Kwame Nkrumah

Our Youth in the Diaspora Must Turn Adversity to Advantage by Harnessing the Power of the Digital Revolution to Form Joint E-Ventures with their Counterparts in Africa Speech by Dr. Charles Quist-Adade at the Sixty-Sixth Independence Anniversary of the Republic of Ghana in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada on March 25

 At 66, Ghana stands at the crossroads of mid-life and “senior citizenship” of nationhood. In the life of a nation, 66 years is but a short time. However, in the lives of its citizens, 66 years is a long time indeed. For both the nation and its citizens, it is a time filled with realized and unrealized aspirations, fulfilled and dashed hopes. It’s, I am convinced, such thoughts of mixed feelings of promise and premonition that filled the heart of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, our pioneer president on Independence Day on March 6, 1957, on the hallowed Old Polo grounds in Accra, our nation’s capital. Flanked by his comrades and facing hundreds of thousands of his compatriots, tears streamed down his cheeks as he declared the immortal words: “At long last, the battle has ended, and thus Ghana, your beloved country is free forever.” Those were tears of joy and hope, but also tears of premonition for the peril that lay ahead of him, his country, and Africa. Like Moses, Dr. Nkrumah feared he would never see the Promised Land of his country’s economic independence. He also feared that he would not live long enough to see his pet dream of an African Union Government come to fruition. “The cancer of betrayal.” But another ominous fear that drew those tears was what former Guinea-Bissau leader, Amilcar Cabral described at Nkrumah’s funeral as “the cancer of betrayal.” Nkrumah feared that his people would betray him and thus jettison his dream of turning African cities into “the metropolises of science, technology, medicine,

education.” The illustrious African Martinique psychiatrist Frantz Fanon once said: “Every generation, out of obscurity, must discover its mission and either fulfill it or betray it.” The question to us, especially the younger generation, is: Have we discovered our mission? And if we have, have we betrayed or fulfilled it? Our independence leaders fought for the political independence of our country. But that independence turned out to be nominal, in name only in many areas. Some call it “flag and anthem independence.” Our country is still heavily dependent on our former colonial masters, economically and one dares to say, politically. Thus, the mission of our generation and our children is to liberate our country economically. Trans-hemispheric Unity But we cannot do this alone. As we take a step on the journey to the next 66 years of our country’s nationhood, let’s particularly our youth, rededicate ourselves to the Pan-Africanist and Global Africanist cause Dr. Nkrumah lived and died for. Dr. Nkrumah once observed: “If in the past the Sahara divided us, today, it must unite us.” In the same vein, I would like to suggest that if in the past the Atlantic Ocean and the Hemispheres divided us, today they must unite Continental Africans and all People of African Descent in the Diaspora. 2 You are African No Matter Where You Were Born As the Pan-Africanist musicians, Bob Marley, Burning Spear, Peter Tosh, Uroy, and many others of blessed of have reminded us, no matter where you were born, you are an African. All Africans—Continental, African-Canadians, African Americans, African-Jamaicans, African- Brazilians, etc.—are bound by a common destiny and their roots in the Mother Continent. Dr. Nkrumah declared on Independence Day that, “The independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it is linked with the total liberation of the entire African continent.” Today, it can be said in the same vein that the emancipation of Africa from the shackles of colonialism is meaningless unless it is linked with the total liberation of the entire African Diaspora. The reverse is also true, that is, the emancipation of people of African descent from the vestiges of slavery is meaningless unless it is organically linked with the complete liberation of the continent. For, no person of African descent can walk anywhere in the world chest up and proud until Africa is economically and politically free and prosperous. The pioneers of the African liberation movement and their counterparts in the Pan-Africanist movement in North America and Europe understood this message and took it seriously. Throughout the heady years of Pan-Africanism, Africans on the continent and their cousins in the Diaspora worked together to uplift our people. Pan-Africanism in Practice Many of the Pan-Africanist leaders in the Diaspora did not only work hand-in-hand with independence leaders like Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Nnamdi Azikiwe of Nigeria, etc. from the continent while they were on a sojourn in the West, but many of them also moved following their comrades to Africa to help build their newly liberated countries. For example, George Padmore from Trinidad was Ghana's Minister of African Affairs, and African American Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois was Nkrumah's adviser. If it was possible then for Continental Africans and Diaspora Africans to work together then, it should be possible today too. Dr. Nkrumah admonished us that “The close links forged between Africans and peoples of African descent for nearly a century of common struggle must inspire and strengthen us.” For, he continued, “Although the outward forms of our struggle may change, it remains, in essence, the same, a fight to the death against oppression, racism, and exploitation.” That is why it is pertinent that Continental Africans and their counterparts in the industrialized West must begin, as a matter of urgency, to build bridges of economic unity. We must begin to forge economic and commercial links through joint ventures. The challenge for our youth, therefore, is to form an economic alliance, build micro-enterprises; build social and cultural bridges between us and our cousins in the Diaspora. The need for trans hemispheric unity cannot be over-emphasized. Turning the Brain-Drain to Brain-Gain by Harnessing the Digital Revolution I would like to end with an appeal and a challenge to our youth: It is heart-wrenching to see thousands of your compatriots perish in the Mediterranean Sea and the Sahara. Dessert, fleeing poverty and hardship at home in search of a better livelihood in Europe. You can help stem the tide of this unspeakable tragedy. As “digital citizens,” you possess the skill set, heart-set, mindset, and know-how to turn adversity to advantage by helping to turn the brain drain into 3 brain gain by harnessing the power of the digital revolution: You must team up with your African and Canadian friends to form joint micro-e-ventures in commerce, culture, and education for the mutual benefit of both Africa and Canada. Small is beautiful, they say. While dreaming and thinking big is not bad, you should be mindful that small ventures, such as the adoption of the village school or the small-town clinic and fundraising to supply its digital infrastructure is something within your reach. The illustrious African Martinique psychiatrist, writer, philosopher, and pan-Africanist extraordinaire, Frantz Fanon once said: “Every generation, out of obscurity, must discover its mission and either fulfill it or betray it.” Our independence leaders and before them, many valiant Ghanaians, including the fearless Asante warrior Queenmother, Yaa Asantewa discovered their mission when they fought for the political independence of our country. The question to our youth is: Have you discovered your mission, and if you have, will you betray it or fulfill it?


