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OF
MISSION TO AFRICA
T H E H O N . N. W. MANLEY, Q . C ,
Premier of Jamaica,
Ministry of Development,
Kingston.
Dear Premier,
The unofficial "Back to Africa" Mission to Africa sponsored by your
Government travelled inside five African Stales ami had talks with the
Heads of each Stare about " their migration policies and the possible movement of persons from this island to settle in those countries". The Mission
found in all the territorie-i a ready acceptance of the principle of " repatriation
of Africans living abroad, to the ancestral land", as it was enunciated by the
' delegates on the Mission. Since the Mission was not empowered to enter
into commitments with these African States, their governments declared
their readiness to miter into discussions with your government so as to deal
with t h e mechanics of future migrations. The Mission told the African
governments that it did not believe it would be the policy of your government to burden their governments with all the financial requirements of
any such migration.
The African hosts to the Mission all observed that persons entering Africa
in any migration scheme should do so with the intention of becoming
permanent residents in the country, and not as transients. The question
of citizenship would present no difficulty, they pointed out, since special
arrangements would be made in this connection.
But the matter of
assimilation would be of prime importance and it was recommended that
this be considered for special study on both sides. On almost every occasion
it was a point- for earnest conversation that centuries of exposure to western
ideas and customs must tend to modify Jamaicans (and all the black people
of the western hemisphere) into a way of life dissimilar to the African.
Impatience with the African's traditions and customs, or too hard a try
to "bring him into line" would-wreck the finest efforts of the scheme. It
could also operate the other way around.
. It was therefore strongly submitted by some members of African governments that an advance "goodwill corps" from both sides, Jamaica and the
African States, should he sent into the countries of source and destination,
to study and to teach.
Commencing at Ethiopia where we remained for one week, the Mission
went, in turn, to Nigeria (2 weeks), Ghana (I week), Liberia (6 days) and
Sierra Leone (1 week). Prior to this, on our way from Jamaica, we spent
two days in New York and one week in London.
Altogether, the -Mission
was away for 61 days. At all points, the courtesy and welcome was outstanding. In Ethiopia, the Emperor presented each member of the Mission
with a gold medal and instructed that all expenses incurred in the country
(including hotel bills) be paid by his government. The Abuna (or Archbishop) of the Ethiopian Orthodox State Church also received the Mission
and presented each member with a complete Ethiopian national costume.
The Abuna, in making the presentation said that he did not only give the
robes to the Mission as gifts, but t h a t they should all know themselves to
be Ethiopians. At Freetown, in Sierra Leone, medals were also presented
to the Mission by the Mayor and Council.
In Nigeria, members of the Mission were also each presented with a
complete national costume by the Governor General, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe,
and twice was received by him at Government House.
The week that the Mission was in Ghana was also the occasion of the state
visit by President Sukarno of Indonesia. However, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah
nonetheless twice received the Mission, first in the official talks and again
as his guest at a private entertainment put on for the Indonesian President.
One of the problems that should be investigated by the Jamaica government is the matter of land tenure. An cxci'mD
.w. :,-. wDuv
lands are vested in the tribal chiefs. However, at various countries where
this situation holds, the Mission was assured that changes in these "native
laws and customs" were contemplated so that the Central governments
would have the authority to deal with purchases and so on.
The Mission invited all the heads of state to visit Jamaica, and the invitations were accepted.
The Mission also suggested the exchange of
students between all the countries visited and the West Indies and the
suggestion was accepted in each instance.
Our first contact with those sections of the continent of Africa towards
which the Mission looked for " t h e possible movement of persons
to settle", was Ethiopia. We arrived there on Sunday April 16.
We were met at the Addis Ababa airport with every courtesy by officials
of the Foreign Ministry led by Ato Getaneh Haile-Miriam, Chief of the
English and Coinnionwealtii Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and were put up at the Ghion Hotel, one of Addis Ababa's finest hotels.
Lidj Ayele-Work Abebe, a senior officer of the Ministry, was detailed to
look after the members of the Mission during their stay in Ethiopia.
