“I know that none dare challenge me when I say - I am an African!” (http://www.nathanielturner.com/iamanafrican.htm) Like, President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, today Oprah Winfrey can confidently say these words without a shadow of a doubt. Thanks to history and technology.
I could not stop shedding tears as I watched Oprah being told about where her great grand parents came from. The historians/researchers who took up the responsibility of digging up Oprah’s roots did a superb job and one could not help but just marvel at their discoveries. I am sure the Mande-Fu (Kpelle) tribe of Liberia will be overwhelmed to find out that Oprah is one of their own. The Kpelle, Gio, Mano, Mandingo and Vai groups migrated from the Empire of Mali for various reasons. Some escaping political intrigue others looking for a better life.( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Liberia)
This discoveries open a new chapter that may lead more African Americans to find out where they came from and without any doubt, the African leaders will be forced to reconsider their leadership styles when they find out that some of their own brothers and sisters like Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey are watching their actions and they have every right to question them.
No comments:
Post a Comment