Dear Friends of Alaffia,
It is my sincere wish this note finds you and your family in
good health. On behalf of our entire Alaffia team in the US and in West Africa,
I wish you a healthy and peaceful 2015.
May this year be the one where all the citizens of this world foster
peace and reduce the environmental destruction of our planet.
In celebration of African American history month in February
and to honor those that have given their lives for social justice, I feel I
must share with you my reflections on where we Africans are today and to pose
the question whether we are moving our communities forward. From studying the past and through my travels
and observations throughout West Africa, it pains me to conclude the state of current African societies is far
from the just and fair goal for which many before have sacrificed their lives.
From the late 1800s through the civil rights era, almost all the African
nations fought and won independence from European colonial control. During this
time, many thought since we were no
longer under direct European rule, we would be able to create and establish just
societies, but after 60 years of decolonization, the majority of African states
do not have true democracy, and the economic situation is still worsening .
Even sadder, the hope for African unity that many believed would be realized
never came. In fact, we are more divided today than ever.
Examples of Africa’s struggle to move forward can be seen in the
lives and experiences of two of our great musicians. Miriam Makeba was exiled
from her beloved South Africa for 30 years for speaking out against the
atrocities in her own country and expressing her beliefs in African unity. When
she was finally allowed to return home, she was happy to be back with her
family, but she was also disappointed the African unity she had worked so hard
for had never come. Similarly, Boubacar
Traoré, singer and songwriter from Mali, sang of the new hope and optimism in
the 60s for Mali’s independence. Today,
Mali is one of the poorest nations on Earth and is in danger of losing its
great historical legacies, such as the oldest university in Timbuktu, to
religious extremism. 
The future of Africa is utterly bleak without unity. While
there is no guarantee a “just society”
will not be eventually brought down by others, unity allows us to see our
similarities and our differences as a positive element rather than a point of contention.
For instance, the mass genocide of Tutsi by the Hutu in Rwanda may not have
occurred had the two sides focused on their similarities and moved forward
together to resolve economic and social hardships. Unity also prevents general societal collapse
and ongoing colonization. Today, China is economically colonizing many of our
nations, taking advantage of existing weaknesses and divisions among African
nations. Furthermore, a sense of unity leads to positive feelings towards cultural heritage, which creates self-worth and
allows each individual to reach his or her full potential. Therefore, unity is
absolutely essential to a peaceful and functional society.
While we Africans and
the African diaspora are not united as people and communities, we must not give
up. Those of us who are fortunate to see the disconnects must take steps to
further togetherness by providing economic opportunities and ultimately reduce
poverty in our communities. As my mother often says, “One can never be defeated
as long as there is hope.” We cannot concede the struggle for unity and justice.
Together, we can build on the struggles and accomplishments of those before us
and strive for a peaceful and fair world.
Peacefully yours,
Olowo-n’djo Tchala