Slated for us were meetings with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the
Interior, Commerce and Industry, Agriculture, and National Community
Development. At each of these meetings, our reasons for visiting Ethiopia
were related by the Leader of the Mission, Dr. Leslie, and further supplemented
by remarks from other delegates. We were given very attentive and
obviously sympathetic hearings by the Ministers who assured us that our
proposals would receive their active attention.
While we awaited the summons from the Emperor, we were enabled by
the attention of the government to see as much of the country, its institutions
and life as was possible. Accordingly we made visits to such places as the
famous Co-operative F a r m at Awasa, Her Imperial Majesty's Handicraft
and Technical School, the Debre Birhan Community Centre, the Point
Four F a r m at Gimma, Wonji Sugar Estate; such works as the Koka Dam
and to Sheshemani, the land the Emperor gave about 10 years ago for people
of African origins domiciled outside the comment and who desired to return.
Much talk and thinking has been directed to Sheshemani by people in the
back-to-Africa movements in Jamaica and we'll discuss it later in the
Report. The Mission went by air to Gimma to see the coffee plantations
We were received by the Emperor in one of his palaces at Addis Ababa
on Friday April 21. He welcomed the members of the Mission as "brothers,
of one blood and race". The purpose of the Mission was explained by Dr.
Leslie. I n his reply, the Emperor said that Ethiopia would always be open
to people of African origin who lived in the West and who desired to return.
I t had been explained to him that this was an unofficial Mission, although
sponsored by the Jamaica government, and the Emperor asked t h a t a
Food supplies are relatively cheap and plentiful and provide the working
class Ethiopian with a diet that is rich in carbohydrates but said to be short
in fats; although by expert accounts, it is adequate in vitamins. At any
rate, the medical people queried, observed that the nutritional status was
good, that there was no malnutrition in the children, and members of the
Mission can testify to the tastiness of the Ethiopian "national" dish
the Injera and Wat (Injera is a pancakelike soft bread made from a
vegetable extract called Ttef; Watt is a meat sauce with red peppers, onions
and other spices).
Housing is in short supply and expensive in some categories. Migrants
would be encouraged to make full use of the unlimited supply of clay and
timber available for building purposes. Indeed, a sturdy example is
witnessed at Sheshemani, the first or "pilot" settlement attempted by West
Indians in Ethiopia.
Sheshemani, a beautifully rolling country lying between the Malkoda and
Sheshemani rivers on the lower slopes of the Addis plateau about 160 miles
from the city was years ago designated by the Emperor as a giftland to
coloured peoples of the West desiring to settle in Ethiopia. This was
confirmed to the Mission by His Imperial Majesty the Emperor, Haile
Selassie rnrnself. James and Helen Piper were originally from Montserrat.
After living in New York for some years, where they were members of the
Ethiopian World Federation Inc., they migrated to Ethiopia in 1948. James
Piper taught carpentry in the technical school at Addis until 19.52 when
he returned to New York. A year later he was back in Ethiopia on a decision
to take up the offer of lands which had been made through the E.W.F.
In the company of a small group of West Indians and Afro-Americans,
which included a Jamaican girl, Julia Green formerly of Annotto Bay and
Dr. David Talbot of British Guiana (now Adviser on English Publications
with the Ethiopian Ministry of Information), they explored the countryside
until they came to Sheshemani. There they settled, living in a hastily
thrown up mud-hut until they had built their present comfortable bungalow.
Only the Pipers are still at Sheshemani (they are now Ethiopian citizens).
They farm scientifically, and also run a cornmill, grinding the neighbourhood
corn for a fee. They are happy and prosperous. They own about 50
head of cattle, corn and sunflower fields, a goat herd. "The land at Sheshemani could take many many more families", Helen Piper said. "We'd
like to see more West Indians here".
At present there are not many industries in Ethiopia but the-country is
being geared to industrialisation. There are canning and button factories,
textile factories, a brewery, cigarette, cement, soap and matches factories.
Mining is limited but the government operates two gold mines and a
platinum mine. Oil is being sought.
