I Am of Africa for Africa

Childhood Mythology

It wasn't always this way.

I was a dove-eyed child who thought Jerusalem was in Heaven.

I wanted to grow up so fast so that I could go to CNN,

CNN would go to Jerusalem to get news.

And CNN was in the White House all the time,

And CNN had access to Buckingham Palace!

I thought CNN were the angels between us mortals and Heaven.

Wanting Elsewhere

I grew up wanting to leave my village, my city, my country.

I wanted to go see Chuck Norris and meet the Queen of England,

I wanted to go to Edo in Japan and become a Samurai,

I wanted to go to India and see the land of Ramayan,

The child in me wanted to meet Gurudev,

Mostly to get a magic carpet to fly all over the world!

I wanted to be everywhere but here.

Everywhere was better.

Departure

And then I left.

The World

I roamed the streets of Doha and Dubai

Savoured the colours of Hyderabad and Mumbai,

I went to Roma and Milano,

Maryland and Chicago,

Indianna and New York,

California,

Dublin,

Istanbul.

The Magic Carpet

I got my magic carpet.

It was a huge metal tube with pressurized air and beautiful hostesses.

I needed a visa each time I used it.

It was always exciting to leave, but I would itch to come back

Every. Single. Time.

Comparisons

I would compare everything!

Every new taste I acquired was tethered to the familiar of home,

Every difference was compared to a set marking scheme that was home,

Every new street that I strolled along was fine,

But it was not home.

Kenya Calling

Every time I left, I fell head over heels with my homeland,

The chaos of downtown Nairobi, the peace of the Kericho hillside,

The rage of the waterfalls in Thika, and the sunsets at Dunga Beach,

The wilderness that is the game park and the white sands of Malindi.

I missed the electricity randomly going off and having to scream "KPLC!"

I missed the matatus and even my slight dislike for nganyas,

I missed the all-night raves; leaving a club at 2 a.m. is a waste - honestly!

What Elsewhere Had

I grew up and understood why I wanted to leave so badly,

The truth is, everywhere had something better.

I saw working trains and trams in Italy,

I saw luxury on 5th Avenue in New York,

I saw cultural pride in Hyderabad and Istanbul,

I saw the fight for rights in California,

I walked on a man-made island in Dubai,

I drank tea and pistachios in Turkey,

I saw the love for art everywhere!

Why Not Us?

And I asked, "why don't we have this at home?"

This could be us.

I wanted us to celebrate in the things we have as much as everyone else does theirs.

China did it,

The UAE did it,

Singapore did it,

Why not us?

Seeing Clearly

Growing up and finding out that Jerusalem is a literal place,

And that CNN is a news outlet was not easy.

I finally saw the world for what it is,

But more importantly, I finally saw Africa for who she is!

I saw her pain and joy,

I saw her wisdom and youth,

I saw her beauty and riches and sadly, the plunder.

The Why

I finally understood my "why" with every pressurized metal tube ride I took.

I was placed here to create a platform where Africans can build Africa for Africans.

I was privileged to have been born when this is actually possible.

I have been blessed with networks and access to people that can move the needle.

Every fibre in my being is dedicated to make Africa what she is meant to be.

Home

Hard as it may be, I am not leaving.

Africa is home,

Africa is the now and the future,

Africa is where my heart is.