There is always this feeling that hits me every time I meet peoples of African descent. These rather unique feelings of mine wells-up, each time that I meet Africans, other than, continental Africans. I think it is an indescribable feeling of loss and nostalgia. And yet it is a feeling that I cannot quite describe precisely. These are very strong feelings all the same.

When I look into the eyes of people of African descent, when I gaze at the complexions of people who are clearly Africans, but for, the brutal history of slave trade and slavery, I feel a mixture of reacquainting and loss.

I often cry quiet, painful tears when I meet African Americans. I sob equally as when I traveled through Jamaica’s different Parishes. What I saw in Kingston was not different from what I had seen in Negril, Ocho Rios and Montego Bay etc.

When I visit the West Indies or the Island Nations of the Caribbean, I meet people who are clearly my long-lost cousins, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts and all other members of my extended African family of yesteryears. Africans inside and outside of the African continent possess unmistakable gaits about them. There are these seen and unseen indelible African-ness about people of African descent wherever they are located on God’s good earth. Despite the forced-dispersal from the continent almost a millennium ago, our African siblings remain authentically and genuinely replicas and representatives our collective forbears.

Here I am in Bahamas and every person I meet, gives me the soulful embrace and reminder of the fact that they are the blood of my blood, the bone of my bone and that we are kit and kin. Our collective origins are unmistakable. It is always so obvious!

This was made clear starting from the moment that I arrived at airport in Nassau Bahamas and unto stations of the immigration officials and their customs counterparts, to the taxi operators and the hotel concierge. The lady who delivered Domino Pizza to my Wyndham Hotels lobby with her right-hand-steered car, during one of the afternoons, when I felt an urge for pizza. Different shades of chocolate skins. Africans, all!

Everyone, of them had an attribute, a quality and a manner that established them as one of my own. My eyes conducted instant DNA analyses per second and they were all perfect match each and every time.

It is as if a bolt of lightening hits me with joy! Joy, for the opportunity to meet these, long lost family members again. My family members long-lost lost to the twin-evils, of slavery and colonialism. Then almost simultaneously, I am hit with a ferocious sadness, in the realization that the presence of people of African descent outside of Africa had not been of their own free-will. African descendants’ presences outside of Africa were the outcomes of man’s inhumanity to man of the worst type. Africans in the West Indies or Caribbean which Bahamas is part, did not emigrate here! They were bundled here, they were herded here, literarily, kicking and screaming! The forced migrations of Africans during slavery were without the benefits of Chaucer like pilgrims’ tale or the Mayflower Pilgrims in the Americas. African slaves were before the Mayflower and before all others

The evils, the brutalities and the gores of slavery and the colonialism, that followed in all of Africa are not spoken of or written of enough. And equally, our African descendants that were dispersed to all the continents and corners of the world through the same process are not spoken of or written of enough. There is a common thread, a common causal connection between the plights and predicaments of peoples of African descent.

Revisionists are quick to minimize the effects and after effects, of the evils, horrors, brutalities and gores of slavery. We must never forget! How can we forget the far reaching consequences and ramifications of slavery? Slavery as a phenomenon had a process that entailed unimaginable and unfathomable horrors, so many unknowns and unknowable. Including the sudden shocks of uprooting Africans from their families and friends and all familiar of their lives before the snatchings, kidnappings, branding and sale in manners reserved for animals with less dignity compared with farm animals. Africans were hauled to strange-lands and to strangers of the unknowns.

Africa is certainly not under-peopled. The current challenges on the African continent, therefore does not have depopulation as a factor. But we must remember or restate and emphasize that humans are a part of the resources of any society. The snatchings, kidnappings and mass exportations of Africa’s human resources were gross deprivations.

Additionally, there were other profound adverse effects on peoples of African descent which were and still remain consequences of slavery. Africans were on the continent and off, deprived of languages, culture, religion, foods, songs and dance and lives and loves.

