Homage Africa:An African Tribute

By Samuel Ofori

"Prepare to embark on an extraordinary literary journey with 'Homage Africa' – a brilliantly integrated contemporary satire that unravels the pivotal role Africans play in shaping their own destinies. This thought-provoking masterpiece sheds light on the profound impact of ignorance and misguided cultural influences, while reimagining Africans with a reservoir of knowledge substantial enough to catalyze transformation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Samuel Ofori
• Release date: Oct 14, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223712169

Samuel Ofori

Born at Kyebi in the Eastern Region of Ghana, Ofori Samuel artistically writes, putting into perspective awakening experiences and techniques, that walk young minds, down the authentic self, as well as the discovery of their skills and life purpose. His activism offers practical tools that repress the disruptions of time. Established in June 2015, Ofori Samuel (Kofi Barima) chairs We And Them Consult - a creative firm, that focuses on publication, public speaking, and personal growth. As a pious Authorpreneur, Ofori Samuel is bent on supporting the fine art of human growth through writing, leadership, and public speaking. Homage Africa is one of his classics.

Book preview

HOMAGE AFRICA

An African Tribute

With Kind Words To

White-Slavery and Successful Africans

Ofori Samuel

Writing as Kofi Barima

Homage Africa:

Carries Revolutionary Message of Simple Truths,

Told with Tender Love for Fellow Countrymen:

Africa! Judge Tenderly of me Afterwards!

HOMAGE AFRICA

Copyright © 2022 Ofori Samuel. Text reversed © 2023

All rights reserved.

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No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means: electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise without the author's prior permission, except as provided by copyright law.

WE AND THEM INSTITUTE

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Cover Design © 2021 by Tabi Boadi Gideon

Proofreading: Elder Emmanuel Kobea | Enoch Opoku Antwi (Ph.D.) | Inspt. Akwesi Ofori

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-9988-3-3300-3

Satire | African literature

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to Professor Enoch Opoku Antwi, Elder Emmanuel Kobea, Pastor Benedict Eghan, Inspector Akwesi Ofori, and team WE AND THEM for the assistance, proofs, and edits. 

I am also grateful to the many individuals and writers upon whose work I have freely drawn. My most incredible privilege to be associated with you!

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

DEDICATION

FOREWORD

How and Why Homage Africa

CHAPTER 1  Eurocentrism: The Ruin of Africa

CHAPTER 2  Assimilation

CHAPTER 3  White-Slavery

CHAPTER 4  Self-Discovery

CHAPTER 5 Acrimony;

CHAPTER 6  Demystifying Vague Religious Myths

CHAPTER 7  The Tribute:

CHAPTER 8  Africa's Mainstream Media

CHAPTER 9  The Power of Technology― Social Media

CHAPTER 10  Mapping Out

CHAPTER 11  Unity—Key in Rebuilding Africa

CHAPTER 12  The Rebuild of Africa’s Century

REFERENCES

DEDICATION

To The People Of African Descent

FOREWORD

The importance of credibility is to speak accurately and credibly. Distortion violates communication rules, even if the words spoken are valid. There are many ways to distort the truth. Statistics can be manipulated, partial truths can mislead, and facts can be exaggerated. Often, these efforts are deliberate. Other times, the author maintains the illusion of being truthful. Homage Africa is different. It is different in the sense that the book is dynamic. It digests African history and experience and explores how Africans can walk the path of success by learning from the past.

Most importantly, the message is delivered with the tender love of hard truths. The author, Ofori Samuel, writing as Kofi Berima, clarifies that what some Africans don't want to know about our inheritance and future is also part of us, which must be told as a tribute. Faced with many structural and leadership challenges, this book is revolutionary. Ultimately, what we are and the people we have become, to a great extent, is the result of our choices, past and present. 

The author makes that clear and further proposes solutions and acceptance of the painful past, mapping out successful strategies of unity to help rebuild Africa. I could decipher lamentation in the author's spirit and voice in his quest for a better Africa. I particularly like this from the book: The time to bravely give up on ignorance, excuses, reliance, complaints, boast of natural endowments, and rather give our brains useful tasks is long due page 24.

His frustration for long-awaited change and the blaming game for Africa's present situation is evident. The good news is that frustration is the beginning of change. This book is leading Africa to the learning edge of self-knowledge and transformation; that is why I endorse it. 

Enoch Opoku Antwi (Ph.D.)

Dean, School of Business Administration and Communication Arts, Academic City University College

Accra Ghana.

