Honorable Julius Kambarage Nyerere is the founding father of Tanzania and the very first President of this East African country. He has left a strong legacy here in Tanzania, he is a man to be remembered for his success, not his failures; he is a leader that shaped Tanzania in so many ways. You may wonder why I am randomly talking about my country’s first president – it is mainly because he represents more to me than I ever thought. Yesterday, it all became reality. I was invited to be a guest on a Television Show on one of Tanzania’s leading television stations, Channel Ten, to talk about a number of issues: the expedition, my experiences as a young Tanzanian woman and the situation Tanzania currently finds itself in. As I answered the questions and talked about Tanzania to Tanzanians, I could just feel how influential Nyerere has been to my outlook on the country. It’s not even a matter of politics to me; it’s a matter of understanding our country, our people, our culture and where we are going, as Tanzanians and as Africans. My interest in my history and Nyerere’s teachings has made that understanding that much easier for me.

Now let me tell you a little bit about the show: it’s a live one-hour show, every Monday night on Channel Ten, which is a station that is viewed nationwide. It tackles a number of political and social concerns that the country is faced with. The host of the show, Jenerali Ulimwengu, is a trusted member of Tanzanian society and therefore the show attracts all kinds of viewers, from politicians to the local street vender. As you can imagine, it’s a big deal to be on the show here in Tanzania. The show is typically divided in two halves; The first half is a conversation between the host and the guest(s), the second half allows viewers to call in and comment on the specific topic and ask the guest(s) any question. All this takes place in Swahili, Tanzania’s national language. Although I was quite excited when I was cordially invited to be Jenerali’s guest, I was also dying of nervousness. I may appear to be this energetic and pan-African/Tanzanian who has so much to say, but when it comes to these big things, I tend to get quite anxious. I mean, who wouldn’t? This was my first big television interview in my country. For once, people would know who Khairoon Abbas is and what she is doing. The minute I got into the studio, it all became reality to me; I realized that this was my time to shine, that the whole of Tanzania is watching and listening and it is an opportunity I have to make the most of. Within seconds, all my nervousness just died, instead, I felt calm, collected and confident. I felt so proud just talking about what Expedition Africa is all about. It was a moment to really understand how far I’ve come, what I’ve learned along the way, and what I want to do with my life; it allowed me to reflect on a number of issues.

When viewers started calling in, I was nervous because I had no idea what they thought about everything that we had discussed. I was just so amazed. People called in congratulating me for being as confident and as outspoken as I am, they were impressed and proud of me for the work I was doing and for the way I tackled important issues. In fact, one caller was so impressed, he advised me to write a book about some of the issues Tanzania is faced with, such as the importance of education, creating opportunities for young people and so forth. It was definitely one of those moments I shall always cherish. I really enjoyed myself, and the whole experience showed me just how much I love Tanzania and Africa and how I love just talking about it. My mother was right outside the studio and every time I glimpsed at her, I could see her beam with joy and pride; I knew I was making sense. When we were leaving the studio, after a full hour of discussion, the moderator approached me and told me “You are too honest for an African woman,” in a jokingly yet serious manner. What did he mean, “for an African woman?” Are African women merely expected to sit back and not speak the truth? Are we meant to just watch make observations but not share them and contribute to society? Unquestionably, there are women who speak out and contribute to society here in Africa but there could be more, that’s for sure. This comment has motivated me to maintain my outspokenness more than anything. There is no such thing as being too honest…sometimes people sugarcoat the truth because they do not want to hurt people. But can we afford to do that here in Africa, in a continent that needs to address many serious issues? Shouldn’t honesty be our friend, rather than our enemy? For as long as I shall live, I have no problem being considered the “African woman who is too honest,” – I take it as a compliment because I know I’m telling the truth, even if it is not what many may want to hear. If Africa is to rise, honesty needs to be our best friend.

Although we discussed many issues on the show, the main one had to do with the young people of Tanzania and Africa and their role and perceptions. Let me begin with how the media is affecting the perceptions of many people. I believe that in the west, the image of Africa is that of a suffering continent, filled with problems everywhere you turn; basically, there is nothing good about Africa. Yes, Africa has its issues but it also has its strengths. This positive side of Africa is rarely seen in the media. As a result, people often have a biased or negative image of Africa. Now let us look at how it is on this end, using the example of Tanzania. When people here watch movies and video clips about the west, \ they see people living life large, with cars, money, houses, all kinds of foods: just a perfect life. Now, we all know that this does not reflect reality. Not everyone is rich, driving nice cars and living in big houses in the west. When I lived in Canada, I lived the life of a student on a budget and no, I did not have what they have in the movies. But how do you change the minds of people that believe what they see in the media? I have met many young Africans who think living in the west would be the best thing for them, thinking life is easier over there. Yes, it can be easier, if you have the money. Many young Africans I have met want to leave their countries for the western countries, thinking that their lives will be like in the movies: better opportunities, more money and pure happiness. Once they start thinking this way, the lose interest in their own country, which is never a good thing when it comes to nation building. I just wish everyone understood just how the media functions, how to separate reality from fiction. If Nyerere were alive today, he would not be impressed with the direction we are taking, as the young people of Tanzania. Instead of loving what we have and working towards improving our country, many are busy looking at how they can leave Tanzania. It’s not a crime for people to go abroad to study and gain some work experience – as long as you realize that you have responsibilities in building your own nation. As for those young Africans who are thinking of the day they escape their country to live abroad, please consider your decision carefully – life abroad may appear easy, but the reality can be otherwise, especially if you don’t have the resources.

Every single day I struggle with this issue of brain drain in Africa, especially when looking at how we need professionals to help the continent – lawyers, doctors, teachers and educators, writers – we need them all. Should governments invest in attracting their nationals back home? How do you encourage Africans to come back and contribute to the development of their own countries? Why do many Africans lack interest in returning home to work?  Is it because we lack national identity? Do we leave Africa because we see no future for ourselves here, because we do not know what it means to be African or Tanzanian, in my case? I honestly do not have the answers to all this but I do pray that my generation will see the importance in contributing to their own countries, I know I do. Nyerere worked extremely hard in uniting Tanzania, especially in encouraging us to speak Swahili as a means of uniting us – I believe the Tanzanian national identity was born as a result of this president. There is no such thing as tribal conflicts in my country, and there is no racial separation; we are known for our intermarriages between different races: Africans with Indians and Arabs and so forth. I could not leave Tanzania for ‘greener pastures’ – working in my country is what I was born to do. There is so much to be addressed in Africa – from poverty, pandemics and corruption to harmful cultural practices…the list is endless and it will continue to be endless so long as we continue to lose our young, educated workforce. Young Africans need to be proactive, motivated and committed when it comes to Africa; we need to make Africa our business.

Maybe the day will come when I can write that book and speak to the nation of Tanzania the way I would like to. I hope to be an influential member of society because I do not want us to lose our values. We can learn so much from our leaders. Instead of pointing out their failures, let us magnify their successes: let us learn as much as we can. In my humble opinion, I think we can learn greatly from these forefathers of Africa; let us look at Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Nelson Mandela of South Africa and Julius Kambarage Nyerere of Tanzania – they knew what they were talking about in terms of national identity, national unity and their vision of Africa. While the way forward for Africa may be continental African unity as envisioned by our founding fathers, there is one thing we cannot forget; the fact that Africa will move forward in the hands of the young people of Africa. In your hands and in mine. With that thought, let me bid you goodbye.