From the Director

The following is an introductory piece from the project's director, Peter Wamwea. I love this piece and I hope you love it too.
- Editor.


AFRICA LIVE THE DREAM
…For Such A Time As This

Most of our life as Africans is spent trying to respond to our chaos rather than developing our values. We need to change the environment of our thoughts, perception and conviction in order to recognize who we are and what we have. Unfortunately, most of us have this mind that sees black as colour of inferiority. This mind tells us we are black (dark) even in our hearts, goals, focus and vision. It also cultivates other people’s attitude towards us as Africans. Peter Wamwea, 2006

Exactly, who are we?
To answer this question, I should let us read what Binyavanga Wainaina describes Africans in the magazine GRANTA, view for Africa

'How to write about Africa' by Binyavanga Wainaina

Some tips: sunsets and starvation are good

Always use the word 'Africa' or 'Darkness' or 'Safari' in your title. Subtitles may include the words 'Zanzibar', 'Masai', 'Zulu', 'Zambezi', 'Congo', 'Nile', 'Big', 'Sky', 'Shadow', 'Drum', 'Sun' or 'Bygone'. Also useful are words such as 'Guerrillas', 'Timeless', 'Primordial' and 'Tribal'. Note that 'People' means Africans who are not black, while 'The People' means black Africans

In your text, treat Africa as if it were one country. It is hot and dusty with rolling grasslands and huge herds of animals and tall, thin people who are starving. Or it is hot and steamy with very short people who eat primates. Don't get bogged down with precise descriptions. Africa is big: fifty-four countries, 900 million people who are too busy starving and dying and warring and emigrating to read your book.

Taboo subjects: ordinary domestic scenes, love between Africans (unless a death is involved), references to African writers or intellectuals, mention of school-going children who are not suffering from yaws or Ebola fever or female genital mutilation...

Throughout the book, adopt a sotto voice, in conspiracy with the reader, and a sad I-expected-so-much tone. If you are a woman, treat Africa as a man who wears a bush jacket and disappears off into the sunset. Africa is to be pitied, worshipped or dominated. Whichever angle you take, be sure to leave the strong impression that without your intervention and your important book, Africa is doomed...

Your African characters may include naked warriors, loyal servants, diviners and seers, ancient wise men living in hermitic splendor. Or corrupt politicians, inept polygamous travel-guides, and prostitutes you have slept with. The Loyal Servant always behaves like a seven-year-old and needs a firm hand...

The Modern African is a fat man who steals and works in the visa office, refusing to give work permits to qualified Westerners who really care about Africa. He is an enemy of development, always using his government job to make it difficult for pragmatic and good-hearted experts to set up NGOs or Legal Conservation Areas. Or he is an Oxford-educated intellectual turned serial-killing politician in a Savile Row suit. He is a cannibal who likes Cristal champagne, and his mother is a rich witch doctor who really runs the country.

Among your characters you must always include The Starving African, who wanders the refugee camp nearly naked, and waits for the benevolence of the West. Her children have flies on their eyelids and potbellies, and her breasts are flat and empty. She must look utterly helpless. She can have no past, no history; such diversions ruin the dramatic moment. Moans are good. She must never say anything about herself in the dialogue except to speak of her (unspeakable) suffering...

Avoid having the African characters laugh, or struggle to educate their kids, or just make do in mundane circumstances. Have them illuminate something about Europe or America in Africa...

Remember, any work you submit in which people look filthy and miserable will be referred to as the 'real Africa', and you want that on your dust jacket. Do not feel queasy about this: you are trying to help them to get aid from the West. The biggest taboo in writing about Africa is to describe or show dead or suffering white people.

When writing about the plight of flora and fauna, make sure you mention that Africa is overpopulated. When your main character is in a desert or jungle living with indigenous peoples (anybody short) it is okay to mention that Africa has been severely depopulated by Aids and War (use caps).


The above description of Africa is not a new thing, or so it seem. Our problem as Africans is not how other people rate us rather it is how we carry ourselves as Africans. Our believes, actions and confidence determines what other people would say about us (we first of all rate ourselves, then other people look at the pattern we have put on ourselves and rate us according to it). It is as a result of the sub-standard cloth we wear that other people call us sub-standard, meaning, we cannot become of standard if we in our own ways are sub-standard. If the negative picture given about us is what we believe we are, then, how could we feel challenged?

Africa live the dream project is meant to enlighten the mind of pessimists (the victims of uncertainty and circumstances) challenging them to act responsibly towards developing their continent and to embrace unity and justice
It meets people at their point of life. It vindicates those enslaved to bad systems and unreformed governments. As they realize the environment of the dream light, they are replenished and enlightened to see productive aspects in themselves and what is around them. The light also encourages those who have already begun working on principles of development. For those undermined by bad systems, it gives hope and direction

Live the dream team is a call to Africa to show its resourcefulness, enterprise and integrity; racial and tribal tolerance plus the power to forgive and rise above the differences.

It’s a call to the leaders to be responsible, accountable, efficient, effective, and productive. The challenge begins with an individual. It’s a call for personal transformation.

The poems are compelling and irresistible. A forceful awakening to all Africans

PETER WAMWEA

Director (Africa live the dream)