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So, this weekend I attended my first Black Students Summer Conference in Bradford. At the conference, the President of East Kent College Students’ Union proposed an idea that the Black Students Campaign (BSC) should question its use of the descriptor “political blackness”. It ended up being an extremely contentious debate.To be honest, political blackness is probably a concept many people haven’t come across – to the point that I attended the conference with a close Nigerian friend who’s currently doing an MA at Leeds and would consider himself quite “woke”, and yet was still expecting the conference to be attended by only Afro-Caribbeans. Political blackness is the idea that all non-white people can define themselves under one term: black. Charmaine, the Kent College President, said she submitted it because: “We should seek solidarity and strength from our BME students, to come not from an enforced sense of unity under the term ‘Black’, that erases their cultural identity, but an embrace of difference that makes their points of unity stronger.”Before I expand on my personal opinions on this I want to say that firstly, the Black Students Campaign (in my opinion) is the strongest arm of NUS. What I have witnessed it do over the past year has been incredible and the help that it has offered me as an officer in Leeds has meant I had the support from somewhere to‪#‎DisruptWhiteSupremacy‬. My mission this year has been to make the voices of students of colour on my campus as loud as they can be and the campaign helped me greatly in organising the biggest Black History Month Leeds has ever seen, and with launching a very noteable “Why Is My Curriculum White?” campaign.‘The Black Students Campaign (in my opinion) is the strongest arm of NUS’As with anything, it is not without faults. But let me remind you this is a conversation for students of colour to have amongst ourselves; any people using this for political and/or ideological gain for low-key racist shitty politics need to bounce. It seems that some groups of individuals who don’t always agree with the political line of the Black Students Campaign actually take delight when a disagreement occurs amongst students of colour – as a way to invalidate our calls for liberation. The discussions around political blackness are not about individuals and the policing of their identities, it is about the usefulness of a political semantic tool for the cause of liberation.My understanding of political blackness is that it is a very British concept, created for a very British type of racism which started to fester around the time people of colour were “invited” to Britain to come and re-build after the war. Black, Asian and Arab people experienced similar forms of racism. People would call an Asian person n***** due to pure ignorance, and we were seen simply as an “other”. So political blackness was useful.This is not to say that the people of Britain are no longer ignorant of our histories and identities, but it does mean that over time differences became more prevalent in our communities, and therefore in my opinion the term became less relevant. For instance, ethnically black students attain far less at university than their Asian counterparts. We are also less likely to be employed and, in 2012/13, of the almost 18,000 professors in the UK only 85 were ethnically black, whilst 850 were Asian.What we often forget in the student movement is that whilst our liberation, fighting for the equality of students like ourselves and for the liberation of oppressed people around the world, is an ongoing, painful and exhausting pursuit, it is actually a privilege. It is us – with the time, the resources and often the academic knowledge – who are positioned to be the vanguard of the movement. But people who come from where I grew up, in London, don’t always have the chance to fuxk with concepts like it.‘In 2012/13, of the almost 18,000 professors in the UK only 85 were ethnically black, whilst 850 were Asian’They are simply black, and it informs every aspect of their life. To use an academic term as the access point to liberation is exclusive, and you have to ask whether or not teaching people that they are “politically black” is worth it? Wouldn’t it be better to use the language people identify with in everyday rhetoric?Black is the identity I’ve known my whole life. Black is what connects me to the people of the Sub-Saharan diaspora all over the world – given we are some of the most displaced people in history. Black is my hair, is my body, is me. I can’t wake up and decide not to be seen as black – nor can I choose to adopt it as a political identity, whilst exercising racial privileges that lighter skinned people may be afforded due to colourism in many communities.But, if you agree with political blackness, I respect you. If you don’t believe in it, I agree with you. The fact of the matter really is that we all need to sit down and have a conversation about it, and preferably one that is not constrained by NUS whack democratic policy-making structures, which are thankfully under review. I understand, and wholeheartedly believe, that we need to fight white supremacy together as a united force.“For Black women as well as Black men [& non-binary babes], it is axiomatic that if we do not define ourselves for ourselves, we will be defined by others – for their use and to our detriment” –Another Answer:Next month Goldsmiths University is to host an event on black feminism, with two guests from the institution to speak on this important topic – the event is billed thusly: “conversation on black british feminism”. Two of Britain’s internationally acclaimed professors of race and gender will talk about Black British feminism and the inspirations, ideas and experiences that ground their own landmark writing.Sara Ahmed(The Promise of Happiness; On Being Included: Racism and Diversity in Institutional Life; Willful Subjects) and Heidi safia mirza(Young Female and Black; Black British Feminism; Race Gender and Educational Desire: Why Black Women Succeed and Fail) have a dedicated following within and beyond the academy.”Many young black academics, however, have expressed concern about the ability of ‘politically black’ academics to adequately represent and elucidate the experience of ‘ethnically black’ women. The social media backlash began in earnest a couple of weeks back; contact was made with the organisers, and though I am not clear on any solution negotiated, initial responses seem to have agitated the matter further.While I am no advocate of the term ‘politically black’, I caution those vehemently opposing its use in the dialectical lexicon concerned with race.Yes the term conflates those who regard themselves as ethnically black with those who unite under a shared banner of oppression. This is highly contentious to say the least – for reasons others have long already tackled, and will no doubt tackle in great detail in the future.However, and I will be short on words here; the newer breed of young scholars and activists who take offence to its use, who consider it a ‘redundant’ term, should be careful about arbitrarily excluding an entire generation, who are still very much alive, from an important conversation. This is a generation that sharpened their intellectual and activist teeth under this banner, and for who the term still holds relevance.This apparent ‘redundant’ generation did not use the term ‘politically black’ as a means to undermine as yet un-conceived ethnically black academics, no, they embraced this term because it made sense for their age, for the context in which they were living. We should grant them the respect and honour for what they have contributed to the discussions around anti-racism, representation and identity. And indeed, their contributions are many.Heidi Mirza, Sara Ahmed and others – prominent advocates of the blanket term ‘politically black’ – have contributed significantly to the discussions of race within the UK. Mirza in particular has made some significant contributions to the discussion of black feminism in this country – contributions that shape the academic foundations of feminism in Britain today.Now, while acknowledging that I have not engaged in the full spectrum of Mirza or Ahmed’s work, I am reticent to publicly condemn, attack or undermine the work of a generation of politically black individuals whose intentions, I believe, should be beyond question.Does this mean we should not re-evaluate the relevance of such a term in contemporary society? Absolutely not! A new conversation is most certainly in order.With the fracturing of various ethnic groups – all fleeing from under the umbrella of political blackness, and a growing number of ethnically black academics and thinkers trying to produce and interrogate issues specific to African or ‘ethnic’ blackness, it makes sense we rethink our stance.Without such a conversation it makes it difficult to interrogate the insidious anti-blackness rife among non-white communities, or even speak on the nuanced experience of minorities in regards to educational, academic and economic attainment – areas that reveal vast distinctions between Asian, Caribbean and African communities.These valid concerns aside, I would not wish, as I have previously stated, to see an attack on very influential and important scholars who identify as politically black, particularly when those individuals have contributed so favourably to discussions around race and identity.Again, I urge caution, not only because they are our seniors, in so many ways – having contributed more than our short lives have yet to – but also for the sake of fostering intergenerational dialogue, that will guide our collective concerns to solutions and not further antagonism and disintegration.Our focus should be on the institutional structures that consciously, or not so, continually exclude voices of ethnically black academics, in favour of brown academics that consider themselves politically black. Personalising these issues will not make a dent in the structures of inequality and misrepresentation this discussion seeks to address.Key stakeholders and decision makers within university spaces need to be aware that hiring someone who considers themselves ‘politically black’, does not mean one has diversified their staffing body to better reflect the ethnic make-up of London, or the UK. It does not mean one has hired someone with a lived body of knowledge and experience related to African and Caribbean communities. It does mean, however, another brown academic has secured a prominent opportunity to talk about, and undertake funded research, on issues related to ethnically black communities – further increasing the number of brown academics beyond the embarrassing amount of black post-graduate scholars given the same opportunity.Those who consider themselves politically black need to be reflective enough in regards to how such self-definition can become a hindrance, a silencing mechanism, to the voices of ethnically black individuals within the academy. Indeed it is incumbent upon the politically black to realise that the term is losing, if not has already lost, its historical meaning among most contemporary ‘minority’ communities, and does not signify what it once did among young academics engaged in discussions of race.The era of the politically black is in its death throes, though it does not mean solidarity must go the same way. If however we do not address this issue soon, and most importantly, address it in a respectful and conducive manner, I suspect it will be a site of growing conflict and disillusionment among participants of this important struggle.Political blackness does not sufficiently describe my life, nor my political and cultural outlook, however, it is political blackness that has enabled my generation to consider so much more about race and identity within our contemporary society than previous generations were able.Let us engage with respect and compassion, not least for the generation we ourselves precede.

It sucks and brings a lot of shame to my African pride.As an average citizen, you have ideas of what needs to be done, but you have no power to change things. I am almost 30 years old. Our representatives at African Union are old folks in their 70’s and 80’s. I have no idea of what they do. They seem to hold meetings after meetings, summits after summits, conferences after conferences, but you cannot point out anything they do on the practical level. They are all talk no action.The African Union is like the United Nations of Africa. If there is one responsibility they should have is to promote dignity and respect of every African citizen in the world. After what we have been through from colonization, to our so called “independence”, multiple wars, ethnic conflicts, genocides, coup d’etat from the 60’s to late 90’s, you would think that they would do the one job they are supposed to be doing. Bringing some respect back to Africa.Making sure that African people are respected around the world.Truth to be told, African people are the most disrespected people around the world. You see it everyday the moment you step outside the continent. If you are a professional like me and work around the world, that means you have apply visas to multiple countries. If you are applying for a visa to any Western European, US and Canada, that means that you are going to be hustled until you can show every single document in the world of bureaucratic paperwork. Sometimes, I always think that I am checking into a maximum federal prison.Once you get a visa and start traveling, they start stopping you at any airports for their “random” checks. During my grad school tenure, I used to travel a lot from Colorado to West-Africa quite a bit. I cannot tell you how many times I got searched for literally no reason when my American colleagues were just chilling. During my travels, I had to take extra documents just in case.It got so bad that my American colleagues would apologize to me because they could see that traveling on African passport was a nightmare compared to theirs. It was not their faults and had nothing to do with it.Back to your question, what do I think about immigration?What do you think? Imagine and put yourself in my shoes. Seeing your young brothers and sisters get enslaved in Libya in 2017, get treated like animals in the 21st century on European shores? ( Actually, I think Europeans treat their pets and animals like loyalty). They do care about their damn animals. Caring for black people who need help, not so much.For a Rwandan, that even brings lots of bad memories when they evacuated their fucking dogs in Rwanda 1994 and refused to rescue black Tutsis who needed help. It’s no bueno. I can’t speak about this without being too emotional. Sorry!Imagine