Elie Kamano, Guinean artist and activist, has released a music video for his single, “Ils veulent l’Afrique sans les Africains” (“They Want Africa Without Africans”), delivering a direct call for reparations and Pan-African unity.
The video was filmed at the Thiaroye mass graves in Dakar, the site of a 1944 massacre where French colonial troops killed West African soldiers who had fought in World War II. Kamano uses this location to connect past injustice with the present demand for reparations.
“This is not just a song,” Kamano said. “It’s a voice for the voiceless. A call for dignity. A battle cry for what is rightfully ours.”
The African Union has declared 2025 as the Year of Reparations. Kamano’s release comes at a time when public and institutional discussions on reparations are gaining ground. A recent conference in Dakar renewed attention on the Thiaroye massacre, prompting Senegalese authorities to begin archaeological work at the site. This research may serve as new evidence in claims for reparations from France.
Graffiti in Dakar now reflects this growing demand, with messages calling for €50 trillion in reparations from former colonial powers. In Bamako, Malian scholars and leaders are calling for a structured plan that links justice with long-term development.
Kamano’s video draws support from a wide range of people, including young Pan-African activists and policymakers. His message ties cultural memory to action, urging Africans to reclaim what was taken.
The music video is more than a tribute to the past—it adds momentum to the wider reparations movement.
