carosika

We Cannot Call Anywhere Our Home

We cannot call anywhere our home!!

Here is the plea of so many African Americans, who proudly consider Africa to be the land of their ancestry and ancestors.

As I was checking out the bold launch of The State of the Diaspora last week in Paris, which pegged itself to the official entity that is the 6th region of the African Union, I met two beautiful African American sisters who have repatriated to Ghana and encourage others to do so.

The 6th region has an important role in their view, as it is meant to be the official entity representing all the Historic Unique African Diasporas as a result of the Transatlantic Slave Trade such as Black people of African Descent in South America, North America and the Caribbean… which account for 170 million people according to the African Union (AU). These groups, despite their African descent are not granted African Citizenships, even though a proportion of them would happily repatriate to Africa should they have the opportunity and legal right to do so. Hence, the importance for these unique groups to be constituted into a State attached to the African Union to be accounted for and eventually granted citizenships. Whilst the 6th region has full legitimacy, the auto-proclaimed creation of a State of the Diaspora is regrettable in my view.

I believe that the alleged Prime Minister would have gained much more credibility as a Head of Project aiming to constitute a State represented by a Government democratically elected. Additionally, it must be said that this project of a State has only received the backing of 3 countries, so far, that are part of the African Union. It would need far more than a 5th of African States supporting the initiative to have a legitimate existence.

As a result, this meeting was vehemently boycotted by a number of Pan African groups. I do understand their stance although I deeply dislike the manner in which some of these groups came to the press conference to publicly humiliate those involved not considering that the Caribbean and South American dignitaries who were present had a different status. There are ways of expressing disagreement, even to condemn actions but, disrespecting flesh and blood will never take us very far as a people. In my view, it simply demonstrates very little respect for oneself and others.

Coming back to my two precious sistahs, both retirees in their seventies; they had flown over from Ghana, connected flights at Addis Ababa to arrive in Paris to see what they could learn from their brothers and sisters in Europe. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be so and after hate speeches broke out at the press conference, one of our precious Mamas fell ill and was urgently taken to hospital in an ambulance due to high blood pressure. I am so grateful that both my friend Mohamadou and myself were there at the time it happened and were able to support as it was out of the question that they should be left on their own, knowing that they couldn’t speak French.

As for me, the value of attending this event was meeting with them and what I found out about their plea.

Auntie Earna is a beautiful sistah from Detroit who repatriated to Ghana when she retired from her teaching job. Auntie Earna’s first encounter with the continent of her ancestors was at 8 years old when she met a first African national. At 11 years old, she was given her first National Geographic magazine by her dad which had he found on a bus. She read all about different places in Africa and knew then that’s where she wanted to go. Her dad admonished her to have a good education as this would be her passport to go anywhere in the world. When she was 15, a secondary school teacher introduced her class to African History in which they were taught about the different African countries and their capitals. As a young adult, Earna started to meet a variety of African Nationals such as Ethiopians, Ghanaian and more and she started working 2 to 3 jobs so one day she could go to Africa. This she eventually did, going back and forth to 18 African countries taking students and teachers with her. Then in June 2000 after a key encounter, she bought a piece of land in Ghana, built her house in 2002 and retired there from teaching. However, it took almost 15 years for her to be granted citizenship. Auntie Earna would say “So many of us are interested in going back. Quite a few of us ended up going to Ghana”. However, once they arrive in Ghana, many African Americans who currently amount to 7,000 people in Ghana alone, pensioners contributing to a minimum of 63 million dollars a year, often have a tourist visa and become illegal once the tourist visa has run out, as there is no swift procedure to recognise this Historical Unique diaspora as lawful Africans.

Mama Imakhus Okofu also known as “One Africa” decided to repatriate to Ghana in 1989 with her husband. They own a health resort which serves as a retreat. Mama Imakhus believes that the mission given to her by the ancestors is “to help as many people as possible to escape from the US.”

