AFRICAN TRIBALISM and PAN-AFRIKANISM
Self-Help News
Greetings All,
Dr Kofi Agyapong’s wise words continue to illuminate the darkness of our journey to Afrikan and Afrika Unity. As a torch bearer, he is seen first by the enemies of our Afrikan aspirations. He is also able to see our path more clearly than many since he is at a place where more of that light illuminates.
Tribalism as a philosophy will not bring us collective benefits we need, in a highly geopolitical and competitive world, where ‘Big’ matters, because it generates economies of scales, and far more purchasing power, including the acquisitions of credit lines, with which a micro entity is unlikely to compete.
Historically, the natural way of life for Afrikans was living and operating in tribes. The idea of Pan-Afrikan Unity is relatively new, in comparison to Afrikan – Alkebu-Lan evolutions over millennia. Our real threats came from other tribes in the past, until we were invaded, kidnapped and transported en-mass, balkanised and brutalised.
Ironically, as a result of Afrikans been kidnapped and shipped like cargos to a ‘New World’, we concluded that it was wise and necessary to call for Afrikan Unity. We developed a type of experience and truth, living with a protracted system of exploitations and dehumanisations.
We recognised that we had common concerns, interests and hidden strengths and high intelligence. And, as there appears to be no real change in the mind-set of the gate keepers of a system, which continues to feed on our exploitations and corrupting many of us, we are left with no dignified alternative, but to search for and develop permanent counter system, to give us a chance to change the status quo.
Afrikans are made the carpet of other races, not because of anything we had done to them, but because of our slowness to anger and unwillingness to industrialised exploitations of other people.
We speak of ‘Afrikan Unity’ today as a starting point, in order to synergise common interests and benefits. It is like a ‘business proposition’- not a love in. If, during the process of constructing a Global Platform for Unity, we are also able to ‘love in’. Fine.
But this is not a prerequisite for Unity in diversity among us. The driver is a desire to survive and function among other races with pride and supreme human principles, which we have known in the past, when ‘tribes’ – micro nations, were largely living cultural identities, and not racial identities.
WE had infinite resources, and so there was no need for us to compete among ourselves because of scarcity of the same. We were civilised based on the guidance laid down by our ancestors. We knew the difference between right and wrong, and Greater and lesser Afrikan Deities. We lived by Maat and Bantu principles, naming only two of many Afrikan principles. We communicated easily with the elements of the Cosmos.
We lived in this way for thousands of years without needing the support of foreign interests.
Traditionally, Afrikan unity is not part of Afrikan tribal philosophies. And so, we should not be surprised that we are having resistance to the call for Afrika and Afrikan Unity today. One is not aware of any material precedence in Afrikan history calling for and achieving tribal unity. One tribe might seek to conquer the other by force. That is not the same as calling for and achieving free and willing Afrikan unity.
But, as stated above, we arrived at this ‘unity juncture’ because of necessity, based on our protracted experiences living with other races and the wrongs they had inflicted, and continue to inflict, on us, largely unabated. And there is no real indication that situation will change in the future with the passage of time. Except when we put in place the means to ensure that the changes WE need will come about. Change or decay.
Afrika and Afrikan Unity are likely to be a slow process, partly because of current education system, with which Global Afrika’s children are engaged. Such a system does not encourage Afrikan and Afrika Unity. It is an education system which puts Eurocentric and other foreign values above Afrikan values, including theological teachings.
Until this education system is adjusted to remove such bias, conscious Afrikans, up-holding the dignity of the Afrikan Personality, will always struggle to be heard. The current system encourages Afrikans betraying one another. It seems easier that way than to travel the long and painful journey in bringing about Afrikan and Afrika Unity, whichever our choice.
The United Nations Organisation (UN) formed in 1945, now with five Permanent Members of its Security Council, having vetoing powers, none of which represents the Afrikan Race, even the Black Race. Four of that Council’s members represent the Caucasian Race – the White Race, in reality and in effect. Neither the Black nor Brown Race is represented at this permanent, privileged and veto wielding level. Are we witnessing true world democracy at work, here?
We need more light bearers like Dr Kofi Agyapong , those at home and those abroad. It is profitable for those who are governing the world today not to want a change in the status quo, allowing Global Afrika to shine.
Let’s pace ourselves. It’s a marathon. Not a sprint to achieve our objectives for Afrikan unity of purpose, burden sharing, for security, self-defence, collectivity, wealth generations, lasting peace, prosperity and shared global leadership.
It is crucial that those who come into consciousness, must find solace among one another, showing proper respect and solidarity in words and deeds. It is fundamentally contradictory to call for unity among others when we as individuals are not united. Unity starts with the desire and practise by a single individual and then spread to others by example.
We are family, not only by the content of our DNA, but common experiences, historical, spiritual, artistic and cultural connections and our natural desire to uphold truth and justice. Push from our backs the castle of exploitations, constructed and maintained there over many centuries by others for their profits and wealth generations.
