https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ABfWA1NwaU%20
HAVE YOUR SAY: 02071930174
Odun De! Odun De! (Happy new year)
Odun de ire (Good fortune in the new year)
Although finishing on January 1st, Kwanzaa reverberates into the new year so we whistle stop review the previous year of Afrika Speaks with Alkebu-Lan on Galaxy Radio through the lens of the Nguzo Saba
Umoja (Unity) – To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.
12 organisations (Afruika Bantu Saturday School, Gold Onyx, African Heritage Network of Luton, Community Kwanzaa Organizing Committee, Afrikan Heartbeat, Blaxck Pearl Dezyne, Per Ankh Community Events, John Lynch Afrikan Education Programme, Pan Afrikan Congress Movement, The Spirit of Kwanzaa, Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement and The Nimrod Foundation) came together to form the Kwanzaa Network UK (http://www.kwanzaanetwork.com/organisations/)with the key task of organising a national celebration to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the event. The celebration was a roaring success (https://www.flickr.com/photos/jetblakink/sets/72157674474597224/).
Afrika Speaks devoted all of its December shows to Kwanzaa, including an exclusive interview with Dr Maulana Karenga, its creator, broadcast on 26/12.
Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) – To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves instead of being defined, named, created and spoken for by others.
6256 (2016) began with the devastating news of the passing of Queen Mama Dr Frances Cress Welsing. Concepts like her Cress Theory of Color-Confrontation and Racism (White Supremacy)enabled Afrikans to define reality for ourselves and de-mystify the symbolism of white supremacy. Afrika Speaks spent two shows in January extolling and defending the legacy of Queen Mama Welsing, with the assistance of special international guest Mama Marimba Ani. The same month we also paid tribute, on the second anniversary of his passing, to the legacy of Obi Egbuna, the father of Black Power in the UK.
The education landscape promises to be an increasing battleground for Afrikans to define not onlywho our children are but also what they are. As such in September we exposed the ever expanding LBGT agenda in UK schools and explored corrective strategies such as home-schooling and the Ma’at Academy of Excellence Home School Network with the aid of guests Bro. Mali Morris, Sis. Leah Salmon and Bro. David Simon.
Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility) – To build and maintain our community together and make our brother’s and sister’s problems our problems and to solve them together.
Afrika Speaks continued to highlight the work of the interim National Afrikan People’s Parliament (iNAPP) and its vision to work across ideological, religious and social lines to build a national representative body. Afrika Speaks covered the iNAPP General People’s Assemblies (GPA) in January and June, as well as the National Black Peoples Day of Action convention that took place on March 2nd.
The need to work towards a collective agenda was clearly demonstrated by the Brexit result in June and the subsequent political rightward shift and reported increase in racist attacks. These issues were addressed with the help of guests Bro. Luwezi Kinshasa, Sis. Oracle and Councillor Martin Seaton.
In November guest Sis. Affiong L Affiong highlighted the campaign to save community resource at 365 Brixton Road from the clutches of Lambeth Council. The community rallied round and managed to stave off what the council would be an easy victory. The campaign will resume this year.
Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) – To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.
An iNAPP initiative that caught the imagination was announcement at its January GPA of its intention to establish a credit union, a much need financial resource. For the project iNAPP have elicited the expertise of Sis. Lorna Campbell. Afrika Speaks examined the implication of an iNAPP credit union in February. During Mosiah we also gained an insight into an international model of community economic development with Baba Hekima Kanyama of Us Lifting Us.
Nia (Purpose) – To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
In November we took two shows to highlight the purposeful work of Sis. Marcia Rigg leading the ongoing campaign for Justice for her late Bro. Sean who was killed in police custody in Mosiah (Aug) 2008. In spite of the state’s attempt to deny justice at every turn, the case continues to make legal history (e.g. The first ever external review into an Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) investigation; The first time criminal charges for perjury have been bought against a serving police officer following a death in police custody; The first ever use of the Victim’s Right of Review (VRR) to change an original CPS not to prosecute a police officer). Inexplicably, the police officer was acquitted of perjury (in spite of damning video and documentary evidence) so this campaign will continue until the ongoing denial of justice can be reversed. Veteran Campaigner Bro. Minkah Adofo leant his expert insight to one of these shows.
