(Africa Unity, A Must)
"A divided family is always the family in disarray"
African In Search Of Unity
The relentless efforts of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah to form a united front of an African Continental Government to steer the course of her people can best be described or talked of during the coming section of the Africa Union Conference to be held in Accra. Nkrumah's dream of a Union of African States which he thought was the best way to unify and safeguard Africa from her colonial exploitations and free her (Africa) from the diabolic claws of the European occupation is now much being understood. Nkrumah also saw the Europeans to be retarding Africa's unity and development. So as soon as he stepped on the podium mid-night March 6, 1957 to proclaim Ghana's Freedom, he shouted loud and clear, "Ghana's Independence is meaningless, unless it is linked up with the total Liberation of the African Continent." That same mid-night, Nkrumah's African Unification struggle started.
Visions of Nkrumah Misunderstood.
Dr Nkrumah's strong desire for Africa unity met with the other African leaders' misunderstanding due to their lack of vision. Many also believed that such enormous task could not be achieved because of the vast divisions brought on Africa. Julius Nyerere of Tanzania and Nnamdi Azikwe of Nigeria were the few to mention that openly opposed Nkrumah's immediate Africa unity drive as was the same in his "Independence Now" call for Ghana. However, after Nkrumah's demise from power, those same people turned around to sing the Africa Unity Song. What a shame. Nkrumah's strong leadership skills and his personal very close relationship with President Sekou Toure of Guinea and Modibo Keita of Mali, saw an alliance formed that became known as the charter of Union of African States. Bringing Africa under a single united front was a herculean task because of the political and linguistic differences which the occupying forces administered on her. Many attempts were made to establish an inter-Africa organizations but none was as effective as the November 1958 charter drafted by Ghana, Guinea and Mali. Many conferences of interstate groupings followed thereafter but it was the conference concluded in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 25th may 1963 that finally brought all the Independent African States under one umbrella of The Organization of Africa Unity (OAU). Like any other organization, forming the OAU met many obstacles and setbacks partly because of the political, linguistic and the divisions that the colonial masters bestowed on Africa.
The Unity Match with Colonial Division.
In January 1961, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Sekou Toure of Guinea, Modibo Keita of Mali, King Hassan of Morocco, Representatives of Libya and the then struggling Algeria attended a conference in Casablanca, Morocco. Invitations to Tunisia, Nigeria, Liberia and Togo were all turned down. An African charter was adopted at the said conference. It was also decided that an African Military High Command and an African Common Market be set up. From October 1960 to March 1961, the Francophone countries also held conferences between themselves in Abidjan, Brazaville and Yaounde. The twelve Countries that attended those summits never attended the Casablanca Conference, colonial division at work. In September 1961, the French speaking countries eventually signed a charter in Tananarive, Madagascar to establish the Union et Malgache. Kwame Nkrumah's drive for a continental union brought together in May 1961, Heads of States and representatives of 19 Independent Africa nations in Monrovia, Liberia. However, it wasn't until May 1963 that 32 Independent Africa nations convened in Addis Ababa. The Heads of State summit which was held between May 23 and 25th brought the Organization of Africa Unity (OAU) into being that became the vanguard of Africa's political emancipation. The 1964 Summit was held in Cairo, Egypt (United Arab Republic) under President Gamel Abdul Nasser. In Cairo, Nkrumah strongly called for an Africa Continental Government to stop the economic re-colonization. Ghana was chosen as the venue for the 1965 summit. Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Ghana hosted a colorful OAU Conference in October 1965 to showcase Ghana's commitment to the Africa Continental Unification. At the same time the strategy to destabilize the forward match of the Africa unification and break the bone of Ghana, the strength behind was three gears speeded up. The great leader Nkrumah was toppled from power in the following year barely 4 months being the OAU chairman. The guns silenced his greater role to play. Thereafter, Africa leaders have no self confident to continue the aggressive pursuance of unification. Africa was left divided purely on Ideological grounds between the capitalist West and the Communist East and became the battle field for the Super Power and the Ideological Cold War. What a tragedy.
Regrouping for Greater Continental Push.
The idea to rename the OAU (Organization of Africa Unity) to AU (Africa Union) for a better and more effective rapid African unity started in the late 1990's. Muammar Al Gaddafi another illustrious son of the continent and leader of Libya put on the crown of concern for Africa unity that was left vacant after the long spell of Political instabilities in many Africa Nations. The betrayal and overthrow of President Nkrumah by his own country men with collaboration of External Forces left Africa in the cold for many years with no voice. In September 1999 Libya hosted the Heads of states of the OAU in Sirte and the call for a better effective grouping was suggested. At a summit in Lome, Togo in 2000, the Constitutive Act of the African Union was adopted. In Lusaka, Zambia in 2001, the plan for implementation was also adopted. The final lunching of the Africa Union (AU) took place in Durban, South Africa on July 9, 2002. OAU was dead and buried on July 8, 2002 but was reborn the following day and given a new name AU. We all know that a Union is always better than an Organization. No doubt President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa called it the Africa Renaissance. Our salute goes to all the players that made the name change possible.
The Way Forward
Very little can be said of OAU achievements but much could be said to have been done, taking into consideration that without the formation of the OAU, it'll be impossible these days to begin a foundation for an African Continental Union. So it may be laudable to say, it is better to have seen OAU born and lived with all the odds against its survival. The path for a Continental Union was clearly drawn by the OAU. It is now left for the AU to take those speedy steps on that path to achieve Africans desire to live under the umbrella of one Continental Governance.
Conclusion.
In my view, the debates that Africa can never unite, is a time bomb set in motion to explode to stop the unification struggle. There is nothing impossible if the will to do so is there. America united after a protracted 5 years Civil War that forced the Confederate States of the South to join the Union States of the North. The European Union started after a devastating Second World War and it is still expanding. Africa needs not the America method or the European tragedy to unite. We've had our wars, famines and many others. These happenings should be the reasons and the guide to our leaders for a rapid Africa unity. Together, Africans can solve all problems. In unity, Africa can have a voice in world affairs and to stop the exploitation and degrading of her people. The lack of a charismatic leader with passion for Africa Unity like Dr. Kwame Nkrumah to strongly raise his voice above the others coupled with the fear of individual Presidents losing their Head of State status is seen to me as the problem delaying the unity calls. I see no reason why a Governor of an African State will not have such power and recognition as that of America. I can only hope that The Accra Summit will rise above all odds and set in tune a clear Agenda as to how soon Africa will attain a Continental Government. There are many ways to achieve it without going through the annual Honeymoons with no perpetual marriage to dine and wine at the expense of the Africans cry for union. One such easy way to do so was read in Muammar Gaddafi's address in Conakry, Guinea on his way to attend the Accra Summit. In that address, he promised that The Heads of State who will assemble in Ghana will go straight to the point. "Let those who are hesitating, get out of our way" he said Thanks, Comrade Gaddafi has taken the mantle from where Nkrumah left. The 52 Heads of States convening in Accra between July1 to 3, 2007 should be reminded that, the present European Union started between only three or four Countries as a Steel and Coal Marketing block. Today, other countries are lining up to join with stipulated conditions. Africa can do the same. In this case, let the 10 (ten) or so willing countries start such a Continental Government on a grand note, their good deeds will invite the others to be in a queue to join. Africa Must Unite Now, Not Later.
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