Afropolitans: Africans of the World

African art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, U.S.  (Photo credit: tamaradulva)

Globalization has had a profound impact on migration patterns in Africa creating increasingly complex identities within Africa and the African Diaspora. As Afua Hirsch aptly narrates, she is often considered, “…too black to be British and too British to be African". Many Malawians find themselves at the same cultural crossroads. They are considered be too British to be Malawian and too Malawian to be British and don’t fully fit in to either culture. Many are now seeking to self-identify as cosmopolitans and identify with both Africa and the culture of their host nation. They consider themselves not only cosmopolitan but also part of a new sub-culture coined 'Afropolitan'.

The term Afropolitan is becoming a part of contemporary African vocabulary. It combines the words “African” and “Cosmopolitan” in to lexicon befitting of the contemporary African identities and experience.  An Afropolitan is an: “African from the continent of dual nationality, an African born in the diaspora, or an African who identifies with their African and European heritage and mixed culture.” Whether they were born on the continent or overseas, not only do they bring a hybrid cultural identity - they also bring a global perspective on issues. They are a new breed of Malawians that think globally but act locally. This term aptly describes many Malawians living in the Malawi and those that are living in the Malawian Diaspora. Malawians that consider themselves Afropolitan are embracing their roots bringing a resurgence of pride in African culture. Even those that do not consider themselves Afropolitan are exposed to global culture from television, radio, and satellite like other cosmopolitans around the world. Many Afropolitans argue that Afropolitanism moves beyond culture and in to political space – they lobby governments and undertake voluntary projects on the continent. They have a commitment towards improving the continent.

 Johannesburg - its motto is "A World-Class African City". Also known as Egoli, which means "City of Gold" in Zulu. It is also known informally as "Jo'burg", "Jozi", "Joeys" or "Egoli". (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Whilst some Africans make attempts to assimilate in to foreign cultures by abandoning African cultures, Afropolitans embrace their African roots wherever they are regardless of citizenship. They also reject the notion that their “foreigness” makes them less of an African. In fact, they self-identify as Africans and proclaim that citizenship does not make one African. As Taiye Selasi highlights in her essay, ‘What is an Afropolitan?’, "We are Afropolitans: not citizens, but Africans of the world." Africans are therefore not any less ‘African’ simply because they crossed the border, sea or street. Formal recognition of Afropolitans as citizens or dual citizens in Africa though is important to solidify the relationship between this Africans in the Diaspora and those on the continent. Citizenship issues for Afropolitans that do not have citizenship on the continent needs to be debated and addressed. This will help them have a greater impact on the continent and become even more engaged in Africa.

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• Afua Hirsch: Our parents left Africa - now we are coming home

Africa's Olympic 'Body Drain': Matters of Citizenship

The Olympics is a chance for African nations to build national pride and prestige. There is a need for greater strategic planning in athletics in order to remain competitive (Photo credit: MikeBlyth)

Olympic Strategy and Citizenship (part one)

The Olympics is the biggest global sporting event that offers countries an opportunity to show their talents. It allows nations to brand or promote themselves through sports in a way that expensive advertising cannot – It is what a sport like basketball has done to raise the profile of the USA, or short distance running for Jamaica or long distance for Ethiopia and Kenya, respectively. Winning a medal at an Olympic game is the root of envy from other nations. It is a source of pride from the country's citizens. National glory is important for the people of a nation. It is therefore an arena where questions of citizenship are important and can quickly become contentious. The Olympic Charter requires that an athlete is a national of the country they compete for. There are restrictions for athletes that change or switch citizenship whereby an athlete a losses citizenship from one country in order to gain citizenship of another country. There is a three year time frame that needs to pass in order for these athletes to compete for a different country. Exceptions to this rule can be made though by the Olympic governing bodies. Dual Citizens though have no such restrictions and can compete for either country where they hold citizenship. 

