After introducing the Omowale Malcolm X season in his centenary year in our previous show, we highlight that 6265 (2025) is also one hundred years since the birth of Patrice Lumumba (as well as Franz Fanon and Medger Evers). We don’t know the extent to which the Congolese freedom fighter and leader was aware of his USA-based counterpart but we do know that the inverse was true, as evidenced by this 1964 speech:

“Lumumba [is] the greatest black man who ever walked the African continent. He didn’t fear anybody. He had those people so scared they had to kill him. They couldn’t buy him, they couldn’t frighten him, they couldn’t reach him.” (1)

Of course, Omowale Malcolm X was far from alone in his admiration for the slain Congolese leader. The Cultural Association of Women of African Heritage, which included Aminata Moseka (Abbey Lincoln) Rosa Guy and Maya Angelou in their number organized a vociferous demonstration at the United Nations on February 15, 1961, a month after his brutal assassination, protesting the assassination of Patrice Lumumba. About sixty Afrikan men and women burst into the Security Council Chamber shouting, “Murderers! Assassins!” (2)

Even against the crisis of a Belgian invasion of his newly independent nation, Lumumba had time to move beyond parochial interests to outline his Pan-Afrikan vision at the All-African Conference in Leopoldville, Mosiah (Aug) 25, 1960:

“1) the unqualified support of all the African states in the general struggle for a Pan-African bloc;
2) a policy of neutralism with the purpose of achieving genuine independence;
3) the breaking down of colonial barriers through cultural exchanges;
4) trade agreements between the African states;
5) Africa’s position with regard to the European Common Market;
6) military co-operation;
7) the building in Leopoldville of a powerful radio station with the aid of all the African states;
8) the creation of a research centre in Leopoldville.” (3)

We saw these themes re-emerge in the Organisation of Afro-American Unity (OAAU), founded by Malcolm X and others in 1964 where they emphasised: Self-determination; National unity; Restoration; Reorientation; Education; Economic security and Self-defense. (4)

Six decades on Congo remains a focus for the Pan-Afrika. The ongoing genocide, “one of the most neglected in the world”, that cannot seem to maintain the attention of so many “allies”, took a troubling turn when the M23 “rebels” that a mountain of evidence links directly to the regime of Rwanda’s Paul Kagame (although he denies this), intensified its incursion into the country’s eastern region early this year. (5)

In return for offering a bridge towards Congo’s infinite mineral riches, Kagame has secured the support of powerful allies in western goverments, multinational corporations amid allegations of militrary support from Israel. Meanwhile, Congo’s regional neighbours struggle to assert themselves against such a well resourced protagonist. (6)

In a message titled: Omowale & Lumumba: The Makings Of A Revolution, Bro. Tafadzwa ShakaRa Mbandaka, offered the following analysis:

“The reality is that what’s taking place in the Congo is not the result of an individual, it’s not even the result of one nation. The entire might of European governmental and corporate power is geared towards sustaining the reality that we currently see in the Congo. We have to understand as Afrikan people, our people in the Congo ain’t solve it by themselves… Inasmuch that it takes the entire might of the western world to oppress our people in the Congo, it’s gonna take the might of the Afrikan world to free and to liberate our people in the Congo – and we must liberate our people in the Congo and we must do it, as Omowale Malcolm X said: by any means necessary.” (7)

As Malcolm X surmised, the basis for these ‘means’ was our pride in our Afrikan heritage that inclined us towards unity. This, he contended, concerned our enemies more than anything else:

“This race pride develops then it has a tendency to make us want to unite together and work together and your Western imperialists and colonialists consider this to be a grave threat more threat than communism or Marxism of socialism or anything else the Africanism is what they considered to be the real threat.”(8)

(1) Omowale Malcolm X (28/06/64) Speech at the OAAU Founding Rally. https://www.icit-digital.org/articles/malcolm-x-s-speech-at-the-oaau-founding-rally-june-28-1964
(2) Connie Crothers (2010) Abbey Lincoln and Freedom Now. Against the Current 149, November-December 2010. https://www.marxists.org/history/etol/newspape/atc/3101.html
(3) Mike Wendling (23/01/25) Trump orders plan for release of JFK and MLK assassination files.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy8pgp0e1g6ohttps://enfielddispatch.co.uk/londoners-urged-to-seek-justice-over-mets-discriminatory-gangs-matrix/
(4) Malcolm X, et al. (1965) Program of the Organization of Afro-American Unity. https://www.malcolm-x.org/docs/gen_oaau.htm
(5) Rédaction Africanews (13/08/24) ‘The DRC crisis, one of the most neglected in the world’ says UN. https://www.africanews.com/2024/02/21/the-drc-crisis-one-of-the-most-neglected-in-the-world-un//; Sammy Awami, Jaroslav Lukiv (08/02/25) African summit urges immediate DR Congo ceasefire. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cew5q04q427o
(6) Joe Saballa (30/01/25) M23 Rebels in DR Congo Using Advanced Weapons Similar to Israel’s: Ex-General. https://thedefensepost.com/2025/01/30/m23-rebels-advanced-weapons/; Paul Nantulya (29/01/25) Risk of Regional Conflict Following Fall of Goma and M23 Offensive in the DRC. https://africacenter.org/spotlight/risk-of-regional-conflict-following-fall-of-goma-and-m23-offensive-in-the-drc/; AFP (04/02/25) What role do minerals and tech firms play in the DRC conflict? https://www.theafricareport.com/375627/what-role-do-minerals-and-tech-firms-play-in-the-drc-conflict/
(7) afadzwa ShakaRa Mbandaka (02/02/25) Omowale & Lumumba: The Makings Of A Revolution. Message delivered at Alkebu-Lan Shumira.
(8) ShakaRa Ɔkyeame (19/05/20) “AFRIKANISM IS THE REAL THREAT” – Omowale Malcolm X. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCAjlNZhdpI

How did Malcolm X & Patrice Lumumba Inspire the REVOLUTION?

1) Why did Lumumba elicit the resonses he did from the global Afrikan family?
2) Why is the crisis in the Congo deemed “one of the most neglected in the world”?
3) What is Paul Kagame’s role in geopolitics?
4) How can we effect the “Afrikanism” that Malcolm X talked about today?

Our Special Guests:

Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka: Resident guest who is Spiritual Leader of the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement and an Afrikan-Centred Education Consultant. Bro. Ldr is a veteran activist of over 40 years standing, a featured columnist in The Whirlwind newspaper and author of Mosiah Daily Affirmations and Education: An African-Centred Approach To Excellence.

Bro. ShakaRa Mbandaka: the son of Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka, Father, Partner, Universal Afrikan Nationalist, Organiser, Spoken Word Activist, Writer, Cultural Scientist, Educator, Sema Tawi and graduate of the UNIA-ACL’s Course In Afrikan Philosophy (ShakaRaSpeaks.com). Bro. ShakaRa is also director of Kimbunga Media, the UK’s number 1 conscious platform (https://kimbungamedia.com/).