
DAKAR, Senegal, June 12, 2025 — Elie Kamano, a Guinean musician and activist, has launched a compelling music video for his song, ‘Ils veulent l’Afrique sans les Africains’ (‘They Want Africa Without Africans’). This release is a strong artistic statement that combines political resistance, remembering the past, and unity across Africa.

The video was filmed at the Thiaroye mass graves in Dakar, a location of great significance. It pays tribute to the victims of one of colonialism’s worst mass killings. Kamano’s visual presentation turns the site into a symbol of resistance, connecting Africa’s history of suffering to the ongoing movement for reparations. Through powerful lyrics and symbolic visuals, the video clearly states: ‘Africa will take back what Europe stole.’
This release is particularly timely, as the African Union has declared 2025 the Year of Reparations, giving institutional support to cultural and community efforts throughout the continent. Recently in Dakar, a major conference renewed calls for justice regarding the Thiaroye massacre. This has led Senegalese authorities to begin archaeological digs to document the extent of the 1944 crime committed by the French military – evidence that could support official reparations claims to France.
The discussion around reparations is now very visible. In Dakar, walls are covered in striking graffiti demanding €50 trillion in reparations from former colonial powers, a clear and unavoidable call for justice. Similarly, in Bamako, Malian academics and policymakers are emphasizing the need for strategies that connect historical compensation with a sustainable future for Africa.
Kamano’s work exists where music and activism meet, inspiring young people, academics, and leaders across Africa. His song not only remembers the past but also inspires hope for the future.
“This is more than just a song,” Kamano states. “It gives a voice to those who are not heard. It’s a demand for respect and a call to fight for what we deserve.”
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