Page 21 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 21

Economy

We speak to Patrick Headley people over, we were focusing on One thing I have found in the years
Kojo, CEO and Founder of Uganda at the time, and then Covid of coming here, there are many
Kiyiira Limited. What is the came along and really put paid to Diasporans who are seeking to
meaning of Kiyiira? that project. But being multifacet- reconnect with their identity, and as
Kiyiira is one of the words the ed, I was learning Kiswahili myself you know I have been working with
locals (in Uganda) use for the river and the teacher that was teaching Dr Tosu and he is very keen on that
Nile, I have been told. And then me expressed to me her views and aspect of us reconnecting with iden-
I looked at the further aspect that her thoughts and I looked at what tity in the Alkebulan principles and
it flows all the way through Afri- I could offer her and we started to bringing them to the fore. I find that
ka and I thought that would be a develop the Kiswahili course, which some will come with the mindset of
great name to identify what I want we now launched. the former, just to put it mildly, ‘we
to achieve and the name of the are coming to grab and take’. But
company. Looking at the aspect of the Dias- on the flip side, there are those that
porans and the continental Afrikans will see you with your accent as a
Patrick has gone through the there are some dynamics that need walking dollar and they will want to
various processes, explored to be considered and there are some take advantage.
attitudes that need to be adjusted,
different countries in East on both sides. What I find is we in So, we have to appreciate that there
Afrika, and found a rhythm the west have been set a stereotyp- are dynamics here, so the question is
and a formula that works ical image, it’s changing now but how do we create that bridge where
for himself. He is building a it’s still there. What I have found is people can recognize that yes, the
vision that is far bigger than when you do come to the continent, transatlantic slave trade was horrific
the money. His ultimate aim you have to come and be humble, and it lasted for a long time, but that
is building up societies, com- because you may see the people put a great deal of our people in a
munities and families and living in a different condition than place where they didn’t belong, but
he is using the tools that are you would live in or putting up with they learnt to adapt and they have
available to him, based on his something that you wouldn’t put now gained knowledge and skills
training. He talks to us about up with. You have to respect their which maybe are not necessarily
Diaspora Investment in Afrika. background and where they’re com- available here. You have to look
ing from and the limitation that has
at how can we do that knowledge
It is my pleasure to speak about been placed on them by the system, transfer, how can we come and give
my experience through my visits which is still perpetuating from and develop? One of the things I
to Afrika. I have been traveling the independence. As you know most have said to myself, if I come to
continent for a long time and I have of the countries are in the region the continent, I am coming to give
always been looking at how, given of about 50-60 years independent, back to something, I am coming to
my knowledge and my background and some things have changed, develop something, I’m certainly not
and my various skills being in IT, and some countries are running to coming to take a job from a local
Broadcasting and also in Property catch up, and that creates issues in person. I’m looking to help a local
Markets, how can I give back to my itself. You will come as someone person find a job and find a path
continent? It has not been without that’s lived in the western world, and that they would not have had.
its challenges and it has not been you’re used to things just working
without failed attempts, misunder- and you have to respect where the Moving forward, one of my biggest
standings, some pleasant and some people are coming from and not dreams is, and it’s not going to be
not so pleasant.
look down on them, but understand in my lifetime, because I know that
that they are a pool of talent that we are just passing the baton on
Just before Covid, one of the mis- you can tap into because they will to the next generation, is to really
sions that I was developing was to have knowledge of things that you see a closer connection. I would
attract investors from the west and will never ever be able to appreciate. like to see my people everywhere
partner them with small farmers or That’s where I found myself in my in the world identifying with each
small investors or small projects that visits to the continent and being a other through a common language
they can collaborate with. That was very open person, I have looked at because we all know we come from
going fairly well. We actually got to how I can work with individuals and a common land. That is why I am
the stage where we brought some
that’s brought me to this point. so keen and working so hard to

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