By Victoria Agyemang
Cape Coast, Sept 20, GNA – Nana Obokese Ampah I, Apagyahen of Asebu State, has called on Africans to collaborate and rise against the agenda of neo-colonialism in Africa.
He stressed the need for the young generation to be motivated to assist in the fight to liberate Africa from mental slavery for growth and development.
Nana Obokese made the call at the on-going 2022 All African Diaspora Education Summit (ADES) being organized by the Obokese Foundation in partnership with the University of Cape Coast (UCC), African American Male Education Network and the Obokese University of Excellence (OUE).
The week-long summit being held at UCC, has more than 450 from the Diaspora community from 30 institutions in American participating.
It is on the theme:” Reclaiming African Sovereignty Through African-Centered Education, Pushing Excellence as a mantra in Everything Africa and African Through the Right Education.”
The African, he noted, had over the years been brainwashed by the Western world to believe and embrace anything from the other side of the world and to ignore everything about their own.
Additionally, they have suffered humiliation and death from their detractors and therefore Africans must unshackle their minds from mental slaver.
Nana Obokese noted that Africans have suffered for too long under colonialism and had wrongly been described as “primitive and without brains,” hence, it was imperative to build consensus to erase that tag, develop and seek self-sufficiency.
That, he stated, will require strong courage and determination through mass consensus to cause an awakening for a better Africa.
The Apagyahen of Asebu State, said there had been deliberate efforts by the colonialists to erase Africa’s history and heritage to cause distortion of truth among Africans, but it was time to end the process and tell the African story.
Daasebre Kwebu Ewusi VII, the Omanhen of Abeadze Traditional Area said Africa needed a turn around to change the narrative, hence, called for the collaboration of all in the Diaspora to champion that course.
He noted that it was time Africa embraced challenges, faced the reality of issues confronting it to desist from oppressors’ rule and dependency.
The Omanhen who is a renowned historian, assured the Diasporians of the full support of traditional authorities, adding that they were ready to give them land if they wished to settle.
Nana Kwamina Kra II, the Rector of OUE, charged Africans to be up and doing to resolve challenging issues confronting the Continent, then depend on Western world for solutions to its problems.
He said the spirit of the forefathers, especially Dr Kwame Nkrumah must be reawakened to assist in the fight for liberation and freedom of the mind.
Professor Rosemond Boohene, Pro Vice Chancellor of UCC in her remark pledged the University’s commitment to collaborate with Diasporians in transforming Africa through education.
She mentioned some initiatives and policies embarked on by the University to groom the young generation to be agent of transformation in the country.
Among the initiatives is a mentorship programme where the University mentors students at deprived schools within Cape Coast Metropolis to enable them access high grade schools in the Area and further pursue higher education to help rebuild Africa.
Professor Boahene told them to take advantage of the summit to create contact, network with the University’s schools and Faculties for future collaboration.
GNA