The Editor-in-Chief of the Book of African Records (BAR), Amb. Kwame Tapiwa Muzawazi, on Tuesday 14 June 2016, presented an unprecedented publication entitled, “The Book of African Records” to the African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson. H.E Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, in which she is on record as first Woman to lead the continental organization, since its creation in 1963 as the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and now the AU.

The book was presented during an audience the AUC Chairperson granted to the Zimbabwean born Editor-in-Chief, Amb. Kwame at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in the presence of representatives from the Embassy of Zimbabwe in Addis Ababa, the AUC Deputy Chief of Staff, Amb. Febe Potgieter-Gqubule, and other officials of the AU Commission. 

The publication, which showcases and chronicles the great deeds of the African people from time immemorial, was welcomed by Dr. Dlamini Zuma. She commended the initiative, noting that it falls in line with one of the flagship projects under Agenda 2063 aimed at educating the African people on the great treasures found in the cultural diversity within the continent.

“This historic publication is a wonderful piece of intellect, education, reference and inspiration” noted the AUC Chairperson. She congratulated the author and his team for coming up with this pan-African initiative which is in sync with Africa’s Agenda 2063.

The AUC Chairperson expressed appreciation for the production of such publication which she said will provoke competition amongst countries with the view to contribute to the socio-economic development of the continent. She requested that the book be distributed throughout the continent and to the African Heads of State for people witness the great things African youths are capable of doing in helping to advance the development agenda of Africa.

The book was already presented to President Mugabe on 5 May 2016 who is also featured in the publication as “One of the 10 greatest African political leaders of all time”.

In an interview with the Ethiopian based radio AFRO 105.3 FM after the presentation Amb. Muzawazi said “The publication comes at a timely moment for Africa when the need for new information and educational content that is relevant to our post-colonial aspirations is urgently needed. For example our book incontrovertibly documents that the first global traveler the world saw was Ibn Battuta of African origin, not Christopher Columbus. In fact, Columbus bought a copy of Battuta's memoirs to learn how to navigate the world. It's therefore atrocious that our kids in educational institutions are being taught to sing that Columbus was a great manand nothing is said about the historical traveler of African origin.” 

According to the author of the African Book of Records, just like the “Guinness Book of Records”, this publication will be a good example of Africans telling their own story while popularizing the vision of the African Union through the African narratives.