Peoples of African descent are found in Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Dominica, Jamaica, Haiti, St Kitts & Nieves, Panama, Puerto Rico, New Guinea, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Australia’s Aborigines etc. Even now, the economies are similarly plagued by the lopsidedness of globalization, pretentious free-trade and all tenets of capitalism.

I saw a movie titled “Life & Debt” a tale about the economic ravages of Jamaica caused primarily by the preachments of free market, which in effect is a one way benefits in favor of America and Europe who are too willing to subsidize their farmers and industrial producers, who are then able to dump their products in developing nations, at the expense of local aspiring entrepreneurs and their enterprises or business endeavors. Depressed markets now abound in Africa and the Caribbean. Devalued currencies are now our lot.

While here at the Wyndham Hotels Resorts, the Prime Minister of Bahamas and the Governor General attended an event which I attended as well, the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarian Association. The Prime of Bahamas touched on the dramatic effects of economic decisions by Europeans. In particular, he referred to how the mainstay of St. Kitts and Dominica, Sugar Cane, were sent tumbling down as Europeans continue to subsidize their farmers.

He described what happened to these Caribbean economies, as a drop into the abyss. He recounted how only Trinidad & Tobago which relies on petroleum oil production as major income earner, and some other Island nations with heavy traffic of tourist, earned enough to retain and maintain good quality of life. African peoples in the continent and in the Diaspora continue to be affected immensely by external factors and actions by Americans and Europe.

A delegate from Guyana made the point succinctly. African peoples are connected in every way and we essentially face the same challenges. She made that point as she presented a pendant to a South African delegate. She made reference to struggles by peoples of African descent and the recent struggles by South Africans against apartheid. We are all connected in good times and in not so good times.

There were, there are, for the Africans therefore, a multifaceted series of losses. Tangible and intangible losses; Physical and psychological injuries and wounds that remains.

Here in Bahamas, as I look into every eye of every person of African descent that I meet, I see myself, my family that are 500 years plus removed and all, and I ask myself repeatedly, how can any human do this to another human, for profit or whatever excuse?

Our peoples were snatched, kidnapped and dispersed. Our peoples were yanked and taken thousands of miles across the earth and now, we are part of the gorgeous mosaic of the earth, pervasive economic travails and all, in all the seven continents of the earth!

My one week of business, politics and recreation in the Bahamas is almost at an end, and I rededicate my passion and love for all Nigerians, all Africans and all peoples of African descent, wherever they are located on earth! We are one people eternally linked.

As my one week stay here in the Bahamas Islands comes to an end, I sob silently, I bleed quietly. I am in a sense, crying a millennium of tears for the hardships and sufferings that peoples of African descent have endured our lot on earth. I am elated that I have met all these long-lost family members from our continent and I wonder what they feel when they see me. In their eyes, I see me.

And now, as I set to leave this gorgeous Island nation, I am ambivalently joyous and saddened.

Robot  Villager

# 1 ...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 22.04.2006 08:56

Sabella Abidde

# 2 Hello Paul, Thanks for such a wonderfully written piece. I truly enjoyed it. Some parts of the article made my eyes well...damn...damn...damn...thanks, my friend! Posted by Sabella Abidde| 22.04.2006 10:52

Big-K  Villager

# 3 ILN Thanks for a truly nice article. I wish you'll write more of this rather than spend your talent praise-singing OBJ. I always have similar emotions each time I visit the caribbeans or intermingle with Diaspora Africans and I have always believed that true liberation of Blacks will begin with firm handshakes across the atlantic. It was painful to see the docile response of African countries to Katrina last year. That was a good opportunity to rebuild confidence, but we let it fritter away. Then I dont see why Caribean countries should not be part of the AU. Or have representations in African sports tournaments. This is why the direct air links and renewed contacts with Trinidad and Tobago maybe one of OBJ's legacies, that needs to be built upon. We Africans at home and disapora have work to do. And it starts with each one of us. We need to start seeing every Diaspora African as our own brthers. Invite them to community events etc. Thanks Paul again for a nice one. Posted by Big-K| 22.04.2006 11:52

