DRAMA OF TWO AFRICANS IN HYDE PARK Part 7

Drama of two Africans in Hyde Park  

By Nzinga Nzinga

When African from the East meets African from the West, ole fiah tick easy fi ketch!

(It is easy to ignite old fire sticks.)

♪♪ I want you beside me all of the time…

Holding hands together… All in the same boat. Rocking on the same road…We got to get together. ♪♪

-- Bob Marley…Satisfy My Soul

Part 7

“Why are you fighting so hard to promote repatriation to Africa to our people in the West if you don’t think that many will undertake it?”

 Permanent Home of the Black Man

“Ah, that’s an interesting question. Only the thoughtful and industrious of our race want to go back to Africa as permanent residents. My continental friend, it does not matter how many make it or how soon they make it. What is important is that they know that Africa is the permanent home of the black man. In other words, they have choices, they have alternatives and they have options other than the West. My friend, do you know what it is not to have a continent when your soul yearns for a continent? My grandfather whom we called Taata was one of those who longed to return but he couldn’t. It is not that I am forcing anyone to repatriate to Africa."

Wiping his eyes, he continued, "I am saying that there is a land far away that is the land of our ancestors, therefore our land. It is not as far as we think and I want to bring it nearer, to make it accessible to our people. At the moment it is infested by verminous invaders so let’s help to rid our continent of these colonialists and help the indigenous continentals to develop our land. That is simply it. In my struggle for African freedom, I do not discriminate among us, between continentals and non-continentals. My dreams do not admit or recognise geographical biases. I can only relate to Africans in toto. Africa is the only land on earth where the black man regardless of the percentage of his blood, can feel fine to be a man. However, circumstances alter cases, and today he is kept in a state of stunted ‘boy-ness’ or ‘boyhood’ by European people who are not men enough to be human and to recognise men who are not of their race, as men. Africa belongs to the black man and I must help restore it to him in perpetuity.”

“Are the black people who organise in the West feeling the same sentiments about Africa?”

“Any black leaders who organise in the West for the cause of black liberty without bearing their compass point towards Africa, without beaming on Africa, without focusing on Africa, are turning in the wrong direction. We must let Africa be our guiding star, our star of destiny.”

“What happens if the repatriates and these African-conscious leaders from the West are swamped with disappointment?”

“I know an English family who lived in our town in Jamaica. They repatriated to their European continent and all their letters to their friends in Jamaica were full of their disappointment, disillusionment and maladjustment.”

“What happened? Did they return?”

“No, they did not. After awhile the tenor of their letters changed and they became less negative. They learnt the art of taking the good with the bad. In other words, they learnt to adjust and adapt and after awhile, they forgot to complain. You see if you want to repatriate to Paradise or Eden you have to die. There’s no Paradise on earth.”

“I get the message. I am totally overwhelmed by your positive approach, your confidence, your assertiveness and your vision. I no longer entertain any doubts that you will do what you set out to do.”

“With God’s guidance, with your help and with the struggle of the millions of displaced and derailed of our race, I will help to make our men of affairs who will take back our mines and other natural resources. I will help to make Africa so hot for the white man that he will run to seek his cooler and icy Caucasian climes once again. There is no honourable future for the black man in the West. Not yesterday, not today, not tomorrow. He will never be respected and accorded equal rights and justice in the West. I am from the West. He who feels it knows it.”

“I am sorry.”

Africa

“The black man has to go East, not to Asia but to Africa, to his own continent to get respect because he is circumvented by laws, customs and manners which judge him negatively by the colour of his skin. In the West, his colour works against him. A man’s colour has become his passport and unfortunately the black man’s passport from a country of black people’s governance does not get much respect or privilege. My brother, the destiny of all black men, of all Africans, those at home and those abroad, lies in the destiny of our continent. We will be perceived internationally as our continent is perceived internationally. You continental Africans are in charge. You hold the destiny of all Africans in Outer Africa and Old Africa in your hands. That, my continental brother, is your karma. But as I said, we will help you.”

“Karma. That’s another way of perceiving it. We who were left behind must assume responsibility for the stewardship of the land we inherited and from which you have been uprooted, disenfranchised and disinherited. As it is said, we shall do our best and God will do the rest. There was a time when there was no Outer Africa, when we were one people without the vast Atlantic and Europe separating us, without our unfortunate historical experiences dividing us. We on the continent made a terrible error towards you in the matter of the slave trade and I cannot find words to express the regret. I know so many others feel this way. I can only hope and pray that things will turn out right for Africans at home and abroad again and that the breach will soon be healed so we can work together for the good of our race."