How and Why Homage Africa

National Assignment for a Patriotic Goal

To help lessen the tremendous psychosocial disruptions daunting everyday Africans, WE AND THEM INSTITUTE―a nonprofit entrepreneurial social group, has since 2015 conducted a private search to ascertain the recurrent futility, predominantly in Ghana and sub-Saharan Africa. Through widespread search, social interactions, and analysis of everyday Africans' outlook―thought patterns, emotional state, and behaviors, our findings reveal distrust and an absolute corrupt tendency, vulnerability, and desperation in the subregion. 

Faced with fierce battles for real-world freedom and the possibility of a wipe-out, the rowdy and avid struggle between the invading 'forces' in the 1400s, and even much earlier, within sub-Sahara Africa appears to be the underlying cause of Africa's frustration. Presently, it is increasingly evident that Africa is ‘ethically endangered.’ The twined cracks and dangers within homes, religious communities, institutions, and individuals pose significant threats to Africa.

Homage Africa demonstrates an awareness and remediation of the diverse cracks in the subregion and reimagines everyday Africans with a high sense of purpose. As exemplified by Nelson Mandela, Africans can push beyond the limits of every constrained cell to initiate fruitful lifetime revolutions. It is just a matter of realization and urgency! 

Reflectively read on!

OFORI SAMUEL, KOFI BERIMA

Co-Founder, WE AND THEM INSTITUTE

CHAPTER 1

Eurocentrism: The Ruin of Africa

It is often forgotten that when the Europeans gained enough maritime skills and gunpowder to conquer most of the world, they colonized not only the bulk of the world's people but also the interpretation of history itself… 

―   John Henrik Clarke 

Africa! Oh, Africa!

Count it all blessing; count it all joy!

You beautifully craft the lives of many

Without the gratitude of many

But we who know your greatness,

Shall ever be grateful!

1400 – 2022

Welcome to the grand stage of Homage Africa―a reawakening African experience, told as a tribute. The tribute extols Africa, whereas stimulating Africans, dead or alive, the motivated and yet to be motivated. Being an African can often be uncomfortable; however, nature teaches that humans create their essence. Set on the indomitable wild and rugged shores of Africa, precisely Ghana―the Warrior King, and probably the most exciting place in Africa with colonial odds and ends; the tribute seeks to intellectually stimulate as many as possible Africans, particularly those with similar geopolitical histories. Be ready for an incredible journey into the limitless possibilities of the motherland. 

Africa means many things to many people; nevertheless, being an African is a beautiful experience. It is a great lie that Africans are stupid, lazy, inferior, and unable to rule themselves. It is also a great lie that Africans are powerless or unable to evolve. You only need to be African enough to appreciate Africa (Africans). Unstoppably, Africa is progressively developing through diverse ideas, skills, cultures, and perspectives, contributing to growth and success. The more the attempts to corrupt or bring into disrepute the beauty, creativity, and diversity of Africa, the more Africa evolves. Africa is Africa. It is all there's for Africans. 

Growth can be uncomfortable, yet it is inevitable. The most significant factor is Africans' hard-wired need to connect meaningfully with themselves as much as the world. The major challenge for the everyday African set herein is to muster a sense of responsibility over victim mindset, logic over delusion, and an appreciation of science and technology over needless obsessions. The tribute directs attention to the importance of responsibility and an audacious reconciliation through psychological and attitudinal reformation. For example, a shift from low self-esteem, colonial influence, reliance, recklessness, ignorance, prejudice, and fanaticism. Here is a suitable time for Africans to intentionally, confidently, flexibly, and authentically rebuild their lives.

Adaptability is critical in building meaningful relationships and a vast realm of strong institutions. The brain cells of everyday Africans cannot forever be imprisoned with horrific experiences. The inadaptability of even the most powerful, brave, or patriotic individual, family, race, community, or nation to changing trends ultimately leads to devastation. It takes flexibility, self-reliance, and a positive outlook to become everything you thought you could never become. Humans are only limited in the mind, hence the need for consciousness to transcend limiting beliefs.

An illuminated African populace has the potency to create a settling and productive African society―politically, culturally, economically, and spiritually. There is a meaningful difference between situations that leave trails for expansion and those beckoning a walkover. The urgency for complete African independence has an incredible opportunity to reimagine Africa. Fortunately, the most needed asset to illuminate the journey is readily available to every African. The effective use of the mind is a certainty for the total transformation of humanity. Therefore, instead of being too anxious and pessimistic, everyday Africans must put their minds to practical use.

