thank my husband and children for supporting me after I decided to respond to the call from the African Union to serve as Ambassador to the United States and the Americas. I thank all those who worked with me during my tenure as Ambassador particularly the African diaspora and friends of Africa around the world as well as Africans on the continent. My tenure in Washington, DC would not have been as successful without your support. Many thanks to all the people around the world regardless of race,

who stood up for justice and equality for all mankind. Finally, thanks to the great team that worked tirelessly with me to produce this important book. It takes a village!!!

IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS AND READING NOTES

The author chooses to use the term enslaved Africans instead of slaves to describe the estimated twelve and a half million Africans forcibly removed from the African continent during the Atlantic slave trade. In her opinion, being enslaved does not make one a slave. The author uses the term continental Africans to refer to Africans living on the continent of Africa. Continental African diaspora refers to Africans born in Africa but

currently residing outside Africa. In certain cases, the author chooses to use the phrase “descendants of formerly enslaved Africans” to refer to African-American, AfroCaribbean and Afro-Latino. The African diaspora comprises of continental African diaspora, descendants of formerly enslaved Africans and all people of African descent living outside Africa. Adinkra symbols are used at the beginning of each chapter. The adinkra symbols represent popular proverbs and maxims, record historical events, express particular attitudes or behavior related to depicted figures, or concepts uniquely related to abstract shapes. See the glossary of symbols at the end of the book for further definitions.

BLESSINGS FROM OUR ANCESTORS THROUGH HIS MAJESTY KING ADAMTEY I

In this changing time, everything known to us is shifting and redefining itself. The world of yesterday is being challenged by today’s demands. This well-written book has so many important facts that are based on authentic history. It is worth noting that as a people, we have been left to bleed by the roadside, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and economically. Her Excellency, Ambassador Arikana Chihombori-Quao, MD. FAAFP has sent a wakeup call to the African continent and the world at large. As the saying goes, “despise not a snail for its slow and sluggish movement, it has a destination in mind and in time would arrive.” Africa may be slow in coming but is surely making progress in the right direction. In life, whenever there is a mission, there would always be an

individual that has that assignment to lead and make that mission a reality. I am beyond excited that at this time in our history, we are beginning to realize that those who change the world and make history are not influenced by gender. Those who make a difference are those who are not afraid to take on a task and lead the course which at the end is of benefit to everyone. This book “Africa 101 - The Wake Up Call” is reminding us that the 400 years of enslavement definitely has an end as everything in life has an expiration date. I am grateful that the Ambassador has the divine mandate to wake the continent up, to remind us that liberation and freedom are near. History reminds us that, you cannot oppress a people nor break their will and suppress their dignity forever. It is known that the end of every forty (40) years marks a generation thereby making ten (10) generations since the enslavement. It has been 401 years since Africans were forcefully removed from their homeland by means of slavery. Enslavement has not fully ended as we have been made to believe. It still exists in many different dimensions. Over this period, the world has remained silent pretending to accept this abnormality as normal. Not only was Africa enslaved and kept in captivity for centuries, but has always been marginalized at the negotiating table. So much has been taken away from Africa and her people, making her look weak, stripping her of the courage and strength to fight for what rightly belongs to her. As a people, we know who we are. We are no longer going to tolerate colonial concepts, instead we will stand up for our convictions. The spirit of colonialism was intended to make Africa and her descendants, perpetual followers and beggars. This wake-up call by Ambassador is for us to free ourselves from our mental shackles of enslavement and colonialization. We are leaders of our own destiny and not followers, we are teachers and not students, we are lenders and not beggars. Having read this book, I confidently say, it does not only bring us

historical relevance but it presents realities and what we need to do now is to take our destiny into our own hands. Previous lies told about the African continent which has kept us in bondage and deprived us of our dignity are now being exposed by the present truth as presented by Her Excellency, Ambassador Arikana Chihombori-Quao, MD. FAAFP in this book. There is the need therefore to unite all people of Africa both home and in the diaspora to rebuild our economies through investments. The coming together of the sons and daughters of Africa will empower and provide a sense of belonging in order to identify and connect with our roots which were stripped from us through enslavement. As the adage goes, “a person who sleeps in a room knows exactly where it leaks,” Africa is now fully aware of her “leaks” through this book, hence the need to repair the leaks. I highly recommend this book for everyone to read. It is not a book for this generation alone but for many generations to come His Royal Majesty, Drolor Bosso Adamtey I Suapolor of Se (Shai) Kingdom Matse of Kordiabe- Madaam Ghana, West Africa.

FOREWORD

I first met Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao in 2012 as soon as I was sworn in as President of the Republic of Malawi in Africa. That was before she became an Ambassador. My first impression of her was that she was a true Pan-Africanist with a huge appetite to improve the lives of her fellow Africans on the continent especially when it came to Healthcare Delivery to the poor. She was the Chair of the African Union African Diaspora Health Initiative (ADHI). This was an African Union Initiative designed to mobilize African diaspora doctors to participate in the development of African Healthcare systems. We then met again in Washington, DC, USA where I invited her and her team of Doctors to Malawi. Three months later she brought a whole team of Medical Doctors to Malawi where the Doctors did a

Healthcare needs assessment for the entire country of Malawi. Following this visit, the Team of Doctors organized shipment of much needed containers of Medical Equipment and Medications to Malawi from the USA. The Doctors paid out of their own pockets and shipped an average of $500,000.00 worth of equipment per container to Malawi. It is this level of dedication that impressed me the most about Dr. Chihombori-Quao’s leadership skills. I am not at all surprised that she has become one of the most effective African Union Ambassadors. In addition, it is no wonder that Dr. Chihombori-Quao has become one of the most powerful and incisive voices of Africa in our time. Africa 101, the wakeup call, takes us on a journey of self- discovery. The book takes us from slavery and colonization to present day status of all people of African descent. In this book, Ambassador Chihombori-Quao sheds light on the systematic brainwashing that all Black People around the world have been subjected to. She masterfully unbundles and scholarly explains the Berlin Conference and the rule of divide and conquer and how these two policies affect us Black people today in our daily lives economically, politically as well as socially. Being a Medical Doctor, Ambassador Chihombori-Quao systematically diagnosed the effects of slavery and colonization and reminds all of us that we are still suffering from the legacies of both. Furthermore, Ambassador Chihombori-Quao emphasizes the need for the African diaspora to unite. The Ambassador rightfully identifies the African diaspora as the missing ingredient needed in order for sustainable development to take place in Africa particularly in the environment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Ambassador Chihombori-Quao notes that brain drain out of Africa remains Africa’s biggest challenge to economic development. The brain drain continues to this day. This needed expertise is in the

diaspora. Ambassador Chihombori-Quao makes it clear that she is on a Mission to wake up the African diaspora and remind them that Mother Africa is calling on them to come back home to build Africa. In this book Ambassador Chihombori-Quao highlights some of the atrocities committed against the Africans by the former colonizers. In addition, while on paper they left Africa, in reality however they never left. In fact, they continue to wreak havoc in their former colonies. She explains how Africa remains under siege and the need for the Africa diaspora to rescue Africa from continued exploitation. This is a book like no other. It gives us a nutshell presentation of our circumstances as a people and justifications as to why we must unite. The Ambassador’s passion for Africa comes through very strongly in this book. Her desire to end the senseless deaths and suffering in Africa is unmatched. Ambassador Chihombori-Quao makes it clear that to accomplish this monumental task, the children of Africa must unite. Wherein lies the challenge. The self- hate among us black people is a major hindrance to our ability to unite. This tall order does not deter Ambassador Chihombori-Quao from charging forward and designing solutions needed in order to implement the change we desire. This book also highlights the journey from the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to the African Union (AU) and the struggles the African Heads of State have faced over the years in trying to build the Africa we want. This book also exposes the schemes the former colonizers have set up in order to keep Africa in perpetual economic bondage. This is a must-read book for anyone interested in Africa in anyway shape or form. It is a must-read book before going to Africa for pleasure, tourism or business. I encourage everyone regardless of race to read this book for both the oppressor and the oppressed need healing. This book will wake you up from your slumber and give

you a renewed informed insight and understanding of Africa and how she relates to the rest of the world. I hope you enjoy this book to the same extent that I did. Her Excellency, President Joyce Hilda Banda Former President of the Republic of Malawi

PREFACE

The history of African societies since slavery has been the history of struggle for freedom and human dignity. The quest for selfdetermination in Africa was primarily a quest for ownership of resources that were taken from the people. In this seminal work Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao explains how the process of enslaving Africans was not only genocidal but the gravest act of humiliation and dehumanization. The archetypal slave master had only one agenda: to use the African slave as a beast of burden which required that the latter be purged of self esteem and self-worth. To borrow from Alex Haley’s Roots, Kunta Kinte had to die for Toby to be born. Slavery dehumanized Africans in the eyes of the slave master, which justified his mistreatment as a creature without dignity.

The slave traders depopulated a huge stretch of the African coast from present-day Angola in the South to Mauritania in the North. Some demographers calculate that by 1850 the total population of the continent would have been about 40 percent higher than it actually was at the time. Accounts differ, but it is generally accepted that almost half of the population of Africa was taken away to work farms in Europe, the Americas and the Caribbean. It is against this background that Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao sounds her clarion call for Africa to wake up. She does so fully aware that since Slavery the African spirit has never been at ease because the quest for dignity never floundered even at the worst of times; Indeed, the words of Marcus Garvey captured this even in the darkest hours when he aptly and pithily said ‘Liberate the minds of men and ultimately you will liberate the bodies of men.’ With the advent of independence Africans thought that the colonialists macabre dance of exploitation had ended but little did they know that in a chameleonic way the erstwhile colonizer had turned into neo-colonialist what with the Commonwealth which groups mostly former British colonies with their Monarch as the titular head and the French Pact for the Continuation of Colonization, so Nkrumah was right when he said: “On this continent it has not taken us long to discover that the struggle against colonialism does not end with the attainment of national independence. Independence is only the prelude to a new and more involved struggle for the right to conduct our economic and social affairs, to construct our society according to our aspirations unhampered by crushing and humiliating neo-colonialist control and interference.” After centuries of slavery, exploitation and colonialism, Africa sought liberation through armed struggle until South Africa was freed from pernicious Apartheid regime. Dr. Arikana ChihomboriQuao does not moralize or intellectualize, philosophize or agonize; she merely presents in a synoptic way the story of Africa in a

manner that enables the reader to understand where the journey of misfortune started and how it has been perpetuated throughout the centuries. Africa’s story has been the one of the ebb and flow of kingdoms and dynasties, some great, as we have seen. All these rose and fell as they did when Europe was engaged in hundreds of years of war, savagery and brutality. Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao takes us succinctly through the bitter rivalries between the European Nation States which eventually led to the infamous Berlin Conference (1884 to 1885) at which the Europeans agreed on the partitioning of Africa among themselves. The process of plundering of human and natural resources began in earnest after the partition and turned the continent into a source of raw materials for Europe’s Industrialization. According to the Ghanaian historian Adu Boahen, the European states colonized Africa mainly to establish new markets for their finished products, to find a steady source of raw materials, to invest their surplus capital and to maintain prestige and power. The establishment of an infrastructure for the transportation of goods, an administrative system and even education were all meant to serve the economic gains of the colonial regimes. Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao reminds us that while making claims for universal suffrage and legitimacy of protest against oppressive regimes of feudalism in their own backyards, the democratic ideals invented during the European “Enlightenment” were never applied during the brutal conquest of foreign lands, especially Africa. In 1914, the First “World War” devastated and rearranged much of Europe. After a brief twenty-year period of uneasy peace there came the most dreadful world war in history. Europe was once again in turmoil. And because of its colonial conquest of most of the world almost the entire planet was drawn into an essentially war of Europeans tribes but christened ‘World War” because of its worldwide proportions. The conflict changed the course of

humanity forever. For Africa, the end of the Second World War also meant the beginning of the end of the colonial enterprise. It is this sad story that forms the foundation of Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao’s book of ‘Africa 101’. She reminds us that the subjugation and humiliation of the African people did not kill their spirit and desire to regain their freedom and dignity. This publication vividly captures the struggle of emancipation and takes the reader to the South, East, Central, Western and Northern Africa. Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao has written with clarity and her work is an inspiration to a reader who seeks to fathom the depth of the African predicament. She reminds us that one must always remember that during the independence and liberation struggles there were major investments in great and good ideas by leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, Amilcar Cabral, Patrice Lumumba and Nelson Mandela which impacted the future of Africa and which remain valid today. Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao gives meaning to the words of Kwame Nkrumah when he said that Africa should not face East or West but look forward. She also echoes the words of Mwalimu Nyerere in recognizing that without unity Africa has no future. Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao further reminds us that there is an Africa we want and that Africa is attainable only if we say with Martin Luther King Jr. that ‘we must have faith and that faith is taking the first step when you do not see the entire staircase, “and if we agree with Mwalimu Nyerere ‘that it can be done but we must play our part.’ She invites us further to agree with Nelson Mandela that ‘we can win because a winner is a dreamer who never gives up.’ Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao has written from the vantage point of one who has served as African union’s envoy to the Americas and the diaspora. She has splendidly articulated how we can be stirred into action for the emancipation of our people. She reminds us

firmly but gently that wherever we are in the diaspora or in the continent our fate is sealed as Africans to be united or be doomed. Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao gives meaning to the words of Julius Nyerere when he famously said: “The future of Africa, the modernization of Africa will have a place in the 21st century if only that future is linked with the process of decolonization and its detribalization. Henceforth we must reject the nonsense of dividing the African peoples into Anglophones, Francophones and Lusophones (Arabophone and Sinophone). Thus; we must transcend the attempt to divide our people according to the languages of their colonial masters.” Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao once again gives meaning to what Mwalimu Nyerere said on the 6th day of March 1997 in Accra Ghana on the occasion of the Country’s 40th Independence anniversary I reject the glorification of the nation state that we inherited from the colonialism and the artificial nations we tried to forge. We are all Africans trying very hard to be Ghanaians or Tanzanians .Fortunately for Africa; we have not been completely successful. The outside world merely recognizes our Ghananian-ness and Tanzanian-ness. What the outside world recognizes about us is our African-ness. So in this little book, ‘the little girl’ Arikana Chiyedzo, born in Chivhu, Zimbabwe now known to the world as Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao is urging us with passion and panache that we have a duty to serve mother Africa. She tells us “Wake up from your slumber of 400 years, free yourself from mental shackles of slavery and colonization”. Sister Arikana, I hear you, and I will respond to your clarion call. Prof. PLO Lumumba, LL.D, D. Litt (hc), D.Sc. (hc) FCPS (K), FKIM, FAAS (hon) Professor of Law, and Advocate of the High Courts of Kenya and

Tanganyika

INTRODUCTION

Contrary to what many believe, The Africa We Want is an attainable goal for our generation. I am convinced more than ever before, that we, the Africans and people of African descent around the globe can have lives as good as any other race on the face of the planet. This conviction is not a figment of my imagination or a fantasy for 1.27 billion Africans on the continent and four hundred million more in the diaspora. Rather, it is based on the understanding that addressing the most fundamental building blocks of our societies will impact our societies and move us from the back of the line to the front where we have always belonged. Africa and people of African descent are where we are today

because we have not identified and addressed the root causes of our current status of affairs. Just as a tree with bad roots cannot flourish, Africa cannot get ahead without an aggressive, continent-wide effort to deal with the root causes of our problems. In this new chapter of my life, I am excited about a brighter future for all of us. I dedicate this book to Mother Africa and all of her children at home and around the globe. The exploitation of Africans and people of African descent around the world is simply unacceptable and must come to an end! We are sick and tired of being sick and tired. After suffering all the injustices that were meted out to us throughout our history, we must envision and plan a better life for ourselves, our children and future generations. For Africa, the unfortunate road to exploitation, disrespect and ridicule started over 600 years ago when the European settlers first came to Africa. My question is “Should this continue indefinitely?” The answer is a resounding “No!” We must take a stand against the ongoing looting and exploitation of our people, our land and our natural resources. We must tell the colonizers that once and for all “enough is enough.” After slavery and colonialism, and now neo-colonialism, we can no longer continue in an unjust and unfair economic and social world order. As a result of our history, many Africans and people of African descent are no longer proud of our heritage. Being African or having African ancestry is burdensome for so many. The challenges of being black stare all of us in the face on a daily basis, even the most successful among us. We need to understand how we got here and what we need to do to address this state of affairs for us black people. After six months of careful consideration, I finally decided to answer the call to serve in Washington, DC as the African Union Ambassador to the United States of America. Before accepting the call to serve, I pondered over the mandate of the office which is to promote Africa in the Americas and galvanize the African diaspora

to contribute to Africa’s development. I identified practical ways that the diaspora, in partnership with our brothers and sisters on the continent, can move Africa and her agenda forward. When we unite, we can change the narrative about our Africa, correct the negative image of our beloved continent, raise awareness of the ongoing abuse and exploitation as well as strategize on ways to address these issues. Africa and her children in the diaspora are capable of driving the continent’s development agenda. We must be in charge of not only our own destiny but also that of our beloved continent. Failure to do so will condemn our children to eternal servitude. This we cannot allow. It is our responsibility to make this world a better place for our children and for generations to come. I grew up in Chivhu, a village ninety-one miles south of Harare in Zimbabwe. Not even in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that one day I would be called upon to represent the entire African continent as Ambassador to the United States of America and the rest of the Americas. The injustices I witnessed decades ago growing up in Zimbabwe as a child, awakened me to the unfairness of our world. This experience prepared me for a life of service not only to my fellow Africans on the continent, but all people of African descent and humanity in general. After practicing medicine in the United States of America for twenty-five years and supporting several initiatives to lift Africa from its current state, I know that change is possible. What is needed is a clear vision, good leadership and proper planning and execution. What I was able to accomplish in three years as the African Union Permanent Representative to the USA is proof that change is indeed possible and we as a people have what it takes to effect the change we desire. For all of us Africans, both on the continent and in the diaspora, the year 2019 was a very significant one indeed. This is because it marked the 400th year anniversary of the first documented landing of slavers and slaves on the shores of the Americas. Four hundred years is a significant milestone for those of us in the diaspora. This calls for serious reflection and action on the future we want for

ourselves, our children, grandchildren and generations to come. That journey back home by the African diaspora must start now. The time has come for us to make a difference. The African diaspora has a crucial role to play in building The Africa We Want. The capacity that Africa needs for sustainable development is in the diaspora. For Africa to attain sustainable development, the children of Africa must wake up from their slumber of over six hundred years. There is a need for us to unite and speak with one voice as one Africa and one continent. Mother Africa is calling. We all must answer this call.

PRELUDE

THE MEN WITHOUT KNEES

It was a cool, moonlit night in Chivhu, a southern African village in Zimbabwe, an elderly, and wise African man sat on a wooden stool by the fireside with a teenage girl at his feet listening attentively. That man was Baba, my father, officially known as Mr. Fadzamoyo and that young girl was me Arikana Chiyedzo. This is what my father told me that unforgettable night. “Chiyedzo chababa,” as he affectionately called me, “I was a teenager when

the white men came to take our land. They wore knickerbockers which covered their knees so all of us in the village called them “the men without knees.” They arrived at the village on horseback in the early hours of the morning and started torching our thatched huts without prior notice. Many in the village were asleep with the exception of a few mothers who were up lighting the morning fires. The entire village was suddenly thrown into chaos. People fled with barely any clothes on their backs, not even knowing what they were fleeing from or where they were fleeing to. Absolutely terrified, the children in our hut, including me, took off running looking for a place to hide. Unfortunately, there was no hiding place for us as the men without knees continued to torch our huts one after the other. Soon, the entire village was ablaze and we were running around like chickens with their heads cut off. The elders were trying to pick up a few belongings they could carry on their heads while the children were crying, scared to death and hiding in every little corner they could find. It was pandemonium. Baba paused at this time, turned his face away from me, gazed into the open skies for a moment and began to tear up. The atmosphere was charged with emotions and I felt very uncomfortable because I had never seen Baba shed tears before. He continued his story in an emotional tone while fighting back tears. “The men without knees rode on horses around our village, gathering whatever possessions they could lay their hands on. They then ordered us to leave “their village” since it now belonged to them. We lost everything – our homes, personal belongings, sacred relics and even our chickens, goats, donkeys and cows. Our land and livestock automatically became the property of the invaders.” The “loot law” in Zimbabwe gave them the right to loot anything they wanted from us and they did it without shame. Baba continued, “All the members of my family left the burning village except my uncle and his pregnant wife, another aunt, my grandmother who was a midwife, and I. Aunty was heavily pregnant and due to deliver any day. The elders begged the white men for permission for her to stay until she delivered as she could not make the long journey. Permission was granted reluctantly. They kept me because they felt the men without knees

might spare their lives if they had a child with them. We all huddled together in the only hut that remained standing. The rest of the village looked like a war zone with everything around us completely burnt down. Each morning, the men without knees came to check whether aunty had delivered. Unfortunately for us she did not deliver her child until three weeks later. The men without knees were not thrilled about that. Three days after the delivery, we were all told to leave. Still shocked and in disbelief at what had recently transpired, we departed, in search of our relatives who had gone ahead of us. We caught up with some of them who had randomly picked a new location and settled there like nomads. Baba’s voice filled with sadness as he continued, “Chiyedzo chababa, no sooner had we settled in our new location than another British man showed up, mapped out his land and forced us out of our newly acquired land once again. This displacement would happen two more times. The last time we walked as far away as we could. This is how African families were forced to move from regions one and two to regions three and four in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. Regions one and two had the best soil and rain, region three was good for cattle ranching and region four was ridden with mosquitoes and tsetse-flies. Mwanangu (my daughter), this is how our land was taken from us. He went on to inform me that these men without knees were thieves. “Do not ever forget that.” He also vowed that someday “we would get our land back.” Baba was silent after that. I was silent too. Neither of us uttered another word for a short while. After that unplanned moment of silence, he got up, picked up his cane, reached for my hand and we walked back into our hut. This is the story from my father and how the land was taken from my family by the British. This is how I was introduced to the injustices of this world. The British Settlers would rule Rhodesia up until November 11, 1965 when Ian Smith announced Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) from Britain and established the Rhodesia Apartheid Regime. This regime was defeated in 1979 through a civil war. Ian Smith was a Rhodesian-born, white politician, farmer and fighter pilot who

served as Prime Minister of Rhodesia from 1964 to 1979. He was responsible for apartheid in Zimbabwe even though most people do not realize that Zimbabwe was under apartheid during Ian Smith’s rule. The Rhodesia Front (Ian Smith’s army/political party when the country was under white minority rule) committed serious crimes against the Zimbabweans during the Zimbabwean War of Independence. Ian Smith single handedly ordered the massacre of thousands of Zimbabweans in refugee camps in Zambia, Mozambique, Angola and Botswana. I was old enough to remember these atrocities and yet no one talks about them. None of them are documented in the history books to any significant extent. I was also a victim of some of the aggression and abuse which included sjambok lashings during interrogations as to the whereabouts of the guerrilla fighters. The sjambok or litupa is a heavy leather whip that is traditionally made from an adult hippopotamus or rhinoceros hide. In South Africa use of the sjambok by police is a symbol of the apartheid era. For years, I had a black sjambok mark across my back. It served as a daily reminder of the evil that men do. I find it sad that the world would vilify President Robert Mugabe for taking back our land but glorify Ian Smith in spite of all the atrocities he committed against the people of Zimbabwe for decades. I grew up in a household where my father reminded us of the injustices of the world we live in. For us living in apartheid Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, the injustices were all around us. It is my upbringing in such an unjust system that formulated, at a very young age, my desire to seek justice for us black people. It was therefore fortuitous that I would end up being asked to represent all of Africa in the Americas.

ADINKRAHENE “Chief of the adinkra symbols” Symbol of greatness, charisma and leadership. This symbol is said to have played an inspiring role in the designing of other symbols. It signifies the importance of playing a leadership role.

CHAPTER 1 THE FIRST CALL

My cell phone rang at three a.m. US Central Standard Time in the spring of 2016. I almost did not answer the call because I had gone to bed only a few hours earlier. The piercing sound of the ringer in the quiet night immediately woke me up and I knew that my night’s sleep was ruined. I reached for the phone assuming it was another call from the emergency room (ER) as I am a medical doctor. “Dr. Chihombori”, I answered in my usual way. To my utter surprise, it was not the ER this time. Rather, it was a familiar voice at

the other end. The caller proceeded to inform me of the upcoming departure of the African Union Ambassador to the United States and asked me to consider taking this very important position. This was truly laughable to me. Who in their right mind would ask me, a medical doctor, to become an Ambassador? The call ended with a firm request for me to give serious thought to the offer. I vaguely recall saying “okay, sure,” and on that note I ended the call and went back to sleep. I tossed and turned intermittently until I woke up later in the morning. My subconscious mind was processing the information I had received. A major decision had just been hung over my head. On awakening, I turned to my husband and asked him whether he had heard me having a telephone conversation about an ambassadorial position during the early hours of that morning. He confirmed that such a conversation had indeed occurred, which naturally meant I had not been dreaming. Much as I knew and highly respected the caller, I resolved to ignore the entire exchange and treated it as if it had never occurred. I simply could not see how this offer fitted into my life. I viewed it as an obstacle that would drastically alter my life, my patients’ lives as well as that of my entire family. As things quickly unfolded however, this was not a joke at all. It was a very serious matter that required my serious attention. The initial conversation was followed by several other calls insistent on the same request. The message was clear. I was being offered the position of African Union Ambassador to the United States. It was clearly articulated to me that the African Union had concluded that in order for true and sustainable change to come to Africa, the African diaspora (now officially designated by the AU as all people of African descent living outside Africa), needed to be front and center of Africa’s development. The African Union Chair felt strongly that the African Union Mission in the United States based in Washington, DC was to be headed by an African diaspora who

understood the Americans as well as the African diaspora living in the Americas. That person was to be me. The fact that my professional background is in medicine and that I have never been involved in diplomacy in any way shape or form did not seem to matter to the Chairperson. The Chairperson had certainly taken certain factors into consideration and decided that I would be the most suitable candidate to fill this position. While I was still concerned that I was being asked to step into an entirely new space, the confidence that the African Union Chairperson had placed in me was something I could not easily dismiss. I had been quietly minding my own business as a medical doctor practicing medicine in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA for the past twenty-five years. Not once had I dreamt let alone considered becoming a diplomat. I wrestled with the decision for six months and had considered turning it down. Indeed, although the phone call came in the night, my decision to go to Washington, DC was definitely not taken overnight. After patiently observing me agonize over my decision for six months, my husband finally chimed in. He looked at me and said, “Honey, you are being given a tremendous platform to do something about what is wrong with our Africa. If you do not accept this position, I do not ever want to hear you talk about what is wrong with our Africa,” he added with finality. At this point, now feeling backed into a corner, I decided to accept the position of African Union Ambassador to the United States of America. Even after making that final decision, I was still wondering as to what difference I would make as an Ambassador. I did not want to find myself drinking tea and coffee and being wined and dined without any significant accomplishments. I decided to go to Washington for a few months out of respect for the Chairperson. I honestly did not think I would last longer than six months as I could not see myself making any difference. I packed one suitcase and left for Washington, DC. I stayed at a hotel for five months and went home to Tennessee as often as I could. I was certain that I would be

moving back home in no time. Much to my surprise, I soon discovered that being a medical doctor more than prepared me to be a diplomat. As doctors, we are trained to psycho-analyze our patients. Patients do not always tell us the truth. The responsibility falls on us to discern what is organically wrong with the patient and not rely solely on the patient’s complaints. Quite often the headache or chest pain that a female patient might complain about could be the husband at home. The responsibility is on us Doctors to determine what is organic and what is psychosocial. We are trained to observe our patients and see beyond the verbal complaints. As events would later turn out in diplomacy, I would need to psycho-analyze people and situations around me on a daily basis in the same manner that I analyzed my patients in the examination room. My medical training gave me a head start and an advantage in most conversations I was involved in. I was usually several steps ahead of those I interacted with in my work as a diplomat. My interactions with guests at the Mission mirrored the visits with my patients in my Clinics. I showed all my guests the same compassion and care that I showed my patients. This to a great extent, may explain why I was able to connect with my guests, especially the African diaspora, to the extent that I did. I came to Washington, DC with an open mind. Within the first few months however, I began to observe a profound disrespect for Africa and Africans at almost every level of society both within and outside Africa. Even other races visiting Africa feel emboldened to disrespect us the Africans in our own home. This bothered me a great deal. I was aware of the disrespect of black people but was not aware of the extent and depth of the disrespect. There was disrespect from foreign governments, multinational corporations, international and non-governmental organizations, non-profit organizations, private individuals who were all milking billions of dollars per annum out of Africa, to name a few. This gross disrespect made an

indelible impression on me and greatly bothered me. It was extremely painful to have to accept the fact that one can be disrespected for simply being an African. I was aware of the disrespect before I came to Washington, DC. I, however, did not realize just how widespread and profound it was. It was almost as though everyone around the globe who was not fortunate enough to be of African descent had received a memo to disrespect Africans and people of African descent, wherever one encountered us. I found this reality sickening and despicable. What was even more painful was our inability at every level to push back against the abuse. The last time I checked, the ability to produce melanin was not a crime. Why are black people being disrespected for simply being who we are? The second observation was that both the Americans as well as the continental Africans were unaware of the root causes of Africa’s failure to develop economically. Even the politicians and the most educated were equally unaware and this was very disturbing to me. It was primarily for these two reasons that I decided to stay in Washington, DC, to be the voice for the voiceless in whatever small way that I could. In deciding to stay as the AU Ambassador, I committed to being a catalyst for the necessary change needed in order for Africa to develop. I pledged to represent not only myself, but the 1.27 billion Africans on the continent and the 240 million people of African descent in the Americas. My mandate was clear. I was plucked from my quiet life in Tennessee and sent to the African Union Mission in Washington, DC by the fifty-five African Heads of State with three principal mandates. These were to engage the US government, promote Africa in the Americas and galvanize the African diaspora to participate in the development of Africa. The African Union defines the African diaspora as “All people of African descent living outside the continent of Africa, irrespective of their citizenship and nationality.” My mandate covered all of the

Americas. Its enormity became all the more sobering when I acknowledged the fact that the African Union Mission in Washington, DC is the most prominent point of interface between Africa and the most powerful country on earth, the USA. I had been sent to Washington, DC to represent the most amazing 1.27 billion continental Africans and two hundred and fifty million diaspora in the Americas. People with real dreams and aspirations but somehow found themselves desperate and hopeless with no clear path as to how their circumstances could change. I understood that I was not sent to Washington, DC to be a mute or socialite diplomat only to be wined and dined and attend meetings in which I would be an observer and not an active participant. I made a decision to aggressively engage both the United States Government, the African diaspora and friends of Africa in the Americas. I was determined the Americas would know and understand the truth and only the truth about Africa and her children and that we the black people must demand our respect. On that note I rolled up my sleeves, put on my boxing gloves, and was ready for battle on behalf of our beloved continent, Africa and her children at home and abroad. I promised myself that I was going to do the best job that I could. I committed to fully engaging the government of the United States with honesty and integrity since that is the only way to build and strengthen the relationship between Africa and the United States. I set out to dispel the misunderstandings that are roadblocks to true engagement as equals. Our white brothers and sisters must realize that they are not superior to black people and that we black people are not inferior to them either. We must meet somewhere in the middle where real conversations as equals can begin. I also set out to educate not only the African diaspora but also the rest of the Americans about our history and how it impacts us today. I began traveling across the United States of America and all of the Americas, galvanizing the

African diaspora and friends of Africa and encouraging them to participate in the development of Africa. I dutifully reminded them that Africa is our home and that the African Heads of State are calling on Mother Africa’s children to come back home to join hands with their brothers and sisters on the continent in building the Africa that we want.

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CHAPTER REFERENCES The African Union (AU) - A continental union consisting of 55 member states located on the continent of Africa. The AU was announced in the Sirte Declaration in Sirte, Libya on 9 September 1999, calling for the establishment of the African Union. The bloc was founded on 26 May 2001 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and launched on 9 July 2002 in Durban, South Africa. The intention of the AU was to replace the Organization of African Unity (OAU), established on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa by 32 signatory governments; the OAU was disbanded on 9 July 2002. 1

BOA ME NA ME MMOA WO “help me and let me help you” cooperation, interdependence

CHAPTER 2 THE DIAGNOSIS

It was now official, I was now the African Union (AU) Ambassador to the United States of America (USA), the second since the AU inaugurated and established a Representational Mission1 in the United States in July 2007. I had completed the arduous task of relocating into our new home outside Washington, DC. I was mentally ready to begin a new chapter of my life. On my first day at the Mission (Africa House)2 located on Wisconsin

Avenue in Georgetown, Washington, DC. I had my first meeting with my staff who were all eager to meet with me especially since they did not know what to expect from the first African diaspora to be appointed to the position. Africa House was inadequately staffed and I wondered how I was going to execute my mandate. My staff comprised of three secretaries, one financial officer, who functioned as a bookkeeper, one qualified officer who went on sabbatical soon after I took office, a security officer and two drivers. That was pretty much it. Much to my surprise, I was told that instead of being a full-fledged Diplomatic Mission, the African Union Mission to the United States had been reduced to a protocol office. It was mainly responsible for arranging accommodation, transportation and airport protocol clearances for AU officials from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia visiting the United States on official duty. Most of the people I met in the Americas and throughout my tenure, were not aware that the AU had a diplomatic mission in the United States of America. Even the African diaspora did not know that the Mission existed. This was very disappointing to me. I made a decision early on to aggressively promote not only the AU Mission in Washington, DC but also the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, all its organs, as well as all its activities which were also unknown to the Americans as well as to the African diaspora. I came from a high-level functioning private medical practice where I attended to thirty to forty patients a day, to a low functioning environment at the AU Mission. This was a major culture shock for me. There was barely any activity at the Mission and I suddenly found my professional life coming to a screeching halt. The medical doctor side of me immediately kicked in and I began to diagnose the environment to which I had been thrust. I had never considered the plight of Africa and Africans as much as I did during the first few months of my tenure. As I sat behind my desk in my new office on Wisconsin Avenue, I pondered over our

history as a people from the Settlers over 600 years ago, to the Berlin Conference (1884-1885) to colonization, the Pact for the Continuation for Colonization, the creation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU)3 in 1963 (now the African Union), all the way to Africa’s struggles for independence and subsequent imposition of neocolonialism through denial of economic independence to all former colonies. I wondered why we the original people and inheritors of the most beautiful and richest continent on earth remained the most disrespected people around the globe. Several questions raced through my mind at the speed of light and I found myself stuck on a series of them. “How did we get here as a people, as countries and as a continent?” As I sought answers to my own questions, my mind kept going back to the Berlin Conference. This is when the colonizers met and chopped up Africa into the tiny countries we are today. This was all part of a design to see to it that Africa and her children are forever defeated and dominated. I also wondered why the Pact for the Continuation of Colonization was still in place to this very day. Through this Pact, France is still taking over five hundred billion dollars out of poor African countries annually. How is this okay? Why has the world stood by and watched these horrendous crimes being committed against the Africans by some members of the United Nations (UN) Security Council? The United Nations is supposed to be the watchdog for all human rights violations around the world. Why has the UN chosen to be a toothless bulldog and given a blind eye to theses atrocities? I wanted answers. What bothered me even more was the realization that we the black people in Africa and around the globe had accepted this abuse and global disrespect as normal. There was something terribly wrong with this picture. This could not continue. Something had to give. The sleeping giant needed to rise and defend her turf. As African diaspora and friends of Africa visited the African Union Mission, I took it upon myself to find out how much they knew

about our history. To my utter surprise most were not aware of these critical events in our history. The few that were aware, did not connect these pivotal moments in our African history to our circumstances today, as black people in Africa and around the globe. I even reached out to policy makers in the US government involved with Africa and many were not aware of Africa’s history, especially the evil French Pact for the Continuation of Colonization. This was a shock and a huge surprise. How could this horrendous behavior have been hidden from the world in plain sight. I can comfortably say that over ninety percent of the people I met were not aware of this pact. This is very sad, unfortunate and disappointing Another issue that became apparent to me was the misunderstandings between Africans and Americans. Africans have a lot of misconceptions about Americans and vice versa. The Americans view Africa as poor and hopeless, while the Africans feel the Americans are all rich and arrogant. The Africans feel that it is very difficult and complicated to do business in the USA, while Americans feel it takes forever to establish a business in Africa and that they have to go through too much red tape to do business. Consequently, many businesses on both sides do not even try. My mandate included promoting Africa in the Americas. If I was to succeed in delivering on this mandate, I needed to address these misconceptions head on. It is only when we understand each other that we can engage as equals and begin the much-needed meaningful dialogue. I felt we were operating on parallel lanes, with the white Americans feeling superior and the Africans feeling inferior. We Africans need to realize that we are just as good as everybody else in the world. Our white American brothers and sisters need to realize that they are not superior to us black people. It dawned on me that our ignorance of Africa’s history and how it affects the African continent and her children in Africa and around the globe was a disease that was putting all of us into the intensive care. The only cure for this disease is knowledge and understanding of our history.

