The Greatness Within Us Will Always Outweigh the Injustices Against Us – Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama has called on Africans and the global community to recognize the resilience, creativity, and achievements of African peoples, emphasizing that their inherent greatness endures despite centuries of oppression and injustice.

Speaking at a high-level event on reparative justice at UN Headquarters, President Mahama declared, “The greatness that is within us will always outweigh the injustices that have been vested against us. Despite what we’ve endured for centuries, our survival is a testament to that fact.”

The President highlighted the historical and cultural achievements of Africa, challenging narratives that have sought to diminish the continent’s contributions. “Our ancestors built magnificent cities, sophisticated drainage systems, and monumental structures,” he said, citing the cities of Benin and Great Zimbabwe. “These feats demonstrate ingenuity, organization, and civilization that contradict the myths used to justify enslavement and colonization.”

Mahama also stressed the importance of reclaiming African humanity and history: “We must always start by reclaiming racial equality, the dignity of Africans, and the humanity of our ancestors who were enslaved. In doing so, we also reclaim our own humanity.”

Reflecting on the legacies of slavery and oppression, the President noted, “Truth begins with language. When we absorb too much of the language of violence and erasure, our minds can become enslaved. But by speaking the truth about our history, we liberate ourselves and future generations.”

He concluded with a message of hope and collective responsibility: “A human compassion binds us to one another, not in pity, but as human beings who have learned to turn our common suffering into hope for the future. Let us stand united to acknowledge the full horrors of history, restore dignity, and celebrate the greatness within us all.”