waiting for a reaction and an outrage from your representatives at the AU, only to find out that nobody is doing something about it practically. They just talk and talk. No action.The migration issue is an African issue. It should not be a European issue. It could have been stopped way before reaching Libya. It could have been stopped before reaching the mediterannean or worse before reaching European shores.I don’t blame Europeans. They have every right be worried and to defend their rights. Countries have borders and those borders have to be respected. Laws are laws and have to be respected. However, as human beings, they can be a bit more compassionate than they have been to African migrants.Europe has some of the most racist people in the world. The migration crisis makes it even worse. It does not help their perception of Africa and Africans. It does not defeat the stereotypes and misconceptions they already have about Africans.Just when you think the perception of Africa and the image of Africa was starting to be a bit positive ( better than the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s), we go back to zero, starting from scratch again. It hurts like a bitch and can’t stand it. I wish I had some power to change things. I talk with my fellow Rwandans and Africans ( young) people who are equally hurt, but what can we do? Nothing. It hurts even more when you are helpless. All our leaders do is talking and no action.Our leaders are a shame. Africa is huge. If they were to work together, we can repatriate our brothers and sisters back to their home countries or any countries on their choices. Of all 55 African countries, we can provide food, water, shelter and other basic necessities they need. We can afford it. There is no need to shift our responsibilities and mediocrity to Europeans.If I was in charge, this is what I would do.In the short-term, the European Union ( and African Union) have to got to be hard and harsh on smugglers. Destroy all their ships with no mercy. If a ship is found coming to Europe, take the people out and destroy those ships right on spot. Take the people back to African shores. There is a growing PC ( political correctness) in Europe about compassion for refugees and all. I understand and respect that.However, when you allow more migrants to come in and reach your shores ( illegally), you are creating more problems. Smugglers will use that “ card” to reel in more people to the same path. Remember, some African migrants spend about $1,000.00 to $5,000.00 to make the journey. This could have been used to start a small business in their home countries. By doing this, you are literally fueling the fire of mediocrity and dependence on the African pot. Is this what you want?The young men coming in are desperate people whose failed education system and economic conditions have failed and decided to embark on a humiliating journey. They know nothing about how Europe works apart from EPL salaries for football players. Many just assume that by the time they reach Europe, money will be waiting to start collecting and send money home.Of course, this is far from the truth. Europe is really fucked up and have their own issues to deal with. But African migrants have no idea. Those of you who think that their countries are not safe, you are lying to yourself. Safety is not an issue in their countries. Job scarcity, unemployment rates, and terrible economic conditions are the main reasons they are coming. Don’t get played.Senegal, Ivory Coast, and majority of Nigeria are safer than France today. Libya is unstable. Do you see any Libyans in those ships? People from South Sudan, RCA, and Northern parts of Cameroun can be relocated to other countries who are safe. There should be no excuse to be make the journey up-north to colonial masters. Absolutely, none!African migrants do not need to be disrespected in Europe. I was not expecting anything different from the Italians anyway. But this one has been worse.I am proud to be African and would not trade it with anything else. However, with this migration crisis, our heads of state at African Union need to do better. I know for sure that my generation can and will do better than these bureaucrats and politicians who sit on their asses all day every day. Every year for 30, 40, and sometimes 50 years.It is a disgrace that we call them our “ representatives” and “heads of state”. Majority of them are doing neither job.I can’t stand their mediocrity, arrogance, and lack of passion for their people and country. You cannot compromise dignity and respect of your people like they have done. I wish they can retire today because we need fresh flood in the African Union and our respective countries. Otherwise, forget about it.In the long-term, Europeans need to admit that they created this mess by destabilizing Libya. If Muammar Gaddafi was still in power today, Libya would be stable. The truth is that Mr. Gaddafi kept Libya together. He refused to give up Libya’s resources to NATO and the next thing you know he was gone. Karma is a bitch. Libya has never been the same ever since.Economic conditions in those countries are not better today than they were 5 or 10 years ago. In fact, conditions today are way better than they were 10 years ago in those countries. The real reason why people are coming through Libya is because Libya is just not the same with the COL Gaddafi ( May he rest in peace).He is an African hero who died for what he believed in. He is not any of these weak leaders we have who would not even speak up about unfair trade practices of EU countries in Africa, cheap imports of food from subsidized EU products, multinational companies stealing resources, aid recycling in Africa, and other terrible things that the EU impose on African countries. Read "Africa is poor" they said!.On the African side, we have lots of work to do. First thing I would do would be to cut ties the EU. Until they learn to respect Africans, I don’t want to deal with them. We are wasting our time because our economies cannot compete with them when they can dump everything into our markets. We are better off without them. Maybe, that would force us to do business together instead. Read Africa need to phase out Aid to be politically and economically independent.Free market capitalism, trade, innovation, business and entrepreneurship within Africa.Home | African UnionWe need to create better economic conditions in our countries.Change our education systems from a Eurocentric to an Afrocentric education. An education that get African children excited about their countries. In our schools today, we still learn more about Europe than we do about Africa. Our children can’t tell you any of their country heroes. They don’t know about their history because even their rivers and mountains were “discovered” by European explorers. Our education system worships the white man from primary and secondary schools because they designed all of it. That needs to change ASAP.Our education need to create job creators and not job seekers. We still get educated as if we are all going to be civil servants in government institutions. This is why we have so much unemployment rates.Those of us who have been to Europe need to educate our fellow brothers and sisters about the real Europe. EPL football players’ salaries does not reflect the quality of life in Europe. This is going to be a challenge to educate them about what is needed to work in Europe, real life in Europe, and many other things.Many of them were trained to believe that Europe was a paradise of a land. Thanks to an Education that is very outdated from 60’s and 70’s colonial era. It is our job to change it and make it as Afrocentric as possible.This list is way too long but basically we need to create jobs in our own countries. 