Africa Day 2010: What Next for Africa?

Harare, May 25, 2010 - 53 nations, 2nd largest in size and a land rich not only in natural resource but also home to some of the most talent this world has yet to see. Millions flock in year in year out to come and experience the beauty, the freshness and wonders that Africa has in store. Yet still beneath the surface she stands marred with a past that stubbornly refusing to be erased and to cease to torment even her kids being born and yet to be born.


A hundred plus years ago “strangers” came on to our beautiful land. Some had “good intentions” while some, like wolves in sheep skin, came with “evil intentions”. History records of how some were taken away in slavery, some displaced from their homelands, the land taken away as history began to reshape. A lot can be said about the horrible and horrific things that transpired yet not much has been said about what we really lost back then. For in my view, I feel we lost our dignity, our sense of self worth and our identity as a people. For it is during these traumatic times that I feel we lost it. At the crack of the whip and the master’s request, our self worth was trimmed. Subjected to inhumane conditions we ceased to see ourselves as equals. As normal human beings that had the same potential and capacity as everybody else. A new name was given to us and very soon we forgot who we really were. “Kunta Kinte” soon became “George”. Our thought patterns and culture began to follow their shape. What we had always known became “evil” as we embraced what was theirs. Years went by and though the slave trade ended and many African nations have since become “independent” freedom is yet to be fully realized. Freedom not just to own our own resources and run our own sovereign states, we are yet to develop freedom in our mindsets.

Download and read full article by Munya Takawira HERE.

About Munya Takawira
Munya Takawira writes in his capacity as the Director of Volunteering at CIYDA. Munya is also the Founder of Joshua Foundation a partner organization of CIYDA that works with orphans and disadvantaged young people in Zimbabwe. Munya is a youth leader with the Trinity Methodist in Harare and his passion lies in Youth Development when he is not supporting Liverpool FC. Read more of Munya's work on his Blog: http://munyataks.blogspot.com/

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