Building on 50 Years of African Solidarity and Striving Towards Peace, Development and Prosperity for All

Its 50 years today since African Freedom Day was founded during the first Conference of Independent African States, which attracted African leaders and political activists from various African countries in Ghana on April 15, 1958. Interestingly, with the leadership of the great Kwame Nkruma President of Ghana only Government representatives from eight independent African states attended this conference, which was the first Pan-African conference in the continent. Despite the majority of African countries being under the yoke of colonialism, Zambia included, this group of ‘not so powerful’ eight countries certitude to purposely declare the day 25^thMay 2013 to annually mark the liberation movement’s progress and further symbolize the determination of the people of Africa to free themselves from foreign domination and exploitation was a huge act of African patriotism. For those who may not be aware, Ghana was the first African country south of the Sahara to secure independence from colonial rule in 1957.  By 1960, nearly 17 countries in Africa gained their independence and indeed the 1960 was declared the Year of Africa. Obviously this gave way to for the birth of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) on 25^th May, 1963.

It should be acknowledged that Africa has undergone massive changes socially, economically and politically in the last 50 years. It should also be noted that despite the awakening of the African renaissance and the handing over of political to African leaders, it is clear that colonial powers never left as witnessed with the continued meddling in the Affairs of the independent states. The extent of their meddling went as far as their ability to sow seeds despondency that duly elected leaders were being hounded out of office at their instigation. This trend by and large has affected our passage to be completely emancipated from the pangs of imperialism. It is common knowledge some military coupés which became the order of the day in the 60s, 70s all the way to the 80s where machinated and executed with the help of the foreign powers that had turned Africa into a ‘playground’ or a battlefield of ideologies. To this effect, some African countries have to date never recovered from the social, political and economic damage the foreign powers have caused in the last 50 years of Africa’s freedom. While some African countries appear to be getting a clench on their destiny, the African social, political and economic story is so gigantic that one article cannot tell the entire story.  

With all the social, political and economic instability Africa has under gone, the fundamental questions that perceptibly rise are whether its destiny is still its own hands. Are we truly socially, politically and economically emancipated? Do we have the capacity to survive with the without foreign interferences? Are our resources working for us? Are we building on the dream of the founding fathers like Patrice Lumumba, Kwame Nkruma, Captain Thomas I. Sankara, Kennth D. Kaunda, Sekou Toure, Jomo Kenyatta, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Gamal Nasser, Yakubu Guwon, and Julius Mwalimu Nyerere? The fact is that we are still very dependent on outside forces to survive as seen from the fact that we are constantly knocking on the doors of the foreign powers for aid. This has led many countries falling prey to dictations and meddling.  Africans should constantly seek inspiration from the past pan Africanists if we have to hold our own in the globalized contemporaneous world.  They had a clear vision of where they want the continent to towards self-sustainability at all strata of our being. Despite some important economic and political gains Africa has made it is clear that after 50 years, the challenges of peace across the continent remains challenge to an extent that its offshoots such as poverty are evident. There are countries like the Somalia that have practically been ungovernable in the last 20 years.  

 Propitious enough, the African continent has made great strides towards unity and enhancing Peace and security as can be evidently seen through the growth and maturation of politics and economies coupled with regional integrating bodies such as COMESA, SADC that enhances the African renaissance. Therefore, the theme ‘Building on 50 Years of African Solidarity and Striving Towards Peace, Development and Prosperity for All’ is very appropriate because it also directly challenges Zambia to continue playing its noble role of being a hub of social, economic and political development for all to prosper.