A delegation from Trinidad and Tobago will mark sixty two years of independence in Kenya, during the forthcoming FESTAC AFRICA festival 2024, in Kisumu, City Bite Magazine understands. Trinidad and Tobago attained independence from the British colonial rule on 31st August, 1962.
Via a telephone conversation with our interviewers, a loquacious tour coordinator Mr. Avery Ammon underscored the importance of bringing people of African descent together, through such initiatives as FESTAC AFRICA.
Ammon is a former Gas and Energy sector employee who now ventures into Gas cooling, Energy and related projects consultancy, and is the founder of Afrika House, an organization that is on a mission to bolster pan-Africanism, through publishing Afrocentric books, creating African- Caribbean cultural exchange programs and promoting inter- continental tourism between West Africa and the Caribbean Islands
According to him, Africans and people of African descent must revitalize the original traditions that informed social relationships in the pre-colonial era, as they’re the authentic pillars of socio-political and cultural growth not only for the local five regions of the continent, but also the sixth, which is the diaspora.
Having been formally recognized by the African Union twelve years ago, the diaspora, as the sixth region entails both Africans living overseas and people of black descent who, by way of birth, registration or marriage are natives of other continents. These include black Americans and those in the Caribbean Islands, whose ancestors according to Ammon were left there during the infamous Trans-Atlantic slave trade.
“As you know, our ancestors were born in Africa but brought here during the slave trade that was rampant in the 18th and 19th centuries, ” he said. ” In the Caribbean, therefore, we are basically Africans in the diaspora,” Ammon declared. “This is why I have always been so passionate about Afrocentrism and exchange programs between Africa and the Caribbean,” he said. “We must therefore remind younger generations of our root cultural belief systems,” Ammon stated.City Bite understands that the delegation has received the blessings of both the people and leadership of Trinidad and Tobago.
“ Everyone aware here is passionate about cultural restitution and the concept of pan-Africanism,” he said. “ Even in our Country, we have a number of cultural festivals,” he declared. “ These festivals bring our people together, to celebrate our diversity and blackness.”
It is also noteworthy that on their way to Kisumu, members of the Steel Pan Connextion, were earlier expected to take a business stop in Ghana, for a performance in an occasion hosted by the Marcus Garvey Foundation to celebrate the heroic deeds of Marcus Garvey, but a slight tweak to their schedule has meant that they will travel directly to Kisumu.
“We planned to invite Ghanaians to come for the festival, no doubt about that,” he declared. “However, due to an important change of plans, we will talk to our High Commissioner in Nigeria, H.E Wendell Delandro to see if he can attend the festival, as there is already a decent chance he will ” he stated.
“As an experienced pan-African, it will be an honour for me and other high ranking Trinidad and Tobagonians to share our experience and knowledge with the younger generation.”
When he first introduced the concept of FESTAC AFRICA to the Governor of Kisumu County, festival chairman Eng. Yinka Abioye emphasized that one of it’s key objectives is mentorship. ” Most of our young people perish because they lack sufficient guidance,” he stated. “This is a gap FESTAC tries to bridge,” Yinka declared, in a statement that could be the backbone of Mr. Ammon’s expectations of the festival.
Noteworthy also is the fact that throughout the week, there will be conferences and forums, including Green Energy and climate change, where his experience will manifest itself, during conversations surrounding said themes.
“ I am also eager to market the Caribbean,” Ammon declared. “As a part of the sixth region, the islands are pivotal to the growth trajectory of the continent, a key part of FESTAC ’24 main theme,” he stated. “ Most countries in the Caribbean and in Africa are considered developing or the infamous Third World,” he stated.
“ This is why all, from all sectors must concert efforts, work together towards the objective of developing these countries, through our own original ideas.”
“There is , evidently an emerging trend where such countries are given some ‘ foreign aid’, in return for resources including land for setting up military camps, foreign industries and related ,” he stated. ” This is a furtherance of imperialism and neo-colonialism, something that we must spotlight during FESTAC AFRICA festival.”
“As an enthusiastic businessman, I look forward to as many trade investment forums as possible, because trade, – intra or extra continental- is an important aspect of development in Africa,” he said.
Asked about the plans for the independence day celebrations, Mr. Ammon waxed lyrical about the program insisting that they want it to be as memorable as possible. “We want the people of Kenya and all attendees of the festival to remember this celebration for a very long time if not forever,” he said.
“We are making arrangements for a boat ride in Lake Victoria, through which we want to showcase our country’s carnival, which I am at liberty to declare as the best in the world,” he said. “Through this alone, we will not only celebrate our freedom from the colonial rule , but also communicate our culture, one of FESTAC’s pedestal principles,” he said. “ This way, it is easy to communicate and blend with other cultures.”
“ We are well prepared for this, and some of our representatives will actually come earlier, ” he said. ” As of 10th August, we have an envoy in Kenya- Empress Aje, who will give updates on what’s happening on the ground,” he stated.
Among those to come from Trinidad and Tobago include seasoned traditional carnival masquerade Ms. Dayne Job who hails from.the sister island of Tobago and Natural Gas Executive Mr. Gregorg Mc Guire, who is also the Trade and Investment Officer of the Contingent and many more others.
Dayne Job, City Bite understands, has made a sparkling reputation for herself in the entertainment industry, having portrayed a number of traditional carnival characters, and will hold workshops with Kenyan artistes on how to portray these traditional carnival characters. She is also said to be a committed community development champion, and vocal cultural restitution advocate.
Mc Guire on the other hand is the Principal Consultant at VSL Consultants LTD, who also sits in the Trinidad and Tobago Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative as it’s chairperson. He is also a member of the Board of Governors of the Caribbean Climate Change Centre.
“ We are thrilled for the festival and are ready to rock and roll. I ergo urge all to take part in The Fifth World’s Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture,” Ammon concluded.
