Afrocentricity And Pan Africanism

In order to effectively embody the spirit of Pan-Africanism, there must be a philosophical base upon which ideas, interests, common culture and ideologies come together.

That is what Professor Molefi Asante said in this 19 October 1996 clip in a debate that took place with Pan-Africanist Kwame Ture at the University of Cincinnati (USA). He defended Afrocentricity because of the need for Africans to fully comprehend and centre their experiences within their own historical, cultural and sociological contexts. That is what he said is required for Pan-Africanism to be realized. The founder of the African-American Studies Program at Temple University in the United States reiterated that the spirit of Pan-Africanism is tied to a deep identity in Afrocentrism and a united African people reading from the same page.

Meanwhile, others in our community have rejected Afrocentricity as narrowminded. What are your thoughts on the professor's remarks?