The chronicles of the African Peoples in striving for better governance and the development of the African continent as a whole has 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.

The advent of African Union (AU) formally 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; to promote unity and solidarity among African States and, to coordinate and intensify cooperation for development has still not had much impact on the continent.

Despite the strides of AU, the body is still held down by financial crisis. With the many objectives the AU is set to achieve, financial crisis is the problem least expected to surface within the body. It will be much prudent if the organization deduces 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 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 in effectively executing 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 one at the forefront for Africa’s relevant issues.

The AU should exercise the necessary power to realize the goals of the organization to match to Gaddaffi’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 by our concerted efforts, within the framework of our combined planning, we shall not progress at the tempo demanded by today’s events and 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!

Signed
Sophia C. Apenkro
(Deputy Head, Pan Africanism)