A tribute to Imari Obadele

Photo: peacecomrade.org

IMARI OBADELE, a founder of the Republic of New Africa and known by many as “the father of reparations,” passed away on Jan. 18 at the age of 79 from a stroke in Atlanta. Following are excerpts from a tribute made to Obadele written by Saladin Muhammad from the Black Workers League in North Carolina.

Brother Imari, as one of the founders and leaders of the Republic of New Africa (RNA), raised the issue of self-determination to the level of self-government. He saw the RNA as the Provisional Government (PG) of the African-American (New Afrikan) oppressed nation, and worked to establish international recognition for the Black Nation as part of the struggle for self-determination.

Brother Imari saw the South as the territorial anchor and homeland of the African-American oppressed nation, and saw self-determination in the U.S. South as a liberation zone for the wider struggle against African-American national oppression and against U.S. imperialism in the interest of the liberation of all working-class and oppressed peoples.

The RNA recognized ALL African Americans as citizens, unless they declared noncitizenship. This included Black organizations. Part of the political framework for the demand for political prisoner and prisoner-of-war status for combatants in various units of the Black Liberation Army, was developed out of the RNA under the leadership of Brother Imari.

Brother Imari took his role as president of the PG very seriously. His constant push for reparations, including helping to found the National Coalition on Black Reparations in America, grew out of his understanding of reparations being an important part of the fight for African-American self-determination. He did not see reparations as a check to individuals to use to feed the capitalist market, but as resources to build the institutions, campaigns and the mass and advance political organizations of the African-American oppressed nation’s national liberation movement.

Brother Imari was a tireless soldier. He had a good balance of fire and humility within his personality. He was a strategist and an on-the-ground leader. He led the RNA into the South, and many of its most faithful citizens and leaders followed and remained there.