As continental Africans, we still suffer from the legacy of colonialism while the descendants of the formerly enslaved suffered from the legacy of slavery. The shackles of the mind remain alive and well within most of us. The healing that we desire begins with a serious conversation with the image in the mirror. I had made my diagnosis and I set out to design a treatment plan, one designed to undo the profound and systematic damage done to black people by the colonizers and slave masters. At the core of this plan was education and understanding of our history and how it impacts us in our daily lives as Africans and African diaspora. For the Americans, I set out to educate them about the amazing magical continent of Africa and that Africa was a continent with some of the most intelligent humans that ever inhabited the Earth. I also reminded the African diaspora that the healing we desire can only be achieved when we unite and accept that Africa is home.

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CHAPTER REFERENCES The African Union Representational Mission to the United States – This was established by the decision CM/DEC.367 (LXVII) taken during the 67th Ordinary Session in February 1998, authorizing the Secretary General to open an office in Washington, DC. 1

Africa House – This is the permanent home of the African Union Representational Mission to the United States was officially inaugurated on August 3, 2014, by H.E. Dr. Nkosazana DlaminiZuma, then Chairperson of the African Union Commission. 2

Organization of African Unity - The Organization of African Unity (OAU); French: Organisation de l’unité africaine (OUA)) was an intergovernmental organization established on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with 32 signatory governments. It was disbanded on 9 July 2002 by its last chairperson, South African President Thabo Mbeki, and replaced by the African Union (AU). Some of the key aims of the OAU were to encourage political and economic integration among member states, and to eradicate colonialism and neo-colonialism from the African continent. 3

EPA “handcuffs” law, justice, slavery

CHAPTER 3 THE BERLIN CONFERENCE

For years Europeans had been going into Africa as settlers, starting with the Portuguese over 600 years ago. They were looting from the Africans indiscriminately. According to history (Scramble for Africa, Partition of Africa, Conquest of Africa)1, the settlers found themselves looting from each other what they had looted from the Africans. Pretty soon they started fighting and killing each other over what they had looted from the Africans. It became a vicious cycle of survival of the fittest thief in another man’s land.

Image: The Berlin Conference

AFRICA ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK

The then Chancellor of Germany, Otto Von Bismarck (1871-1890), realizing that they were getting ready to have a full-scale European war on the African continent, called on his sidekick, King Leopold of Belgium, who at the time was already wreaking unbelievable havoc in the Congo where he killed over 75 percent of the population (Atrocities in the Congo Free State)2. They agreed on a plan to call all the colonizers for a meeting in Berlin, Germany. The purpose of the meeting was to see to it that Africa and her children are forever defeated and dominated. They organized themselves so that they could effectively loot from the “monkeys,” as they disparagingly referred to us the Africans. The countries who attended the Berlin Conference included Great Britain, Austria, France, Germany, Russia, Portugal, Denmark, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, and Turkey. History

informs us that during those three months of deliberations from November, 1884 to February, 1885, they gathered around a big conference room table across from a gigantic map of Africa hanging on the wall. The colonizers brought out their “carving knives” and our beloved continent found herself on the chopping block. All this was done while the Africans were minding their own business in Africa. The stage was set for the chopping of Africa into the tiny countries we have today. They proceeded to assign these countries to different colonizers who spoke different languages. This was done to intentionally and deliberately cause maximum divisions among people who were once homogeneous. The divisions were masterfully done in order to disrupt communication between neighboring countries. Prior to the Berlin Conference, Africa was divided into powerful kingdoms with well-established economic, religious, and educational systems. The chopping up of Africa in Berlin was done with total disregard for the tribal and cultural identity of the Africans. The divisions were so arbitrary that some accounts have it that husband and wife went to bed in Southern Africa and by break of day, the husband found himself in a country called Zambia and the wife in a country called Malawi.

DIVIDE AND CONQUER

The Berlin Conference gave birth to the Rule of Divide and Conquer.3 The Colonizers considered harmonious relations between kingdoms anywhere on the continent totally unacceptable. The more the kingdoms got along, the more countries they carved out of them. To further confuse the identities of the people, these newly carved out countries were assigned to colonizers who spoke different languages. This was by design to see to it that people who were once one, given a generation or two, would no longer realize they were ever related. In a generation or two, they would be speaking different languages and pledging allegiance to different colonizers. The kingdoms that did not get along were left intact to sustain their hostility toward each other and support the Masters’ divisive agenda. Through propaganda and manipulative tactics, they made the Africans believe that everything African was bad and everything European was better and more desirable.

They introduced Christianity as a tool to ensure that Africans were submissive. The Missionaries were instructed to teach the Africans how to read but not to reason. They also told the Africans that blessed were the poor for they shall inherit the Kingdom of heaven. The newly formed countries now belonged to the colonizers who ruled them from their capitals in Europe. This arrangement went on from 1885 till the late 1950s when different countries began demanding their independence from their colonial masters. Fast forward 135 years later, the agenda that was put in place to see to it that Africa and her children are forever defeated and dominated remains alive and well. To the colonizers I say, “Congratulations, Mission accomplished.”

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CHAPTER REFERENCES Scramble for Africa; the Partition of Africa; the Conquest of Africa – This was the invasion, occupation, division, and colonization of African territory by European powers during the period known to historians as the New Imperialism. 1

Atrocities in the Congo Free State - In the period from 1885 to 1908, many well documented atrocities were perpetrated in the Congo Free State which, at the time, was a colony under the personal rule of King Leopold II of the Belgians. These atrocities were particularly associated with the labor policies used to collect natural rubber for export. Together with epidemic disease, famine, and a falling birth rate caused by these disruptions, the atrocities contributed to a sharp decline in the Congolese population. 2

Divide and Conquer – Is a tactic to make a group of people disagree and fight with one another so that they will not join together against one; The use of a combination of political, military and economic strategies that aim to gain and maintain power by breaking up larger concentrations of power into chunks that individually have less power than the one implementing the strategy. 3

NYAME DUA “tree of god” God’s protection and presence

CHAPTER 4 EFFECTS OF THE BERLIN CONFERENCE

After the Berlin Conference in 1885, the colonizers continued exploiting Africa and mercilessly abusing the Africans. Many Tribes fought back but lost as they were using inferior weapons. It was not until the 1950s when the Africans began to wake up and demand independence. Many had gone abroad and began seeing Africa through a different lens. Africans now wanted to govern themselves.

The colonizers began to face resistance from their colonies and it became apparent that colonization as it stood, was no longer sustainable. One by one, the countries began to receive political independence from their colonial masters. As each one of these tiny countries were given their political independence, they were given the same sovereignty as their colonial master on the world stage where they were expected to compete as equals. I liken this to placing a lightweight boxer in the same boxing ring with a heavyweight boxer. While the countries may have been given political independence, they were however denied economic independence to this day. Even the political independence is questionable in some cases as the former colonizers still have control over who leads the country. The infiltration, exploitation, manipulation and sabotage of African countries by western countries remain some of Africa’s main challenges to this day. Whenever discussions on the chopping up of Africa come up, it is common to have educated African elites express the view that we cannot keep talking about the Berlin Conference. They argue that, “after all it happened over one hundred years ago.” My usual response to them is that as long as we have small countries like Togo, Benin, Rwanda, and Burundi, in fact all African countries for that matter, the Berlin Conference remains alive and well. Some of these countries are so small they are a little more than tribal settlements. Some of them have a current population of only 1.5 million people. It is insanity of the highest order, criminality at its best! How can a tiny strip of land like Togo which is equivalent to a county in the US, survive economically as a country? The Kingdom of Lesotho, Benin, the Gambia, and many other tiny African countries, have the same sovereignty as India, China, and the United States on the world stage. How are these tiny countries with their small economies expected to compete with these powerful countries with such gigantic economies?

Let us consider this world as one big boxing ring. In boxing each fighter belongs to a division. You do not put a lightweight fighter in the same boxing ring as a heavyweight fighter. African countries are not even lightweight fighters. They are “wannabe” boxers who are constantly being thrown into the boxing ring with heavy weight boxers and getting their rear ends kicked all day long. For heaven’s sake where is the parity when the Gambia has to negotiate with China, Burundi with the United States, Lesotho with India and Togo with the European Union? When the individual African countries get beaten up, the righteous world has the audacity to wonder why African countries are losing the fight. Really? This is ludicrous!!! The blunt truth is that the Berlin Conference set Africa on a losing path. Let us face the truth. No single African country, considered a sovereign nation on its own, can survive in the long run. Togo has parity when negotiating with the state of Delaware. Nigeria has parity when negotiating with the state of Texas. It is important for us to understand that the aim of the Berlin Conference was simply to create African countries so small that they are doomed to fail. The overall strategy was to have African economies that were so small that they would be easy to destabilize should the countries somehow manage to succeed. Over 135 years later, the strategy as set forth at the Berlin Conference remain in place. Indeed, the looting continues but it is in a different form. Unfortunately, there are no serious conversations about The Berlin Conference and its effects on modern day Africa. We naively assume that Africa can simply move on despite the inequalities and the exploitation that continue to this day as the colonizers never left Africa. Berlin Conference left Africa in a losing lane. There is definitely a disconnect in our understanding of the link between what was done 135 years ago and what is happening in Africa today. It is in Africa’s best interest to understand and properly study and educate the younger generations about our history. Quoting Jamaican-born political activist, publisher, journalist, entrepreneur and orator Marcus Garvey, “A people

without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture are like a tree without roots.” As long as we have countries called Malawi, Zimbabwe and Central African Republic, the Berlin Conference remains alive and well. That which they set out to do 135 years ago is still in full force in Africa today. Nothing has changed! It is very difficult for any of these small African countries to achieve their highest economic potential when they are negotiating on the world stage as the small economies that they are. While this fact is to the disadvantage of the Africans, it is advantageous to the colonizers who continue to use their financial muscle to bulldoze the small African economies. The Berlin Conference affects our ability to trade with each other as neighbors. This is especially so because of our different currencies and different languages. The situation is so ridiculous that it is easier for the individual countries to trade with the US Dollar, British Pound Sterling, or the European Euro, than the currency of the neighboring countries. The impact of the Berlin Conference on trade and investment and economic development in Africa has been particularly devastating. Economic development is measured by increased output from one productive cycle to another. Whatever impacts the ability of Africans to trade with each other affects productivity and consequently economic development. One of the net effects of the Berlin Conference is the disruption of trade among African countries at all levels. Other obstacles to intra-continental trade are non-tariff barriers, the most prominent of which are the unending territorial barriers set up at the Berlin Conference. Trade barriers restrict imports and exports of goods and services through mechanisms other than the simple imposition of tariffs. To transport goods or travel by road or rail from one country to another, one has to endure long waiting periods at so many borders throughout Africa that, at times, it is not even worth the trouble. Produce goes to waste while waiting to cross borders. Air travel is equally affected. In order to travel from one

part of Africa to another in most cases, it is easier to fly to Europe and then fly back to Africa. This is simply because most of the air spaces over African countries are closed. They are only now being opened, thanks to the AU’s Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM). This flagship project was launched in January 2018 to enhance connectivity, facilitate trade and tourism and create employment across the continent. The need for multiple intra-continental visas makes it very difficult and frustrating to travel to neighboring African countries. Prominent Nigerian businessman and Africa’s richest person Aliko Dangote once said he needed to have his passport stamped thirty-five times in a single business trip across Africa. Individuals wishing to travel from other continents to Africa for business or pleasure face similar challenges. Take for example a resident of the state of Iowa in the United States wishing to visit Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya for vacation. This resident needs to submit his or her passport to the Nigerian embassy in Washington, DC. He has to wait for three to four weeks to obtain his visa and get his passport back. He then sends the same passport back to Washington, DC to the Ghanaian Embassy. The applicant waits for another three to four weeks to get his passport back. Finally, he or she sends the passport back to Washington, DC this time to the Kenyan Embassy. In some cases, the Embassies are next door to each other. In the three to four weeks it takes for his passport to come back from the Kenyan Embassy, his visa to Nigeria is now expired! Who wants to go through all this trouble just to go on vacation? At the end of the day, the frustrated would-be tourist simply decides to forget going to Africa and goes to Europe instead. Thank you, Berlin Conference! It is obvious that all these road blocks emanating from the Berlin Conference have a terribly negative effect on tourism, trade and investment and economic growth in Africa. Africa has some of the best tourist destinations in the world, yet receives a measly four

percent of the world’s tourism dollars annually. A combination of the negative image of Africa and all the hoops that travelers have to jump through to travel and to get visas have a negative effect on economic development. That is why, in the face of such harrowing experiences, people simply turn to other parts of the world for their tourism and investment needs. Once again, thanks to the Berlin Conference The colonizers’ second method of conquest and a major strategy they used in colonizing the Africans, was to sow the seed that programmed our people to believe that anything and everything African was bad and undesirable, while everything European was better and more desirable. This is another legacy of colonization. Sadly, too many of us continue to suffer from this affliction. This remains one of Africa’s biggest challenges resulting in the “shackles of the mind.” While we may have lost the shackles of the hands and feet, the shackles of the mind remain as tight as they can be. This is singularly the biggest hindrance to true liberation of black people around the globe. Most of us are not even aware that we are suffering from this disease yet we are in the intensive care because of it. As black people around the globe, we are a wounded people and we need healing. This, in a nutshell, was how the seeds of colonization and the rule of divide and conquer were sown at the infamous Berlin Conference between November, 1884 and February, 1885. This event singularly defines the state of affairs in Africa today. Every question pertaining to why Africa is where it is today and how the continent arrived at its present state of chaos and dysfunction can be referred to this conference for answers. The Berlin Conference was nothing but an unholy scheme that can be likened to armed robbers forcibly gaining entry into a house and dividing its valuables among themselves while the owners of the house, who have been tied up with thick ropes, look on helplessly as the robbers take over their home. Once settled, the robbers then

proceed to make the home owners their servants. I liken Africa’s challenges to that of an ailing tree. The leaves, flowers and fruits are all dying at different times of the year. These equate to Africa’s perennial problems of youth unemployment, poverty, hunger, poor infrastructure, lack of access to affordable health care, lack of access to quality education and poor governance. It turns out that the tree’s problem is in its root. Until the issues of the root are addressed nothing is going to change. The Berlin Conference, by deliberate design, is one of the major root causes of Africa’s problems. Until this root cause is addressed by Africans coming together and eliminating the boundaries which were imposed upon us, no sustainable development can occur on our continent. That is the primary reason why the tree which is Africa, will remain an ailing, problematic tree until Africa is united as one continent. Until we take care of the root causes resulting from the Berlin Conference, Africa’s problems will continue. We must understand and address Africa’s issues from the root. To the Colonizers, I say, “Congratulations! Your mission has been beautifully accomplished! Your Berlin Conference remains alive and well. Its effects continue to wreak havoc on the African continent while we, the Africans, continue to chase our tail like dogs with mange. To us Africans I say, “It is time for us to unite and speak with one voice, as one Africa and one continent. This is how we will eliminate the Berlin Conference and her children, the legacy of colonization and neo-colonialism, as well as the rule of divide and conquer. This is the only way Africa can get off the loosing lane and hop onto the winning path to true economic liberation.” Fortunately, Africa is waking up from her slumber of over 600 years. The children of Africa are ready to take back their beloved continent and their dignity. Africa’s children at home and abroad MUST UNITE!! There is no other option. We are at a Do or Die moment in our history. It’s just that simple. The sooner we come together and

accept the reality that we are all children of one Mother Africa, the better off we will be.

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TAMFO BEBRE “the enemy will stew in his own juice” jealousy

CHAPTER 5 THE EVILS OF COLONIZATION

ATROCITIES THE SETTLERS/COLONIZERS COMMITTED AGAINST AFRICANS

The atrocities committed against Africans during colonization are scantily documented and rarely discussed. Africans were considered inferior beings to the colonial masters and were subjected to extreme inhumane treatment from them, much like what happened during slavery. The colonial masters committed horrendous atrocities against the Africans throughout colonial rule and thereafter. Allow

me to highlight a few examples.

THE “BRITISH LOOT LAW” IN ZIMBABWE (RHODESIA)

When the British arrived in the territory of Zambesia in 1896, they renamed it Rhodesia. The British South Africa Company (BSAC) demarcated and governed the region until the 1920s. The entire region was bisected by the Zambezi River which served as a natural border. The territory to the north of the Zambezi was officially designated Northern Rhodesia by BSAC and became the Republic of Zambia in 1964. The region to the south, which the company dubbed Southern Rhodesia, became Zimbabwe in 1980. Rhodesia was named after Cecil Rhodes, BSAC’s founder and managing director. The British mapped out the country of Rhodesia into regions based on the fertility of the soil and the amount of rainfall. Region One had

the best rainfall and the best soil. Region Two came pretty close to Region One. Region Three had poor rainfall and poor soil and was only good for cattle ranching. Region Four had no rain, its soil was sandy and it was infested with tsetse flies, mosquitoes and was uninhabitable. British Veterans of the First or Second World Wars and any adventurous Britons were guaranteed 2,000 hectares (4942 acres) of land in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, plus any loot from the local people. When a British man arrived in Rhodesia for the first time, he was directed to Regions One or Two. To map out his land, the British man would get on a horse and ride in one direction until he or his horse became too tired to proceed. A wooden peg was placed at this point. The following day, he repeated the same journey in a different direction, in a rectangular fashion. This was repeated for a total of four days. After that, everything within the four-point enclosure belonged to the British settler with the exception of the people. The settler would storm into the village, usually in the early hours of the morning and begin torching the huts. The inhabitants who owned this land were forced to leave as their village was being burnt down. The settler would order them, “In this direction go past that river, in this direction go past that mountain. Your land is now mine.” The settler did not care where they went as long as they left the now illegally acquired land. Helpless and now dispossessed of the land their ancestors bequeathed to them, the villagers who were scared to death hurriedly left with only what they could carry. Backed by a ridiculous “British Loot Law,” the British stayed behind and looted the villager’s chickens, goats, donkeys, cows and whatever was left behind. The British Loot Law encouraged the settlers to loot from the local people with no consequences whatsoever. Unfortunately for some of the Africans, the entire process turned into a vicious cycle. No sooner had they settled on a new parcel of land than another British man would appear, map out his land, and

once again force them out. That was how the black people in Rhodesia were slowly and deliberately pushed to the worst parts of the country (Region Four). This process of marginalization continued into the 1950s. This state of affairs persisted with black people living in the worst parts of Zimbabwe until the land reforms1 which began in 1990 under the late President Robert Mugabe. At no time did the British ever apologize for dispossessing the Zimbabweans of their land in the brutal manner that they did. In fact, their descendants now claim the land as their own and that the real owners have no right to the land. While these lynchings went on in Zimbabwe perpetrated by the British forces, African Americans were being subjected to the same lynchings and abuse in the United States (see photos on the next page for comparison). This is a fact that a lot of people are not aware of. So for those African Americans who feel that their suffering was worse than that of the Africans on the continent, here are the cold, hard facts for you. The misinformation given in the history books and in the media is designed to keep us divided as a people. We are a wounded people, and we all need healing.

BULAWAYO, ZIMBABWE, 1890’s

Natives who resisted giving up their land were subjected to extreme torture and death. Photo above depicts Africans hanging from a tree after being lynched. Robert Baden-Powell, a British officer cherished this photo so much that he nicknamed it “The Christmas Tree” and kept it in a scrapbook

LEE COUNTY, GEORGIA, UNITED STATES, 1916

Photograph of lynching of six African-Americans in Lee County, GA, 20 Jan 1916

Photo: Lawrenceville, April 7, 1911. Lynching of Charlie Hale, a black man, on the courthouse square at the corner of Perry and Pike Streets. Note the sign hanging from his toes: “Please do not wake him.” At far left is Jack Mathis, and the boy is Herbert Strayhorn.

Many natives resisted the displacement from their villages and fought the British looters. Many were labeled as rebellious and they were tortured, beaten, shot and killed. Some of the notable British settlers who perpetrated some of the looting of the land and abuses of the natives, yet are currently celebrated as heroes are; Lord Robert Baden-Powell - Founder of the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides. He was a British Army officer in Rhodesia and was notorious for attacking, abusing and killing the natives, so much so that they nicknamed him “The Wolf That Never Sleeps,” a title he cherished greatly. Many natives were forced to climb up trees with a rope around their necks and then ordered to jump off the tree. If

they resisted, they were pushed off the tree. On the next page is a photograph of the natives in Matebeland hanging from a tree after being lynched. This photograph was found in the diaries of BadenPowell which are now in the national archives of Zimbabwe. According to the diaries, Baden-Powell kept this photo in his scrapbook where he titled it the “Christmas Tree,” a title that reflected hanging black people looking like ornaments on a Christmas tree. Cecil John Rhodes - He was another celebrated figure who was equally notorious for abusing and murdering many natives in Rhodesia (present day Zimbabwe). Rhodes was a mining magnate and former prime minister of Cape Colony (present day South Africa). He killed millions of southern Africans for diamonds and gold. He made his millions off the backs of natives he forced to work in the mines and railroad lines needed to transport the diamonds and gold out of Africa. Today he is celebrated through the Rhodes Scholarship. If only people knew how he acquired his riches. Ernest Oppenheimer - Another Englishman in southern Africa who also looted and displaced many Africans from their lands. He was a miner who made his fortune from mining gold and diamonds in South Africa. The land he acquired in Rhodesia was larger than the country of Belgium and estimated to be approximately 960,000 hectares (2,112,000 acres). One could drive for 45 minutes at 120 km per hour and still be on his farm. After Zimbabwe independence in 1980 his descendants were living in South Africa, and no farming was taking place on the 2 million acres. It is reported that his family would fly to Zimbabwe once a month to spend a couple of hours at the homestead for sentimental reasons. In the meantime thousands of black Africans were squattering at the periphery of the farm. The Oppenheimer’s finally gave up the land in the mid 2000’s after much resistance.

Photo: Lord Robert Baden Powell

Photo: John Cecil Rhodes

Photo: Ernest Oppenheimer

It’s sad that those who perpetrated the violence and theft of the land and benefited immensely from the land for over a century, when it came time to undo the wrongs, the “righteous world” says that the descendants of the perpetrators who are white should be compensated while the descendants of the victims who are the black Africans are not even considered for compensation. The same happened in the United States and Europe. At the time of emancipation of the slaves it was the slave owners who were compensated and not the slaves who had suffered for centuries. I suppose the rules are different when the abused are black versus being white. The double standards are disturbing and the world must take note. This is not only wrong, but a serious injustice and abuse of human rights. Sadly such is the world we live in as black people.

THE GERMAN HERERO, NAMAQUA AND SAN GENOCIDE IN NAMIBIA

Namibia was given to Germany during the Berlin Conference. The country was then known as German South West Africa. The Germans committed many atrocities against the Namibians, most notable of which was the ethnic cleansing of the San, Herero and Namaqua (Nam) people between 1904 and 1908. Namibia was the only German colony considered suitable for white settlers at that time. The country was also attractive to the Germans because it was rich in mineral wealth especially diamonds. The Germans forcefully seized land from the locals without compensation and forced them to work for free. Over time, the Africans began to rise in rebellion against the harsh abuse by the

Germans and demanded their land back. The local rebellion escalated into a war in 1904. The Herero people attacked remote white-owned farms killing about 150 Germans. This did not sit well with the colonizers. They sent General Lothar von Trotha who retaliated with brutal force and quelled the rebellion. The Africans retreated into the dry Kalahari Desert in Namibia. The German forces guarded every water source and were given orders to shoot and kill any adult African male on sight. They also poisoned all the wells. Only a few of the Herero and Nama people managed to escape into neighboring British territories such as Northern and Southern Rhodesia. This genocide resulted in the death of about seventy percent of the total population of the Herero, Nama and San people of Namibia. They died mainly from starvation, drinking of poisoned well water, or by being shot to death by the Germans. This was brutality of the highest order. The colonizers were evil indeed. Some might refer to them as “the devil incarnate.” It takes a heartless person to perpetuate such crimes against another human being.

German Herero People Photo By: Hans Hillewaert

German rule finally ended in 1915 with a defeat by South African forces. The colonizers were evil! As they departed Namibia, the Germans took some of the skulls and remains of the Herero and Nama people to Germany as trophies and for research purposes. To date, they are still holding onto the human remains and are refusing to give them back for proper burial. The Herero and Nama people have pursued resolution of this matter in German courts and are only asking for the remains of their ancestors for proper burial. How can this be going on in the 21st century? No one has been held accountable for these atrocities. I suppose murdering of Africans was a non-issue for the former colonizers. After murdering our ancestors and taking their remains to Europe, what justification could they possible have for refusing to return their remains. In fact,

the Herero, Nama and San People should be filing murder charges against the Germans. Instead we are reduced to begging for the return of the remains of our ancestors back to Africa. These remains are in fact, evidence of murder. It is sickening just to think about it. This is a very difficult chapter for me to write as it is too painful. The descendants of the murderers are too arrogant to do the right thing. It is mind boggling to say the least!! Only against Africans can this be allowed to happen. As I write this book, I cannot help but wonder how long a single skull of a murdered German soldier would have lasted in any of these African villages. The Germans would have stormed into that village and not only took the skull, but kill thousands of Namibians in retaliation. So much for Human Rights. I suppose Human Rights rules did not apply to the Africans. The Herero and Nama people have also filed a lawsuit and are demanding reparations from Germany. In 2018, a US District Court in New York heard the first oral arguments between representatives of the Herero and Nama people, and representatives of the German government, in a case demanding reparation for damages for what has been termed the first genocide of the 20th century. Such is Africa’s reality. Nowhere else on earth would this be tolerated.

APARTHEID IN NAMIBIA

Apartheid was an oppressive political and social system of institutionalized racial segregation. It existed in South Africa and South West Africa from 1948 until the early 1990s during the era of white minority rule. Apart from its practice in South Africa, very few people, even Africans, are aware that apartheid was practiced in other African countries such as Namibia and Zimbabwe. Apartheid in Namibia is an untold story of the evils of colonization. Namibia has a complicated political history. It became a German colony called German South West Africa in 1884 under Otto von Bismarck. After the First World War (1914–1918), the League of Nations mandated South Africa to administer the territory. The League of Nations was dissolved in April 1946 after World War II (1939–1945). Its successor, the United Nations (UN), instituted a Trusteeship system to bring all the former German colonies in Africa

under UN control. South Africa objected, arguing that a majority of the territory’s people were content with South African rule. Legal argument ensued over the next twenty years until in October 1966, the UN General Assembly decided to end the mandate, declaring that South Africa had no further right to administer the territory, and that henceforth South West Africa was to come under the direct responsibility of the UN (Resolution 2145 XXI of 27 October 1966). Although the mandate was abolished by the UN in 1966, South African rule continued in spite of the fact that it was illegal under international law. The territory was administered directly by the South African Government from 1915 to 1978, when the Turnhalle Constitutional Conference laid the groundwork for semiautonomous rule. During an interim period between 1978 and 1985, South Africa gradually granted South West Africa a limited form of home rule, culminating in the formation of a Transitional Government of National Unity. In 1990, South West Africa was granted independence as the Republic of Namibia with the exception of Walvis Bay and the Penguin Islands, which continued to remain under South African rule until 1994. South West Africa (modern-day Namibia) was thus under South African administration for 75 years (1915–1990). Namibia in southwest Africa is distinguished by the Namib Desert along its Atlantic Ocean coast. The country is exceptionally rich in minerals such as uranium, vanadium, lithium, tungsten and diamonds. This motivated South Africa to hold on to Namibia throughout the many years of revolution from 1966 to 1990. South African apartheid laws extended to Namibia where the laws prevented black Namibians from having any political, social and economic freedoms. The main goal of white South Africa’s rule over Namibia was to create an opportunity for white South Africans to exploit Namibia’s mineral resources. During Namibia’s struggle for independence, white South Africans used well-known British guerrilla tactics to undermine the locals. It

took twenty-four years of revolt and guerrilla warfare for Namibia to gain its independence from white South Africans. During these years, between 20,000 and 25,000 people were killed. Namibia finally achieved political independence on March 21, 1990. In 1994, the first elections following the country’s independence were held. The South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO), (a political party and former independence movement in Namibia) won 53 out of 72 seats in the National Assembly. SWAPO has been the governing party in Namibia since the country gained independence in 1990.

THE MAU MAU UPRISING IN KENYA

Photo: Suspects in Nairobi, 1952. Brutality against Kenyans outraged the British citizens as much as it did the Africans

During the Berlin Conference Kenya was given to the British who ruled the country until it gained independence in 1963. The Mau Mau Uprising between 1952 and 1960 was a war in Kenya which started because the Kikuyu people wanted to reclaim their land from the British colonizers. In response to the rebellion, between 320,000 and 450,000 Kikuyus were moved into concentration camps, while one million of them were held in “enclosed villages.” A great number of Africans were gruesomely murdered. Those who supported the Mau Mau rebels were tortured by having their ears sliced off and holes bored in their eardrums. Others were either bludgeoned to death or set on fire. Other frequently used gruesome methods of torture were castration and mutilation of testicles through squeezing and crushing them. Some had their genitalia and other body parts cut off and left to bleed to death. Many were brutally tortured with pins

and hot metal rods to extract information from them about the growing insurgency of Kenyans seeking independence. Many were shot to death. Women were choked and held under water. Men were dragged behind Land Rovers, whipped, burned, and bayoneted. They forced the men to dig their own graves, then line them up in front of the graves and shot them. The British savagely tortured Kenyans in concentration camps. Women were raped and physically abused in front of their husbands and children, while some of the men were dismembered, one body part at a time till they bled to death. The British were on a murderous campaign to eliminate the Kikuyu people. They later went out of their way to conceal the atrocities they committed in Kenya against the Kikuyu. These crimes against humanity are yet to be prosecuted. There is a strong case to be made by the Kenyans against the British. Thanks to the relentless lawyers and historians who were persistent in pursuing the issue in search of justice. On June 6, 2013, the British Foreign Secretary William Hague read a statement in the British Parliament announcing an unprecedented agreement to compensate the 5,228 Kenyans who were tortured, abused and killed by the British during the Kikuyu uprising. Each received a mere pittance of 3,800 pounds. He proceeded to state that Britain “sincerely regrets that these abuses took place.” It was the first time Britain had admitted carrying out torture anywhere in its former colonies.

Photo:Mau Mau soldiers murdered by the British

Photo: Dead Mau Mau soldiers murdered by the British in Kenya 1954

KIKUYU UPRISING

Photo: 20th December 1963: Field Marshal Mwariama inspects his troops at a Mau Mau hideout in Meruland

Photo: Members of the Devon Regiment assisting police in searching homes at Karoibangi where they are looking for Mau Mau soldiers, they rounded up local people for interrogation

KING LEOPOLD II AND THE CONGO FREE STATE

Photo: King Leopold II of Belgium April 9, 1835 - December 17, 1909

The Congo Free State was a Central African nation privately owned by King Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909). The Congo was given to King Leopold during the Berlin Conference. He established this vast country as his private property on February 5, 1885. German Chancellor Otto Von Bismarck and King Leopold were very close friends and allies. Bismarck supported King Leopold’s bid to keep the Congo for himself during the Berlin Conference. Easily covering a significant tenth of the entire expanse of tropical Africa, the Congo is the continent’s second largest country and has the largest mineral reserves in all of Africa. In the 23 years that King Leopold ruled the Congo (1885-1908), he massacred over 10 million Africans. Leopold’s rule of the Congo was one of the most barbaric eras of European domination of Africa. The irony about this is that Leopold never set

foot in the Congo! He orchestrated all the carnage from Belgium. Typically, if an African failed to meet his rubber quota for the day on the rubber plantations, the Belgian master would cut off his child’s hand and foot as a way of making him work harder. If the laborer did not improve his productivity, his children would be killed and brought to him as tokens. At other times, a laborer’s wife would be killed and the laborer would be forced to eat her remains. This would destroy the man’s life and leave him totally defeated. His fellow African laborers, in witnessing this gruesome ordeal, were also totally defeated. All this was done to strike terror in the hearts of the Africans so they could work harder and deliver the rubber that Leopold so desperately wanted in Belgium.

IMAGES OF KING LEOPOLD’S ATROCITIES AGAINST THE CONGOLESE

Photo: Belgian soldiers carrying severed human head on a pole

Photo: Congolese child and youth amputees because their father did not bring in enough rubber from the trees in the jungles of the Congo

Photo: Congolese father stares at the hand and foot of his five-year-old severed as a punishment for failing to make the daily rubber quota Belgian Congo 1904

Photo: Congo Free State Slaves c 1904 Failure to pay taxes often resulted in the offenders being condemned to slavery

HUMAN ZOOS IN BELGIUM AND MOST OF EUROPE AND THE AMERICAS

Leopold in the Congo did not end with his love for rubber. He also took some Africans to Belgium where he established a human zoo. Here, Africans were displayed like animals in cages for the enjoyment of European audiences. These were called ethnological exhibitions which were very popular in World Fairs across Europe where they were institutionalized for almost a century. Below are of the notable exhibits in Europe: In August 1877, twelve Nubians are exhibited in the French zoological gardens in Paris. During the Exhibit, the Nubians are touched, measured and undressed like animals.

In 1891 fifty Amazon women from Dahomey, a Kingdom in present day Benin were displayed at the Zoological Garden in Paris. 1896 about one hundred Africans from Cameron and Togo were exhibited at a Human zoo in Germany. 1897, 260 Congolese, some of them women and children, were all were put on display at a human zoo in Belgium in the town of Tervuren. The Africans were locked up in cages with signs that stated: “It is forbidden to feed the Blacks” In 1940, the Africans from Angola and Mozambique were packed in cages, in tropical gardens in Lisbon for the entertainment and pleasure of the Portuguese.

Photo: Female warriors from Dahomey (present day Benin) who were known as the Dahomey Amazons in around 1890

Photo: A 'human zoo' in Belgium in 1897. Photograph: R Stalin (Inforcongo), 1958, RMCA Tervuren

Photo: The 1897 human zoo in Belgium.

Photo: Congo 1955 (Belgian colony at the time)

Photo: Ota Benga was a Mbuti man, known for being featured in an anthropology exhibit at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1904, and in a human zoo exhibit in 1906 at the Bronx Zoo.

During the 1899 universal exhibit in Paris, about 400 Africans are displayed. Among them was King Dinah Salifiou, the King of the Nalou-Baga people from Guinea. Exhibiting an African King at this repugnant exhibit was the ultimate humiliation for the poor captured Africans. During the same time in Paris, twenty-eight Angolans were also on display in Paris. The French referred to the Africans as beasts. King Leopold along with the other colonizers and millions of European citizens ridiculed and humiliated the Africans for almost a century. African men, women and children were represented as subhuman speechless objects. What is most amazing is how millions of seemingly normal Europeans, for almost a century, found this grotesque, despicable, disgusting and gross violation of human rights as simply great entertainment and saw absolutely nothing wrong with it. History continues to reverberate with revulsion and shock at King Leopold’s infamous exploits in the Congo. Over 75 percent of the population of the Congo was annihilated by King Leopold in his efforts to defeat and dominate the Africans. Today, Belgium continues to exert a very strong influence in the Congo through companies that date back to colonization. (See Chapter References for more information.) The colonizers have never left Africa. They continue to control the economy and influence the former colonies internal politics. For decades, most Europeans mistakenly believed that King Leopold spent his considerable fortune funding public and charitable works in the Congo. It was all a sham! Under the guise of generosity and grace lay a cunning and totally diabolical scheme. Using an international charitable foundation as a front, he ran the Congo, his “private property,” as a brutal business investment. Jules Marchal, a prominent Belgian diplomat and historian, estimates that Leopold

made today’s equivalent of 1.1 billion dollars in profits from the Congo during his lifetime. His so-called charity resulted in the death of over ten million Congolese, approximately seventy five percent of the population of the Congo at that time. King Leopold was not only brutal in his objective of defeating and dominating the Africans, he was also cruel and evil. King Leopold was indeed another true devil incarnate. King Leopold and the rest of the colonizers used Christianity to subdue the Africans. In general, the Colonizers would send missionaries ahead of the settlers. The missionaries were given strict instructions to get the Africans to accept Christianity so they would not revolt against the occupiers who usually came behind the Missionaries once the Africans were felt to have been subdued sufficiently. When abused, the Missionaries taught the Africans to turn another cheek. In an 1883 letter to the colonial missionaries in the Congo, King Leopold stressed the following manipulative points which were designed to brainwash the Africans. Below are excerpts from his letters: Reverends, Fathers and Dear Compatriots: The task that is given you to fulfill is very delicate and requires much tact. You will go certainly to evangelize, but your evangelization must inspire above all, Belgium interests. Your principal objective in the Congo is not to teach the niggers to know God. Through their pagan gods they know that to kill, to commit adultery, to lie, and to insult is bad. Have courage to admit it; you are not going to teach them what they know already. Your essential role is to interpret the gospel only in a way that will protect your interests in Africa. Ensure that the savages do not realize the full potential of the richness of their land.

