A UNITED AFRICA! THE THOUGHT OF AN AFRICAN YOUTH

A UNITED AFRICA! THE THOUGHT OF AN AFRICAN YOUTH

 Many years ago, the call for a united Africa was championed by some great and illustrious sons of Africa like Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Haile Selassie. Their main focus was to ensure a “United Africa”, an agenda many other African leaders and citizens kicked against and still oppose.

I have read lots of literature on the debate as to whether the AU is still relevant or not but I would want us to have a re-think of the United Africa the proponents and advocates of the union championed.

For me, it is important we redefine the United Africa Dr. Nkrumah and the others advocated for. 
Probably, in this age, we may not need an Africa with one president where countries will have to give in their sovereignty. 
Probably, we may not need a common currency where one central bank will have to regulate our financial sector.
Probably, we may not need a common official language where there will be a disagreement as to whether to adopt French, English or any of our local languages.

In redefining a United Africa, I am of the view that, Africa should be united in VISION to address its socio-economic challenges and carve a path of progress for posterity.

We may not need a common language to ensure effective trading but we can easily enhance trading among ourselves by reducing the many barriers that hinder regional trading among us. Sadly an African business man into the manufacturing of cement cannot trade his cement in Benin. Benin imports cement from China even though Dangote’s cement factory is only 28km away from Benin. https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/I-can-t-enter-Benin-Republic-with-my-cement-Dangote-reveals-736561. Have we thought of the job opportunities and benefits Africans in Benin stand to gain if trading is allowed with Dangote in this regard?  

We may not need a common president but we can have leaders with a common vision of ensuring the progress of Africa and not see leadership as an opportunity to amass wealth and enrich their families.

We need an African dream, a dream of economic and social liberation on the continent. It may seem not achievable but when our forefathers set up a dream to fight for political independence and colonialism, they were able to achieve it in spite of the many difficulties. If political freedom has been achieved, why can’t economic and social liberation be achieved too? The task is for you and I as Africans to believe in the African dream, to be united in vision to address our socio-economic growth and development challenges and develop an attitude of patriotism.

To our political leaders, this is what Dr. Kwame Nkrumah has for you today, “our people supported us in our fight for independence because they believed the African governments could cure the ills of the past in a way which could never be. If we allow these conditions to exist, then all resentments which overthrew colonialism will be mobilized against us”
This is a call to our political leaders not to betray our trust and worsen our problems as a continent but to use the platform of AU to brainstorm and share ideas to ensure the progress of Africa else citizens may one day fight our leaders just as how we fought the colonial rulers.

In conclusion, let me remind us all as Africans on another quote from Dr. Kwame Nkrumah,
“If we do not approach the problems in Africa with a common front and a common purpose, we shall be haggling and wrangling among ourselves until we are colonized again.”
Africa is a great land with great people. A land blessed with many natural resources. A land of hope and opportunities. I believe in Africa.

Kwame Ohene-Ntow,
YALI dream,
A better Ghana,
A Brighter Africa.

The writer is a graduate student of Development Policy and Planning at KNUST and an alumnus of the Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI).

EMAIL:vincentntow12@gmail.com