I thank my good friend, Dr. Chika Onyeani, for his generous introduction.

Although the Foundation is giving me this award “HUMANITARIAN AND PHILANTHROPIC AWARD,” (Good golly, I am no Bill Gates or George Soros.) I accept it in the name of the New York City Labor Council, because, if not for our more than 1.5 million members, represented by nearly 400 affiliated local unions, I would not have been able to do anything.

Recognize people.

My intense desire for equality, social justice and civil rights led me into a teaching career and, from there, into organized labor and the Civil Rights Movement.

I first met Dr. Chika Onyeani, when he joined our New York City Central Labor Council’s Commission on the Dignity of Immigrants
--the Subcommittee on Immigration--as New York labor prepared to receive hundreds of thousands of immigrants in Flushing Meadows Park on Saturday, October 4, 2003, as the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (more familiarly known as the AFL-CIO) bussed thousands of immigrant workers, weaving their way across the country from the West Coast in the IMMIGRANT WORKERS FREEDOM RIDE, to highlight the plight of immigrant workers and their need for a road to citizenship, family reunion and economic and social justice. 

It was an easy connect to support Dr. Onyeani’s belief in PanAfricanism and dedication to Mother Africa--a man of extraordinary vision, tireless industry and unlimited optimism—editor in chief of the African Sun Times, author, radio talk-show host, lecturer, husband, father, proud grandfather of a little girl, Ada, who dominates his every thought and being, and lover of his home country, Nigeria, and the continent of Africa.

I regret to say there is very little that U.S. high school students know about Africa and its constituent nations. How many would be able to list them all? And how many would be able to name each one’s capital city? 

The only thing TV shows is devastation, flood, drought, poverty and disease (not that it doesn’t exist, as it certainly exists, even here in one of the richest nation’s the world has ever known)—but little is shown, other than that. 

How long did it take to expose the horror that hit Rwanda and, more recently, Darfur? Perhaps a little coverage occurs on CNN and a bit more on BBC.

Even Senator Barak Obama’s recent glorious return to his father’s homeland of Kenya received little to no coverage in the public media. (He seems to be getting a lot more coverage in recent days with his visit to Iowa, but for different reasons. And we certainly wish him well in his aspirations.) I thank him for adding his name and prestige to this evening’s event, as a co-chair. He is rather busy these days, but
did send a letter. If I may, I would like to read it. (Letter from Sen. Barack Obama.)

I was happy to join again with Dr. Onyeani in his creation of the CELEBRATE AFRICA FOUNDATION, to illuminate and educate the larger community of the great contributions, traditions, and heritages that envelop every citizen of each and every African nation, and, to highlight that which is GOOD in Africa (still mindful of the desperate needs and problems of some countries, of course), and why I am pleased to stand here as we are about to celebrate the first “Best of Africa” Award for 2006, The Republic of Senegal.

As a long time fighter for workers’ rights, I was delighted to read these words: Social construction, the objective of any political party, firstly involves production, the production of economic goods and cultural goods. Production is based on two factors: labor and capital. Since Africans are rich in the labor factor and poor in capital, from the outset they opted for indebtedness, which ultimately alienates freedom and independence. So Africa should give priority to the labor factor. Hence, the idea of the doctrine of Britain’s Labor [party], the doctrine of a party founded by trade unions. So it is the issue of the independent, unalienating construction of Africa that justifies the PDS’s Labor choice.” (Parti Democratique Senegalais) 
So wrote Abdoulaye Wade, current President of the Republic of Senegal, in his book, “A Destiny for Africa.”

And I am certain Dr. Onyeani is intrigued by President Wade’s views about self-financed development and the current, strong reliance on outside sources. (They match his own, as expressed in his book: “Capitalist Nigger: The Road to Success: A Spider-Web Doctrine.”

President Wade embraces the concept of Mouridism, from the prevalent Islamic sect in Senegal that respects work and the worker—a philosophy that is echoed in the writings of every major religion.

Although I am not Oprah Winfrey, I would strongly recommend to all of you President Wade’s book, A Destiny For Africa. It is a “good read.”

There is much I would like to say about the obligations of the old colonial powers, and all the major powers, to the countries they plundered of wealth and dignity, and to the World Bank, regarding forgiving indebtedness. The obverse of this reasoning, obviously, is the ability of each nation’s people to democratically and freely express their concerns and votes, for workers to be free to organize and express their views, and for the governments to safeguard human, political and religious rights and liberties, to defend democratic principles, to assure equal opportunity for all citizens regardless of gender,  to protect the environment and to protect the old, the young, the poor, the disenfranchised and the disabled. But we will leave those issues for a more deliberate and solemn debate and forum.

Again, I thank the Board of the Celebrate Africa Foundation for this prestigious honor on behalf of all New York labor, and I congratulate the Republic of Senegal, its people and His Excellency, President Abdoulaye Wade, for being the Foundation’s first choice as “The Best African Country 2006.”

Thank you all.

September 2006

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