The Right of Abode

First, I offer my sincere apologies for taking so long to respond to the many ones who wrote over the years, requesting more concrete information on the Right of Abode.  What you are about to read, has required this much time to confirm and be able to write with total conviction, regardless of the offences it might cause.

It is very hard to determine the intentions set out when the initial proposal was set on the table, during the reign of former President, Flight Lt. Jerry Rawlings.  Though he would prove no Kwame Nkrumah, he definitely appeared more pan-African and less cooperative with our colonial downpressors, than a great many African leaders.  For that reason I am inclined to think it was initially a sincere attempt to provide a place of refuge for the millions of Africans, born in the Diaspora, seeking to return to their homeland without the threat of being treated as outcast in their motherland.  Ghana, being the first African state to achieve ‘independence’, could not escape the destiny forged into its being, during conception, thus she rose to the occasion and extended to her lost children, open arms.  In adhering to the wishes of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Rawlings proposed a bill that would grant us a new status in the world, those of us Africans living in the belly of the beast, without mother or father to call our own, torn from the root of our being.  What happened since that marvelous insight, is still a mystery, but less and less so. 

Although the former President fueled his campaign with the blood, sweat and tears of the Revolutionaries of this state,  his party eventually began to resemble the well bred aristocrat, who quickly accustoms himself to the luxuries that are, after all, the right of their ‘kind’.  There was no return to the practical strategies introduced during Nkrumah’s Presidency.  Instead, the politicians grew fat while the masses grew lean.  Still, Mr. Rawlings maintained the image of a Revolutionary in appearance and by association.  It was for these reasons that he was viewed by many of us, Africans in the Diaspora, awaiting the Lion to wake from his rest, as one of the Generals.  But much to our dismay, he skirted around the issue for the following 6 years of his presidency, never employing his power to implement this proposal, instead, succumbing to political pressure and bowing feebly from an opportunity to make a truly significant stand that would have made his tenure legendary.

By the time the present government took power in 2000, the self propelled drive of the proposed bill made it impossible to ignore.  Instead it was injected into campaign speeches and promises were made to address, once and for all, this issue.  True to their word, the new government began to study and dissect the bill.  It became a pawn in the hands foreign educated policy makers.  When passed, the Right of Abode would be divided to reflect the interests of two separate groups of Africans living in the Diasporas, those taken into slavery and those Ghanaians who left of their own free will.  In an attempt to capture the earnings of Ghanaians living abroad, an extension was made, offering them immediate dual citizenship and the Right of Abode.  It is said that the remittances from this group of expatriate Ghanaians total more than the income derived from Cocoa, one of Ghana’s leading exports.  As for those of us who were up rooted from our families and land, returning home after generations of exile, we must now endure 7 years of red tape, before we are recognized by Ghana’s government as truly African, with our inalienable rights attached.  And no provisions are offered to ensure we receive even the most basic assistance in making the transition.  There is no mention of land allocation, no mention of tax incentives and an outright denial of our right to vote or participate politically in the future welfare of our homeland.

Then again, our input wasn’t totally disregarded. Africans from the Diaspora now contribute the most in the budding tourist industry.  With all this rhetoric about dual citizenship and the right of abode, Africans from the Diaspora have been visiting Ghana in record numbers.  Therefore, yet another program was added and dubbed the Joseph Project.  This one, more illustrious than the others, written, no doubt, by an African with true sensitivities toward Africans in the Diaspora, offers absolutely nothing.  At present, the only official office designated to handle Diasporan affairs is also the Ministry of Tourism.  Immigrations view us only as foreigners after our visas have expired, and what used to be a standard 3 months allowance, has been reduced to 2 months, after which one must apply to Ghana Immigrations Service for an extension, regardless of heritage or ancestry.

In short, the Right of Abode is a carrot on a stick for starved Africans living abroad, seeking an inkling of hope.  It is a way of capturing a greater percentage of the tourism dollar by capitalizing on the hopes and dreams of displaced Africans living in the Diaspora.  In this same vein, several African heads of state convened in Nigeria for a conference on July 19, 2006, in which they made an appeal to Africans living in the Diaspora for assistance. Tanzania’s president, Jakaya Kikwete stated, “I am told that in the US, $750bn worth of assets is held by people of African ancestry.  Our request: let those resources help the development of the motherland.”  But no invitation to return to our homelands and join our brothers and sisters in the struggle, to free ourselves from the yoke of our imperialist downpressors. 

For those of us that know and overstand that the right to live freely in the land of our ancestors is a fundamental right, not up for discussion or vote, we respond to every effort at thwarting the inevitable with even greater tenacity.  We have much experience in economic warfare.  When beneficiaries of our spending habits get out of line, we simply withdraw our money, collectively.  Just as we boycotted the public services, name brands and companies associated with apartheid, we can choose to spend our money where it is welcome.  Once again, we must harness our financial influence to effect our desired outcome.  Things must be reversed.  Our money is the carrot and we are not the asses!

2007 marks the 50^th Anniversary of Ghana’s Independence and much celebration is planned.  For this big party, Ghana is ensuring a full house by appealing to the African community born and living in the Diaspora.  Thus also, the launching of the Joseph Project.   I propose, all those coming and those concerned about the Right of Abode, if not for yourself, for your children, insist that 2007 marks the year in which Africans born in the Diaspora can return to Ghana, of our own free will, without the burden of visiting immigrations or being threatened deportation under any circumstances.  No marches are necessary, but due pressure need be applied to the Ministry of Tourism, who is responsible for promises made and implied, to Africans in the Diaspora.  Based on response and initiative, the dissemination of factual information must be spread to respective Africans living in the Diaspora.  If there isn’t immediate action that grants all Africans in the Diaspora the right of repatriation to Ghana then respond to the political slap in the face by diverting resources to a more welcoming African state.  Should we accept that disregard from our own leaders and patriarchs, then we might as well resign to our fate as the laughing stock amongst nations, denied even by our own.  The same terms should be proposed to our top 10 destinations in Africa, sparking a new trend.  “If you want our tourism, our investments and our skills, recognize our Right to Abode in the land of our forefathers.” Simple.

It should be noted that although this is a constant struggle with the policy makers, the people are generally sincere in their desires to grant us our place at the table.  Although poorly educated about the circumstances of our departure and the conditions we are subject to in the West, Ghanaians generally reserve much affection for us, their distant brothers and sisters.  Our strengths are sought as much as we are prepared to offer them. However, an alliance as potentially powerful as the partnership between Africans born in the Diaspora with Africans born at home, poses it threat to those who have been bedded by Mystery Babylon.  They stand to loose their prized positions of power.  We are a threat to the present state of affairs.  They couldn’t impose 100% increases in the price of oil, making the price of petroleum more in Ghana than in America, who imports from our neighbor, Nigeria.  The fear seems to be, that once we secure our African rights, we might seek to procure all those rights associated, not only for ourselves, but for the countless Africans suffering poverty amidst this continent of vast riches. Under our influence, the masses might rise out of their slumber and demand their share of the wealth being made from our land's resources.  Together we  have the power to change our destiny and they realize that. Instead of chasing carrots like asses, we will let the real asses chase our carrots and that's what they don't want.

 The Right of Abode is an undeniable right, due any African in the Diaspora, to any African state on this vast continent.  Those with political voices, championing the African cause globally, nationally or locally, must address this matter with vigor, sparing no cost at making it a reality.  It is not the responsibility of the previous, present or future government.  It is our individual responsibility and our fundamental right.

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