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 27: Richard Banda is the  First Gentleman of Malawi and a former Olympic athlete for Malawi. He arrived in England for the London 2012 Olympic Games to support the Malawi athletes   (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Malawi is one African country that doesn’t recognize Dual Citizenship. For a country like Malawi that has had Olympic athletes compete but no Olympic medals, lack of Dual Citizenship laws means that Malawi is decreasing its opportunity of becoming a medal bearing country. Athletes that have two Malawian parents but live outside of Malawi are prevented from competing for Malawi at the international level after the age of twenty-one. Football (soccer) players like Tamika Mkandawire, who has one Malawian parent but is a British citizen, is not able to compete for Malawi even though he plays for a professional league in Europe. Although an athlete like Cate Campbell, a Malawian-born Australian Olympic swimming medalist, does not have Malawian parents, she should have the option to compete for Malawi (Even if it is under a special category of Dual Citizenship for those without Malawian parentage but has an exceptional talent). There is little doubt that Campbell must have used some level of Malawian resources in the first nine years of her life whilst physically living in Malawi. Therefore it is in the best interest for Malawi to leverage the use of those resources for the benefit of Malawi. This includes human resources. Lack of Dual Citizenship also means that there is an increasing chance for up and coming Malawian players to be poached by other countries and thereby creating a situation where Malawi trains athletes but their contribution to Malawi can not be maximized. We need to consider that the ‘body' drain is just as real and just as problematic as the ‘brain drain’ on the continent. Malawian Athletes such as swimmers Joyce Fafathata and Charlton Nyirenda or runners Mike Tebulo, and John Kayange are more inclined to switch citizenship in order to advance their careers. Rather than abandoning Malawian citizenship altogether, Dual Citizenship would allow these players to compete for Malawi when needed. Countries like Malawi need to have an Olympic strategy that is beyond the physical aspects of the game. The Olympic games are not just about competing harder, they are about competing smarter. 

Competitive Advantage and Citizenship (part two)

Taking advantage of Dual Citizenship is important for African nations wanting to have a competitive advantage in athletic games. Being competitive at the Olympics in a globalized world is just as much about having an effective athletic management strategy as it is about the athletic ability of the Olympians. For African countries, getting medals is not just a matter of poor training facilities, or lack of financial resources.Its a matter of leveraging all available or potential human resources. Part of an effective global strategy is is inclusive of all of the nations people and thus increases the chance of a country to bring home medals. Therefore, citizenship matters. In the past few years alone, there has been an increase in African athletes competing for non-African teams. There has also been an increase in non-African nations coveting successful African athletes. There are numerous examples of African players that have changed their citizenship in order to compete at the Olympics i.e. South African born runner Zola Budd competed for England; Kenyan born  runner Bernard Lagat competed for the USA; Kenyan born cyclist Chris Froome competed for Great Britain.  Many countries in Africa have realized that lack of Dual Citizenship is costing them players and  decreasing their competitiveness. Many countries have now taken the important step towards leveraging their athletes. Both Kenya and South Africa now offer Dual Citizenship to their nationals.  It is  in the best interest of these countries in Africa to offer Dual Citizenship so that they can increase their competitiveness at international events through policies that encourage the retention of athletes.