Wages permit adequate purchase of basics but little luxuries (example:
a chauffeur earns 10-15 a month; carpenter 20-25 a month). The
Mission believes that the potential for migrants to Ethiopia lies in agriculture.
But in this field, the potentials are vast. Schools and medical facilities are
widening. The language barrier, if it exists, is not formidable. English
is the lingua franca of the country (indeed, of all West Africa, too).
On one point the Mission would like to make an observation. There
has been a notion, spread by certain publications and touted by many
non-Africans that the people of Ethiopia, and the Emperor, consider themselves above and apart from the peoples of Central Africa, the so-called
"negroids". Nothing of the kind has been observed by the Mission on their
visit to Africa. The people of Ethiopia live in equality and concord. Said
t h e Emperor at the last meeting of the Independent African States held in
Addis A b a b a : "Socially and culturally, we must develop those natural
bonds of our peoples t o each other t h a t have been stretched and weakened
through the fragmentation of our continent by the colonial practices of
divide and rule. We must see to it t h a t the history of each other of our
peoples is known to the others and appreciated throughout the continent".
A point of interest is that, on briihiy April 21, two members of the Mission,
M r . Cecil Gordon and Mr. Z. Munroo Scarlett were baptised into the
Ethiopian Orthodox State Church by His Holiness, Abuna Basilios, Primate
of Ethiopia, Bishop Theophilus and Panhis, Bishop of Jerusalem. Mr.
Gordon represents the Ethiopian World Federation, Inc., and Mr. Scarlett
is Administrator of the Afro-West Indian Welfare League.
NIGERIA
10
G h a n a mines gold, manganese, diamonds, bauxite, b u t agriculture is t h e
m a i n s t a y of its economy with cocoa far a n d a w a y its m o s t valuable crop.
I t is t h e m o s t prosperous of African states, exceeded only by t h e Union of
S o u t h Africa in income per-capita. I t s wealth comes m o s t l y from t h e
Ghana-owned a n d G h a n a - o p e r a t e d cocoa industry. Only citizens of
G h a n a m a y own land in t h e country. Although its domestic food production
is high, a large volume is i m p o r t e d . F a r m i n g , for internal consumption,
is ripe for increase. T h e r e is enough land. P a l m oil is an i m p o r t a n t crop.
T h e Republic contains nearly 92,000 s q u a r e miles peopled by seven millionsA b o u t two millions are of working age a n d last y e a r registered u n e m p l o y m e n t
was 7,000, or .05 p e r cent. Wages in Ghana are in the order of 15/- per
d a y for artisans (carpenters, masons, & a ) , 7/- for unskilled. N a t i v e food
is inexpensive; E u r o p e a n clothing a b o u t a t J a m a i c a prices.
I n G h a n a , as in all t h e countries visited, housing is still i n a d e q u a t e ; b u t
large housing schemes were also present in all countries, m o s t l y in t h e u r b a n
areas. President N k r u m a h said t h a t right now, G h a n a could employ all
t h e skilled seamen t h e y could get for their increasing m e r c h a n t fleet. There
are twelve ships in G h a n a ' s black Star Line a n d President N k r u m a h said
t h a t by next year, units of t h e Line would be visiting t h e West Indies.
T h e Mission h a d t h e h o n o u r of meeting t h e oldest chief in G h a n a , Nii
Amoo N a k w a I I , who is 92 and travelled all t h e way from K u m a s i t o meet
the Mission. T h e occasion was a cocktail p a r t y given b y t h e G h a n a
g o v e r n m e n t for t h e Mission.
LIBERIA
A door to migrants was years ago left ajar in the constitution of Liberia.
I n 1955, a law was enacted to " a u t h o r i z e the President to m a k e a r r a n g e m e n t s
for t h e care of immigrants t o Liberia."
President T u b m a n of Liberia, by whom the Mission was received in the
presidential offices in Monrovia, reiterated that, the policy was not changed.
Liberia would welcome persons of African descent a n d of all skills " i n c l u d i n g
agriculturists of all fields a n d t y p e s . " E v e r y encouragement is given t o
people w h o go i n t o farming. T h e 1955 law is enriched b y a provision granting
t h e issuing of free lands to i m m i g r a n t s , plus three m o n t h s free housing.
