?Africa Must Unite!? - Dr. Kwame Nkrumah

There was a message to the people of Ghana and Africa. The message was imperative. It was ?A Message of African Unity?. The message was delivered decades ago by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of Ghana and a leading advocate of Pan-Africanism. But the message was ignored then, with disastrous consequences to African political and economic emancipation. The message then and the message now is simply this: People of Ghana and Africa! ?Seek ye first the political kingdom and all else shall be added onto you.? The message from Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was a plea to Ghana and Africa. In essence Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was saying that ?Africa Must Unite?. Essentially Dr. Kwame Nkrumah implored Ghana and all African States to unite in order to create the ?political kingdom?. Dr. Kwame Nkrumah consistently and passionately implored Ghana and Africa to create a solid united African political structure because endurable stability and progress in Ghana and Africa cannot be achieved unless Africa unites. The ?political kingdom? he advocated then and is being advocated now is a ?United Africa? and the ?all else? is peace, prosperity and prestige.

A Message for African Unity

The political and economic imperative inherent in the Message of African Unity was also expressed in many of Dr Kwame Nkrumah?s statements such as ?the independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it is linked to the total liberation of Africa?. I agree wholeheartedly with Dr. Nkrumah?s statement since the total liberation of Ghana and Africa from all forms of subjugation is impossible unless Ghana and Africa are totally united. Total irreversible African Liberation succeeds with total African Unification. It follows, therefore, that the independence of Ghana and African States are meaningless unless Ghana and all Africa are solidly united. That African Unification is a precondition for the success of Ghana and Africa has been proven by history because after almost 50 years of independence Ghana and Africa are still under the yoke of international domineering and exploitative systems. History has proved that the independence of Ghana and any African State is meaningless unless it is linked to the total political union of the African People. History has proved Dr Kwame Nkrumah right. History has proved that the liberation of the African People from all forms of political and economic subordination will not end unless all the people of Africa are solidly united and indivisible and that the success of Ghana and Africa is greatly dependent on total African Unification. The success of Ghana and Africa is endurable peace and prosperity on the Land of Africa. Undoubtedly, an endurable peace and prosperity in Africa is contingent on the total political union of the African People. Therefore, Africa must unite now. Africa must unite now not only because African Unification is inherently good for Africans in Africa. Africa must unite now also because African Unification is also good for Africans in Diaspora. Africa must unite now in order to facilitate Global Africana, the final destination of Pan-Africanism. African must unite now in order to expedite the ultimate unity of all the decedents of Africans anywhere in the world, unity that transcends continents, unity that defies oceans.

Africa must unite now because African Unification is long overdue. But, it is not too late for the people of Ghana and the people of Africa to unite. Africa must unite now because beyond any shadow of doubt there is peace, prosperity and prestige in African Unification. For this reason, I call on all descendants of Africans anywhere in the world to revive Dr. Kwame Nkrumah?s plea to the people of Ghana and Africa decades ago to proceed from African Self-Rule to African Unification, the next stage of African Emancipation. There was a message to the people of Ghana and Africa. The message must be revived. The revived message is African Unification Now! The mantra for the match to United Africa is Unification Now!

A Proposal for African Democracy

That was the message then. That is the message now. African Unification Now! The importance of the message to the success of Africa has compelled me to make a proposal to the people of Ghana and Africa. It is a proposal for African Democracy. The proposal is to enable the people of Africa obtain the benefits of African Unification comfortably, easily and smoothly. I propose to the people of Ghana and Africa that ?The Political Kingdom of Africa? ? The United Africa be founded and governed by the tenets and philosophy of the African Democracy. The proposal of African Democracy is based on my strong belief that the attainment of the benefits of African Unification is greatly dependent on the creation of the right form of unification in Africa. I believe strongly that the right form of African Unification is: The Federation of Modern African States and Traditional African States (the ethnic nations of Africa before the partition of Africa). Given Africa?s unique socio-political structure, the unity of African States and African Ethnic Groups is the unification model suitable for Ghana and Africa. Therefore, I propose United Africa to replace the fragmented and disunited geopolitical entities in Africa today. I propose the Federation of African States and Africa Ethnic Groups, one united African country founded on and governed by African Democracy. African Democracy is simply the meaningful separation of geopolitical powers and the meaningful separation of institutional political powers all guided by African centric political ideology ? Neo-Africanism. African Democracy is essential to obtaining the ?the all else shall be added unto you?, which is the benefit of African Unification, and which is peace for all Africans, prosperity for all Africans and prestige for all Africans. I believe that, the proposed United Africa - The Federation of Modern African States and Traditional African States governed by the proposed African Democracy, is the most appropriate form of African Unification because of Africa?s unique social and geopolitical structure and will be most acceptable to most Africans. The right democracy for Africa ? the African Democracy consists of the right political structure, the right political system and the right political ideology.

