What then is Pan-Africanism? Pan-Africanism, as the name suggests, denotes a concept of unity among Africans using the word “Pan” to qualify Africa. This simple explanation, however, may not be sufficient to give a concrete understanding of the Pan-African ideology. I say so because if Pan-Africanism is about the unity of African people, then the follow up questions are; what is this unity about? Is it just for the purpose of the leaders of Africa forming an organisation and meeting annually just like in the case AU or ECOWAS, or is the African continent becoming one country as was espoused by Nkrumah in comparing his one African country concept to the United State of America, and should even this unity be achieved, what would be the essence of such unity to the ordinary African men and women? These are some of the corollary questions which rear up their heads should passionate inquiry be undertaken on Pan-Africanism.
Assuming we accept this simplistic meaning of Pan-Africanism without harboring all these questions, there would still be that one question that cannot literally be shut off. And it is what will the attainment of the unity drive Africa towards? Well, there were and are some who thought or still think the unity should drive towards political emancipation and nothing else, others think that it should be economic independence. Be that as it may, unity should in some way somehow drive towards independence.
This is the missing soul, the key “word” not found in the simplistic definition put above. It is this “independence” which is the nucleus of the whole concept of Pan-Africanism. By independence, I mean total independence being it social, economic, cultural and political not a myopic independence as in political emancipation as was shared by some African leaders.
It is that independence which the visionary leader, Nkrumah, saw which pushed him to say the “Ghanaian independence is meaningless unless it is linked with the total liberation of the African continent.” An independence, which he sought to achieve but was obstructed by the force of evil which still wages war against the souls of the present leaders and citizenry of Africa; selfishness or the ‘Me, I concept’. Unfortunately, the self-centeredness among the people of Africa has obfuscated the godly mind of Africans as to how independence could be achieved and has blindly diverted their mind to seek for self-pride either on individualistic term or widely by unjustly pumping their families and ethnic group at various sector of the economy where they could continue to wield power and money at the expense of the general interest. Words may not be enough to explain how this devilish self-interest among the mass of Africans is destroying the concept of Pan Africanism, which is the sole bed rock to the total independence of our beloved continent. The evidence of the consequence is obvious to all as they are poured out daily in our various journals and news headlines.
The corruption and bribery breeding out injustice and unfairness in the political and administrative systems, sycophancy, nepotism, tyrannies, ethnocentrism, political extremism, injustice etc.
Written by: Lord Fiifi Sampson
To be continued