Use the gospel to encourage the natives to love poverty. Highlight biblical texts like “Happier are the poor because they will inherit the kingdom of heaven,” (Derived from Matthew 5:3) and, “It’s very difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:24). You must singularly insist on their total submission and obedience. Teach the Africans only to read and not to reason. Evangelize the niggers in such a way that they stay forever in submission to you. Every day, make them recite, “Happy are those who are weeping, because the kingdom of God is for them.” In another letter to the missionaries in the same year (1883), King Leopold provided more manipulative and brainwashing strategies: Always convert the blacks by using the whip. Keep their women in nine months of submission to work freely for us. Make sure that niggers never become rich. Brainwash them that it’s impossible for the rich to enter heaven. Make them pay tax each week at Sunday mass. Use the money meant for the poor to build flourishing business centers. Institute a confessional system that allows you to be good detectives, denouncing any black that has a different consciousness contrary to that of you, the decision-maker. Teach the niggers to forget their heroes and to adore only ours. Never present a chair to a black person that comes to visit you. Never invite him for dinner even if he gives you a chicken each time you visit him. King Leopold would go down in history as one of the most evil man that ever walked the earth. How he orchestrated the massacre of over ten million people in the Congo from Belgium is beyond comprehension as he never set foot in the Congo.

THE BAMILIKE - FRENCH WAR – THE FORGOTTEN WAR

IN CAMEROON

From the 1950’s to the 1960’s, the Bamilike people of Cameroon revolted against the French. The French responded by waging a vicious war against the Bamilike people. They tortured and killed over ten thousand Cameroonians. The French proceeded to destroy all evidence of their horrific crimes against the Bamilike people. To date, most people are not aware of this war.

Photo: These French soldiers killed villagers in Cameroon as a form of sport and displayed their heads. The soldiers were sent to Cameroon for peace keeping after the Bamilike War. On Sundays they would take their families to church and after church they went into the villages looking for young Africans to kill for fun. Note: This photo was taken by a freelance photographer who does not wish to be named.

After the war, the French left military behind to maintain peace. These young soldiers stayed behind and continued the atrocities. The photo below was given to me by a family member of a freelance photographer. This photo was taken by the family member who witnessed this particular event in 1975. The photo was taken secretly as the soldiers paraded the heads of the young black Cameroonian young men they had just beheaded. According to the freelance photographer who is still alive, the soldiers would go to church with their wives on Sunday. After church, the men would go out and behead Africans just for fun. I still struggle to understand how seemingly normal people would engage in such despicable, inhumane acts and yet they are the same people who went out of their way to prove that black people are subhuman. The above stories are a tip of the iceberg of all the evils the colonizers committed all over Africa in order to exploit, defeat and dominate the Africans. Not a single African country was spared. This is our story. This is our SAD history! We are a wounded people and the wounds are deep. While the wounds maybe old, to some extent they are still fresh. The real problem is that, too many of us do not even realize that we are wounded, let alone that we have fresh wounds that need healing. The systematic brainwashing and the rule of divide and conquer remain alive and well among us to this day. The sense of inferiority among us the Africans is automatically passed from generation to generation. We are literally “stuck on stupid” because we have been programmed to believe even the most blatant lies. If the white man said it, it must be true. What is more disturbing is our inability to push back against the lies. The majority of us simply accept the lies without challenge and move on. To a great extent we African have somehow managed to normalize the abnormal. What is obvious is the apparent sense of hopelessness and despair among we black people around the world. We seem

totally incapable of fighting back even in the face of blatant abuse. It is quite amazing how a whole race could have been put to sleep for so long! Whoever masterminded the uniform brainwashing of all black people around the world from one generation to the other is a genius. It is almost as if we Black people have undergone a genetic mutation and are now on automatic pilot of stupidity when it comes to our race. The genesis of this self-hate and inferiority complex can be traced to a greater extend, to colonization and slavery- the two sides of the same evil coin. The solution for us is simple. All we need is the courage to STAND UP and push back. To successfully challenge the status quo, we must first and foremost unshackle our minds through knowledge and understanding of our history. Once the mind is free and we understand that as Black people we are NOT inferior to anyone, the rest of the journey will be an easy battle. Let us be courageous. We must stand up, unite and defend our turf. President Roosevelt once said: Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather, the assessment that something is more important than fear.

STOLEN ARTIFACTS, SKULLS, AND BONES

Not satisfied with defeating and dominating the Africans, the colonizers undertook initiatives that further denigrated the humanity and dignity of Africans. They took the skulls and skeletons of those they killed to Europe for scientific study and the exhibitions in museums. Some were trying to prove that Africans were not human. As a result of this, thousands of human skulls and bones of African people remain in the custody of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation3 which presides over state museums in Berlin as well as across Europe. The existence of such a collection in European museums is nothing but another ugly legacy of the Berlin Conference and colonization. Sadly, it is obvious that the colonizers made a hobby out of hoarding the remains of our people. We must also remember that like King Leopold, European museums also staged “human zoos,” where

Africans captured from the continent were put on display in cages, like animals. The display of remains of Africans became so popular that unscrupulous bounty hunters exhumed the bodies of Africans and sold their bones to eager European collectors. In recent decades, the calls for the repatriation from Europe, of the remains of our African Ancestors who were murdered by the colonizers have become louder. Our people are aggrieved, outraged and disgusted by the reluctance and outright refusal of the descendants of our colonizers to return these sacred remains back home to our Africa for proper burial. While the descendants of the colonizers may not have committed these horrendous crimes, they have a moral obligation to right these terrible wrongs. It is estimated that 90 to 95 percent of Africa’s cultural heritage is held outside Africa by major museums, with France alone having over Ninety thousand objects and human remains from sub-Saharan Africa in its national collections. In Germany and all over Europe, many museums have custody of many African treasures and human skeletons. As I write this book, this is one of the times I feel like I am writing a horror movie but sadly, this is our reality as Africans. For heaven’s sake, the world needs to do better than this. Where is the United Nations (UN)? Our international body of Nations which is supposed to be the watchdog for human rights abuses around the world is sleeping like a gigantic grasshopper. The world must demand answers from the UN. A united Africa, through the African Union, must also file a formal complaint with the UN against the former colonizers. This reckless behavior of our former colonizers must come to an end. In Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) the settler regime of Ian Smith decapitated heads of heroes and heroines of the war of liberation and sent some of their skulls to Britain as trophies of their conquest against the black people in Zimbabwe. Recently Britain has agreed to return the skulls to Zimbabwe after a battle that has been going on since 1980 when Zimbabwe got her independence from the Rhodesia

Front. Why Zimbabwe has had to fight to get these ancestral skulls back is beyond comprehension. The skulls are supposed to be returned this year. Honestly these colonizers and their descendants have no shame! In 2018, French President Emmanuel Macron talked about the need to return stolen African artifacts housed in European museums back to their countries of origin. Macron’s announcement4 was well received and widely reported by several media outlets. Delivery on this promise is however still pending. Religious or sacred objects were not exempted from the loot. At the rear of an altar in Henry VII’s Lady Chapel, Westminster Abbey, London is a looted inlaid sacred tabot (wooden or stone replicas of the tablets of law on which the Ten Commandments were inscribed). It is among hundreds of objects looted in 1868 from Maqdala in northern Ethiopia by a British expeditionary force. Such a tablet is deemed so holy by Ethiopian Christians that only priests from the country’s Orthodox church are permitted to see it. In 2019, the Abbey’s authorities bluntly denied an Ethiopian priest’s request to organize a viewing and prayer session with the tablet which was stolen from the Ethiopians. What is most amazing is the fact that the denial was without shame. I often wonder when enough is going to be enough?

STOLEN ARTIFACTS, SKULLS, AND BONES

Photo: The 32in (81cm) tall Bangwa Queen is a wooden carving from Cameroon, representing the power and health of the Bangwa people.

Photo: The Maqdala treasures include an 18th Century gold crown taken from Ethiopia (formerly Abyssinia) by the British army in 1868.

Photo: Also taken from Ethiopia (formerly Abyssinia) by the British army in 1868 this royal wedding dress.

Photo: The Benin Bronzes, which are actually made of brass, are a collection of delicately made sculptures and plaques that adorned the royal palace of the Oba, Ovonramwen Nogbaisi, in the Kingdom of Benin.

Photo: Apart from bronze sculptures and plaques, innumerable royal objects were taken as a result of the mission and are scattered all over the world.

Photo: African art stolen during the colonial era

Photo: Nigerian mask at the Royal Palace of Brussels Photo: Picture by M0tty

SAARTJIE BAARTMAN

Photo: Saartjie Baartman was the best known of at least two South African Khoikhoi women who, due to their large buttocks, were exhibited as freak show attractions in 19th-century Europe.

SAARTJIE BAARTMAN

The life of South Africa’s Saartjie Baartman (1789-1815) is one of the best documented examples of the colonizers’ disdainful practice of using African bodies and remains as laboratory and research specimens, museum exhibits and amusement pieces. Baartman was yet another example of a human zoo. She was a black South African Khoikhoi woman who was exhibited all over Europe as a freak attraction because of her huge buttocks which were a result of steatopygia. Steatopygia is an extreme accumulation of large amounts of fat and tissue on the buttocks and thighs. During her life in captivity, Saartjie was at times legally and officially subjected to sexual voyeurism by European male sexual predators. The Europeans interpreted her pronounced buttocks as evidence of the radical difference between the Europeans and Africans.

When she died, her body was dissected and her genitalia and brains placed in jars, while her skeleton was put on display at France’s Museum of Man. In 1994, President Nelson Mandela requested that her remains be sent back to South Africa. The French government took years to acquiesce to the request. Baartman’s remains were finally sent back home to South Africa in 2002 where she received a fitting burial.

ALGERIAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE

Photo: Algerian War of Independence

Photo: Ahmed Ben Bella, first president of Algeria

The Algerian National Liberation front ( NLF) fought the French from 1954 to 1962 during the Algerian war of independence. The French committed serious crimes against the Algerians during this war. They completely disregarded the Geneva convention rules on the treatment of prisoners of war. Thousands of Algerians were tortured or shot to death. Many were taken on “Helicopter Death Flights” where they were thrown off the helicopters alive into the sea with concrete blocks on their feet so the dead bodies would not float to the surface of the sea. They called the dead bodies that floated to the surface “Bigeard’s Shrimps” named after a notorious French Helicopter commander who enjoyed taking Algerians on these death rides. All the Algerians wanted was their freedom from oppression by a foreign invader. The Algerians won their independence in 1962.

THE MALAGASY UPRISING

In the mid-forties, the people of Madagascar started revolting against French occupation. The French responded by going on a murderous rampage where they tortured the Malagasy people to death, ordered mass executions, raped the Malagasy women and killed many women and children through indiscriminate bomb attacks. Captured Madagascans were taken on helicopter rides and thrown into the ocean alive. All this was done to them because they simply wanted their land back and were tired of being occupied. I could go on and on about these atrocities. No African country was spared this magnitude of abuse by the colonizers. The ledger of abuse differ from one country to another.

RECENT APOLOGIES BY THE COLONIZERS

The guilt and culpability of the colonizers in these crimes against humanity are not in doubt and the descendants of the former colonizers do not deny them either. On September 7, 2001, the European Union agreed to apologize for slavery and colonization in the final declaration of the World Conference Against Racism. On August 16, 2004, the German government officially apologized for the atrocities saying “We Germans accept our historic and moral responsibility and the guilt acquired by Germans at the time.” In addition, they admitted the atrocities were equivalent to genocide. On September 15, 2018, French President Macron acknowledged that France carried out systematic torture during the Algeria War of

Independence. This acknowledgment came after six decades of secrecy and denial. One and a half million Algerians died during this war. In March 2019, the European parliament passed a watershed resolution P8_TA (2019)0239 Fundamental Rights of People of African Descent calling for reparations for crimes against the Africans during the era of European colonization. The bill additionally urges European Member States to introduce a series of sweeping reforms aimed at tackling the “structural racism” millions of Afro-Europeans are currently experiencing. This will involve the countries implementing strategies to deal with discrimination in education, health, housing, policing, the justice system and politics. In many cases documents pertaining to the atrocities committed by the colonizers were either destroyed or classified by the colonial masters. The colonizers are being urged to declassify their colonial archives, especially the most horrendous phases of colonization, and issue public apologies. More than a century later, Belgium finally apologized for the kidnapping, segregation, deportation and forced adoption of thousands of children born to mixed-race couples during its colonial rule in Burundi, Congo and Rwanda. Prime Minister Charles Michel offered this apology in April 2019, during a plenary session of parliament. This was the first time Belgium took any responsibility for the immense harm inflicted on the Central African nations it colonized for eight decades. (See article references at end of chapter for more about European apologies.)

CONCLUSION

This is our story and yes, this is our struggle, but for how long? We have arrived at the dawn of a new era. We will no longer be subservient. We will no longer be exploited. We will no longer be dehumanized. We will no longer be silenced. For centuries African bones have laid in wooden crates and glass cases all across Europe. They are placed under microscopes in an effort to prove that Africans are not human or are inferior. For too long African skulls and bones have been used to entertain Europeans. It is time to put a stop to all this abuse. All our artifacts and the remains of our ancestors must be repatriated back to their rightful owners in Africa as a matter of urgency. The descendants of the perpetrators have a moral obligation to do the right thing. Furthermore, reparations must be paid in order to put closure to these horrendous crimes. The time has come for us to confront colonialism and its evils head on. The children of Africa must arise and let the world know once and

for all that enough is enough. The abuse and exploitation of Africa must end. To the descendants of colonizers who continue to deny us proper burial of our ancestors and refuse to give us back our stolen artifacts, to them I say, “Shame on you.” The least they can do is to right the wrongs perpetrated by their ancestors. It is the right, just and fair thing to do.

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CHAPTER REFERENCES Land Reform in Zimbabwe – This officially began in 1980 with the signing of the Lancaster House Agreement, as an effort to more equitably distribute land between black subsistence farmers and white Zimbabweans of European ancestry, who had traditionally enjoyed superior political and economic status. 1

Dreams from My Father – This Story of Race and Inheritance is a memoir by Barack Obama. It explores the events of Obama’s early years in Honolulu and Chicago up until his entry into law school in 1988. Obama published the memoir in July 1995, when he was starting his political campaign for the Illinois Senate. According to The New York Times, Obama modeled the book on Ralph Ellison’s novel Invisible Man 2

The Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation – Headquartered in Berlin, Germany, it was established in 1957 by German Federal law with the mission to acquire and preserve the cultural legacy of the former State of Prussia. Prussia was a historically prominent German state that originated in 1525 with a duchy centered on the region of Prussia on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. 3

Macron’s Announcement “Give Africa its art back,” Macron’s report says https://www.theartnewspaper.com 4

Report calls for France to return art taken during colonialism to Africa https://www.france24.com/en

HUMAN ZOO SOURCES https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_zoo https://news.cnrs.fr/articles/in-the-days-of-human-zoos https://www.npr.org/2018/09/26/649600217/where-human-zoosonce-stood-a-belgian-museum-now-faces-its-colonial-past http://www.usd116.org/ProfDev/AHTC/lessons/GoerssFel10/Le ssons/Lesson3/TheHumanZoo.pdf https://www.cnn.com/2015/06/03/opinions/newkirk-bronx-zooman-cage/index.html

EUROPEAN APOLOGIES REFERENCES https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/04/world/europe/belgiumkidnapping-congo-rwanda-burundi.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2018/08/30/europestruggles-atone-its-colonial-evils/ http://worldpolicy.org/2013/06/06/britains-imperial-apology/ https://theconversation.com/should-a-nation-apologise-for-thecrimes-of-its-past-66525

RECOMMENDED READING & STUDY SUBJECTS The Thiaroye Massacre, Dakar, Senegal – This was massacre of 300 French West African troops by French forces on the night of November 30, 1944. They were shot only because West African volunteers and conscripts of the Tirailleurs Sénégalais units of the French army protested against poor conditions and revocation of pay at the Thiaroye camp. The Pacification of Libya or Second Italo-Senussi War – This was a prolonged conflict in Italian Libya between Italian military forces (mainly colonial troops) and indigenous rebels associated with the Senussi Order. It lasted from 1923 until 1932, when the principal Senussi leader, Omar Mukhtar, was captured and executed. The “pacification” resulted in mass deaths of the indigenous people in Cyrenaica. One quarter of Cyrenaica’s population of 225,000 people died during the conflict. Italy committed multiple war crimes during the conflict, including the use of chemical weapons, episodes of refusing to take prisoners of war and instead executing surrendering combatants, and mass executions of civilians. The Second Italo-Ethiopian War or the Second Italo-Abyssinian War – This was a colonial war which was fought between October 1935 and February 1937. It is seen as an example of the expansionist policy that characterized the Axis powers and the inefficiency of the League of Nations before the outbreak of World War II. Italians used mustard gas and bombed Red Cross Hospitals and ambulances, executed captured prisoners without trial. The Hanslope Disclosure – This is an official documentation of the scale and scope of British colonial violence against the Kikuyu uprising and the extent of the torture and killing of Kenyans by the British Colonialists. It includes the account of those killed (11,000) and those hanged to death (1098).

Meet the Dahomey Amazons: The All-Female Warriors of West Africa https://theculturetrip.com/africa/benin/articles/meet-thedahomey-amazons-the-all-female-warriors-of-west-africa/ Consciencism: Philosophy and Ideology For De-Colonisation by Kwame Nkrumah Africa Must Unite by Kwame Nkrumah

FAWOHODIE “independence” independence, freedom, emancipation

CHAPTER 6 DEMAND FOR LIBERATION

THE ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE

Colonial rule in Africa disrupted social systems, traditional institutions of governance and robbed Africa of her natural resources. During colonialism, some Africans left the continent and studied abroad. They began to see the injustices of colonialism for what they were. Africans became more and more aware and conscious of our plight. At the same time, visionary leaders began to slowly emerge from among us. The spirit of Pan-Africanism was

slowly being born and quickly grew in popularity. Some of the leaders who emerged during this period included Dr. Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Modibo Keïta of Mali, Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, Sékou Touré of Guinea, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, Ben Bella of Algeria, Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, William Tubman of Liberia, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa of Nigeria, Nnamdi Azikiwe of Nigeria and Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya to name a few. These leaders began to demand freedom from the colonizers. The colonizers however, did not want to relinquish power. They wanted to continue the exploitation and pilferage of Africa and her bountiful natural resources. The colonizers believed that Africans were not capable of self-governance. They forgot we had our own systems of governance prior to their invasion of Africa. In the 1950s, the drumbeat for self-determination, self-government, and independence grew much louder and the political landscape began to shift. The road to independence was often unorganized and marred with violence and political turmoil, especially in French Algeria, Portuguese Angola, the Belgian Congo, and British Kenya. There was widespread unrest and revolts in both Northern and subSaharan colonies which resulted in slow but radical regime changes. Without any other choice, colonial Governments reluctantly began to transfer power back to the local people who finally became free of colonization but sadly transitioned into neo-colonialism, a new form of economic colonization which exists in Africa to this day. Ghana led the way and became the first sub-Saharan African country to gain independence from Britain in 1957. The majority of the sub-Saharan African countries got their political independence between 1957 and 1965. A few countries in North, West and Southern Africa had to wage guerrilla warfare against their colonizers in order to attain their independence. These countries are: Mozambique, Angola, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, Algeria, Cape-Verde, Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar.

Mozambique fought the Portuguese and won their independence in June 1975. Angolans also had to fight the Portuguese to get their Independence. They won their independence from the Portuguese in November 1975. Zimbabwe fought against the Ian Smith regime. Smith was a British settler who declared Independence from Britain in 1965 and proceeded to impose an apartheid regime in Zimbabwe, then Rhodesia. The black Zimbabweans had to wage a vicious war against the Ian Smith regime through a guerrilla warfare. They defeated the Ian Smith Regime in April 1979. Namibia has a convoluted colonial history. Initially under German rule, it was later given to South Africa to administer as part of the League of Nations Mandate. The League of Nations later became the United Nations (UN). It was the UN that removed the mandate that allowed White South Africa to administer Namibia in 1966. The white South Africans however refused to leave Namibia. The Namibians had to go to war against the white South Africans. It was a brutal Guerrilla warfare which lasted until Independence in 1990. In South Africa, like Zimbabwe the British gave Independence to the White British who were now living in South Africa in 1961. These whites had imposed an apartheid regime on the Blacks in South Africa since 1948. Once again, the Black South Africans had to fight the new colonizers who were now South Africans by virtue of having been born in South Africa. This was another brutal guerrilla warfare which lasted for decades until Independence in 1994. Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde jointly waged a vicious guerrilla war against the Portuguese from 1963 to 1974. Guinea- Bissau gained her independence in 1974 and Cape Verde in 1975.

LIST OF AFRICAN INDEPENDENCE DAYS Country

Independence Date

Colonizer

South Africa1

May 31, 1965

Britain

Country

Independence Date

Colonizer

Egypt

February 22, 1953

Britain

Ethiopia2

May 5, 1947

Italy

Libya

December 24, 1951

Britain

Sudan

January 1, 1956

Britain / Egypt

Morocco

March 2, 1956

France

Tunisia

March 20, 1956

France

Morocco (Spanish Northern Zone, Marruecos)

April 7, 1956

Spain

Morocco (International Zone, Tangiers

October 29, 1956

France, Spain, Britain

Ghana

March 6, 1957

Britain

Morocco (Spanish Southern Zone, Marruecos)

April 27, 1958

Spain

Guinea

October 2, 1958

France

Cameroon

January 1, 1960

France

Senegal

April 4, 1960

France

Togo

April 27, 1960

France

Mali

September 22, 1960

France

Madagascar

June 26, 1960

France

Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

June 30, 1960

Belgium

Somalia

July 1, 1960

Britain

Benin

August 1, 1960

France

Niger

August 3, 1960

France

Burkina Faso

August 5, 1960

France

Côte d’Ivoire

August 7, 1960

France

Chad

August 11, 1960

France

Central African Republic

August 13, 1960

France

Republic of Congo (Brazzaville)

August 15, 1960

France

Gabon

August 16, 1960

France

Nigeria

October 1, 1960

Britain

Mauritania

November 28, 1960

France

Country

Independence Date

Colonizer

Sierra Leone

April 27, 1961

Britain

Nigeria (British Cameroon North)

June 1, 1961

Britain

Cameroon (British Cameroon South)

October 1, 1961

Britain

Tanzania

December 9, 1961

Britain

Burundi

July 1, 1962

Belgium

Rwanda

July 1, 1962

Belgium

Algeria

July 3, 1962

France

Uganda

October 9, 1962

Britain

Kenya

December 12, 1963

Britain

Malawi

July 6, 1964

Britain

Zambia

October 24, 1964

Britain

The Gambia

February 18, 1965

Britain

Botswana

September 30, 1966

Britain

Lesotho

October 4, 1966

Britain

Mauritius

March 12, 1968

Britain

Swaziland

September 6, 1968

Britain

Equatorial Guinea

October 12, 1968

Spain

Morocco (Ifni)

June 30, 1969

Spain

Guinea-Bissau3

September 24, 1973 (alternative date September 10, 1974)

Portugal

Mozambique

June 25, 1975

Portugal

Cape Verde

July 5, 1975

Portugal

Comoros

July 6, 1975

France

São Tomé and Principe

July 12, 1975

Portugal

Angola

November 11, 1975

Portugal

Western Sahara4

February 28, 1976

Spain

Seychelles

June 29, 1977

Britain

Djibouti

June 27, 1977

France

Zimbabwe

April 18, 1980

Britain

Colonial Map of Africa - 1914

https://www.thoughtco.com/chronological-list-of-african-independence-4070467

Madagascar also waged an uprising against the French in the 1940’s. This led to Madagascar becoming an autonomous state within the French Community. In March 1960, the French agreed to Madagascar becoming an independent country. The Algerians also had to fight the French for their independence. It was a vicious war in which the French brutally killed many Algerians. The Algerian won their independence from France in 1962. As the countries cut the umbilical cords linking them to their colonial masters, each country was given the same sovereignty as the former master on the world stage. In other words, the newly-

independent countries were set up for failure right from the beginning. How on earth could these new countries be expected to compete as equals with their former Masters on the global stage. This is singularly the reason why the colonizers still remain the masters of these countries through neo-colonialism. Neo-colonization is the use of economic, political, cultural, or other pressures to control or influence other countries, especially former colonies. Most former colonized African countries are oppressed in this manner. The countries received their political independence but not their economic independence. Attainment of economic liberation remains an uphill battle for all African countries.

IRONY OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF NATIONS

British Commonwealth of Nations (1931-49), now simply the

Commonwealth of Nations or the Commonwealth is a political association of 53 member states, nearly all of them former territories of the British Empire. Its roots go back to the British Empire where some countries were ruled directly or indirectly by Britain. Some of these countries became self-governing while retaining Britain’s monarch as Head of State. In 1965 the Commonwealth Secretariat, the chief institution of the organization, was established in London to organize and coordinate Commonwealth activities. It focuses on intergovernmental aspects while the Commonwealth Foundation focuses on non-governmental relations between member states. The former colonies (sovereign states) in this free association have all chosen to maintain ties of friendship and practical cooperation with the United Kingdom and acknowledge the British monarch as symbolic head of their association. After all the struggle that former British colonies in Africa went through to gain their independence from Britain, it is ironic that these same nations willingly joined the Commonwealth and agreed to acknowledge the British monarch as the symbolic head of this association? This underscores the depth of colonization among the former colonies.

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CHAPTER REFERENCES South Africa - Apartheid, a system of institutionalized racial segregation existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 until the early 1990s. It was characterized by an authoritarian political culture based on white supremacy and ensured that South Africa was dominated politically, socially, and economically by the nation’s minority white population. 1

Ethiopia is usually considered to have never been colonized, but following the invasion by Italy in 1935-36 Italian settlers arrived. Emperor Haile Selassie was deposed and went into exile in the United Kingdom. He regained his throne on May 5, 1941 when he re-entered Addis Ababa with his troops. Italian resistance was not completely overcome until November 27, 1941. 2

Guinea-Bissau made a Unilateral Declaration of Independence on September 24, 1973, now considered as Independence Day. However, independence was only recognized by Portugal on September 10, 1974 as a result of the Algiers Accord of August 26, 1974 3

Recommended further reading: Rhodesian (Ian Smith) Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) in 1965. Namibian War Against South Africa (SWAPO). Apartheid in South Africa. Angolan War of Independence 1961-1974. Mozambiquan War of Independence (FRELIMO) Malagasy uprising Guinea-Bissau War of independence Algerian War of Independence

AKOFENA “sword of war” courage, valor

CHAPTER 7 THE PACT FOR THE CONTINUATION OF COLONIZATION

As France was giving Independence to her former colonies, France did something deplorable. France forced the former French colonies to sign a document which they called the Pact for the Continuation of Colonization (the Pact). On the one hand, the French

were giving the former colonies political independence but on the other hand, France was asking the countries to sign a document agreeing to continue to be colonized. Two countries Guinea and Mali refused to sign this document. This upset France so much that France went in and took everything they thought they had brought to these two countries. History tells us that they even took the last teaspoon and chair. The French proceeded to pour concrete into the sewage pipes completely devastating the two economies. What they could not take, they destroyed. This was done as a way of letting the other countries know the fate that awaited them should they refuse to sign this deplorable document. The then newly appointed President of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah, in his effort to rescue these two economies, created the first ever known Union of any African States, the Ghana, Guinea, Mali Union.1 It was not enough that the colonizers had defeated and dominated the Africans for centuries. Unfortunately for the Africans, their land had now been deemed to be the richest on earth in terms of natural resources. While the French were being forced to succumb to nationalistic demands for self-governance by the African leaders, their greed would not allow them to let go of their stranglehold on these tiny but natural resource-rich countries. The Pact was France’s way of keeping control of the economic power of all her former colonies. The following are the 11 elements of this deplorable Pact:

THE 11 COMPONENTS OF THE FRENCH COLONIAL TAX

The Pact for The Continuation of Colonization is a brilliantly contrived scheme to keep Africa and Africans in a state of perpetual bondage. The African countries that signed the Pact were given a set of deplorable conditions that remain in place to this day. Below are the main components of the Pact: 1. Colonial debt for the benefits of France colonization France claimed to have brought education and civilization to the African countries, built roads, railways, water works, schools and hospitals. According to the French they came to Africa and found the Africans as subhuman, uncivilized savages who lived in trees and had developed nothing of value. This of course was not true. The French also claimed to have taught the Africans how to eat with spoons, forks, knives, how to sit on chairs and sleep on beds. France

determined that all these constituted a “colonial debt” which the fourteen countries were to pay in perpetuity. These countries are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. 2. Automatic confiscation of national reserves France claimed that African countries could not properly manage their own financial resources and mandated that 85 percent (currently down to between fifty and sixty percent) of their bank reserves be deposited in the French Central Bank, under the control of the French Minister of Finance. The Minister of Finance would then invest these funds in the French stock market under the French name. France reserved the exclusive right whether or not to disclose to those countries what the returns on those investments were. France continues to reap huge dividends from these investments’ year in and year out. Should these countries wish to access the reserves they deposited with France they have to submit their country’s financial report. If the request is approved, they would only be able to access a maximum of twenty percent of their annual deposit from the previous year as a loan, at commercial interest rate. France has been taking custody of the national reserves of the fourteen African countries from 1961 to date. Currently, it is estimated that France is taking over 500 billion dollars out of Africa each year. It is further estimated that for every fourteen billion dollars France siphons out of Africa and invests in her stock market, France realizes upwards of 300 billion dollars in profit annually. This amounts to France making trillions of dollars off Africa every year. 3. Right of first refusal on any raw or natural resource discovered in the country France mandated that French companies had the first right of refusal for all-natural resources discovered and yet to be discovered. French companies mine the minerals and run most of the oil rigs. African

countries receive royalties which range from twelve to fifteen percent of what the French Companies chose to report to the African governments. Quite often, African minerals are reported as originating from European countries instead of their original African countries. 4. Priority to French interests and companies in public procurement and public bidding In the award of large public and private contracts, French companies have the first right of refusal. The Africans, the true owners of the wealth, would get whatever French companies do not want. 5. Exclusive right to supply military equipment and train the countries’ military In military matters, the French stipulated that France would be the only country to train these countries’ militaries. France further stipulated that the countries can only purchase military equipment from France. 6. France’s right to pre-deploy troops and intervene militarily in the country to defend its interest France insisted on maintaining a military presence in each one of these countries and has the right to invade them without notice should they feel French interests were being threatened. An African President’s desire to stop depositing his country’s bank reserves with France for example, would constitute a violation which will be just cause for a coup d’état and incarceration or assassination of the African President. 7. Obligation to make French the official language of the country and the language for education The French demanded that the official language for these countries be French.

8. Obligation to use France colonial money The French created a special currency which they named the Franc of the French colonies in Africa (FCFA). This currency was established in the late 1940s as the legal tender in the French African colonies. This currency can only be printed by France. Although the French no longer use the currency now renamed the Franc of the Financial Community of Africa (CFA Franc), they are only too glad to continue printing it for the Africans. Figure 1 shows the fourteen African countries who use the CFA to this day. There are two types of CFA, the West African as well as the Central African CFA.

Figure 1

9. Obligation to send France an annual balance reserve report The countries are mandated to send France an annual balance sheet

and reserve report. 10. Renunciation of military alliance with any other country unless authorized by France. The fourteen African countries are forbidden to enter into military alliances with any other country except France. They could not even form alliances with the neighboring African countries. 11. Obligation to ally with France in situations of war or global crisis In the event of war, the countries are obligated to align themselves only with France. The Pact for the Continuation of Colonialization remains in place to this day. The realization that most people were not aware of the existence of this Pact to this day, was a shock to me. It was one of the reasons why I went out of my way to let the world know about this deplorable Pact and its devastating effects on the African economies. I also wanted to highlight to the world, the persistent injustices, exploitation and abuse that continue to be perpetrated against the Africans by the former colonizers. Through the pact, France is practically bullying the African countries to give up the funds they desperately need to build their own economies. I can only imagine how many schools and hospitals that could be built and jobs that could be created in Africa each year if the $500 billion dollars taken out of Africa by France could be left in Africa.

FRENCH DOMINANCE OF AFRICA

The environment in which our leaders govern today is largely controlled by a combination of the legacies of the Berlin Conference and the Pact for The Continuation of Colonization. This combination is nothing other than a ridiculous formula to guarantee the continued exploitation and colonization of the fourteen African nations. It is a recipe for the perpetual failure of these nations. Imagine yourself having just been elected President of one of these francophone countries. On your first day in office your Chief of Staff would walk up to you and read out to you the Do’s and Don’ts as stipulated by the Pact for the Continuation of Colonization. You have given up your finances, military and natural resources. What power do you have left? How can any leader run a country without control of the building blocks of the country? When these leaders are unable to meet the needs of their citizens, the same exploiters are the first to

blame the African leaders. I equate this scenario to setting someone’s house on fire then coming back and asking with a straight face why the family is homeless. The former colonizers have no shame. The stories of Guinea and Mali, the only two countries that refused to sign the Pact are worth sharing. Ahmed Sékou Touré was the first President of Guinea who refused to sign the Pact. His slogan was “We prefer freedom in poverty to opulence in slavery.” France’s reaction to this defiant and rebellious response was swift, drastic and unexpected. As the French left Guinea in anger, they took everything they claimed to have brought to that country. They took everything they could lay their hands on. They poured concrete into the sewage pipes, destroyed schools, hospitals, public administration buildings, research institutes, cars, books, medicines, as well as agricultural equipment. Most of these were either crushed or disabled. Cattle and poultry were slaughtered while food and grains in warehouses were either burned or poisoned. They did all this to send a clear message to the other African leaders as a reminder of the fate that awaited them should they refuse to sign the Pact. Needless to say, the rest of the leaders of the former colonies quickly fell in line and signed this deplorable document in exchange for their political independence from France. Guinea established the Guinean Franc as the country’s currency which Guinea still uses to this day. On one hand the countries were being given their independence while on the other hand they were made to sign a document forcing them to agree to continue to be colonized. Over the years, if a leader of any of these francophone countries went against France’s demands, Paris reacted by blocking its foreign exchange reserves, closing the banks in this “rogue country” all the way to staging a coup d’état and assassinating or imprisoning the President. On June 30, 1962, Modibo Keïta, the first President of Mali, decided to withdraw from the French colonial currency, the FCFA. The French treated Mali the same way they treated Guinea. They took

everything they thought they had brought to Mali, destroyed hospitals, schools, granaries, poisoned the food, destroyed farming equipment, what they could not take they destroyed. This did not deter President Keita. He proceeded to move away from the FCFA and established the country’s currency which he named Malian. He was able to get away with using the Malian currency until he was overthrown by an ex-French foreign legionnaire, Lieutenant Moussa Traore on November 19th 1968. He was imprisoned after the coup d’état. Mali would later elect to go back to the FCFA in 1984 due to economic difficulties emanating from the fact that the rest of the surrounding countries were using the FCFA. It became increasingly clear that whenever a country’s leader went against France’s wishes his government was instantly overthrown in a coup d’état and the leader was either incarcerated or assassinated. Out of a total of sixty-seven coup d’états that have been carried out in twenty-six African countries in the past five decades, sixteen were in former French colonies. (Refer to Chapter 9 for the full list). Sylvanus Olympio, the first President of Togo, a very principled man, tried to find a middle ground solution to the dilemma with the French. He did not want his country to continue to be dominated by the French or to be destroyed. He refused to sign the Pact but agreed to pay an annual debt to France for the so-called benefits Togo received during colonization. This was the only condition under which the French would not destroy the country before leaving. The amount of the annual debt estimated by France was so huge that the reimbursement of the so called “colonial debt” was close to forty percent of Togo’s budget in 1963. Naturally, this threatened to cripple Togo’s economy and make life unbearable for the citizens. In order to get out of this predicament, Olympio decided to abolish the French colonial currency the FCFA. He had decided to print his own national currency. His dream was to build a self-sufficient and selfreliant country. On January 3, 1963, three days after this decision, his government was overthrown by a group of former French foreign legionaries and he was assassinated.

On the economic front, when a country tried to rebel, France simply took control of so much of the countries assets that the country was literally held hostage and prisoner at the same time. All this did not come as a surprise. It is obvious to any keen observer that France relies heavily on the revenues coming from Africa in order not to avoid sinking into economic irrelevance. Former French President Jacques Chirac once declared, “Without Africa, France will slide down into the rank of a third world power.” His predecessor François Mitterrand had already predicted in 1957 that “Without Africa, France will have no history in the 21st century.” France continues to thrive on its exploitation of the African continent. The pact has had devastating effects on all the former French colonies for decades. This exploitation has deprived these African economies of desperately needed funds for development. Additionally, it worsens their debt situation and strips them of authority over their own natural reserves. The negative effects of this exploitation are economic, social and political. To sustain its stranglehold on the economies of her former colonies, France ensures that the CFA franc is pegged to the euro at a fixed exchange rate which best serves French interests. The bitter truth is that the French and all the other colonizers never left Africa. In fact, even though the other former colonizers may not have been quite as vicious as France as they left Africa, they too, denied economic liberation to their former colonies and remain very active in these African countries. We are aware of the exploitative activities of the Belgians in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Germans in Namibia, the Portuguese in Mozambique and Angola, Great Britain in all her former colonies2, Italy in East Africa and Spain in Equatorial Guinea. Their companies, dating back to the era of colonization, continue to exploit Africa to this day. These companies are the major employers in most African countries. This leaves most leaders vulnerable to sabotage. Most of the companies do not pay tax and use tax havens to siphon billions of dollars out of Africa

annually. It is common knowledge that about seventy-five percent of the resources traded at the London Stock Exchange originate from Africa. These resources are owned by British companies that date back to colonization. Clearly, this is a trend that is no longer acceptable. We, the Africans must wake up and begin to push back against the former colonizers. We must demand the right for African countries to manage their own affairs without interference from the west.

