Eric Adams the Mayor of the City of New York has hold on October 6, 2022, the African Heritage Month at Gracie Mansion in Manhattan.
African diaspora in New York City in its diversity has massively responded to the Mayor’s call for the traditional celebration of the African Heritage. They came from all over the city with joy and enthusiasm.
“This is an important gathering today,” said Eric Adams who is proud to be the Mayor of New York City “one of the powerful states of America.”
After the Mayor told the origin of African Americans’ story, which related to slavery, he said that he went to Senegal and stood of the” Door of No Return,” where millions of Africans were shipped to a life of slavery in America and in other continents in the world.
He said he also went to Ghana, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and Maroc. “I realized the power of Africa,” said the Mayor after coming back from his Africa’s trip. “I am an African,” he added. “You should tell people the mayor of New York City is African.”
He has expressed his gratefulness towards African diaspora in New York City as he recognized their contribution regarding his election as a black mayor of New York City. “You prepared me for this moment, you prayed for me, all the skill you have, you utilized it for me to be elected,” the mayor said.
The Mayor has hired in his office many Africans from different countries such as Guinee, Nigeria, Ghana … and they came to the podium to speak and celebrate the African Heritage.
The Mayor has seized the opportunity to call for unity. “It is time to reconnect,” he said. “We have been torn apart for long time.” This call for unity is not only addressing to African diaspora but also to Africa continent.
The Mayor has also talked about the African’s natural minerals that have been used by other continents while Africa itself has been ignored for so long.
The issue here, is that the Mayor is preaching in the desert because Africans in Africa and Africans diaspora are sick. They are sick of leadership, they are sick of selfishness, they are fighting not for common good but for individual welfare.
However, let’s be optimistic with the Mayor, hoping that we will “use the pain of the past (and the present) to turn things to good.”
Bazona Barnabe Bado