THANK YOU! --


education.” The illustrious African Martinique psychiatrist Frantz Fanon once said: “Every generation, out of obscurity, must discover its mission and either fulfill it or betray it.” The question to us, especially the younger generation, is: Have we discovered our mission? And if we have, have we betrayed or fulfilled it? Our independence leaders fought for the political independence of our country. But that independence turned out to be nominal, in name only in many areas. Some call it “flag and anthem independence.” Our country is still heavily dependent on our former colonial masters, economically and one dares to say, politically. Thus, the mission of our generation and our children is to liberate our country economically. Trans-hemispheric Unity But we cannot do this alone. As we take a step on the journey to the next 66 years of our country’s nationhood, let’s particularly our youth, rededicate ourselves to the Pan-Africanist and Global Africanist cause Dr. Nkrumah lived and died for. Dr. Nkrumah once observed: “If in the past the Sahara divided us, today, it must unite us.” In the same vein, I would like to suggest that if in the past the Atlantic Ocean and the Hemispheres divided us, today they must unite Continental Africans and all People of African Descent in the Diaspora. 2 You are African No Matter Where You Were Born As the Pan-Africanist musicians, Bob Marley, Burning Spear, Peter Tosh, Uroy, and many others of blessed of have reminded us, no matter where you were born, you are an African. All Africans—Continental, African-Canadians, African Americans, African-Jamaicans, African- Brazilians, etc.—are bound by a common destiny and their roots in the Mother Continent. Dr. Nkrumah declared on Independence Day that, “The independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it is linked with the total liberation of the entire African continent.” Today, it can be said in the same vein that the emancipation of Africa from the shackles of colonialism is meaningless unless it is linked with the total liberation of the entire African Diaspora. The reverse is also true, that is, the emancipation of people of African descent from the vestiges of slavery is meaningless unless it is organically linked with the complete liberation of the continent. For, no person of African descent can walk anywhere in the world chest up and proud until Africa is economically and politically free and prosperous. The pioneers of the African liberation movement and their counterparts in the Pan-Africanist movement in North America and Europe understood this message and took it seriously. Throughout the heady years of Pan-Africanism, Africans on the continent and their cousins in the Diaspora worked together to uplift our people. Pan-Africanism in Practice Many of the Pan-Africanist leaders in the Diaspora did not only work hand-in-hand with independence leaders like Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Nnamdi Azikiwe of Nigeria, etc. from the continent while they were on a sojourn in the West, but many of them also moved following their comrades to Africa to help build their newly liberated countries. For example, George Padmore from Trinidad was Ghana's Minister of African Affairs, and African American Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois was Nkrumah's adviser. If it was possible then for Continental Africans and Diaspora Africans to work together then, it should be possible today too. Dr. Nkrumah admonished us that “The close links forged between Africans and peoples of African descent for nearly a century of common struggle must inspire and strengthen us.” For, he continued, “Although the outward forms of our struggle may change, it remains, in essence, the same, a fight to the death against oppression, racism, and exploitation.” That is why it is pertinent that Continental Africans and their counterparts in the industrialized West must begin, as a matter of urgency, to build bridges of economic unity. We must begin to forge economic and commercial links through joint ventures. The challenge for our youth, therefore, is to form an economic alliance, build micro-enterprises; build social and cultural bridges between us and our cousins in the Diaspora. The need for trans hemispheric unity cannot be over-emphasized. Turning the Brain-Drain to Brain-Gain by Harnessing the Digital Revolution I would like to end with an appeal and a challenge to our youth: It is heart-wrenching to see thousands of your compatriots perish in the Mediterranean Sea and the Sahara. Dessert, fleeing poverty and hardship at home in search of a better livelihood in Europe. You can help stem the tide of this unspeakable tragedy. As “digital citizens,” you possess the skill set, heart-set, mindset, and know-how to turn adversity to advantage by helping to turn the brain drain into 3 brain gain by harnessing the power of the digital revolution: You must team up with your African and Canadian friends to form joint micro-e-ventures in commerce, culture, and education for the mutual benefit of both Africa and Canada. Small is beautiful, they say. While dreaming and thinking big is not bad, you should be mindful that small ventures, such as the adoption of the village school or the small-town clinic and fundraising to supply its digital infrastructure is something within your reach. The illustrious African Martinique psychiatrist, writer, philosopher, and pan-Africanist extraordinaire, Frantz Fanon once said: “Every generation, out of obscurity, must discover its mission and either fulfill it or betray it.” Our independence leaders and before them, many valiant Ghanaians, including the fearless Asante warrior Queenmother, Yaa Asantewa discovered their mission when they fought for the political independence of our country. The question to our youth is: Have you discovered your mission, and if you have, will you betray it or fulfill it?

THANK YOU! --

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