Kuumba (Creativity) – To do always as much as we can, in the best way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
In February and October we focused on the role of the artist in the Black Liberation Movement. Earlier in the year, with guest Dr Kehinde Andrews we sought to dissect Beyonce’s Super Bowl performance where she appeared to reference both Omowale Malcolm X and the Black Panthers. Whereas, Beyonce’s motives remained open to interpretation in Afrikan Hertitage Month we traced documented symbiosis between artists and the movement – from the Garvey era, through the rise of cultural nationalism and Black Power to the present with new initiatives like Rise of the Griots. These threads were surveyed by a roster of expert guests including The Black History Man Robin Walker, Ras Asheber and Nat Nye.
Imani (Faith) – To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our fight.
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Grounation Day in April we inspected the current status of Rastafari with guests Ras Kwadwo and Sis. Benji. In addition, international guest Mutabaruka stressed the need for a new faculty of interpretation for Rastafari, lifting it out of the constraints of Abrahamic religiosity and towards a rooted Afrikan spirituality. Similarly, the need to connect with our Ancestral Voices was emphasised with guest Dalian Adofo in September in acknowledgment of his ground breaking new book on Afrikan Spirituality. The same month we also showcased avenues for practicalising our overstanding of Afrikan spirituality, Alkebu-Lan’s Shumira, worship taking place on the first Umoja-day (Sun) of the month that started in October and the ongoing Grand Homowo Festival as explained by Her Royal Majesty Naa Tsotsoo Soyoo I.
We also acknowledge, hail and thank the phenomenal guests that appeared on the show, including The Hon. Baba Senghor Jawara Baye, Bro. Ifayomi Grant, Sis. Matilda MacAttram, Bro. Obi. Egbuna Jr, Dr Kwame Osei, Sis. Pat Lumumba, Bro. Asari Sobukwe, Sis. Zaza Ali, Baba Buntu, Sis. Tamar ‘Kush’ Francis, Raspect Fyabinghi, Sis. Sara Calloway, Bro. Kevin Cobham, Quuen Afua, Bro. Glenroy Watson, Sis. Tamiris Pereira Rizzo, Bro. Sbusiso Xaba, Prince Justice and Neeks Sports.
Looking ahead, 6257 (2017) promises to be a monumental year for Alkebu-Lan as the Movement is 30 years old this month and plans a year of events to emphasise the continuum of the nationalist Pan-Afrikanist, spiritualist philosophy over the last 30 years and more.
Tonight,
Celebrating 30 years of ARM & 2016 Reflections/2017 Projections
1. Did you have a favourite show of 2016?
2. Did the year live up to your expectations?
3. Where do you think Afrikans will make the greatest inroads in the coming year?
4. What do you think the key challenges will be for Afrikan people?
Our very special guest:
Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka: Resident guest who is Spiritual Leader of the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement and UNIA-ACL Ambassador for the UK and national co-Chair of the interim National Afrikan People’s Parliament. Bro. Ldr is a veteran activist of over 30 years standing, a featured columnist in The Whirlwind newspaper and author of Mosiah Daily Affirmations and Education: An African-Centred Guide To Excellence.
Hear weekly discussions and lively debate on all issues affecting the Afrikan community, at home and abroad. We talk it straight and make it plain!
ASwA Hosted by Sis Kai Ouagadou-Mbandaka and Bro ShakaRa
CLICK HERE to view latest AFRIKA SPEAKS show details. Leave a comment and contribute to the discussion.
Afrika Speaks with Alkebu-Lan
Galaxy Radio | 102.5fm | http://www.galaxyafiwe.com (To listen live)
HAVE YOUR SAY: 02071930174
MONDAY 8pm-10pm
International Listeners:
4-6 pm Eastern Caribbean Time
12-2 pm Pacific Standard Time
1-3 pm Mountain Standard Time
2-4 pm Central Standard Time
3-4 pm Eastern Standard Time