90% of African countries are safe today. Way safer than France today, definitely. What we need to create better economics conditions for the African youth in these countries.I already have another popular answer and don’t want to repeat over myself too much. So, here you go below. I should warn you before you continue reading though. I do speak my mind with honesty and facts. So, I apologize in advance for my fellow Africans who think I am too harsh on ourselves or Europeans who think I am making excuses. I am doing neither. I am just an African who understand both worlds a bit and can offer some perspective into this mess.Without further due, this is my “last” two cents on this issue. It’s all I have got and nothing else. Is the migrant population from Africa desirable in Europe?No, illegal migration should not be desirable.Africa is big enough, rich enough to accommodate every African. There should not be no need to move to Europe ( illegally). Economic opportunities can be created at home so that nobody has to embark on that horrible journey of shame and mediocrity on European shores.Image source: Africa is BIG.Before I start, let’s make some facts straight.Fact 1: Africa is not moving to Europe.People from some African countries are moving to Europe. Until Europeans learn to distinguish the African continent from individual countries, we will always have some problems. I always ask. How did you people do the the scramble of Africa in 1885, divided Africa into diverse lands for your ego and invasion purposes, but today, you cannot separate Botswana, from Zambia, Angola, Senegal, to Ivory Coast and others?What happened to some generations in between? I give a pass to countries who had nothing to do with colonization but to the imperialist countries like France, UK, Spain, Italy, Germany, Portugal, etc. Maybe a little of Karma is a bitch.What happened?Your ancestors partitioned an entire continent, named, renamed, and dislocated countries, but one generation down, you don’t even care to distinguish those countries you created? What happened? I ask.Africa is NOT a country. I don’t know how long I have to keep repeating this.Image source: Africa 101Learn to identify and to distinguish individual countries first, one by one. We would be off to a good start to understand these issues. You seem to be worried about migration ( for the right reasons).For those who say that Europe is being invaded, you have no idea of what you are talking about. At the end of the 19th century, Africa was invaded. Africans on the European shores? That is not what an invasion looks like. Let’s not get too graphic here. You all know that your ancestors did. At least, I hope you learned that in your schools. Or did you? Who knows about King Leopold II, nicknamed as the “butcher of Congo” for murdering tens of millions Congolese people under his charity organization with Christian missionaries?“The commanding officer ordered us to cut off the heads of the men and hang them on the village palisades, also their sexual members, and to hang the women and the children on the palisade in the form of a cross."Image source: Congolese posing with the severed hands of those failed to make the daily rubber sap quota ( Digital Journal, 1904). You can read all about it in the link below.The Butcher of Congo: King Leopold II of Belgium.To me, it does not look like you did learn because some of you still think that you came to “ civilize” Africans. Is that what you learned in school? I ask. If that’s the case, we have more problems that I anticipated. I always roll my eyes on that one. If that’s the case, why did our ancestors fight against your invasion fearlessly, but you kept pushing even harder until their spears and arrows got tired.Image source: Battle between Herero Warriors and German colonial Troops in 1904Did you really have that much mercy to “civilize” Africans that even when they said “no”, you had to kill, murder, torture and humiliate them for the sake of bringing “ civilization” to them? I ask.Fact 2: Africans love their countries.Photo Credit: Rwanda the Heart of AfricaMajority of Africans are proud of the nations and you would not pay them to leave. Watching your media, they make it seem like we are all coming to Europe. That is just preposterous. Many of you should be reasonable enough to know that already. I have been watching some Italians go “ nuts” on national TV. I just roll my eyes watching you go crazy for such nonsense.Africa has about 1.2 billion people. You know!We are proud of our culture and respective countries. Rwandans, Tanzanians, Botswana people, Tunisians, Ethiopians, and all other people of any African country on the continent. We have beautiful countries, rich cultures and a history to be proud of from our ancestors to today.Africa is Back is your blog to learn more if you are interested.Photo Credit: ( Life in Rwanda) Rwanda the Heart of AfricaLast time I checked, the immigrants were coming from some parts of West-Africa ( Senegal, Mali, Nigeria) and a few others such as Eritrea, South Sudan, and RCA. These people do not represent an entire continent. I know you are worried and get too emotional about this. However, facts are facts and don’t care about your feelings.What can Africans do about it?Educating young folks about what is like to live in Europe ( beyond the fantasy Europe they learn in euro-centrist schools and TV).The young people ( mostly young men) who embark on the journey to Europe have no idea of the real harsh life in Europe. Most of them have at least a high school education or even a university degree. They move to a fantasy Europe they have no idea of what it is all about. They barely know what is needed to work in Europe ( legally).Change Eurocentric education system to an Afrocentric education system in primary and secondary schools. African’s duty and obligation.If African Union wanted to genuinely solve the migration issue, I would start changing basic education system. Adopt to an African based education that young Africans can relate to and feel inspired and proud of their country. Each country has a rich history, heroes, amazing stuff to be proud of as an African. Majority of the young folks have no idea because nobody taught them their history.If anything, this quote summarizes everything I want to say about education in Africa.Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will glorify the hunter”. Chinua Achebe, the great Nigerian Author, Novelist, Professor and Poet.Chinua Achebe: Every African child should read his books. Things Fall Apart ( 1958) is the most widely read book in the African Literature.The history of European invasion and colonization praises Europeans because they wrote all of it. Today, that is the same history still taught in our schools. It is at the heart of many issues we have. Corrupted leaders, lack of integrity in leadership, lack of passion and love for one’s country, you name it.We still follow an outdated system from colonial times. An education that was supposed to show Africans that they are “inferior”, “indigenous”, and needed a white man to be their “savior”.My African perspective on migration to Europe.This should have been an African issue, not a European issue.I have taken sometime to think about the root cause of the migration. It all comes down to a Eurocentric education we still have in many African countries today. After colonization, the colonial education designed to worship the white man never changed. Only Africans can fix this mess of an “education” system we have in our schools. The old school education system from the 1970’s needs to be changed ASAP. It should have been changed many years ago. 30–40 years ago.A young African graduating from high school today knows more about Paris ( France) and London ( England) than their home countries. They know more about Napoleon Bonaparte, Churchill, WW II, Hitler, and other European stuff that have nothing to do with her life. I am all about history, but African story should be first. When you know nothing about where your country have been, where it is and where it is headed, you have nothing to inspire you from within. This is a powerful concept in basic education. In my opinion, this is why one goes to primary and secondary schools.By the time, one graduates from secondary school, they should be aware of their societies problems, what needs to be done, looking for their strengths and weaknesses so that their university education can challenge them through research and inovation to solve their society’s problems.Our African story was reduced to nothing. An African child does not know where her country has been, the heroes, the villains, the good and the bad in her country. Her whole history is still taught from an European perspective of belittling and dehumanizing her ancestors. In summary, she barely learns any history about her country. Their heroes and great ancestors have been called “ indigenous” and have been reduced to nothing.By the time, she finishes high school, she does not see greatness in her country.When your rivers and mountains are said to have been discovered by French and British explorers when in reality Senegalese and Ivory Coast ancestors had been living there for generations, you see little or no value in your home country. By the time, you graduate from school, you want to do everything possible to go to Europe. Your dream place as described in all the text books, and other educational materials.Mediocre Education system and unemployment ratesSince this colonial style education from the 70’s and 80’s was designed to train civil servants in government institutions, every university graduate want to work for the government. They are not trained to be “ job creators”. They are trained to be “ job seekers”. To make matters worse, they all want office jobs sitting in offices, computers, and high rise buildings. Dressing up nice to work as the French do and all that nonsense stuff.Nobody wants to be a mechanic, plumber, electrician, and other job creating hands-on skills and professions needed in the African job market.Morning formations at my high school in Rwanda, way back in the days. Before starting our classes, we had a “rassemblement” with the school principal. Pants and shirts for guys and “appropriate” skirts and shirts for ladies. The man in the middle is the director of the school ( school principal in US education system). We are all dressed in similar uniforms, getting instructions and words of wisdom.They are not critical thinkers and analyzers. They have just memorized a bunch of theories from Europe. 90% of university graduates might be expecting to work for the government when in reality they are only 7-10% of jobs available for them on the job market. 10% goes to the private sector. Where does the rest of 80% go?Sit down and wait for a job. A non-existing job that is never going to come around because it does not exist. Remember they were not trained to solve problems, but only to complain about problems, like the bureaucrats and politicians do. An accountant cannot start a small business to provide tax services to many businesses in the area. She sits down and waits for a government job.They wait for a job for one, second and third consecutive year, nothing comes around. But then, they remember that Europe is all “good” and the grass is greener than there. This is what they have been taught, but majority have no idea of the harsh reality of life difficulty in Europe ( winters, hustle life, and other things Europeans know already).For such young people whose education system and employment condition has failed, their eyes look to Europe and North-America. When you don’t see greatness in your country, you will find it somewhere else. Just like you, Africans want to live in conditions where they will maximize the use of their talents and potential. In the migration case, the systems in their countries have failed them and have no choice but to look somewhere else.They want to make the journey to Europe as the last resort. Their families don’t know better. Nobody to give them advice on how Europe works. They know Europe through overpaid premier league soccer football players or worse overpaid NGO staff workers who work in their countries.Therefore, some sell their whole belongings to send their sons to Europe, make the journey to Europe expecting that once they make it, money and prosperity will be waiting at the door. No knowledge of legal immigration or work visas, they just assume that the white man will be their savior like they learned in their textbooks ever since they were young.They assume they will start sending money back to their families as soon as they reach European shores. From there, it is roller-coster of shame and mediocrity. Disappointments to make the journey alive, what they go through, in Libya and elsewhere. Media jumps on it, humiliates and exaggerates it even more like they always for anything negative about Africa, and so on and on.How to move forward?In my opinion, those already in Europe should come back home and be housed in Africa. If they don’t want to come back to their home countries, all the other African nations can provide food, shelter, and other basic necessities they need. As a proud African who is tired of racism towards Africans, this is our problem and should be solved by us only, not the Europeans. If we don’t want to be mocked by the world, this is how we earn a little bit of dignity and respect back.Europe is already facing their own issues and we should not be adding more on their plates. They already got enough already. Brexit, financially irresponsible countries, unemployment in EU countries, etc.On the other hand, our leaders in the African Union needs to get their shit together to prevent occurrences like this to happen ( ever again). Libya is in the African Union ( oh wait, EU and NATO killed the only man who kept Libya together, Muammar Gaddafi for 40 years).He kept Libya safe, maintained peace and security and shared Libya resources with his people. Today, it is a different story. No rule of law, economy in ruin, and Libya is divided in pieces. Now Libya is unstable and cannot prevent such incidences. Oil and gas resources are only enriching EU and American companies instead of Libyan and African people. Karma is a bitch, isn’t it?Below are his exact words before NATO bombed his wonderful country.