A WORLD WITHOUT AFRICA in it is incomplete. This great continent is a prominent landscape in the whole of the earth.
With its glory never going extinct and its glamour never fading with the wind but increasing in huge strength for centuries upon centuries. It’s a place where other birds find life, shelter, and safety, a spring of water flowing unto many ends, many countries, and many regions. Africa has a history, a story, and an essence with diversity across the lands, spread with magnanimous richness in potentials and gifts.
Douglas Wilder, the first African American to serve as governor of a U.S. state since the Reconstruction era, and the first African American ever elected as governor once said, “Africa is a continent like no other. It has that which is elegantly vast.” It has within itself all it takes to make the tree of life we desire to be.
Nevertheless, Africa remains the shadow of the reality of the victory of our heroes’ fight.
Why? The insect that eats the vegetable, lives in the vegetable– West African Proverb. We, the Africans, have chosen to be the thorn in our own flesh. Africa currently contains 54 independent states, all of which are diverse in terms of their people or citizens. The differences are in culture, race, ethnicity, language, socio-economic or class, and religion.
The diversities in Africa have made the continent face the hardest challenges in the world. African nations are squandering their resources fighting amongst themselves rather than battling the shared enemy that has bound them since the dawn of time. Though Africans want to unite as one nation, there are numerous barriers to overcome on the route to becoming and realizing that goal, making Our major problems have their powers lie in diversities and disunity. For many years before the 19th century, African patriarchs promoted African unity. Even in the twenty-first century, some African leaders continue to hammer Africa’s unification. Yet the independent Africa in the twenty-first century still remain in the pool of problems caused by diversity and disunity like:
According to the United Nations’ newest study on global population trends, the world’s population will rise to 7.2 billion by 2100 and will reach 10.9 billion by 2100. Population growth is expected to accelerate in the world’s poorest countries, which are primarily centered in Africa and have high fertility rates. Between 2013 and 2100, half of the world’s population increase will be concentrated in just eight countries: the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Niger, Nigeria, India, Tanzania, Uganda, and the United States.
When it is sociologically seen that migrants from other regions are taking jobs from inhabitants of Western countries, the concepts that structured the understanding of intergenerational solidarity can and are being questioned, as recent political developments have proven. When one closely considers populist arguments against open societies that promote multilateralism and humanitarianism, it becomes evident that the debate over demographic mega-trends is unsettling. Intergenerational solidarity will require aging countries to embrace those with a relatively young population in the not-too-distant future. The latter is predominantly African, while the former is predominantly Western. This is a wild new world for which many people are unprepared.
Approximately 54% of Africa’s youth are unemployed, with more than three quarters living on less than $2 per day. In Africa, youth unemployment tends to rise in tandem with their educational attainment. Another continuous element is the inefficiency of government programs aimed at fostering youth employment. This is the case in at least 21 African countries. This generation of young people has tremendous potential to increase Africa’s productive workforce, stimulate job development and entrepreneurship, and utilize the continent’s vast resources. Poor investment in the continent’s youth today and tomorrow can be a blessing or a burden. Balancing the development sheet must be done in a way that does not disenfranchise the vast majority of the world’s population.
For decades, unarmed Africans were subjected to some of the most heinous atrocities at the hands of colonialists who considered themselves as more human than the “unlearned” Black “savages.” Indeed, this biased order of things broke the souls, minds, and bodies of Africa’s people in unspeakable ways. It’s no surprise that most of the physical and emotional scars have refused to heal and continue to define the African people’s character and progress. The methodical division of Africa into regions reveals much about the conquerors’ goal to divide and dominate the continent.
Unfortunately, decades after the intruders fled, this separation has persisted in practically every area of contact between African tribes. A notable example is the conflict between African nations and ethnic communities, which killed hundreds of thousands of people.
One important lesson we have to learn from our predecessors’ historical struggles is the importance of having a common goal. Their desire to be free provided them with a reason to band together and fight back against the enemy.