After t h e d e p u t a t i o n explained its p u r p o s e a t t h e meeting w i t h t h e
President, M r . T u b m a n recalled his s t a t e visit to J a m a i c a and said t h a t
J a m a i c a was overpopulated a n d needed an easement while Liberia was
u n d e r p o p u l a t e d and needed people. H e said t h a t details would necessarily
h a v e t o be worked o u t between t h e g o v e r n m e n t s and t h a t a pilot project
m i g h t be t h e best w a y t o begin. H e t h o u g h t t h a t there might be t w o levels
in a n y migration plans, a level of " c o l o n i s a t i o n " (or group) living a n d one
of " i n t e g r a t i o n . " H e favoured both. President T u b m a n also said t h a t
immigrants would h a v e to be in possession of a clean police record.
The
President said t h a t Liberia would be opened t o all peoples of African descent
w h e t h e r t h e y were R a s t a f a r i a n s or n o t .
T h e President spoke of t h e contribution West Indians h a v e a l r e a d y m a d e
in Liberia; their d e s c e n d a n t s h a d achieved high places in g o v e r n m e n t .
(The
present Foreign Secretary, M r . Grimes, who was present a t o u r m e e t i n g
with t h e P r e s i d e n t is a descendant of W e s t Indians). President T u b m a n
mentioned t h e names of Barnes, Co miff e, building c o n t r a c t o r Clifford B r o w n
(deceased) a m o n g J a m a i c a n s who h a d contributed m u c h t o t h e country.
Finally, h e s a i d : " W e in Liberia agree on t h e principle of i m m i g r a t i o n i n t o
Liberia of our fellow m e m b e r s of t h e African race. T h e details will h a v e
t o be worked o u t . "
few, they were black people. They bought land from local chiefs, then
had to fight to hold it. Now, none but those of African descent may become
citizens of Liberia, said Article V of the constitution. To encourage
CI
immigration and for a special bias to farmer-, unmarried settlers receive
10 acres of farm land, plus one town lot, as a free gift; married settlers receive
25 acres and one town lot.
Prior to 1944, the country was closed to foreign investors except the
Firestone Rubber Company. A n e w " o p e n d o o r " policy has now fantastically
pushed the country's income from 1 million dollars annually to around
30-million dollars. Longtime Jamaican residents there, told the Mission
that the face of the country has been entirely changed over the past ten
years by the new towns, roads, buildings. Jamaican resident there urged
on the Mission that Liberia was the "land of opportunity'-' to hard workers.
Jamaicans began trickling into Liberia during the middle and late 1940s.
Today they serve in high ranking government posts, run printeries, canning
business, are contractors and buildersand have even provided the country
with its first female diamond prospector.
Liberia's agriculture produces rubber, cocoa., banana, rice, coffee, palm
oil and cassava. I t s mines give iron, diamonds, gold, lead and graphite.
The iron mines at Boini contain the world's highest grade ore. But there
is no sugar, dairy or citrus production of consequence. Sugar is imported.
Food production is not nearly enough for local demand. There is an agricultural and industrial credit corporation for making loans to farmers and small
industrialists.
Liberia has approximately two million people on 43,000 square miles,
less than 50 to the square mile (Jamaica lias about. 400 to the square mile).
The official language is English; but there are many native tongues. The
currency is the Liberian and American dollar which are at par. Housebuilding materials are mostly clay and sand blocks. UNESCO is conducting
extensive research into building materials. A professor at the University
in Monrovia said that "If a migration from Jamaica did nothing more than
grow the foods we needed, their presence would have been more than worth-
SIEHRA L E O N E
Our final call on the African countries was at Sierra Leone, Monday, M a y
21. The Prime Minister, Sir Milton Margai received the Mission in his
office at Freetown where lie was attended by the Parliamentary Secretary
for External Affairs and his Permanent Secretary.