“Now listen, you people of NATO. You're bombing a wall which stood in the way of African migration to Europe and in the way of Al-Qaeda terrorists. This wall was Libya. You're breaking it." African Hero and Former President of LibyaHow Libya holds the key to solving Europe's migration crisisThe useless African Union could not even say a thing. They knew damn well that Gaddafi was the man in Libya and his collapse was all about the money and crony capitalism and nothing to do with some bullshit democratic ideals.Anyway, what I am saying is that African Union should not allow people to make it that far. When we wait for African migrants to reach the shores of Europe, we feed Europeans and other white supremacy political parties on the myths and stereotypes they already have on Africa. “Poor”, “lazy”, “inferior” Africans and many others that Europeans think about whenever their media news outlets report on some negative events about Africa.This is a brief story but it covers majority of issues related to illegal migration to Europe. If the African Union wants to solve this problem once for all, with a long-term approach , I would start with colonial education we still have today. This mediocre education system teaches African youth that Europe is a paradise as they see on TV.In their textbook, the white man is “superior”, much smarter than Africans. In their mind, they are “inferior” and if their promise of a “ happy life” might be in Europe and America. It is unfair to call this an “ education” because if the purpose of education is to enlighten citizens about their societies’ problems and way to solve them, our so called “education” system would get an F-grade. African youth do not get any inspiration from this system. Add that to the NGO and their aid work in Africa, you have a recipe for a disaster. Why Foreign Aid Is Hurting AfricaIn fact, if you get one thing from this post, know that our system of education is at the heart of it all. I am sure it is much more complex but it all comes down to the way we teach our children. French and Belgium colonies want to go France and Belgium, respectively. English colonies want to go to UK and US.Legal Migration is a GO. Illegal should be a NO GO.As far as I know, every European country has a legal system for African expats who come to work in Europe, temporarily or permanently. Just as we have legal systems for European expats who come to work in Africa.Compared to Africa, Europe is too small ( see the 1st map). In my opinion, Europeans have every right to defend who get to immigrate to their countries. They already have robust systems of legal immigration. However, Europe has her various issues to deal with and does not need to handle African issues on top of theirs. Financially irresponsible countries such as Greece and Spain, unemployment rates in Italy, Portugal, and other countries. With Brexit, EU seems confused of what is next, new trade policies with the UK, and many other issues they are facing.The African migration issue is African issue. It should not have been a European issue in the first place. As an African, this is why I can’t stand the African Union. They could have stopped it before it escalated to the Mediterranean shores of Western Europe. Just like Europeans who hate to see those images, We Africans don’t like to see those photos either. They humiliate us and bring lots of shame and disgust.Final RemarksI am sorry I had to get this off my chest. Although I cannot get it out of my mind. My apologies ( in advance) for a long article and little hearts who can’t take the truth. The ugly truth is always uncomfortable and hurts like a bitch.Whatever side you found yourself on by the lottery of birth, I hope we can honestly talk about these issues to move forward in the positive direction. Europe does not want African immigrants and we the African people don’t want to be humiliated like we have been.Each side has mutual interests to pursue, but until we get real and be honest with to one another, we will keep dancing around such issues when we should be talking about the “many” elephants in the room. At this point, the European Union ( EU) and the African Union ( AU) are the representatives from each side.I have been following with the migrant crisis for a while now. I feel like I know what the EU wants. Their expectations are clear. If you ask me, what the AU’s goals are in this matter, I would not tell you. I don’t know. That tells me that they are not talking at all. One side is just lecturing and giving instructions while the other is just sitting and listening; waiting to be told what to do. This is the main problem. In the end, my side is the loser. The African people are the loser, whichever way you look at it.Didier Champion's answer to What will happen in Europe after the migrant crisis?Below is my golden advice to the EU and how they should go about it.Collaborate with African leaders to get hard and harsh on smugglers. They are taking advantage of desperate people. Listen to African leaders and do not lecture them of your opinions. They understand this issue on their side of the world better than you do. On this issue, you need African leaders’ opinions. You cannot do it by yourselves. You have to be crazy to think that you can solve an African issue from a European perspective and ways of doing things.Otherwise, Europeans will keep complaining about those “damn” Africans. On the other side, African people will be banging our heads on walls about WTF is going on. In a nutshell, that is the life of African people with regards to politics and economic progress. Africa is rich and we can afford to help our own people in my opinion.This is my two cents as a Rwandan and an African who longs for our dignity and respect. We are all human beings and have same inalienable rights to be treated like people; not like a bunch of animals in the zoo or second class people. Inalienable Rights - Definition, Examples, Cases ( Taken straight out of your play book and lectures about human rights).Meanwhile, some African leaders need to learn what Rwanda has been doing for the past 20 years. If Rwanda can do it, every African country can. Good leadership and the power of the people matters.10 Richest Countries In Africa 2014 - GDP per capitaPort-Louis, MauritiusKigali, RwandaAn affluent neighboorhood at the heart of Kigali, my home city and the capital city of Rwanda.10 plus One Amazing Facts about Rwanda and Reasons to visit in 2018Ellen Degeneres, visiting Rwanda last month, posing with her flight crew with Akagera Aviation Motors ( May 2018).Photo Credit: Rwanda the Heart of AfricaReferencesAfricans are still tied in the colonial chains of their masters in Africa Today.The Butcher of Congo: King Leopold II of Belgium.Didier Champion's answer to What will happen in Europe after the migrant crisis?If you got this far, thanks for reading, for your time and attention.Feel free to contact me by email or message.Goodbye! I am out.Didier ChampionThanks for A2A, Christine Leigh Langtree.

