WHY IS THE BLACK CHURCH AGAINST THE PRO-BLACK MOVEMENT?

A good sum of Black Christians seem to not care about the pan-African or pro-Black movement. Some have looked down on it making statements like "why would I want to return to my ancestral roots" because of the witchcraft our ancestors supposedly practiced. Therefore, to engage in in pan-African activities is anti-christ. But is this stance against pan-Africanism justified?

We all know our ancestors practiced witchcraft and idolatry. Because of these two practices, Africa faced excessive demonization in the West. This is one reason why Christians automatically reject the pan-African movement. Some individuals have this notion that in order to embrace Africa we must return to idolatry and witchcraft, which is a fallacy.

Pan-Africanism is not what most Christians perceive it to be. Pan Africanism is the idea that people of African descent have a common interests and should be unified. Most of all, it is about celebrating African culture in a world that excessively demonized all things associated with Africa. The irony is how some Black Christians fail to realize that the  Black church pioneered the pan-African movement.

One of the oldest churches in the Black community, the African Methodist and Episcopal Church, is a pan-African organization. This church made many contributions to the advancement of the Black race by engaging in our struggle for equality. Guess what? The AME church never put emphasis on witchcraft and idolatry. The AME church is an example of how pro-Africanism does not mean believing in witchcraft.

We must do better and stop letting false perceptions of pan-Africanism prevent the Black race from achieving the mission of the pan-African movement. As a Christian from Nigeria, pan-Africanism is what I choose to identify with. Never have I resorted to witchcraft.