Mazrui the professor of misreading history is here as usual misinterpreting African history. Africans do not habor hatred as a political idealogy like others do. They are more forgiving, but forgetting as this insulting drivel seems to suggest by saying Africans have a short memory, theyy are not. Remember this: Africans forgive, but they never forget.

Huulu60:

You must be another hate monger; you could colaborate and get funding together with Mazrui on outdated and outmoded scholarship. Most hatred perpetrated in todays Africa was learnt from colonilizers; a relic of divide and conquer strategy that the colonizers used to subdue Africans. Africans sold Africans is, likewise, a baseless proposition. Mandela and Obama are forgiving (not forgetting)individuals. Unlike some politicians they are NOT riding the cycle of hatred that has bedeviled Europe and Middle East, and which unfortunately has gained currency with bankrupt corrupt dictators around the world, especially Africa, because it helps them cling to power illegimately. And for you and Mazrui may the credict too should go to other races in these multicultural countries: USA and RSA that are rejecting the politics of hate. A few brainwashed Africans could learn a lesson or two from Mandela, Obama, USA and RSA.

Another hate Monger, You are Insane! You have just rumbled, crackled and rattled and have not made any point at all! I do not know what your problem is with me. I am against Professor Mazrui's superficial analysis of these two African Icons. My argument is that it is in the nature of both Obama and Mandela to be what they are. It is not and I repeat it is not because they are Africans NO! Such character is rare among the human race white, black, orange , yellow extra extra Mr. Another hate monger!!!!!!!! Get this into your head. What we should strive for and this is crucial is to get leaders all over the world to emulate the example of these two people you understand? Both White and Black Politicians are rogues, selfish, cheats; Who base their decisions on testesterone charged arrogance! You Could be one of them sir.

Professor, it would be brilliant on your part to solve the Zimbabwe crisis. How do African leaders effectively move forward with Robert Mugabe's mindset of a 2 year old. It looks foolish even weak to see these leaders spinning their wheels and arriving no where. Mugabe have no concept of Time, People and Places, behaves no different than that of a two year old. Explain his behaviour.

This is the year 2008, we live in a time of progress not the dark ages (the age of the viking long gone). What looks even worse is the fact that the rest of the world's perception of African leaders is that of Mugabe's (BBC CNN commentary section). That is not good for any of us.

Although there is some "truth" in what Mazrui says, to suggest that Africans have a short memory of hate is an over generalized statement that might be difficult to validate. The examples he provides to support his positions are just short anecdotes that need to be tested for construct validity.If we look back at the history of Africans in the context of colonialisation and oppression, its plausible to conclude that Africans in general have greater tolerance and forgiveness. But to suggest that they have short memmories of their history is perhaps a misplaced conclusion. Africans have memories that are "long," and that have been tried and tested. It is for this that in most African educational systems history is an important and integral part of African legacy, a legacy that seeks to perpetuate long memory as well as cement forgiveness and tolerance.

It seems to me that any people of color regardless where they are in the world; when they are discriminated against by their own Government or people. The manifestations of hurt carries from one generation to the next. Anger seems to reside with the immediate generation to follow. The history and actions of the American Government against any people of color speak for themselves. American Indians (Native Americans) were the first people slaughtered by the American Government. "Many tribes to total extinction." Then they treated African slaves with no regard to human dignity. They again repeated attrocities against Japanese Americans during World War II. Now move forward to 2008. The government is on the verge or they are commiting attrocities against people who appear to be of Arab decent. Being profiled and discriminating against people of color is a repetitive behavior of the American government. I personally do not hate the government for the actions of their countrymen. I have the freedom now to participate in voting. Native Americans gained that right in 1937; after African Americans. I am a Native American. VOTING FOR BARACK OBAMA 2008

