During CARIFESTA XV, our ancestors seemed to be a common theme. We were told about them for several years. First, we were told that we should respect them, which no one disputed. Then we were told that we had to honour them and libation rituals became common at some formal Government events. At CARIFESTA XV, we were told that we must now listen to and be guided by their disembodied spirits to achieve Pan-Africanism. Well, it is time for a difficult conversation.

CARIFESTA XV seemed to give panellists the courage to say the quiet part out loud. We were told that we must not only listen to ancestral spirits, but reject the colonial religion and embrace African spiritism like shango. Perhaps we may learn from what our ancestors wrote.

UNITED STATES OF AFRICA.

Pan-Africanism is essentially the promotion of a united African continent for, among other things, the economic and cultural benefit of those in Africa and the descendants of those scattered by the transatlantic slave trade. One laudable vision by Marcus Garvey was for a United States of Africa.

Pan-Africanism appeared to have its genesis with persons who had witnessed the abolition of slavery. Two of its leading figures in the development of Pan-Africanist thought were Alexander Crummell (1822-1898) and Edward Blyden (1832-1912). They did not just talk the talk but left their native USA and Virgin Islands respectively and resided in Africa for decades – to walk the walk.

MAJOR THREAT.

During their stay, they warned that African spiritism, or summoning ancestral spirits to provide guidance, was a major threat to the creation of a powerful united African continent. These men encouraged Africans and persons of African descent everywhere to reject African spiritism and pursue a relationship with God through the Messiah Jesus.

Why were these early Pan-Africanists so insistent that African spiritism be rejected? Why not allow a mixture of Christianity and spiritism like in Haiti? Since we are addressing spiritual matters, there seem to be three scriptural reasons. First, humans are incapable of summoning ancestral spirits, but are deceived into summoning demons.

Second, God the Creator declared: (i) He is the only living God, (ii) He will not share His glory with anyone or anything and (iii) any attempt at worshipping Him and anything else is a rejection of Him. Third, God’s normal response to a nation formally worshipping Him and others was to remove His protection from the land and its economy, leaving the land vulnerable to natural hazards and the economy vulnerable to that nation’s enemies.

REJECTION.

African governments generally rejected Crummell’s and Blyden’s warnings. Corrupt political leaders, imperialist-minded nations and greedy trans-national corporations have taken advantage of the unprotected state of those African economies and amassed wealth. In contrast, the general population suffered from: war, genocide, crime, misery, poverty, inflation, illiteracy, hunger, disease, unemployment, famine, drought, floods, disillusionment, debt – and terror since the political leadership tended not to tolerate dissent.

We are the grateful or ungrateful beneficiaries of the prayers of our ancestors. We should plan that our children and grandchildren enjoy similar blessings. However, despite the dire warnings of early Pan-Africanists and the evident consequences of rejecting those warnings, we have been pushed onto the path of African spiritism. We should brace for the foreseen consequences.