To her, The United States remains a land of exploitation of the Black race, the only place in the world where Black citizens are an amendment to the constitution (3/5th of a man), who have eventually been bonified as full humans and granted citizenships. Up to today, she will explain that the Voters Rights Bill still determines every 25 years if Black people can continue voting. Black people, who are undeniably, the builders of America, the farming land, are the only ethnic group this applies to.

However, for these Africans born in America who have been called “negros, coloured, black, Afro-American, African-American”, the reality is bleak when it comes to being recognised on the African continent. Many retirees arrive in Africa with the will and the desire to contribute to the development of the country only to be looked upon as outsiders.

As Ghana was publicly declaring “the year of return”, both Earna and Imakhus attended the Homecoming Summit only to realise that this call to the diaspora was for Ghanaians leaving abroad. Yet, they are hopeful that the message is more than a touristic plot and this year, 250 African Americans who have lived in the country for over 25 years have applied for citizenship and are awaiting a conclusive outcome.

One Africa has also championed a petition in Ghana, click below for more information on the work of these two beautiful sistahs and mamas, as well as for more info on the 6th region of the AU.

Provoking and non-conformist, Serge Aimé Coulibaly is transporting us in a world  where Fela Kuti, the revolutionary icon that inspired the piece Kalakuta Republik, is displayed in 3D through his musical greatness, his murky and superstitious genius, his enduring creativity pushing off boundaries and his unwavering defiance. Kalakuta Republik offers no escape to facing the crude realities of revolutionary acts : the sublime and the chaos.

Part 1 " Without a story we would go mad"  peaks away from codes, from what is predictable into continuous individual movements that take us into a disjointed trance. The dancers are dressed in black and white as if presenting a manichaean view and isolated experience of the world. Yet Serge Coulibaly through his appearances on stage becomes a conductor who connects with the dancers.

In Part 2 « You always need a poet », we are firstly confronted with moral decadence and the absurd. Sexual depravity, drugs, madness punctuate the sounds of jazz-infused Afrobeat. One dancer is hurt, heavyloaded while  others are intoxicated, used, hurt, abused.  The colours remind us of Fela Kuti’s Shrine which was both a temple and a night club. Yet, the poignant and enduring message of hope and political resistance clearly resonates throughout the piece.

The dancers keep on marching, clenched-fists in the air. And the fight goes on !!!

Kalakuta Republik will show one more night at the Barbican on 1st June and at the Edinburgh International Festival from 8th to 11th August 2019. See links below to book your tickets now.

Au départ de Londres Stockwell vendredi 31 mai 2019, 10 bénévoles de l'association panafricaine 'Origin', qui travaille avec des groupes de jeunes afro-caribéens et leurs parents chaque année pour une préparation à un rite de passage basé sur les traditions africaines afin de guider les adolescents de l'enfance au passage à la vie adulte, parcoureront plus de 300km en vélo jusqu'à Paris, entrainés par leur capitaine Adisa Stephen-Ezeocha.

Pablo Reid et deux autres collègues fondèrent il y a 20 ans Origin, désillusionnés par les contraintes du travail social avec les jeunes, oeuvrant trop souvent en isolation de leurs familles. Le programme permet d'équiper parents et enfants à transcender les barrières mentales et psychologiques dressées par leur propre éducation ou leur environnement et à s'engager positivement à contribuer à l'essor de leurs communautés. Pour ce faire, ils lèvent des fonds chaque année en relevant un défi qui témoigne de leur détermination à s'investir auprès des jeunes et à les inspirer. L'année dernière par exemple, ces hommes se sont entrainés intensivement six mois pour une compétition de boxe "White Collar Boxing" qui consiste à combattre des inconnus sur le ring.

Cette année, ils se sont inspirés du cycliste "Major" Taylor, un coureur cycliste américain qui remporte le championnat du monde professionnel de vitesse à Montréal en 1899 et qui détient sept records du monde en 1899 et fait figure de 1899 à 1904 de cycliste sur piste le plus rapide du monde. Il participera notamment à plusieurs compétitions au Parc des Princes et le groupe "Origin" s'y rendra lorsque les 10 bénévoles arriveront à Paris pour lui rendre hommage.