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 31: Tony Skinn #4 of Nigeria shoots in the Men's Basketball Preliminary Round match between Lithuania and Nigeria  in London, England. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Many countries strategically provide citizenship to African athletes as an incentive for these athletes to immigrate to their country and compete for them in the Olympics. They offer the athletes additional attractions like training facilities or an opportunity to qualify for the Olympics in cases where they would not have qualified in their own countries. In the USA alone, fifty athletes migrated to the USA between 1992 and 2008 to compete for their Olympic team that previously competed for another country. At the London 2012 games, over 40 foreign-born citizens ran for the United States. This 'body gain' increases the chance for the USA to earn medals, money, national pride and prestige that comes with winning Olympic events. For the African countries that have lost a potential Olympic medal athlete, this is a tremendous loss.  Many African athletes also strategically maintain the citizenship of their country-of-origin or acquire citizenship of new nations so that they can compete in the Olympics. Nigeria was able to send its first qualifying Basketball team to the Olympics 2012 due to the contributions of Nigerian Dual Citizens in the USA.  Both Nigeria and USA recognize Dual Citizenship. As Dual Citizens with both U.S.A and Nigerian citizenship, these athletes are able to compete for Nigeria or USA. However, basketball is very competitive in the USA and there is a saturation of qualified players therefore it is more difficult to qualify in the USA team. Many of these players therefore opted to try out for the Nigerian Olympic basketball team (D'Tigers) and where able to qualify to compete alongside other Nigerians. A handful of the players were from the NBA professional league, the remainder were from college. Nigeria benefits by having a Basketball team comprised of all of its best athletes and qualifying for the first time in this event. It also benefits by having athletes compete for them at little or no cost to Nigeria. 

Olympics in Barcelona (Photo credit: cliff1066™)

Although Nigeria's defeat by the USA's dream team was the focus of many, Nigeria's ascendency to the Basketball arena was commendable.  They managed to establish Nigeria as a Basketball powerhouse.They beat established teams like Lithuania, Greece and the Dominican Republic to qualify for the Olympics. Even though the team did not bring home medals for Nigeria, they won one out of four games. They also  lifted the profile of African Basketball. The world hasn't seen the last of teams like D'Tigers that are made up of all of Africa's human resources.  Addressing issues of citizenship for all their nationals as part of an athletic strategy is important. Dual Citizenship is important for competing at the international level and building a winning country brand.  If African nations want to increase the number of medals that they have, African nations need to leverage their athletic human resources. This will create a situation where both players and the country can benefit. It is a step in countering the 'body drain' of our athletes. It will also create a situation where more Olympic medals can be awarded on the African continent ... and one where more happy Olympic memories can be created for Africa.

This article originally appeared August 1, 2012 and August 11, 2012 on: www.rebrandafrica.org

Land & Citizenship in Malawi

Tea plantation in Malawi  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In what has been termed the 'new scramble for Africa', Africa's land is being quickly encroached upon by foreigners. This has resulted in renewed efforts by non-Africans to utilize African land for various projects and economic pursuits. Many of these entities are actively pursuing African politicians in order to make deals that push Malawian citizens off their land. Large pockets of land in Africa are now being bought by oligarchs, agribusinesses, and wealthy individuals. Nearly 5% of Africa's land is now owned by foreigners.  Malawi has not escaped this growing trend. There has been a growing trend for lake side investment properties being owned by foreigners with no ties to the country. The FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) reported that Djibouti has leased undisclosed hectares of land in Malawi. More recently, the vacant site of Madonna's school where a vibrant community used to live, serves as a reminder of how access to land can quickly become problematic in Malawi. Land ownership issues are also not consistently enforced and this results in problematic and unfair disputes that can only be resolved in court as witnessed in the Mary Woodworth vs Leston Mulli  case. Ownership of land should be clear, equal, protected, and systematic for all Malawians. On one hand, we are seeing  cases where land is actively being given by the government to foreigners with little ties to Malawi to help establish 'goodwill' and investment (as is the case with Madonna). On the other hand, lack of Dual Citizenship deny Malawians with strong ties to Malawi from having land that belongs to them (as is the case with Malawian-born Woodworth where some questioned her right to own her own land due to her British citizenship) or from purchasing new investment land. With growing pressure on land, one should encourage the Malawi government to focus on protecting Malawian land ownership rights and restricting rules of foreign land ownership without penalizing Malawians that become 'foreign' by virtue of gaining foreign citizenship. Malawians that have their citizenship revoked or are otherwise unable to claim citizenship, should expect to see tighter restrictions on land ownership without being subjected to these strict laws that are aimed at those with no ties to the country. Dual Citizenship provides a way in which Malawi can ensure that land ownership rights of Malawian born individuals and their descendants remain secure without having to loosen laws that help prevent encroachment by those with little or no ties to Malawi.  Since one cannot expect the government to relax land restrictions for foreigners, addressing citizenship is pertinent. This is where land ownership laws in Malawi complicate issues of citizenship and Dual Citizenship laws for Malawians becomes important.