CONCLUSION

I grew up during the colonial era in the village of Chivhu in the British-ruled country then known as Rhodesia (modern day Zimbabwe). The evils of colonization I witnessed personally and those I experienced through my father’s harrowing accounts make it

impossible for me to accept any form of oppression. The exploitation and continued colonization of Africa must come to an end. On December 15, 2019, the Financial Times of London published an article about France and Africa titled Emmanuel Macron Signals Rethink on French Backed African Currency. According to the article France is losing appetite for the system because it is causing political friction and fits poorly with Mr. Macron’s vision for a post-colonial relationship with francophone Africa. Furthermore, the article also stated that President Macron’s advisers were bringing to his attention the fact that this monetary arrangement with African countries was no longer sustainable and that the optics were not good. (See Times of London on December 15th 20193). A few days after the article was published, President Macron flew to Côte d’Ivoire. On December 21st, 2019, President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire, with French President Emmanuel Macron by his side, announced at a news conference that the eight members of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) made up of mainly francophone countries and Guinea Bissau, will discontinue the use of the CFA Franc in favor of a new common currency, the Eco. This announcement was not well received by the other West African countries who were not consulted before this announcement. In addition, President Macron also announced that the eight West African countries would no longer need to deposit their bank reserves with France and that there will no longer have a French officer at the country’s Central Banks. France still has French officers at the Ministry of foreign affairs and State Houses of most Francophone countries. Conversations on the CFA are ongoing. As the saying goes, “the devil is in the details” Since those details are currently unavailable, we are yet to see how these recent announcements will play out. What Africa needs is complete separation from not only France, but all former colonizers who continue to control African economies as well as interfere in the political processes of the former colonies.

The West African countries have been in conversation about a single currency which they are calling the Eco. They set out their own parameters which each country must meet before the Eco can be in effect. No country has met these parameters as of yet. When the Eco goes into effect, once all the West African countries agree, the former French colonies will no longer need to use the CFA. This would be one giant step in the right direction. France and any of the other colonizers do not own Africa. As a matter of fact, they never did! Africa has a right to her land, people, heritage and resources. Africa needs partners not exploiters disguised as saviors. Only we, the children of Africa, can stop this carnage. This can only be accomplished through our unity. We must speak with One Voice, think as One Africa and organize ourselves as One Proud Continent. Aluta Continua!

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CHAPTER REFERENCES Ghana – Guinea – Mali Union – Formally known as the Union of African States, this Union was a short-lived and loose regional organization formed 1958 linking the West African nations of Ghana and Guinea as the Union of Independent African States. Mali joined in 1960. It disbanded in 1963. 1

Former British Colonies - From 1880-1900 Britain gained control over or occupied what are now known as Egypt, Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Gambia, Sierra Leone, northwestern Somalia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Nigeria, Ghana, and Malawi. That meant that the British ruled 30 percent of Africa’s people at one time. 2

Financial Times of London Article “Emmanuel Macron signals rethink on French-backed Africa currency” 3

https://www.ft.com/content/6f0cef38-1db7-11ea-97dfcc63de1d73f4 Update France ratifies law officially ending 75 years of West Africa CFA | Africanews - https://flip.it/H-5j2b

ANANSE NTONTAN “spider’s web” wisdom, creativity

CHAPTER 8 THE ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN UNITY (OAU)

CONTINENTAL INTEGRATION

Over time, as more and more of our educated citizens were elected into office, many Africans became increasingly aware that the new politically independent countries could not survive on their own as small, fragmented economies. At the invitation of Ethiopia’s Emperor Haile Selassie, the newly elected African leaders met in

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to discuss the creation of a United Africa. The goal was to create a united and formidable continent that would operate as one superpower. These leaders felt a pressing need to tear down the boundaries imposed upon us by the Berlin Conference. Unfortunately, these Heads of State came to Addis Ababa divided.

Photo: Group of pioneer heads of state at the formation of the OAU Photo: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - May 1963

The first group representing eight countries was the Pan-Africanist Group. Its members were Dr. Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Ahmed Sékou Touré of Guinea, Modibo Keïta of Mali, King Hassan II of Morocco, Gamal Abdel-Nasser of Egypt, Ahmed Ben Bella of Algeria, King Idris I of Libya, and Habib Bourguiba of Tunisia. The Casablanca Group as they were called, emerged in 1961. The countries and leaders were bound together by a common ideology – Africa for Africans, African Union Now! To ease all the frustrating

constraints facing Africa’s development, they wanted African Union NOW! They envisaged a union that would be a federation of African states with joint institutions including a joint military command and a single African currency. They felt that it was imperative for Africa to enter the world stage as one continent, speaking with one voice. The other group, The Monrovia Group, comprised the twelve countries of the Brazzaville Group1 as well as Ethiopia, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Togo, and Congo (Kinshasa). This group believed that Africa’s independent states should co-operate and exist in harmony, but without political federation and integration as supported by its main rival, the Casablanca Group. They were the nationalists who wanted to “go slow.” The Monrovia Group sought to protect national sovereignty, the independence of Member States and the principle of mutual non-interference. Instead of cutting the umbilical cords that tied their countries to the colonizers, the Monrovia group seemed to look up to the same colonizers for assistance with development. They were in the majority and so they won. It is often said that Africa lost when the Casablanca Group lost at this meeting. Both groups were short-lived, informal associations of African States in the early 1960s with a shared vision of a prosperous future for Africa. They simply differed in their approaches. The meeting was said to be very contentious and almost fell apart. The two groups eventually came to a compromise which led to the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (OAU). During this historic meeting, Kwame Nkrumah made his famous proclamation. “You are not African because you were born in Africa, you are African because Africa was born in you.” He went further to proclaim that Africa was for the Africans at home and abroad and that the African Union was a phenomenon for the NOW! Those words are as relevant today as they were then. The OAU charter was thus drafted along the principles promoted by the Monrovia group. That victory was merely a reflection of the total

brainwashing and indoctrination that Africans had been subjected to in the aftermath of the Berlin Conference. The defeat and domination of Africa and Africans remained very much alive. The Monrovia Group could not appreciate the obvious advantages in the true unification and collective harnessing of our continent’s economic, social, and military resources. The Pan-Africanists who were The Casablanca Group, wanted Africa to unite and speak with one voice. They recognized that Africa’s only chance of succeeding on the world stage was through continental unity. They sought to use the OAU as a vehicle to undo the damage done by the Berlin Conference. Our founding fathers knew beyond a shadow of doubt that the boundaries imposed by the Berlin Conference were a major hindrance to economic growth as they interfered with intra-continental trade and investment. These boundaries included trans-border challenges such as impediments to the free movement of citizens, goods and services, as well as stringent visa requirements which also affected tourism. At every conceivable level these boundaries constituted major stumbling blocks to economic development. Kwame Nkrumah felt that Africans needed a stronger Union than the OAU. He proclaimed that “Africans must unite, or disintegrate individually.” Pursuing this idea further, he delivered an impassioned speech at the inauguration of the OAU and reiterated his long-standing argument for an African Union with a common market, common currency, common monetary zone, common central bank, single system of defense, mutual citizenship, same foreign policy and a unified continental communication system. Kwame Nkrumah’s dreams for Africa are yet to be realized. Since the creation of the OAU in 1963, African leaders have met twice a year to discuss issues pivotal to the continent. These semiannual summits continue to be held to this day. I attended several of them during my tenure as African Union Ambassador to the United States and witnessed our attempts to perfect our union, first-hand.

Each year since 1963, the issue of a United Africa speaking with one voice was raised, and year in and year out our leaders failed to reach a consensus. In 2002, the Organization of African Unity (OAU) finally evolved into the African Union (AU). The vision and intention for the African Union was to build on the OAU’s work by being the continental body that would finally do four crucial things: accelerate the process of political and economic integration in Africa, eradicate colonialism and neo-colonialism from the African continent, support the empowerment of African States in the global economy, and address the social, economic, and political problems facing the continent.

African Unity in Washington, DC Ambassador Chihombori-Quao (front row, center) with the African Diplomatic Corps2 in Washington, DC during Africa Day Celebration at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center on May 25, 2017. On this day in 1963, Africa founded the Organization of African Unity which brought the continent together. Since then, May 25 has

been celebrated worldwide to promote Africa’s unity and identity.

That shift from the OAU to the AU has brought new energy and direction to Africa and her quest for continental integration. This evolution from the OAU to the AU was necessary because, the Berlin Conference was still alive and well. In addition, Africa’s tiny economies could not survive under neo-colonialism which is stunting their economic growth. In March of 2018, at a meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, the African Union finally moved the continental agenda forward with a very monumental decision. After many unsuccessful attempts since 1963, the Heads of State were able to finally reach a consensus on true African integration. They agreed on what they called The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). This agreement dictates that Africa operates as a single customs union – Speaking with one voice and operating as one Africa and one continent. When implemented in July 2020, the AfCFTA will deliver to the world stage an Africa that is speaking with one voice as one Customs Union. This is a monumental step toward true African unity and economic liberation. I hope every African takes the time to learn more about the AfCFTA and understand its significance. The unfinished business of the OAU is now being finished. The vision of the Casablanca Group is finally being realized. A United Africa is an uphill battle but one that must be fought nonetheless. The sleeping giant is rising. Our Pan-African fathers must be doing flips in their graves because of this monumental victory!

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CHAPTER REFERENCES The Brazzaville Group – A Group of twelve African countries – Cameroon, Congo-Brazzaville, Côte d’lvoire, Dahomey (Benin), Gabon, Upper Volta (Burkina Faso), Madagascar, Mauritania, Niger, the Central African Republic, Senegal and Chad – that had founded the African and Malagasy Union in 1960 in Brazzaville. 1

African Diplomatic Corps / African Ambassador’s Group (AAG) A body consisting of all ambassadors to the United States representing African countries. The group lobbies US politicians, educates diplomats, educators, policy analysts, and the media about current events in Africa. It is headed by a dean, usually the longest serving ambassador in Washington. Current dean is H.E. Serge Mombouli, Ambassador of the Republic of Congo, who has been its dean since 2015. He succeeded Ambassador Roble Olhaye of Djibouti who died July 22, 2015. The African Diplomatic Corps established “Africa Week” in Washington, D.C. to draw attention to African and celebrate the continent in the diaspora. 2

KINTINKANTAN “puffed up extravagance” arrogance, extravagance

CHAPTER 9 DESTABILIZING AFRICA

By 1963, most African countries had attained their political independence from their colonizers. The political climate in these new republics was generally invigorating but the colonizers had a new concern as they began calculating their losses resulting from giving up their colonies. Although they had granted political independence to their colonies, they were in no hurry to grant them economic liberation.

On paper the colonizers were out of Africa. The reality however, is that they never left Africa. Through their national agendas, exclusive clubs for the most privileged economies such as the Group of 7 (G7) and a global system that perpetuates an unjust economic world order, Africa’s colonizers and their friends still remain in full control of the economies of their former colonies to this day. Four members of the G7 (an international intergovernmental economic organization consisting of the seven largest advanced economies in the world) colonized one or more African countries or territory at some point in history. The four are France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. Some of these countries control most of the economies in Africa. They make it extremely difficult for African countries to grow their economies. The fragmentation of Africa via the Berlin Conference led to the creation of the tiny African economies that are very easy to destabilize. The failure of our Pan-African fathers to reach a consensus on a truly United Africa in 1963, during the creation of the OAU left African countries very vulnerable to exploitation.

COUP D’ÉTATS AND ASSASSINATIONS

One of the first strategies that the colonizers used to destabilize Africa was the overthrow of constitutionally elected governments. They used coup d’états (coups) to overthrow several duly-elected governments. Decades after independence African leaders are at risk of being overthrown for one of three primary reasons. One, if a francophone African country tried to pull out of the Pact for The Continuation of Colonization, two, the discovery of natural resources in a country and three, if a leader did not agree or went against the colonial master’s wishes. Coup d’états were performed by two main groups, either that country’s military under the influence of the former colonizers or by foreign mercenaries, the majority of them being former French legionnaires. The use of former French legionnaires who had become local mercenaries was more common. France was instrumental in

many of these coup d’états and it is suspected that in many cases an African leader is overthrown or assassinated, especially in a successful coup d’état, France or one of the former colonizers were involved. Here are a few examples of the coup d’états and assassinations: In chapter 6, I discussed the fate of Modibo Keïta the first President of Mali and what happened to him when he announced Mali’s decision to discontinue using the French colonial currency the FCFA. On November 19, 1968, Keïta became the victim of a coup d’état carried out by yet another ex-French legionnaire, Lieutenant Moussa Traoré. He shared the same fate as Togo’s leader, Sylvanus Olympio. France would brazenly replicate this act by repeatedly using exforeign legionnaires to carry out coup d’états against elected African Presidents. Below is a sample of more African leaders and reason why they were assassinated. 1. January 1, 1966 – Jean-Bédel Bokassa, an ex-French foreign legionnaire carried out a coup d’état against David Dacko the first president of the Central African Republic. 2. January 3, 1966 – Maurice Yaméogo, the first President of Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) was the victim of a coup d’état carried out by Aboubacar Sangoulé Lamizana, an exFrench legionnaire who fought with French troops in Indonesia and Algeria against those countries’ efforts to attain independence. 3. October 26, 1972 – Mathieu Kérékou, a security guard to President Hubert Maga (the first President of Benin) carried out a coup d’état against the President. Kérékou attended French military schools from 1968 to 1970. Since the early 1960’s when most African countries gained their independence, a total of sixty-seven coup d’états have occurred in twenty-six countries in Africa. Sixteen of those countries are former French colonies which means sixty one percent of the coup d’états happened in francophone Africa! Coup d’états have been the

primary strategy for state subversion that France employs whenever an African leader is perceived as having “gone rogue.” Attempts by African countries to economically liberate themselves from the former colonizers is often met with fierce resistance in the form of coup d’états or orchestrated instability in the country. Below is a list of photographs of African Heads of State whose assassinations have been directly or indirectly sponsored by the colonizers and mercenaries, with France taking the lion’s share of this kind of sponsorship.

THE HIT LIST - SEE THE FOLLOWING PAGES FOR NAMES IN NUMERICAL ORDER

Victim 1

Victim 2

Victim 3

Victim 4

Victim 5

Victim 6

Victim 7

Victim 8

Victim 9

Victim 10

Victim 11

Victim 12

Victim 13

Victim 14

Victim 15

Victim 16

Victim 17

Victim 18

Victim 19

Victim 20

Victim 22

Victim 23

Victim 21

IMPERFECT MEN MURDERED BY OTHER IMPERFECT MEN

# Year President

Country

1

1961 Patrice Lumumba

Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

2

1963 Sylvanus Olympio

Togo

3

1966 Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi Nigeria

4

1969 Abdirashid Ali Shermarke

Somalia

5

1972 Abeid Amani Karume

Zanzibar

6

1975 Colonel Richard Ratsimandrava

Madagascar

7

1975 François N’Garta Tombalbaye

Chad

8

1976 General Murtala Ramat Muhammed Nigeria

9

1977 Marien Ngouabi

Republic of Congo (Brazzaville)

10 1977 Brigadier General Teferi Bante

Ethiopia

11 1981 Muhammad Anwar el-Sadat

Egypt

12 1980 William Richard Tolbert

Liberia

13 1987 Captain Thomas Sankara

Burkina Faso

14 1989 Ahmed Abdallah Abderemane

Comoros

15 1990 Samuel Kanyon Doe

Liberia

16 1992 Mohamed Boudiaf

Algeria

17 1993 Melchior Ndadayé

Burundi

18 1994 Cyprien Ntaryamira

Burundi

19 1994 Juvénal Habyarimana

Rwanda

20 1999 Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara

Niger

21 2001 Laurent-Désiré Kabila

Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

22 2009 João Bernardo Vieira

Guinea-Bissau

23 2011 Muammar al-Gaddafi

Libya

ATTEMPTED COUP D’ÉTAT IN EQUATORIAL GUINEA

Shortly after Equatorial Guinea discovered oil in its coastal waters in 1995, a group of young expatriate white men were having a good time in South Africa. Their greed for Africa’s “black gold” led them to concoct a multi-year sophisticated plan. This plan was sold to the investors as a quick investment with huge returns. Simon Mann, a former British Special Forces Commander was the mastermind. With a plane already half-full of weapons from South Africa, the team made up of white mercenaries from various countries applied for permits to acquire additional weapons from Zimbabwe under the guise of going hunting in Equatorial Guinea. President Mugabe of Zimbabwe immediately suspected something nefarious was going on. He ordered further investigations into his suspicions. He

wondered why young men en-route to Equatorial Guinea for a mere hunting expedition would require such sophisticated weaponry. His investigation uncovered a plot to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea. He allowed their plane to land in Zimbabwe and gave approval for them to load the weapons into the plane. Just before takeoff, they were all arrested. President Teodoro Obiang Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea was informed of their plan to overthrow his government and install a Guinean diaspora as a “Puppet President.” This would have destabilized the country and possibly thrown it into a civil war. While the Guineans fought a debilitating conflict, the mercenaries would have been busy siphoning the country’s oil and selling it off as a quick investment with huge returns. As the stereotyped African story goes, a civil war would have erupted after the coup d’état in Equatorial Guinea and the world would have simply sighed and said (not with any surprise) that the Africans were up to it again with another coup d’état. Such is the sad state of affairs in our beloved Africa This attempted coup d’état was funded in part by Mark Thatcher, son of former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. In 2005 Mark was convicted and given a five-year suspended prison sentence and a fine. Simon Mann and the rest of the team were imprisoned in Zimbabwe. Simon served four of a seven-year prison term in Zimbabwe and was later extradited to Equatorial Guinea to stand trial. He was found guilty in Equatorial Guinea where he was sentenced to thirty-four years in prison. He was later given a Presidential pardon for humanitarian reasons and was freed a year later on February 11, 2009. For a continent which does not have a single gun manufacturing factory, Africa seems to have an endless supply of guns. Definitely, someone is supplying these guns! Such persons cannot have Africa’s best interest at heart. To understand the root cause of these coup d’états and conflicts in Africa, follow the guns!!! Fortunately, coup

d’états are occurring with less frequency on the African continent, although we cannot totally rule out the possibility of their future occurrences.

PREYING ON AFRICA

With the creation of the Bretton Woods institutions and the government development agencies in 1944, the stage was set for a new form of interference, destabilization and exploitation of Africa. The Bretton Woods institutions (World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)) were set up at a meeting of forty-three countries in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, USA, in July 1944. The development agencies and other global lenders and “donor” agencies also play a role in preying on Africa and other developing countries.

The developing countries which include Africa are enticed into accepting huge loans and aid for development projects. In most cases, the cost of the projects is inflated in order to maximize the profits of the private lenders and the large corporations providing the services. There are two unfortunate fallouts of the loans. The first is that although the amount of the loans are huge, only a small portion of the funds actually reaches the intended beneficiary country in Africa. In giving out these predatory loans most of the money remains with the colonizers and the other superpowers as they supply the expertise and materials needed for the projects from their countries. The supposed beneficiary country is still expected to pay back the entire principal sum. The second fallout is that these loans are so colossal that the tiny African economies simply cannot repay them. When there is a debt crisis in an African country due to high interest and failure to pay down on the principle, the World Bank and IMF and other financial institutions simply lend more monies to the African country so that the country can pay the high interests to private lenders who are gouging them to begin with. This creates a vicious cycle for the African countries whose debt keeps rising. This practice benefits the West to the detriment of the African countries. These debts become a new form of imprisonment through which African countries are held hostage by the Imperialists. All this is done in a new and modern form of economic slavery that is supervised by a special group of professionals called private lenders aka “economic hitmen.”

ECONOMIC HITMEN

Economic hitmen are highly paid globe-trotting consultants or professionals who cheat developing countries out of billions at times trillions of dollars annually. They take money from the Bretton Woods institutions and other international aid organizations into bank accounts of huge corporations and the pockets of a few wealthy families who control majority of world’s natural resources. Economic hitmen (and women) are a big part of today’s globalization movement. The job of these hitmen is to simply convince the leadership of weak economies to accept enormous development loans from the Bretton Woods institutions. The funds are used for large construction and engineering projects that are contracted only to foreign companies. This is to ensure that the money remains largely with the colonizers.

Saddled with debts they could never repay, these African countries are forced to relinquish control of their natural resources to the new colonizers. Such countries are neutralized politically and their economies are further crippled. That is how these economic hitmen or economic mercenaries operate. Development in Africa will continue to be a lost cause as long as the above exploitative practices by the West continue to hemorrhage billions of dollars out of Africa yearly. The average African country is losing about thirty percent of its annual revenue to debt servicing. The lenders benefit while the countries suffer. Africa must stop being a cash cow for western corporations and governments. We need economic policies that serve the needs of the people first. This means standing up to the western powers and calling them out to stop the abusive and exploitative practices in Africa. Africa remains in economic bondage. Although we are seeing fewer and fewer coup d’états, the continued interference from the West is a cause for perpetual instability in many African countries today. It is estimated that the West takes trillions of dollars out of Africa each year through various dubious schemes but gives back only a few billion dollars to the African continent as “aid.”

TAX HAVENS AND MALPRACTICES

One of the schemes the West uses to defraud African countries is the unjust tax systems such as tax havens. A tax haven is generally an offshore country that offers foreign individuals and businesses little or no tax liability in a politically and economically static environment. Tax havens also share limited or no financial information with foreign tax authorities (Source: Investopedia). These tax havens make it easy for multinational corporations to siphon exceptionally large amounts of money out of Africa. The United Kingdom and its “corporate tax haven network” are by far the world’s greatest enabler of corporate tax avoidance. According to a May 2019 report published by Tax Justice Network, the United Kingdom (UK) ranked 13th on the list of countries that have done the most to “proliferate corporate tax avoidance” on the corporate tax haven index.

OTHER ILLEGAL SCHEMES BLEEDING FUNDS OUT OF AFRICA

Logging, fishing and trade in wildlife and plants. These illegal practices combined, hemorrhage out of Africa over thirty billion dollars in lost revenue each year. Extractive industries such as illegal mining, oil and gas extraction, dredging and quarrying are also responsible for the flow of huge amounts of funds out of Africa to the tune of billions annually. Africa is under siege, make no mistake about it. The solution is a truly united Africa speaking with one voice as one continent. The sleeping giant must rise!

CORRUPTION IS A TEAM SPORT

Corruption destabilizes Africa. It drains our economies and hinders development at every level. Where there is corruption, public funds meant for development are siphoned into private bank accounts (mostly offshore ones) at the expense of the people. Anytime corruption in Africa is mentioned, we immediately think of our leaders, Presidents, Prime Ministers, Ministers of State, local representatives, millionaires and billionaires. While I do not disagree that some of our own people and institutions contribute to corruption in Africa (something we need to curb) I must stress that corruption in Africa is no different from corruption in other parts of the world. In fact, most of the corruption in Africa is from outside, perpetrated by government and foreign multi-national corporations. If all Africans ceased to be corrupt, there will still be corruption in Africa. To state it more bluntly, corruption is not limited to Africa even though the media has painted it as such. Africans are certainly

no more corrupt than westerners. There are no forms of corruption in Africa that surpass slavery and colonialism, and now neocolonialism. Africa has both internal and external corruption. As the names suggest, internal corruption occurs within the country/continent and external corruption is orchestrated from outside the continent, usually by foreigners. There are individuals as well as phony and well-known multinational corporations that are all involved in corrupt practices that end up hemorrhaging billions of dollars out of Africa each year. Unfortunately, most of the conversation about corruption in Africa are centered on internal corruption. Perhaps that is because that’s what is right in our faces. In addition, the Western media shines light on corruption in Africa than that occurring in the Western world which is significantly higher. It is estimated that African leaders and elites siphon about 50 billion dollars each year out of Africa into western banks. These banks make huge returns on these stolen funds and secretive Swiss bank accounts are a common destination. While these corrupt African leaders are guilty of these shameful acts, they are comparatively few. The majority of African leaders are serving their people well with integrity and honesty. Let’s put corruption in its proper perspective and do the math. All of Africa’s corrupt leaders combined are responsible for looting an estimated fifty billion dollars from Africa each year. On the other hand, France alone takes an estimated 500 billion dollars out of Africa each year. France then makes trillions of dollars after investing the funds in the French Stock Market. We however are fixated on the fifty billion dollars out of Africa from corruption and completely ignore the trillion dollars the former colonizers are taking out of Africa annually. The fifty billion represents only ten percent of the amount looted by France out of Africa every year. How do we get so caught up with the fifty billion dollars and pay zero attention to the five

hundred billion dollars France is taking out of Africa every year? This is the ten-thousand-pound gorilla in the room which most people were not aware of. The leaders knew but were afraid to tackle the issue due to fears of retaliation from France. Do not get me wrong. No form of corruption should be tolerated. However, there is a huge difference between fifty and five hundred billion dollars. Now factor in all the remaining amounts all the other colonizers take out of Africa each year through corrupt schemes they have put in place. In this context, fifty billion dollars soon becomes a crumb under the table. We must not call out Africa’s leaders and ignore corrupt countries like France and the other former colonizers as well as the multi-national corporations. They make us fight over who among us got the larger crumb under the table. The former colonizers want us to remain stuck under the table fighting each other over crumbs while they enjoy a ten course meal on the table. What makes matters worse in Africa is that the former colonizers are in our house, sitting at our table, consuming our food while we fight for crumbs they choose to drop under the table. This state of affairs can no longer be tolerated. Wake up Africa and smell the coffee!! Not only should they stop eating our food, they need to get out of our house. Corruption simply put, is dishonest and fraudulent practices. The colonizers have institutionalized corrupt systems to continue pillaging Africa’s resources. I would argue that with respect to Africa, there is far more external corruption than internal corruption. This is simply because if all the corrupt Africans were to stop being corrupt today, there would still be a lot of corruption in Africa. Many multinational companies operating in Africa today date back to colonial times and some of the practices they use are as corrupt as colonialism itself. In addition to evading paying taxes and underreporting their productivity and annual earnings, the multinational companies also interfere in local political processes and elections for selfish gain. Many of them bribe government

officials for contracts and do not pay their employees fair wages or social security benefits. These are practices that have persisted for many years in most African countries. These multinationals ignore and bypass local regulations with impunity. If you ever fly low over the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), you will see tarmacs in the middle of the jungle with large planes flying in and out to pick up minerals and flying right out of the DRC to Western countries completely bypassing the government. These are multinationals who are thieves engaged in illegal mining. They will play every trick in the book to keep DRC in a state of turmoil so they can continue their exploitative and criminal behavior in Africa. The same games are being played in all African countries without exception. It is very difficult for individual countries to fight this level of corruption coming from outside. In addition, this type of corruption is never talked about. The corruption watch dogs give it a blind eye. We Africans on the other hand seem to be oblivious, powerless and ill-equipped to fight this level of corruption. Corruption is a team sport. There is no such thing as black or white corruption. Let us address all corruption within Africa and that coming from outside Africa and hold all the perpetrators accountable without discrimination. Our former colonizers remain the biggest culprits and their main purpose is to keep us distracted and in a perpetual state of turmoil and instability which plays to their advantage. An unstable Africa is an Africa that is easy to exploit. Only a united Africa can succeed at pushing back against these criminal activities. A stable Africa is an Africa that cannot be exploited, hence the need for the continent to unite and speak with one voice. We must understand that our strength lies in our unity.

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RECOMMENDED READING Confessions Of An Economic Hitman by John Perkins https://www.audible.com/pd/Confessions-of-an-EconomicHitman-Audiobook/B002UZN1EU

NSAA type of hand-woven cloth excellence, genuineness, authenticity

CHAPTER 10 THE COLONIZERS’ PROPAGANDA

ROLE OF THE MEDIA

Propaganda about Africa started over 600 years ago and was solidified during slavery and the Berlin Conference. Slavery and colonialism defined Africa and Africans as culturally, socially, intellectually, politically and technologically backward and inferior. This assertion is false as Africa is the birthplace of humanity and ancient civilization. For example, the Egyptian pyramids were there over two thousand five hundred years before the Greek civilization

or the Roman Empire. The Greek philosophers and mathematicians were sent to Egypt not Europe for training because of the advanced educational systems in Africa. There are many examples that show that the African civilization was very advanced prior to the Europeans coming to Africa. European slave traders, merchants, colonial administrators, missionaries, anthropologists, adventurers and explorers all played a role in painting an unfavorable image of Africa to the rest of the world. Collectively, they portrayed a prehistoric Africa plagued with disease and constantly at war. Today, print and electronic media outlets continue to disseminate this same negative image through newspapers, television, radio and the internet. Western justification for colonization was that they brought civilization to a primitive and barbaric people. They also referred to us as subhuman monkeys who needed to be ruled with an iron fist. The resulting racial degradation was a well thought out process that dehumanized Africans. Even their books consistently dehumanize Africans and make constant reference to diseases and plagues. One thing remains clear, the world disparages Africa because it views the continent and her children through distorted lenses of falsehood. Many media outlets do not dedicate enough resources to covering Africa so the few that can deliver any news from Africa are considered credible, regardless of whether the news is accurate or not. Since most Westerners have never visited Africa and many may never visit the continent, they have no way of verifying the information they receive and therefore accept these false media reports as absolute truths. The overall perception of Africa is ultimately dismal, one of tribal anarchy, hunger, famine, civil wars, political instability, corruption, and incompetent leadership. This perception of Africa is so pervasive and the narrative so preconceived that western media often fail to see and report on those same situations happening in their backyard in the western world. Negative events out of Africa are exaggerated while the same

events in the Western World are either minimized or are not covered at all. Allow me to share a story with you... Many years ago, I was watching 60 minutes. The initial story was titled “ The Good Samaritan”. The story was about a white medical doctor who was going into the slums of Harlem to take care of the homeless people in the streets and gutters of Harlem and New York City. The areas where these people were, were filthy and littered with dirt. The spin was on “the Good Samaritan” which left one feeling sorry for the people and very proud of the doctor. The viewer’s attention was completely diverted from the filthy streets and why there were so many homeless people in New York. The next segment was about the streets of Lagos and how filthy they were. They showed the streets and gutters of Lagos and how filthy they were. They also showed homeless people in the streets and gutters of Lagos except this time the spin was on the “Nigerian government” and how the government was not taking care of its people and not maintaining the streets. The coverage left the viewer very angry at the government. The situation in Harlem was just as bad as the situation in Lagos if not worse. A hungry man is a hungry man no matter where they are, Lagos or New York. A homeless man is a homeless man no matter where they are. Filthy streets are filthy streets regardless of where the streets are. In Africa, the viewer was swayed into blaming the government for the filthy streets and the homeless people while in Harlem and New York the viewer was spun into focusing on the Good Samaritan Doctor and not the government for not cleaning the streets and providing shelter for the homeless. The real tragedy is us, the viewers’ inability to see through the manipulation and the mind games being played on us.

As society we must be cognizant of the mind games the media play on us. Let us receive the facts and draw our own conclusions and refuse to be victims of the western media. The western media when they distort, exaggerate and in some cases flat out lie about news out of Africa, they are doing a serious disservice to the world. Control of international media is largely in the hands of the former colonizers. In many ways they act as hunters telling the story of the hunted. They consistently paint a gloomy image of Africa. International news outlets should uphold core journalistic values and tell the world the truth about Africa. Media organizations and journalists have an ethical and professional responsibility to society to present a balanced view of Africa. Instead, mainstream media chooses to continue to perpetuate the same biased narrative of a dysfunctional continent. Since we cannot count on international media to do the right thing by Africa, the responsibility is on us the Africans to tell our own story. Africa and her children at home and abroad, must control their own narrative through ownership of their own media. It is time for the hunted to tell their story.

THE TRUTH ABOUT AFRICA

There is no shortage of good news out of Africa. It is by far the richest continent on earth with enough natural resources to sustain the earth for centuries to come. No continent comes even close to Africa’s wealth. Africa has a vibrant and energetic population of 1.27 billion people in fifty-five countries. There are many newsworthy success stories out of Africa that the international news media could report to the world but chooses to ignore or distort if reported. Literacy is on the rise all over the continent and many African countries are reporting increases in their Gross Domestic Products (GDPs). According to the World Bank, four of the fastest growing economies in the world in 2019 were in Africa. Many inventions are coming out of Africa. Young African inventors are building helicopters, mobile apps, electric cars, drones, smart services and artificial intelligence. These are just a few of the numerous

inventions sprouting all over the continent. Many COVID-19 supplies are being manufactured in Africa including testing kits and ventilators. Africa has the fastest growing online community in the world. It is estimated that by 2030 half of the continent will be online. This will increase economic growth through digital transformation. When it comes to natural resources, Africa is the largest producer in the world of platinum, the second largest producer of diamonds, half of the world’s gold is in Africa, and 65% of the arable land in the world is in Africa. By 2030 Africa is going to have a workforce of 1 billion. With all that, this is a continent set to take off. We have a tremendous amount of good news coming out of Africa yet mainstream media choses to ignore because good news does not sell. Sadly, as a result of the persistent strategy of the former colonizers and mainstream media to relentlessly brand Africa as a backward and hopeless continent, the rest of the world remains ignorant about this amazing continent. In many ways this ignorance, together with the negative narrative on Africa, affects tourism as well as foreign direct investment into our beloved continent. This narrative also directly and negatively impacts economic development in Africa. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a perfect example of Africa’s rich endowment. In 2009, the DRC had an estimated twentyfour trillion dollars’ worth of untapped deposits of minerals, including the world’s largest reserves of coltan and cobalt. The DRC also has diamonds, gold, copper and oil. The success of nanotechnology, as we know it today, depends largely on coltan. Your smartphone, tablet and laptops cannot function without coltan. Batteries for electric cars all require coltan. The astonishing, yet sober truth is that, if mineral resources were to be the determinant of power, national wealth, success and

development, the DRC would be classified as the most powerful, richest and most successful nation on earth. Instead, this resourcerich country has been painted so negatively by western media that many international travelers are afraid to visit. What is interesting however is the fact that the multinationals who are aware of what the DRC has to offer are frequent visitors to this country. In some cases, many of them are involved in illegal mining, logging, fishing as well as trade in wild life and plants. It is estimated that sixty-five percent of the world coltan is in the DRC. Singularly DRC could paralyze the world economy should the leadership choose not to export coltan. All our laptops, cell phones computers and electric cars all need coltan. This is how much power Africa has with only one mineral. This is why the multinationals do not wish to see a stable DRC. I can only imagine how many jobs could be created in Africa if every item needing coltan could be manufactured in Africa. Millions of jobs could be created in Africa from value addition to only one mineral. If one mineral out of DRC can paralyze the world economy, one can only imagine what will happen to the world economy if all African countries were to unite and refuse to export African natural resources and agricultural products without value addition. Can you imagine how many jobs could be created in Africa? The impact to the western world will be huge. Currently Africa is creating millions of jobs in the western countries from African resources which are being exported without value addition. Allow me to give you an example of West African cocoa beans. For years, the colonizers made it very difficult for West African countries to manufacture chocolate products. The cocoa beans would be exported out of Africa to the UK, USA or some parts of Europe where the beans would be turned into hot chocolate and all kinds of chocolate products with various flavors. These value-added products would then be sent back to Africa where they would be sold at multiple times over the value of the cocoa beans. We the

Africans are reduced to being consumers of our own natural resources which we purchase at exorbitant prices after value addition outside Africa. This is how the colonizers use African raw materials and natural resources to create jobs in their countries in Europe and elsewhere, while leaving us Africans scrambling to create jobs for our youths in Africa. There is a whole City in Britain called Cadbury which is built around West African Cocoa beans. There is Hershey City in Pennsylvania also built out of West African cocoa beans. I often wonder why there are no similar cities built in Africa. We must understand the whole idea and plan from the colonizers was to intentionally under develop Africa while they were using African raw materials and African labor to develop their economies in the west. It is only in the past couple of years that Ghana and Ivory Coast have begun chocolate manufacturing in their countries. In Ivory Coast, these factories are owned by French companies. Africa cannot win. This same scenario is repeated over and over with just about every African natural resource. At times these natural resources are relabeled as originating from Europe when in fact they are from Africa. I was visiting an African country with a friend who happened to be a distributor of Ethiopian coffee in the US. During breakfast he came running to me holding sachets of Swiss instant coffee from Switzerland. He said to me, “Ambassador why do I come to Africa only to drink Swiss coffee which I know very well is from East Africa? Why can we not manufacture and consume our own coffee? Africa grows some of the best coffee in the world” Of course I had no good answer for him. I told him I was glad he was here to see for himself how Africa is being exploited and that he should get together with his brothers and sisters in the diaspora and do something about this situation. Above are some of the games played by the West to keep us Africans from developing our economies and creating the much-needed jobs

for our youths. This is an easy fix however. All we have to do as Africans is STAND UP and SPEAK UP!! We the diaspora must also play our part by uniting, pulling our resources together and joining our brothers and sisters on the continent in building the African Infrastructure.