Pendleton, Oregon USA

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH-THE BENEFICENT-THE MERCIFUL;SAY:HE,ALLAH IS ONE.ALLAH IS HE ON WHOM ALL DEPEND.HE BEGETS NOT,NOR IS HE BEGOTTEN.AND NONE IS LIKE HIM.[QUR'AN:112].THE GREATEST PERSON IN HISTORY THAT WAS PERSECUTED AND FORGIVING WHEN VICTORY CAME AGAINST HIS ENEMIES WAS THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD IBN ABDULLAH[PBUH].DR.ALI MARUI HAS SOME VALID POINTS IN HIS ARTICLE.HOWEVER AFRICAN PEOPLE ON THE CONTINENT AND IN THE DIASPORA ARE COLLECTIVELY STILL ENSLAVED BY ZIONIST AND IMPERIALIST AND A TRUE GENERAL RECOGNIZES HIS STENGHT AND HIS WEAKNESS.COLECTIVELY AFRICANS IN SOUTH AFRICA AND AMERIKA WERE SYSTEMATICALLY DENIED EDUCATION AND VOCATION AND INFLICTED WITH AN IMPOSED INFERIORITY COMLPLEX THAT RESULTED IN SELF DESTUCTION IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE AS SOUTH AFRICA AND AMERIKA EMERGED ON THE WORLD SCENE WITH AN IMPOSED SUPERIORITY COMPLEX THAT ENABLED THE COLLECTIVE EUROPEANS TO BENEFIT FROM THE OPPRESSION OF AFRICAN PEOLE THAT STILL IS IN EXISTANCE IN 2008 REGARDLESS OF THE PRESIDENCENY OF A BARACK OBAMA.BECAUSE THE SAME SYSTEM THAT ENSLAVED US STTLL EXIST BECAUSE INHERENT IN THE SYSTEM OF SOUTH AFRICA AND AMERIKA IS OPPRESSION OF AFRICAN PEOPLE.WHO CONTROLS THE DIAMONDS AND GOLD IN SOUTH AFRICA IN 2008 AND DID THEY CONTROL IT PRE PRESIDENT MANDELA ? WHO CONTROLS THE U.S.SENATE AND CONGRESS ? SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN SEGREGATIONIST.AS THE SAYING GOES IN AMERIKA AFTER 1865 " THE SOUTH WILL RISE AGAIN." THE POLITICAL,SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SYSTEM OF CAPITALISM MUST BE REMOVED IN ORDER TO BE FREE FROM OPPRESSION.AS ROTHSCHILD SAID IN THE 1700'S " GIVE ME CONTROL OVER A NATIONS ECONOMY I DO NOT CARE WHO MAKES THE LAWS." MOST PEOPLE IN AMERIKA THINK THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM IS FEDERAL WHEN IT IS AUTONOMOUS TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHICH HAS ENSLAVED THE WORLD THROUGH THE IMF,WORLD BANK,WALL STREET BANKERS ETC.INSHA-ALLAH OPPRESSION WILL END AROUND THE WORLD AS PEOPLE SEEK TO BE FREE FROM OPPRESSION REGARDLESS OF WHO IT IS OPPRESSING THEM.TAIF'TUL'ISLAM-P.O.BOX 338-COMPTON,CA.90223

Kindly stick to the point and don't be a fanatic. We all worship the same God. Mandela serves the whole world right on behalf of the "Africans" and so does Obama especially after clinching the toughest, hottest and not forgetting the most Powerfull Seat in the world

What Mazrui has written sounds more of tenureship-based than scholarship-based analysis. What happens in these tenured chairs of scholarship is that academics start sounding like the people who fund their programs and pay than their educated minds are supposed to speak to. Here is using the European based politics of hate (or could it be middle eastern religion driven politics of hate) to construct or is it deconstruct the history of Africa and Africans. From this one may not be far from the truth by inferring who is paying his bills. Or worse, he could be trying to fit old paradigm of analysis. There is absolutely no basis for his ranting about Africans having a short memory. Is he suggesting Jesse Jackson has or Martin Luther King had a short memory ?

