By Gideon Nma Scott, Jr.
“Coming home-Ayah…” written, produced and performed by Tecumsay Roberts in the late1980s, is a brilliant depiction of our African life and culture, especially for those who have traveled abroad and have decided or are contemplating of coming home to contribute to the growth of their dear country- Liberia, that sits on the west coast of the continent. Like many African would have benefitted from the spoils and remnants of the west and Europe, this rich traditional Liberian song which goes with its transmissible rhythm and chorus quickly resonated with its national and global audience, becoming one of the best music of his times.
He is calling on fellow Africans to come home to a continent that is engulf by war and threats of war, especially in South Africa where millions of blacks were subjected to various forms of discrimination, the imprisonment of Nelson Mandela-leader of the African National Congress, the torture and killings of several Africans, and the many coup d’tate in the subregion; he sings of the importance of the homeland; its great agriculture benefits, vast coastal land, rich cultural heritage and sends a message of peace, unity and love to all abroad to invest in their motherland.
“Coming Home” calls Africa to attention when many of its citizens are yarning for a day when they would come home to embrace peace, utilize their resources for their own benefits, and would be blessed with honorable industries, sound legal and educational systems, good healthcare and pure manners; where they would be free from violence, arrogance, discord and pride of the few who presided over their state of affairs.
Tecumsay’s rich voice leads his audience to come home to an Africa full of opportunities, where every citizen is born naturally rich but yet sits in the stench of poverty due to bad governance imbrued with corrupt, self-seeking, egotistic, aggressive and arrogant few who preside over the majority and their wealth.
Though performed by many local and international artists home and abroad, Tecumsay ‘Coming Home’ remains iconic and serves as a testament of his ability to convey several messages to a wide range of audience using a single script which makes his music ageless.
Today, “Coming Home” remains one of Africa’s classic home-grown songs; a reminder of the unending benefits that a people enjoy when its government sets them at the helm of leadership and, that peace, love, understanding reign when the people themselves participate in the development of their country.
“Coming Home” also sends its listener to various parts of the continent, calling on its people to remain peaceful and law abiding and, at the same time calls on governments to take charge of the power vested in them and work in the interest of the people.
The voice of this great Liberian musical icon was attempted to be silenced when he, Tecumsay, was brutally murdered by a tyrant, Gen. Prince Y. Johnson, leader of the defunct Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia (INPFL), now minister of the Gospel and Nimba County Senator, on allegation of his sexuality; for which many of his (Tecumsay’s) followers are happy for the coming of the War and Economic Crimes Court (WCC) to Liberia.
Since his death during the civil war in the 1990s, the lyric and message of such a wonderful song, has been ignored by leaders of the very country of the artist, as Liberia continues to experience greedy, selfish, imposing and diamond digging leaders, from traditional government to elected and appointed positions, who in part, have done more evil than good to their very consciences, thinking that they are hurting the people by enriching themselves and empowering their families.
Today, I want to stand in T Tecumsay’s shoes to call on all Africans to “Come Home” to the motherland with a note that we will not continue to dance to the tunes of their greed and egos, and will resist any anti-development, chauvinist, party-led, self-pitying, and anti-democratic individual or group of people who think that they are more Africans that we are; especially those who are only interested to impede the peace and development of this continent.
We must come to our home that is challenged with bad roads, lack of agricultural and infrastructures development, bad governance, poor healthcare and education systems and impoverished economy; where its best brains are languishing abroad and its sons and daughters have reduced themselves to modern slavery to survive in foreign lands.
It is now time that we come home to contribute our quota to our mother land; to participate in all sectors of its development agenda and drive away those self-centered, greedy and criminal few who are sitting on our necks so that we can have some air to breathe.
“Coming Home… Ayah…” encourages us to come home with our talents, finances, political wills and leave behind our pride, greed, ignorance, arrogance and egos.
For me, I’m already home, not as a detractor or traitor, but as a true comrade and son of the soil with a courage to contribute my task to peace, reconciliation and development.
The thought of the son of a professional Kru woman…