AFRICA, THE BIRTHPLACE OF HUMANITY

Life as we know it began in Africa and the black woman gave birth to the first human being. Alkebulan is one of the oldest names our ancestors gave to the continent we now refer to as Africa. It means “mother of mankind” or “garden of Eden” It was used by the Moors, Nubians, Numidians, Khart-Haddans (Carthagenians), and Ethiopians. Afri-uka, which means “Motherland,” is also an ancient Egyptian name for Africa. It is not a coincidence that the term

“Motherland” is still commonly used to refer to Africa because Africa is the birthplace of humanity, a fact that has been verified by archaeologists and genealogists. In fact, humanity originated in Africa so when it’s all said and done, we are all Africans regardless of our skin color. Sadly, most people in the world are not aware of this fact. The responsibility is on us Africans to use our media to let the world know who we are the beautiful, intelligent and indestructible original people. This is contrary to the western media propaganda that paints Africans as subhuman. The reality is that we are the original people and without the Africans there would not be any other races on earth. All human DNA originated from Africa. It is either indigenous African DNA or DNA from the descendants of indigenous Africans who migrated outside Africa. Science tells us that the black gene is the dominant gene and as such is indestructible. This is a fact which Africans should feel privileged about. I am reminded of a little girl I once saw wearing a T-Shirt that said “I did not choose to be born African, I was just lucky.” This is how every African and all people of African descent should feel.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Fortunately, social media platforms are providing Africans with an opportunity to counter media stereotypes and negative images with positive and more accurate ones. More and more Africans are now using the internet. Africa currently has an average internet penetration of thirty five percent. In Southern Africa it is as high as fifty one percent. Africans are also becoming increasingly active on social media, which is a powerful platform for creating multiple stories about Africa. Our people are embracing modern technology. Like any other group of people, African social media bloggers and commentators use Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp and other social media platforms to share information and correct longstanding stereotypes about Africa. By giving ordinary people the opportunity to share their everyday experiences, African bloggers are capturing those positive human moments that are giving Africa a new narrative. These moments of joy, peace, progress, development, love,

life, celebration and normal human interactions all create new and welcome narratives of our Africa. Social Media is playing the muchneeded role of dismantling the negative image of Africa that western media has painted. We must seize the moment to continue to tell our own stories and undo the lies about our beloved continent.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THIS IS THE AFRICA THE MEDIA DOES NOT WANT YOU TO SEE

Cairo, Egypt

Casablanca, Morocco

Maputo, Mozambique

Harare, Zimbabwe

Johannesburg, South Africa

Nairobi, Kenya

A NEW COMMITMENT

A friend of mine attended an international media summit in 2019 and shared this story with me. During Q&A, one African journalist stood up and asked the western journalists why their coverage of Africa is so skewed towards negativity. The response she received from a journalist working for a renowned New York based print media organization was shocking. He said “nobody challenges us.” A very simple and revealing answer which makes a mockery of the integrity of the journalism profession. On the other hand, however the journalist was right. We the Africans must challenge them and insist on them telling the truth and only the truth about our Africa. Mischievous journalists who blatantly lie or misconstrue the truth must be held accountable. Media organizations need to make a new commitment to accurately

report African affairs. This can only be achieved through mutual respect and an appreciation for all races. We must love and accept each other as equal regardless of our skin color. Africa is a truly amazing continent which must be enjoyed by all. The African Heads of State are inviting the world to take another look at our continent, this time with 20/20 vision. International news outlets must not continue to promote propaganda about Africa as it benefits no one. The world deserves to know the truth about Africa. Speaking the truth about Africa is the right and responsible thing to do. When journalists intentionally misrepresent Africa, they are doing a serious disservice to the world especially our children regardless of their skin color. Our children are growing in a different world and many no longer see color. They simply see friends. It is us the adults who are trying to confuse them with our own prejudices. Our children deserve to live in a world free of discrimination and falsehoods. This world is theirs and they must enjoy all of it without limitations. While the journalists have a responsibility to report the truth and nothing but the truth, we the Africans also have a responsibility to push back against these falsehoods and speak our truth. We must be vigilant and fearless in our defense of our beloved Mother Africa. It is easy to defend Africa and her children around the globe as we have been the recipients of western aggression for centuries. The west on the other hand has a lot of explaining to do as they have been the perpetrators of the aggression against Africa and her children around the world. All we have to do is speak our truth. Our leadership at every level must be fearless in their defense of Africa. They owe it to us to demand our respect and challenge the lies and propaganda in every board room around the world. The men hold the majority of the leadership roles in Africa. We are counting on them to defend us as their grandmothers, mothers, wives, daughters, sisters’ aunts and nieces. The few women who hold leadership roles are expected to do the same. It is every

African’s responsibility to defend Africa just like other races defend their countries of origin. We must embrace all of Africa, the good, the bad and the ugly. Africa is a family. No family is complete without a schizophrenic aunt, an alcoholic uncle or a menopausal mother. Challenges are there to be overcome. Together we will make it to the promised land.

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CHAPTER NOTES Africa: Originated from the Egyptian word “Afru-ika”which is translated to “Motherland.”(Dr. Van Sertima) “Africa,” comes from the Arabic word firk or frik, which means separate, divide, or conquer. (Sacred Woman by Queen Afua) It is also reported the spelling of Africa originated from Romans who conquered Carthage and identified the continent as Africa terra (feminine form of Africus) meaning the land of the North African tribe, Afri. Other theories for the origin of the spelling of Africa stems from the adjective for Africa in Latin“Afer,” which means Black or Dark and “Aprica” meaning “Sunny.” https://www.awaytoafrica.com/know-african-roots/

NYAME NNWU NA MAWU “God never dies, therefore I cannot die” life after death

CHAPTER 11 SHACKLES OF THE MIND

THE IMAGE IN THE MIRROR

Believe it or not, the greatest challenge facing continental and diaspora Africans is not an economic crisis or racial oppression, terrible as these issues are. There is a much bigger problem that is keeping us from moving forward as a race. It is the shackles of the mind which are holding us back as a people. This disease is a direct outcome of slavery and colonization. Our self-esteem and self-worth are in dire need of restoration. This is a result of centuries of

systematic racism, subjugation, abuse and disrespect. There is a Ghanaian saying which goes like this. “When you meet a white man on your way to church, you can return home because you have already met your God.” This profound saying reechoes the subconscious state of mind of Africans and people of African descent around the globe. There is a need for us to have a serious conversation with the image in the mirror. The more we understand our history, the easier it becomes to unshackle our minds. The diabolical systems of dehumanization used against us during slavery and colonization deeply affected our subconscious mind that we now operate on autopilot of stupidity. We black people automatically feel inferior to our caucasian brothers and sisters. We unintentionally pass on this inferiority complex to our children. It is almost as if we have undergone a genetic mutation and subconsciously assume a subservient role when we encounter white people. This is a very sad state of affairs. We black people must realize that we are the original people and are as good as any race on earth. The world around us does not help either. We are still divided along ethnic, tribal, religious, national and socioeconomic lines. Any attempt to mobilize us to work together on the issues that matter to our race are often met with serious resistance from within ourselves. We struggle to come together for the sheer survival of our race. Instead of coming together as a people, our divisions have sometimes driven us to hate one another. At times the only reason we find ourselves divided is because we are all black people. While other Races are glad to be living among themselves, we black people are proud to be the only black person or family in a white neighborhood. We often do not support each other and often we do not get along. This is clearly the opposite when it comes to other races. Our self-hate is destroying us. We must all come to the realization that our strength lies in our unity. A fact other races have long realized. We may not like each other as individuals but we

must come together when it comes to issues pertaining to our race. Let us learn from other races within our midst. Let us shake loose the shackles of the mind.

“PH.D.”

Africans have this common phrase “Pull him/her down – Ph.D.,” which we use to describe our extreme efforts to undermine each other, especially those trying to advance themselves professionally or otherwise. The damage done to the African psyche over the centuries is so great that it drives us not only to self-destruct but also to destroy one another. The crab mentality within us must die. To help us all better understand this inferiority complex, allow me to cite a scenario and a few examples. This will serve as a source of self-

examination to better understand whether or not one is suffering from the legacy of colonization or the legacy of slavery. Sadly, most of us do not even realize that we are suffering from these afflictions. Imagine two black brothers and one white brother in an important business meeting. Here is my prediction of what will happen in that room. The two black brothers will make strenuous efforts to distance themselves from each other, while attempting to forge an alliance with the white brother. We inherently believe that the white brother is automatically superior to us and that associating with him elevates our status. Now, picture the opposite scenario with two white brothers and one black brother in the same meeting. I can tell you that the two white brothers will most likely gravitate toward each other while distancing themselves from the black brother. They may never say anything racist or deliberately act out racial prejudice, but in general, they will first defer to each other which is understandable. They will naturally stick together like brothers and consciously or unconsciously distance themselves from the black brother. This is because other races have long realized that their strength lies in their unity. This sad phenomenon I describe is simply because we do not believe in our own self-worth, let alone believe in each other. We always feel the need for the white brothers or sisters to validate us, even if we are at times smarter, wealthier and more educated than they are. I once went to Africa with my caucasian friend who was a nurse and her sister who was a cashier at Walmart. Everywhere we went in Africa, the black people were eager to help both of them and not me, the medical doctor and ambassador. In the eyes of my fellow Africans, my friends were superior to me because they were white. Initially I was getting upset. In the end it happened so often that all we could do was laugh. Such is our daily reality as black people. Even our own disrespect us. I am a strong believer that some day we shall overcome. Let us continue to educate each other. Those who are now awoken must go the extra mile to wake up those among us who are still asleep.

Given that Africa is the recorded birthplace of humanity and the cradle of human civilization, it is ironic that we Africans perceive ourselves as second-class citizens in our own land. We value foreign languages, affiliations, cultures, countries and nationals more than our own. This is a reflection of the state of our minds, thanks to the legacy of colonization and the legacy of slavery. The sooner we realize that the shackles of the mind are alive and well within us, the sooner we can embark on the process of self-healing.

AFRICAN IDENTITY

I once attended an event hosted by one of my African-American friends. Some of her family members, also African-Americans, arrived in our dignified African dashiki–a traditional African garment. One aunt in particular took offense at this identification with Africa and asked why they showed up in dashikis. In her mind,

dashikis demeaned the event. For this aunt, Africa and anything representative of African heritage was bad and undesirable. She did not consider herself African and wanted nothing to do with Africa. Such is the sad state of our minds. We need healing and that healing is going to come in the form of knowledge and understanding of our Africa and our history. More importantly, the realization that as people of African descent, we are all Africans. An incident at of one of the prominent Ivy League universities is a classic example of how our shackled minds breed low self-esteem and hatred against one another. The African-American students at this university were protesting against the continental African and Caribbean students. They claimed that these students were receiving preferential treatment from the administration. The AfricanAmerican students also claimed that the university used admission of continental Africans and Caribbean students to fill the black student admissions quota. I was asked to give a statement to address this issue. My assessment of the situation was that this matter needed more than a statement. I decided to visit the students for a much-needed conversation. I saw it as an opportunity to inform and educate our youth. I flew to the Ivy League university where I addressed the students like a mother would address her children. I posed two questions to them. “If the question was about the enrollment of foreign students, did it occur to them to also complain about the Asian students?” They had no response. I followed up with a second question. “If the issue had to do with the enrollment quota, did you consider asking the administration to increase the quota for black enrollment?” They again had no answer to that as well. By this time I got the feeling that they were slowly coming around and realizing that other options were available to them which they could have used to address their concerns. I went on to share our history as Africans and people of African descent. I shed light on the systematic brainwashing we have been subjected to as a people. I reminded them that our strength lies in our unity, and encouraged them to

unite and speak with one voice. That together they had a stronger voice with which to address the administration about their problems. To my utter disappointment, I have since learned that this is a pervasive problem at most universities around the country. In fact, this issue even extends to African-American Professors who feel that the universities are giving preferential treatment to continental African and Caribbean Professors. This is really an unfortunate state of affairs. The universities across the country must be aware of this issue and make every effort to address this problem.

REFLECTIONS

The mental shackles from slavery and colonialism produce a mentality of self-hate and consequently self- destruction as

individuals and as a race. The dissonance between continental Africans and African-Americans is unbelievable and we must address it head on. It is a pervasive problem in our communities, even among our most learned professional, professors and scholars. We must realize that the shackles of the mind are forever present and make every effort to remove these shackles and liberate ourselves from mental slavery. The mistrust and divisions amongst us must come to an end. We must realize that the rule of divide and conquer used against us during slavery and colonization remains alive and well within each and every one of us. We owe it to ourselves to fight this affliction from within us. I have also since realized that the same sentiment extends to the general public. African-Americans in general feel that the Africans sold their ancestors into slavery and as such are owed reparations by the Africans. Some feel that their suffering was worse than that of the Africans on the continent. This has caused deep divisions between the continental Africans and the African-Americans in the USA. This issue needs to be addressed at all levels of society. The appropriate conversation must begin. The colonizers and the slavers did not leave a bed of roses when they took the Africans out of Africa as slaves. They left carnage which persists to this day. We are a wounded people and we all need healing. The healing we desire begins with the understanding of our history and that as black people we are in the same sinking boat. When the Police shot Amadou Diallo in New York City in 1990, they shot a black man not an African, African-American, Afro-Latino or Afro-Caribbean. Let us remember this simple but crucial fact. If we do not come together, this boat is going down. It is just that simple. Each and every one of us must have a serious conversation with the image in the mirror. May the conversation begin. I hope you will answer the questions truthfully to the image in the mirror.

VIP PASS

I will give you yet another example of self-hate. While on a trip to Jamaica, I visited a vacation resort with a friend who was a public official. We were riding in a new SUV and I believe we were looking quite officious. Behind us drove my godson in his raggedy, rusted, old blue Toyota sedan with a yellow door. Next to him in the front passenger’s seat was his girlfriend who happened to be a nice young white lady. Both were in their jeans and T-Shirts. When we arrived at the resort gate, a loud, hyperactive young Jamaican guard yelled at us in a Jamaican accent through the window of the security booth. “Do you have a VIP pass?” “No,” my friend replied calmly. He added, “I am the VIP Pass.” The young man of African descent became visibly irritated at us, barged out of the security booth and ordered us to park outside the premises and walk almost half a mile to the bar by the beach.

Disappointed, we obliged and parked outside the gate. As we were getting out of the SUV, we noticed my godson was driving through that same entrance in his raggedy old car and onto the premises of the resort without any confrontation. “Does he have a VIP pass?” I asked my friend with intrigue. He laughed and said to me, “Didn’t you see the VIP pass sitting next to him?” “Oh, I see,” I nodded in comprehension. We both burst out laughing. The young white lady sitting next to my godson was his VIP pass! The young lady was a cashier at a grocery store in Canada. She went through the gate without a pass because of her skin color in a country that is 99.9 percent black. An Ambassador and doctor as well as a high-level official could not get through this same gate simply because of our black skin color. What made it even worse was the fact that it was one of our own, a young black man young enough to be our son who refused to let us in. He however permitted a young woman of about twenty years of age to enter simply because she was white. Instead of getting upset, we were amused but disappointed and saddened at the depth of the self-hate that exist within us a black people. It is situations like this that give me the fuel I need to keep talking and educating every opportunity I get. It is one of the reasons I saw the need to write this book. This is our reality as black people. We do not respect or believe in ourselves and each other. This has got to change. The change we desire starts with each and every one of us making a commitment to believe in our own abilities and abilities of our black brothers and sisters. If others choose to disappoint you after you believed in them, it is their burden to carry. Your conscience should be clear as you have done your part. We have to begin somewhere and that somewhere is where you are. On another occasion I was with friends at a restaurant in Africa. After waiting for some fifteen minutes to be served, a white couple arrived and sat near us in the waiting area. The waiter who had seen us waiting before the white couple came in, was getting ready to sit the white couple before us. To their credit, the white couple nicely

advised the young woman that we were there before them. The young woman just called us and did not look the least bit apologetic. Not all white people would have responded as this couple did. Most would simply enjoy the white privilege. The above examples are a reflection of how deep and serious our disease is as black people. We are in the intensive care and are seriously in need of healing. The first step to healing is acceptance.

CALL TO ACTION

Until we have that crucial conversation with the image in the mirror, we will not understand that we are still suffering from the legacy of slavery and colonization. It is this affliction that is keeping us from uniting and preventing us from taking our beloved Africa to her rightful place on the world stage. We must realize that we are all

passengers on the “Titanic.” Whether or not we change seats on this ship is immaterial and irrelevant. The ship that is Mother Africa is going down. The sooner we come together and harness all our human resources to save the ship from sinking, the better off we will all be as a race. The only way we can unite and save our continent from sinking is to heal the deep wounds that slavery and colonization have inflicted on our psyche. Until we recognize that we have these deep wounds, we cannot begin the process of healing. True healing can only begin with us having the much-needed conversation. It is critical that we have this conversation with the image in the mirror and with each other. It is critical that we have this conversation now in order to avoid passing this disease on to our children, grandchildren and generations to come. Let us be the generation that will break the curse. There is definitely a need for a new awakening. Quoting Yoweri Museveni, President of Uganda, “Africans have been sleeping like grasshoppers for over 600 years. “It is time to wake up” The exploitation and colonization of Africa must come to an end. Only we the African diaspora, along with our brothers and sisters on the continent, can put an end to the carnage. We the children of Africa on the continent and around the globe must wake up and ask ourselves the flowing questions: How long is the self-hate going to continue? How long will we continue to be divided? How long will it take for us to finally say enough is enough? The time for unity is now. Let us all speak with one voice as one Africa, one continent, one heart, one mind and one soul.

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ODO NNYEW FIE KWAN “love never loses its way home” power of love

CHAPTER 12 A DIVIDED PEOPLE

BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER

The trans-Atlantic slave trade sowed the initial seed of divide and conquer amongst Africans. The Berlin Conference reinforced that seed, watered it and gave it an environment to thrive in within and beyond the African continent. Slavery and colonization are therefore two sides of the same coin. To a great extent, they are the root cause of the conditions we find ourselves in as black people around the globe.

In order to successfully execute their plan to divide and conquer Africa during the era of colonization, the colonizers brainwashed the Africans into believing that everything African was bad and inferior and everything European was better, superior and more desirable. During the slave trade, slave owners used the rule of divide and conquer on the cotton plantations of the American South. The kitchen help, then known as “house niggers,” were given preferential treatment over the cotton field workers who they referred to as “Field Niggers”. By the same token the light-skinned slaves were treated far more humanely and were favored over the dark-skinned slaves. Fast forward to present day, when large numbers of Africans have voluntarily migrated to the United States, the new and sad reality is that there are sharp divisions between continental Africans and African-Americans. Indeed, the seeds of divide and conquer have thrived very well and have germinated into fruits of discord among us. We now live in the era I describe as brother against brother. We seem to have forgotten what it means to be your brother’s or sister’s keeper. Brother against brother has two major consequences. The first is a false sense of superiority over one another. Sadly, some continental Africans feel superior to African-Americans and vice versa. Our failure to recognize that we are all passengers aboard a common sinking “Titanic” goes back to the rule of divide and conquer. The seeds that were planted into our ancestors by the colonial and slave masters centuries ago have percolated through generation after generation. Before the white slavers came, the Africans were already capturing each other as slaves. However, the clear distinction between African slavery and European slavery was that the Africans did not mistreat or dehumanize their captives the way the Europeans did. As a matter of fact, with African slavery, the slaves became part of the family. The work they did benefited the entire community not an

individual or family. In most cases the slaves married and became part of the tribe that captured them. This was quite contrary to the treatment the slaves who were taken out of Africa received. It is necessary for me to also make it clear to my African-Americans brothers and sisters that Africans themselves were subjected to a lot of coercion and harassment during the slave trade. The white slavers often used rare objects that Africans did not have such as guns and mirrors to entice the Africans into giving up their land or their people as slaves. They also used underhanded tactics to deceive and capture the imagination of unsuspecting and uninformed tribal leaders to succumb to their wishes. Many of the African tribes actually put up real resistance against the slavers. They lost the battles due to their inferior weapons. The reality is that majority of the tribes who sold their people into slavery were not aware of the harsh and inhumane conditions the slaves were subjected to during the trans-Atlantic crossing and on arrival in the Americas. Over time, the tribal leaders began to hear rumors of the gruesome ordeals the slaves were subjected to in the “new land.” The kings and chiefs started refusing to sell their people to the slavers and many of them were killed by the Europeans for refusing to sell their citizens. Exploitation, coercion, and abuse are the words that describe the relationship between the slavers and Africans during that period. Brother against brother plagues Africans and people of African descent wherever you find us. Nothing has changed. We continue to witness the effects of the rule of divide and conquer in every sphere of life. Consider the genocide1 that took place in Burundi and Rwanda for example. The bloody Hutu and Tutsi conflict was a direct result of the Berlin Conference. After all, the longstanding conflict between the Hutus and Tutsis has nothing to do with language or religion as they both speak the same Bantu languages as well as French and both practice Christianity. During the Berlin Conference Rwanda and Burundi were originally given to Germany. The League of Nations then forced Germany to

turn these two colonies over to Belgium after the first world war in 1918. The Belgians highlighted a single physical characteristic of the Tutsis (their nasal bridges) and tried to convince them that they were superior to their brothers and sisters, the Hutus. School teachers used rulers to measure the students’ nasal bridges. Those who had smaller noses and straight nasal bridges were classified as the preferred group. According to them, the straighter your nasal bridge was, the more desirable and prettier you were. That was how the class divisions began. The Hutu on the other hand were not thought to be as beautiful as the Tutsis because their facial features were different and less attractive according to the Europeans. There were other factors that made the Belgians favor the Tutsi over the Hutu. The Tutsis were cattle ranchers and were perceived to have greater wealth and higher social status than the Hutus. Hutus were engaged in farming which the Belgians considered to be work for lower class people. These class differences which started during the 19th century, were heightened by colonization and exploded at the end of the 20th century. Later, white Catholic priests came and told the Tutsi that the Hutus were coming to attack them out of envy. They brainwashed the Tutsis into believing the Hutu were envious of them because of their “better looks and beauty.” The Hutu on the other hand were the majority and felt mistreated by the Tutsi. Naturally, this deepened the divisions. What we saw during the Rwandan genocide in 1994 was the explosion of deep-rooted anger that had been festering for centuries. The real question is: Who funded this genocide? Where did the endless supply of Machetes come from during that horrific 100 days in 1994? France is accused of supporting the Hutus who killed over 800,000 people in the 100 days. France has however denied this accusation. Let us look at the case of Eritrea and Ethiopia in the EritreanEthiopian War3. This was a totally unnecessary war since Ethiopians and Eritreans are the same people. There are other examples.

English-speaking Cameroonians (Ambazonia) and French-speaking Cameroonians have been fighting each other since 2017. The French speaking citizens are at odds with the English-speaking citizens. Ambazonians are now demanding separation from the rest of Cameron to become an independent country. France is involved in this conflict with heavy French military presence in this country. Once again, it all boils down to the Berlin Conference. The French speaking and English-speaking Cameroonians are all the same people. The colonizers turned brother against brother. There are endless examples of conflicts among black people which all go back to slavery and colonization. These legacies continue to haunt us as black people to this day. Our former colonizers remain front and center of these conflicts which are designed to maximize their exploitation of our beloved Mother Africa to the detriment of the Africans. The time has come for us to move forward as a united people, children of the same Mother Africa. It is time for our brothers and sisters in the diaspora to know and understand the true narrative of our history as a people. We need to break the yoke of divide and conquer. Let us learn from other ethnic groups such as the Jews, Chinese, Indians, Italians, Mexican and Irish diaspora. They stick together like super-glue when it comes to issues pertaining to their countries of origin. As people of African descent, we must unite and reconnect with our anchor which is Africa. Without our anchor, we are like a ship which is all sails but no anchor. We are like a palm tree which goes in whatever direction the wind blows. There is need for us to be anchored. That anchoring begins with those of us in the diaspora accepting that Africa is home.

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CHAPTER REFERENCES Burundian Genocide - Since Burundi’s independence in 1962, there have been two events called genocides in the country. The 1972 mass killings of Hutus by the Tutsi-dominated army, and the 1993 mass killings of Tutsis by the majority-Hutu populace are both described as genocide in the final report of the International Commission of Inquiry for Burundi presented to the United Nations Security Council in 1996. 2 Rwandan Genocide - The Rwandan genocide, also known as the genocide against the Tutsi, was a mass slaughter of Tutsi, Twa, and moderate Hutu in Rwanda, which took place between April 7 and July 15, 1994 during the Rwandan Civil War. The scale and brutality of the massacre shocked the world, but the governments of Western states such as Belgium, France, the United States, and others largely ignored the genocide. Most of the victims were killed in their own villages or towns, many by their neighbors and fellow villagers. Hutu gangs searched out victims hiding in churches and school buildings. The militia murdered victims with machetes and rifles. An estimated five hundred thousand to one million Rwandans were killed, about 70 percent of the country’s Tutsi population. Sexual violence was rife, with an estimated two hundred and fifty thousand to five hundred thousand women raped during the genocide. The genocide ended with the military victory of the Rwandan Patriotic Front. 3 The Eritrean-Ethiopian War – A conflict in the Horn of Africa over territory that took place between Ethiopia and Eritrea from May 1998 until June 2000, with the final peace eventually agreed to in 2018, twenty years after the initial confrontation. Eritrea and Ethiopia, two of the world’s poorest countries, spent hundreds of millions of dollars on the war and suffered tens of thousands of casualties as a direct consequence of the conflict. The war resulted in only minor border changes. 1

OSRAM NE NSOROMMA “the moon and the star” love, faithfulness, harmony

CHAPTER 13 THE AFRICAN UNION

In the line of my work as African Union Ambassador to the United States, I realized that most Africans on the continent, people of African descent worldwide, friends of Africa, and the international community at large knew very little about the African Union (AU). In order to understand Africa, it is important that we understand the African Union and what role it plays in our lives as well as in the individual African countries. This understanding will help us on our journey to undoing the effects of colonialization. In

this chapter, I provide an overview of the most important PanAfrican organization in the world, The African Union.

AU HISTORY & CHAIRMANSHIP

The AU is a continental body consisting of the fifty-five Member States located on the continent of Africa. It was officially launched on July 9, 2002 in Durban, South Africa as a successor to the Organization of African Unity (OAU) which was established in 1963 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The AU is guided by its vision of “An Integrated, Prosperous, and Peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.” Through its day-today activities, the AU seeks to complete the unfinished business of the OAU in the following ways: 1. Fast-track the political and economic integration of the entire African continent. 2. “Kill the Berlin Conference” by eradicating colonialism and neo-colonialism

from the African continent. 3. Facilitate the empowerment of African states in the global economy. 4. Combat the social, economic, and political ills bedeviling the continent. The African Union is headed by a Chairperson, a ceremonial head who is elected by the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government for a one-year term. This position rotates among the continent’s five regions and is occupied by a Head of State of one African country (Member State) each year. The Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) is also elected by the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government and has a four-year term, which is renewable once. These two Chairpersons work in tandem with each other to ensure the smooth running of the AU’s operations. The role of the AUC Chair is to implement the decisions of the Assembly. The Assembly is made up of the fifty-five African Heads of State.

GOALS OF THE AU

The Constitutive Act of the African Union, and the Protocol on Amendments to the Constitutive Act lay out the aims of the AU. These are: Achieve greater unity and solidarity between African countries and their people. Defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of its Member States. Accelerate the political and socio-economic integration of the continent. Promote and defend African common positions on issues of interest to the continent and its peoples. Encourage international cooperation. Promote peace, security, and stability on the continent. Promote democratic principles and institutions, popular

participation, and good governance. Promote and protect human and peoples’ rights in accordance with the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other relevant human rights instruments. Establish the necessary conditions which enable the continent to play its rightful role in the global economy and in international negotiations. Promote sustainable development at the economic, social, and cultural levels as well as the integration of African economies. Promote cooperation in all fields of human activity to raise the living standards of African peoples. Coordinate and harmonize the policies between the existing and future Regional Economic Communities (RECs) for the gradual attainment of the objectives of the Union. Advance the development of the continent by promoting research in all fields, particularly in science and technology. Work with relevant international partners in the eradication of preventable diseases and the promotion of good health on the continent. Ensure the effective participation of women in decisionmaking, particularly in the political, economic, and sociocultural areas. Develop and promote common policies on trade, defense, and foreign relations to ensure the defense of the continent and the strengthening of its negotiating positions. Invite and encourage the full participation of the African diaspora as an important part of our continent, in the building of the African Union.

AGENDA 2063

To ensure the realization of its objectives and the attainment of the Pan-African Vision of an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa, Agenda 2063 is Africa’s blueprint and master plan for transforming Africa into the global powerhouse of the future. It is the continent’s strategic framework that aims to deliver on its goal for inclusive and sustainable development and is a concrete manifestation of the pan-African drive for unity, self-determination, freedom, progress, and collective prosperity pursued under PanAfricanism and African Renaissance. Agenda 2063 calls for greater collaboration and support for African-led initiatives to ensure the achievement of the aspirations of the African people. (See chapter 17 for the seven aspirations of the African people).

ORGANS OF THE AU

The work of the AU is implemented through several principal decision-making organs. These are:

THE ASSEMBLY

The Assembly is the supreme organ of the AU and comprises of the Heads of State and Government of all Member States. It can be likened to a Ruling Council. It determines the AU’s policies, establishes its priorities, adopts its annual program, and monitors the implementation of its policies and decisions. The Assembly: Appoints the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission. Appoints the AUC Commissioners and determines their functions and terms of office. Considers requests for AU membership. Adopts the AU budget. Receives, considers, and takes decisions on reports and recommendations from the other AU organs. Establishes new committees, specialized agencies,

commissions, and working groups. Amends the Constitutive Act in conformity with the laid down procedures. Interprets the Constitutive Act (pending the establishment of the Court of Justice). Approves the structure, functions, and regulations of the Commission. Determines the structure, functions, powers, composition, and organization of the Executive Council.

THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

The Executive Council is composed of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of all Members States. It can be likened to a Council of Ministers or Cabinet. It reports to the Assembly and monitors the implementation of policies formulated by the Assembly. The

Executive Council: 1. Prepares the sessions of the Assembly. 2. Determines the issues to be submitted to the Assembly for decision. 3. Coordinates and harmonizes the policies, activities, and initiatives of the Union in the areas of common interest to Member States. 4. Monitors the implementation of the policies, decisions, and agreements adopted by the Assembly. 5. Elects the Commissioners to be appointed by the Assembly. 6. Promotes cooperation and coordination with the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), the African Development Bank (ADB), other African Institutions, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). 7. Determines policies for cooperation between the Union and Africa’s partners. 8. Ensures that all activities and initiatives regarding Africa are in line with the objectives of the Union. 9. Considers the structure, functions, and statutes of the Commission, and makes recommendations thereon to the Assembly. 10. Ensures the promotion of gender equality in all programs of the Union.

THE AU COMMISSION (AUC)

The Commission is the key organ playing a central role in the dayto-day management of the African Union. It is the secretariat of the AU and is composed of the Chairperson, the Deputy Chairperson, and eight Commissioners holding the following portfolios: Peace and Security Political Affairs Infrastructure and Energy Social Affairs Human Resources, Science, and Technology Trade and Industry Rural Economy and Agriculture Economic Affairs Among other functions, the Commission represents the Union and

defends its interests, elaborates draft common positions of the Union, prepares strategic plans and studies for the consideration of the Executive Council, elaborates, promotes, coordinates, and harmonizes the programs and policies of the Union with those of the RECs and ensures the mainstreaming of gender in all programs and activities of the Union.

THE PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE (PRC)

This is a body of Ambassadors. It comprises Permanent Representatives of Member States to the Union and can be likened to the legislative body of the AU. The PRC conducts the day-to-day business of the African Union on behalf of the Assembly and the Executive Council. It reports to the Executive Council, prepares the Council’s work, and acts on its instructions. The PRC:

Acts as an advisory body to the AU Executive Council. Prepares its Rules of Procedure and submits them to the Executive Council. Prepares Executive Council meetings, including the agenda and draft decisions. Makes recommendations on areas of common interest to Member States, particularly on issues on the Executive Council agenda. Facilitates communication between the AU Commission and Member States’ capitals. Considers the AU’s program and budget, as well as the Commission’s administrative, budgetary, and financial matters and makes recommendations to the Executive Council. Considers the Commission’s financial report and makes recommendations to the Executive Council. Considers the Board of External Auditors’ report and submits written comments to the Executive Council. Monitors the implementation of the AU budget. Proposes the composition of AU organ bureaus, ad hoc committees, and sub-committees. Considers matters relating to the AU’s programs and projects, particularly issues relating to the socio-economic development and integration of the continent, and makes recommendations to the Executive Council. Monitors the implementation of policies, decisions, and agreements adopted by the Executive Council. Participates in the preparation of the AU program of activities and calendar of meetings, considers any matter assigned to it by the Executive Council, and carries out any other functions that may be assigned to it by the Executive Council.

MEMBER STATES AND REGIONAL ECONOMIC COMMUNITIES

Member States represent the citizens of Africa, while the Regional Economic Communities help in achieving greater economic integration and the implementation of activities.

THE SPECIALIZED TECHNICAL COMMITTEES

The following Specialized Technical Committees are meant to address sectoral issues and are at the Ministerial Level: The Committee on Rural Economy and Agricultural Matters The Committee on Monetary and Financial Affairs The Committee on Trade, Customs, and Immigration Matters The Committee on Industry, Science and Technology, Energy, Natural Resources, and Environment The Committee on Transport, Communications, and Tourism The Committee on Health, Labor, and Social Affairs The Committee on Education, Culture, and Human Resources.

THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

These are yet to be implemented. The African Central bank The African Monetary Fund The African Investment Bank The African Stock Exchange The Single African Currency The following organs are still in the process of ratification: Peace and Security Council (PSC) Pan-African Parliament The Economic, Social, and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) The Court of Justice

THE JOURNEY SO FAR

Has the African Union lived up to the expectations of the Founding Fathers of a Pan-Africanism? Going by the achievements of the African Union as at the time this book went to press in 2020, the answer to that question is “Yes.” The following landmark achievements are a few examples why I say yes. I have explained them in detail in the chapter Africa on the Rise. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) The Protocols for the Free Movement of People The Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) 0.2% Levy which is needed in order for the AU to fully selffund Indeed, our leaders have finally adopted a unified stance for the

children of Mother Africa.

MY TENURE

As AU Ambassador to the United States I had three principal mandates – to engage the US government, promote Africa in the Americas, and galvanize the African diaspora to participate in the development of Africa. Here are some highlights (photos) of my work during my tenure.

1. ENGAGING WITH THE U.S.

Photo: AFRICOM Commander Addressing the African Generals at African Union Mission in Washington, DC

Photo: With AU Commissioner for Trade and Investment Commissioner Muchanga and US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Tibo Nagy - At the AU Mission in Washington, DC

Photo: After meeting with 21 African Defense Attachés and AFRICOM Commander General Thomas D. Waldhauser to discuss regional peace and security, U.S. Africa Command’s role in the new National Defense Strategy (NDS), and the value of partner capacity. The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the United States Armed Forces, headquartered at Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. It is responsible for US military operations, including fighting regional conflicts and maintaining military relations with 53 African nations.

Photo: In Addis Ababa Ethiopia during the High level Dialogue with the US ambassador to the AU, Ambassador Marybeth Leonard, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs at the US State Dept. Tibo Nagy, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union His Excellency Kwesi Quartey, Ambassador Chihombori-Quao

Photo: Attending AGOA at the US State Department. With Ghana Minister of Trade Hon Alan Kyerematen center and AU Director of Trade Treasure Mapanga far left in pink

Photo: Me With AU Deputy Chairperson His Excellency Kwesi Quartey and Congresswoman Karen Bass at US Congress

Photo: At an event in Richmond, VA With the Governor Ralph Northam of Virginia engaging US Government with assistant

Photo: At the US Department of Trade with the US Trade Representative Ambassador Lighthauser second left and AU Deputy Chairperson Kwesi Quartey next to him

Photo: With Melania Trump at the White House during a luncheon

Photo: With Ivanka Trump at the White House during a luncheon

2. PROMOTING AFRICA IN THE AMERICAS

Photo: In Caracas Venezuela with President Nicolas Maduro

ATTENDING THE ACCOMPONG MAROON FESTIVAL IN ACCOMPONG, JAMAICA

Photo: With Liberian-Born Richelieu Dennis, Owner of Essence Magazine at an Event in New York

With African Musician Akon at AU Mission

With Akon’s wife at AU Mission

With David West, Golden State Warriors

With Golden State Warrior Andre Iguodala

Photo: Fundraising event with African Ambassador’s wives and African Diaspora Women at the AU Mission in Washington DC

Photo: Pan-African Diaspora Women Association Attending an Event At the African Union Mission in Washington, DC

PHOTO: ATTENDING THE CARICOM SUMMIT IN JAMAICA WITH THE CARICOM PRIME MINISTERS

Photo: With Minister of Arts and Culture of Jamaica Honorable Olivia Grang

Photo: With Prime Minister of Jamaica Honorable Andrew Holness

Photo: With President of St Vincent and Grenadines Hon Ralph Gonsalves

Photo: With Jamaican Ombusman the Hon. Donna Parchment-Brown

Photo: With the Prime Minister of St Lucia Hon Allen Chastanet during the CARICOM Summit in Montego Bay Jamaica

Photo: In Cali, Columbia with Hon. Dilian Francisca Toro, Governor of the state of Valle (white woman in blue)

Photo: In Cali, Columbia visiting the African diaspora

MISS AFRICAN UNION PAGEANT DEC. 2018

3. GALVANIZING THE AFRICAN DIASPORA

The Inaugural R400 Summit was held in Charlotte, North Carolina from September 27 to September 29, 2019. It brought together delegations from Africa and the African diaspora to discuss areas of collaboration through trade and investment. In February 2019, the African Heads of State unanimously approved the R400 decision in which they once and for all declared that descendants of the formerly enslaved around the globe are Africans and that they are welcome home to Africa.

