By Ambassador Andrew
Wutaunashe

Beginning this week, The Patriot shall be serialising Ambassador Andrew Wutaunashe’s book, Dear Africa – The Call of The African Dream. Ambassador Wutaunashe says he dedicated the book to those men, women and children who gave their lives for the emancipation, freedom, dignity and self determination of black people everywhere. He says may their Dream live in the hearts of generation after generation, and bring upward change to the face of Africa and Black People everywhere.

Preface

I HOPE you are one of those enlightened people who are concerned about the state of the black people, people of African origin who are both on the African continent and in all nations of the world.
It is with reference to this people that the term ‘Africa’ or ‘African’ is used throughout this book.
The author acknowledges that there are people of other colours, historical background or other immigrants who qualify for the term ‘African’ by reason of descent or by reason of a choice to make this beautiful continent their home. However, it is common cause that the overwhelming majority of people who are today inhabitants of the continent of Africa and whose progenitors are the acknowledged indigenous owners of Africa, are the black people.
The state of black people both on and outside the continent of Africa continues to be a matter of great concern.
Crime ravages disadvantaged black communities.
The grim spectre of poverty and economic deprivation appears to persistently overshadow black people’s lives wherever they are.
Political confusion plagues various African nations and often results in endemic social strife and civil wars.
Divisions are chronic, and unity, including the uniting of the African continent, is a long overdue, yet indispensable goal for the future strength of black people.
The economic, military and political weakness of black nations has fostered a culture of dependence which some predator nations in turn take advantage of in order to undermine the self determination of black people.
From these nations flows a relentless pontificating which appears to imply that the woes of black people are due to their alleged monopoly of the triplet cultures of inferiority complex, incompetence and corruption.
The reality is that most of the troubles of black people are rooted in the devastating effects of such abuses as slavery and colonialism.
These abuses mothered an economic and psychological plunder of black people from which effective tools and remedies for recovery have not yet been put into the hands of black people.
Not even the concept of Reparations or a Marshal Plan has been considered requisite for a people who endured a sustained holocaust and four hundred years of plunder at the hands of other races.
It is a telling indictment of former oppressors of black people that even today, over 50 years after Kenya’s independence, Kenyans have to sue the British government in a London High Court for compensation for numerous atrocities which included such unthinkable acts of sheer blood lust as castration of male victims in detention camps.
In occasionally chronicling some of the wrongs done to black people, it is not the aim of this author to imprison black people in bitterness and self-pity, nor to provide them an excuse for perpetually remaining in a place of disadvantage.
To the contrary, awareness of their painful history and its far reaching effects empowers them and all who genuinely desire to partner with them on their challenging journey to their restoration by helping them to understand the root causes of their problems so as to accurately deal with them.
The rise of black people everywhere is in the interest of the whole human race.
This author believes that there is purpose and design in the diversity of nations on the face of the earth—that each people should rise to their prime and enrich all peoples with their unique contributions in various areas.
This is the reason why black people must now themselves take responsibility for their ascent among nations into a place of competitiveness.
African leaders must take every step necessary to resist any attempt by former colonial masters to reimpose a schoolboy-schoolmaster relationship.
Through unity and a true belief in themselves, black people can realise genuine self-determination. This book is a letter to all black people and to those who choose to be their partners, to help them to understand the strategic areas that need to be dealt with for the rise of black people.
Often we believe it is material things that if put in our hands will cause us to rise. To the contrary, you will learn in this book that the resources needed for the rise of the black people are for the most part abstract and are already within us.
This book is required reading for every blackman, woman and child.
It is also an important book which all leaders of black people — political, social, educational, business, religious — indeed leaders in every area — cannot afford to ignore.
It is indeed, a personal letter to you.

Ambassador Jonathan Wutawunashe, MA International Relations, American University.