AFRICA DEFINE YOURSELF: PAN-AFRICANISM IS “A BELIEF THAT AFRICAN PEOPLES, BOTH ON THE CONTINENT AND IN THE DIASPORA, SHARE NOT MERELY A COMMON HISTORY, BUT A COMMON DESTINY” By Senzo Scholar The above-captioned definition of Pan Africanism is not my brainchild. It is the definition endorsed by the African Union. We often loosely use the term Pan Africanism. However, we dont seem to have a common view as to what exactly does Pan Africanism mean. Well in an effort to avoid ambiguity and debate about differing schools of thoughts around the actual meaning of Pan Africanism, I suggest that we rather accept the definition adopted by the Africa Union. The definition of Pan Africanism from the African Union bears the below context: Pan-Africanism is an ideology and movement that encourages the solidarity of Africans worldwide. It is based on the belief that unity is vital to economic, social and political progress and aims to “unify and uplift” people of African descent. The ideology asserts that the fates of all African peoples and countries are intertwined. At its core Pan-Africanism is “a belief that African peoples, both on the continent and in the Diaspora, share not merely a common history, but a common destiny” . Pan-Africanism stresses the need for a “collective self-reliance” Pan-Africanism exists as a governmental and grassroots objective as outlined by Pan-African leaders, such as Kwame Nkrumah, and Muammar Gaddafi, as well as grassroots advocates such as Marcus Garvey and Malcolm X, academic advocates such as W. E. B. Du Bois and others in the diaspora. Solidarity will enable self-reliance, allowing the continent’s potential to independently provide for its people to be fulfilled. Crucially, an all-African alliance will empower African peoples globally. The realization of the Pan-African objective would lead to “power consolidation in Africa”, which “would compel a reallocation of global resources. United, African nations will have the economic, political and social clout to act and compete on the world stage. As a philosophy, Pan-Africanism represents the aggregation of the historical, cultural, spiritual, artistic, scientific and philosophical legacies of Africans from past times to the present. Pan-Africanism as an ethical system traces its origins from ancient times, and promotes values that are the product of the African civilization and the struggles against slavery, racism, colonialism, and neo-colonialism. The foundations of contemporary Pan-Africanism were laid by the Fifth Pan-African Congress held in Manchester, United Kingdom in 1945, at which Du Bois was active, together with Dr. Kwame. Nkrumah, Jomo Kenyatta, and other figures in the African liberation movement. The Manchester Congress drew up the general outline of a practical programme for the political liberation of Africa. Proposing the task of liberating all the peoples of Africa, regardless of their race, the Pan-African movement contributed to the general upsurge in the liberation struggle in Africa Pan-Africanism is also seen as an endeavour to return to “traditional” African concepts about culture, society, and values. Examples of this include Léopold Sédar Senghor’s Négritude movement, and Mobutu Sese Seko’s view of Authenticité. I honestly subscribe to this definition of Pan Africanism. However, we need to keep with the time, Pan Africanism should be defined within the context of the 21 century. The 21st century-centric definition of Pan Africanism should be a proper definition of Neo-Pan Africanism. I will accordingly apply my mind and come up with the definition. Africa must unite and define herself. Aluta Continua !!
Posted on: Tue, 24 Jun 2014 15:13:55 +0000