This is the right time to direct a change in the wider community’s perception’s toward the controversial history of Sir. Henry Morton Stanley.

I’m Chief Thomas Bikebi, the Chairman of Global Connections Builder Vision (GCBV), an organisation led by the Congolese Diaspora based in the UK and DR Congo. GCBV was born out of the vision to create a collective of true leadership, to bring about change, and connect the community for Peace and Development. One of our main missions is to unite people through high quality engagement with the Word’s cultural heritage to strengthen our common life.  

I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere support against the removal of Sir. Henry Morton Stanley’s statue in Denbigh.  This is the right time to direct a change in the wider community’s perception’s toward the controversial history of Sir. Henry Morton Stanley, who, in my opinion, is wrongly regarded as being a part of the genocide of the Congolese population experienced under King Leopold ll. Now we have new evidences which can demonstrate the humanitarian objective that Sir Henry Morton Stanley had for the Congo. Evidence such as,   the first treaty which he signed with our traditional Chief which was clearly about trade between Congo and Europe and not the sale of the land, is one of many supporting example of Stanley objectives in the Congo.  Thus, this is the main reason that he was sacked by King Leopold ll, a truth sadly hidden with modern day hypocrisy in its place.

Chief Thomas Bikebi and the Congolese Embassy Chargee D’Affaire in London visited in Denbigh in 2016

Therefore we need a real and candid debate before any action can be taken, of which should include the participation of the Congolese people who are seeing things differently. There is an evident divide in perception, understanding and recall of our history, which needs to be united, and consolidated for GCBV to achieve its aim in fostering Peace and Development and promote the positive heritage history links between the Congo and Britain. 

Sir. Henry Morton Stanley statue restored in Kinshasa/DR Congo on the 10/05/2016

As one of the initiators of the restoration of Sir. Henry Morton Stanley in Kinshasa on the 10 of May 2016, I’m also currently planning to erect a new one in Ngombe Lutete in Kongo Central which I visited last October 2019 where Sir. Henry Morton Stanley met Mfumu Makitu. Here there is an unfinished project to erect his statue in that Village, where people from that village have another perception about Sir Henry Morton Stanley, which is again different with many people in Britain.  In addition many families from that village got family members called Stanley up to now, but there aren’t any families in the Congo who got Leopold ll’s name. Can you imagine? 

Unfinished project in Ngombe Lutete/Kongo Central supposed to look like Ndonzoa Nlemvo statue (1887-1936) build in the same village

I want to participate to any debate or discussion to bring the light to these overlooked facts, and bring an end to hypocrisy surrounding Sir Henry Morton Stanley’s history.  Because our main vision is based on the conviction that the world’s varied Cultural Heritage History are not only complete and distinctive in themselves, but also fundamentally connected, shaping and being shaped by one another over time in different ways and in different places worldwide. The shaped heritage produced by such interactions has endured and evolved throughout history and continuous to do so in modern times.  Yet its common origins tend to not be fully recognised. This largely remains the case in Britain and Congo as well as others part of the World. 

In conclusion we must stand up shoulder to shoulder to make Britain the better place to be by  strengthening our common life and promote the positive heritage history links between the Congo and Britain in addition by nurturing heritage skills aiming to make Britain’s abundant heritage resources more accessible and meaningful to more people in the nation’s increasingly cosmopolitan population. To succeed to this mission the past cannot be our place of residence but our place of reference where we can navigate all the time and learn from our past mistake. The past is the Ocean of knowledge we must preserve it and exploit the positive fishing and celebrate it to create a real spirit of togetherness and social cohesion.     

Thank you for your understanding and looking forward hearing from you in due course. 

Kind regards

Chief Thomas Bikebi