Photo: At the Launch of the R400 Expo – Charlotte, NC – September 2019

Photo: Press Briefing at the Launch of R400 in Charlotte, NC - September 2019

Photo: Keynote Speaker at the Launch of the R400 in Charlotte, NC - September 2019

Photo: In Niamey Niger with former Prime Minister of Kenya H.E Raila Odinga and the diaspora team from the US

Photo: With President Paul Kagame of the people’s Republic of Rwanda in Washington, DC

Photo: With former president of Liberia Allen Sirleaf Johnson

Photo: With the President of Ghana

Photo: In Harare with the President of Zimbabwe

Photo: At the State House with the First Lady of Zimbabwe Auxilliah Mnangagwa

Photo: With the First Lady of Uganda Janet Museveni at the United Nations in New York during UNGA

Photo: With Brigitte Macron First Lady of France at the United Nations during UNGA 2017

African Union Flag

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AYA “fern” endurance, resourcefulness

CHAPTER 14 THE AFRICAN CONTINENTAL FREE TRADE AREA (AFCFTA)

In 1963, at the invitation of Emperor Haile Selassie, our PanAfrican fathers met to discuss the creation of a united continent of Africa speaking with one voice. Sadly, they failed to reach a consensus. A compromise agreement was reached and the Organization of African Unity (OAU) was born. Year in and year out, the issue of a united Africa speaking with one voice was raised

and year in and year out, they failed to reach a consensus until March 2018, at a summit in Kigali, Rwanda. The African Heads of State agreed on a decision which they called The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). This historic agreement is the closest decision to what our founding fathers originally wanted for Africa back in 1963. Twenty-two ratifications were required for the AfCFTA to enter into force. This was achieved in a record thirteen months after the Kigali signing in 2018. It is the fastest ratification ever attained on any resolution by a continental body in the history of the world. Securing ratifications of this nature normally takes several years. The doubting Thomases were sure that it would take years for the AfCFTA to come into force. Some thought it would never come to pass. As the saying goes, when it is God’s time, it is time. The twenty-second ratification was deposited with the AU Commission on April 2, 2019 exactly thirteen months after the decision was approved. On July 7, 2019, at the 12th Extraordinary Summit of the Assembly of the African Union in Niamey, Niger, the Heads of States launched the operational phase of the AfCFTA. It was a truly historic event and I feel privileged to have been there to witness this defining moment in our history as Africans. The African Continental Free Trade Area gives Africa a combined GDP of 3 trillion dollars, a work force of 1.27 billion people, and a marketplace that makes it easy to expand a business from one region to another. This is music to the ears of the global business community who have struggled for decades to penetrate the African markets.

Heads of State and Government of the African Union 12th Extraordinary Summit of the Assembly of the African Union - Niamey, Niger July 2019

This monumental event brought back fond memories of March 6, 1957 during – Ghana’s Independence Day when Dr. Kwame Nkrumah proclaimed “freedom” on a dais at the Old Polo Grounds in Accra. Specific lines from his independence speech flooded my mind – “We have won the battle and again rededicate ourselves… Our independence is meaningless unless it is linked up with the total liberation of Africa.…At long last, the battle has ended!” – I knew with certainty that Africa was making history on this day, July 7th 2019. With an understanding of the enormity of what I witnessed in Niamey, I returned to Washington, DC with a spring in my step and became the “lead evangelist” of the AfCFTA to the Americas. I

organized informational sessions on the AfCFTA at the Africa House. I met and briefed U.S. government officials about the decision, educated business communities across the country, created and distributed reading materials. I promoted the merits of this historic agreement to the African diaspora, the friends of Africa and the business communities in the Americas. I explained to them exactly where they fit in and the opportunities the AfCFTA offered them. The call to action was clear and I urged the African diaspora, friends of Africa and the business communities in the Americas to buckle up and get ready to participate in the implementation of the AfCFTA which is scheduled to begin in July of 2020. Due to COVID19, the implementation has been moved to January 2021.

ECONOMIC INTEGRATION

A new day has indeed dawned in Africa. The AfCFTA is the most

effective instrument ever designed in Africa for attaining true integration. Africa is now set to move from being 55 “wannabe boxers” who are constantly being thrown into the heavy weight boxing ring to one heavyweight boxer who belongs in the heavyweight boxing ring with the other heavyweight boxers. For the first time ever in the history of Africa, the AfCFTA gives Africa a single customs union that allows Africa to enter the world united and speaking with one voice. Currently the continent has several customs unions which will be integrated into a single African customs union by January 2021 if there are no further delays. Regional Economic Community (REC) - Africa’s Regional Economic Communities (RECs) include eight sub regional bodies which are the building blocks of the African Economic Community established in the 1991 Abuja Treaty which provides the overarching framework for continental economic integration. These are: North Africa-Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) West Africa- West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) Southern Africa- Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Central Africa- Economic Community of Central African States (UDEAC) East Africa- East and Southern African Customs Union (COMESA) West Africa – ECOWAS East Africa – East African Community The Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CENSAD) in the north A customs union is defined as a type of trade bloc comprising of a free trade area with a common external tariff and trade policy. It is established through trade pacts with participating countries. Customs unions generally increase economic efficiency and produce closer political and cultural ties between the member countries. Neocolonialism has kept us from achieving this goal until now.

According to economists, there are seven stages of economic integration. A customs union is the third stage of economic integration, and it comes with huge dividends. The seven stages are: a preferential trading area, a free trade area, a customs union, a common market, an economic union, an economic and monetary union, and complete economic integration. The final stage represents a total harmonization of fiscal policy and a complete monetary union. Africa has just taken one gigantic step in that direction and is on the path to reaping huge dividends. In order to attain all the stages of Economic Integration, the Children of Africa in the diaspora must play their part by bringing the much-needed expertise and financial resources.

The advantages of economic integration fall into three categories: trade benefits, employment, and political cooperation. More

specifically, economic integration typically reduces cost of trade, improves availability and diversity of goods and services and enhances efficiency and purchasing power of the nations within the union. These advantages of economic integration, in a nutshell are what colonizers have denied Africa to this day. They continue to have a strong hold on the African economies and in some cases, they still have control of the politics of the former colonies. To guarantee the successful implementation of the AfCFTA, the African Heads of State approved the following:

PROTOCOLS FOR THE FREE MOVEMENT OF PERSONS

In January 2018, the African Heads of State adopted the Protocols for the Free Movement of Persons. The African Union’s Agenda 20631 identifies free movement of persons as a key ingredient for

achieving other developmental aspirations. Over 30 countries have already signed this protocol and the ratification process is in progress. When ratified, Africans can live and work anywhere on the continent they choose. Only fifteen ratifications are needed for this to go into effect. The Protocols for the Free Movement of Persons is necessary for the successful implementation of the AfCFTA. It will enable Africans to dismantle the boundaries imposed upon us by the Berlin Conference. Once ratified, goods and services can also move freely throughout the continent without restriction, thereby boosting intra-Africa trade, commerce and tourism. Trans-border infrastructure will naturally improve and most of the non-tariff barrier issues such as loss of perishable goods at border crossings will be eliminated due to a reduction in waiting periods at the borders.

SINGLE AFRICAN AIR TRANSPORT MARKET (SAATM)

In 2018, Africa finally acknowledged and took a bold step to confront the difficulties associated with intra-continental travel, yet another consequence of the partitioning of Africa during the Berlin Conference. In many instances, in order to travel from one African country to another, it is easier to travel to Europe then come back to Africa. How ridiculous can things get? This is why the African Heads of State came together and approved the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), another Agenda 2063 flagship project. Once this Single Air Transport Market is in force, it will improve air connectivity and lower fares, ensure the sustainable development of air transport in Africa, contribute to economic growth by creating jobs and promoting tourism and promote continental integration. All participating countries have agreed to lift market access restrictions for airlines, grant each other extended air traffic rights, and liberalize flight frequency and capacity limits. Many countries have already opened their air spaces. This will go a long way to improve movement across the continent and eventually increase national Growth Domestic Products (GDPs). The Single African Air Transport Market is yet another necessary step in guaranteeing the successful implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

THE AFRICAN UNION PASSPORT

The African Union Passport is a common passport that will replace existing nationally issued AU Member State passports and exempt bearers from having to obtain visas for all 55 countries in Africa. This new electronic biometric passport will eventually allow members of the nations in the African Union to move freely between borders, similar to the practice within the Schengen Area2 in the European Union. Logistical details for the common passport were unveiled at the 32nd AU Summit in February 2019. Its issuance will be in accordance with each country’s laws and regulations. The prospect of a single passport for the entire continent is a welcome development. Movement within Africa has been very difficult for not only the Africans but also foreign tourists and investors. The single passport will facilitate the free movement of Africans, spur economic growth, and enhance intra-Africa trade.

First introduced in July 2016, at the 27th AU Summit in Kigali, Rwanda, the African passport is currently reserved for of African Heads of State and African diplomats. Chadian President Idriss Déby and Rwandan President Paul Kagame were the first recipients. In July 2017, immigration experts from Member States met in Nairobi, Kenya to deliberate on the document’s technical specifications, security features, and the roll-out process across the continent. Although challenges are inevitable (some African countries are extremely sensitive about migrants and refugees), the African Heads of State have committed to push for as much integration as possible. This is because any form of hindrance to the free movement of our citizens within their own continent is counterproductive to our development. Currently most African countries are now issuing visas on arrival (VOA) at the airport. This is in preparation for the African passport3.

0.2% LEVY

Currently about 75 percent of the operational funds of the African Union are sourced from donor nations. This condition is unacceptable on any level. In an attempt to become self-funding, AU Member States have implemented a 0.2 percent levy on eligible imports. The taxable base of the AU import levy will be the value of eligible goods originating from a non-member state imported into the territory of a member state to be consumed in that Member State. The revenue collected under the import levy is then remitted to the AU in accordance with each Member State’s approved assessed contribution. Many Member States are already in the process of domesticating the policy and several have started collecting the levy and are now depositing funds with the African Union. Once all the countries implement the policy and begin depositing the funds with the African Union, our union will for the first time in history, be self-

funded and self-sufficient. This is necessary if Africa is to eventually free herself from the shackles of colonialism. It is truly a new day in our Africa. It is the indisputable dawn of a new era. The year 2020 will usher in the implementation of the AfCFTA. We hope in this same year the African Union will become totally self-funded and Africa’s children will now be able to move freely across their beloved continent. The unfinished business of the OAU is now on its way to being finished. The Berlin Conference and the Pact for the Continuation of Colonization will soon be behind us if we succeed at the implementation of the AfCFTA. The dream of a united Africa is now becoming a reality. Our founding fathers must be dancing in their graves simply loving all the significant developments taking place in our Mother Africa. Yes, indeed, Africa is finally getting it right. The sleeping giant is rising.

Photo: Mr. Reda Rami, Chairman & Founder of WINVESTNET (left) and H.E. Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao, (right), presenting the Africa Investment Award to AU Commissioner for Trade and Industry H.E. Albert Muchanga, after a joint AfCFTA presentation to participants of the First US-Africa Investment Meeting Roadshow at the World Trade Center, Ronald Reagan Building, Washington, DC – October 1, 2019

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CHAPTER REFERENCES Agenda 2063 – This is Africa’s blueprint and master plan for transforming Africa into the global powerhouse of the future. It is the continent’s strategic framework that aims to deliver on its goal for inclusive and sustainable development and is a concrete manifestation of the pan-African drive for unity, self-determination, freedom, progress, and collective prosperity pursued under PanAfricanism and African Renaissance. 1

African heads of state and government signed the 50th Anniversary Solemn Declaration during the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the formation of the OAU /AU in May 2013. The declaration marked the re-dedication of Africa toward the attainment of the Pan African Vision of An integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens, representing a dynamic force in the international arena and Agenda 2063 is the concrete manifestation of how the continent intends to achieve this vision within a 50-year period from 2013 to 2063. Schengen Area - The Schengen Area is an area comprising 26 European states that have officially abolished all passport and all other types of border control at their mutual borders. The area mostly functions as a single jurisdiction for international travel purposes, with a common visa policy. 3 On-arrival visas - Also known as visas on arrival (VOA), they are granted at a port of entry. This is distinct from visa-free entry, where no visa is required, as the visitor must still obtain the visa on arrival before proceeding to immigration control. 2

NEA ONNIM NO SUA A, OHU “he who does not know can know from learning” knowledge, life-long education

CHAPTER 15 BRAIN DRAIN

RE-BUILDING AFRICA’S CAPACITY

Africa’s brain drain began over 600 years ago beginning with slavery. Brain drain or human capital flight is simply the emigration of highly skilled citizens from a particular country or region. Slavery was a very, very dark chapter in Africa’s history. History has it that between 1525 and 1866, millions of able-bodied Africans were shipped to North America, the Caribbean and South America in shackles. This exodus of Africans produced devastating

consequences for Africa. This brain drain out of Africa helped build the economies of the nations that perpetrated slavery. The United States was fundamentally built upon the backs of hard-working enslaved Africans. Today there are about forty-five million descendants of formerly enslaved Africans in the USA, forty-five million in the Caribbean and about one hundred and fifty million in South America making a total of two hundred and forty million people. In South America, the majority are in Brazil. After slavery, our colonizers further exploited our people and resources to build their empires. The British Empire led the crusade. When slavery ended, the colonizers came together during the Berlin Conference where they chopped Africa up into tiny economies so they could further their looting agenda using the rule of divide and conquer. They intentionally set out to under develop Africa through various economic schemes which continue to this day. Since independence, Africans have emigrated out of Africa for various reasons such as fleeing from famine, wars, natural disasters and others in search of higher education and greener pastures. It is estimated that there are about nine million continental Africans in the USA and an additional seven million in Europe. Today, there are more Ghanaian doctors in New York City than in Ghana and more Nigerian doctors in Los Angeles than in Nigeria. The same is true in all other sectors such as education, engineering and science. This deficit is felt in every African country. The capacity that Africa needs to build The Africa We Want is in the diaspora. The majority of them are in the USA and Europe where they play an important role in the development of those countries. The loss of all these professionals has had a profound adverse effect on African countries which leads to the inability of these countries to build the much-needed infrastructure such as health care, education, agriculture, roads, rails, bridges, and ports. This inability to build the infrastructure directly impacts economic development. Let me share examples of the effects that brain drain has had on three African

countries. Ethiopia is experiencing one of the worst brain drain of any country in the world, especially in the medical field. Lured by glittering prospects overseas and also forced out by past political and economic crisis, Ethiopia’s best and brightest left the country after graduation. Recent figures presented at the National Symposium on Ethiopian diaspora revealed that Ethiopia has lost about seventy-five percent of her skilled expertise over the past decade. This exodus has had a tremendous negative impact on the country of one hundred and nine million people, leaving it with a severe shortage of educators, physicians, engineers and scientists the country so desperately needs to build its economy. Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa and the first African nation to discover oil in commercial quantities, is another sad example. Still a developing economy with a population of one hundred and ninety million people, and a large educated population, the professionals continue to migrate abroad in search of lucrative job offers from the United States, Europe and now China. Today an estimated two million Nigerians live in the United States and of these about twenty thousand are medical doctors. This is a heavy deficit for a nation that desperately needs these qualified professionals to rebuild and improve its economy. In the United States, the Nigerian Immigrants are reported to be some of the most educated people in the country. Kenya is my third example. High unemployment rates and a severe lack of opportunities has put Kenya in the top tier brain drain countries in Africa. Fewer than thirty percent of Kenyans who study abroad return home. Between thirty to forty percent of the estimated six hundred doctors who graduate from Kenyan Medical Schools annually leave after completing their internship. The Kenyan Medical Association recently raised the alarm that the emigration of medical professionals may render it impossible to provide healthcare to the

country’s forty-seven and a half million citizens. The country’s healthcare situation is in a critical state due to the shortage of healthcare professionals. With about two million Kenyans working and living overseas, the country is trying desperately to find a way to entice some of these citizens to come back home in the areas where their skills are desperately needed. Healthcare poses a particularly serious challenge for African countries. If all the continental African doctors were to return home to Africa today, we will only have about twenty percent of the medical manpower needed. Africa today needs at least 1.3 million doctors. No amount of money put into healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa is going to deliver the desired results until we have adequate healthcare capacity. The needed capacity is in the diaspora, hence the need to reverse the brain drain. In the US it is reported that 30% of the healthcare workforce are from Africa. The diaspora is a very important part of Africa’s development. What is so encouraging is that the African Heads of States have been able to clearly articulate the oneness of their position about how sustainable development can only come to the continent through the significant participation of Africa’s children in the diaspora. These include descendants of those who were forcibly taken across the Atlantic in chains and shackles and those who voluntarily left much later in search of greener pastures. Brain drain is one of Africa’s biggest challenges to development. The continent simply cannot achieve any sustainable progress without the repatriation of these brilliant minds. The African Union and African Heads of State have put out the clarion call to the African diaspora to return home and participate in the building of the Africa we want. There are many challenges however that the diaspora face as they attempt to return home. Many have left their adopted homes and went back to Africa but ended up returning to their adopted countries. There are many reasons why some diaspora are unable to successfully relocate back

home to Africa. This is an exceptionally important subject that needs to be addressed continent-wide. There is need for a system that facilitates diaspora integration both in the diaspora and in Africa. Our brothers and sisters on the continent are ready to receive us but they will not tolerate condescending attitudes from the African diaspora. There is the need for an attitude adjustment by both the diaspora as well as our brothers and sisters on the continent. The diaspora go back home to Africa with an attitude. In Ghana the African diaspora are nicknamed the “Been tos” meaning, “I have been to the USA, I have been to Europe” etc. In Burundi, the African diaspora are nicknamed the “come froms” meaning, “I come from the USA,” “I come from Europe,” etc. The “been tos” and “come froms” feel that they are better than the brothers and sisters who stayed home. This will not be tolerated. The Africans at home will run us out without hesitation. Our brothers and sisters on the continent also feel that their “been to” and “come from” siblings are coming to take their jobs away or feel superior to them. This is far from the truth. The diaspora truly want to contribute to the development of Africa. Both sides need to adjust their attitudes and realize that we are in the same boat and we need each other. It is time to collaborate and build the Africa we want. African governments need to create an environment that enables the African diaspora to return home to offer their expertise. Recent studies have shown that some of the most brilliant doctors, scientists and educators in America today are of African origin. It is sad that we cannot come together for the benefit of our beloved continent. By not reaching out to the Motherland, we continue to use our intellect to build the economies of the West to the detriment of not only ourselves as individuals, but also our beloved countries of Africa. It is time to reverse the Brain Drain. We cannot afford to watch from a distance while our brothers and sisters die senselessly from disease and poverty. To whom much is given, much is expected. We must

all make a commitment to play our part in building The Africa We Want. Africa is the richest continent on earth with every natural resource the world could ever need. The only ingredient needed for Africa to take her rightful place on the world stage are her children in the diaspora. Mother Africa is calling her children in the diaspora to come back home. We all must answer the call.

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Image: "Negroes For Sale At Auction This Day At 1 O'Clock" ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS, England, Feb. 16, 1861 Certainly the prime feature of this issue is the full page illustration captioned: "A Slave Auction In Virginia" which shows a family, including a baby in the mother's arms, on the auction block."

MPATAPO “knot of reconciliation” peacemaking, reconciliation

CHAPTER 16 R400: YEAR OF RETURN

IN SEARCH OF A PLACE CALLED HOME

Ten years ago, an African-American friend made the following remark to me during a conversation. “You continental Africans never have to worry about where you come from. This is something we African-Americans struggle with every day. I do not know where I come from, you do.” That comment still haunts me to this day. I had heard this said on many occasions in the past but it never

resonated with me the same way it did on this day. I therefore did not pay attention to the emotions behind these sentiments. On this particular day however, because of the look of desperation and hopelessness in my friend’s eyes, I paused for a moment and put myself in her shoes. I experienced a sudden overwhelming sadness and physical pain that was so unpleasant that I snapped myself out of it within seconds. It suddenly occurred to me that my friend had a void that needed to be filled and that, that void could only be filled by taking her home to Africa. I have never asked myself where I come from. It is something that has never occurred to me because I have always known where I come from. I never realized this could be an issue for anyone until that day. How I could have lived in the USA as long as I have and be completely unaware of this serious problem among my African-American brothers and sisters, is beyond me. As I deliberated on this issue, I reflected on this beautiful country of the USA which is a melting pot. With the exception of the American Indians, everyone else in the USA is an immigrant with their ancestral homelands outside the USA. I am also aware that the other groups of Americans are not only connected to their ancestral homelands but are proud of their countries of origin. This is something we the black people are struggling to do. We are still running away from our primary anchor which is Africa. Jewish Americans, German Americans, Irish Americans, Italian Americans, Chinese Americans and Indian Americans are all proud of their primary anchor, which are their countries of origin. AfricanAmericans are the only group in the USA who lack the privilege of a direct connection with their ancestral land. This is the legacy of slavery. This was all by design to keep the descendants of enslaved Africans from ever reconnecting with their motherland. Enslaved Africans in the Americas were made to believe that Africa was a disease-infested, poor, and dying continent. The negative media images depicting Africa as the “dark continent” have reinforced this lie and kept us apart. Furthermore, the formerly enslaved and their

descendants were told that Africa sold them into slavery and that Africa does not want them. This is far from the truth. To put it bluntly, this is a bold face lie!!

R400 DECISION

In February of 2019, all fifty-five African Heads of State unanimously passed a decision which they titled R400. The R stands for return and 400 stands for 400 years since the first slaves landed on the shores of the Americas. With this decision the African Heads of States declared once and for all that, descendants of formerly enslaved Africans are Africans and that they are welcome to come back home to Africa. R400 is a monumental decision and the first of its kind in Africa’s history. It was long overdue and we truly appreciate and applaud the African Heads of State for this longawaited proclamation. This decision is going to go a long way in

reconnecting Africa to her long-lost children around the globe who are descendants of the formerly enslaved Africans. A few countries launched homecoming programs and events. The President of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa AkufoAddo, declared 2019 the Year of Return for Ghana. At an event held at the National Press Club in Washington, DC in October 2018, he personally invited the global African family to come home to Ghana. This call from President Akufo-Addo and all the other Heads of State did not fall on deaf ears. Thousands of African diaspora took their first trip to Africa in 2019, most of them to Ghana. They include celebrities like Steve Harvey, Naomi Campbell, Idris Elba, Boris Cudjoe, Cardi B, Roland Martin and power couple Jay Z and Beyoncé. Even TV host and comedian Conan O’Brien who does not have African ancestry responded to the invitation and visited Ghana. According to him, he too had a time of his life. The journey home provided healing and closure for the African diaspora who were able to visit slave dungeons in Cape Coast and Elmina in Ghana’s Central Region where millions of enslaved Africans were shipped out to the Americas. Their visit impacted the nation’s economy. In Ghana alone, an estimated 1.9 billion dollars was recorded as revenue resulting from activities related to the commemoration of the Year of Return. Above all, however, the biggest trophy was the pleasure and joy of seeing children of Africa home in Africa. President Nana Akufo-Addo was a very gracious host. He attended as many parties as he could where he and his wife were seen dancing with the African diaspora. Many African diaspora spent New Year’s Eve and night on the Accra beaches where they danced the night away. By morning, they had the pleasure of enjoying the amazing African sunrise. Many tell me it was an unforgettable Homecoming. That is what going home is all about. All the African Heads of States are looking forward to more of Africa’s children coming home and reconnecting with their roots. The tourism sector also recorded a tremendous growth of 18 percent

in international arrivals from the Americas, Britain, the Caribbean and other regions. Total airport arrivals in Ghana increased by forty five percent in 2019. While the primary intent of inviting the diaspora back home is not for profit, their visit home impacts national economies and that is certainly one way of contributing to Africa’s development. Revenue generated from activities commemorating the Year of Return in Ghana will go toward the construction of schools, hospitals, roads and other infrastructure. Above all, however, from all the Africans I spoke to in Ghana, they were so happy to see their brothers and sisters, descendants of the formerly enslaved, back home on the African soil. One of my friends said, “I wish I could have accommodated all of them at my home”. The sincerity in her voice and eyes brought tears to my eyes. Coming home is about experiencing the consequential African spirit. One must understand that being African is a spirit. Until one experiences this spirit, one can never quite understand what it means to be African. Having this experience is the healing that we desire. Every descendant of the formerly enslaved must experience this. Collectively we can pave the way for this to happen. It is indeed time for the children of Africa in the diaspora to return home. It is time for the children of Africa to reclaim their rightful place on the world stage. The diaspora are a necessary ingredient in building The Africa We Want. The Year of Return 2019, is 400 years after slavery began, was a year to pause, reflect, and act. This is the time for the descendants of the formerly enslaved Africans in the Americas to understand why they need to reconnect with Africa and go back home. The African Heads of State have sent out a clarion call. I hope we will continue to answer this call. To the millions who are yearning to go home to Africa, I say “Mother Africa is waiting to receive you. Welcome home to Africa” As African Union Ambassador to the USA, I was sent to Washington, DC with a clear message to bring the children of Africa home. To all of you I say, “Let’s go home”.

AFRICA OUR HOME

Africa is truly the only place descendants of the formerly enslaved Africans can call home. The time has come for descendants of the formerly enslaved Africans to confront the lies they have been told about Africa. These lies have negatively affected their own identities. This identity crisis leaves them with a subconscious void that affects every aspect of their lives. The only solution to this internal conflict is to know our history and to reconnect with our anchor Africa, the Motherland. The descendants of the formerly enslaved Africans have every right to claim Africa as their ancestral home. More importantly, the time has come to undo the legacy of slavery. My personal wish would be to have all descendants of the formerly enslaved Africans take a DNA test that would identify which African Kingdom or Tribe they come from. They would then give up their given names which still tie them to the slave master and adopt

their African Tribe/Kingdom name. Based on that name, one can trace his or her roots back home to the specific Tribe or Kingdom in Africa. Ultimately, this is how we complete the journey back home permanently. The rest of the US citizens with the exception of the American Indians can trace their roots back to their ancestral homes outside the USA based on their names. Descendants of the formerly enslaved Africans should be able to do the same. Their current names only go back to the plantation where their ancestors were enslaved. This is an issue that must be addressed in my humble opinion. It is important for the descendants of enslaved Africans to heal from the deep wounds that the legacy of slavery has inflicted upon them. They cannot begin the process of healing until they first accept the fact that they have this deep wound. The best way to start this healing is by recognizing and accepting that Africa is home. When the children of Africa in the diaspora join hands with their brothers and sisters on the continent, the world will finally realize that we, the Africans are a force to reckon with. We are stronger together. May the journey to complete healing begin. Without a heritage, one is like a ship that is all sails but no anchor. Once and for all, the children of Africa, descendants of enslaved Africans, must know that Africa is home and that they are welcome. Welcome home children of Africa, welcome home!

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WOFORO DUA PA A “when you climb a good tree” support, cooperation

CHAPTER 17 AFRICA ON THE RISE

AGENDA 2063: THE AFRICA WE WANT

Despite all the abuse that Africa and Africans have been subjected to over the centuries, all is not lost. The indestructible Africans are on the rise! There is hope on the horizon. African economies are among the most competitive in the world today. According to the World Bank, four of the fastest growing economies in the world in 2019 were in Africa: Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Rwanda.

Africa now has a strong economic vision that is powered by the African Union’s Agenda 2063. This is Africa’s blueprint for transforming the continent into a global powerhouse. It is the continent’s strategic framework that aims to deliver on its goal for inclusive and sustainable development and a concrete realization of the pan-African dream of a peaceful, prosperous and united Africa, pursued under Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance. The realization of this dream rests solely on the backs of the African diaspora in collaboration with our brothers and sisters on the continent.

AFRICAN ASPIRATIONS FOR AGENDA 20632

Agenda 2063 seeks to deliver on a set of Seven Aspirations each with its own set of goals which if achieved, will move Africa closer to its vision for the year 2063. Although I must confess, I am too

impatient to wait until 2063 to reach our goals. I believe these goals can be achieved sooner. These Seven Aspirations reflect our desire for the following: Shared prosperity and well-being, unity and integration, A continent of free citizens and expanded horizons where the full potential of women and youth are realized, and A continent with freedom from fear, disease, and poverty Aspiration 1: A prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development. Africa is determined to eradicate poverty in one generation and build shared prosperity through social and economic transformation of the continent. Aspiration 2: An integrated continent, politically united and based on the ideals of Pan-Africanism and the vision of African Renaissance. Since 1963, the quest for African Unity has been inspired by the spirit of Pan-Africanism, focusing on liberation and political and economic independence. It is motivated by development based on self-reliance and self-determination of African people, with democratic and people-centered governance. Aspiration 3: An Africa of good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, justice, and the rule of law. Africa shall have a universal culture of good governance, democratic values, gender equality, and respect for human rights, justice, and the rule of law. Aspiration 4: A peaceful and secure Africa. Mechanisms for peace prevention and resolution of conflicts will be functional at all levels. As a first step, dialogue-centered conflict prevention and resolution will be actively promoted in such a way that by 2020 all guns will be silent. A culture of peace and tolerance shall be nurtured in Africa’s children and youth through peace education. While we may have missed this target, we continue to struggle towards achieving this goal.

Aspiration 5: An Africa with a strong cultural identity, common heritage, shared values, and ethics. Entrenching Pan-Africanism and the common history, destiny, identity, heritage, respect for religious diversity, and consciousness of African people and her diaspora. Aspiration 6: An Africa whose development is people-driven, relying on the potential of African people, especially its women and youth, and caring for children. All the citizens of Africa (at home and abroad) will be actively involved in decision-making in all aspects. Africa shall be an inclusive continent where no child, woman, or man will be left behind or excluded on the basis of gender, political affiliation, religion, ethnic affiliation, locality, age, or other factors. Aspiration 7: Africa as a strong, united, resilient, and influential global player and partner. Africa shall be a strong, united, resilient, peaceful, and influential global player and partner with a significant role in world affairs. We affirm the importance of African unity and solidarity in the face of continued external interference including attempts to divide the continent and undue pressures and sanctions on some countries. Contrary to what many believe, the African Heads of State and Government through the African Union have been working hard to advance the continental agenda. The AU has made significant progress for Africa and I am happy to share a number of them here.

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS SINCE 2018

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) The AfCFTA will accelerate intra-African trade and boost Africa’s trading position in the global market by strengthening Africa’s common voice and policy space in global trade negotiations. Free Movement of People Africa is now removing restrictions on Africans’ ability to travel, work, and live within the continent by amending restrictive laws and promoting visa-free travel to enhance movement of all African citizens in all African countries. Single African Air-Transport Market (SAATM) SAATM is now promoting intra-regional connectivity between the capital cities of Africa by creating a single, unified air transport market in Africa as an impetus to the continent’s economic integration and growth agenda. 0.2 Percent Levy

African Union Member States have implemented a 0.2 percent levy on eligible imports to finance the African Union. Many Member States are already collecting the levies and depositing them with the African Union. The hope is to have the Union self-funded by the end of 2020. When ready, the passport will be issued by the Member States to those who qualify. Unfortunately, at this time, only Citizens of African countries can apply when the passports are ready for issuance. This is another reason as to why we, the African diaspora, must unite and push for Dual Citizenship The African Passport The AU Commission presented details on the design, production, and issuance of the African passport at the 32nd African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in February 2019.

A SAMPLE OF PROGRAMS CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS3

Silencing the Guns by 2020

The AU will give a report on its goal to end all wars, civil conflicts, gender-based violence, violent conflicts, and prevention of genocide on the continent this year–2020. The Grand Inga Dam Project The Inga Dam will generate an estimated 43,200MW of power to support current regional power pools and their combined service to transform Africa from traditional to modern sources of energy and ensure access to clean and affordable electricity. When complete the Inga Dam will power all of Africa and part of Europe. Integrated High-Speed Train Network (IHSTN) The IHSTN will connect African capitals and commercial centers through a high-speed train network, facilitate the movement of people and goods, as well as reduce transport costs and relieve congestion of current and future systems through increased rail connectivity. African Commodities Strategy (ACS) ACS will transform Africa from a raw materials supplier to a manufacturer by enabling countries to add value, extract higher rents from commodities, integrate into global value chains, and promote diversification anchored in value addition and local content development. Many more programs are underway in preparation for the implementation of the AfCFTA this year.

PENDING INITIATIVES

African Economic Forum Multi-stakeholder meetings bringing together Africa’s policy makers, private sector, academia, and civil society to reflect on accelerating Africa’s socio-economic development and transformation by harnessing its vast resources. African Financial Institutions Accelerating integration and economic development through the establishment of organizations which will play a pivotal role in the mobilization of resources and management of the African financial sector. These institutions are: 1. African Investment Bank 2. African Monetary Fund 3. African Central Bank

4. African Stock Exchange 5. Single African Currency All are needed as a matter of urgency if the AfCFTA implementation is to succeed. The African diaspora could play a pivotal role in facilitating the establishment of these much-needed institutions. The Pan African e-Network Transforming Africa into an e-society by implementing policies and strategies that lead to transformative e-applications and services in Africa such as broad band terrestrial infrastructure, cyber security, and revolutionary bio and nanotechnology industries. Africa Outer Space Strategy Strengthening Africa’s use of outer space to bolster development in critical sectors such as agriculture, disaster management, remote sensing, climate forecasting, banking and finance, and defense and security. African Virtual e-University Using Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-based programs to increase access to tertiary and continuing education in Africa by reaching large numbers of students and professionals in multiple sites simultaneously. Cyber Security Incorporating emerging technologies in Africa’s development plans and ensuring these technologies are used for the benefit of African individuals, institutions, and nation states by ensuring data protection and safety online. Great African Museums Preserving and promoting African cultural heritage by creating awareness of Africa’s vast, dynamic, and diverse cultural artifacts and its continuing influence on world cultures in art, music, language, science, etc. African artifacts including ancestral skulls in European Museums across Europe must be returned to Africa sooner than later. The African Union Commission works to deliver results. Being a continental body however means decisions tend to move slower than most Africans would like to see. I am however proud to say that we have a mechanism in place to move the

continent forward, the building of The Africa We Want through the AfCFTA. Gender Parity by 2025 Africa’s social balance is also a priority. That is why Gender Parity by 2025 has been adopted as a policy by the African Union. The AU considers the case for investing in girls and women from an ethical, social, and economic standpoint. Women account for half of the global population. As Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame said at the 2018 European Development Days1 summit in Brussels on June 5. “…Women and girls constitute half of humanity and they are equal in ability, in every way. Guaranteeing their equal rights is therefore common sense…” Indeed, Rwanda is setting an excellent example for the rest of the continent. It is now ranked fourth in the world in closing gender equality gaps. Rwanda frequently appears in the global top ten countries that have crossed the threshold of closing more than 80 percent of their overall gender gap. Sixty-four percent (64%) of the Parliament is female while 40% of the Cabinet is also female. Ethiopia is following Rwanda’s footsteps. In Ethiopia, fifty percent (50 %) of the cabinet members are women. The country’s President and Chief Justice are both women. In Zimbabwe, the Minister of Defense is a woman. Many African Governments are in various stages of reaching the 2025 Gender Parity goal. Most of them already have Cabinets and parliaments with 20 to 30 % women. West African Monetary Union (WAMU) Parts ways with CFA franc Mother Africa is on the rise! On Thursday November 7, 2019, President Patrice Talon of the Republic of Benin made a surprise announcement in Porto-Novo, his capital city. According to him, foreign reserves of the West African CFA franc used by eight countries in the region will be withdrawn from France. He also stated that his country will be requesting repatriation of the funds deposited with France over the past six decades. “We unanimously agree on this, to end this model. It is foremost a psychological problem, and not a technical one. The central banks of African

countries of West African Monetary Union (WAMU) will manage all of these foreign currency reserves and distribute them to the various central bank partners in the world. This should be done very quickly.” For anyone familiar with the relationship between France and her former African colonies, this announcement is a major step forward. Such a decision has always been considered a taboo subject and no other leader of a former French colony has ever done this without consequences. For the first time after many decades, a francophone African leader openly spoke out about this politically and economically sensitive subject. The French are listening and paying attention. President Talon’s announcement reveals that eight francophone African countries have finally decided to rise up and speak with one voice to put an end to the most ridiculous and most obnoxious element in the Pact for the Continuation of Colonization–the mandate that requires former French colonies to place their bank reserves in the French Central Bank. (See Chapter Seven) The end of the CFA franc in francophone Africa is the end of “monetary slavery” in that region. This is the dawn of a new day. Africa is on the rise. Who would have thought that we would see the day when the francophone countries would look France squarely in the eye and demand that the exploitation and continued colonization of Africa must come to an end? Africa does not need exploiters nor saviors. What Africa needs are partners. This can be accomplished through our unity and dialogue with our former colonizers as equals. Below is a Times of London Article pertaining to President Macron and the African CFA Macron signals rethink on French-backed Africa Currency https://www.ft.com/content/6f0cef38-1db7-11ea-97dfcc63de1d73f4

On December 19, 2019, President Macron went to Cote D’Ivoire where he announced the end of the CFA and that the African countries no longer need to deposit their reserves in the French Central Bank. The devil is in the details however. Conversations among the various West African countries continue. For France, giving up Africa is a do or die situation. As Africans however, we demand complete separation from France and the end of the Pact for the Continuation of Colonization. The continued exploitation of Africa by the former colonizers must come to an end. We are glad the conversation to end some elements of the Pact are ongoing. However, the conversation must be holistic and address all elements of this deplorable pact which must be abolished without further delay.

