‘Going Home’ Beckons Africans Abroad To Return Home

If you’ve been secretly looking for yet another reason to relocate home, then it is time to take a look at upcoming documentary “Going Home: Guinea, Conakry.” Chronicling filmmaker and actor Mohamed Dione (pictured below) and musician and activist Sanoussy Gallice Jr. Diallo returning to Guinea, the trailer displays the vibrant life of the city while interspersing the voice overs and interviews of both Dione and Guineans who sound off on why Africans who live abroad should bring their acquired talents back home. Dione spoke with Face2Face Africa about his new documentary in addition to the recent repat phenomenon.

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According to the Africa Report, there has been a “sharp” rise in Africans in the United States and the U.K. returning home due to sluggish economies and a smaller pool of job opportunities, “Many returnees want to be close to their families, live amongst their own people, reconnect with their religions or have simply had enough of being ‘foreigners’ in a foreign land. More and more, Africans want to come home to invest in their countries.”

And such was the case for Dione and Diallo who had both been living abroad for 10 years.

While they originally thought that they wanted to go home in order to simply “share their art” with their people, they soon realized that they needed to stay. Wishing to document their experience, they are creating “Going Home.” Here are Dione’s thoughts about the purpose of “Going Home” and why it is time for Africans to return home.

Watch the trailer of “Going Home” here:

 

GOING HOME: GUINEA, CONAKRY Documentary- Exclusive Trailer /Bande Annonce (English/Français) from Chocolat Chaud on Vimeo.

Face2Face Africa: When does your documentary come out?

Mohamed Dione: The documentary is slated to come out in late 2015. We are still in production but had to push production back due to the recent Ebola outbreak in Guinea. We are also fund-raising for help with the cost of production and travel via our website.

F2F Africa: Where can people see it?

MD: People will be able to see the documentary at film festivals around the world. There will also be premieres in Conakry, New York, Los Angeles, Paris, and major cities with heavy immigrant populations.

F2F Africa: Why do you think it is time for Africans who live abroad to return home?

MD: I think it’s time for Africans to return home — whether for a short stay or permanently — because i feel we have a lot to offer to our countries of origin and our continent. We have learned things in the diaspora that we should share with our fellow countrymen in Africa. We can also learn a lot from them and get in touch with our culture. Then and only then can we make an impact at home that is positive for the people and the continent.

We have to go back even if it’s just for a short time to reconnect and see if we can find our place in society. I think art is a great way to educate, inspire, entertain, and learn. In “Going Home,” the benefits of going back outweigh the challenges of going home. The goal of the journey and the film is to inspire immigrants to go back home. Not necessarily for good, but to be in touch with their roots, learn, and share what they’ve learned in the diaspora [so that they can] take part in Africa’s development in any capacity.

F2F Africa: With Africa having the largest youth population in the world, what do you think we need to do in order to help Africa actualize its potential?

MD: I think we need to nurture our youth to help Africa reach its full potential and more. We need to give the youth a chance to succeed in every sector from education to jobs and nurture them every step of the way by providing opportunities, mentoring, and serving as role models.

It won’t be easy and it will require everyone at home and in the diaspora to do their part. It doesn’t take a village. It takes a planet. Going back to see firsthand how things are is the first step in the long road to change.

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F2F Africa: Many Africans who live abroad have gotten that itch to return home. Why do you think that is happening now?

MD: Many Africans have gotten the itch to return home for various reasons. Some feel their nation could benefit from their skills and their business. Other miss their families and lifestyle. For many, the dream was to leave the country, become successful, and go back home to share the wealth.

For me, the itch to go back home is nostalgia and not having been there in more than 10 years. I’ve spent the majority of my life abroad, yet I feel African. I am African. My friends and I  just wanted to go back to share our art (films,music), but when we got there, we realized that we had to do more and be more than just artists…we had to be citizens.

Watch Dione’s award-winning film “Maffe Tiga (Peanut Butter Stew) here:

 

 

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