The Sunday Mail
Africa’s history is very much entangled with the world’s evolution.
To this point, it is impossible for us to define an African vision that is isolated from its relations to the rest of the world in social, economic and political spheres of cooperation.
It is therefore with this that I pose the following question to the current generation of Africans: is our interpretation of the concept of the African Renaissance conscious of the racial diversity in the composition of African citizenry?
When we state Africa to be for Africans, are we referring to Africans of black skin colour only, or are we conscious that Africans comes in European, Asian and Arabic descent among many others?
I am questioning this notion given the complexities of our history and the challenges that are before us in defining a stable future for our continent. Africa is one of very few geographic areas on earth in which the nomadic, trade evolution and territorial conquests resulted in the inescapable integration of societies and cultures from almost every part of the world.
Therefore, Africa is most probably the most diverse society due to its naturalized cultural and racial composition. Therefore, when we address the means of achieving Agenda 2063 in which Africa has a strengthened position in global trade, we must address the question of whether Africa is truly at peace with its inner diversity first.
I ask also this based on my own experiences, in which I have seen marginalisation in rhetoric of speeches and the caucus meetings, of would be minority groups who actually mean well in their presence at meetings for the advancement of the African Renaissance.
Many times, I see minority races and people groups being bullied out of African summits and discussions with regards to the future of development. Often times it is argued by the perpetrators that the struggle for Africa’s emancipation has only been borne by a certain type of African. However, I would boldly challenge that considering the history of slavery, colonialism, genocide, concentration camps and human rights deprivation suffered by all African citizens, whether minority or majority, at some point in time in our history.
These minority groups have no alternatives for citizenship and they have their home entrenched in African soil due to generational dwelling, just like every one of us. We cannot escape the fact that history has put us in a position to challenge our understanding of what African citizenship is. It isn’t like in the pre-common era times where citizenship was simply a matter of bloodline or namesake.
Therefore, when we speak of empowering the African, are we conscious that minority races and cultures have a right to be heard and embraced as part of achieving the African dream?
Does the white and coloured Afrikaaner of South Africa have a place in our vision of the African Renaissance? After all, they have the name entrenched in their tribe.
Is there a place for the English African? How about the Indian African in Mauritius or the Arab African in Egypt? How about the Jewish Africans of Ethiopia? How about the Chinese African? Do these groups, as well as the others that I haven’t mentioned, have a place in our Agenda 2063?
The main detriment of African progress has been the discrimination of people groups based on status, colour, language and birth place. If we do not have a solid respect for one another, how can we trade with one another? If we do not hold one another in high esteem, how do we prevent genocide? If we do not see the value of each African, how do we ensure quality service delivery and infrastructural development?
This issue has caused us to neglect the talent and capacity of our people many times and seek the expertise and capital of other nations at the expense of developing our domestic constituency.
The truth of the matter is that international relations is run on the principle of national interest. Before an African benefits from a deal with another region, you can be guaranteed that that region will have ensured that five of its own citizens would have already benefited from that deal.
It is therefore essential to us as a people to realise that our biggest and most important investment partner is the African.
We are blessed to have diverse cultures and understandings, and thus our world trade engagement should never be from a place of wanting but from a place of value addition.
It is my hope and dream that we will take hold of this great truth and maximize on the greatness that is in the fabric of our continent and achieve the Africa we want. I believe there are enough progressives in our continent to ensure that this is realised.
Let Africa be great. — News24
