What Does it Actually Take to ‘Develop’ Africa?
5 Questions I had after being a panelist at The African Diaspora Investment Symposium (ADIS) 2024
The ADIS Collateral: prerequisite badge ID, brochure, notebook, and thangs
In March 2024, I was a panelist at The African Diaspora Investment Symposium (ADIS) in 2024 in Silicon Valley, CA. The panel produced and moderated by Chike Nwoffiah titled ‘African Artists in the Climate Change Movement: Catalysts for Social Change’ allowed me to reflect on my artistic, cultural, and personal practices, and share ideas on how they inform broader strategies for African society progress. As the panel came to a close, I got a question from an attendee that struck me in my chest, prompting me to open my big mouth and avow to attendees, “ONE thing about me? Ama do what I say I’m gonna do!”
“And what do we do about all this?”
That was the question. The hit to my chest didn’t keep me stuck for too long, because one thing also about me? I’m a DOER. I no like too much ‘talk-talk’. So in response, I let folks know that I rarely am in space of espousing, and ‘problematizing’. I told them that if they gave me their contact info, I would create a shared communication list dedicated to ACTION. That would work to move the ideas sparked, instigated, and initiated by our panel, into reality.
ADIS 2026 is coming up March 25–27, 2026, and omo, your girl never create any platform. My to-do list is still tingling with this action item.
Because, another thing also about me? I’m different now. I’m a person for whom death has chipped away at their spirit. I'm a person who was holding the weight and teeth-clench of foreign bodies growing inside them, and palpating the dents and scars left behind. I’m a parent of many, responsible for not only the children I’ve borne, but for countless others. Twenty years ago's age is not today’s age.
Don’t get it twisted though. Despite still not getting to that specific action item, I’m aware that many of the ideas I espoused at that panel are enshrined in my life and work, thus my life and work is the ACTION. Buttttttttt action aside, I’ve been reflecting on my panel experience, and the symposium, and other such things relating to Africa overall and here are five questions/thoughts that have been coming up for me:
Am I Pan Africanist?
I’d like to imagine that my journey into Pan Africanism began when I founded the first (as far as I know) ‘African’ student organization at San Francisco State University. Officially called African Culture Student Organization (ACSO), I had a goal of bringing together and highlighting continental, and diasporic cultures and people. Building and fronting ACSO found me tackling many points of contention including: A confrontation by a BSU member about why I should have this African student org when there was already a Black Student Union (The first established BSU IN THE US by the mfking way!!); and if white people should be a part of an African student org.
I tripped further into Pan Africanism when my ACSO faculty advisor and mentor Dr. Derethia Duval introduced me to Nunu Kidane, founder and then director of Priority Africa Network. I invited Nunu to do a presentation at SF State on African Immigration in the US. What I didn’t expect was to have a hidden door opened to a whole world that of Pan African awareness I didn’t even know was a thing. Nunu’s presentation, understated, was life altering. That day Pan Africanism gave me a key. I moved in.
Primarily, I consider Pan Africanism to be a state of consciousness; an understanding of the narratives, policies, and occurrences that led/lead to why, who, what, where, how, when we are as a people of African descent. Making the connections across tribal, national and continental borders, and moving accordingly.
And yet I’m curious. What does Pan Africanism look like in practice? What is the daily, weekly, annual? What are the tangible tenets of being a Pan African when it comes to my daily life?
Is it:
Realizing that I can’t be lackadaisical in my life as a diaspora African from Nigeria. And that I need to be home frequently to be more attuned to the social and political factors first hand, and not just pontificate from afar?
Fostering personal and intimate relationships with people of African descent no matter their heritage so I’m not afraid or estranged from other Africans who are not of a similar culture?
Reciting a ‘fuck the borders’ mantra any time I have to deal with transnational bureaucratic red tape?
Trying to revamp education and child rearing guided by Afrocentric knowledge ways?
How do I get more in my Pan Africanist bag?
