D' ACCORD A DAKAR - A WEST INDIAN IN WEST AFRICA

African Renaissance monument to be unveiled in Dakar next month.

DAKAR, Senegal (By Bevan Springer) - As I sit on L'Afrique de L'Ouest, the West Coast of Africa, a refreshing breeze cools my body and as I look around, heads are nodding in timing with the rhythm of Africa.
 
A local band is offering up soothing, then pulsating, then calming vibes - a mixture of Africa, America, the Caribbean and Latin America - from Bomba to Bob Marley - and from Jazz to Juan Luis Guerra.
 
Hands clap, faces smile as the rhythm of Africa beats on melodically, and yet tears flow as I recall the Middle Passage, the challenges that the people of Africa and of African descent face .
 
I am in Dakar, Senegal this week - the home of US-based Senegalese journalist and friend Ogo Sow who reminded me of our efforts in the 1990s to promote African culture to the audiences for whom we undertook the responsibility of "edutaining" on New York's WLIB radio.
 
This is a spiritual place - one of my mentors told me so before crossing the Atlantic on South African Airways in only seven and a half hours from Washington DC's Dulles Airport. Who would have known that Africa is so closely within reach?
 
As I watch and listen to the musical genius of Africa, I am reminded of my Guyanese mother, a musician par excellence, who would no doubt appreciate the masters of music who have come together in Baba's Band on this warm November night.
 
My media colleagues from America, as well as former Air Jamaica turned South African Airways executive, Gregg Truman are tired - yet the music mesmerizes, their minds are at ease - and our tour guide has to chivvy us along to retreat to the four-star Terrou-Bi hotel in Dakar as we have an early start in the morning.
 
Many of us in the Caribbean, African American and Afro-British communities tend to misunderstand Africa and often forget the sacrifice of our African ancestors - a sacrifice that renders us indebted to our mother land. Were it not for Africa's struggles, who knows what kind of life we in the west would be faced with.
 
Life for many across the continent remains difficult, but the African people are survivors - and are moving forward with a positive vibration that inspires humanity.

Here in Senegal, the tourism authorities are embracing their brothers and sisters of the Diaspora wherever we may live, and will soon unveil a massive monument to salute the African renaissance.

The African Renaissance monument is set to be unveiled in Dakar next month.

What a welcome future visitors will receive in the mother land!
 
The move, while controversial due to astronomically high construction costs, attempts to build bridges among a scattered people, and promote tourism to the continent.
 
For Africa and its Diaspora, the journey continues, and the future is encouraging.