The Right Political Structure ? African Federalism

What is the right political structure for Ghana and Africa. The right political structure for Ghana and Africa is African Federalism. I have proposed African Federalism because the geopolitical structures in Africa today do not satisfy the political interest and do not provide for the economic needs of many African Ethnic Groups, the consequence of which is secession, coup d?etat and political upheavals. I have proposed African Federalism because the political and the economic interest of the African State is not always equal to the political and economic interest of the African Ethnic Group and that the African Ethnic Group cannot be led into any union, alliances or cooperation agreement when their political, economic and social interest are not addressed. Just as an African State, such as Ghana, do not want to be dominated, subjugated or marginalized politically, economically and socially by another African State, such as Nigeria, the African Ethnic Group, such as the Ewe Ethnic Group or the Igbo Ethnic Group, similarly, do not want to be dominated, subjugated or marginalized by another African Ethnic Group, such as the Akan Ethnic Group or the Hausa Ethnic Group. African Federalism will end socio-political and geopolitical domination in Africa, forever.

Another reason for the proposed form of African Unification is the need for a super-neutral government in Africa, a government capable and willing to protect the interest of the African Individual, the African Ethnic Group and the African State. A super-neutral government creates mutual trust in government and when all the people trust the government all the people are united. I believe that a federal government of Africa that derives its political mandates from all the people of the African States and from all the people of the African Ethnic Groups will be a super-neutral government and will acquire the capability and the willingness to protect the interest of African States and African Ethnic Groups.

Additionally, the proposed political structure of the ?political kingdom? ? The United Africa will eliminate the politically destabilizing ?winner-takes-all? political environment in Africa. First, the political structure - African Federalism, guarantees semi-autonomous governments for African States and African Ethnic Groups and creates an effective balance of power among Africa?s socio-political and geopolitical entities. Second, African Federalism creates two legislative chambers with equal political powers. The people of the African States elect one legislative body and the people of the African Ethnic Groups elect the other legislative body. Third, African Federalism establishes an electoral system that compels the election of the President of United Africa by the equal political power of the people of the African States and the people of the African Ethnic Groups.

The five proposed geopolitical jurisdictions that comprise the African Federalism are the geopolitical area of United Africa, the geopolitical area of the current African States, the geopolitical area of the current Provincial/Regional/Ethnic areas within the current African States and the geopolitical areas of current Local/District and Municipal areas within the current African States. I believe that African Federalism, as proposed is the right unification model for Africa because it will end forever majoritarian dictatorship in Africa. African Federalism, which is a geopolitical balance of power, will end political monopolization or the political dictatorship of socio-political groups and geopolitical jurisdictions of the African State.

The Right Political System ? African CoEquals

I am also proposing a new political system for Ghana and Africa to replace the current systems. The new system is African CoEquals. African CoEquals is a political system of effective institutional balance of power. The African CoEquals are five government institutions with equal constitutional powers ? the Presidency, the Legislature, the Unity Assembly, the Judiciary, and the Justiciary. Just as the political structure of United Africa needs a super-neutral federal government to eliminate majoritarian dictatorship by majority Ethnic Groups in African States, the political system of United Africa, similarly, needs a super-neutral government institution to eliminate majoritarian dictatorship by the majority political group in Africa. The distribution of institutional powers by the proposed political system will end the ?winner-takes-all? political system that has destabilized many African States. I have proposed African CoEquals to ensure that government institutions that must at all times be politically-neutral, such as the Judicial Institution, the Justice Institution, the Civil Service Institution, the Monetary Institution and the Military Institution never ever become an arm of any political group, any economic group or any social group. The super-neutrality of these non-political institutions is vital not only to achieving peace and prosperity in Africa but also to sustaining democracy in Africa.

The Right Political Ideology : Neo-Africanism

The right political ideology is also very important to the success of Ghana and Africa. What then is the right political ideology for Ghana and Africa? The right political ideology is Ne-Africanism - The New African Ideology. The right ideology is very important that is why I am proposing Neo-Africanism as the guiding principle of the governments and people of Ghana and United Africa. I have proposed Neo-Africanism because the importation of foreign ideologies into Africa has caused major political, economic and social problems in Africa. I believe that foreign ideologies are not suitable to the unique political structure of Africa and are not suitable to the economic and social temperament of the African.