ADIS Panelists & stakeholders, a post-panelist snap session
Is The ‘decolonization’ In The Room With Us?
This ‘Decolonization’ word and concept has been wrangling around my yad for about ten years now. When I first heard the term and concept, I was smitten, “oh my gosh, you cute! Where you be at? Can we hang out and do some sexy time together?” Then I kept hearing it, and I kept reading it, and kept seeing it. And I finally couldn’t get over the irony that most times I experienced the word being slanged, it was usually by folks who were succeeding, presenting, and operating in the most colonial institutions and contexts I had witnessed. But I’m here, still crushing on decolonization.And asking decolonization where? Can it get my number? I’m tryna see something. Because, despite my ever-growing disenchantment with humans and our addiction to the psychosis of colonialism, I wake up everyday with hope that we can do this. But alas, English is the language that I am most comfortable speaking, writing, and thinking in. I feel accomplished when validated and recognized by institutions machined by the colonial hold. And since time immemorial I’ve been shrouded by colonial ideology and practices. So ke way?
Must Africa ‘catch Up’ With Whatever New ‘advancement’ From The West?
Maybe this is connected to the previous question? I don’t know. Actually it’s not. Something, I typically grapple with when in conferences, that have some kind of cultural or regional tint to the constituent focus, is the heavy on the “how we can catch up with the latest busfull of oppressionistic capitalistic olympic games?” We are mad comfortable with defining progress by standards set by other people, which in many cases is not responsive or inclusive of our own unique talents, wisdom, & realities. I heard someone once use the “I want to have the attitude of a mediocre white man.” And I was repulsed, ‘cos not in any language, zip code, or scenario is that something I aspire to.
Like I get the sentiment surrounding that statement but omo, nope. Y’all not the standard and I will never aspire to that as a model for how I move through the world.
So, what are our own definitions of how to do this? What is advancement that draws from some of our highlighted sophisticated systems that actually center African wisdom and the uniqueness of Africans. That considers our own unique thread, and colorways and places it at the top that what is for us is ours. Our own home grown processes and technologies that are responsive to the landscape and bodies in which we inhabit. Instead of constantly chasing whatever the west has formed to make themselves feel better about being expired pieces of shit.
Is There A Matchmaking Component To This?
I’ve solidly leaned into my role and purpose as a conscious and cultural activator. When I’m in any space, especially those that like to take themselves too seriously, I’m asking “where’s the music? where’s the laughter? Where’s the ritual? where’s the fun? where’s the seasoning in the food?” How are we facilitating sub levels of connection? Where is the elements that support our full humanity?
Sure, yes, numbers, development etc, but humanity is so rich, how do we uplift that? Aka how do we get our conscious Pan Africanist baddies to formally find and connect with their Pan Africanist finance odogwus?
Can We Please Have Less Talk, More Walk?
Biko, Abeg, Ejo, Don Allah. How do we incorporate our ways, ideas, and knowledge systems into being? What is African and how do we embody this more? Can we incorporate more skill building, more being, more full experience… instead of just perceiving, problematizing, and postulating? Less panels & presentations, more workshops & maker sessions. What about in addition to the African entertainment we watched, we actually all drummed together, and grounded ourselves in our indigenous technologies? What about instead of just learning about possible technological advancements, we learned how to build, create, from woodworking, to electricity to computers. What if we actually reclaimed our power in the ability to know how to DO?
Anyway, I don talk my own. I’m not sure what it really takes for Africa to progress, but I’d like to believe that being rooted in our own consciousness, and inventions gives us more wins. In the process of finally finishing this reflection I still haven’t created that action group, but I am out here in the ‘field’. I’m activating what I understand to be Pan-African knowledge, technologies, and ideas through workshops, events, and gatherings. From grief circles drawing from Igbo tradition, to hands-on arts & cultural programming for youth and adults. I hope I see you online or in-person at one of the events. Check them out on my website