Do not mourn Biko’s death – carry his torch in a struggling Africa

Forty-four years ago, on 12 September 1977, we woke up to the sad news of Steve Bantu Biko’s brutal death at the hands of the apartheid ‘military junta’.

He was unquestionably an aesthetic leader of our revolution and an extraordinarily par excellence voice of the oppressed masses during colonial Africa and apartheid South Africa.

Members of the South African Students Organisations (SASO) then like Prof Mfengu Matthew Makalima, vividly explained to us as members of Congress of South African Students (Cosas), South African Students Congress (Sasco), South African Youth Congress (Sayco), and subsequently as members of ANC Youth League (ANCYL) that Biko had an undeniable passion for the total liberation of blacks in general and Africans in particular.

As a progressive African democrat and non-racialism who believed in the human race, he worked with all progressive forces in our global village to achieve freedom under a democratic South Africa founded on non-racialism and non-sexism. 

In his own words, there will be no majority or minority but the human race in future South Africa. He fell short of not calling it Azania as some cadres of liberation movements call South Africa the land of black people or Azania.

ALSO READ: Biko’s legacy can’t be hijacked

His contribution to the Black Consciousness Movement (BCM) philosophy remains critical to the current complex political, economic, social, technical, legal and environmental (PESTLE) challenges in a post-colonial Africa and-apartheid South Africa.

The latter is due to the fact African leaders have lost their focus on economic liberation and have been successfully captured by what Ntsikana Gabha called the “greed and love for money” before his death in 1821 in Thwathwa, Seymour near picturesque Bhukanazana and Nkonkobe mountains that represent our untapped rich heritage.

As he grew up in Ginsberg, a traditional township on the banks of the Buffalo River, named after local councillor and Member of Parliament of the Cape Colony, Senator Franz Ginsberg, he understood the writings of African intellectuals.

He understood the revolutionary clarion call that the Most Reverend Isaac Williams Wauchope kaCitashe kaDyobo wrote in his poem during wars of land dispossession in 1882 that:

Elokuvumisa Zimkile !

Mfo wohlanga, Putuma, putuma;

Yishiy’ imfakadolo, Putuma ngosiba;

Tabat’ ipepa ne ink, Lik’aka lako elo.      

His poem translated ‘Your cattle are plundered, compatriot! After them! After them! Lay down the musket, take up the pen. Seize paper and ink: that’s your shield.’

Ayemk’ amalungelo, Qubula usiba;

Nx’asha, nx’asha, nge inki,

Hlala esitulweni

Ungangeni kwa Hoho

Dubula ngo siba.

Tambeka umhlati ke,

Bambelel’ ebunzi; Zigqale inyaniso,

Umise ngo mx’olo; Bek’izito ungalwi,

Umsindo liyilo.

Having read the writings of the 18th & 19th African intellectuals like Citashe, Steve Bantubonke kaXhamela knew the negative consequences of imperialism and colonialism to Blacks in general and Africans in particular.

Rather than mourning his death, we should be celebrating with Mama Nontsikelelo Biko and her family for continuing in carrying the torch in a rather compromised mother Africa and her ills. 

This means that Biko’s philosophy never dies, Nkosinathi Biko.

For those who have eyes to see, ears to hear, minds to think and mouths to give an economic revolution have a race to run.

Surely, J Sheba Anandhi would have added that:

Two eyes for an acute vision,

Two ears for a sharp audition,

The inputs can be endless,

The processing can be arduous,

The one mouth to speak out

If not used proper

A dispute can break out,

If only used proper

It’d be so good that

The ears and eyes in close unison

In his name, we hope Africa will produce unselfish, visionary and aesthetic leaders to rebuild the walls of Mother Africa and restore the heritage and dignity of her sons and daughters.

We salute you Steve Bantubonke Biko kaXhamela – akakho ofana nawe. 

Your death 44 years ago remains a clarion call to Africans who love Africa, peace, stability and good enough governance to renew their vows and oath to the restoration of her people.

Ikwelo lityala AmaAfrika! Amade ngawetyala!

Makudede ubunyama kuvule ukukhanya!

Iyazika inqanawe yaseAfrika!

Phuthumani MaAfrika.

Zenibe yimbhumba yamanyama bantwana baseAfrika.

Nilahle ubuhlanga.

Nizek’ mzekweni kaXhamela!)

Qamata bless Africa and her children,

to reclaim their heritage and paradise cities,

I declare!

*Dr Fumene George Tsibani is a cultural and heritage researcher.