Hail to The African

Just as Afro-Americans in the early forties cheered Negro Digest, The African was hailed by Africans and Americans cutting across socio-professional and racial backgrounds both in the United States and Africa, right after the publication of its first issue. The following is a sampling of the letters.

Thank you for sending us a copy of your magazine, The African. We have found it quite an attractive, informative and useful publication. We are confident that The African will fill an information vacuum in as far as Africans tell their stories themselves.

Mounir Adhoun, Information Officer

Embassy of Tunisia, Washington, D.C.

 

Congratulations and thank you for finally representing the continent properly. I’ve been waiting a long time for your magazine because the other magazines that cover the Continent, especially African Business and New African, are too colonized psychologically, and ahistorical in their analyses of the source of the present-day challenges which confront not only the Continent, but all of the children of the Sun throughout the world.

Needless to say, they never mention American Africans, Caribbean Africans or South and Central American Africans and our relationship with the Continent. But truth can only be hidden for so long. Thanks.

John M. Rodgers,

New York, N.Y

It’s about time black people have awakened from our deep sleep and come up with something innovative. Thanks.

David G. Lewis

Far Rockaway, N.Y.

It’s about time black people have awakened from our deep sleep and come up with something innovative. Thanks.

David G. Lewis

Far Rockaway, N.Y.

I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of the introductory issue of your magazine, The African. I extend my congratulations to yourself and to the editorial staff of this magazine whose existence will contribute to making the real image of our countries known to the United States by Africans themselves.

Paul Boundoukou-Latha, Ambassador of Gabon to the United States

Washington, D.C.

I recently purchased a copy of your magazine. I must admit that I have read many different magazines about Africa, and compared with the others that I have read, I was most impressed with your magazine, and I plan to subscribe to it.

I also noticed in your magazine that you welcome questions from readers about Africa, and thus I would like to ask this question: I have been searching for several years for books that specifically discuss the history, cultural and physical characteristics of African peoples. I am particularly interested in the peoples of West Africa, Northwest Africa and Angola. I have not been able to find a lot of information on this subject, especially on physical characteristics and the peoples of Angola. I would like to ask if you have any information that can help me in my search. If so, it would be greatly appreciated.

Michael Dennis

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The need for African voices in the American media has become very pressing. More so, because unprecedented political and economic reforms are now taking place on the African continent. This wind of positive change is seldom mentioned in the American media. African governments, by reducing budgetary deficits, opening their economies and introducing flexibility in price and exchange rates, show their determination to create a new economic framework conducive for business and foreign investment. Africa is now open for business with the West, and America in particular. And that has to be known by American investors. We thus salute the promoters of “The African” for launching this important tool of communication to get across the message of change.

“The African,” which could be called “The Voice of Africa,” is the only source of reliable news and information from Africa and widely read by African leaders and decision-makers. As an authoritative source of information by Africans, it constitutes, no doubt, the missing link in our long-standing and crucial relation with America.

I welcome this new publication and wish good luck to its promoters.

Dr. Yacouba Fassassi

Senior Economic Advisor to the President of Benin,

Chief of the Counsel of Economic Advisors

Cotonou, Benin

Sure enough, The African is not just another magazine in a country which, one could say, is already saturated with publications. The United Sttates does have have plenty of excellent africanists, but these are specialists. As the publilsher rightly pointed out in the first issue of The African, the average American only has a vague idea about Africa. That’s why an illustrated magazine focusing on Africa and written by African journalists livng in the United States is likely to fill this vacuum. The African can also be a privileged platform for the necessary dialogue between Africans and African Americans.

Soumanou Salifou’s undertaking, for all these reasons, is noteworthy and deserves to be encouraged. However, he must be cautioned against some snags, in order for the objective to be reached, and to meet the expectations that have been raised. The legitimate need to denounce clichés and to correct the stereotypes one usually finds in the presentations of the situation (or the situations) in Africa could lead, if one does not exercise caution, to schemes or pictures equally far away from reality. One can avoid such a trap only by casting a critical look at the information source. The relative nature of official pronouncements must be pointed out and weighed, whenever it is possible, against independent sources of information or on-the-ground investigations. […] There are good reasons to believe that the editorial staff of the magazine is aware of these snags. In his first statement, the publisher did not attempt to ignore the problems confronting Africa, nor underestimate African responsibility in this deplorable situation. That is why I am optimistic as far as the future of The African is concerned. I wish this publication a lot of success.

Dr. Elisée Soumonni

History professor

National University of Benin, Cotonou

The following letter dated August 13, 1999 from Rosa Whitaker, then Assistant United States Trade Representative for Africa, did a lot to encourage The African to continue to make our modest contribution to the promotion of trade and investment between the United States and Africa.

Dear Mr. Salifou:

Let me take this opportunity to thank you for copies of the interview The African published on our efforts on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and what its passage will mean for Africans and Americans alike. The AGOA bill codifies the commitment President Clinton has expressed in his Partnership with Africa Initiative.

You’ll be happy to note that the AGOA bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives last month. The AGOA bill, if similarly supported by our Senate and signed by the President, will provide Africa with increased access to U.S. Technical expertise, credit and markets, while implementing measures to facilitate investments. The AGOA bill will also serve towards strengthening our trade and relations with Nigeria and encourage further development of the Nigerian private sector.

I read with great interest your “Publisher’s Statement” citing President Obasanjo as a “symbol of hope” for Nigeria. Indeed, the United States has a special relationship with Nigeria. Last year, Nigeria ranked as the highest sub-Saharan African importer of U.S. goods, with U.S. exports to Nigeria totaling over $4 billion.

I was also surprised to find that in your August/September 1999 issue, you had published an article on Bauchi State. Not only was the article informative, but it delivered a clear picture of Bauchi’s newest leader and expectations for the economic growth of the province. I was fortunate enough to travel to Bauchi right after this year’s African African-American Summit, as a honored guest of Governor Mu’azu. Although I had visited Nigeria before, that was my first trip to Bauchi and I truly appreciated the opportunity to learn about the province through the eyes of someone who clearly cares for its welfare and prosperity.

Once again, thank you for the interview and the extra copies of The African you were kind enough to send. Best wishes.

Rosa Whitaker

Assistant United States Trade Representative for Africa

Washington, D.C., USA