Maimuna Safiyya

Do You Know This Ancestor? Maimuna Safiyya

Excerpt from back cover: The telling of history/ 'herstory' remains a contentious issue worldwide, more so when it glorifies Afrikans as achievers and as chroniclers, because over the past five centuries we have had to contend with negative propaganda introduced to demean Afrikan achievement. Ayuba Sulyeman Diallo suffered life as a chattel slave. However, unlike most other enslaved, whose experiences were only as objects of trade, devoid of peace, respect or dignity, he returned to Afrika a freed man; a reporter and activist for the abolition of the brutal trade. In between, however, he had a historic portrait painted of himself, which became a much sought after treasure that was recently bought for a massive sum, but remains in a top national gallery. Author, Maimuna Safiyya's pride-inspiring book reveals Afrikans persevering, despite adversity, and making their own solutions. Many want to remove such history from educational curricula worldwide, despite Elder Nelson Mandela's advice that self-empowering education is our strongest weapon against ignorance.