Juliet Ryan, was speaking recently as part of their African Citizenship campaign, pushing for automatic recognition of people of African descendants as one of their own.
“Our ancestors were taken from West Africa. We lost our language, identity, culture, family, inheritance,” she stated.
Contrary to what some people perceived about their descendants, Juliet thus urged African governments to reduce the number of years for one to be granted a citizen status.
“We are not saying this without following due process. We are your lost family members and we should be welcomed but not rejected,” she explained.
However, Ms Ryan further explained that they are not coming bare handed, but they want to invest, create jobs, skills, and help in developing the country.
“We have transferable skills that can be used to help build the infrastructure and work to bring knowledge together. We believe that Africa needs to re-educate its people to change the narrative and tell its history in a better way for the continent to realise its power,” she said.
She pointed out that Africa is the home of their ancestors, who were forcefully taken from the continent against their will. She revealed that they are restricted in terms of lands they can purchase or areas and locations they can live.
The reintegration of African descendants, she believes, would no doubt create employment opportunities, boost tourism and increase income revenue for any county.
Hassoum Ceesay, a renowned Gambian historian, writer and curator at the Gambia National Museum, called on Gambians and Africans to welcome the reintegration of African descendants.
“They are our African brothers and sisters, therefore all hands should be on deck to welcome them to the mother continent,” the historian said.
He described the descendants as skillful and knowledgeable people, who, he said, can help in transforming the continent to the next level. “Wherever you are, as long as you are black, you are an African.”
Ceesay said plans are afoot to revise the international roots festival, adding that African descendants will be in the middle of the organisation so that The Gambia would continue to be a home pilgrimage for the descendants.
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