The chronicles of the African Peoples in striving for better governance and the development of the African continent as a whole have tarried to see today’s decade. In the wake of the many but numbered problems in Africa, there was an emergence of a structured body to intersect and counter the cascading flow of problems in Africa including the traces of colonialism.
The advent of the African Union (AU) formally the Organization of African Unity (OAU) was indeed an event of great magnitude, in the institutional evolution of the continent.
However, the potent role of AU tied to the objective of ridding the continent of the remaining vestiges of colonization and apartheid; promoting unity and solidarity among the African States, to coordinate and intensifying cooperation for development has still not had much impact on the continent. Despite the strides of AU, the body is still held down by the financial crisis.
With the many objectives the AU is set to achieve, the financial crisis is the problem least expected to surface within the body. It will be much more prudent if the organization deduced effective ways to fund its projects to avoid unintended consequences. It is rather unfortunate with our immeasurable resources on the continent, there is still a high level of dependency on foreign donors which has eventually led to an unplanned shift of AU’s aim, and has increasingly focused on externally financed activities.
This can be evidenced by the financing and construction of the $200m AU building in Addis Ababa by the Chinese. As part of the objectives of the PLO Lumumba Foundation, Ghana Chapter in promoting Pan-Africanism and unification of Africa, the celebration on today’s 57th AU Day is a fine day to task the AU to follow the objectives set diligently, and ultimately wipe off the traces of the old-fashioned colonialism on the continent, while clogging all dents in the organization to neo-colonialism.
57 years is a long time to still cajole the problems in AU and Africa as a continent. As the AU put measures in place to effectively execute the 2020 theme of “silencing the guns”, “silencing neo-colonialism” is also a must.
The idea of reviving the AU in the mid-1990s under the leadership of former Libyan Head of State, Muammar al-Gaddafi should be at the forefront of Africa’s relevant issues.
The AU should exercise the necessary power to realize the goals of the organization to match Gaddafi’s popular remarks “Africa can develop without Western interference…” It will therefore be of need for the AU to ponder over what Dr. Kwame Nkrumah said at the formation of OAU in 1963 “… the resources are there. It is for us to marshal them into the active service of our people.
Unless we do this through our concerted efforts, within the framework of our combined planning, we shall not progress at the tempo demanded by today’s events and the mood of our people. The symptoms of our troubles will grow, and troubles themselves become chronic…” The real desire of the African Peoples is to see an Africa beyond aid.
Africa must develop, and must find solutions that in themselves counter our problems while telling the world of our courage. The Africa we want should be free from the vestiges of colonization and should cast out any subtle opening to imperialism. God bless Africa and keep our hopes alive.
AFRICA WILL RISE AGAIN! SAY NO TO ANY TRACE OF COLONIALISM!
Brief about the AU
The African Union (AU) is a continental body consisting of the 55 member states that make up the countries of the African Continent. It was officially launched in 2002 as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU, 1963-1999).
In May 1963, 32 Heads of independent African States met in Addis Ababa Ethiopia to sign the Charter creating Africa’s first post-independence continental institution, The Organisation of African Unity (OAU).
The OAU was the manifestation of the pan-African vision for an Africa that was united, free, and in control of its own destiny and this was solemnized in the OAU Charter in which the founding fathers recognized that freedom, equality, justice, and dignity were essential objectives for the achievement of the legitimate aspirations of the African peoples and that there was a need to promote understanding among Africa’s peoples and foster cooperation among African states in response to the aspirations of Africans for brother-hood and solidarity, in a larger unity transcending ethnic and national Differences.
The guiding philosophy was that of Pan-Africanism which centered on African socialism and promoted African unity, the communal characteristic and practices of African communities, and a drive to embrace Africa’s culture and common heritage.
Other sources: Wipe off the traces of colonialism on the continent-PLO Lumumba Foundation to AU
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