Should peoples return to their motherlands?

Dear Editor,
I am always on the lookout for interesting ideas, observations, and insights from my fellow travellers on the road of life and I could not help reflecting deeply on an intriguing statement, widely circulated on social media by music icon Akon that African Americans should “go back to Africa”.
In an interview with Al Jazeera reporter Folly Bah Thibault, that is available on YouTube and elsewhere, Akon stated that African Americans were never meant to be in America and Black people need to give Africa a chance and go back to the continent that is their ancestral home.
Akon, who is American-born of Senegalese descent, explained: “I always felt like Africa was for Africans. So, when I see African Americans in America dealing with all these issues, my first question is: ‘Why don’t they just go back home? Back to Africa. . . they’ll be treated fair. . . they’ll actually be praised for who they are because of the fact that they’re American. They’ll get way better treatment.”
He also commented that Africans who migrate to the US tend to “alienate their origins and personalities”, and end up conforming to the value system they meet in America. He contended that the way Africans integrate into the American lifestyle is self-destructive. He pointed out. “There’s no way you can move forward when you’re not you.”
He also mentioned that African Americans tend to shy away from their heritage of “the motherland”, commenting that they rarely even see Africa as a vacation destination. This, he contended, is because of the uninviting portrayal of Africa by the media, which focuses heavily on all the negatives of the continent without featuring the positives.
Akon is thought of as a controversial figure with a criminal past. Yet he has a charity for underprivileged children in Africa called Konfidence Foundation and a project called Akon Lighting Africa to provide solar electricity to 600 million underprivileged Africans. He might be good or bad; I do not know. I give him the benefit of the doubt. My point is: his statement gives us food for thought.
First, let me make it clear that I love all people created by the Creator regardless of their colour, creed, or class. After much prayerful meditation, I believe that the Creator created different races with various cultural and social groups as the indigenous fruits of different continents and countries. I think such differences among people are a blessing that springs directly from the Divine Creative Force.
I further believe that the Creator created all humans in His own image as equals, and with wide variety in their manifestations of beauty, and also with differences in appearance and the ways they think and act, according to their roles as indigenous fruits in the garden of life. That is the Creator’s plan, but it was corrupted by wicked people and replaced by racism, ethnic discrimination, and other evils.
Man’s rejection of the Creator’s divine plan is behind domination, hatred, inhumanity, and all forms of wickedness among humans. Mankind’s conquests, murders, conspiracies, enslavement, and usurpation are responsible for the world mess today. Racism is an abomination in the sight of the Creator and it brings multiple curses to the nations where people accept it.
We have seen this ungodly exploitation of human racial and other differences for national, tribal, or personal aggrandisement and wealth throughout history. We have seen it in the ancient civilisations, the Roman Empire, the empires of the European colonial powers; and we still see it today from the biggest neo-colonial superpower States to the pettiest dictatorships.
I respect the viewpoint of Akon about African descendants returning to Africa. This idea can be interpreted even more broadly in Guyana’s context to include all the races that came here from other continents. But I think his perspective should not be taken at face value. To me, it requires more careful thought with due consideration of the answers to the hard questions that logically arise.
For example, one can ask: If Guyanese of African, Indian or Chinese origin go back to Africa, India or China, will they be accepted? Do all Indians respect all Indians in and out of India? Do all Africans respect all Africans in or out of Africa? Do all Chinese respect all Chinese inside and outside China? What about mixed people? To which continent do they return?
Logic tells me that shared racial characteristics do not add up to shared culture nor do they automatically lead to mutual respect and bonds of friendship. During the “Back to Africa” movement in the 1960s-1970s, I remember hearing that many African descendants who went back there were disillusioned at being called “sons of slaves” by persons born in Africa.
I also recall hearing that many members of the Indian Diaspora who went back to India to trace their roots, or work or study were made aware of their position in the caste system, based on their names. I do not know about any Chinese going back to China, but I believe there would be similar settling-in issues arising from the remigrants’ assimilation of alien cultures.
It is clear to me that centuries of greed and domination have created deep wounds in the psyche of displaced peoples and the effects of their displacement has also fostered negative mindsets among those who remained after they left. Look at what the Europeans brought on Africa by greed and domination; and the wealthy “developed world” still wants the wealth and blood of Africa. . . by divide and rule! Akon’s charitable work, despite his record of criminality, displays a true positive in human nature; that is, man is inherently good. His nature is to serve Man and God. Akon has won my respect and that of teeming millions around the world. We cannot just encircle a human because of an evil past. He has become a unique role model not only for Africans, but for all humanity. I believe Akon has introduced a topic that is worthy of a healthy debate with persons making points for or against mine. Let opposing views contend for the nation’s information and guidance.

Sincerely,
Haji Roshan Khan Sr