Branding the Anus

Branding is culture that acts as a kind of filter or lens through which we view others, affecting the way we see them and creating multiple perspectives. Often Africa similarly to the European Union (28 distinct countries) or the USA (50 unique states), is referred as a whole despite that 54 countries have been carved out and have been programmed to believe that each is different from another and to elusively have a seat at the table, each has been convinced that grinding to prove individual uniqueness is vital to nationhood. It is worth noting that during the early Mesozoic Era, Africa was attached to all the other continents to form one gigantic continental landmass called Pangea, which later broke apart to form the world’s continents, as we know them today. A continent that is as large as the United States, China, India, New Zealand, Argentina and Europe combined to fit within Africa, the government has failed to understand their responsibilities whereby the coffers of the country became their own bank accounts and the narrative of Africa has been claimed as their respective start and end.

In this global economy and current political climate, when approximately 25 African countries have been identified as emerging markets, it is pivotal for African countries to focus on managing their image and narrative to regain the lost dignity of its nation on the continent and abroad, increase Foreign Direct Investment for sturdier infrastructure development and engage proactively the Diaspora which already contributes in the shift towards globalization. When African countries undertake branding, it is imperative to accept the impact of history and the cultural shift it is making in 21st century- as it intertwines with the Western Culture. There are numerous factors about Africa, African people and race relations that we will not discuss in this blog ” Branding the Anus” though acknowledging the realities of the past and current management of what has been referred as “Third World” is important to highlight Africa’s rising narrative, its place in human evolution and  “where we go from here”.

From the macro to the micro, each country needs to envision collectively what the country should be and stand for; thereafter it must uphold the duty and highest allegiance to safeguard the action plan towards actualizing the vision. For instance, Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa and the second-largest freshwater lake in the world yet rarely you would hear about Africa’s abundance of water. Moreover, the Nile River with a total length of 6,650 kilometers (4,132 miles) that cuts across 11 countries and drains into the Mediterranean Sea from Africa’s Northeastern edge is the world’s longest river. Yes, branding Africa extends to its resources given that the largest world reserves of minerals such as cobalt, uranium and ore to name a few are mined on the continent in addition to holding approximately 60% of the world arable land. Africa has birthed pioneers who were beholden to universal knowledge that extended to the establishment of the first university in 13th century in Mali. However crippled, Africa will require an image transformation as it has yet to reap the benefits of either the Brand known as Africa or Resource rich continent it is known to be- with over 400 billion dollars worth of raw materials leaving the continent every year. Africa has the institutional foundation to implement an integrated, innovative and structured world and has the ability to transform the realities based on common values. For some of us who have dedicated a lifetime understanding the nuances of culture, the process of globalization and the deployment of capitalism, it is hard to digest the current state of global affairs let alone the state of Africa and the nations scattered around the world.

While Africa is the second largest of the earth’s seven continents, it’s shortcomings is not the lack of resilient people or Diaspora members who had to leave everything they know and own to live in select countries considered as Golden- land of opportunity where peace and security prevails; rather it is Africa’s leadership that has failed the land, the people and even their own legacy. Through a series cross-cultural branding initiatives, for 12 months, my team and I researched and synthesized information about Africa’s potential and opportunities, Africa’s regional relations especially with the USA and China and ultimately the Diaspora role as cultural brokers positioned to strengthen North America – Africa relations; all to change the perception of Africa and ensure the continued presence of North America in Africa.

Despite the recognition about the start of human history, which stems from Ardi in Africa, our mistreatment of this bountiful continent has become our collective mirror – the way we treat Africa is the same way we treat ourselves. We have consistently been destructive, filthy and inhumane with the African continent and nations. Even if we have been bombarded with evidence that Africa is the cradle of civilization despite recent history that showcases mankind insurgence from Greece and Bulgaria, we are reminded about the importance our creation/our Being/our existence and Africa is part and parcel of our inception starting with the inscription in the Bible and the Torah (i.e.: Ethiopia is mentioned 36 times). Oddly, we all come from one single origin and Human beings belong to a group in the animal kingdom called deuterostomes, which shows that the first form of fetus is the anus. So whether the first mankind is found in Europe, North America or Africa, we all birth first in the form of the anus (def: the opening at the end of the alimentary canal through which solid waste matter leaves the body).

Africa’s plight is directly associated with its past and reproaching those who seek dominance seems to be an absurd gesture. Strangely attributed as hidden historical treasures, the Barbary pirates captured over 1 million Europeans and sold them as slaves in North Africa between the 16th and 19th centuries and yet many would refute such fact. Throughout history the conquerors’ are the storytellers while the rest listened, obeyed and marched at an assigned beat. Mankind has transformed this gradual erosion of human life, soon to be dispensable and replaceable, into numbers and digits. Interestingly enough, the forgiving nature of the lands of burnt faces and those scattered around the world building empires and fighting wars have allowed those conquerors to reside peacefully on this earth.

“The darkest thing about Africa has always been our ignorance of it.” ~ George Kimble

We have come to a point where we are no longer in control of our being as we are expending pure negativity into this beautifully diverse earth and ourselves. We are 7.2 billion individuals sharing 196.9 million mi² of land mass divided in 194 countries speaking about 6909 languages yet dominated by one – English- and governed by the structure of Westphalia that is led by a mighty and gigantic country named the United States of America. Even though we are interconnected by soil, water, air and all that encompasses our Being in this Universe, we are humanly interwoven by what is called the ICT, Internet of Things and so much more… and the only countries that had to be forgiven throughout history is those who have collectively acted in controlling the masses, pressed for selective extinction and indoctrinated the populous into herds. Branding is not simply about logos and colors, it is igniting that humanly light, the same we see in these starlight brands that we choose to consume. Branding is also about creating institutions with humane culture driven by conscious capitalism, which is articulated by the leadership and nurtured by teams, at all levels, in pursuit of actualizing the vision set by the founders.

So here we are in 21^st century, led by the boldest and truest President in American history. We have arrived at the juncture of human destiny where those with melanin ratio unacceptable to the minority has become an unleashed death sentence. The branding Guru has evoked the cradle of civilization and the start of humanity as a persona non grata. Moreover, the branding Genius has also branded the Anus in less than 365 days of his leadership and the populous has amplified the language by claiming it, owning it and sharing it as if it is another branded items designed for our pleasurable entertainment. This is an opportune time for the nations of this earth to align, look inward to reflect about our individual values and collective love for humanity to then define our way forward because our Gross National Wellbeing is at stake. In the case of Africa, to transform Africa’s narrative, Africa’s stakeholders have to commit to the inherent responsibility of upholding the nation’s dignity, territorial integrity and cultural grandeur, pride and value. It is surely a sad moment in history that 60 years has passed since the hypocritical statement of integration and on this day of January 15, 2018 as we celebrate the 89^th birthday of a man that crossed the embedded cultural divide, we are also mourning the 50^th year of the honorable Martin Luther King assassination.

So Thank you for giving us an opportunity to look inward and pause for a moment in time to reflect about our way forward as Humankind. We should be thankful that such leadership can remind us that the greatest experiment can erect love and can bind each individual to be accountable and responsible for complying when the leadership takes on a godly stature of hate. We are surely living interesting stories, experiencing interactions detrimental to our beings and absorbing language that inherently has become part of our culture. It is now time to engage and define where do we go from here and as MLK said “the ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people”.