Taking the Jamaican man's hand in his, he said, "Some of your remarkable confidence has rubbed off on me. Confidence can be contagious and infectious. I will take it home with me and infect many of my continental fellowmen who are of this opinion to improve our lot. Your formula for African emancipation is daunting. You speak such goodly works that they must bear good fruit. And what is in it for you, my brother from the West? What if you do help us achieve the things you say you can help us to achieve? You sound so sure, like some of our ancients. What do you want from us if we on the continent should pull off this feat? If we should succeed? They say every man has a price. What is yours to be? A diplomatic post?”

“I don’t ask for anything for myself. My reward will come with the passage of time. The civilization of today is gone drunk and crazy with its power and by such it seeks through injustice, corruption, fraud, and lies to crush the unfortunate. But if I am apparently crushed by the system of corruption and misdirected power, my cause shall rise again to plague the conscience of the corrupt. For this I am satisfied, and for Africa, I repeat, I am glad to suffer and even die. Again I say, cheer up, for better days are ahead. I shall write the history that will inspire the millions that are coming and leave the posterity of our enemies to reckon with them for the deeds of their slave-trading colonial fathers.” The continental wiped a tear from his eye. He was too overwhelmed to speak.

Black Star

Red, Black & Green Flag

The non-continental continued. “All will come to pass. Have no doubt about it. It will take time and we will have many casualties but it will come to pass and you will remember that we sat here for hours in Hyde Park discussing these things. What do I want for myself? I won't beat about the bush. All I ask for myself is that somewhere in Africa, at least one state flies the red, black and green flag and that the Black Star be seen as a guiding light.

Black Star Line

I ask that even one independent state establish a shipping company called the Black Star Line. But for our people, mine as well as yours, our kith and kin outside of Africa, I ask that you treat them well, with respect and brotherly affection and that you keep an open door policy for them. One day some of them will be turning their eyes and eventually their steps to you in the East, to our great continent of Africa. Not all, not the majority, but a remnant will be going home. I ask that you do not wait for them to seek you. Go seek them even before you have achieved full power. Go find them, those who desire to go, and help to get them home. Some will be able to help you achieve your objective.”

“Can we afford it?”

“The majority will remain outside of Africa. They are not going to pull up their deeply planted roots to go somewhere new. They will be too busy trying to integrate and proving to the white man that they are as good and free as he is. The few who will go you can easily afford since they will not be a burden on you. They will be an asset rather than a liability. The thoughtful and industrious of our race want to go back to Africa, because we realise it will be our only hope of permanent existence.”

“It sounds quite an attractive prospect. By all means we will see to it.”

Slave ships

“When the time comes, give it serious consideration and prompt attention because you will need them. You will need them to help in the progressive development, reconstruction and rehabilitation of our continent. Take heed that you cater not only to the educated, the economically prosperous and the professional, the elitist VIPS. Do not make judgements based on those aspects. When our people were shipped out in the slave odyssey they were a mixed multitude.

Slave Trade Route

They are all equally Africans and should be treated as such. Do not treat him with disdain because his style of dress or his hairstyle is different. When a European is ready to return home, the door is not slammed in his face because he is not a big investor or a professional or because he is not Mr. Big Shot.”

“We will try to handle the situation with equity and brotherly affection.”

Tiken Jah Fakoly

Agricultural Africa

“Africa is a continent geared for agriculture. We have more land than we can manage. Many of her children from the West will gladly settle on and cultivate some of this land. Call them home and welcome them, not merely for my sake, but for old times’ sake as a sort of atonement. What is done cannot be undone but you can help to right the wrong that pushed us off our continent in the first place. That makes two reasons to show hospitality to them. First, to redress a historic and atavistic wrong, and secondly, as a remembrance of this our encounter.”

The man from the Gold Coast kept nodding and smiling as he said. “I hear you, my brother. As to righting that unfortunate wrong of slavery, of black man hand against black man, all I can say is that I am sorry. The palm nut that has been used cannot be used again. We have to discard it and use fresh ones. So as it is already done, let us turn the page and begin afresh. Your will shall be done on both counts if I have anything to do with it. The idea of the flag and the black star and the Black Star Line I like so much I will pass it on to my people. They will realise the seriousness of our words when they hear your suggestion for the flag of independence. I will certainly do my utmost to see that the few wishes of one who gives so much and asks so little are fulfilled. Of a truth, no one has so penetrated the heart of the African matter as you have. I wish you could meet with some of my people.”

I will be watching you

“Thank you, but I leave London for the US this evening. Any way, I appreciate that you will try to comply with my wishes. I will be watching you, watching you, watching you, my brother. By the way, to satisfy your curiosity, there are those who call me the Prophet of Africa.”

“I knew it! I will do my utmost to fulfil your wishes as far as possible. Trust me, my Prophet of Africa. Will you repatriate to the continent?”

“There are traps set for me on the African continent in the eventuality of my appearing there, to have me killed by one of our own people. As much as I would love to even touch down on African soil, I need to stay alive to do the work to which I am committed.”

“You can be killed over here just as well.”

To be continued

All the images were taken from the Internet and I claim no copyright.