A Conversation With Justin TrudeauJustin Trudeau: I think people should be allowed to pursue a better life in Canada where there are better laws and more opportunities regardless of their cultural background. I think the Mennonites and Indo-Canadians and Asians in Canada at this moment would agree. The only thing threatening chaos and wars in Canada/US right now is the ridiculous notion that the 'left' is somehow the enemy of the 'right', and that there is no longer any middle ground. I think it is important to recognize when ideologies are driven by fear or hate. Our country won't be destroyed by immigrants, it was *built* by immigrants of all different ethnicities, religions, and so on….Carlen Jansen: I wish that I could agree entirely with you on this Mr Trudeau.....People who are of similar culture will be able to easily assimilate with that of a country that they immigrate to. Multiculturalism is divisive! We should not celebrate our differences of culture, language and customs. When people immigrate to the US or Canada, they should accept the culture of our countries, the languages and respect our laws and our customs. They need to assimilate with us and not bring their own countries to thrive as "Ethinicities" within our own Canadian cities. People are tribal and they tend to form their own little borders around their tribes within Canada's border without becoming Canadian. Immigrants have to be taught our history, our accomplishments, our proud moments and events, our military triumphs and the values of freedom that we hold so dear to our hearts. They have to respect Canada first and their home countries second. At this point in our history, we do not need immigrants to build our railroads, our highways, our infrastructure, our community buildings and many other projects that were required in the fifties, sixties, seventies and eighties. We do not have jobs here in Canada for existing Canadians, let alone new immigrants that do not have any skills, know our language or be able to contribute to our economy. This is not the time for you Mr. Trudeau to welcome Islamic immigrants or refugees. First of all, very few will assimilate and accept our way of life. Secondly, they are known to disrespect western culture and have been hostile towards Christians or other faiths practiced here in Canada. Thirdly, they will be a burden on our social network services such as medical, educational and welfare. I have a lot of respect for everyone no matter what race, culture or language including Muslims, as long as they become productive citizens of our country. I am not a racist. But I cannot help but notice that many first and second generation Africans or Middle Eastern immigrants have a difficult time in accepting our culture and will often group together afraid to mingle with other visible minorities and majorities. They practice ways of living that are contrary to ours by taking advantage of some of our laws, regulations and policies. Their male dominated patriarchal cultures do not mesh with ours and their arrangement of marriage partners for their children have ended up in some mercy killings. I have some very good friends and neighbours from South Asia....these are the ones that have accepted our culture, that have celebrated the births of their children with us and vice versa, that have enjoyed our food as we have enjoyed theirs. They have helped us with home projects as we have helped them. In fact they celebrate Christmas by decorating Christmas trees and hanging colorful lights around their homes. We in fact do not have to greet them with "Happy Holidays", we greet them with "Merry Christmas". I'm simply pointing out some of the difficulties that some immigrants from extremely different cultures with different values can have within our borders. In regards to Left versus Right.....liberal governments in both Canada and the US have opened up our consumer markets to China, India, South Korea and Japan who have bought our resources, minerals, logs, oil and added value to them by producing furniture, plastics, toys, cars, heavy duty equipment and selling those products back to us, bypassing our middle class workers. Conservative governments tend to focus more on creating businesses, manufacturing and product development in order to increase employment opportunities. You and your Liberal party focus on spending and borrowing instead of earning and then spending. So, yes....there is a problem between the left and the right. The problem is that too many people enjoy the freebies promised by liberal governments and will therefore always vote them back in. Did you know that we have only had four conservative governments here in Canada in the last 70 years? The right immigrants when needed are highly valued. I myself am the son of immigrant parents who settled in Canada during the heavy resource extraction era in Canada in the fifties. My father was an underground miner and could not wait to learn the language, to assimilate within the "hockey" culture and become a Canadian citizen and embrace all other Canadians of diverse backgrounds in our neighborhood. On our street, we had Italians, Sikhs, Germans, Polish, Dutch, French and Chinese neighbors.....all living together in peace because they became Canadians first. So no, I do not promote racism. Europe has been sacrificed and damaged by the EU and its open border experiment. They have been invaded by hordes of people that only want to establish an Islamic State in Western Europe and they will destroy the European countries’ nationalism and their cultures as well as their faiths. They cannot invade by force and with powerful military equipment..... They will simply takeover by sheer population growth. You, Mr. Trudeau have opened the gates here in Canada to allow the same invasion of Muslims and we will be paying a huge price through civil wars and financial debt. President Trump is preventing that down in the US and it looks like Boris Johnson is going to halt the migration invasion in the UK and exit from the UN established EU.Justin Trudeau: Immigrants do respect our laws, they come here for our laws, as I mentioned. But our customs? That would mean we don't live in a free country where you can pursue a lifestyle you think is appropriate, such as one based on your cultural and ethnic background. I think maybe you assume that most immigrants are evil in intent, but most concerning of all is the notion of there somehow being a 'right' culture...one that just happens to be our own, one that suits our' tastes. I believe that's called ethnocentrism. We are not masters dictating who comes and goes based on whether they are useful to us. Immigrants were shown compassion, we should show the same to new immigrants. I don't think left and right should be at extreme odds, we need the balance in government. Both sides try to buy elections. But xenophobia is hate, driven by fear of change. While there may be kernels of truth they are accompanied by ignorance of other equally valid truths. Xenophobia and nationalism leads to insularity, which leads to conflict with other nations and suffering of people. We've seen it time and again in history. It is up to individuals in free countries not to use their freedom to succumb to such a base mentality which is a form of tribalism, as you mentioned. I think we should be an example of hope and liberty in the world...if not us, who else?Carlen Jansen: I'm not sure that we are on the same wavelength in communication in regards to the topic that we are discussing. I did not suggest that people accept our customs....just to simply have respect for our way of life. There are many cultures in this world and each immigrant is free to practice the culture of the country that they have left to live in Canada. That practice however, should not interfere with our lifestyle and our culture. I believe that you are assuming that Canada does not have their own culture and that we should open our borders to anyone