Continuer à lire ci-dessous

Le groupe "Origin" s'est fixé le montant de £6000 sterling à collecter et a déjà réuni £7,521. Pour les soutenir et les voir de passage à Paris, cliquer les liens ci-dessous:

What an inspiring launch night listening to renowned international speakers sharing their passion and endorsing the YBBA's initiative to celebrate, reward and financially invest in our upcoming generation of young black innovative, creative and fierceless entrepreneurs, both men and women alike.

Donna Wilson in charge of YBBA project management and Viv Ahmun in charge of the Strategic vision shared in turn how crucial it was to push a different narrative about young black people and young black people in business.

This project was created to ensure that our next generation of entrepreneurs, visionaries, city builders, leaders and creatives are firmly located in the driver's seat of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It intends to spark one million black led 21st century startups and they are on a mission to get as many organisations, givers and policy makers as possible involved with the project.

The nominations for 2019 are now open. For more info, please click on their website below!

Singers from Aswad and Steel Pulse, namely Brinsley Forde and David Hinds, join forces on the first single of the upcoming Brinsley Forde album "The Tuff Gong Sessions".

The song takes us back to the experience of enslaved deported Africans and their search for identity. The generation that has been told the story and experienced the aftermath of the transatlantic tragedy seems to echo back to this young generation what took place centuries ago!!

Yet the story is still being told and so relevant - we are looking at a grey bearded rastafari man painting sea waves with people voyaging through in the presence of a child who could be his grandson!! And today Black Africans are still dying at sea every day and slavery is still happening as we speak - the alienation from their continent is still real - the children of Africa are still searching for a better tomorrow!!

Executive Producer: Ras Denco. Produced by Ras Denco and Marc Baronner. Mixed by Marc Baronner @ Bass Galore Productions (Leiden, NL).  Recorded @ Tuff Gong (Kingston, JM) and Mixing Lab (Kingston, JM), Brinsley Forde Studio (Tenerife, ESP), Coyote's Hideout (Belgrade, RS). Engineer @ Tuff Gong: Roland Mc Dermot. Video by Romain 'Sherkhan' Chiffre.

As Kwanzaa approaches, there is no better time of the year to discover or re-discover the crafts of Black artisans for gift ideas. On Saturday 1st December, Black History Studies put on a Black Market which we had the pleasure to check out!!

In line with the Ujamaa principle of Kwanzaa (economic cooperation) which aims at building and growing our businesses together and using our collective economic force for the benefit of the entire community, we are delighted to present a number of them and would encourage you to check their products for your festive seasons shopping.

For more info, continue to read on:

We also had the opportunity to interview Nate The Lyricist, a spoken word artist who just released a track called BUY BLXCK (click on link below to listen to the track) and Paul Muhammad, the founder of the Money Mob movement on the importance of collective economics for the Afro-Caribbean communities which would be featured in 2019 in a short documentary on the importance of collective economics for Afro-Caribbean communities.

We would also like to bring to your attention the online directory of our partner Lobby Noir which lists Afro-Caribbean businesses and entrepreneurs for free and help your business grow outside organised and cultural markets. Peace and love to all!!!!

The actual band came together in 2010.  The meaning of the band's name is "united we are stronger" in the Mossi Language, which is the dominant language of Burkina Faso, which counts approximately 70 languages and makes it a multicultural country, as many African nations. Boubacar Kafando and the band's love for people and unity really translate in their love for music; and the expression of their music is to call people to leave in harmony and love each other. They equally address the need for social justice and inequalities or injustice they see around them. It naturally makes perfect sense that the latest album of Boubacar Kafando, released in 2016, is called "faut pas se diviser", we must not be divided.

For more info about Zaama Nooma, Afrobeat band, check the link below:

It is evident that Boubacar's passion and commitment for music is integral, touring throughout the world and raising funds for the work of his charity and he is actively working at promoting the band so that they can comfortably make a living from the art and their craft. That is one of the reason Boubacar Kafando loves performing in London which he considers to be a multicultural city, very open to African Culture and music.

