Diasporans, Africa needs your professional skills, ideas, and resources. Leave your trauma and drama at home!

The back to Africa movement remains to be an authentic part of the black diaspora discussions. Voluntary resettlement in African countries is gaining popularity once again, thanks to African leaders, such as President Nana Akufo-Addo (Ghana), President Macky Sall (Senegal), and John Magufuli (Tanzania), who have in recent years invited diasporans home.

Inviting Diasporans  to “come home”

African leaders welcoming African Diasporans (diasporans) back to Africa to unite and partner with African nationals to help protect natural resources and develop a more vital Continent is tremendous. This bilateral initiative will be beneficial for both African citizens and diasporans. These African leaders see the value in having the diaspora return to capitalize on the returnee’s business acumen, expertise, skill-set, and resources – with the hopes of seeing partnerships between the diasporan and nationals develop. These new commerce ventures and infrastructure development would create job opportunities, help grow African nations’ economies, and hopefully push leaders to open African borders for better intercontinental trade relations. Improved economies will also influence good governance, improve services, infrastructure, healthcare, and education systems.

Why Diasporans are moving to Africa

With the current racial climate in America, being invited to Africa seems like the perfect opportunity for diasporans to relocate to the Continent. Not only to contribute their expertise, skills, and resources but for some repose. A break from institutionalized racism, police brutality, and the stresses of trying to prove one’s worth in an environment where people of color still face widespread discrimination.

Many diasporans are also moving to Africa on a spiritual journey to discover their African roots.  Seeking opportunities to understand African history and religions, cultures, learn another language, and solidify bonds with Africans.

Diasporans leaving their traumas and drama at home

Understanding the African socio-cultural context is very important for diasporans to know before they travel to the Continent. It is essential to understand the cognition, motivation, emotion, behavior, and rich history that shape African societies—respecting elders, politics, mode of dressing, social norms, beliefs and taboos, manners, morals, discipline, customs, rituals, eating, dancing, and greeting habits.

It is improper and disrespectful for diasporans to travel to Africa to judge their way of life and impose the American culture on them.  The American ideal of “telling it like it is” has no place in Africa from outsiders. There is a way to speak to and interact with people on the Continent. So before you travel to Africa and possibly cause an international crisis because of your arrogance and incomprehension, here are some essentials for you to consider:

• Examine your motivation for moving to Africa
• Study the socio-cultural context and history of the country and region you plan to travel to
• Have an internal dialogue with yourself to know if you are mentally ready and emotionally mature for the journey. Asking family and friends about your preparedness is helpful too
• Plan how you will contribute in positive ways and integrate into society respectfully
• Budget and make a contingency plan/Plan B
• Re-examine your motivation for moving to Africa

There are many positive aspects of being born and raised in America.  However, like in other societies, some African Americans have grown up in dysfunctional families and communities and are traumatized (they seem to take drama with them wherever they go).  African leaders who invite diasporans to “come home” want diasporans to bring their business insight, expertise, skill-set, and resources.  Leaders would like diasporans to partner with nationals to establish business enterprises, infrastructure development to help grow African nations’ economies. Those diasporans in Africa misbehaving should not spoil this amazing opportunity and make it difficult for other diasporans who are mentally ready and emotionally mature to move to Africa. Their drama, lack of cultural sensitivity and awareness, and arrogance will make the movement unsuccessful.

What are African national’s thoughts about Diasporans moving to Africa?

There is very little discussion coming out of Africa about rather or not African nationals (nationals) agree with African leaders inviting diasporans to live and set up shop in Africa. For the most part, we do not know how nationals feel about the influx of diasporans moving to Africa and if nationals believe they have a need for diasporans to return. Do nationals have faith that diasporans will make an effort to integrate and respect them and their culture? In terms of the idea of the path to African citizenship. Have there been initiatives and referendums in African to vote on this particular piece of legislation? (Compliments of Unapologetic Negropean)

Be sure to visit Expatise.blog next week to read recommendations for standardizing “Right of Abode” policies that allow a person of African descent to apply and be granted the right to stay in an African country. And recommendations standardizing firm and clear “Deportation and Exclusion Orders” to facilitate the deportation of undesirables engaged in illegal activities, subversive behavior, or provocative speech that negatively impacts the people and reputation of a country.