Siphiwe Baleka breaks down what happened around the 9th Pan-African Congress in Lomé, Togo—why the event sparked controversy, and why “credibility” matters when liberation language clashes with human-rights realities. He connects the Pan-African Congress tradition (from early gatherings through the independence-era momentum) to today’s urgent questions: political prisoners, manipulated elections, and the hard limits of international law in an era he describes as “might makes right.” In this conversation, Baleka argues that the Pan-African movement must be principled, including pushing for amnesty and spotlighting political prisoners on the continent and in the U.S., and he claims these pressure points helped prompt releases in Togo and Guinea-Bissau. He also makes a direct appeal to Afro-descendants: build real options beyond protest alone, including a practical pathway he highlights—DNA ancestry testing + policy work (referencing Illinois efforts) and the “Right of Return,” including Benin’s citizenship process as he describes it.

00:00 Intro: Why Lomé matters now

01:10 The Pan-African Congress history and purpose

03:10 Why the Lomé Congress was controversial (human-rights contradiction)

05:05 Elections, force, and “credibility” in governance 07:10 Political prisoners: U.S. and African continent parallels

09:05 “No international morality”: collapse of collective security (his argument)

12:10 What other nations can do: sanctions + the problem of enforcement

14:20 If you only have a voice: what resistance can realistically do

16:05 Diaspora strategy: minority power limits in the U.S. (his framing)

18:10 Right of Return: Benin pathway + why DNA links matter

21:10 Closing: Pan-African unity, sovereignty, and urgency

If you’re thinking seriously about diaspora strategy, Pan-African unity, and what sovereignty looks like in 2026, this episode is for you.

Facebook: @afrodescendantali