For my part, I have loved seeing Boubacar Kafando and the Zaama Nooma band perform. I loved the energy, the fusion of rock and the traditional rhythmic of the Kora and other traditional instruments.

For Boubacar Kafando's and the Zaama Nooma's Band next concerts, find all the dates on https://www.boubacarkafando.com/

What a fabulous experience seeing and listening to Richard Bona and his Live Band’s performance in the intimacy of the iconic London Jazz Cafe this week and no we didn’t want it stop although he tried hard (for almost 30mns passed his set time) to put us to sleep in the most creative way ever….

Richard Bona is just an incredible and charismatic being, a substantial artist and a huge musical reference in « mankind » register. Not only is his voice smooth, surreal and unique, his music ecclectic and sophisticated, he just connects with any « nation and tribe » on earth !!! We all shared in this remarkable moment of musical genius as Richard connected with the audience representing different countries and started speaking and singing in Italian, « Hungarian », Hindi or Marathi perhaps as he referred to his fans in Mumbai, to name just a few, and even Japanese !!! Yes, while holding a professorship of Jazz music at New York University, Richard Bona spent 4 years learning Japanese (for free !!! as he boasted on stage). We all laughed at his facial expressions as he recalled the astonishement of Japanese tourists on NY tube as he directed them in their native language….. A black man speaking ……………. !!! Anyhow you got it !!!

And the songs he performed that night are just a display of his artistic prowess !! such as Kalabancoro released in 2003 with great groove and tunes, keys and brilliant shifts in sound perspective ; New Bell released in 1999 which alternates between African polyrhythms and bits of jazzy swing, it also encapsulates the depth of the artist as he tells the story, in his native Cameroonian language Douala, of a man falsely imprisoned for 15 years in the Cameroonian prison called New Bell. It has to be said, Richard Bona’s grandfather was a ‘griot’ (West African StoryTeller to keep it simple).

Richard also performed the song « Please don’t stop » birthed from his collaboration with John Legend released in 2005 on his fourth solo album Tiki, which was nominated for Best Contemporary World Music Album at the 49th Grammy Awards, as well as the song Muntula Moto from his latest album Heritage that he released in 2016 under Quincy Jones’ Qwest Label. The title of the song actually means « the benediction of a long life » which talks of the wisdom of old age.

It was a delightful moment !! The cultural and artistic contribution of a great Son of Africa to music and mankind. Sticking to his roots and yet transcending them to a universal musical expression !! Our legacy !!

Thank you Richard Bona and to you all, make sure to check out when this amazing artist comes to your hometown.

See tour dates and locations below, more to come in 2019 !!

Benson Onyekachi is a remarkable millennial professional, both pharmacist and a business owner. Although he is the first to acknowledge the high calibre of governors of Abia State in the last decades, he also observes that very little development has taken place. Competencies are key but so is good character and a real compassionate leadership to ensure that the needs of the locals are catered for and top priority.

« Abia State has had heavy weights since 1999, highly qualified people elected governors, however there has been no development » says Benson Onyekachi.   

Furthermore, he would add « Abia State has the resources, all we need is good people to lead. It’s not rocket science to fix Abia. We have had bigwigs since the creation of Abia State yet we’ve had zero development. We are the poorest in terms of infrastructure. Some of the bigwigs contesting next year have individual capacities to build industries and create jobs but they are not doing so. What does that tell us? Are they coming to steal their share of the National cake just like the past leaders? »

See below his proposed mandate for Abia State

1st Point:

Our Mandate : Data Capacity Building

We will begin building data capacity within the first 15 working days in office.

Given that data is paramount in the 21st century, it's usefulness as a tool in governance cannot be overemphasised.

Firstly, we will collate data on Abia's total population then categorise according to gender, age, location and other factors. Firstly, we will collate data on Abia’s total population then categorise according to gender, age, location and other factors.

