Pan-Africanism in the 21st Century

Pan-Africanism in the 21st Century

“The establishment of the African Union exemplifies how the Pan-African ideology is widely accepted but is yet to be put into practice. Because of this, putting it into practice also poses a threat to state sovereignty and the political survival of African heads of states.”

“The same issues that concerned the Pan-African movements are still the same issues disrupting continental and national progress in Africa, hence, making it as relevant as it was over 50 years ago, to present-day Africa. Although the idea of Pan-Africanism and what it truly means as it was conceived five decades ago might be deemed as an old-fashioned or overromanticized approach in realizing and bolstering continental unity in Africa, by enabling the concept in its full competence without any limitations or reducing it to merely an economic project, and also incorporating it as a political agenda (demanding for political unification), Africa and Africans will reap tremendous benefits.”

“By reifying the political and economic union of the continent, the advantages comprise of, inter alia; having hegemony over continental economic and political development without the influence of external parties – concurrently eliminating the influence of neocolonialism in the guise of globalization, increased continental free trade, the dissolving of political borders, freedom of movement with the enforcement of the African passport.”

“Yet, it has to be stressed that accommodating the goals of Pan-Africanism, African nationalism or the unification of the continent cannot occur without first guaranteeing political and economic unity. Creating a United States of Africa could potentially allow the continent to become a global force to be reckoned with. Africans, today need to recognize that Africa’s destiny relies on the foundational ideas that have been laid down for them by African Pan-Africanists through the concept of Pan-Africanism that urged and continues to call for the promotion of African nationalism or continental unity as an alternative to envisioning a future for the continent in ways that strays away from the philosophy and has also failed the continent as a whole numerous times.”

“Moreover, Africans need to begin to understand that Pan-Africanism should not only be understood as equal economic participation. There is also the need for all African countries to have a strong political front by virtue of political unification on the continent, also an imperative for assuring economic integration.”

“With that said, Africans need to begin to re-imagine themselves from the viewpoint of a Pan-Africanist. One who is not only concerned about the advancement of his or her country but rather is invested and burdened with the issues that affect the holistic growth of the continent. …Without a Pan-African-like mind on the continent, Africa might persist to suffer cycles of setbacks because of the political and socioeconomic disunity.”

“… A United States of Africa being realized could be the ultimate development booster for the continent. Seeing as conflicts are surging here and there in Africa (primarily influenced by corrupt political regimes), rebellions against the socioeconomic situation in the particular states, food insecurity, oppression against certain religious groups, sexuality, and so on, a U.S of Africa, if modeled right would address the insecurities affecting the African population. Unifying African foreign/internal policies, creating a common economic or financial market, establishing a common monetary union and currency, capitalizing on dissolving borders and empowering a common military, all of these strategies have the capability of strengthening the deficiencies of the continent.”

• Extracts from Adesola Adeyemo (2018), “The Spirit is Willing, But the Flesh is Weak: Contemporary Pan-Africanism and The Challenges to A United States of Africa”, The University of San Francisco, USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library, Geschke Center.

Castro Khwela
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