including groups of immigrants that want to change our culture. We and our government should be masters of our country and we should vet the immigrants that apply to enter our borders. Xenophobia does not even cross my mind. If someone knocks on your door at 24 Sussex Drive and wants to enter your home, will you not ask them as to why they want to come in to your home? Let's assume that they are looking to rent your summer cottage. Would you not check them out to make sure that they are not criminals, that they have a job and a good record of paying rent elsewhere? You believe in globalist ideals of one central government for the whole world.....You and I will always be at odds with each other. You are basically suggesting a Utopian society. You are suggesting the removal of nationalism in a world that can never be united into one. Canada cannot be a beacon of hope in uniting all the different races, the faiths, the cultures, the lifestyles in perfect or in any form of harmony. My parents moved here to adopt the lifestyle, learn the language(s), obey the laws and respect the culture that has made Canada so great. Why would we enter this country to change it? There are immigrants that have no respect for Canadian laws, that want to turn it into their new homeland. Why do you let those people step foot in our country.....people composed of men that marry children, that practice female genitalia mutilation, that have a faith that they want to impose on we (the infidels) and have no tolerance for anyone that does not adopt their Muslim faith or that does not abide by their Sharia law? Immigrants to Canada should be treated with compassion, if they are worthy of it, if they are law abiding, if they are productive and respect us. I was treated that way when I legally entered this great country. Once we were settled here, we wanted to be protected by immigration policies that filter bad elements from harming us. We want to close our doors to enemies and criminals and open them to friends and caring people.Justin Trudeau: I completely disagree with you, I will say that Canada is currently a multicultural country with Quebec as a distinct culture, the Aboriginal population as a distinct culture, the European, South Asian, Asian, Mennonite populations as distinct cultures and others...with common values in the constitution and laws of the country. So I'm not sure which culture you refer to when you say 'our lifestyle and our culture'. Laws are the glue that ties cultures together, not lifestyles. That's not to say we don't vet immigrants to ensure their intentions are wholesome. As far as globalism goes as you mentioned, I will just say I suspect that economic interdependence is a valuable component of world peace: It is the glue that can tie together vastly different regimes.Carlen Jansen: Canada does have a culture Mr Trudeau...and that culture in my opinion is currently being torn apart by immigrants that don't care about our values and our history. As I have mentioned several times, multiculturalism divides us. It was a concept that your father Pierre Elliott Trudeau hatched in 1968 to appease English Canada when he adopted a description invented by Jean Lesage, the Provincial Premier from 1960 to 1966 branding Quebec as a "distinct" society. In 1968, as a grade 11 high school student I was chosen to join a group of western Canadian students to travel to Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City. Canadian culture was very much in evidence, it was not simply a celebration of different ethnic groups. We celebrated the essence of Canadian culture. Ujjal Dosanjh....an immigrant from India and a former MP for the Liberal Party of Canada described our culture best: "After all what is culture? It is a shared understanding of our shared history, shared values and a shared future. Some of us are and remain ignorant of Canadian history. That is a crying shame. How can one share without knowing what and who one is sharing it with? The culture based on freedom means a culture with all its faults for all to see. Canada has a culture of its own; warts and all. I came and stayed because Canada has more than material wealth. It has culture. It is not a perfect culture but it is unquestionably more perfect than most. However those that feel Canada has no culture of its own and whose mission it is to "civilise Canada" in their own image are free to depart for their preferred places of culture. I am in no mood to be colonised by the new colonisers. Good riddance, I say!" I wholeheartedly agree with Mr Dosanjh. We both immigrated to Canada and we will not welcome people of other cultures that want to change ours. In a world where there are forces that want to remove our borders and want us to give up our nationalism, I will oppose those forces. Unfortunately, it may be too late because of your immigration policies.Justin Trudeau: Sounds to me like you want a stronger vetting process for immigrants. I don't think a family from Somalia, Yemen, Syria or Libya looking for a better life in Canada is going to be trying to change Canada into the place they are fleeing from. They are looking for a more secure society. I don't think fear mongering and slippery slope arguments are helpful to anyone. I don't think allowing immigrants means that everyone will soon be pooping in the street and mutilating genitals and stealing and doing nothing in their government jobs. Will there be some cases of that? Perhaps, sure (the dreaded kernel of truth). Will it be the norm? Try compassion for your fellow human beings. Bible based and Muslim based culture demands compassion. Love your neighbour as yourself. I find it interesting how many religious people, many who are conservatives like yourself, ignore “Love Thy Neighbour”. Instead of being a force of opposition, be a force for accommodation and integration.Carlen Jansen: Yes, I have compassion for my fellow human beings and yes, I believe in better screening and vetting. I believe in helping immigrants that arrive here legally and that want to build a life for themselves. You: Prime Minister Trudeau have signed a UN resolution to provide homes for many other migrants. Our economy cannot sustain more unskilled, illiterate and ESL (English as a Second Language immigrants. A close friend of mine from Europe, walked into an immigration office here in Abbotsford requesting to apply for permanent resident status. He had been offered a job here and his wife is a vascular surgeon in Italy. He was told to come back when he learned to write and speak in English. Is it fair? No...Would you prefer that we open all of our borders and accommodate everyone? How many families are you willing to personally support until they can find gainful employment? Don't be so willing to accommodate people that will increase our national debt for years and contribute to the hardships that our own children and grandchildren will experience when they are saddled with debt repayment in the form of taxes so high that they will not be able to raise their own families. Coming full circle from the first comment you made....there is no fear or hate related to this conversation. It is simply focusing on the fact that not all peoples of the world will feel comfortable in our society and that moving here is not such a good idea. Would you immigrate to Syria? Iran? Egypt? Or Russia? Or China? Probably not. So why do you want to bring those countries into ours?