Africa’s continued reliance on colonial systems for economic and political guidance is, according to veteran journalist and Pan-Africanist Kwesi Pratt Jnr, “nothing short of tragic.”
Speaking at the launch of his new book, Reparations: History, Struggle, Politics and Law, in Accra on September 9, 2025, Pratt emphasised that the continent must “stop taking prescriptions from those who poisoned them,” warning that the very nations responsible for Africa’s exploitation cannot provide solutions for its underdevelopment.
He explained that Africa’s poverty and structural weaknesses are direct legacies of slavery and colonialism, cautioning that mimicking the paths of Britain, France, Germany, and other former colonial powers will only deepen the continent’s challenges.
“We are borrowing our own money from foreign banks and the IMF, but at enormous interest rates. This must be stopped,” he declared.
The book, supported by the Pan-African Progressive Front (PPF), offers clear, practical proposals for reparations, estimating Africa’s entitlement as follows: $2–3 trillion for unpaid slave labour, $4–6 trillion for colonial extraction, $500 billion for debt cancellation, $50 billion for stolen artefacts, and $1 trillion for climate reparations.
The event drew a distinguished audience, including President John Dramani Mahama, ambassadors, high commissioners, traditional leaders, and political representatives. In his foreword to the book, Mahama described reparations as a matter of justice, not charity. “Reparations are not charity. They are justice, and justice must be visible,” he said, commending Pratt for providing direction to Africa’s struggle.
Pratt reiterated that the book is not just historical but a call to action. “This book is a call to action. Reparations must reorganise the world and lay the foundation for a self-reliant Africa,” he said, noting that African institutions and global financial bodies established without African input continue to perpetuate colonial-era inequalities.
The launch featured cultural performances, including music by Freedom Band and Knii Lante Blankson, and a poetry recital by Vicky Wilson. President Mahama purchased the first copy for GH¢200,000, while the remaining nine gold-plated copies were auctioned between GH¢100,000 and GH¢10,000.
Ambassador Kabral Blay-Amihere highlighted the richness of the book during a suspense-filled review, while historian Kyeretwie Opoku, chairing the event, urged Africans to treat reparations as a collective struggle. “No single individual, organisation, or government can carry this demand alone. Reparations must be pursued as a collective African struggle, fought with one voice,” he said.
The book, already presented to African Union Heads of State in Malabo in July 2025, has received widespread endorsement and demand, prompting additional print runs. It is intended for activists, students, public leaders, and African youth ready to take action and fight for a better future for themselves, their communities, and the continent.
Source: Edith Mensah