Afrikans and Afrika need wealth generations as well. There is no reasonable basis for our energies enabling others to wealth and power, when WE – generation after generations, remain poor and relatively subservient to others.
Now in the 21st century, it is about Afrikan and the survival game. The November 2014 deadly weaponised Ebola virus released in West Afrika, clearly demonstrated the ease with which a people can be wiped out overnight, without the local natural resources affected. Preserved for others to use when the local people are gone. Could this ever happen in the future? Many of us have not yet come to realise the potential. But we will – hopefully, not too late.
Who cares for us? Do we care for ourselves enough to put in the necessary long term efforts for our survival? What is the lesson of our Afrikan history in this regard – from the advent of chattel slavery, colonisation, neo-colonisation, institutionalised racism - apartheid, urban killing fields, linked to so-called war on drugs, industrial concentrated prison complex, housing progressive numbers of Afrikans, HIV epidemic and progressive lone parents family syndrome.
Leadership, leadership, leadership! This is and must be our critical priority, moving forward.
Editorial Collective
SELF-HELP NEWS – “Giving Voice to the Voiceless”
From: THELIGHT...@aol.com [mailto:THELIGHT...@aol.com]
Sent: 08 November 2015 20:30
We know that whatever human beings do, it takes time and research. In fact research must be done before anything done by men and women should be undertaken, for it is only proper understanding and analysis of a subject matter that can bring a better result. This is the reason why in ruling a people, an opposition is almost a necessity.
When a government is formed it takes hundreds of years to perfect it and it can only be good for the people if those leaders understand the interest of the masses. This is not easy for in my 76 years of life, I have met hundreds of people who believed that what they knew was the correct thing. They may be dead wrong and it takes time for their position to be refuted.
If I say SADA was formed in 1970, that is 45 years ago, for a person who is now 45-60 years of age who rely on books and commentaries to deny the age of SADA, that person might have gone to the state records to dig the formation of company out otherwise, he/she may ague uselessly.
If I declare SADA is the founder of BSI, and that BSI is the operational arm of SADA, the same problem emerges unless the person arguing is a employee who has inside information of SADA and BSI. It is a shame that some of us may, out of hate argue contrary. What then do I do except to shut up and let the ignorance rule.
Those who of us who believe that tribalism can redeem our people have more reading in the following courses Government 101 and Government Finance 101, 103 and 103.
There were people in the history of America who understood Government Finances so well that they set the foundation for the American Treasury. Can it be done now without proper education in finance, accounting and econometric and proper knowledge in the monetary system?
I doubt it, for the American Treasury is no more concern with the economy. That is the function of the Federal Reserve System. A super bank that controls all the money including, the cost of money; interest rate on money.
Education is the key to opening our minds. The Almighty God and All the Gods of Africa bless Africa and Africans both at home and those of us abroad; Diaspora as well as Continental.
To understand that the Silver and Gold standards are almost given way to production of goods and services as the basis of regulating money. So those of us who believe our small tribes and failed governments can bring development in Africa and can regulate money, to prevent inflation, are misleading us, for it takes massive production of goods and services to reduce inflation in currency, the enemy in free market economy.
ANY AFRICAN WHO PREACHES TRIBALISM IN AFRICAN National POLITICS IS A SUBVERT TO AFRICAN UNITY AND IS GOOD FOR NOTHING FOR UNITED WE STAND DIVIDED WE FALL.
TRIBES ARE ESSENTIAL PART OF OUR AFRICAN PERSONALITIES BUT NOT TRIBALISM. EACH TRIBE MUST KNOW THAT IT CANNOT EXIST IN THE 21st Century and compete with giants like America, China and even India.
WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT AFRICA MUST UNITE to harness our resources both human and material for the benefit of all Africans both at home and those abroad.
God being so wise did not put all the resources; both human and materials in one country. God gave each country a little bit of what all of us need and it is our responsibility to come together as Africans and combine our resources both human and materials for the benefit of all Africans.
AMERICANS HAVE LAID THE ROAD MAP OF STATES TO PROSPERITY WITH FEDERALISM. WHY CAN'T WE EMULATE THEM?
WE CAN CREATE FEDRAL SYSTEM BY THE COUNTRIES CEDING SOME OF THEIR SOVEREIGN POWERS TO THE NEW GOVERNMENT. POWERS WHICH NONE OF THE STATES ARE WEILDING PROPERLY.
By ceding some of their sovereign powers to a federal governing body to handle the otherwise what the states or countries are messing up. EG. JUSTICE, INSURE DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY, DEFENCE, INTER STATE COMMERCE, MONETARY SYSTEMS, INFLATION and ETC.
www.sadainc.org and www.sada54.org
Kofi Agyapong
SADA