Foreign ideologies that have been imported into Ghana and Africa are individualistic and antagonistic. Foreign ideologies in Africa have produced political and economic adversaries and contestants and as a result have created the norm of permanent winners and losers in the national political forum and in the national economic marketplace. The importation of ideologies foreign to Africa has encouraged and compelled unbridled political and economic competition in Ghana and Africa, in a society that is essentially communitarian. Adversarial competition compels the monopolization of either the economic power or the political power of the society in order to secure maximum protection. Unbridled competition emanating from foreign ideologies inadvertently encourages inordinate greed for wealth and authority and creates personal insecurity and therefore heightens the need to maximize personal and group security now and for the future and in so doing compels people and groups to resort to maximizing wealth and authority. Maximizing wealth is tantamount to monopolizing the economic power of the nation and maximizing authority is monopolizing the political power. Monopolization to secure maximum protection is the cause of winner-takes-all environment in Africa today, an environment created by foreign ideologies.

Unlike foreign ideologies, Neo-Africanism is neither individualistic nor antagonistic. Neo-Africanism is accommodative and communitarian. It is a harmonious and cooperative ideology since the underpinning philosophy of the ideology is the traditional African philosophy of Social Harmony and Mutual Interdependence, a philosophy deeply embedded in the African culture. Instead of competition for wealth and power, Neo-Africanism encourages sharing of wealth and power for the good of the African Society. The African believes that a harmonious and cooperative existence is good for the community, hence the widespread acceptance of the Doctrine of Community Good in the economic and social life of the traditional African Society. Traditional Africa knows that harmony and cooperation eliminate the need for maximum security at the expense of other people and adopted an ideology that neutralizes the human propensity for inordinate economic and political power so that the society can maintain social order, social stability and social progress. The ideology is Africanism.

Traditional Africa practiced Traditional Africanism within their respective traditional political structures and systems. Africanism is the ideology of harmony and cooperation and it is suitable to the unique geopolitical structure of Africa and suitable to the unique socio-economic temperament of the African since it discourages the monopolization of economic and political power. The revival of the African philosophy of Social Harmony and Mutual Interdependence and the implementation of the philosophy within the framework of modern political structures such as African Federalism and with modern political system such as African CoEquals create the proposed New African Ideology, Neo-Africanism. I believe that an ideology that encourages harmony and cooperation discourages monopolization of wealth and authority. Such an ideology is good for the African nation as it eliminates excessive greed, personal insecurity and any form of group insecurity. By discouraging monopolization of power, the African Ideology fosters unity. While Traditional Africanism is the ideology of ethnic unity, Neo-Africanism, which is Modern Africanism, is the ideology of African Unity.

I have proposed Neo-Africanism for Ghana and the United Africa because I believe that the strong family unity of Africans, the strong community unity in many African societies and the strong ethnic unity of the African Ethnic Group are all due to the philosophy of social harmony and mutual interdependence embedded in the African culture. I believe that this precious philosophy of Traditional Africa if embraced in the larger society of Africans, which is the United Africa, and implemented within the proposed political structures and the proposed political system will similarly create and maintain a strong unity of all Africans. I believe that harmony and cooperation is African and as such are essential elements of the unity of the society of Africans. Neo-Africanism, which encourages harmony and cooperation, but discourages monopolization of wealth and political power, is the ideology of African Unity. Africa must resuscitate Africanism. Africa must embrace Neo-Africanism.

The people of Ghana and Africa need not search for foreign ideologies because the right ideology for Ghana and Africa is in Africa. It is in the African culture. Social Harmony and Mutual Interdependence, the underpinning philosophy of Africanism and Neo-Africanism, were so important to political unity and economic cooperation that Traditional Africa embedded the philosophy in the African culture - in names and sayings. Examples are names from the Igbo People of Nigeria include Somaadina (let me not exist alone), Oraka (the community is greater) and Adinigwe (it is better to be better). Examples of sayings are the South African word, Ubuntu ? which connotes "humanness " meaning "I only exist because of my ties to others", the Akan saying ?Ebusua ye? which means it is good to be part of the family and the community and Igbo word ?umenne? which is an expression of affinity as brothers and sisters and expresses the concept of Community Good.