The Mission's reasons for visiting Sierra Leone were given and Sir Milton
said the principle of repatriation of West Indians whose ancestors had been
forcibly removed from Africa was accepted. There was no question about
the desirability of having them nor of the welcome they would receive, he
said. Sierra Leone could use the skills of West Indians, he said.
12
The Prime Minister however pointed out that Sierra Leone had received
its independence less than a month ago (April 27) and would be occupied with
"putting its house in order" after t h e transition. He said that the suggestion
for migration from the West Indies would nevertheless' be considered by
bis government at a later date.
Talks were also held with the Hon. G. Dixon Thomas, .Minister for Social
Welfare and Hon. S. T. Navo, acting Minister for External affairs. The
mission accompanied Mr. Thomas to his home village of Regent (one of the
"colony" villages founded by freed slaves from the Wen: Indies) and shared
in a youth rally with the Mini-ier. The mission was afterwards entertained
by him at his house.
Sir Milton was also host a t a reception for the "Mission and for a visiting
trade delegation from Ended Arab Republic.
, publicity received by the Mission occurred at
1 of a news story published in the London Sunday
Despath of April 2d and subsequently appearing in the N-igrrian Daily
Express of April 2d under a. Renter's dateline (sec attached) was taken up
by the Sierra Leone Daily Mail.
In a wildly spun yarn concerning "plans"
afoot to "send home the bearded Rasmfanans in chains" to Africa the
Sierra Leone paper's article may have sparked the statement purporting
to be from Dr. John Karefa Smart, the Sierra Leone Minister for External
Affairs, whirl) appeared in the Jamaica (.lleanci of J u n e I T The statement
had him saying that his government was ''aware of the nature of the West
Indian Rastafarian movement and will bo cautious in considering any
application for immigration into Sierra Leone."
PART II
Sierra Leone partially owed its establishment to Jamaicansthe 18th
century rebellious Maroons who stopped their lighting only to be betrayed
by the Governor and banished to Nova Scotia, in Canada.. Decimated by
exposure to the harsh climate, they were subsequently sent to Sierra Leone.
The country is about 28,000 square mile.-- with a population around three
million. Its productions for export are palm kernels, coffee, cocoa, piassuva.
Mining for diamonds and iron produces a big slice of its income. Last year
they made 19^ million on mining. Bauxite mining should commence next
year.
Its industries include a tobacco factory, nail factory, a brewery and oxyacetylene plant to the east of Freetown.
The Government plans to increase the agricultural export in Sierra Leone
especially in oil palms. Much food is still imported. Rice is also down for
wide-scale planting. " W e plant to turn an army of planteis loose on the
land. We are training our farmers in the use of mechanical implements",
an official at the big experimental station at Njala told the Mission. The
land at hand is more than ample for twice and three times thepopulatione
he said.
A reception was given the Mission by (he mayor, alderman and councillors
of Freetown at which medals were presented to its members.
L. C.
M.
B.
LESLIE.
DOUGLAS.
BLACKWOOD.
REID.
Z. M U N R O E SCARLETT.
APPENDIX "A"
Mr. Alveranga
with His Holiness
Selassie I, as the
(Revelations 17).
" W e , the Rastafarians showed the relation, by Biblical proof, that the
same Christ sitting upon David's throne
MINORITY REPORT
OF
MISSION TO AFRICA
APRIL 4JUNE 2, 1901
Ethiopia was the Mission's [jrsi official -top. We arrived Sunday April
16, 9.35 a.m. at Addis-Ababa by Ethiopian Airlines. We were met at the
airport by Ato Getaneh Haile Murium, chief of English and Commonwealth
Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Woizaro Maize of the
Ministry of Education; Lidj Ayele-Work Abebe attached to the Foreign
Ministry. We were then taken to Hotel Ghion, reserved for our stay on
1G
Sunday morning. We visited the British Embassy and met the Ambassador
there. He said there was no clay in Ethiopia (which wo disproved by seeing
a lot). Later in the afternoon the Bases were invited to visit His Holiness
Abuna Basilios, the Archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church at his
residence. The other delegates came along too. We discussed H.I.M.
