Ubuntu!
‘I am because you are’
I know you remember
Yet, you choose to forget
You think you are right
Yet, you could not be more wrong
I know you believe yours is the only way
There is no wisdom in claiming a monopoly of knowledge
Even if you do not remember
Even if you choose to forget
Even if you hold on to your righteousness
There are enough of us who remember
Ubuntu!
The years of struggles that were not our own, but we claimed them as ours
The times when we opened up our borders, homes, schools and training camps
The days when we provided succour in whatever form it was needed – to fleeing freedom fighters, self-exiled activists, orphans, comrades with bounties on their heads and many more
We raised money – from students, civil servants and anyone who wanted to give
It should be on record that everyone gave what they could
Money
Housing
Passports
Jobs
Scholarships
Oil
Military training
Weapons
Advocacy for economic sanctions
Freedom concerts
Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Libya
Nigeria, Ghana, Botswana, Lesotho, Egypt, Ethiopia, Algeria, Guinea and many more
This does not include what wealthier nations did
Even when those nations dragged their feet
Citizens and institutions mobilised
African countries gave whatever they could
Even those who were themselves struggling for their own freedom
They all understood that none of us is free
If one of us is still enslaved
We all speak different languages
Yet, we all understand what Ubuntu means
Ubuntu!
‘I am because you are’
I am incomplete without you
You are incomplete without me
I cannot be a human being while your own humanity is in question
We rise together
We fall together
We struggle together
We succeed together
That is the spirit many of us grew up with
A generation that tied its humanity to that of strangers
Thousands of miles away
Today, we watch in horror
As the descendants of a long history of struggle and resistance
Descend on the descendants of those who supported struggle and resistance
Africans are hounded at their places of work
Driven out of hospitals
Stopped on the streets
Their children chased out of school
And now there are attempts to invade their residences
‘Go back home’
‘Fix your country’
‘You cause the crimes here’
‘You take our jobs’
‘You marry our women for papers’
As all this is happening
The government folds their arms and says nothing of consequence
This seems like encouragement to the mob
So, the attacks continue
Migration is a challenge all around the world
Dehumanising entire communities and their children is not the solution
Spreading hate, propaganda, lies and venom is not the answer
Xenophobia is not a fancy word – it is real
Meanwhile, those who own up to 70% of the agricultural land in the country have no crowds baying at their gates
Those who own most of the diamond mines do not have mobs obstructing their operations
Those who own huge companies and the profits that go with them have not had their businesses attacked
No
It is the barber salon of Joseph from Zimbabwe
The restaurant of Stella from Zambia
The night club of Peter from Nigeria
The hair braiding shed of Marie from Congo
You know better
You should do better
Know your friends
Don’t make them your enemies
Know your enemies
Don’t mistake them for friends
You certainly need justice
Land
Jobs
Dignity
As was promised back in 1994
Many years have gone by and the promises have not been fulfilled
Hold those responsible accountable
Not those who are fighting for their own survival too
Some people somewhere
Will benefit from the implosion of a great country such as yours
They are probably prepared to sponsor these misguided moves
Stop looking in the wrong direction
Know your friends
Know your enemies
Ubuntu!
I am because you are
You are here now
Because I was there then
Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi is a Gender Specialist, Leadership Coach, Policy Advocate and Writer. She is the Founder of Abovewhispers.com, an online community for women. She can be reached at BAF@abovewhispers.com