Just as social harmony was important to peace and security of the African community, national harmony, which is social harmony on a larger scale in a larger African nation, is important to maintaining peace and stability in Africa. A strong sense of community harmonized and stabilized the African community and a strong sense of Africa will similarly harmonize and stabilize Africa. African harmony is good for Modern Africa just as it was good for Traditional Africa. The African realized that the destiny of the community depends greatly on human harmony and infused the philosophy into the culture. Africa must embrace the philosophy of African harmony as espoused by Neo-Africanism

While the philosophy of social harmony was the cornerstone of social and ethnic unity in Traditional Africa, the philosophy of Mutual Interdependence was the cornerstone of economic prosperity and inter-ethnic economic cooperation. The belief of the goodness of Social Harmony and Mutual Interdependence fostered mutually beneficial trade within Ethnic Groups and among neighboring Ethnic Groups until the peaceful and mutually beneficial African trade among Africans was shattered by the advent of colonial trade. African history is replete with harmonious coexistence of ethically diverse Africans on the same land such as the cooperative living of African and Islamic cultures in Mali and the peaceful coexistence of the people of the Niger Delta. For centuries diverse African social groups lived harmoniously and cooperatively on the same land until colonialism shattered the peace and prosperity of Africans. African history also tells us of mutually beneficial trade across Africa. Pre-colonial Africa traded among themselves even when there is political disagreement. Mutual interdependence through such prosperous Inter-African Trade as the Trans Saharan Trade enabled cities such as Djenne and Timbucktu and African People such as the Soninke, Fulani, Wodaabe, and Tuareg People to prosper. The philosophy of economic interdependence was good for Traditional Africa and if revived in the proposed new ?political kingdom?, will similarly be good for Ghana and Africa.

Africa must learn from the past in order to move forward into the future. The Unification of Africa will not create a viable ?political kingdom? that will confer ?all else shall be added onto you?, if the ?political kingdom? is not guided by the right political ideology, an ideology capable of eradicating the unbridled ethnic competition, the source of Africa?s political instability. Unbridled ethnic competition for the political power and the economic wealth of the modern African State, a dangerous political situation clearly evidenced by the despicable and despised system of ?winner-takes-all?, is due to the embrace of foreign ideologies and the abandonment of Africanism, the ideology of harmony and cooperation. Social Harmony and Mutual Interdependence, the philosophical underpinning of Africanism, which existed in smaller African communities and has been part of many African cultures, if revived in the larger community of Africa ? The United Africa, will neutralize the self-destructive political competition that encourages ethnocracy in many African States, including Ghana. Instead of ethnocracy leading to ethnic competition to monopolize the power and wealth of the African State, the revival of social harmony in Africa will create democracy leading to African cooperation to share the power and wealth of Africa.

While traditional African geopolitical structures and systems are inadequate for the challenges of international geopolitics and globalization, the philosophy and the values of traditional African societies have the virulent strength to meet the challenges of today and are therefore more than adequate for the internal and external challenges facing Ghana and Africa today. Consequently, Africa must revive the philosophy of Social Harmony and Mutual Interdependence and embrace Neo-Africanism. Neo-Africanism will enable United Africa obtain ?all else shall be added onto you?. I believe strongly that the time has come for Africa to realize the self-destructive effect of fragmented geopolitical entities guided by divisive ideologies. Africa must move on to the next stage of self-rule, to African Unification and embrace Neo-Africanism, the New African Ideology.

The Benefit of African Unity? Peace, Prosperity, and Prestige

?All else shall be added unto you? is the benefit of creating the ?the political kingdom? structured, governed, and guided by the right political structure, system, and ideology. The benefit of the ?political kingdom? is peace for all Africans, prosperity for all Africans and international prestige for all Africans. The people of Ghana and Africa will gain politically, economically and socially. The result of ?the political kingdom? is endurable peace in Africa, forever. Peace and harmony creates stability and strengthens security and sovereignty. Peace in Africa is greatly dependent on African harmony ? the harmony of African States and African Ethnic Groups. The philosophy of Social Harmony, implemented on a larger scale, that is, in the larger society of Africans, within the framework of appropriate and acceptable political structure and with the appropriate and acceptable political system confers peace. Peace brings stability. African political stability is African political environment devoid of coup d?etat, secessionism, political upheaval and political adventurism. Another political benefit is African political sovereignty, which is meaningful African self-rule, real political autonomy, and strong political independence. It is Africa in control of the African Destiny, resistant to the inimical dictates of foreign nations and fearless of the any foreign repercussions.

The economic benefit is endurable African Prosperity. The result of sustainable African economic prosperity is permanent African economic stability, economic security and maximum economic protection. African economic stability is an African economy without the gyration of insignificant short duration economic boom followed by serious and destabilizing long duration economic burst. African economic security is an economy that has attained food security, economic independence and economic diversification. These benefits for the people of Ghana and Africa are attainable in United Africa through expanded Africa economic cooperation, expanded African trade, and expanded African market for African industries, including Ghanaian industries. Food security, expanded trade and markets are the solutions to starvation in Africa. Therefore, ?Africa Must Unite? is a plea for an ?Africa Without Famine?