Emperor Hailc Selassie, being (ho returned Messiah. His Holiness the
Abuna told us at the conclusion of the discussions that the Bible can be
interpreted that way. We had tea and honey wine with him.
Monday April 17, 10 a.m.. The Mission visited Her Imperial Majesty's
handicraft and technical school for boys and girls where we saw hand weaving
of wool, cotton, workings in gold and silver, carpentry, joinery, cabinetmaking and wood carving.
Monday 5.00 p.m.. The Mission paid a visit to the Ethiopian Foreign
Ministry. The Foreign Minister welcomed the delegation and asked us
to state the purpose of our mission. We told him to seek the repatriation
of black people to the continent of Africa. He said that the Imperial
Ethiopian Government would have to handle that.
Tuesday, April 18 was to be our audience with H.I.M. Emperor Haile
Selassie I., which was cancelled until we saw more Government Ministers.
We visited the Lions Den opposite the Imperial Palace instead which
contained 21 lions. In the afternoon the Mission paid visits to their
Excellencies the Minister of National Community Development. He
welcomed the delegation warmly and said that Ethiopia had lands for us.
Mr. W. Blackwood wept while expressing his hopes to the Minister. The
Minister of Commerce and Industry, he too welcomed the delegation; the
Minister of Agriculturethe Minister, who was away in another province
at the time. The Chief Educational Officer to the Ministry deputised and
said that Ethiopia and Ethiopians eagerly await our coming. The Officer
agreed with (he Mission's purposes but said that the Imperial Government
would have to work it out.
April 19. The Mission visited the Co-operative Farm at
Awasa, on the way we stopped at Shesshammane, about 200 kilos from Addis;
This is the land granted to the people of the Western Hemisphere who aided
Ethiopia during the Italian occupation.
We met Mr. and "Mrs. Piper, West Indians living there for 17 years. Mrs.
Piper served us Enjera and Watt (Ethiopian National Dish) under a sycamore
tree. They also operate a flour mill. We crossed the Awash River and had
lunch at lake Awasa Best House.
Thursday April 20: Members of the Mission flew by Ethiopian Airlines
Special Charter Flight to Jimma in the Province of Kaffa (where coffee
originated). The dominant tribe there is the Wall-Galla; (lie soil is extremely
rich and fertile; coffee grows wild there and streams traverse the land. We
saw hippopotamus in one of the rivers; foodstuffs and fruits of all descriptions
both familiar and unfamiliar to us; fishes and cray fishes abound in
numerous streams; mangoes are wild and plenty, also cattle, goat and sheep.
We lunched at Hotel Ghion (Jimma) and flew back to Addis. Ababa.
Friday April 21, 10 a.m.. The Mission was granted audience with H.I.M.
Emperor Haile Selassie 1. at the Imperial Palace, Addis-Ababa. We were
introduced to H.I.M., by the Minister of the Imperial Guard. Emperor
Haile Selassie I welcomed the delegation warmly. Speaking Amharic which
was interpreted by the Minister of the Imperial Guard, H.I.M. told us that
he knew the black people of the West and particularly Jamaica were blood
brothers to the Ethiopians and he knew that slaves were sent from Ethiopia
to Jamaica. He said that we should send the right people. The Emperor
17
said Ethiopia was large enough to hold all the people of African descent living
outside Africa and he would send a delegation to the West Indies. Dr.
Leslie told H.I.M. that .Jamaica had plenty of sugar cane factories making
sugar and rum. H.I.M. replied t h a t in Ethiopia there was a refinery making
sugar but not rum. H.I.M. thanked the delegation and piesented each of
us with gold medal.
Sunday April 23, 10.30 p.m.. The Mission arrived by Ethiopian Airlines
at Ikeja Airport, Nigeria. Mr. Babatunde Harper, of the Ministry of
Internal Affairs and other officials met us. The Mission spent two days
at Ikeja Airport Hotel, before going to the Federal Palace Hotel in Lagos,
the Capital.
