About “ALKEBULAN”! In our quest and fight for a developed truly economically and politically emancipated “Black Africa”, We must dig deeper, we must not be tired nor quick in settling for relief. “Black Africa” Has gone through cycles of oppression, from self-internal oppression to a combination of self-oppression by neo-colonial “native black African rulers today and external foreign neo-colonial forces!
In the rejection of the ways words and religion of the obvious Eurocentric racist oppressor, many have unknowingly embraced the ways of another historically foreign culture in Africa, the Arab culture. The spread of Arab culture in Africa was a complex process that involved a combination of factors, including mostly conquest!
Noteworthy is the North American example of the self-enlightened ex slaves and their descendants correctly rejecting the names, religion and culture of the ex-masters and perceived current oppressors the “white” establishment, but then embracing the names and culture of another yet foreign to their African origins the Arab culture!
Hence my discomfort with the word “Alkebulan”!
It is an Arabic word!! It is not African!! Regardless of who used it in history it is Arabic and Arabic in origin! (Al kebulan).
Not much point made by moving away from a Greek-latin word “Africa” to an Arabic word “Alkebulan”! Africa has never had a true singular African name for herself because Africa has never been united into a singular by Africans! Peoples foreign to Africa have had their names for the parts of Africa they interacted with, till the word Africa became the word used to refer to the whole continent.
Again there is not much point made by moving from a Greek -Latin word to an Arabic word!
If there must be an indigenous name, then I suggest “Kemet”. Yes it’s the name the Ancient Black African people of Kemet (Ancient Egypt) called themselves in their own language. It means Black lands.
Or let the African union instigate an Africa culture program in which a new name for Africa is adopted or even formulated. This name would not just be a name but it would be a symbol or banner of the much need unity for self-determination Africa needs to truly achieve a politically and economically emancipated Black Africa!
A.Chibo
You couldn’t be more true. The discomfort is dimensional.
I believe you have a great role to play in our proposed Africa Mega Cultural Fair in the USA, in 2025.
I’ll suggest your name to the Organizers, so you can feature during one of the interactive sessions.
OK. I will be in the United States speaking in major African and black renaissance events!
So it will good to do yours too!
We have truly lost focus on our culture, rather we promote the culture of foreigners with the help of our own brothers, who suppose to stand as one with us to promote the Africa mega culture.
This is a great piece Sir.
It is high time we stopped celebrating our inferiority with the colonialist mentality and dominace, but embrace true Africanism and Africanization.
A great write up that is worth giving attention it deserves. Thumbs up
It is high time we define our identity. Craft an Afro centric name to identify us as people.
There so many theories surrounding the origin of the word “Africa”, without any acceptance.
It is not late, we need to start somewhere. This is the time.
Yes!!
Getting to be who we truly ought to be as Africans has been on the discuss, as old as our continent. Our true black African identity has been compromised as a result of our complex diverse cultures, trainings, ideas and inclinations we have settled with as a people Ab initio.
Prof, your positions are exact, but how could the original black African identity still be gotten with our pluralism?
Thank you brother! The original black identity did not go anywhere its here with every Black African person!
What needs to be done as we are doing via our platforms like this is to share previously unknown knowledge about Black Africa
so that the black African identity is embraced because its something we obviously all are proud of the more they are enlightened!
Thanks
Prof
What else can we say… I only hope we are not late… No one need to preach, guide or advise us that they only way out to a sustainable and prosperous “Mother of Mankind* is by ourselves, taking the motherly role.. WE NEED TO DO BY OURSELVES….
True! My brother!
Great research I just learnt alot more from this keep it up and publish more Great research especially on our great AFRICA
Thanks brother!
This piece is worth thinking about.
It’s all about taking responsibility.
Africans need to start celebrating Africa.
We need not allow foreigners to tell who we are or call us what they feel.
We must name ourselves, sing our songs and project who we are.
We must be intentional enough to do the needful, else the whole world will continue to call us who they think we are.