Willie Chinyamurindi
Cape Town - One of the most celebrated groups to come out of South Africa was the trio known as Chimora.
Assembled by Sello Chicco Twala, the group gained notoriety through the fusion of what some have called South African bubblegum music.
The group used simple lyrics woven through a tapestry of an Afro-beat sound. Chimora consisted of Tiny Mbuli, Maki Motloung, and Tshidi Wildeman.
A distinctive contribution by the group was the song Mayibuye iAfrika, a heartfelt prayer for Africa and her people. Mayibuye iAfrika, as a song, received appreciation globally, and especially on the African continent.
Documented experiences exist online of people from all corners of the continent expressing fond appreciation for the brilliance that was in Chimora, especially the song Mayibuye iAfrika.
The song is a combination of the cries due to the vicissitudes of uncertainty created by the past yet also an appreciation of a brighter future despite the ghosts of the present.
Four themes form the core of Mayibuye iAfrika. These four themes intrigue me as a narrative researcher, as they potentially assist in how we potentially can make sense to the world around us.
The first theme, “Kudala silila silila sililela iAfrika mama” – the continued cry for Africa, considering the past actions of the present and desires for the future.
Second, “sikhala sithandaza’ sikhalela inkululeko mama” – the continued call for Africa to experience the freedom she deserves.
Third, “sithandazela omnyama’ bamhlope bahlangane” – the importance of unification across the varying divides on the continent of Africa.
Finally, “musan’ukulwa’ masakheni iafrika ikhule” – the desire for Africa to stop fighting and be on the growth trajectory.
May 25 is known as Africa Day in several African countries. It was 60 years ago a vehicle was set in motion.
The aim is to have a unified Africa from Cape to Cairo.
Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana brought together 32 African governments to become signatories to the Organisation of African Unity.
The rallying call for this was what would begin as the elusive chase for African freedom. Nkrumah would bemoan and express poignantly “the independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it is linked up with the total liberation of the continent”.
In commemorating this year’s Africa Day, the Africa Union has themed this year’s celebration “Our Africa, Our Future”.
The aim here is for Africans to reflect and seize the opportunity to shape the narrative about the journey of Africa. This is a journey that started with Nkrumah in 1963 and has its play in the present day.
In David Birmingham’s book Kwame Nkrumah: The Father of African Nationalism, the author succinctly summates Nkrumah’s ideal for Africa to be a quest for liberation, freedom and prosperity.
Back to the song by Chimora. The storied journey for the future of the African continent can be summarised in our dogged pursuit of the four themes in Mayibuye iAfrika.
This could be the silver lining of the measurable and factual prowess that exists on the continent.
We need, as Africans, to be pioneering and taking a global progressive stand on issues. For instance, a matter requiring a responsive agenda from African governments would be the issue of clean energy.
African governments must take up the opportunity at Dubai’s upcoming 2023 edition of the Conference of the Parties (COP28).
Notably, most emerging markets, the predominant number on the African continent, are experiencing an energy crisis. Figures released by the International Energy Agency attribute a crucial role in Africa's self-sustenance given the energy challenges.
By 2030, the continent could produce 80% of the new power generation required using clean energy sources.
These sources include a) solar, b) wind, c) geothermal, d) hydro-power, and other e) renewable energy sources.
In occupying such an important role, the continent may need to implement appropriate capabilities, especially in the form of leadership, in heading towards this utopia.
This includes challenging the sneering comments such as “Can anything good come out of Africa”. Part of the problem is that we have become complacent and supremely comfortable as Africans with such pithy slogans.
We need, as Africans, to protect the freedoms of all on the continent. There is a case of opposites here.
On one end, consider the strides reported by The World Bank in the Women, Business, and the Law index, noting more than half of all reforms promoting the advancement of women have been implemented in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Such a report becomes essential and could tell about the temperature and changing mood in Africa towards access to opportunity for women.
However, there are also noted concerns on the ground. These are concerns that reveal glaring contradictions.
How do you sell the success of the continent on one side, yet on the other, you are also whispering false poison and dull truths?
Notably, here, the continent has not done well in some countries.
Reports of the persecution of minority groups are on the increase. This also includes, as noted in some African countries, the quashing of press freedom and even the right to strike existing as an anathema.
As we measure our strides in the liberation of Africans, we should equally be concerned and awaken our senses to the presence of violations of freedoms.
Such atrocities warrant an injury to us all as Africans.
The faintest cry and violation of such liberties on the continent are a personal attack on the ideals espoused by Nkrumah.
We need to promote unity across the continent, albeit the varying divides. Notably, these varying divides manifest in continued conflict on the African continent.
Take, for instance, the noted tribal conflicts attributed to the ensuing violence and conflict in a number of our African countries.
These conflicts have, at the most, led to the continued generational hate flag amongst Africans. The slippery slope of hate is well-greased through the epoch of time and a baton passed from one generation to the other.
We need to address the eyesore and areas experiencing protracted conflict.
The issue of ongoing war and continued conflict on the African continent has been a fly in the ointment.
An example here is the war zone that is Sudan. This ongoing war indicates how quickly we have stalled our efforts toward a progressive Africa, espoused by Nkrumah.
Take, for instance, due to the continuing war, there has been varied devastation in Sudan. This includes disruptions to power, the internet, and the destruction of infrastructure. Adding to this toll is the ruin of human life. This includes death and forced migration into neighbouring countries such as Egypt.
In aiming for growth of African markets, some pointers can be gleaned.
First, African governments need to keep money in the value chain activities. For instance, in mineral activities, keep everything possibly on the continent from extraction, processing and marketing.
Second, ensure local communities benefit from such activities.
Third, given the inevitability of belonging to the global world, African countries need to develop partnerships with trading blocs that matter.
An initiative to be commended here is the African Continental Free Trade Area, to which several African countries are signatories. The commendable prospect here is the elimination of trade barriers between African member countries. Such a move has the potential to have spin-offs, allowing for socio-economic development on the continent.
Indeed, Mayibuye iAfrika, the time is now for us to occupy our position of influence and authority in the world.
This is an ideal birthed by Nkrumah, a quest that deserves to be continued by all who identify themselves with this beautiful continent.
Chinyamurindi is a professor at the University of Fort Hare. He travels the African continent funded through the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences and the National Research Foundation through the African Pathways Programme and the Knowledge, Interchange and Collaboration funding instruments. He writes in his personal capacity.
Cape Times