Monday April 24. The Mission visited the Oiia Adele (The King of
Lagos). The Oba greeted us and said that. West Indians coming to Africa,
would be returning to the land of their fathers. In the afternoon we
visited the Yaba industrial estate.
IS
Tuesday April 25. T h e Mission h a d discussions with t h e Hon. J. M .
Johnson, Minister of Labour and Social Welfare a n d D r . Esin Esin, t h e
Minister of S t a t e . T h e y b o t h welcomed t h e delegation warmly and D r .
Esin said t h a t t h e Back-to-Africa M o v e m e n t s would be like the Jewish Restoration to Israeli and repatriation would be taken u p by t h e Federal Governm e n t . D r . E s i n also stated t h a t Africa could easily absorb all t h e three
million people of t h e West Indies. " T h e people of t h e West are bound
t o come h o m e " , he said a n d Nigeria would have t o alter her immigration
laws t o entertain immigrants.
Wednesday April 26. T h e Mission visited His Excellency t h e Governor
General D r . N w a m d i Azikiwe, a t S t a t e House, Lagos, D r . Zik welcomed
t h e delegation a n d said t h a t Nigeria would do w h a t it could t o resettle t h e
people of African descent, scattered t h r o u g h o u t t h e West. His Excellency
nlso m a d e mention of M a r c u s Garvey, who helped t o inspire him. T h e
Mission was also guest of D r . Azikiwe a t an ice show in Lagos.
j April 27. T h e mission visited t h e furniture factory a t Onike
Village, also t h e Defacto Bread F a c t o r y Surelere a t Y a b b a . We drove
a r o u n d Ikoyi Village.
IBADAN, W E S T E R N
NIGERIA
NIGERIA
20
Wednesday May 10: The Mission met the Osagyefo, Dr. KwameKkrumah,
President of the Republic of Ghana, at State House, Accra. Dr. Nkrumah
welcomed the delegation warmly and said t h a t this meeting is an historical
one; historic from the point of view t h a t many people have tried to bring
Africans from f.lie West buck home to the continent, but they have all failed.
Marcus Garvey himself was sabotaged b u t our Mission could not be sabotaged
now, because this was the opportune moments for negotiating resettlement.
Continuing he said that Ghana has an area of over 100,000 square miles
population 7,000,000 which means t h a t they had space. He said t h a t he
personally had no objection to this approach for repatriation; ''Look upon
yourselves as Africans and land was here for the asking." Dr. Nkrumah set
up a special committee to meet us the next day at (he Ministry of EstablishThursday
Osagyefo.
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
During the course of the dinner the President asked for information concerning
the Rastafarian Movement. We defined our spiritual conceptions t o him.
He finally said t h a t Liberia was open to all peoples of African descent, whether
they said Rastafari is God or not.
Sunday May 21, 2.05 p.m.: The Mission left Liberia by Air Liban for
Freetown, Sierra Leone.
SIERRA LEONE
Friday May 26: The -Mission was invited to the Premier's Residence
where a party was held in honour of the U.A.R. and the Back-to-Airica
Mission. On Monday May 29, the Mission was scheduled to leave by air
for Dakar, Senegal. The plane developed engine trouble and the departure
was postponed. We stayed at the Rest House.
Tuesday May 30, 9.30 a.m.: The Mission left by Air France for Dakar,
Senegal. We stayed at the Hotel N'gor. We departed Dakar for Lisbon.
We spent three days in Lisbon, Portugal at the Aveuida Palace Hotel.
SUMMARY
F A C T FINDING
BACK-TO-AFRICA M I S S I O N
The Rases also gave each African Government written documents with
formulas on how we saw repatriation. We asked them (The African States)
t o table the cause of repatriation in the TJ.N.O.
The Ethiopian Government paid all the Mission's expenses in Ethiopia.
In Sierra Leone, the Newspaper carried an article extracted from a
London paper under the caption "Incredible deportation planned for
Jamaica's fanatic" with photographs of the '.', liast-afarians under it. This
was expressed b j two Jamaican Government Officials, the paper said.
FlI.MORE ALVARA
DOUGLAS MACK
MORTIMO PUANN