Discours de Kambale Musavuli au Black Unity Festival de la Caroline du Nord-USA

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Brother Amari,

Brother Leo,

Distinguished guests,

Speakers,

Fellow Aggies,

On April 29, 1992, I was in Kinshasa, D.R., very young but still was watching how the events of the LA ( Los Angeles ) Riots were unfolding. Back then, I thought that Rodney King was actually beaten during the riots, as the media portrayed it. Today as I live in the US, I realize that the facts were that when a mostly white jury acquitted four police officers accused in the videotaped beating of Rodney King, the people revolted in the streets.

I am walking down memory lane to show all of us how History can change depending on who is telling the story and why?

Sorius Samura, a Sierra Leonean documentary filmmaker said once:

"It is my belief that unless we Africans can tell our own story within context and show an Africa that has not been seen before, the West will continue to throw their hands up in despair believing that our continent is full of a bunch of confused savages that is now beyond salvation and redemption. The only way the West can understand and treat us seriously is to hear the African story first hand from the African perspective rather than the usual whitie version – so why not take the risk if that can help turn things around for our Continent"

I come to you today as an African son who wants to tell you the truth about our beautiful land, envied by so many.

Cobalt, Coltan, Copper, Niobium, Tantalum, Petroleum, Diamonds, Gold, Silver, Zinc, Manganese, Tin, Uranium, Coal, Hydropower, Natural gas and so many more are just one of the minerals we have in that land.

Did you know that besides oil and diamonds, Africa is the continent that has almost all the world’s reserves of the scarcest and most precious minerals, the platinum group minerals: platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, tantalum, niobium, iridium, and osmium. They are used in minute amounts in electronic and space-age materials, medical instruments, and other high precision devices. Without these minerals there would not have been a New Technology Age. And who has the advantage of it? In any case NOT Africa ! The western world knows this since long but most Africans didn’t!

Somehow, after we were separated through slavery, we lost communication. The System here in the was built in such a way that Africans here in the would not be able to know the truth about their root in Africa . They wanted you, my brothers and sisters, not to be able to point to Africa as the White can do for Europe . The system here made sure that you hate us by telling you stories instead of facts about slavery so that you forget your beautiful land and they could continue to rob it every single day. This is where we need to build a bridge, my beautiful brothers and sisters.

An African-American student here at North Carolina A&T State University affirmed, during an interview, that they felt a major problem between Africans and African Americans is communication. The individual stated, "Because I am African-American I feel as though I’m trapped in two worlds, neither of which accepts me. I feel as though if I went back to Africa, I would not be fully accepted because I’m not "African" enough; but on the other hand living here in the , I feel second rated, undermined, and under appreciated." If Africans and African Americans would just take the time to get to know, listen, and understand one another, there would not be such a large separation, and each could help to educate, enlighten, and benefit the other.

Sankofa is the only way we can all come together. Sankofa is an Akan word that means "We must go back and reclaim our past so we can move forward; so we understand why and how we came to be who we are today."

We have spoken extensively about coming together, we have had marches and protests, we have done the Black Power movement, but we still have not unified the black community. We should now try a different venue.

I challenge every single one of you today, to love thy brother and sister, to make sure thy neighbor is well, to help the needy. I challenge you today to invest in the black community.

My brothers and sisters, our future rests in our hands. And that should fill us with hope and confidence. Africa has as much potential, creativity, passion and hope. The best way to make it so powerful is to invest in Africa . Imagine if we could have trade that could only go through the blacks’ hands, we will start the Wall Street of the Millennium.

I have so much to tell you about Africa, but I want you to realize that Africa is not what you think it is. If you get a chance to visit a country there, be sure to share your experience with others. I know, deep in my heart that we can come together, we should come together, and we will come together as one.

There is an old African proverb: "When a mountain is in your path, do not sit at its foot and cry. Get up and climb it." We happen to be the generation on whom this opportunity is offered. To achieve the Black Unity, we do indeed have a mountain to climb, and we will be with you at every step of the way.

We have been waiting for you, at home for so long. Can you hear the chants, can you feel the joy we have of knowing time is ticking until we see you again?

Brothers and Sisters, it’s time to come Home. Let’s Go Home.

[ www.benilubero.com ]

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Kambale G. Musavuli

President of AAS- NC A&T University ( USA )

Beni-Lubero Online