To mark Black History Month, Kwame Osei Owusu, President of ACS created this poem ‘The Africa Renaissance’, originally posted on A World to Inspire, Kwame’s personal blog.
The Africa Renaissance by Kwame Osei Owusu
Slavery is not African History.
It rather interrupted it
With four centuries of pain and partition without cohesion.
Only if it could be reversed for our ancestors to live in the harmony
That was stolen away from them.
Why should my generation be constantly reminded about this dark episode between 1400 and 1800?
Why is it dwelled on yet the name of Wilberforce and Sharpe are hardly mentioned for their effort?
Why are we not reminded about our pre-colonial history and heritage by teaching us about them?
But instead all that is heard and shown presses on the wounds that have left scars on this generation
And causing pain and sorrow.
Africa, a continent that can boast about the colourful apparel and accessories weaved and patterned by her indigenous sons and daughters.
A taste of culture that is exhibited by our kingdoms with pride.
How savouring it is to always see a well-sewn Kente cloth wrapped around the shoulders of our Kings or a bespoke African blouse befitting our Queens.
Natural sceneries and minerals are the manna that fell on the soil of our continent.
The attractive and sparkling Great Pyramid and Sphinx standing tall in Kemet, modern day Egypt carry the irresistible force that pulls its admirers to our motherland.
How they wished they were settling on our lands full of gold, oil and the precious sparkling diamonds
Or a cruise over the Ada River
Or a swim across the Nile River
Or strolling on the Sahara Desert
Or the feel of the brightness of the scotching sun glowing all year.
Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest natural elevation above sea level on the continent brings hikers to our home for adventure and pleasure.
Tanzania, one of the homes of great wild life conservation has turned safari ride into a leisure
From hearing the roar of the lion louder to claim their superiority in the jungle
To the giraffe craning its neck longer than it could not to miss the adventure of the leopard sprinting as fast as it could to catch its last prey of the day.
What a beauty encasing mother Africa!
Disaster, they are bound to happen.
But did I hear it banging on the doors of Sierra Leone?
With Ebola claiming the lives of a million and floods sweeping away a community.
How I wished the wailings and empathy could lead to our liberty from the icy claws of death and bringing back our Freetown from anguish.
Now, it has left us to ponder with our palm wine even turning sour.
Is it a sign of wrath of the Creator or is it the negligence of our people?
But what do I hear again?
From political instability crippling the peace and economy of our lands
To terrorism smearing its dirt in the immaculate linen of our motherland.
Whilst Boko Haram is “reigning” Northern Nigeria, Al Shabab is resiliently ruining Somalia.
When will these heartless souls allow the shackles of captivity to be broken off?
Education, the number one priority of Africa.
Mama and Papa cherish education so much that there isn’t a day they won’t remind us about the future
Without even getting scared about the challenges ahead.
Toiling for their children has given us the renowned sons and daughters such as Kofi Annan, Aliko Dangote, Georgina Wood and Ellen Johnson.
But without the acknowledgement of talent on our motherland, who would have thought the world will be listening to our music from Fella Kuti to the new genre, Afrobeat?
Who would have thought the traditional dance of the Ga will be danced worldwide as Azonto?
Who would have thought that the world will be glued behind their TV set to watch Lupita or Idris?
Or who would have thought that the Apartheid will be over for the Bafanabafana to welcome football fanatics around the world with a vuvuzela?
I will not be amazed to discover that Africa has more streams of languages than rivers on the land.
Ghana alone can boast about 56 different languages with Twi as the well-known among all.
I wish I could say the name Mqhele without clicking my tongue.
But it can only be done best in the Ndebele and Zulu accents.
“Asante Sana” and “Meda woase” are enough for us to express our gratitude without even saying Thank you.