NaijaPRO  Villager

# 4 Mr. Paul, are you the one in the yellow shirt? Or the blue shirt? Posted by NaijaPRO| 22.04.2006 12:10

EezeeBee  Villager

# 5 =Big K> I have always believed that true liberation of Blacks will begin with firm handshakes across the atlantic... Well said!! ILN, excellent article and sentiments expressed! Posted by EezeeBee| 22.04.2006 12:47

Abraxas  Villager

# 6 Dear Mr. Paul Adujie (Esq.): Halleluiah! For once in the past seven (7) years, you made no mention of General Aremu (3rd Term) Obasanjo throughout your very entertaining and refreshing account of your life and times in voluntary self-exile. Thank GOD! Thank you for yielding to very wise counsel, and proceeding on voluntary self-exile, as earlier advised. I am encouraged by your apparently gentlemanly acceptance of the painful, but necessary decision to keep you securely quarantined from the Nigerian Village Square for only just 100 months. Thanks a trillion for being so considerate: the Village badly needs a new lease of life! Permit me to just quickly recap some excerpts of your above exile dairy entries for the records: …”Here I am in Bahamas and every person I meet, gives me the soulful embrace …blah, blah, blah! …they are the blood of my blood, the bone of my bone …blah, blah, blah! …” “This was made clear, starting from the moment that I arrived at airport in Nassau Bahamas and …blah, blah, blah! …and the hotel concierge. The lady who delivered Domino Pizza to my Wyndham Hotels lobby …blah, blah, blah! … Africans, all!” “…Blah, blah, blah! …While here at the Wyndham Hotels Resorts, the Prime Minister of Bahamas and the Governor General attended an event which I attended as well, the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarian Association. …blah, blah, blah! …he referred to how the mainstay of St. Kitts and Dominica …blah, blah, blah! …" “My one week of business, politics and recreation in the Bahamas is almost at an end, and I rededicate my passion and love for all Nigerians, all Africans and all peoples of African descent, wherever they are located on earth! We are one people eternally linked. …blah, blah, blah! …” Well, it is obvious you are enjoying your excommunication. I say, old chap! That is very nice of you, I must confess. That is the spirit. Keep it up, old boy! In order to make your exile as painless as possible, we encourage you to send in your dairy entries for the entertainment of Villagers and guests of the Nigerian Village Square, from time to time (i.e. once every three (3) months). Please make sure that you keep strictly to the terms of your exile that such dairy entry submissions MUST be devoid of any trace of Obasanjophilic sentiments, pro-Aso Rock sycophancy, or/and 3rd Term-isms. Happy exile, my friend. Thank you very much. Exilio feliz, mi amigo. Muchas gracias. Posted by Abraxas| 22.04.2006 13:30

Palamedes  Villager

# 7 I must commend you for writing an article about Africans without a single reference to them as blacks. You must be a true African. Revisionists are quick to minimize the effects and after effects, of the evils, horrors, brutalities and gores of slavery. Pity some of our African brothers buy into this view and even accuse Continental Africans of full participation in the slave trade. No doubt, there were inside collaborators: Not long ago I saw on Western TV a man from Lagos being cheerful and showing people around what only he would call a museum in Lagos and boasting about being a descendant of a (collaborator) slave owner. Whether this man is simply playing to the gallery in exchange for tourist dollar, I don't know. It is, however, a scandal that he should boast about this painful history and even own a museum to profit from it. Every conflict spot has its collaborators: The Nazi had their Jewish collaborators; the Israeli have their Palestinian collaborators etc, but only Africans are brainwashed into believing that slavery was their fault and that all Africans collaborated in the slave trade. Pity that some of us not only believe the revisionists claims but also continue to perpetrate the lies for them. Without books, articles, seminars etc by us to counter these views – as does the Jews with their holocaust, the European views will continue to prevail in the debate about slavery: Some in the diasporas believe – ignorantly but nevertheless, most passionately, that individual Africans sold slave in exchange for a stick of cigarette when cigarette as we know it today had not been invented then; and if they meant tobacco, imagine the time and danger that would be required in hunting and keeping captive another human being until the arrival of the next tobacco ship: And all these exercises for a few tobacco leaves for personal consumption? Then, there are those Europeans who demand that we forget our slavery-cum-holocaust history because it happened long time ago. Yet these same countries plant and continue to plant cenotaphs, monuments and plaques every where you look in their cities to remind them of conflicts with their neighbours, some of which happened long before the slave trade in Africa. Thank you again for reminding Continental Africans their history and their extended families. Posted by Palamedes| 22.04.2006 13:47