It is so unsettling navigating a system where people are generally desperate, wary, and relentlessly looking for the slightest chance to abuse others, enrich themselves, and even play demigods. Correlated with an ever-green or long history of bondage, low self-esteem, dependency, oppression, fanatism, exploitation, and poverty, Africa’s ‘wounds’ require real-time attention to heal. The sad reality is that many Africans do not have faith in themselves or trust in their abilities. Presently, suppose there's anything that Africans need to do. In that case, it should be a prideful acknowledgment of the over 500 years of African resilience while consciously working towards transparent and functioning institutions for the motherland.

Africa's sensitivity towards resolving Africa's unresolved traumas, memories, and repressed feelings may help young Africans catch up with themselves. It will be thrilling, especially when the impact becomes automatic and infectious! Fascinatingly, the past is always present, subconsciously in the body's cells and patterns, hence the need for acknowledgment and redress whenever necessary. The admission, therefore, requires a non-sentimental or fanatical approach. The ability to adapt to the changing aspects of life is priceless. It strangely feels good, yet ironic to imagine how the recurrent disruptions―desperation, indiscipline, abuse, corruption, frustration, and momentous reliance will soon heal or mend in Africa.

Surprisingly, many Africans do not wish to be Africans or down here in Africa. Others appear too delightful about Africa's glitches for whatever reason. Although the tribute strongly clutches to the vision of a possible robust Africa, living in a society that actively conforms to a detrimental culture is terrifying. Africa has lost more through exploitation, low self-esteem, frustration, indiscipline, and apathy than any other pandemic. Analytically, there seems to be some form of abuse that runs deeply throughout Africa on every level. The effect has radically grounded, manifesting into a myriad of devastation.

It is a mixed feeling how 46 of Africa's 55 countries share many painful yet prideful resemblances regarding colonial heritage, chiefly infrastructure, governance, security, judicial, electoral, and transport structures. They also share similar ecological or biodiversity, natural resources, and meteorological conditions. Food, night or street life, and indigenous culture are essential in these countries. They further run nearly similar educational and healthcare systems. Surprisingly, they again share a perceived fate of exploitation, intrusion, socioeconomic downturns, extremisms, and poverty, among others. 

Africa is not at ease, and even though bedeviled by numerous challenges, Africans keep epitomizing innovation, resilience, and a quest for a better continent. Stacked equidistant a century, it is worth noting that a particular bright shadow has always remained on the African horizon. There are so many encouraging developments afoot in Africa. The vast discoveries and results in the various industries indicate that Africa is progressing well. With more creativity, compassion, civility, resilience, and shared responsibility, Africa will be at par with the rest of the world regarding advancement.

The world would take Africa more seriously the day Africans become realistically competitive. The world cannot ever thrive at ‘the expense of Africa.’ Ignorance and recklessness will cost Africans so much until Africans become desperate for real change. Africans have long moved in circles, hence the urgency for real change. The best legacy any African could ever leave is to help position Africa beyond its rightful place.  As purported by Ola Rotimi, the struggle of man begins at birth. But then, Africa's history did not begin with unjustified slavehood or disintegration.

Shaakira and Jeff's narration states, A war was being waged on the people of the Gold Coast of Ghana. This was the case for the many affected countries in the sub-region. Slave Merchants from across the globe invaded peaceful villages in search of the strongest people. As the people went about their daily lives, they were forcefully captured and held against their will. [The Last Bath pg.1]. It is sad how Africans haven't moved away from the frozen emotions of the colonial atrocities. Why linger at the point of departure when you can move through?

Perhaps a shift from a habitual pattern of relating, particularly from the traumas of colonial atrocities, can be excruciating because much of what happened can never be understood. Nevertheless, with the help of the inner child (conscious mind), the tribute tenderly encourages everyday Africans to get over themselves, dynamically and emotionally. A healthy tendency is no easy path yet; Africans must acknowledge their pains or hurts. Consciously fixate the brain with the right processes, memories, and a quest to own and reimagine Africa. Africans have no excuse not to live up to Africa's highest ideas or recover from the overwhelming situations and feelings. Interestingly, the past is full of life, eager to irritate, provoke, or propel altitudes.  

Africa's Traditional Way of Life―Civilization 

Undisputedly, Africa had its systems or way of life―socially, spiritually, educationally, and arbitral before the advent of the White masters. Culturally, kings, chiefs, tribes, or clan heads spearheaded development and automatically constituted authority figures. They were also custodians of culture,