This will enable communities to get their fair share of allocations(federal and Internally generated revenue)

Furthermore, these data will help investors in their decision making concerning where to build factories, offices and stores. This will create more accessible employment opportunities

Developers will also use the data in determining where to build new homes and which neighbourhoods to revamp.

Every local government in Abia State and security agencies will also use the data for public safety and emergency preparedness such as disaster-evacuation procedures, policing etc

Abia residents will benefit from data collation and accessible database in supporting community initiatives.

During our term , we will ensure that every birth, death , cause of death , missing persons data are reported and recorded.

All medical/healthcare centres must have accessible medical records. It will be good practice and subsequently a legal requirement to have digital records. This will help enhance our health system and promote life expectancy rate of Abians.

We can assure you that we will strictly protect personal information as part of this development.

In the next coming weeks, we will publish the next 5 points of the manifesto including:

- Health

- Agriculture

- Education

- Transport

- Sports and Recreation

For more info and to follow Benson Onyekachi's campaign, please click the link below and suscribe to his Facebook Page or on Insta @benson_onyekachi.

KOWA Party

KOWA was registered as a political party on July 16, 2009, by a group of Nigerian Civil Society activists, professionals and technocrats.

The founding members of KOWA Party consist of men and women of integrity who wish to contribute to making Nigeria a country where there is economic justice, political sanity, peace, stability, human development and social progress; a country governed in the best interest of the majority who are at present, mostly poor, struggling people, as opposed to the current situation in which there is gross economic injustice and a wide gap between the rich and the poor.

We are mostly political activists, professionals and politicians who did not find a level playing ground in the god-father-dominated political parties. This means that we are not the typical, conventional, rotten politicians' clique.

And that is indeed good news, Benson Onykachi puts it this way "Old ways won't open new doors"

Will you vote for the same parties that have enslaved us for decades?

If the answer is no, VOTE BENSON ONYEKACHI on 28th February 2019!!!

In conclusion, when asked about his overall vision, this is what Benson Onyekachi had to say: "Our Mandate is to launch Abia State to global prominence through massive investment in human capital development, infrastructure and technology".

Yesterday was the launch of the British Collective’s five-day performance at the lively and chic music venue Boisdale in Canary Wharf, London with a live band : keys, bassist, guitarist, drums and vocalists.

Thanks to these four amazingly talented performers, from the get-go, we travelled back to some of the most iconic British soul anthems such as « Family » by Noel Mckoy, « Unbreakable » by Don-E, « There’s nothing like this » by Omar and « Mama used to say » by Junior, to the authentic sound of British Soul music spanning over 30 years, a real treat.

These four artists who are true legends of British Soul Music have sold millions of records worldwide and won many notable industry awards. Individually, they are hugely successful artists but together as the British Collective, you have a dutch pot of different vibes. It’s an incredible fusion of Caribbean and English influenced RnB.

The British Collective released the 1st volume of their album: The Renaissance Begins in 2016, a mix of RB & Soul and their set last night included many of its songs, such as « Romantic » and a « Piece of Heaven » which are pop orientated and the 1st and 2^nd singles released . Shooting the 1st single big video in Crystal Palace actually led on to this artistic collaboration, where the 4 musicians would commit to compose and do the vocals of two songs each to produce an album. Hence, the next songs performed on stage, such as « Take your time », was written by Noel McKoy. It is a Lovers Rock reminiscing the music scene they all experienced in the 80s and 90s including reggae sounds. Remember that the core members of the group all have Jamaican parentage and their West Indian musical heritage influences the sound of their RnB. Their style could be summed up as « the heartbeat of Reggae expressed in soul ». Other album’s tracks such as « That’s why ! » written by Don E and his brother for Omar has got a latin swing to it.

As the concert drew to a close, the icing on the cake was the Live performance of their soon to be released New Single « So ready », a Slow Jam that will melt the hearts of most ladies out there.

In other words, make sure you attend one of the Live Performance of the British Collective at Boisdale this week. They will be performing every night until Friday 23rd November !!! Not to be missed !!

For more info on the British Collective and to book your tickets, click the link below: