Is Pan-Africanism a Scam?

Is Pan-Africanism a Scam?
By Colin Stanley

Flashback to the early 2000’s, life was easy to say the least. I was a boy in primary school. The education system then favored the up rise of academies and I had no idea of what Pan Africanism was. I was sure though that Nelson Mandela was the first black President of South Africa. In Kenya back then, life was easy, young graduates were celebrated in ways that glorified academia. We could see them in their new white shirts as we waited for the school van to pick us up. Then academies were more like those military camps in China where discipline is the road to success. Everything was done by program and one had to adhere or else the cane came in handy. Then Pan Africanism seemed like an old adage, an old clothing that no 90’s kid wanted to wear.

Today, Pan Africanism tastes like mokimo and chicken stew. It is colored as opposed to the then black and white images of our leaders in the small-boxed television sets. Today, with the assistance of worldwide media and Internet, Pan Africanism becomes a thing one could pursue. Having risen from the classrooms to finding purpose of being African, one becomes curious as to whether this generation appreciates culture. In this context, in modern weeding customary rights, the Ankara design is necessary wear in the ceremony. In past occasions, during the same events, people used to wear expensive clothing some having been imported. Then, in these times, Pan Africanism was something that was a side dish. Then being African was left to the ones who tilled the land back in the rural areas.
In this century, there have been many advancements especially in technology and science. It is through such developments that I could presume the world went ahead of itself and perhaps there became an increasing demand in the knowing of culture. Today, there are various points in the globe that are specifically interested in knowing the culture of the African person beyond the ties of slavery. It is in this context that us the African youth is by a further extent has a role to play in the realization of the dream of the pioneer Pan Africanist. It is in this stature that recognizing their effort will enhance our dream of achieving a united Africa.

Pan Africanism now faces new thoughts in many areas. Being African is a responsibility that is laden with many points of view to loo at. Talk of FGM, polygamy, and the rituals that were a solid pillar in the identity of the African person. Then some of these practices were the pride and rare to the mouths of the skin wearing people. However, within this context, there was the social order that held these people for generations. Through research and insight from the African person, it is possible to derive the true way of the African life. Through these, it is possible to interact with other cultures from different parts of the world. It is in this sense that the rest of the world would truly understand the ways and culture of the African person.

Colin Stanley currently takes the Program, “Write Your Passion” and hopes to influence the world through the Pen