The major economic gain of African Unification and African Democracy is maximum African economic protection. African economic protection means an end to the economic marginalization of Africa by neocolonialism and an end to the economic victimization of Africa by globalization, the two exploitative economic systems that have dominated the post colonial era international economics. I believe that African Unification and African Democracy will, in no time, enable Africa attain global economic status as an equal partner in the creation of global wealth and as such enable Africa acquire global wealth commensurate with the global status. I believe that the attainment of global wealth commensurate with Africa?s contribution to global wealth creation will generate mass prosperity all over Africa and eradicate poverty in Africa. Therefore, ?Africa Must Unite? is a plea for an ?Africa Without Poverty?.

The social benefit of the ?political kingdom? founded on the proposed African Unification and African Democracy is African Prestige, an international prestige to all Africans irrespective of ethnic affiliation. The proposed United Africa will possess the capability to enhance the African Identity, improve African Dignity and to acquire abundant international goodwill. United Africa will enhance the African Identity, the inner and the outward embodiment of what is African and the spiritual and the physical attributes of Africa. Enhanced African Identity will emanate from the uninhibited display of the splendor of the African natural and cultural diversity. African Unification and African Democracy will improve African Dignity and international respect for Africans by creating a peaceful and prosperous New Africa, by enabling Africa achieve higher levels of human accomplishments in all fields of human endeavors and by enhancing the magnificence of the African cultural diversity. African Unification and African Democracy will also obtain for Africa greater international goodwill. Enhanced international goodwill for Africans will urge, may be compel, nations of the world to establish mutually beneficial trade, partnership, alliances, and cooperation with Ghana and the United Africa. The stability of United Africa and the peace and prosperity of a strong nation will give all Africans a strong voice in the global arena as well as obtain for Africa the kind of goodwill normally accorded people from such peaceful and prosperous nations.

To summarize, there are great political, economic and social benefits from African Unification and African Democracy. Therefore, ?Africa Must Unite?. The benefits are so great that Ghana and Africa can no longer afford to loose these benefits. Ghana and Africa can no longer defer African Unification and African Democracy because the benefits are tremendous. Africa Must Unite Now! Beyond any shadow of doubt, African Unification guided by the ideology of Neo-Africanism is the first step towards a superpower Africa, a politically strong united people of Africa. A strong global geopolitical entity of Africa is the ultimate of ?all else shall be added onto you?, which is a respected global geopolitical entity free from debilitating political and economic problems.

In response to Dr. Nkrumah?s message for a ?United Africa?, I have proposed a ?political kingdom? built on the most appropriate political structure for Africa ? African Federalism, governed by the most appropriate political system for Africa ? African CoEquals and guided by the most appropriate political ideology for Africa ? Neo-Africanism. The ?political kingdom? built, governed and guided by the African Democracy brings great political, economic and social gains to Africa. I strongly believe that a secured and reliable foundation for a continuous political, economic and social progress in Ghana and Africa solely depends on a strong united family of African States and African Ethnic Groups. Therefore, People of Ghana and Africa! Embrace the Message of African Unity and the Proposal of African Democracy and ?all else shall be added onto you?.

I believe that this unification model I have proposed ? The Federation of Modern African States and Traditional African States to create a democratic United Africa will address the fears and concerns of all Africans, the fears of political leaders of Africa and the fears of Ethnic Groups of Africa. The proposed African Unification has been devised with the awareness that leaders are human first and politicians second. Like any human being, they care about personal success, have egos, ambitions, anxieties and fears. The proposed African Democracy seeks to address these concerns. Also this type of African Unification has been proposed with the awareness that the people of the African Ethnic Group who constitutes Traditional Africa are humans first, and a social group second. They care about ethnic success, have ethnic egos, ethnic ambitions, anxieties and fears. I have proposed this unification model to address these concerns, anxieties and fears of all Africans. I believe that this African Unification model is a solution to the fear of personal or ethnic destruction, fear that has greatly contributed to political and economic deterioration in Africa. I have proposed this type of African Unification to eliminate the fear of the African of the African. I believe the changes I have proposed will eliminate fear and strengthen Africa.

I concur with Dr. Kwame Nkrumah that ?Africa Must Unite? because endurable African Peace, African Prosperity and African Prestige are greatly contingent on African Unification.

African Unification Now!

?Seek ye first the political kingdom, and all else shall be added onto you? Dr. Kwame Nkrumah

Seek ye first the United Africa, and peace, prosperity and prestige shall be added onto you.