From the Arab world my ancestors learned my religion and a version of the language my parents speak. From Africa, I inherited my attachment to the physical continent, but that is not all. Above all else, and although it may seem vague and cliched, I think being African is more of a conscious decision than anything else. 'Africa was born in me'Another famous Nkrumah quote, which has been cited ad infinitum, probably best explains what I mean. "I am not African because I was born in Africa but because Africa was born in me.
Algeria, Cape Verde through to Nations Cup finals - Eurosport
Cape Verde vs Algeria scores & predictions | SofaScore
AFCON 2022 schedule: Complete list of dates, times, TV
Goals and Highlights: Cape Verde 2-0 Togo in African Cup of
Algeria v Cabo Verde Live Commentary - Goal.com
Admittedly, a minority of North Africans sometimes problematically trumpet their heritage as somehow superior to being "African", whatever that means. I can hold no sympathy for such views that are best treated with the contempt they merit. Maher MezahiIn the ongoing 2021 Fifa Arab Cup, some of my African football journalist colleagues have questioned why Algeria are playing in an Arab competition"Inversely sometimes North Africans are stripped of their identity by some on the continent who feel they are not African enough, or by some in Arab countries who think they are too African. For example, during the recent 2021 Fifa Arab Cup, some of my African football journalist colleagues have questioned why Algeria are playing in an Arab competition.
Liberia vs Cape Verde Match - SuperSport
Algeria and a question of identity: Who counts as African? Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, North African football fans love attending the Africa Cup of Nations tournamentIn our series of letters from African writers, Algerian-Canadian journalist Maher Mezahi considers what it means to be African as the continent gears up for its biggest football extravaganza. A few weeks ago I stumbled upon a quote from one of the purveyors of pan-Africanism, the late great Kwame Nkrumah, who led his country Ghana to independence in 1957.
Its immensity also constructs a very real barrier between North Africa and the rest of the continent. I once read that Algiers - Algeria's capital - is closer to Helsinki than it is to Lagos, closer to Dubai than it is to Nairobi, and closer to New York than it is to Harare. In addition to the distance, colonial ties and mass emigration have drawn a subset of Africans into an increasingly common modern-era identity limbo. As troubling as it is, I am never really surprised when fellow Africans ask me: "Why don't North Africans consider themselves African? "It is a question I am anticipating as I prepare to head to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations - a football tournament which North Africans love to compete in (Algeria are the current champions).
Availability of Apple Media Services - Apple Support
In accepting all of the elements of what it means to be North African, some on the continent feel like that it is excluding parts of an African identity. Meanwhile, the Arab world observes a disconnect with the Maghreb because of its gruff Arabic dialect, uncouth manners and European architecture. When it comes down to it, instead of excluding all of these identities, I prefer an inclusive approach. From the Mediterranean, I enjoy delicious seafood, rich juicy olives and soaking up the radiant sunlight.
That is especially the case on the coastlines where Africans have most interacted with other cultures and nations. The Maghreb, for example, has an indelible Mediterranean flavour while many East Africans link their customs back to merchants of the Arab Gulf and Indian sub-continent. The recorded history of Cape Verde begins with Portuguese colonial expansion and forced slavery in the 15th Century.
Cape Verde Islands - Cameroon Live Streaming and TV