Why read "Why I Became An African Chief"?

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Dr. Anthony Mensah defines a ‘formal rites of passage’ process as those rituals and ceremonies that enable individuals or members of a group to a) come to know who they are, b) where they are going and, c) why they are going there, as they move from one clearly defined state of existence to another. The Akan ‘rites’ training process in which I participated is based on the following mythology - Of all the things on earth, the people are the only things that have had the opportunity to leave Heaven. And leave we did…

Predictably, the journey’s length and its many distractions caused us to forget the important reason for our coming - our purpose/mission - resulting in a continual and intensifying psychological ‘tug-of-war’ between the spirit that knows what it must do and the mind, that can’t remember and, instead, focuses on what it thinks, likes, wants to do, or is comfortable doing. The older we get the more this conflict intensifies. As we become more aware we ease and ultimately reconcile this conflict, re-calibrate the mind-body-spirit alignment and accelerate completion of our missions. With consistent practice we begin to recover the full memory of our purpose and move towards our destiny.

Our improved alignment enhances our appreciation of the African proverb ‘going back to tradition is your first step forward’ as well as aiding our relationship with our African Ancestors that helps clarify our purpose/mission, improve our focus, appreciate, refine and value our special gifts, and, transform our ‘so-called’ mistakes, errors and near misses into valuable stepping stones on the path to our success. In the end we begin to realize and accept that there really are no mistakes, errors or near misses - only lessons.

I believe, as Continental Africans, African Americans and all other Africans in the diaspora , we have much to gain from the traits and attributes of our Ancestors. Let’s face it, admit it or not, we’ve tried everything to assimilate and we’re still ‘powerless.’ If we are to change our circumstance it will begin with us looking into that popular mirror and getting acquainted with the person you were born to be, that you never met, don’t know, and, who’s been waiting patiently to collaborate on your mission. Once acquainted we can begin our work in earnest. See you on the path!