Africa: Lest We Forget Our Heroes

Oh Africa, remember our heroes
From our forefathers whom we inherited our distinct culture, norms, food and language
To us, the young generation of Africans, that are passionate about our heritage.
Africa, a diverse continent of about 1.2 billion people and over 1000 ethnicities
Making each of us an African hero to the great African cause
Oh Africa, remember our heroes.

Oh Africa, remember our heroes
Growing up, the educational system trained us to speak the white man's language
Fluency in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese and German became the hallmark of intellectualism
Little did we know that we were laying shame on what uniquely united and made us,
Our forefathers, watch us with sorrows filled in their hearts as their descendants totally disregard their originality
Oh Africa, remember our heroes.

Oh Africa, remember our heroes
A random drive through African cities like Kampala, and streets are named after colonial officers or European explorers
Colville Street, Johnstone Street, Lugard Street, Speke road and many others even across the country
A trend that continues to our physical features across the continent that GOD endowed with us
A stark betrayal of our identity, beauty of our land, and features which the Africans have enjoyed for thousands of years.
Oh Africa, remember our heroes.

Oh Africa, remember our heroes
For those gallant men who created empires and civilisations as large and great as far as the eye could see
Their achievements and works astonished the white man, and He a time discredited them as non-African
From the magnificent stone works of great Zimbabwe, to the gold caravans of Mansa Musa, to the rock paintings in East Africa, African civilisation was indeed underway.
Our artworks were one of a lifetime of wonders; no wonder majority were looted and currently sit in European museums
Empires such as the Malian, Zulu, Chwezi, and great Zimbabwe defined a system of nation-building that is uniquely African
Oh Africa, remember our heroes.

Oh Africa, remember our heroes
Lest we forget the strong-willed men and women who sacrificed their blood and honour for their communities
Staring at the face of western imperialism, they never buckled away and instead chose to defend their societies
It’s from them that the blood of courage and resistance to oppression flows through every African.
Yaa Asantewaa, Kabalega, Dedan Kimathi, Emperor Menelik II, King Cetshwayo And Many others serve as inspiration and motivation to an African society that suffers oppression today
Oh Africa, remember our heroes.

Oh Africa, remember our heroes
The fathers of our nations, the heroes of our independence struggle, the beacons of nationalistic cause
Those who faced imprisonment, harassment, discrimination and some cases, a dreadful death
Lumumba, Sankara and Amilcar Cabral are some of the few whose blood water the flower of freedom
Nyerere, Sekou Toure, Keeneth Kaunda, Samora Machel, Kwame Nkurumah, Augintho Neto and many others to whom we owe the pillars of the foundations of our nations
Oh Africa, remember our heroes.

Oh Africa, remember our heroes
To the new generation of enlightened and determined youth
A generation of young pan-Africanists ready to serve the African generations
A young generation filled with passion for a better Africa, and the ability to share the true African narrative
An African generation that stands up to injustice in whatever form whenever they experience it.
Oh Africa, remember our heroes.

Oh Africa, remember our heroes
To our athletes who make us proud at every international sports event, to our sons and daughters who break international records
Africa is proud of you
Footballers like Yaya Toure, Mo Salah, Saido Mane, Samuel Eto and great athletes such as David Rudisha, Joshua Cheptegei, Eluid Kipchoge and many others
And to all other Stars who put the African continent on the map of greatness through their amazing works
We are forever in your debt
Oh Africa, remember our heroes.

Rugaba John Paul

Ugandan

I'm a Ugandan writer and blogger. I have always felt sad that the African narrative is dictated by foreigners, that we are taught another man's perspective. I therefore write to give the reader what I believe is the real African story.