REMEMBER: CHEIKH ANTA DIOP

By Jane Musoke-Nteyafas

Remember

Cheikh Anta Diop

Remember

your ancestors

You sons of Akhenaten

Prodigies of Imohotep

Nile/Niger treasures

My melanated men of

Coveted cocktails

Bamboo brown

Sable dunes shades

Caribbean soirèe shades

Black like scarab beetles

Conakry/Congo/Cote D’Ivoire

Bambara/Berber/Bissau beauties.

 Remember

Cheikh Anta Diop

Remember

your ancestors

Remember

Your history

Do not let his legacy die

You men of

lotus white eyes

like silken drops

warrior wine lips

Nefertiti/Nefertari/Nubian noses

pomegranate/papaya perfumes

tortoise shells jewellery

Sahara silhouetted sandals

And dazzling dashikis.

Remember

Cheikh Anta Diop

Forget not

your secret brotherhood

You guards of

Sacredness and spirituality

Language and traditions

Forget not

Ancient Kemet and Kush

Punt and Nubia

the authentic Africa  in you.

Remember

your African roots

Remember

your African mother

The womb-man who birthed you

Remember

Mother Africa

The precious land that claims you

Remember

Cheikh Anta Diop.

*   *   *   *   *

Written Tuesday 21st June 2005

posted 30 March 2006

Jane Musoke-Nteyafas, poet/author/artist and playwright, was born in Moscow, Russia and currently resides in Toronto, Canada.  She is the daughter of retired diplomats. By the time she was 19, she spoke French, English, Spanish, Danish, Luganda, some Russian and had lived in Russia, Uganda, France, Denmark, Cuba and Canada. She won the Miss Africanada beauty pageant 2000 in Toronto where she was also named ‘one of the new voices of Africa’ after reciting one of her poems. In 2004 she was published in T-Dot Griots-An Anthology of Toronto's Black storytellers and in February 2005 her art piece Namyenya was featured as the poster piece for the Human Rights through Art-Black History Month Exhibit. 

She is the recipient of numerous awards for her poetry, art, and playwriting and is becoming a household name in Toronto circles. She is a columnist for Bahiyah Woman Magazine and is also a fellow for the Crossing Borders-British Council Writers Programme. www.nteyafas.com