AFRICA IS ON THE RISE!

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CHAPTER REFERENCES The European Development Days is an annual 2-day event organized by the European Commission, bringing together a large number of organizations from the development community. 1

African Agenda 2063 Manual https://www.un.org/en/africa/osaa/pdf/au/agenda2063first10yearimplementation.pdf 2

African Union Handbook https://au.int/sites/default/files/documents/31829-docau_handbook_2020_english_web.pdf 3

ONYANKOPON ADOM NTI BIRIBIARA BEYE YIE “By God’s grace, all will be well” hope, providence, faith

CHAPTER 18 BEING BLACK

I AIN’T BLACK, AND YOU AIN’T WHITE!

Growing up in my village in Zimbabwe, I was called an African. Prior to the British coming to my home country of Zimbabwe in 1896, we were not aware of the colors black and white. The colonizers and missionaries introduced us to the two colors. In addition, we were also told that the devil was black and the angels were white. Everything bad and undesirable was black and everything good and desirable was white.

The use of the color black to describe Africans and people of African descent and the use of the color white to describe caucasian races needs serious reflection, especially by people of African descent. This is because of the connotations and stereotypes associated with both colors. Unfortunately, white is the color of privilege and black the color of doom and gloom. It is not easy being a black person on earth. Even the most successful amongst us are not spared the discrimination. It is my humble opinion that the most endangered species on earth are black men, followed closely by black women. Black people especially men, are more endangered than the wild animals. Allow me to share a few personal experiences about being black. As a doctor, before prescribing a patient any medications, I would routinely ask the patient if he or she was allergic to any medicine. One day after seeing a white female patient and was ready to prescribe her an antibiotic, I asked her if she was allergic to any medication. From the examination table she replied by telling me a story when she was a patient at a teaching hospital somewhere in the state of Louisiana. She claimed a student doctor gave her a penicillin shot. “Doc, they had to rush me to the emergency room. They gave me shots all over. By the time they were done with me, I was so black and blue I looked like half a nigger.” I paused, looking down, struggling to hide my disgust and anger. Calmly, from my chair, I looked up at her and said, “Just half a nigger honey? Try being a whole one.” She laughed and said, “oooh Dr. C, you are too funny.” To which I replied, “Yes I am. I am very funny. Most people tell me that.” My response went right over her head. She did not appreciate the gravity of what she had said. In her mind, either I was a medical doctor therefore could not be a nigger or I was an African therefore I could not be a nigger. Either way, I began to understand that some white people are racist and do not even know it. The inner voice in me started wondering how much penicillin I had in the building so I could turn her into a full nigger since she was not happy being a half one. The outer voice in me prevailed. I gave her a different antibiotic. I told myself instead of being mad at her, I

would pray for her. Yet another time, I was pulling into the parking lot of one of my medical clinics, I noticed a car with a very large sign that said, “PROUD TO BE KKK.” KKK stands for Ku Klux Klan, an American white supremacist organization. I stopped and said to myself, “someone in my clinic building who is a proud KKK member, was waiting to be seen by me, a black woman.” How interesting? I never found out who the patient was and I was not interested in knowing either as it did not matter to me. I took the Hippocratic Oath and pledged to help the sick according to my best ability and judgment, and never to inflict injury or to do wrong. Nothing on Earth would make me break my pledge. Not long after I immigrated to the USA, a young white lady invited me to her church. After church we went for bible study. She was much too young to be in that group. The group of much older people had an issue which they had discussed the week before and they were going to finish their discussions. The issue had to do with the black kids from the black neighborhood coming over to use the community center in their white neighborhood. The chairperson of the committee was saying, “We do not want these black kids in our neighborhood. These black kids will bring trouble to our community. Let us fund raise in order to build them their own community center so they will not come to our neighborhood” After dogging black people several times, one of the ladies slid a little note to her. The lady read the note and looked up at her and said while pointing to me, “She is not black, she is African” and kept on saying the derogatory things about black people. I was new to the USA and did not quite understand the racial dynamics. I wondered however, why the woman thought I was not black. I later asked my friend what that woman meant and all she said was that these were not nice people. To which I wondered, if they are not nice people, why did you join their group. Needless to say, I turned down all subsequent invitations to go to church with her. It was several years later that I understood the dynamics of what transpired that

morning. As black people we must denounce everyone trying to divide us. Our unity is in our blackness first and foremost. Everything else is secondary and irrelevant when it comes to issues pertaining to our race. One of my family members was getting married in the USA. After the wedding, the wedding party decided to continue the celebrations at a nightclub. The first group to arrive at the club comprised of one black man, the bride and another guest who was a young black lady, together with the groom and the groomsmen who were all white. The rest of the wedding party were to join them later. While waiting outside the club for the rest of the wedding party to join them, for no apparent reason, the police were called. The bride overheard the security guard at the door say there was a tall black man and a black woman in a pink dress. Within minutes several police cars arrived, all with blue lights flashing. They went straight to the only black man who was in the middle of the line and started questioning him. The group had not bothered anyone. They were standing in line outside waiting for the rest of the wedding party. The bride who was black, approached the police men and asked why all these policemen with flashing lights were there? She asked why the policeman had picked on the only black man in line to talk to first out of all the men waiting in line? One of the bridesmaids was a fresh Harvard Law School graduate who happened to be white. She walked right up to the police officers and said, “I want you to know that I am a Harvard law school graduate and I am recording you. Go right ahead.” Upon hearing that, the police officers immediately backed off and changed their tone and demeanor to a more conciliatory one. They left not long after that without any incident. The lesson from this incident is that, only the three blacks in a group of fifteen were of interest to those police officers. The first one they approached was the only black man in the group. You really do not have to do anything wrong to get into trouble as a black person. You can make all the right choices and still land in trouble. One could even get abused and assaulted while minding their own business

simply because of the color of their skin. This is a sad reality for us black people. We have survived centuries of extreme abuse on the African continent as well as outside the continent. “When are we black people going to be free?” What crimes have we committed as a race to warrant such abuse and disrespect around the world? In distinct contrast, the black race has never abused, exploited or oppressed any race on earth. We demand that the world treats us black people fairly, with respect and as equals.

BLACK VERSUS WHITE

It is extremely difficult, for a black person to fit into a white world. The question however is, “why should we even try to fit into anything?” We simply want to get along with everyone. The reason why we feel we should fit in is because we are coming into conversations and negotiations from a level of inferiority. We need

to realize that as black people we are just as good as anybody else. On the other hand, our white brothers and sisters need to realize that we black people are their equals in every way. Indeed, no one is actually black like the color black. By a similar token, no one is actually white like the color white. The stereotyping of an entire race as black and the other as white was simply part of the deliberate effort to stigmatize one race as inferior and the other as superior. We all know that aspects of human existence that are considered unworthy of praise or celebration are, more often than not, branded “black” while the desired aspects of humanity are branded “white.” The list of words in our vocabulary that carry negative meanings for the color black are simply unbelievable and it makes it extremely difficult for black people to be “black and proud.” The black color is associated with everything ugly and undesirable. I watched with tears in my eyes the Anderson Cooper CNN program about the black and white dolls and how the children both black and white preferred the white dolls to the black dolls. All the kids felt the black dolls were ugly while the white dolls were pretty. These kids were as young as four to five years of age. Where are we going wrong as a society? The truth is the children are surrounded by subliminal messages that depict black as being ugly and white as being pretty. For example, we are told the devil is black even though no one has ever seen the devil. These are blatant lies and we black people have accepted these lies without questioning them. The black box or flight recorder, which we only hear about when an airplane crashes, is not black but orange. How about, black sheep, blackmail, or blacklist. The villains in the movies wear black. Devil worshipers wear black. We wear black to go to funerals, even the devil’s food cake in black. The list is endless. The opposite is true when it comes to the color white. The color white is associated with all things beautiful, desirable and acceptable. White is the color of peace. The white flag is an

internationally recognized protective sign of a truce, ceasefire and request for negotiation. Society has even accepted a white lie even though a lie is a lie. Rich people committing crimes is a white-collar crime. We are told the angels are white even though no one has ever seen an angel. The angel’s food cake is white. The list is endless. All these are subliminal messages designed to keep black people feeling inferior and white people feeling superior. One of my girlfriends, an African-American had an aunt who would always say when she dies, she wanted to come back as a white man because they have all the privileges. The concept of white people being superior and black people being inferior was implanted into our psyche by our colonizers and slave masters. They are the ones who forced us to glorify the color white while demonizing the color black. It is not surprising that many of us have a preference for the lighter skin color because it has been cast in a more attractive light. The light skinned black slaves were more privileged than the dark-skinned ones. This was the origin of the self-hate that causes some of our brothers and sisters to bleach their skin. Black and white is all about manipulative stereotyping. It was all part of the agenda to demonize, defeat and dominate Africans. The truth is, as humanity we are all created equal, plain and simple. As black people we need to understand this simple truth for what it is. Anything else is a bold-faced lie. Growing up in my village in Zimbabwe, being beautiful or ugly was based on deeds. What qualified one as beautiful or ugly was well defined. As a child, if I respected my elders, did as I was told, went to school and respected my teachers and brought home good grades, I was a beautiful child. I did not need a constant dose of someone telling me I was beautiful. I knew I was beautiful based on my deeds. The rules and expectations were very clear at every stage of life. Every one in the village had their role to play. Those who chose to not abide by the expected behavioral norms in our village, would have made a personal choice to be ugly. I remember a situation of a

man in our village who used to be handsome until he killed his wife. The story was that he cut her up into pieces and spent the night roasting her. The man went from being handsome to being the ugliest man the village had ever known. As children we used to walk through his farm to go to school. After he killed his wife, we all took the longest way around his farm to school as none of us wanted to be anywhere near anything to do with this suddenly very ugly man. When I came to the USA, I used to be offended when Americans would randomly tell me I was beautiful. I wondered why some one who did not know me could call me beautiful. Being that beauty as I understood it, was based on deeds not physical looks, how could someone who just met me call me beautiful. In my opinion, these individuals were not qualified to define my beauty as they did not know my deeds. I knew I was beautiful and did not need anyone to tell me so. I felt these people were liars and disingenuous. It took me a long time to understand that this was the American way. Now when someone tells me I am beautiful; I thank them but my subconscious mind still tells me they are lying as they do not know me based on my deeds. Very interesting psychological phenomenon. How I wish however, that we all could embrace my village concept of beauty. We black people would not be bothered by anyone telling us we are ugly for we would simply know that we are beautiful and we do not need anyone to validate our beauty.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

Fortunately, the good days are here and the best is yet to come. We are taking the first step to reclaiming our dignity as a people by changing our collective narrative as a race. We are declaring that we are not inferior to any race on earth. Classifying us as black and then correlating black with negativity was a means of degrading Africans and people of African descent. I do not blend into my black dress or black shoes neither do caucasians look like white paper. Let us understand these lies for what they are. We are Africans, AfricanAmericans, Afro-Europeans, Afro-Latinos and Afro-Caribbeans. We are proud Africans, an amazing black race with the ability to produce the magical biochemical called melanin. Let us understand that we have been lied to. We have been recipients of negative detrimental subliminal messaging for centuries. It is time we wake up from our slumber and understand

our truth. The truth, that we are the origin of humanity and the inheritors of the most amazing continent on earth. A continent with everything the world could ever need. This must be enough to make us stand on top of the highest mountain and proclaim to the world that we are the proud, beautiful, intelligent, sophisticated, highly adaptable and totally indestructible Africans. That is who we are. The world knows it. We the black people are the only ones who do not. Let us be the generation that will break the curse. We must not only know our history, but must also teach it to our children. They deserve to know the truth about our history and nothing but the truth. The responsibility is on us to change the narrative. Let us begin the much-needed conversation about our truth. We owe it to our children and generations to come. We must always remind our children that they are black and beautiful.

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NYANSAPO “wisdom knot” wisdom, ingenuity, intelligence and patience

CHAPTER 19 CLARION CALL FROM THE ASHANTI KING OF GHANA TO THE AFRICAN DIASPORA

ASHANTI KING CALLS ON THE DIASPORA TO COME HOME

I hosted several events at Africa House during my three-year tenure. Traffic to Africa House was nonstop and many strategic partnerships were formed as a result of these events. One specific

event however stands out due to the subject matter discussed and the special guest who accepted my invitation to speak to the African diaspora. This guest was His Royal Highness Otumfuo Osei Tutu II of Ghana. He is the 16th King of the Historic Ashanti Kingdom1. This was a very special event since it was the first time the AU Mission had hosted a traditional leader especially one of this stature.

In his speech to the African diaspora, His Royal Highness Otumfuo Osei Tutu II of Ghana emphasized the importance of the African diaspora to come back home to Africa to build the Africa we want. Allow me to share with you excerpts from His Royal Highness Otumfuo Osei Tutu II’s speech on the night of September 9, 2019 at the African Union Mission in Washington, DC. “Your Excellency, I thank you very much for the invitation to address this

distinguished audience. I am sure that traditional leaders throughout Africa will find it encouraging that a forum such as this is seeking the perspectives of a custodian of our heritage on the very critical issue of how the diaspora may participate in the development of our countries and our continent. The decision of the leaders of Africa to accord the African diaspora an equal space at the high table was one of the most thoughtful decisions of the African Union. It was the affirmation of the inescapable reality of our history, a history conceived in pain and blood but brewed in hope and in courage. As an African King it is my duty to reach out and touch your soul to raise your consciousness to the reality that all of us are sons and daughters of one Africa. The success of one Africa is a duty we dare not shirk. Africa is not just a figure of space but the very construct of the human soul. The diaspora is the bleeding soul of Africa; a fulsome part of the African heritage and the unbreakable link between the pain of yesterday and the hope of today. In every sense, you are part of the DNA of Africa. For me, the genuine African extended family who have planted the soul of Africa onto these lands you now call home. We both share the glories of past kingdoms and empires as well as the grim and unfathomable suffering now etched upon our souls. We can be sure that Africa has the prospect of becoming a tower of strength economically. So, it is only right that we bring our brothers and sisters of our extended family fully on board, and explore with them how they can participate meaningfully in this phase of the continent’s development. In my view, it is time to upscale the diaspora response to the continent by moving from the emotional to the concrete development of partnerships. For this to happen, we need the creation of highly leveraged investment and financial vehicles by which the diaspora can partner with African countries and African entrepreneurs in their development programs. I would argue today that the triumphant economic development in Africa is a condition for the salvation of the soul of black folk in the diaspora. We

have no choice but to work together to redeem the economy of Africa and the soul and dignity of black folk everywhere.” There you have it. The King has spoken and the clarion call is as crystal clear as it can be. If you are an African-American, An AfroCaribbean, Afro-Latino and Afro-European, yes you too are an African diaspora and the King is calling you to come home to Africa.

CHALLENGES FACED BY THE AFRICAN DIASPORA TRYING TO GO BACK HOME TO AFRICA

The African Union defines the African diaspora as “All people of African descent living outside the continent of Africa, irrespective of their citizenship and nationality.” They are composed of three categories of people: 

1. Continental African immigrants who fled from wars and famine or left Africa in search of greener pastures.  2. The children and grandchildren of these African immigrants who were born abroad.  3. African-American, Afro-Latinos, Afro-Caribbean, AfroBrazilian descendants of formerly enslaved Africans in the Americas. It is one thing to ask our brothers and sisters in the diaspora to go back home. It is an entirely different story to consider the issues that we potentially face as we try to go back home. Africans who leave the continent struggle to integrate into the “new home” away from Africa. We then face another type of struggle when we try to go back home to Africa. We the continental African returnees fail to realize that home is not what it was when we left, in some cases decades ago. A lot has changed. Quite often, we struggle to fit into a system whose standards are below what we have become accustomed to. We have to adjust to lifestyles that are far less sophisticated than what we are used to. This is the reason why many of us go home to Africa only to come back abroad frustrated, exasperated and dejected.  Africans on the continent, on the other hand, often view returning diaspora with suspicion. They also tend to envy the diaspora, assuming the diaspora have much more money than them, which is not necessarily true. These are all misconceptions which can only be addressed through dialogue. In 2018, the Mission hosted an event. One of the speakers was an African-American bank executive. She recounted an incident that occurred at a work retreat. The staff took turns talking about their heritage. Some were German American, Irish American, Mexican American etc. As it neared her turn, it dawned on her that she did not know where she came from. Right there during her presentation on stage, she broke down and started sobbing uncontrollably. The

topic we were discussing at this particular event allowed her to reach down into her subconscious to the void she was not aware she had. For the first time in her life, she was able to express her grief. This is a wrong that must be righted. Africa owes it to her children to pave the way for all descendants of enslaved Africans to come back home to Africa should they wish to. That time is now!! The children of Africa must go home. Another category of African diaspora are the first-generation African diaspora, children of African immigrants who were born abroad. They are in a very special category, as they are caught between two cultures – that of their African parents and the one they are born into. They have an identity crisis as they have to navigate these two worlds daily. My own children fall into this category. I find myself having to explain the two cultures to them. When they are at home they are in Africa. When they step out of the house they are in America. I am raising my children the only way that I know how which is the way my own parents raised me. Children of continental Africans have to switch between two cultures on a daily basis. This creates a certain level of anxiety and conflict within them. Quite often, some of them are ashamed of their parents who speak English with an accent or do not speak English at all and do not behave like the parents of the non-immigrant children. This sometimes translates into psychological problems such as depression, behavioral problems as well as drug and substance abuse. This has become increasingly a serious problem in the African diaspora communities around the world. This is an issue that African diaspora communities must come to grips with and begin to address as a community. The biggest problem for the African-American descendants of formerly enslaved Africans, is that they also struggle with an identity crisis for a different reason. They do not know where they come from. This leaves them with a subconscious void which sadly affects everything they do. Most of them do not realize that they

have this void. It is sad that anyone has to go through life not knowing where they come from. It is simply wrong that a whole group of people were thrown into this quandary out of no fault of their own. Africa has a responsibility to reclaim her children.

THE SOLUTION

A viable concept that could serve as a platform for preparing the diaspora and for homecoming are Diaspora Integration Centers. The main function of the integration center will be to help diaspora who are enthusiastic about returning home to understand the conditions on the ground before going home to Africa. Such integration centers will also take care of those people classified as The Legacy/Historic African diaspora. These are descendants of formerly enslaved Africans who have no connection to Africa. We are calling on them to come home too. We are reasonably convinced that there has to be

a way of integrating them as well, in the same manner that India did with its own diaspora worldwide. The Jews use the same model. Africa stands to gain by taking a page out of the Indian and Jewish playbook. Ultimately the void that African-Americans, Afro-Latinos, AfroCaribbean, Afro-Brazilians and children of African immigrants can only be filled when they reconnect with their roots in Africa. The R400 Decision by the African Heads of State is a huge step in the right direction. While we understand the challenges that all African diaspora face in trying to answer the clarion call from his Royal Highness Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and the African Heads of State, these are challenges that can be overcome through dialogue. Let us all answer the call from our beloved Mother Africa. Let us adjust our attitudes, pack our suitcases full of humility, honor and respect for our brothers and sisters on the continent and head on back home to Africa.

Photo: At the African Union with Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Thanking His Royal Highness for Accepting my Invitation

Photo: >H.E. Ambassador Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao, MD. FAAFP With His Royal Highness Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and Ghana’s Ambassador to the USA H.E. Ambassador Dr. Baffour Adjei Bawuah

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Photo: His Royal Highness Otumfuo Osei Tutu II of Ghana

CHAPTER REFERENCES The Asante Empire was an Akan empire and kingdom from 1670 to 1957 in what is now modern-day Ghana. It expanded from Ashanti to include the Brong-Ahafo Region, Central Region, Eastern Region, Greater Accra Region and Western Region of present-day Ghana. 1

ASASE YE DURU “the Earth has weight” divinity of Mother Earth

CHAPTER 20 A LETTER FROM A BLACK SISTER TO HER WHITE BROTHER

My Dear white brother, I trust this letter finds you in good health. I have not heard from you in a while. There is need for us to have a conversation. You have had a great life at the expense of us your cousins in Africa.

From your ancestors forcibly taking black people across the Atlantic as slaves to the continued exploitation of Africa through various means, you and the cousins have managed to keep us under your control. You have had a good run but to everything there is an end. Your exploitation and blatant abuse of us in Africa as well as our cousins around the globe must come to an end. Some of your actions against us are downright racist, unjust and unfair. You would never have tolerated the same injustices if we were the perpetrators, not even for one minute. Can you tell me why it took Nelson Mandela’s intervention for Saartjie Baartman’s remains to be brought back to South Africa for proper burial? Why did the Herero people of Namibia have to fight to get the skulls of their ancestors back from Germany? What do you need them for by the way, and why are you still holding on to the rest of them? Why? Why? Why? Why are we Africans still fighting for the return of our artifacts which were stolen from our ancestors by your ancestors centuries ago? How do you justify museums across Europe still refusing to return artifacts your ancestors stole from our ancestors? If the tables were turned, how long would it take for you to reclaim your artifacts? How do you all go to sleep at night knowing full well that what you are doing to us in Africa is not only wrong but criminal? Your ancestors are gone but you are here and the onus is now on you and the white cousins to rectify this. Knowing and understanding the extent of the atrocities your ancestors committed against our ancestors, why are you reluctant to discuss the issue of reparations with us in Africa and our cousins around the world? You are beneficiaries of the crimes committed by your ancestors so you have a responsibility to not only address these issues but resolve them. Why do you also continue to disrespect Africans and people of

African descent and treat us like we are sub-human? What gives you the right to continue the illegal trading practices with Africa and create conflicts in Africa for the purposes of continued exploitation of the African continent? What gives you the right to force African countries to give up their natural resources as well as their bank reserves? Why do you encourage private lenders to give predatory loans to African countries knowing full well you have the countries backed up against the wall and they will never be able to finish repaying the loans? Your actions in Africa have been negligent and irresponsible and have caused great harm and pain to many men, women and children. While we shoulder some of the blame for our current situation in Africa, you are fully aware that when it is all said and done, we, Africans still do not have our economic liberation. This is the instrument you and the white cousins have used to control us for centuries. How long do you intend to continue this behavior toward Africa? As black people we ask you to reassess your attitudes and behavior toward us the Africans and our black cousins around the globe. Because life as we know it began in Africa, you too my brothers are African and are welcome to come home to Africa. All we ask is that you and our white cousins treat the Motherland with respect and do what is right, just and fair. Mother Africa is very capable of accommodating the entire world. Do not be selfish my brother!!! Your children and my children deserve to live in a better world where we all treat each other as equals and love one another. You and I have a responsibility to make this world a better place for them. I am counting on you and the other white cousins to do the right thing. We black people need healing because of the effects of slavery and colonization. To the same extent that we need healing, you too my brother along with the other white brothers and cousins are in the

intensive care unit suffering from the disease of white supremacy and white privilege. Some of your behavior toward us your black brothers and sisters lacks a basic sense of justice and fairness. The Bible says in Matthew 7:12, “...Do unto others what you would want done unto you.” It is the golden rule and a basic principle of how we should live with one another. Just as I urge my black brothers and sisters to have a serious conversation with the image in the mirror, I also urge you my white brothers and sisters to do the same and ask the image in the mirror some fundamental questions. “Am I racist? Why do I consider myself superior to my black brothers and sisters? Why do I disrespect my black brothers and sisters? What have they done to me to deserve this?” I urge each and every one of you to honestly and truthfully answer these questions to yourself. If this world was a basketball game, I would be asking you my brother, along with the other brothers and cousins to call for a timeout. You are playing a new game with old rules. These rules no longer apply to today’s game. It is indeed a new world order. Your cousins, the black African youths, now see and understand you better. In addition, contrary to the past, they now have access to the truth. They understand that your ancestors brainwashed and lied not only to us, but to our ancestors as well. It will not be long before the eyes of the African youth are completely open. Your ancestors put us to sleep but fortunately I am writing to let you know that we are waking up and can see clearly now thanks to the internet. As a sister, I thought I might give you a heads up. You are smart and I know you get what I mean. On a softer note, may I remind you that while your skin tone might be different from mine, we all originated from Africa. You cannot deny your Africanness. I accept you as my brother because we all came from the same Motherland, Africa. You have been gone for far too long. For that reason, allow me to update you on what has been going on at home in our African

village. Many cousins, uncles and aunts are starving to death due to poverty. Many years of drought have exhausted the granaries which are now empty. We are told the drought is from Global warming which is caused by the behavior of the people where you live abroad. The villages are cash-strapped for various reasons, many of which you can address. You have your foot on your cousin’s neck. He needs to breathe. Please let go. Aunt Karabo died during childbirth last week. She bled to death. We could not afford the blood she needed for a transfusion. Our healthcare system needs to improve. Your cousin Tokunbo gave birth to a stillborn baby. She went into labor at night. We could not afford a candle (we were supposed to bring our own candle) so, the nurse delivered the baby under moonlight. She did not realize that the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby’s neck so the baby was strangled to death as he made his way out of the womb. This happens all the time. Many women are dying during childbirth. Uncle Kweku drowned as he was trying to cross a river. He underestimated the water level. We really need a bridge at that location. Grandpa Chegutu is now 89 years old and was doing well until last week when he vomited profusely for two days and then died in his sleep the very next day. The nurses think he died from cholera. We have no Doctors and the hospital did not have any diagnostic equipment. Aunt Ola’s son graduated from the University and has been homeless for three years in Abuja, Nigeria where he is looking for a job. He cannot find a job. He has attempted to

commit suicide twice. He is not in a good place. All he wants is a job so he can take care of himself and his family. I pray for him every day. Uncle Lumumba and his family along with several other villagers living in the Kasai Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo were killed by some rebels with AK47s. We do not know where the AK47s came from as we do not manufacture them in Africa. The elders believe that the “Big People” coming from where you live, saw from their satellites that the villagers were sitting on large reserves of coltan and diamonds. They wanted the villagers gone so they shot and killed several people after which the rest of the villagers ran away. I am told these people from afar are now illegally mining the diamonds and the coltan. We see large planes flying into the jungle, picking up the minerals and flying right out of the continent completely bypassing the government. We are not equipped to stop these thieves. You and the cousins may know who these companies are. What they are doing is very bad. They need to stop. There are groups of terrorists all over Africa. We are told they are funded by your friends who claim to be our friends. It looks like they are deceiving us. They are giving guns to both the African governments and the terrorists. What they are doing is really bad. You my brother and the cousins in Europe can do something about this. I know in the past you did not know, now you do. I trust you and the cousins will do the right thing. The school system is very poor. There are no teachers, so most of children are not going to school. The terrorists are recruiting them so they can kill other Africans. Fighting terrorists in Africa has become very difficult as more and more of them are coming from the middle east through Libya. This has become a very difficult situation for the Libyan Government. The African countries are not yet well

equipped to fight terrorism of this magnitude. My brother, I could go on and on for months. The atrocities are endless. There is a lot going on here at home in Africa. You must talk to your brothers and other cousins where you live. They must understand that their behavior and actions have consequences back here in Africa. Let them know that what they are doing is wrong and they need to stop. Can you imagine how many hospitals and schools we could build and jobs we could create here in Africa each year with the $500 billion the country of France alone is taking out of Africa every year? Our leaders are saying we only need $100 billion dollars each year for ten years in order to build the entire African infrastructure. That is only two years of what France is taking out of Africa. You and the cousins in Europe can help us talk to France. You see how easy it can be for us to take care of ourselves if you my brother and the cousins could stop exploiting us. You all know very well, that what you are doing to us is wrong. So please stop it!! When are you coming to visit me? I miss you. I have a lot more to share with you. Together we can solve the problems of our African village. Please come home and let us have some palm wine under the baobab tree. We have a lot to talk about. Together we will find a solution to end the carnage that is going on in our Africa. In solidarity, Your sister, Chipo

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Image: Group of African men, women and children captured and in shackles, are herded by men with whips and guns in order to become slaves.

NKONSONKONSON “chain links” unity, human relations

CHAPTER 21 THE DOCTOR GOES TO WASHINGTON

I came to Washington, DC to start a new chapter in my life as a diplomat. I left my lab coat and stethoscope behind, but the doctor in me came along. I arrived with a clean slate and had no agenda and no idea what each day was going to look like. Within a few months however, I was able to find my calling. The

doctor in me had created a perfect SOAP note for black people. SOAP is an acronym for a method of documentation employed by healthcare providers to write out notes in a patient’s chart, along with other common formats. S – subjective O – objective A – assessment P – plan Subjective/ Problems: The patient’s chief complaint (CC). This is a very brief statement about the purpose of the office visit or hospitalization. Below are complaints from several African diaspora. We black people do not get along. African-Americans and continental Africans do not get along. On the continent we are terribly divided along national, tribal, religious and socioeconomic lines. We are extremely angry and frustrated about leadership in Africa As black people we feel disconnected from one another and the Motherland. As African-Americans we do not know where we come from. We black people feel frustrated and hopeless. We just don’t seem to get ahead no matter how hard we try. As Black people, we do not trust each other. We Black people, we do not like each other. Objective/ Observation: Information that the healthcare provider observes or gathers from the patient’s current presentation. It will be a physical exam in the case of a patient. Below are my observations after listening to the African diaspora. There are deep divisions and misunderstandings between

African-Americans and continental Africans. Continental Africans and the descendants of formerly enslaved Africans are in the same boat and are all wounded people in need of healing. Continental Africans are severely divided along national lines as well as tribal and religious lines. Africans on the continent misunderstand each other. North Africans think they are Arabs and not Africans while some Ethiopians and South Africans do not consider themselves Africans. In general, most Africans feel their political leaders are Africa’s biggest problem. Black people automatically feel inferior to white people and white people automatically feel superior to black people. Black people are the most disrespected race on Earth. Assessments/ Conclusions: A diagnosis arrived at after reviewing the objective findings. Below are my conclusions after listening and engaging the African diaspora. Most black people suffer from the “legacies of slavery and colonization.” The rule of “divide and conquer” is deeply embedded in our subconscious. “Ignorance about our history” and its effects on our lives today is a major hindrance to our ability to make the right decisions that can bring the needed change to our race. Most of our history is either “distorted” or flat out “lies.” We need true “healing through knowledge and understanding” of our history.

Plan: What the health care provider will do to treat the patient’s diagnosis. These are the recommended solutions to our problems as a race. We must educate ourselves about our history and how it impacts us today. We must rewrite our history from the perspective of the hunted. We must undo the lies that we have been told about ourselves. We must understand that the legacies of slavery and colonization are alive and well within us. While we may have lost the shackles of the hands and feet, the shackles of the mind remain alive and well within us. Each and every one of us must have a serious conversation with the image in the mirror. We must accept Africa as home. We must reconnect with our Anchor, Africa We must unite as a race. We must understand that our strength is in our unity.

IN SUMMARY:

My fellow African brothers and sisters, African leaders should bear the responsibility for the economic status of their countries. On the other hand, however, we too, African diaspora must play our part. John F Kennedy said “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” The Brain Drain out of Africa has left Africa without the capacity she needs to build the Africa we want. No amount of money poured into Africa will give us the desired results unless it is matched with human intellectual capacity building. This is where we the diaspora come in. We have within us the expertise needed to train this much needed capacity. In addition, we also have the needed financial resources if we unite. Each and every one of us has a responsibility to understand where we are and how we got here. This book is an attempt to help us understand our circumstances so together we can come up with a

way forward. We must understand that we are under the table waiting for crumbs to fall from the table while our former colonizers are at the table, in our home, enjoying a ten-course meal that we would have prepared for them with our food. While under the table, our former colonizers put in place a strategy to keep us fighting each other over the crumbs so we never have time to talk about the tencourse meal on the table. It is only when we understand what is really going on that we can begin to strategize on where we go from here. We need to go from under the table, to sitting at the table. To accomplish this task, it is imperative that we unite as children of one Mother Africa and speak with one voice, as one Africa and one continent. If a black man or a woman cannot be free in Africa, where else on earth can he or she be free? My brothers and sisters in the diaspora, let me remind you that our ancestors built the nations we now call home and therefore we belong here. No one should ever make us feel we do not belong here. We need to wake up, grab a chair and find our place at the table in Europe as well in the Americas. We belong here and no one should tell us otherwise. We should not wait for an invitation which will never come. We are just as good and as smart as anyone else around the table. We should never feel inferior to anyone. Denying Africa is denying who we are. The African Heads of State are calling on us to come back home to Africa. There is the need for us to reconnect with our anchor, Africa. Let us embrace our Africa, the good, the bad and the ugly. Home is home, it is going to be as good as we make it. The AfCFTA is giving us a tremendous opportunity to be on the driver’s seat of Africa’s development agenda. You do not go to China and find black men driving the Chinese development agenda, you do not go to Mexico, India or Europe and find black men driving the development agendas of those nations and continents. You therefore must not go to Africa and find non-Africans driving the African development agenda. We have a responsibility to unite,

in order to take our place at the driver’s seat of Africa’s Development agenda. If we do not unite and occupy this seat that has our name and belongs to us, we have no one to blame but ourselves when the development contracts continue to go to the Chinese and the Europeans. Our Heads of State are asking us to come home and take what belongs to us. Africa’s wealth belongs to the Africans at home and abroad. They are asking us to come and invest in Africa and become millionaires and billionaires just like “They do.” There is nothing wrong with the African diaspora investing in Africa and going back to Europe or the Americas and play golf while your money is working for you in Africa. Everybody wins. By investing in Africa, the African diaspora will create jobs for their brothers and sisters on the continent while building generational wealth from the massive opportunities that we, black people can only get in Africa. Let us not continue to be lied to. Our Africa is not a diseased and dying continent. It is a vibrant continent with some of the fastest growing economies in the world. We black people are told not to go to Africa because it is dangerous, while the rest of the world is rushing to Africa in droves because there is something wonderful and amazing going on in our continent. Africa is the next frontier. The front row belongs to us. The choice is ours whether we occupy that front row seat or not. We either unite and take what belongs to us or we forever keep our mouths shut and never ever complain about the African Heads of State giving contracts to the Chinese and Europeans. Before we did not make the right decisions because we did not know. Now we know better. No more excuses, for now we know!!!

ALL TO WHAT END?

I dedicated the first few months immediately following my threeyear ambassadorial tenure to write this book that I consider a mustread for all Africans, people of African descent around the world and friends of Africa. I went to great lengths to develop 23 chapters to inform and liberate us as a people. As a recap, I started the book with The First Call, the phone call that thrust me into this arena of representing the African continent in the Americas. This continued with The Diagnosis which is my psychoanalysis of Africa, Africans and people of African descent and how we must understand our history and how it impacts us in our daily lives. I revisited The Berlin Conference (1884–1885) and highlighted its adverse effects on Africa to this day. I also highlighted colonialism

and the atrocities associated with it. In 23 chapters I have done my best to cover the most essential topics that I felt every African or person of African descent must know about Africa. All of the topics in these chapters are extremely important. Remember Africa 101 is also a wake-up call. The information I have shared in this book is intended to educate people of African descent and friends of Africa about our history for the purposes of beginning the much-needed conversation not only among us black people but also between blacks and other races. These conversations must be encouraged in order to make this world a better place not only for us but also for our children, grandchildren and generations to come. We owe it to them to make this world a better place. No race is better than the other. We are all born free and equal in the eyes of our creator. Discrimination against black people, or any other race, must not be tolerated anywhere on earth. We must demand this as humanity.

TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN

In Luke 12:48 it is written, “To whom much is given, much is expected.” As African diaspora in the United States of America, we are privileged to live and work in a truly great country. We now have a moral obligation to share some of what we have learned. We must learn from the experiences of other races with whom we coexist in this beautiful and diverse nation. Let us take time to understand how we and our continent arrived at our current status in today’s world. Let us make every effort to understand the journey that we black people have traveled. It has not been an easy road and it continues to be an uphill battle to this day. This is a battle that we must continue to fight. If we do not fight for ourselves, let us fight for our children and generations to come. They deserve to live in a world free of racism, bigotry and hate. As black people, we have suffered a lot. Some might want to divide

us by suggesting that the descendants of formerly enslaved Africans suffered more than Africans on the continent. This line of thinking is far from the truth. Do not think for a moment that the colonizers left a bed of roses in Africa when they took the Africans as slaves across the Atlantic. Think of the atrocities the Germans committed in Namibia, the British in Kenya, the Belgians in the Congo, the French in Algeria and Madagascar, the Portuguese in Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde to name a few examples. The carnage went on all over Africa to varying degrees and continues to this very day. Our Africa is still burdened with disease, poverty, wars and conflicts which are mostly manufactured by the Western countries. The colonizers have never left Africa and to a great extent they are responsible for underdeveloping Africa for their own ultimate benefit. Take a good look at what African people have gone through. We remain standing in spite of centuries of the most unimaginable human degradation, exploitation and domination. Consider for a moment the extent to which other races went to break the spirit of the African. Any race subjected to what Africans have been subjected to, would be extinct by now. As a black race, we remain standing and still we rise. Many of us remain in the valley, but united we will make it to the mountain top. Whenever I think about our Africa, I see an amazing continent that is naturally endowed with all the natural resources the world could ever need. I see a continent that is bursting at its seams with the richness of the earth, a continent that is full of hope for a better tomorrow, a continent that has the ability to rise above centuries of abuse and exploitation, and a continent that has some of the most incredible and resilient individuals that have ever walked the face of our planet. The Africans are a unique race capable of surviving against all odds. Our DNA is the DNA of originality. As such, we continue to stand tall knowing very well that we shall overcome, and someday, make it to the promised land.