Land ownership laws in Malawi protect the right of Malawians to own free hold land (land that you completely own independent of the government). Non-Malawian citizens however are not allowed to own land. The exception is for land that was already foreign owned prior to the Land Act. This land can be passed on to foreign landowners and mainly affects the plantations/estates in Malawi that are largely foreign owned.  Foreigners in general are only allowed to lease land from the government under a 99-year lease (where land is owned by the government). The implications for citizenship in land ownership laws is profound because it affects a Malawian individuals right to inherit ancestral or family property. It prevents a Malawian individual that already owns land from passing land they own to their foreign born offspring. It also prevents Malawians from passing this land to  their children that have taken up citizenship abroad in order to provide for the family. Citizenship is important because it provides Malawian landowners or potential land owners with greater protection for their land under the law. It provides greater security that their land investments (for business or private use), are secure and are not an investment risk. It is important that citizenship laws are addressed so that land issues do not result in lengthy and costly court battles. Having the ability to buy land or keep ancestral land is therefore key to advancing the Dual Citizenship debate for Malawians abroad.


Author: Sitinga Kachipande

Related Pages: Impact of Dual Citizenship Laws 
Malawian Land Policy Act

Malawi on the Move: Renewed Migrants

Malawi has historically been a country with a strong history of migration and immigration. This includes large migrations of people as a result of movements like the Bantu migrations, Mfecene wars,  and colonial-era labor demands in neighboring countries. It also includes the movement of people within the area. Large settlements of migrants came to settle in the Nyasaland area from neighboring countries and made Malawi their permanent homes. As Malawi's founder, Kamuzu Banda once said,  once said "there is more learning in traveling". This has made present day Malawi an ethnic Melange of people of mixed ethnicity that live in close proximity to one another.

Malawians have continued to migrate due to population pressure, education, work or in order to reunite with family members. They have been increasingly emigrating beyond Malawi and Africa's borders. As such, the history of both immigration and migration from Malawi runs deep within the continent. Malawian communities can be found in countries across the globe. These groups collectively form the Malawian diaspora.The Malawian diaspora have been able to assimilate well in to their host countries. Many have settled in the host countries temporarily or on a permanent basis. They have therefore had to take citizenship in their host countries in order to send their children to school, work, obtain scholarships or otherwise comply with legal requirements in their new homes.

This group however, still retains ties to Malawi as their homeland. They regularly travel, send remittances, invest or otherwise contributes to the development of small businesses and charity work in Malawi. However, because Malawian laws currently do not permit dual citizenship. This has limited the type of participation and engagement that this group can have with their homeland. It has also led to physical separation of Malawians in the diaspora. It has also caused negative psychological effects for Malawians in the diaspora that are being forced to make tough decisions or that are having their citizenship unwillingly revoked. They have been compelled to give up their Malawian citizenship upon obtain citizenship in a host country.  The majority have done this unwillingly or with a heavy heart. As such, there has been an increasing call for from Malawians in the diaspora to retain the right to keep the citizenship of the country of their birth country or that of their parents. Malawians in the diaspora are thus calling on the government of Malawi to allow dual citizenship for Malawians that live outside of Malawi's borders. This will promote national unity and social and economic development in Malawi.

Malawi Hastings Kamuzu Banda in Lilongwe (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Malawians have been on the move for a long time. They have always remained ties with the homeland, Malawi.  Migration in Malawi is not new a new phenomenon but rapid globalization we are witnessing is new.  It is important that Malawi adapts to this new changing world in order to benefit from this new global era by making sure its policies are also on the move. Malawians should continue to strive to be more competitive in a global era.

Author: Sitinga Kachipande


Related Pages: Migration and Diaspora