In a recent visit to the Catholic Museum in Bagamoyo (70 KM North of Dar es Salaam at the Indian Ocean) during the Inter Region Economic Network’s staff training, a comment in the visitors’ book caught my attention. The guest observed that while the museum was full of Arab, Indian and European footprints; the African footprint was conspicuously absent!

A society's  development largely depends on its people’s identity. This identity is derived from factors that include past successes, failures and interactions with other communities. Africa’s lack of confidence in its identity makes its history the most suppressed, mutilated, manipulated and obscure in the world. The plunder of the continent’s past has grown to proportions of ‘cultural genocide.’ The average Africans consequently have a false view of themselves and a warped psyche that hinders development. Mali, for example, has more archaeological sites than other parts of Africa except Egypt, but the rate of their looting is making the country's history to literally disappear from under the feet of its inhabitants. Allegations that foreigners disguised as tourists and conservationists are destroying Africa’s ancient artifacts ought to be investigated and appropriate action taken.

There is much evidence to the fact that Africa was a hub of great knowledge and inventions. Africans must deliberately quit the lowest common denominator mentality, turn from the shadows, re-document their history and recapture their former glory. This shall happen when Africans shun the beggar mentality, build themselves and run their own show. Together with America, Europe and Asia, we are all customers in a shop, confident and able to choose what we want.