President John Dramani Mahama has condemned the persistent use of derogatory and demeaning language against Africa and people of African descent, describing such rhetoric as a reminder of why the continent must continue to push forcefully for dignity, justice, and global respect.
Speaking at the 2025 Diaspora Summit under the theme “Resetting Ghana: The Diaspora as the 17th Region” at the Accra International Conference Centre on Friday, December 19, 2025, President Mahama said Africans do not have the luxury of ignoring or excusing what he termed “racist dog whistles” and openly discriminatory language used against the continent and its leaders.
According to him, comments that describe African countries using “filthy” and degrading words, or insult traditional authorities, are not harmless expressions but part of a broader pattern of historical and systemic disrespect.
“We are at a place in our journey where we do not have the luxury of forgetting,” President Mahama said.
“When government officials can so easily use words like ‘garbage’ and ‘filth’ to describe our kings and queens, and refer to our countries as ‘shitholes’, we must understand that these words are rooted in a long history of dehumanisation.”
The President noted that such language is often accompanied by discriminatory policies, including the stripping of citizenship and rights from people of African descent, further reinforcing exclusion and inequality.
“When people who look like us are indiscriminately stripped of citizenship they have earned, we cannot explain it away or pretend it is accidental,” he said.
President Mahama stressed that the continued use of offensive language against Africa underscores the urgency of reclaiming the continent’s narrative and confronting the legacy of slavery, colonialism, and racial prejudice.
He warned against attempts to encourage historical amnesia, saying Africans must remember the blood that was spilled, the lives that were lost, and the sacrifices made in the struggle for freedom and dignity.
“This is the time when we must speak loudly and clearly,” he said. “We must name what we have lost, but also what we stand to gain if we reclaim our story, our pride and our rightful place in the world.”
The President also observed that Africans have often been divided through stereotypes and narratives that portray the continent as incapable, while so-called anti-poverty interventions fail to address structural injustice.
The 2025 Diaspora Summit brought together members of the African diaspora, policymakers, traditional leaders, and development partners to explore ways of strengthening Ghana’s role as a bridge between Africa and its global diaspora, while advancing economic, cultural, and political empowerment.
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