Page 22 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 21

Economy

bring Swahili to the masses as well benefit and it will come back. That’s knowledge that is already inert with-
as the project we are working on the way I recognize that I can give in you so it’s like planting a seed and
now. That’s my dream and that’s my back. seeing it grow, that seed is already
future. I really want to be able to say Also being taken away from this inside of you but it can only grow
in my senior years that I have left land over 400 years ago and coming on soil that is fertile and that soil is
something that is going to continue through my route from Jamaica to on the continent.
on, I’ve contributed, I’ve maybe the UK here, to me it’s about recon-
started a spark and that’s why I am necting with family as well. I know If you don’t mind, could you
in the position I am in now. That’s that for me to say I’m going to be tell us what areas are you in-
why I am doing my trips back and coming to anywhere in Afrika to re- vesting in and why?
forwards to the continent here and locate I know that the most import- I have a background in property, IT,
trying to connect with people and ant thing is not to come in isolation, and as I mentioned, broadcasting.
develop. you have to come with a family. So, The project we were working on
you have to set the groundwork to prior to Covid was bringing Dias-
As I’ve mentioned there are going be accepted in. Remember we look porans from the US and the UK to
to be some failures, which I have at each other separately so people Uganda, at the time, and partnering
had in the past, there are going to have to see that you’re coming them with the Ugandan Investment
be some misunderstandings, but I sincerely and they have to recognize Authority and everything was very
just have to take that on the cheek that. There could be misunderstand- well laid out by them. I was looking
and understand that these things ings but as long as you are sincere at the aspect that they could relocate
will happen and not let that stop me you will overcome that. and it was perfect because when you
from doing the next things regard- connect them it was like a personal
less of where we are at. I have been going back and forth thing. We bring you over there, we
for 30 years to Nigeria, Senegal, take you around and make you feel
Something really big that is Gambia, all along the West Afrikan comfortable, and my vision was you
standing out for me from what coast in the last 4 or 5 years com- are connecting with that family and
you’re saying is that your at- ing more to the East, and I kind of so when you decide you want to
titude is not about coming to found a connection with the East. leave the west and come over you
grab for yourself, your attitude You connect with people as you are reconnecting with the family.
is about coming to build so see them, and if you come openly, That may be something we pick up
people see that and connect with
that everyone can benefit. So, you. That’s how I encourage every again in the future once things are
it’s not just the people who Diasporan to come, come openly, more stable.
were born and grew up in come without attitude come with- I also looked at property investment
Afrika or the Diaspora, but out looking down on someone or in Uganda and a big project that was
for every single person to find adopting the attitude of the former being built there. I have invested in
something. That says a lot colonizer. Come ready to give and that myself as a means of having a
because not many people are ready to accept that sometimes you base where I can look at other areas.
willing to just lay the founda- will not be reciprocated the way One thing I recognize is once you’re
tion and then let someone else you would expect because we’re all on the ground you’ll see things
come and add to it, so how did coming from different perspectives which you’ll never see unless you’re
you come to this position? in terms of the challenges that we here on the ground looking around
would face.
Although I’m not a rich man by any I would encourage everyone that’s speaking to people seeing what there
means, in all of my projects that got a dream to reconnect back is. I introduced one of my daughters
I’ve worked on with the local people to their roots, to their homeland to an investment in Zanzibar, in
I have financed it 100%, because because spiritually I believe that property as well.
I have realized that although I am this is the only place that a black It’s looking at what skills I have,
not rich, my western dollar or my person in this world will be able to where I can apply my knowledge
western pound can go a long way. reach the maximum of their poten- and how I can assist, but it’s al-
So why should I put that burden on tial. Because you’re not just calling ways with the aim of creating that
someone? I know that once we get upon yourself, you’re calling upon connection so that you don’t come
to a certain point, everybody will and feel like you’re living in a barbed
your ancestors to inject into you the wired gated community and are

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