The Death of George Floyd and the Stranded African Voice.

The last week has been a difficult one for many all over the world, but it has been especially hard for black people living in America. George Floyd, died in an incident which was captured on video in which a white Minneapolis police officer can be seen kneeling on his neck as he lay on the ground. Ever since this tragedy , social unrest has spread across America and beyond and it has brought even more attention to the racial inequality in America.

While many of my friends (who are also of West/Central African origin) and I have joined the world in condemning the racially motivated acts of this police officer others have come out bashing us, calling us hypocrites and saying that we have misplaced priorities.

They have made claims that many of us do not make our voices heard when similar injustices occur in our countries of origin or in our African Communities. Could there be some truth to this ?And are they really able to make their voices heard in those African countries which very often punish those who either demand change or openly condemn injustices with prison sentences and torture?

My reaction to George Floyd’s death as a woman and as an African Woman is my own acknowledgement and my expression of profound insecurities and pain which I have experienced through racist behavior and felt while living in Europe. I also feel that I am actually living in a part of the world where I feel that when many voices come together demanding change, something actually does happen. And I will not lie, that feels good. Such positive outcomes are almost nonexistent in my country of origin.

However, I must admit that I too have inherited the post-colonial trauma which was characterized by slavery, suppression and degradation, oppression and looting. This lingering colonial legacy has led to the the failure of many of our governments and policy makers to ensure elections are free and fair, good healthcare systems, good education and other basic infrastructure. Our people often feel not only stranded but are also deprived. Deprived especially of their ability to speak-up or to, to use their voice and to demand change without fear of ending up in a jail cell or getting killed.

Deprived because millions struggle to effectively take part in Civil society — to vote, attend school or even make it to a public health clinic.

These indicators are synonymous with difficulty in CONNECTING.

Maybe this prolonged exclusion from playing any part in shaping policies which will affect them — which would help shape their future and validate their existence is to blame for their inability to understand why some of us are joining the chorus of the masses. Maybe such prolonged suppression actually suppresses our ability to react beyond our point of need.

So while I can understand their disapproval of my open condemnation of the killing of George Floyd, I am also unashamed of the fact that I did. I have many friends and family raising black children in communities which experience racist behavior and to me that matters. The fact that I am fee to express it, is something which I do not take for granted.

Yesterday there was a post being circulated on social media about a Cameroonian journalist Samuel Wazizi. Apparently since his arrest on August 2, 2019, he has not been seen and this has led to growing concerns from his family and friends about his well being. Personally I feel there is nothing I can do or say that will change this or even make it better.

In this case, I must admit that I feel stranded and I am aware there is nothing I can do to even make it remotely better. However I wonder if those who have labelled me a hypocrite can also acknowledge that their voices too are stranded.

The one thing we all share as humans and as Africans is compassion. That is a feeling which really knows no boundaries and crying out for one injustice does not and should not negate the importance or the relevance of the other. I feel more than ever its a great time for Africans to unite and though it may seem possible that an event which occurs thousands of miles away may have no bearing to life in an African city or suburb, maybe those who govern, who lead and who shape policies are taking note.

RIP George Floyd.