Ascendants of Africans Stolen (a.k.a 6th Region of Africa): Not “year of return”, Right to Return “Citizenship by Ascent”

Blacks/Africans in the Diaspora—especially, Ascendant (as in ‘Black upliftment’) of Africans stolen from Africa (not continental Africans voluntarily leaving/ “searching for greener pastures”).

“Back to Africa” or ‘Repatriation’ is nothing new; with that being said, more so, “Repats” had/have the human right to return to where all Black/African people originated-- in the “cradle of humanity”, “Nile River Valley Civilization”—what is known today as Africa.

From the Africans who fought in the so called American Revolutionary War in the 1700s who were release from chattel slavery by their slave masters and they returned to Africa, and Abd al Rahman Ibrahim, an African Muslim royal captured and enslaved; Joseph Cinque (African name-- Sengbe Pieh), who revolted and overthrew the Portuguese slave ship La Amistad, won the court battle among European colonialists, and eventually repatriated to Africa; to--

Marcus Mosiah Garvey’s “Back to Africa Movement”, and the Liberia Constitution at that time; and “London Committee for the Relief of the Black Poor” repatriation to President Nkrumah’s repatriation after residing ten years in the U.S. among African Americans, building a Pan African bridge via Fifth Pan African Congress, helping in the repatriation of George Padmore, W.E.B. DuBois, Dr. Andrew Foster, Malcolm X, Martin L. King, Jr., Coretta Scott King, Maya Angelou, and many other repatriates in the 20^th century.

Which, of course, the aforementioned timeline of repatriation events is before and during Nkrumah. After 1966, the further rise of neo-colonialism (or as bell hooks states, ‘white supremacist capitalists’ patriarchy’), and ultimately the 1992 constitution.

President J. J. Rawling ‘Right of Abode’ (2000), which is constitutional, but has its limitation, African Diasporans were/are not able to play a role in Ghana’s political scheme;

President Dramani Mahama’s ‘executive order’ for about 34 (2016) African Diasporans; limited political rights;

--African Diasporan were eventually given the right to vote in 2020, however an element of distrust concerning “allegiance” to Ghana via certain Ghanaian officials festered and may be still festering.

President Addo’s “executive order”, exclusive and campaign mantras-- “Year of Return” and “Beyond The Year of Return” for about 200 (2019) and 524 (2024) African Diasporans (sworn in after May 2024 Ghana voters’ registration). Likewise, having its limitation.

According to Joy Online, source Ernest K. Arhinful (12 July 2024) in his article ‘Parliamentary Committee pushes for amendment to allow dual citizens to hold specific public offices’:

“Currently, the Constitution prohibits dual citizens from serving as MPs, holding the office of the inspector General of Police (IGP), or becoming ambassadors or high commissioners. However, a private member’s bill by Akim Swedur MP, Kennedy Osei Nyarko, aims to change these restrictions”.

Question is when exactly??? I advise “Ascendants of Africans stolen from Africa” planning to repatriate or have repatriated to Ghana, to further research, discuss and unify on this Pan African repatriation matter in Ghana. Yes, work to be done, a part of decolonizing and redevelopment.

To date, there are no “Ascendant” representative(s) on Ghana’s parliament floor.

To date, no Reconciliation Commission to address the Ascendants of Africans who were stolen from Africa, organize repatriation efforts, and apologies from certain chieftaincies/kings for playing a role in the enslavement of other Africans, stealing their lands, businesses and positions in African societies.

And yet, a treasonous officer Emmanuel Kotoka who lead a coup to overthrow the first president of the Republic of Ghana-- Kwame Nkrumah, and a drunk as described in Nkrumah’s book the ‘Autobiography of Kwame Nkrumah. And regardless of Kotoka’s criminal act, Ghana officials devised a reconciliation commission for Kotoka whose name was eventually slapped on a government built airport that had been used by the British in 1946.

The Mahama and Addo’s Presidential Executive Orders have now expired in their eras. Where do WE go from here, especially generations of Ascendants concerning citizenship?

Europeans’ ongoing “Scramble for Africa” and the IMF on one hand; and on the other hand, the scramble for African citizenship by the Ascendants of Africans stolen from Africa, “ignored” as part of Maya Angelou’s narrative of Ghana and Ascendants citizenship is an executive order hand-out.

What is next for the millions of Ascendants who did not make the Ghana executive order citizenship lists cut offs? Are they “waved” not allowed, on a citizen waiting list, are they even on standby for that??? The dual limited citizens, is their “alliance” still questionable??? …Where is the Pan Africanism in this??? Whose idea was this???

Furthermore, repatriation is not just about stamping foreheads with a dollar amount like a Black block auctioneer yelping Ascendants are worth $3 billion. And confused tourist agents treating like tourists and “whites/expats”, when Ascendants are not, they are repatriating HOME; and they are not to be land/lease scammed and exploited, when many are coming to build and help redevelop Mama Africa.

Please note, instead of a hurry, hurry, hurry time is running out, get on Ghana’s presidential executive order lists time-after-time, or “Right of Abode” 10-year citizenship and treated like it’s a hand-out --a “Citizenship by Ascendant” a process confirming constitutional citizenship to Ascendants of Blacks/Africans who were stolen from Africa via European Slave Trade (a.k.a Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade); Indian Ocean Slave Trade: Northern Africa Slave Trade; including ‘Black Birding’ Slave Trade.

Amend Ghana/Africa 1992 constitution(s) now! — a constitutional repatriation for all Ascendants and it is a form of reparation for certain chieftaincies participating in Gold Coast chattel slave trading with those who dominated chattel enslavement of Africans --white supremacist slave traders, slave plantations owners, slave ship captains, banks and insurance companies, and Pope Nicholas V who condoned chattel slavery and those in Africa Euro-indoctrinated and believed in the Pope’s madness.

Let’s bring an end to xenophobia/self-hate and envy. Learn and understand the history, devise African-centered curriculums and textbooks, which “Free SHS” is not the content being taught. And find a process for healing from such mental health issues as Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome (PTSS).

Most of all, Black/African repatriation is a human right and its spiritual. Include the Ascendants of Africans who were stolen from Africa a dual and full citizenship in Ghana’s Constitution, it is a right to return.

“Forward ever …”.
Photo: Book: Stolen from Africa by Kokoumo Rocks

References:
Black Man of the Nile by Dr. Yosef A. A. ben-Jochannan

Limited rights of dual citizens by Korang Daniel (10 August 2013), GhanaWeb article

A History of Indigenous Slavery in Ghana: From the 15^th to the 19^th Century’ by Dr. Akosua Adoma Perbi, Accra

African Global Ourstory: An Introduction to African and African Diaspora Studies by Dr. K. Makeda Muhammad, Accra

Citizenship by Descent: What it is, Eligibility, and How to Apply by Mallika Mitra (19 June 2024) Investopedia article

Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome (PTSS) by Dr. Joy DeGruy

Dark Days in Ghana by Kwame Nkrumah
Dr. K. Makeda Muhammad is a ‘Repatriate’ a returnee to Africa via Ghana in 2011. Dr. Makeda’s field of study is Black Studies; Educator, Author, Pan Africanist, first African American recipient of Ghana’s EDUCOM Award, Recipient of community Helping Hands MACPRI Award, Recipient of the Abibitumi Headquarters and Marcus Mosiah Garvey Foundation Citation; and Member of Ghana Association of Writers (GAW), Columnist for Modern Ghana Media, community activist and social media freedom fighter.