Afrisecal movement, Afrisecal school of thought, or Afrisecaism is a political as well as a socio-economic intellectual podium for the expression and translation of Neo-African Renaissance in contemporary times.


The Afrisecal movement (aka Afrisecaism) is a loosely defined movement in art , politics, philosophy ,and literature in later twentieth century Africa. Generally speaking, it represents the same tendencies that Pan-Africanism , Afrocentrism or Negritude stood for in Africa, and may be considered the progeny of all three movements in Africa. It belongs to the "anti-Dictator reaction" and has anti-Colonial Afrocentric roots. It took off from the picturesque and artistic Nigerian city of Jos in the early 1990s following several informal meetings of a group of young pro-democratic writers and students who wanted genuine democratic transition in African politics. The major decision in what is now better known as the "Afriquest Initiative" was that writers' collectives all over the continent should be more pro-active in championing the message of democracy as opposed to dictatorships and military juntas. The belief that Africa was on the threshold of a Neo-renaissance was the bedrock of the nexus . This period also coincided with the call by the post-Apartheid African National Congress (ANC) for an African Renaissance more focused on the economic and political fronts. Hence some writers have called Afrisecal movement a form of pax Nigeriana while the South African flame of the call to an Africa "rebirth" as a form of Pax Praetoriana (or Pax Azania?) that developed out of Ubuntuism. Francis Okechukwu Ohanyido is generally considered to have founded the movement. Other prominent persons considered part of the evolving Afrisecal collective include Samson Omayewa, Steve Adinoyi, Fantu Cheru, Ntone Edjabe, Jude Akpo Souza ,Helon Habila, Prince George O'Brien Ndu , Emmanuel Onwi ,Badri Moukarim, Emmanuel Ikilama, Benjamin Ubiri, Crispin Oduobuk ,Gbenga Ibileye, Chima Ubani, Shaka Momodu and others in all spheres of life. The principal motive behind their intellectual works seems to have been the use of knowledge for the cultural, social, political, and economic transformation of African people by suggesting the necessity for a recentering of African minds, in a way that brings about a liberating consciousness.Ultimately the goal is the evolution of a pax Africana.

The Afrisecal writers are deeply influenced by Molefi Kete Asante , Ali Mazrui , Chinweizu , Nelson Mandela, Ngugi wa Thiong’o, J. A. Sofola, Ama Mazama, Aboubacry Moussa Lam, Terry Kershaw, Walter Rodney, Leachim Semaj,and Wole Soyinka. Some of the other early influences just like Afrocentricity were Kariamu Welsh,Zik, Chief Damian Ohanyido Okoli ,Abu Abarry, Christopher Okigbo, Okot B'Tek, C.T. Keto, Linda James Myers, Kole Omotosho, Femi Osofisan and others .In his poems and essays published from the early 90s, Ohanyido has always stated that Africa was in grave danger of cultural extinction mostly as a result of breakdown of its traditional societal structures - particularly the Extended family system in the course of deep and rapid westernization. His Afrisecal themes also harp on the need for building of home- grown and durable democratic structures rather than overemphasis on personalities as political institutions . Afrisecal movement seeks to address these issues by repositioning the African person and his psyche through cultural and intellectual reorientation based on true African reality as opposed to the picture from the fringes of Euro-American purview, attitude, mores and doctrines . It is an African continent -centered approach to it's evolving problems and experiences. Thus it believes that the African Odyssey should be redirected towards the development of indigenous and durable institutions based on visionary leadership and evolving nexus of cooperation on the continent and strong peer-review mechanism. How can African countries escape from marginalization, deepening impoverishment and state disintegration in the new era of globalization? The author of this book explores a way beyond the simple state-led versus market-driven approaches to Africa's development. He argues that the international financial institutions must stop their own development and that African countries must work within the reality of globalization to renew democracy and improve governance; invest in education; revitalize agriculture, manage their cities, strengthen regional economic integration, and prevent yet more deadly conflicts. Cheru contends how these options would require commonsense and non-dogmatic approaches; a new generation committed to a new kind of politics; and to synergy between the opportunities of the global economy and rebuilding Africa's economies. on should be positively located , place within the realm of science and culture. "Afrisecaism" was coined by another proponent of the school called Pastor Terese Ahua.
Afrisecal school of thought like Afrocentricity derives some its propelling fiat from the Kawaida philosophy’s long held argument that the post-slavery cultural crisis is a defining characteristic of 20th century African reality in the Diaspora just as it also postulates that the ethno-nationality crisis is the main facet of the evolution of war and all forms of strife on the African continent

The artists and writers of the Afrisecal movement tended to hold that the African Arts should provide greater vistas of the continent to the world as well as convey moral cultural normative messages, rather than being purely driven by pop-culture , commercialisation and Eurocentric images. As a consequence, Afrisecal arts is greatly influeced by the works and teachings of Ulli Baier, Bruce Onabrokpeya, Irein Wangboje, Yusuf Grillo and others like Ben Enweonwu and Demas Nwoko. The utilitarian Mbari art concept of African art also play important role here. They strongly believe that African Art has didactic purpose as well as aesthetic features. The Aesthetes developed the cult of beauty which they considered the basic factor in art. Life should copy Art, they asserted. The main characteristics of the movement were: strong images and motifs rather than statement. Cultural symbols are used to achieve aesthetic effects to the maximum.

Afrisecal poetry had its forerunners in Aime Cesair , Senghor and JP Clark, and among the strong writers on on Pan-africanism.




Books
ClanKind : An Ode to Ufuma of Old by Francis Ohanyido ISBN 978-064-284-6
African Renaissance: Roadmaps to the Challenge of Globalization
Fantu Cheru ISBN: 184-277-087-X