Africa is a sacred land. The exploitation of this sacred land must cease. Even in the face of relentless exploitation by the colonizers, Africa’s natural resources are far from being depleted. It is estimated that in spite of centuries of exploitation, the colonizers have tapped into only a fraction of Africa’s wealth. More and more natural resources are being discovered in Africa every day. Africa is indeed an amazing continent. If only the colonizers would stop exploiting Africa, the whole world will see what a rare gift that continent is to humanity. Africans and the African countries must be left alone to unite and forge a way forward without external interference from the eastern or western countries. What little girls and boys in Europe want, is what little girls and little boys in Africa also want. We are simply asking for our children what the rest of the world also want for their children, nothing more, nothing less. All we ask is for the world to stop exploiting Africa and her children. We demand that the world should treat us fairly and with respect.

She deserves a chance, just like the rest of the babies in the developed world. She is the reason we all must fight for justice and equality. She is the reason we will not rest until justice prevails. She is the reason we will not tire nor be discouraged. Sadly, this is something we are witnessing everyday and the world must be outraged!

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SANKOFA reflect on the past in order to build a successful future go back and get it go back to your roots

CHAPTER 22 THE LAST CALL

Monday, October 7, 2019. It was 9:15 am and I was lying in bed at home checking my emails on my cell phone when it rang. On the other end was the Chief of Staff for the African Union Commission Chair His Excellency Moussa Faki Mahamat. We exchanged pleasantries and then he followed with the reason for his call. He informed me that Chairman Faki had decided to terminate my contract. I asked if there was any reason for the termination. He said there was no reason at all and went on to explain to me that we all

serve at the discretion of the Chairperson and that he also could wake up the next day to find himself in the same situation. The Chairperson could decide to terminate his contract. I informed the Chief of Staff that I was not surprised by this decision as I had expected this call five months earlier. He seemed stunned by that piece of information and remained silent for a few moments as though trying to find out what I meant by that. He did not ask me ask why I had expected the call five months earlier and I did not offer an explanation either. He proceeded to praise me for the wonderful job I had done during my tenure. I asked him when my last day would be. He responded by asking me if November 1, 2019 would be okay. I answered, “That would be fine.” I then asked him to send me the termination letter which he did. The call ended on a good note. It lasted only a few minutes. My husband who was lying next to me heard the entire conversation as my phone was on speaker. As soon as I ended the call, he looked at me and asked “Is that it? Just like that?” to which I replied “Yes, this chapter is closed. I am ready for the next phase of the journey.” “Aren’t you upset?” He asked. “About what?” I asked. “Remember I am the AU volunteer.” We both smiled at each other. My husband had given me the nickname AU volunteer because of what I had given up to take this position. Had it been about money, I never would have accepted this position. I told my husband my “volunteer” work would continue with or without the AU since for me, this was not a job but a calling. Mobilizing the African diaspora is something I did out of love for my continent, Africa. I did it before the African Union appointment and will continue with or without the African Union.

THE LETTER

I received my termination letter from Chairman Faki via email at 10:30 am, an hour and 15 minutes after the phone call, which would have been 6:30 pm in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I later learned that the Chairperson was on his way to France that same evening. His letter began: Dear Ambassador Arikana Chihombori-Quao, I have the honor to inform you that in line with the terms and conditions of service, I have decided to terminate your contract in that capacity with effect from 1st November, 2019. I thought that was interesting. The letter proceeded to thank me for the wonderful job I had done and encouraged me to continue the good work. …On behalf of the Commission of the African Union and on my own behalf, I wish to express our deep appreciation for your constant

commitment to African causes and the great contribution you have made to our continental organization as the Permanent Representative in Washington, DC during your tenure in office. Please accept, Dear Ambassador, the assurances of my highest consideration. Chairman Faki included no reason whatsoever for my termination in his letter to me. With that one-page note, my tenure as AU Permanent Representative to the United States and the Americas ended.

NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

I came to Washington, DC with no agenda, no plan to stay and to a Diplomatic Mission that had been reduced to a protocol office. The Mission in Washington is the most important of all the AU Missions

around the world. To my utter surprise it was virtually unknown not only in the United States but across the Americas. The African immigrants resident in the United States as well as the Americans were not aware of the existence of the AU Mission in Washington, DC. With this realization, I set out to increase the Mission’s visibility both in the United States and in all of the Americas. I accepted as many speaking engagements as my schedule could accommodate. I opened the Mission to the public since it is The Peoples House paid for by the African Member States. The diaspora loved it! For the first time in the AU’s history, we had an African Union Mission (Africa House) in the United States where all Africans, regardless of nationality, could come together as children of one Mother Africa. At Africa House, I organized meetings to bring all people of African descent together to dialogue about issues that affect us as well as our continent. Most events ended with sumptuous African cuisine and exhibitions all designed to promote African pride. On other occasions I hosted cultural events with notable African performers and speakers from around the world. The Ashanti King, His Royal Highness, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II’s visit to the Mission was a major highlight of the significant role the Mission was now playing in bridging the gap between the African continent and the African diaspora. I established programs that promoted African trade and investment, tourism and culture through music, fashion and dance. I hosted several African Union officials including Commissioners and created opportunities for them to educate and engage the diaspora at events held at Africa House and around the country. I transformed the Mission from a protocol office to a vibrant Mission which was a true representation of our Africa. The Mission became a progressive place whose environment stimulated conversations between scholars, artists, intellectuals, politicians, entrepreneurs and diplomats, to name a few. The few Washingtonians who were aware

of the Mission were used to a sleepy African Union Mission. It was a refreshing change which was well received and welcomed by, not only the Washington community, but also all of the Americas. On the diplomatic front, I worked with US Government agencies and officials and collaborated with all African Ambassadors and their spouses on various matters. I always spoke the truth and nothing but the truth, challenging the status quo and dispelling the lies about our beloved continent. I educated the African diaspora and all other Americans about the real reasons why Africa is where it is today. In order to reach a wider audience, I started recording my speeches for distribution to the digital media. The internet lit up with my videos as they were shared around the world. As I led the effort to inform and educate the world about Africa, the biggest question from everyone was “How is it that we did not know about this History?” They were referring to The Berlin Conference and The Pact for the Continuation of Colonization, etc. How could this part of our history and such atrocities meted out to us have been hidden from us in plain sight? How is it that we black people could have been so systematically put to sleep for so many centuries? We seem incapable of waking up from the slumber. It became obvious to me that we had normalized the abnormal. “How did we get here as a people?” It is a mind-boggling question as to how a whole race could have been manipulated and brainwashed to this extent.

CURTAIN CALL

At the beginning of my tenure I diagnosed what I now refer to as our primary problem as a race. That problem is our lack of understanding of our history and how that history affects us in everything we do as individuals and as a race. I then set out to design a treatment plan to wake the black race up through knowledge. We need knowledge and understanding of not only ourselves but also those who set out to exploit us through various schemes. Finally, I set out to educate as many people as I could about our history, how we got where we are and what we need to do to get out of our predicament. I started out behind my desk in my new office in Washington, DC pondering over our history as a people. Three years later I sat behind that same desk on November 1, 2019, collecting my last personal belongings from the drawers while reflecting over my

tenure and my accomplishments. It suddenly dawned on me that I had indeed accomplished my mission as African Union Ambassador to the United States and the Americas. It was time for me to move on to phase two of my journey. There was nothing else left for me to do at the Mission. The platform gave me the voice I needed to deliver the message that Africans and people of African descent so desperately needed. The African diaspora and Africans at home in Africa had all heard the message and the appropriate conversations had begun. Between Africa and the Americas our people have now began asking these important questions: Why are Africa and her children so disrespected and exploited? When will the racist elements of the white race cease institutionalized racism, bigotry, and hate toward black people? Why is the race that produced all the other races the most abused and exploited? Why does the richest continent have the poorest inhabitants? Why does the western world shamelessly continue to exploit Africa? Why did the colonizers give us our political independence, but denied us economic liberation? Why do they continue to refuse to return the skulls and remains of our ancestors they murdered and carried away as trophies and in some cases for study in order to prove that black people are not human? Why do they refuse to return thousands of our artifacts that they stole from our ancestors? These artifacts are currently on display in European museums. Why do they give us predatory loans that are impossible to repay? Why do they continue to create and fund wars and conflicts in Africa? From my experience in Washington, DC and across the Americas, I

have no doubt that the African diaspora have a lead role to play in creating a pathway for Africa’s true economic liberation. The diaspora must wake up and the brain drain must be reversed. A united African diaspora can be the firewall that protects Africa from continued exploitation by the West and the East. I was sent here to Washington to bring the African diaspora home to Africa. While I may not have completed this task, the journey back home has however, begun. Together as African diaspora, we have taken the first couple of steps of a thousand-mile journey. It is an uphill battle however, united, we will make it home, to the mountain top. On that note, I got up from my desk for the final time, picked up my purse and my last two personal folders and walked out of my office for the last time. My tenure began with a simple phone call and now ended with yet another simple phone call. Phase one of my mission had come to an end and phase two was about to begin away from the African Union platform. As the door closed behind me for the last time, I transitioned into a new chapter, one designed to shepherd us along the path to attaining true economic liberation through our unity. As I exited Africa House on Wisconsin Avenue NW in Washington, DC, I was reminded that birds sing not because they can, but because they have a song. A little bird began singing in my ear, “Wake up African diaspora, Wake up African diaspora.” Let us join hands and give the world the best melody the world has ever heard, as we dance to the African drum beat, across the Atlantic, on our way back home to Africa, where our ancestors anxiously await us with open arms. My departure from the Mission was as quiet as my arrival. I preferred it that way. My mission was never about me. It was so much bigger than me. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to serve my continent in this capacity. Thanks to all who supported and collaborated with me on the various projects that I initiated in order to fulfill my mandate during my tenure. I would not have

accomplished as much as I did without the assistance of the African diaspora and friends of Africa. To all of you from the bottom of my heart, thank you! Meet you in phase two of our journey together.

A PERSONAL VIDEO MESSAGE FROM THE AMBASSADOR ABOUT THIS CHAPTER IS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE PRINTED HARD COVER, LIMITED EDITION ONLY. GO HERE TO GET YOUR AUTOGRAPHED COPY TODAY. LIMITED TO ONLY 5,000 COPIES. WWW.AFRICA101.ORG

BI-NKA-BI

Bi-nka-bi literally means that no one should bite another. The symbol states that he who bites is bitten or, literally, he who does wrong, has wronged himself. Or it can be translated: If one does not wish to be bitten, he does not bite; or if one does not wish to be wronged, he does not do wrong. This adinkra symbol is a symbol of justice. It conveys the message that one should never wrong another and reflects the Akan code of conduct for justice and fair play. The symbolism connotes a society where all members strive to live in peace and harmony.

BI NKA BI No one should bite another, outrage or provoke another Symbol of justice, fair play, freedom, peace, forgiveness, unity, harmony and the avoidance of conflicts or strife

ADDENDUM

CHAPTER 23 WE CAN’T BREATHE, GET OFF OUR NECKS

This book was ready for printing when the incident below occurred. I had to put a hold on the printing, because I felt very strongly that I should address this issue as it underscores the plight of black people from 600 years ago to this day.

I had just walked into my house from the grocery store and turned my television on. On the screen was a white police officer kneeling on a black man’s neck. The black man was lying on the pavement trying to move, groaning and saying, “I can’t breathe, I am going to die today.” The police officer said “get in the car.” The black man replied “I cannot.” The back man asked for a glass of water as the white police officer continued to grind his knee against the black man’s neck. The black man started calling for his mama and repeated “I can’t breathe, I am going to die today.” All along, I am wondering, what is going on here? The white police officer had his hands in his pocket, looking just as comfortable as he could be, like nothing was going on. Just another day at work for him.

Photo: Police officer on the neck of George Floyd

The final words of George Floyd... Ahaaaaa Ahaaaaa, I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe it’s my face, Ahaaaaa Ahaaaaa, I can’t breathe, Please your knee, I can’t breathe, I will, I can’t move, Ahaaaaa Ahaaaaa Mamaaaaa, Mamaaaa, I can’t, my knee, my neck, I’m through, I’m through, Ahaaaaa Ahaaaaa, I’m claustrophobic, my stomach hurt, my neck hurt, everything hurt, Ahaaaaa Ahaaaaa, need some water or something, please, please, Ahaaaaa Ahaaaaa, I can’t breathe officer, they gonna kill me, they gonna kill me man, Ahaaaaa Ahaaaaa, I cannot breathe, I cannot breathe, Ahaaaaa Ahaaaaa, they gonna kill me, they gonna kill me, I can’t breathe, Ahaaaaa Ahaaaaa, I can’t breathe, Ahaaaaa Ahaaaaa, please, please, please, please, Ahaaaaa Ahaaaaa, please, I can’t breathe, please, please, Ahaaaaa Ahaaaaa Ahaaaaa!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwE1RkKCmBU Transcribed By: Susan Rosario

Sadly, as the crowd became louder, yelling at the policeman to get off the man’s neck, the man suddenly stopped talking and moving. One observer said “he is not moving, you killed him.” “He is dead, you killed him bro.” The woman with the camera was yelling “He is not breathing.” Clearly the crowd around was very upset. Another police officer was pacing up and down in front of the black man’s head trying to block the lady with the camera. At one point, one of the other officers said the man had no pulse. Still the police officer did not let go of his knee on the man’s neck for several more minutes. By this time, I am in shock not knowing what to make of what I was watching on television. Paramedics came, checked the man’s pulse and went back for the stretcher. It was then that the officer got off the man’s neck. The man did not move. When the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) picked him up, his neck dropped like it was broken. They put him on the stretcher and loaded him into the ambulance. For a man who had no pulse and was unresponsive, as a medical doctor I wondered why they did not start CPR, why they did not give him oxygen. I figured that they assumed he was dead. The police officer was on his neck for what I later found out to be eight minutes and forty-six seconds. The officer stayed on his neck for another three minutes and nine seconds after he was told the man had no pulse. As the ambulance was taking off, the policeman who had his knee on the man motioned the other policemen to leave. The crowd was clearly upset. Some saying, he is dead and that if he is not dead, he was going to die. The policemen walked to their cars and drove off leaving the upset crowd wondering how the man was doing and whether or not he was dead. As I stood in my living room trying to process what I had just seen on television, it dawned on me, I had just witnessed a black man being murdered! Really?? I did not want to believe what I had just seen. How could it be. We were still dealing with yet another black man who was killed by white vigilantes in Georgia while jogging in

a neighborhood. This scene could not be happening again. How many more black men are going to be murdered in broad daylight? I later learned that the man’s name was George Floyd and that the policeman, Derek Chauvin had dragged George out of his car over a reportedly counterfeit $20.00 bill that had been used at a convenient store across the street. Twenty Dollars, this man died because of a presumed counterfeit $20.00 bill. A black man’s life was worth $20.00. He left behind a six-year-old little girl who now has no father over a $20.00 bill. Shattered, overwhelmed and feeling hopeless and exhausted, I dropped myself onto my couch motionless and defeated. For a while I hoped it was all a dream and that I would soon wake up. Sadly, it was not a dream. Visions of the black men and women who have been killed by the police started racing through my mind. Yet another black man in New York had died at the hands of the police officer saying “I can’t breathe.” His name was Eric Garner. These are the names that went through my mind as I sat on my couch going as far back as Emmett Till.

SMALL SAMPLE OF BLACK MEN AND WOMEN WHO DIED AT THE HANDS OF RACIST WHITE POLICEMEN AS WELL AS OTHER RACIST MEN

The Men: 1. Emmett Till - Money, MS • April 28, 1955 • Tortured, lynched and thrown in the river for whistling to a white woman. Dead at 14 years of age. 2. George Floyd - Minneapolis, MN • May 25, 2020 • Accused of using a fake $20. Choked to death at 46 years of age. 3. Jamar Clark - Minneapolis, MN • November 15, 2015 • Followed his girlfriend to the ambulance. Shot dead at 24 years of age. 4. Philando Castile - Falcon Heights, MN • July 6, 2016 • Pulled over for a broken tail light. Shot dead at 32 years of age. 5. Dreasjon Reed - Indianapolis, IN • May 6, 2020 • Ran from the police. Shot dead at 21 years of age. 6. Ahmaud Arbery - Glynn County, GA • February 23, 2020 •

Shot while jogging. Dead at 25 years of age. 7. Botham Jean - Dallas, TX • September 6, 2018 • Shot in his home by an officer mistakenly thinking it was his own home. Dead at 26 years of age. 8. Trayvon Martin - Sanford, FL • February 26, 2012 • Walking home from a 7-11 store. Shot dead at 17 years of age. 9. Michael Brown - Ferguson, MO • August 9, 2014 • Walking in the middle of the street. Shot dead at 18 years of age. 10. Eric Garner - Staten Island, NY • July 17, 2014 • Accused of selling unlicensed cigarettes. Choked to death at 43 years of age. 11. Tamir Rice - Cleveland, OH • November 22, 2014 • Playing in a public park with a toy gun. Shot dead at 12 years of age. 12. Laquan McDonald - November 20, 2014 • Chicago, IL • A troubled teenager holding a small knife. Shot dead at 17 years of age. 13. Stephon Clark - Sacramento, CA • March 18, 2018 • In his grandmother’s backyard with a cell phone in his hand, shot 7 times. Dead at 22 years of age. 14. Ezell Ford - Los Angeles, CA • August 11, 2014 • Mentally ill, followed on suspicion of possession of drugs, later found that he was innocent of that suspicion. Shot dead at 25 years of age. 15. Kenney Watkins - Los Angeles, CA • August 16, 2016 • Shot while running away from the police. Shot dead at 18 years of age. 16. Alton Sterling - Baton Rouge, LA • July 5, 2016 • Shot while selling CD’s, falsely accused of causing trouble. Shot dead at 37 years of age. 17. Rayshard Brooks - Atlanta, GA • June 17, 2020 • Fell asleep in his car at a Wendy’s drive through. Shot dead at 27 years of age. 18. Freddie Gray - Baltimore, MD • April 19, 2015 • Arrested for no reason, later found to have had a knife. Died of a broken spinal cord while in police custody. Dead at 25 years of age. 19. De’von Bailey - Colorado Springs, CO • August 3, 2019 •

Stopped by the police on the street and he ran. Shot 3 times. Dead at 19 years of age. 20. Walter Scott - North Charleston, SC • April 4, 2015 • Stopped for a non-functioning brake light. He ran because of unpaid child support. Shot in the back. Dead at 50 years of age. The Women 1. Sandra Bland - Hempstead, TX • July 13, 2015 • Pulled over for failing to signal a lane change. Shot dead at 28 years of age. 2. Breonna Taylor - Louisville, KY • March 13, 2020 • Shot while sleeping in her own home. Dead at 26 years of age. 3. Rekia Boyd - Chicago, IL • March 12, 2012 • At a party with friends in a park. Shot dead at 22 years of age. 4. Yvonne McNeal - New York, NY • October 2, 2011 • Mentally ill, was holding a knife. Shot dead at 57 years of age. There are many others whose names we may never know as there were no videos. As this list raced through my mind, I wondered why some white men hate black people to the extent of murdering us in broad daylight. I have known that we black people are the most endangered species on earth, but the level of brutality remains profound. Contrary to what religion would like us to believe that the devil is black, the behavior exhibited by the police officer who murdered George Floyd is the personification of a devil. What regresses a man and reduces him to this beastly behavior? Even wild animals are treated better than how George Floyd was murdered on the streets of Minneapolis Minnesota. As I tried to make sense out of the relentless and senseless murder of black men in America, my mind wondered back to over six hundred years ago when the European settlers first came to Africa. They stole from us and forced us to work for them for nothing. They tortured

and abused us. As if that was not enough, they proceeded to take our children into slavery and across the Atlantic where the abuse and torture continued. The children of Africa who were taken into slavery were subjected to some of the most horrific abuses imaginable. They were raped, beaten, subjected to forced labor, even lynchings, all while we were serving them, working long hours on the plantations, cooking and cleaning for them in their kitchens. We built their cities in Europe and in the Americas. Even after slavery was abolished, the abuse continued in the form of institutionalized racism, implicit bias as well as denial of access to opportunities. These practices continue to this day. We black people have served the white man for centuries and continue to serve him to this day. The question then becomes, “what else does the white man want from the black race?” When is enough, enough? What else can we the black race do to appease the white race. The abuse and exploitation are not limited to the West, it is in Africa as well. I do not know about you; I feel this oppression has reached a boiling point. Even some within the white race are beginning to acknowledge what they have failed to see for centuries. They are beginning to understand that racism is real. They saw it up close and personal through George Floyd and in the manner in which he was callously murdered in broad daylight by a policeman who is supposed to protect us as a society in the streets. The continued murdering of black people we are witnessing in cities across the West is a direct result of the hatred, racism, bigotry, violence and subjugation against the black race. This sentiment has been festering in the West for centuries. We hope the murder of George Floyd is going to set into motion a moment of reckoning for the conscience of the white race. Judging from the crowds of demonstrators we witnessed around the world, it is apparent that many in the white race were disgusted by the manner in which George Floyd was killed. We hope this will be a turning point in their understanding of the plight of the black race.

The deaths of the black men and women who died in the hands of those who took the oath to protect us must not be in vain. As we advocate in their memories, we must be clear about what justice we seek. We demand justice not only for George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery but for the many others who did not receive justice. We must demand an end to police brutality, police terrorizing black people and black communities and that police departments must be held accountable for the behaviors of their policemen. There must be legislation mandating zero tolerance to human rights abuses in the form of abuse of black people. The policemen who kill unarmed non-violent individuals who are not resisting arrest and pose no threat to the officers, must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Too many white police officers have blatantly murdered black men and women and got away with it. This is unacceptable and should not be tolerated. As we struggle to process the senseless loss of black lives, let us regroup and channel our anger and frustration towards demand for true reform of not only the police departments, the criminal justice system but also institutionalized racism. The criminal and racist elements within the white race must be rooted out. This can be done successfully only when the white race accepts responsibility for their actions and commit to racial equality as individuals and as a race. They must understand that they are not superior to any race and that we are all created equal under God. To my brothers and sisters on the continent, we must express solidarity with all black people on earth. Abuse of one black person anywhere on earth is an injustice and abuse to ALL black people in the world. While I acknowledge that there are many good white people on earth, sadly there are a significant percentage among the white race who still harbor hatred, bigotry and racism. To them I say, repent for your day of reckoning is coming. Black people have the right to be in the United States of America just like the white people. With the exception of the Native American Indians, both black and white people are immigrants in the Americas. Those

elements of the white race who feel black people do not belong here; I have news for you. The black race is not going anywhere. They belong here to the same extent that the white race belongs here. The indestructible black race is here to stay. They are welcome to go home to Africa because they want to, not because they are being bullied or threatened into leaving the United States of America. This time demands that all citizens of the land of the free, must truly be free. Allow me to take a moment to offer my sincere condolences to all the family members of those black men and women who died in the hands of the racist elements within the white race. May their souls Rest In Eternal Peace. Their deaths shall not be in vain. We, the black race will fight till every black man and woman on earth is free. We may be in the valley but we will make it to the mountain top. To the white people around the world who marched with us to protest against racial abuse of black men and women, we thank you. To the racist elements within the white race I say, Black Lives Matter! “We can’t breathe! Get off our necks!”

A PERSONAL VIDEO MESSAGE FROM THE AMBASSADOR ABOUT THIS CHAPTER IS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE PRINTED HARD COVER, LIMITED EDITION ONLY. GO HERE TO GET YOUR AUTOGRAPHED COPY TODAY. LIMITED TO ONLY 5,000 COPIES. WWW.AFRICA101.ORG

THE WAY FORWARD AFRICAN DIASPORA DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE (ADDI) ADDI is the entity that was born out of the realization that there is a need for us People of African Descent to unite and speak with one voice. Those in the diaspora must join hands in preparation for homecoming. 400 hundred years of suffrage must come to an end. ADDI is the bridge that is going to take us back home to Africa where we will unite with our brothers and sisters on the continent in building the Africa we want. ADDI is also the bridge that heads of state and government as well as civil society in Africa can use to reach their children in the diaspora. This is a much awaited bridge that is way past due. The abuse of Africa’s children around the globe simply because of their skin color will no longer be tolerated. We must find African solutions to African problems. The children of Africa, descendants of the formerly enslaved, must go back home to Africa where they are welcome with open arms. ADDI is the platform where these much needed conversations will begin. Mother Africa is calling her children home, we all must answer that call.

Join The Movement! Let’s Go Home! www.ouraddi.org

SCAN AND JOIN THE MOVEMENT WWW.OURADDI.ORG

THE END

MMERE DANE “time changes” change, life’s dynamics

BOOK REVIEW

I first met Ambassador Chihombori-Quao at a conference in 2017, focusing on the rise of non-communicable diseases on the African continent. It became immediately clear to me that she was a relentless advocate for building partnerships within the diaspora, and thus tearing down the walls that have divided us for centuries. This book is insightful and thought-provoking and a seminal call to action that is a must read for everyone within the diaspora!! Quite frankly, as a highly respected medical doctor, Ambassador Chihombori-Quao has rendered a serious prognosis: far too many black people suffer from the disease of misinformation, self-hatred, and the paralysis of analysis. This “virus” has infected us for too

long! She has skillfully and forthrightly prescribed the “vaccine” necessary to cure us as a people so that as we ingest the antidote, we  will not only become healthier and stronger individually, but far more importantly, collectively. We need healing! Members of the diaspora, as we implement the plan Dr. Chihombori-Quao details in her book, we will change the trajectory of our future, all to the benefit of black people throughout the world, including those yet unborn. I urge everyone within the diaspora to carefully read her book, and then use it to partner with others to create a vibrant, prosperous, and strong community of black people around the world. - Rev. Dr. Jonathan L. Weaver Founder & President Pan African Collective

AUTHOR’S BIOGRAPHY HER EXCELLENCY AMBASSADOR, ARIKANA CHIHOMBORI-QUAO, MD. FAAFP

In her role as Permanent Representative to the African Union Mission in Washington, DC, Her Excellency, Ambassador Arikana Chihombori-Quao, MD. FAAFP worked tirelessly towards fulfilling her mandate which was to undertake, develop and maintain relationships between the African Union and the Executive and Legislative branches of the US Government, the African Diplomatic Corps, the Africans in the Diaspora and the Bretton Woods Institutions. This was specifically in relation to the implementation

of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and advancing the priority areas of Agenda 2063. In fulfilling this mandate, she brought renewed energy to the AU Mission as well as new ideas and programs that were implemented since her appointment in 2016 to her departure in 2019. Her efforts at mobilizing the diaspora as people of African descent and not as citizens of any single African country is unprecedented and exemplifies her ability to unify people around a common goal, speaking with one voice as one Africa and one continent. Additionally, Her Excellency, Ambassador Arikana ChihomboriQuao, MD. FAAFP has been actively involved in various programs and projects of the African Union. In 2012, she became the Chair of the African Union-African Diaspora Health Initiative (AU-ADHI), where she was involved in mobilizing the African diaspora health professionals to assist in addressing the healthcare needs of the African continent. Even prior to her appointment as AU Ambassador, her contributions to the cause of Africa had earned Her Excellency, Ambassador Arikana Chihombori-Quao, MD. FAAFP many prestigious honors and awards. Two of her most cherished ones are an achievement award received in 1996 from the incumbent president at the time, His Excellency, the late President Nelson Mandela of the Republic of South Africa and the African Woman of Excellence Award in July 2015 during the AU Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. She received this award alongside 15 other prominent African women including the former President of The Republic of Liberia, Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, the former President of The Republic of Malawi, Madam Joyce Banda, and Mrs. Winnie Mandela, former First Lady of the Republic of South Africa. She has firmly established herself as an advocate for women. In 2012 at an international conference for women, Her Excellency, Ambassador Arikana Chihombori-Quao, MD. FAAFP represented Africa in Mar-Del-Plata, Argentina where she delivered a rousing

speech on Violence Against Women. During this meeting, she shared the stage with two Nobel Peace Prize Winners, Adolofo Perez Esquivel from Argentina and Rigoberta Menchu from Guatemala. In addition to the above honors, during her 3 year tenure as AU Ambassador to the United States, Her Excellency, Ambassador Arikana Chihombori-Quao, MD. FAAFP won over 70 awards and attestations from various organizations within the Americas including Ambassador of the Year from Howard University. She also received numerous recognitions from members of Congress as well as governors, mayors, and county executives from across the United States. In January 2020, after being featured as “A Profile in Courage,” Her Excellency, Ambassador Arikana Chihombori-Quao, MD. FAAFP was named 2019 Person of the Year by The Guardian Newspaper. The Guardian is the largest newspaper in the Federal Republic of Nigeria with widespread readership throughout the African continent. Nigeria is the largest country in Africa with a population of over 200 million people. Her Excellency, Ambassador Arikana Chihombori-Quao, MD. FAAFP was named number 4 on the top 10 most influential Africans in 2019 by EyeGambia. EyeGambia is a newspaper based in Banjul, Gambia with a widespread readership throughout the African continent. Prior to her appointment, Her Excellency, Ambassador Arikana Chihombori-Quao, MD. FAAFP was a renowned family medicine doctor in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where she practiced medicine for over 25 years. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians and a member of the American Association of Family Physicians as well as the Tennessee Association of Family Physicians. She is married and the proud mother of 5 children, and a very happy grandmother of 5 grandchildren.

GLOSSARY ADINKRA SYMBOLS

Adinkra is a cotton cloth produced in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire which has traditional Akan symbols stamped upon it. The adinkra symbols represent popular proverbs and maxims, record historical events, express particular attitudes or behavior related to depicted figures, or concepts uniquely related to abstract shapes. It is one of several traditional cloths produced in the region. The other wellknown cloths are kente and adanudo. The Akan people (of what is now Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire) had developed significant skills in weaving by the sixteenth century,

with Nsoko (present-day Begho) being an important weaving center. Adinkra, originally produced by the Gyaaman clans of the Brong region, was the exclusive right of royalty and spiritual leaders, and only used for important ceremonies such as funerals. Adinkra means goodbye. Information sourced from and for more information on Adinkra Symbols visit: https://www.thoughtco.com/origin-and-meaning-of-adinkrasymbols-4058700

Photo Credits: His Royal Majesty, Drolor Bosso Adamtey I Suapolor of SE (Shai) Kingdom Matse of Kordiabe - Madaam Ghana, West Africa Joyce Hilda Banda Prof. PLO Lumumba, LLD Queen Yaa Asantewaa photo used under public domain Rosa Parks, National Archives record ID: 306-PSD-65-1882 (Box 93) unknown photographer Martin Luther King, Jr photo used under Creative Commons - This image is available from the United States Library of Congress’s Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID ppmsc.01269 Nelson Mandela photo was taken from Flickr’s The Commons. Nelson Mandela picture used under Creative Commons - Source: South Africa The Good News Allgemeine Illustrierte Zeitung, S.308; Am 28. April 2006 von Morty in die deutschsprachige Wikipedia geladen. Used under Creative Commons 1884 by Adalbert von Rößler Marcus Garvey photo used under Creative Commons Hassan II of Morocco: this is an image from the Nationaal Archief, the Dutch National Archives, and Spaarnestad Photo, donated in the context of a partnership program. Marcus Garvey photo used under Creative Commons - Source: This image is available from the United States Library of Congress’s Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID fsa.8d28528v Harriet Tubman photo used under public domain British colonialists hanging Africans in 1890s, image is public domain Lynching of six African-Americans in Lee County, GA, 20 Jan 1916, image is public domain Lawrenceville, April 7, 1911. Lynching of Charlie Hale, image is public domain Robert Baden-Powell - This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 70 years or fewer. “The photograph was taken for Elliott and Fry by Francis Henry Hart in 1896 at the time of the Matabele Campaign. It was reissued at various times with different captions as BadenPowell’s fame grew. Baden Powell is decorated with an Ashanti Star ribbon.” John Cecil Rhodes, image is public domain Ernest Oppenheimer German Herero People Creative Commons - Photo By: Hans Hillewaert Suspects in Nairobi - Getty Images Mau Mau soldiers Murdered - Magnum Photos Mau Mau soldiers Murdered - Magnum Photos Mau Mau soldiers - Getty Images Searching homes for Mau Mau soldiers - Getty Images Leopold II, King of Belgium photo used under public domain Severed human head on pole - can’t find Child amputees - Public Domain - Photographer Alice Seeley Harris Congolese father - Public Domain - Photographer Alice Seeley Harris Congo Free State Slaves - Public Domain - Photographer Alice Seeley Harris Human zoo - Creative Commons Human zoo - used under public domain Human zoo - used under public domain

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employee, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain in the United States. 16. Mohamed Boudiaf - This Algerian photograph, which was first published prior to January 1, 1987, is currently in the public domain in Algeria because it was granted a term of protection of 10 years from publication by Article 64 of Ordinance No. 73–14 of 3 April 1973 17. Melchior Ndadayé - This video screen shot was originally uploaded on YouTube under a CC license. 18. Cyprien Ntaryamira - photo is used under Creative Commons 19. Juvénal Habyarimana - This image is a work of a U.S. military or Department of Defense employee, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain in the United States. 20. Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara - photo is used under Creative Commons 21. Laurent-Désiré Kabila - This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Photographer: Kivuidi 22. João Bernardo Vieira - This photograph was produced by Agência Brasil, a public Brazilian news agency. 23. Muammar al-Gaddafi - This Image was released by the United States Navy with the ID 090202-N-0506A-402 Habib Bourguiba used under Creative Commons Adobe Stock Martin Luther King Jr. - photo U.S. work public domain in the U.S. Booker T. Washington - Used under public domain, this image is available from the United States Library of Congress’s Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID ppmsca.23961 Adobe Stock Marcus Garvey - This work is in the public domain in the United States Kwame Nkruma and Malcolm X Images from the Her Excellency Arikana Chihombori-Quao’s personal collection Ahmed Ben Bella photo used under public domain Gamal Abdel Nasser - photo used under public domain Heads of State Image from the Her Excellency Arikana Chihombori-Quao’s personal collection Patrice Lumumba - photo is used under Creative Commons “Negros for sale” - This media file is in the public domain in the United States. This applies to U.S. works where the copyright has expired, often because its first publication occurred prior to January 1, 1925, and if not then due to lack of notice or renewal. Mwalimu Nyerere - This is an image from the Nationaal Archief, the Dutch National Archives, donated in the context of a partnership program. Kenneth Kaunda - This photo is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Attribution: The Council of the Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Kwame Nkrumah - This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Former President of Zimbabwe and Chairman of the African Union Robert Mugabe. This photo comes from the website www.kremlin.ru of the President of the Russian Federation and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Kwame Nkrumah - Used on Creative Commons This image is part of the Colonial Office photographic collection held at The National Archives, shared as part of the Africa Through

a Lens project. Image from the Her Excellency Arikana Chihombori-Quao’s personal collection Image from the Her Excellency Arikana Chihombori-Quao’s personal collection Image from the Her Excellency Arikana Chihombori-Quao’s personal collection His Royal Highness Otumfuo Osei Tutu II of Ghana - Image from the Her Excellency Arikana Chihombori-Quao’s personal collection W.E.B. DuBois this image is available from the United States Library of Congress’s Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID cph.3a53178 Group of African men, women and children captured and in shackles, are herded by men with whips and guns in order to become slaves. “Band of captives driven into slavery” This file comes from Wellcome Images (www.wellcomeimages.com), a website operated by Wellcome Trust, a global charitable foundation based in the United Kingdom. Martin Luther King, Jr - This image is available from the United States Library of Congress’s Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID cph.3c26559 Starving child Zora Neale Hurston - This image is available from the United States Library of Congress’s Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID van.5a52142 Nelson Mandela - This is the official photo of Mandela casting his vote in the 1994 elections. It was the first time Mandela had voted in his life. It was taken at Ohlange School, Inanda, Durban by the IEC’s official photographer, Paul Weinberg. It is one of only two images of this event. Used under Creative Commons. Officer on neck of George Floyd Gallery of victims Images of uprising Oliver Tambo photo used under Creative Commons Images from the Her Excellency Arikana Chihombori-Quao’s personal collection Dr. Jonathan L. Weaver Images from the Her Excellency Arikana Chihombori-Quao’s personal collection