'Dem need to apologise': Africans on di monarchy

By Lebo Diseko and Catherine Byaruhanga

BBC News, Johannesburg and Kampala

For one community radio station in di heart of Johannesburg bustling Hillbrow neighbourhood, MJ Mojalefa dey host phone-in following di death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Di 22-year-old DJ wan im large youth audience to share dia thoughts on di legacy of di British empire, wey once include South Africa.

"Na di British colonise us and [di Queen] never change di nature of dat relationship," one caller tell am, between di thumping baseline of Amapiano music."People don move on, and di past for di past," tok another.

As for MJ Mojafela, e wan an apology from di new King Charles III: "Most pipo dey say di Queen no apologise - and dat na wetin dem want from her."

South Africa become a republic in 1961. By den di enforced racial segregation of apartheid don become law for 13 years, nine of dem with Queen Elizabeth II as monarch.

For many young South Africans dat history leave dem grappling with how to reconcile di painful past with di present.

Dat na sentiment wey dey heard again when speaking to artists Mzoxolo "X" Mayongo and Adilson De Oliveira.

Dia work focus on decolonisation."Wen we look at South African history, weno just look at am in isolation," De Oliveira tok. "One thing lead to another."

Speaking to im grandmother about di experience wey living under apartheid bring dat into sharp focus for Mayongo.

"You no fit take away di scars. And how do you heal those wounds?" e ask.

But both tok say dis moment present an opportunity for King Charles III to build a new relationship with di continent.

"We all no dey doom and gloom," tok De Oliveira. "We think say di future relationship di monarchy fit possibly have with Africa fit be one of taking responsibility - of coming to di table to have dis conversation with African kontris."

Asked wetin dat go look like, dey both say dem wan conversations about reparations, di return of artefacts and di return of mineral resources, for example di largest diamond ever found - di Star of Africa wey now dey part of di British Royal Family Crown Jewels.

Dem echo those calls for restitution from di British monarchy for colonialism further north for Nairobi.

Kenya see im own transition dis week when dem swear in William Ruto as di kontri fifth president since independence from di UK in 1963.

Despite di obvious focus on dia own changing head of state, di death of di Queen still make front-page news for Kenya.

E don lead to renewed debate about di kontri relationship with im former colonial ruler.

"E dey sad say we lost a soul," 30-year-old Nelson Njau say outside di 60,000-seat Moi International Sports Centre wia dem swear President Ruto into office.

"But wetin dem do di African culture, to di African nations, to our wealth, to our organisation of society - really dem need to come out and apologise to us."

Next to am, 29-year-old Sammy Musyoka nod im head in agreement: "We still feel say dem dey treat as subjects not as equals."

Dat sentiment of being treated as subject dey rooted in historical trauma. Just a few months after Queen Elizabeth II become monarch, dem brutally repress Kenya Mau Mau rebellion against British rule, with di Kenya Human Rights Commission saying dem execute,torture, or maim t90,000 pipo.

In 2013, di UK goment gree to pay 5,000 elderly Kenyans $22.6m (£19.9m) in compensation for di abuse wey dem suffer during im colonial administration.

Plenti older Kenyans, unlike dia younger counterparts for di crowd at President Ruto inauguration, think fondly of dia former colonial power.

Caroline Murigo, wey says she dey over 50, tell us news of di Queen's death dey sad.

"Na somebody wey I don know all my life. E dey sad but na her time. We wish all di best to di new King, King Charles."

While 46-year-old Mary Muthoni think say di monarchy still dey relevant to Kenyans today. "Dem go help us to improve our economy, and to improve our infrastructure in our kontri."

Di official condolence messages from leaders and officials on the continent don almost unanimously prais di Queen reign, record of duty and long-standing engagement with di continent.

In Uganda, where she make her last visit to Africa for di Commonwealth Heads of Goment Meeting in 2007, parliament hold one ogbonge sitting to honour her.

While in Nigeria, another former British colony, di Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion in Abuja hold a Remembrance service.

Dean of Di Church of Nigeria, Most Reverend Ali Buba Lamido, say:

''Di Anglican Church have im roots from di church of England and di King or di Queen historically of Church of England na di Head of di Anglican Communion, di defender of faith, so she be di head of our church."

One BBC reporter wey attend di ceremony tok say di mood dey sad but many pipo no wan put dia condolence for record – di fit be di reflection of di debate sake of di British monarch legacy for Africa.

For Nairobi, for di Mathare informal settlement, one 32-year-old Douglas Mwangi tink say dem gass celebrate di Queen for her work for di Commonwealth, wey she lead for 70 years. Na organisation of 56 kontris, majority of dem na former British colonies. 

For 2018, im visit Buckingham Palace to receive di Queen’s Young Leaders Award from di monarch.

Im receive training and funding from di Queen’s Commonwealth Trust wey help im organisation support di young wit IT skills. 

Im tok say di trust don help over 14,000 pipo for Mathare since 2014.

"Dat [award] give us credibility. We dey learn di best practices on wetin dey happun across di Commonwealth and see how we fit improve our model. 

Di late Majesty di Queen become Queen at very young age and she believe in di leadership of young pipo." But no be everybody feel di same way.

Outside Kenya's national stadium, Oga Njau, one businessman, tok say im no see how di Commonwealth help am: "E dey crazy say we even dey for day wealth – whatever dat Commonwealth be – I don try to research how we fit benefit as Kenyans sake of say we dey for di Commonwealth but e be like say e just benefit some leaders, just few pipo.” 

Di debate wey don start since di Queen's death on di continent na clear sign say many unhealed wounds and trauma from di colonial times dey and many pipo feel say now na di moment for Britain and dia new King to get honest conversation wit Africans about how to heal di painful past.