Africa Must Re-write its History- UNESCO Country Rep
The Country Representative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Mr Edmond Moukala has called on Africans to re-write the African history to reflect its glory and civilisation before the coming of the Europeans.
Speaking at an event to mark the repatriation of some Asante crafts looted by the British during the 1874 war on May 1, 2024, Mr Moukala said the Kingdom of Asante is a clear testament to some of the glorious kingdoms that existed on the continent.
“You are a testimony of what Africa used to be before the slave trade and slavery. It had great kingdoms that surpassed many empires that were known at that time so us, especially the younger generation are looking into the future. We are inspired by not only knowing what was Africa before but also you are a testimony of that great past and also an inspiration of the future we all aspire to.”
“In the recent past, world history only presented Africa from the encounter with Europe, making this history appear as an appendix to European history… The refusal to recognise Africans’ possibility of creating original cultures poses itself as a challenge to renunciation of prejudice and the renewal of method could have made possible to overcome.”
He said retelling the African story from an Afro-centric perspective will enable the Africans to occupy their place in the current millennium
“It follows from above that for Africa to repossess itself, and occupy its place in the current millennium, African civilization must, without further ado reconstitute their civilization of cultural heritage. In all its authenticity, revisit it, rediscover, make it known and loved because it not only represents their irreplaceable contribution to the heritage of the universal but also, it’s the notion from which the elites and all social strata must drink.”
This he said will enable Africa to find the best answer to the challenges of the present, and those of the future as well as the strength, vitality and confidence necessary to participate in a debate where the destiny of the world is sealed.
He said this is in line with the UNESCO General Institute of Africa project.
He thus commended the Director of the Manhyia Palace Museum, Ivor Agyeman-Duah and Scottish Neurologist, Malcolm McLeod for scripting books on Asante history.
The two books: “History of Manhyia Museum” by Ivor Agyeman-Duah and “Images of Ghana Museums” by Malcolm McLeod were launched on May 1.
