Liberate your mind–
you are much greater
than you think you are
Define who you were–
before you became a slave
to extraction and contraction
Start to know yourself–
prescribed by your own story
in the language of your tongue
It’s time to know your worth–
the value of your golden soil
your ample rivers and sun
You lose it everyday–
just giving it all away
with handshakes of bonded strife
Remember your name–
come into your own light
be the centre of your own universe
Africa, it’s your time!
Author’s note: This poem was inspired by a public lecture delivered yesterday by Kenyan nobel prize winning writer and Professor of English, Ngugi wa Thiongo, entitled: “Secure the base: decolonise the mind”
The map depicted in the image above illustrates how large Africa is in terms of space in comparison to other major powers. It is also blessed with a wealth of resources yet Africa remains one of the poorest continents in the world. It is still primarily the dark continent in terms of electrification. As a continent that was colonised by many European countries while its people became victims of slavery and oppression, there is a school of thought towards freeing our minds from colonisation and reclaiming our identity and place in the world.
Chevvy's diary 