Hi to all,
When I learned that the AllAfrica Media Leaders Summit had decided to honor me with a Lifetime Achievement Award, I was surprised and excited.
Surprised because we publishers are usually the ones handing out awards to bright, famous personalities instead of receiving them.
Despite the myth of all-powerful media moguls, much favored in fiction, most of us often toil behind the scenes, making sure deadlines are met, teams are kept happy, and the bills are paid.
Our role is to hunt, harness and nurture Africa’s creative talent – the writers, analysts, critics, designers, artists, cartoonists and bring them together with editors, sub-editors, proofreaders, printers and distributors, so that the best thinking in Africa reaches as far as possible to every corner of our beloved continent.
Some of you may remember a time during the colonial period when freedom and development did not exist for Africans.
Most of our thinking was done for us by colonial masters, our history told by colonial writers, our world described by colonial thinkers.
All human progress is the result of fresh ideas becoming reality. Our ideas were immediately squashed and hardly ever given the oxygen of life through publication for the masses.
It was an act of rebellion against this attitude that Béchir Ben Yahmed, some good friends and I set out to overthrow. It is time to change the status quo and give a Pan-African voice to our continent.
We decided to take back our own narrative and tell our own stories in our own words.
I have done this throughout my life with the help of two generations of excellent professionals, not only the best journalists, but the best in all publishing departments: advertising, marketing, sales, production or accounting…. And it is still a work in progress with the wonderful flowering of African journalistic and professional talent and the rivers of ideas and concepts that have flowed since then.
The fight for who will be able to tell Africa’s story continues and I believe we are winning.
Organizations like AllAfrica, led by my younger brother Mahtar – whose company has organized this wonderful event – are scoring victory after victory.
My own organization, IC Publications, now in the capable hands of my son, Omar, is pushing toward new horizons in light of the tremendous technological advances that are upending the global media world.
New technology has given us even more powerful tools to create and process ideas and concepts. There is much more to come from our younger generations to whom we now pass the baton.
As I finish this speech, I am struck by the coincidence that my homeland – Tunisia, was known as Afriqiya in ancient times and gave its name to the continent.
No wonder then that I love Africa, I am proud to be an African and for all the achievements this great continent has made in the last 60 years.
I am convinced that the future belongs to Africa.
Just 40 years ago, China and the East were seen as poor countries desperate for help – today they drive the world economy.
Africa, by comparison, has far more human and natural resources and the momentum of history is on our side – so yes, this century is ours.
Some say there are many Africas. Disagree. There is only Africa and we are all Africans – regardless of our race, languages, religions or nationalities. Wherever I go in Africa. I’m happy at home too.
Don’t forget that our human species started in Africa before spreading around the world. Deep down, everyone is of African descent.
In accepting this award, I am grateful to all IC Publications members, past and present, who have helped build our publishing team. This award goes to everyone
A final word of gratitude goes to the love of my life, Emena, who has been with me for over 60 years.
God bless you all and thank you.