University of the Western Cape Projects the power of continental unity on Africa Day 2023
This was the stirring call to action from Dr Julius Garvey, son of the late, great revolutionary leader Marcus Garvey, on Africa Day which recently took place on Tuesday, 30 May 2023 at the School of Government, University of the Western Cape (UWC).
He made the comment during a distinguished gathering of African intellectuals on Africa Day to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Africa Must Unite, the ground-breaking book that was released exactly 60 years ago by former Ghanaian president, Kwame Nkrumah.
The Africa Day celebrations brought intellectuals together from the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), in collaboration with the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and UWC’s School of Government.
Dr Nkrumah was a prominent African leader and a key figure in the African decolonisation movement. Born in 1909 on the Gold Coast (now Ghana), Nkrumah dedicated his life to fighting for the independence and unity of Africa. He led Ghana to become the first African nation to gain independence from British colonial rule in 1957, serving as its Prime Minister and later as its President. Nkrumah advocated for pan-Africanism, believing in the unity of all African nations.
In his seminal work, Africa Must Unite, Nkrumah passionately argued for the political and economic unity of Africa. He firmly believed that the independence of African nations would remain incomplete without a unified continental effort to tackle the challenges of neocolonialism, exploitation, and underdevelopment. Nkrumah emphasised the need for African nations to transcend their artificial colonial boundaries and forge a united Africa based on shared interests and common goals. He advocated for the creation of a continental government and a unified African army.
The list of scholars who gathered on Africa Day, both in-person and online, to celebrate Nkrumah and his vision, was long and distinguished. Former United Nations Under-Secretary-General, Dr Abdoulie Janneh; Chief Executive Officer of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), Prof Eddy Maloka; Director of the Institute for Pan African Thought and Conversation (IPATC), Prof Siphamandla Zondi, and many more distinguished guests were present to honour Africa Day and share their thoughts.
Alongside the academics, one of the clear highlights was the appearance of Ms Samia Yaba Nkrumah – the only daughter of Dr Nkrumah – who spoke passionately about her father’s legacy.
“There is a consensus developing that our salvation as African people depends on our unity,” she said. “Where we once doubted decades ago, today most of us are trying to deliberate on how we can unite. What are the obstacles to unity? I am optimistic because I have never heard from or spoken with as many pan-African organisations as I am doing now. There is a public demand and quest for unity.”
Her words were echoed by many of the other guest speakers. Professor Eddy Maloka gave a thorough explanation of the context in which Nkrumah wrote his book, while the NEPAD representative standing in for Ms Nardos Bekele Thomas made a powerful plea for the youth to lead the charge, saying, “I am convinced that it is Africa’s youth who will reinvigorate the continent – their brilliance is being optimised for change across the continent and the world”.
Dr Abdoulie Janneh was honest and forthcoming about the successes and failures of the African Union, saying the “peace and security agenda from the AU is not as optimal as Nkrumah would want it to be. Take Sudan, a very meaningful country that has a lot of potential and which is being destroyed. What are we doing about it? How we promote and maintain peace and security is a big challenge”.
UWC’s School of Government played host to an Africa Day
Celebration Conference honouring Kwame Nkrumah
Alongside the many powerful speeches was a selection of historical films and video clips that showed the immense reach and influence of Dr Nkrumah’s work and how his legacy has lived on in the continent.
In his closing remarks, Prof Alfred G Nhema, the Director of the School of Government at UWC, which co-hosted the conference, highlighted that African countries need to make strides to veer away from being predominantly dependent on exports of primary products in the agricultural, mining, and extractive industries.
Prof Nhema implored the continent to create an environment that promotes a vibrant private sector that would allow capital markets, small- and medium-sized enterprises to thrive. In the process, such a market-driven environment would provide innovative and efficient ways of diversifying and transforming African economies.
The event was a powerful testimony to Africa’s resilience and capability and showcased UWC’s ability to attract prominent thought leaders to address pressing issues of the African continent.