One thing that Ọmọ́wálé Malcolm X demonstrated without a shadow of a doubt was he was an organisation man. Raised in the bosom of the Garvey Movement, he found his way back to the path after tumultous teenage years. Once be became active he was never outside of one, be it the Nation Of Islam, Muslim Mosque Incorporated, The Organization of Afro-American Unity and the lesser known Revolutionary Action Movement. (1)
Those who rose up in his wake ostensibly followed this example at least for a time. However, this tendency suffered an all out assault from the state. Not onlly to “Prevent the rise of a ‘messiah’ who could unify and electrify the militant black nationalist movement” in the fashion of Ọmọ́wálé Malcolm X but also to “disrupt, misdirect, discredit or otherwise neutralise the activities of black-nationalist, hate-type organisations and groupings, their leadership, spokesmen, membership and supporters.” (2) Another strand of this strategy was buying leadership, particularly politicians in order to sow seeds of division within the community. (3) Of course there was also straight infiltration.
This strategy effected six decades ago arguably still holds sway today. We have “pioneers who plough on, sometimes to the disdain of the community they seek to uplift.” (4) Consequently, when these activists fall prey to sabotage, the saboteurs generally escape without sanction. (5)
Ọmọ́wálé Malcolm X’s diagnosis:
“The greatest mistake of the movement has been trying to organize a sleeping people around specific goals. You have to wake the people up first, then you’ll get action.” (6)
(1) Virgie Hoban (07/02/23) ‘Discredit, disrupt, and destroy’: FBI records acquired by the Library reveal violent surveillance of Black leaders, civil rights organizations. https://www.lib.berkeley.edu/about/news/fbi
(2) Jonathan David Farley (04/04/08) Preventing the rise of a ‘messiah’. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/apr/04/preventingtheriseofamessi
(3) Hugh Davies (29/11/96) Nixon plotted to buy black vote. Electronic Telegraph
(4) Claudius Adisa Steven (2019) The Evolution Ideas And Practices Among African-Centred Organisations In The UK 1975-2015 in Hakim Adi (Ed) Black British History: New Perspectives. Zed Books. p. 159.
(5) iNAPP Council of Elders (15/05/15) Statement From iNAPP Council of Elders. https://web.archive.org/web/20150515165628/http://www.inapp.org.uk/
(6) Rania El-Badry (04/06/20) Why Malcolm Still Matters [Wherever There Is Injustice]. https://medium.com/@rania.elbadry/why-malcolm-still-matters-wherever-there-is-injustice-62749c8ed686
The Ọmọ́wálé Malcolm X Legacy: Where is it today?
1) Are the COINTELPRO strategies from the 1960s still effective?
2) Do organisation receive “disdain” from the communities they seek to uplift?
3) Is the people are “sleeping” what will wake them up?
4) What capacity do organisations have to cater for an awaken people?
Our Special Guest:
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.
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