Hi Professor Mazrui, Where have you been hiding? I used to enjoy your lectures on TV about African economic, political and environmental issues. My worry, is that your analysis of the memory of Africans is misplaced visa-vis Obama and Mandela. Your analysis is also half-baked. It is in the nature of these two people as humans irrespective of colour and being African or non-African has got nothing to do with it. By your suggestions, you are still perpetrating the notion that humans are different on the basis of colour and this is unacceptable especially coming from a person like you who is well read. Individuals who find themselves in power want to emphasise the differences to keep themselves in Power. This is the problem with Israel. What about the History of the Shona and the Ndebele and the current Zimbabwean problems? The Tutsi and the Hutus in Rwanda and Burundi? Events in Southern Sudan, Kenya, Congo DRC and Uganda? The simmering issues between Afro-Americans or Blacks descended from Slave parents in the Americas or even the UK and Africans. They still cannot forget that "We who live in Africa sold them as slaves" and I was nearly beaten by a Black person in London just because of being African. Learned Professor please encourage the Human race integration!!!!

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I think the prof. is right to say that we africans have a short memory of racial hate. Coming to think of the fact that we africans in Europe chat hell because we were once slaves, colonised and exploited theni can say we have a very short memory of racial hate. Let me remind you that africans were taken from africa in chains and when the ships were over crowded some people were thown in to the see like animals. On arriving the americans a dog was treated better than a fellow human being. During colonialism the situation was not better. We now live in the age of neoclonialism. And you tell me that we should forgive all this nonsense. If you are angry at some body show that person that you are angry. If the africans hated the europeans for slavery and attacked them then we would not be talking about colonialism right now. It is stupid to try to moral when that will only disadvantage you. The arbs and asians hate the europeans for colonialism and that that is one of the reasons. They are doing better than us. So dear freind hate when it is necessary.

WHITE SUPREMACISTS ARE AWESOME...what you have stated is true both Mandela and Obama are tokens used by white supremacists to say "see we are not that incorrect in mistreating you(NON-WHITES)" Mandela has forgiven us so why don't you all (collective Africans)stop all this violence. Why do you think that Obama is going to become the president of the United States? They want to use Obama to say see Racism(WHITE SUPREMACY) is non-existence just like you've stated in your article "post-racial" we have a non-white president now, under the system Obama will always be a non-white even though his mom is white. This is the type of confusion that the smartest and most fascinating people in the world; the White Supremacists use to confuse and refine the system that we live in which is White Supremacy.

After Obama becomes president in the USA: 1)More non-white people will be given certain position to do the job done for the White Supremacists all over the world, Diversity will be put up everywhere. 2)More non-whites are going to be killed throughout the world, directly or indirectly whether its civil wars(inticed by White Supremacists.) or whether the enforcement officials start incarcerating more non-whites. The killings of non-whites will escalate. 3) More Sacrifices(White Supremacists) will be labeled as "poor", "homeless", and "suffering". This is to confuse and deceive non-whites and say see its not just "non-whites" that suffer.

Mandela and Martin Luther King, Obama and so forth are used as icons in the White Supremacy system to further confuse non-whites make them feel like they are a part of the White Supremacist system and not victims. Malcolm, Marcus Garvey, Bob Marley, and Steve Biko were never remembered or are considered as "radicals" which is to confuse once-again and those that are telling truth are portrayed as violent and too drastic. We are victims and I hold all White Supremacists responsible for the confusion and murdering of millions of non-whites. White Supremacists need to promote Justice because all of you have the ability while we as NON-WHITES have the will but the ability is not there, we dont have full knowledge about the system that you guys have created.

I agree with some of what you say, a few darker faces make good window-dressing for the same old system of domination. However, the same can be said of gender and ultimately, more and more camouflage can be applied, but the thing that remains is capitalism. It even gives corporations legal personhood, and with the buying and selling of shares, it eventually becomes meaningless to label a company racially.

More and more of the world is owned by companies, which are theoretically accountable to shareholders, but under professional managers take on a life of their own.

All this bickering over racial jargon will look absurd in a few years' time. In fact one can adopt a historical materialist perspective and see it as absurd already.