The day was everything Tajudeen.

It was the launch of 'Speaking Truth to Power', a compilation of his writing for Pambazuka News, timed for the one-year mark of his 2009 death.

This is an afterthought though, really, because in cruel irony his death on 25 May fell on Africa Day, a day designated as a celebration of African unity by the then Organisation of African Unity (OAU) – what is today the African Union (AU).

But not so cruelly, the common date shared by Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem’s death and Africa Day enables pan-Africanists, friends and admirers of ‘Taju’ to recognise the ideas of the man, and not simply his personality.

‘Let us be careful; we create heroes, we create a cult of personality. Let’s honour him for his ideas,’ said Firoze Manji, editor of Pambazuka News and moderator of the book launch.

His ideas are the true legacy, Manji said, and it was Tajudeen's ideas that broke over and at times boiled the crowd of 250 gathered at Lillian Towers in Nairobi.

The amorphous group, primarily drawn from civil society, also featured representatives from business and government.

Participants were invited to be vocal and, true to the Pan-Africanism of Tajudeen, open discussion from the audience drew cheers as most began with comments like ‘I’m an African born in Uganda …’ and ‘I’m an African from Malawi …’

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This Pan-Africanism is the core of 'Speaking Truth to Power'.

‘It’s an intellectual legacy to Taju’s Pan-Africanism,’ rang the words of absent co-editor Ama Biney. ‘He spoke truth to power with utter fearlessness … and the pages of this book are nothing but pan-African truths.’

The range of Tajudeen’s writing was reflected in the topics that emerged as speakers took the floor and participants were invited to respond, topics like defining Africa, corruption, resources, imperialism, struggle, gender justice and equality.

FOR AFRICAN WOMEN

On display at the event, fittingly called Africa Liberation Day – the alternative name championed by Tajudeen – were a range of poetic and musical performances, at times poignant and at times brilliantly jubilant, such as when artist Sarah Mitaru and her personal classic 'Woman from Africa' brought the room to its feet.

The anthem was a true tribute to Tajudeen’s ideal of gender equality and justice for African women.

By a different style, Wahu Kaara, the formidable global activist for social justice, also stole her audience from their seats with her cries: ‘I want to dismantle the system – the system is a patriarchic, market economy.’

‘The struggle has been ongoing … and the bedrock of the struggle is women.’

This was a stunning echo of Tajudeen, a man Kaara called a comrade.

‘He was committed to human dignity, and he knew why people were undignified and was determined to see it restored,’ Kaara said. ‘That was the common thread that tied us together.’

Human dignity forged the truths Tajudeen spoke to power, truths like ‘no woman should die giving birth’ and ‘corrupt leaders are mass murderers,’ said Charles Abugre, deputy director of the United Nations Millennium Campaign.

He was virulent, and believed change is possible, Abugre told the crowd. ‘That is the way Taju spoke.’

KNOW YOUR AFRICA

He spoke with truth, and with history too.

Omnipresent (Tajudeen that is), this pillar – historical perspective – was recognised too by Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o, professor and Kenya’s minister of medical services.

‘Study African history,’ Anyang’ Nyong’o implored at the end of the night as he formally launched Tajudeen’s postcards.

‘History is written so the past can be present in our present … or we risk being ignorant of our present.’

A copy of 'Speaking Truth to Power' in hand, Anyang’ Nyong’o spoke to an audience that had quietly swelled with after-work latecomers.

‘Here is a wealth of knowledge on the past and present of this continent and its people.’

Here are the ideas of Tajudeen.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY PAMBAZUKA NEWS

* Dana Wagner is a recent journalism and political science graduate from Carleton University.
* Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem's 'Speaking Truth to Power: Selected Pan-African Postcards' is available now from Pambazuka Press.
* Please send comments to [email protected] or comment online at Pambazuka News.