Naija for life  Villager

# 8 =Big K>ILN We need to start seeing every Diaspora African as our own brthers. Invite them to community events etc. Very well said, Big K. However, I would use the term "potential brothers" instead of simply brothers, because some native Africans and other people of African ancestry have caused more destruction to Africa than many foreigners. Posted by Naija for life| 22.04.2006 13:50

emj  Villager

# 9 This was made clear starting from the moment that I arrived at airport in Nassau Bahamas and unto stations of the immigration officials and their customs counterparts, to the taxi operators and the hotel concierge. The lady who delivered Domino Pizza to my Wyndham Hotels lobby with her right-hand-steered car, during one of the afternoons, when I felt an urge for pizza. Different shades of chocolate skins. Africans, all! Somebody please confirm that this is really ILN and not a cloned copy! Hen, wonders shall never end:rolleyes: ILN, i hope that u remembered to tip all this people properly--- taxi operator, hotel concierge, pizza woman etc etc. Come o ILN, of all the food wey dem get berekete there na Pizza dey hunger u? U dis bloody New Yorker, why u no ask for Farofa,Kanjica, etc etc:D :D :D As my one week stay here in the Bahamas Islands comes to an end, I sob silently, I bleed quietly. I am in a sense, crying a millennium of tears for the hardships and sufferings that peoples of African descent have endured our lot on earth. I am elated that I have met all these long-lost family members from our continent and I wonder what they feel when they see me. In their eyes, I see me. And now, as I set to leave this gorgeous Island nation, I am ambivalently joyous and saddened. The next agenda should be how to demand for "REPARATION" from the Americans and Europeans for all the atrocities committed, by taking our people from the continent of Africa into slavery in far away lands. Part Quote- www.swagga.com/reparation.htm WHY REPARATIONS? The subject is scalding hot, untouchable as public policy. Even the brave run from it. And it is only a question: Should the U.S. government pay reparations to the descendants of slaves? "Just a question," says Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), cool, dispassionate, like he's teaching high school science. "We ask questions about everything. What's in space? What's underneath the water? How did the Earth begin? Interesting questions. But this one has been studiously avoided." Few questions challenge us to consider 380 years of history all at once, to tunnel inside our souls to discover what we truly believe about race and equality and the value of human suffering. Ever since Dutch traders brought 20 captive Africans to Jamestown, Va., in 1619, slavery has been entwined with American history--shaping it, tarnishing it, burdening it with the legacy of truths rarely told. Where is it taught that eight of the first 12 American presidents were major slaveholders? Posted by emj| 22.04.2006 13:55

Uche Nworah  Villager

# 10 Paul Last time i checked, you were still single and searching, you can't tell me that you went to the Bahamas (of all places) and didn't see any curvy chic on the beach to bring back to America, or are you planning a return match? I beg nack us tory joo. may be i could trust you if you played the perfect gentleman during your visit, but of course i would never trust my brother Sabbella Abidde, if it was him that had gone to the Bahamas, i bet you he would have wrecked havoc on the island, such that will make Papa Ajasco look like a minor league player. Posted by Uche Nworah| 22.04.2006 14:49

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