During the opening of the events, UMP Vice-Chancellor Professor Thoko Mayekiso expressed the significance of Africa Day in providing a platform for Africans to strengthen their commitment to collaboration with fellow Africans. This collaboration aims to unlock the potential within each individual by fostering an environment that promotes democracy and peace.
"Africa Day, in the South African context, offers African brothers and sisters from across the continent an invaluable opportunity to comprehend and value one another. It grants us the chance to distance ourselves from xenophobia and all the associated evils," stated Professor Mayekiso.
She further explained that Africans undermine their own humanity by treating others differently based on their country of origin, and worse, when it extends to distinctions between provinces within South Africa.
"As UMP, we wholeheartedly embrace the African continent and are committed to playing our part in ensuring its optimal functioning. We firmly believe that Africa Day presents an excellent occasion to advance our vision and uphold one of our core values: diversity. Since 2015, we have been establishing a tradition of annually celebrating Africa Day," she added.
UMP Students and Staff presented food by country.
"UMP as an African university, aims to acknowledge and embed the African experience and context within its academic endeavours. Our research and development agenda, our innovation activities, and our efforts should focus on enhancing the continent and maximizing its resources."
Africa unified
During her lecture on the topic: Unity in our African Diversity, guest speaker Ms Doris Roos shared her extensive experience of living and working in nine countries and traveling to 46 countries. She highlighted that Africans are united by their communal upbringing, shared norms, and values.
"Good relationships are the strength of many African households. Whether we are aware of these behaviours or not, we still exhibit them. We have been taught to be respectful and to reach out to others. We are also connected by our food. During my travels, I noticed that there is a perception that Africa suffers from hunger. However, it was only during the South African World Cup in 2010 that the world saw how developed Africa truly is, " she further stated.
"If unity was a house, food, music, and dance would be the foundation. Africans gather where there is food because we love food. There is a narrative that music is in the DNA of every African because we dance even when we are angry and cannot resist the ethereal rhythmic sound, even if we cannot dance. Music has the power to break barriers and fill us with a healthy overdose of joy and happiness."
Vice-Chancellor Professor Mayekiso and the Dean of Students Dr Maminza announcing the winners at Siyabuswa.
Referring to a poem by Maya Angelou, she said, "Love (Music) recognises no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope."
She continued by highlighting the unifying force of religion in Africa, regardless of the specific faith followed. "Religion holds families together and serves as a unifying factor among diverse Africans," she said, encouraging the audience to break stereotypes and showcase the beauty and unity of Africa and show the world that Africans are united in fighting corruption.
"We have reached a point where we can no longer tolerate it. If our elders were corrupt and our generation was corrupt, our children are now witnessing it. The youth desires a different kind of leadership and is not interested in political parties that claim to have liberated them. However, they remain loyal."
Ms Roos quoted Ghanaian politician and revolutionary Kwame Nkrumah, saying, "The forces that unite us are intrinsic and greater than the superimposed influences that keep us apart."
Guest speaker
Ms Roos interacting with UMP staff member.
In her closing remarks, she urged the UMP community to break stereotypes and emphasised that it is their collective responsibility to showcase the beauty and unity of Africa, focusing on the aspects that bring them together rather than poverty and suffering. "It is our responsibility to show the world that Africa is united, and we have a lot to offer in Africa."
As part of the celebrations, students at UMP performed a short play, while the university staff and students contributed with presentations about each country represented and set up food stalls for the judges to taste. The countries showcased during the event included Mali, Tunisia, Uganda, Namibia, and Mozambique.
For the Mbombela Campus, the winners of the best presentation were Nigeria (first place), with Mozambique and Namibia sharing the second position, and Uganda taking the third place. At Siyabuswa campus, the first runner up was Nigeria, second came Uganda and third was Mozambique.
The event was closed with a Kadongo Kamu dance, that is derived from an old mainstream and native Ugandan music genre. Kadongo kamu means, one little guitar in Ugandan.
@ Story by Cleopatra Makhaga. Pictures by ChrisplPhoto.