Africans once relied on their togetherness to survive, despite being illiterate and without the necessary weaponry to defend themselves against sophisticated aggressors. As a result of their bonding, more than 50 years later, every African is reaping the benefits of his or her conviction. These brave men and women risked their lives for the dream of a free and peaceful Africa, regardless of the fictitious regions formed by intruders in their haste to split up the wealthy continent. Unfortunately, subsequent generations have lost their feeling of community and have instead turned against one another, butchering one another while looking to their former adversary for handouts.
Rather than closing the gaps left by colonialism, we appear to be widening them, with everyone battling for a share of the sweet-smelling continental cake of “Africa.” As a result, those who wish to hurt us have discovered an opportunity to return to the continent under the idea of delivering help and developing partnerships, but all they have left behind is confusion, discord, and deprivation. Undoubtedly, Africa is self-bound. Obstacles that generate disunity must be removed by Africans themselves on the path to unification.
To promote African unity and solidarity.
To coordinate and intensify cooperation and efforts to improve the lives of African peoples.
To maintain their sovereignty, geographical integrity, and independence.
To abolish all forms of colonialism in Africa.
To promote international cooperation.
To ensure peace, security,and stability on the continent; promote democratic ideals and institutions, as well as public participation and good administration.
To develop and support coordinated policies on trade, defense, and international relations to protect the Continent’s defense and strengthen its bargaining positions.
To ensure that women, particularly in the political, economic, and socio-cultural arenas, have a significant voice in decision-making;
To improve the standards of living of African people through promoting collaboration in all areas of human activity.
To gradually realize the Union’s aims, coordinate and integrate policies among current and potential Regional Economic Communities.
To promote the continent’s development, encourage study in all fields, particularly science and technology.
To eliminate preventable diseases and promote good health on the African continent, collaborate with relevant international partners.
To promote and protect human and people’s rights in accordance with the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights and other relevant human rights instruments.
To create the circumstances for Africa to take its rightful place in the global economy and in international talks.
Encourage long-term economic, social, and cultural development, as well as African economic integration.
We must walk and work in unity to showcase the greatness that lies in the soil of Africa!
It’s not a one-man responsibility. A popular adage says that “a single tree cannot make a forest, and a single string cannot make music. When we work together, we are stronger and more likely to succeed.
The phrase “let us all unite” at the opening of each verse of the African Union (AU) Anthem depicts our strength in unity. And our corporate actions will give us the Africa we want.
An interlinked continent, centered on the values of Pan Africanism and the vision of Africa’s Renaissance, and politically united. An Africa marked by good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, justice, and the rule of law Peace and security in Africa An Africa characterized by a strong sense of cultural identity, common history, values, and ethics
Africa’s success is based on long term development and inclusive People-driven progress in Africa, with women and youth fulfilling their full potential.
Africa as a powerful, cohesive, and important global player and partner.
This is not achievable if everyone refuses to play their part in building the Africa we want. Starting from the leaders to every citizen of the continent, everyone must see that he or she has a gap to fill in the building for a better Africa.
The African Union Anthem chorus
(O Sons and Daughters of Africa
Flesh of the Sun and Flesh of the Sky
Let us make Africa the Tree of Life), also emphasize that
we the citizens have to take our own place to bring out the beauty in Africa.
It is past time for us to band together to strengthen one another rather than trying so hard to destroy one another.
There’s more to do to bring out the authenticity of the beauty of Africa.
The following are some of the critical concerns that we, as Africans, must address jointly and aggressively in order to achieve inclusive growth, social, and economic development.
Agricultural development (Food security)
Life Security from theft, robbery, and violence (including domestic violence)
Climate change and environmental sustainability
Gender equality
Addressing tariff and non-tariff barriers
Financial market regulation and governance
Generation and management of foreign direct investment (FDI)
Health services
High-quality education
Transportation infrastructure
Youth empowerment and Job creations
Sanitation
The technology of Information and Communication (ICT)
Rural and Urban development
Management of natural resources
Conflict resolution
If these actions are demonstrated by the leaders for the citizens to take up, Africa will be a better place.
The below content of the “African Union Anthem” should challenge and encourage every African leader to lead Africa right and every citizen to stand together for a better Africa:
AFRICAN ANTHEM
Let us all unite and celebrate together
The victories won for our liberation
Let us dedicate ourselves to rise together
To defend our liberty and unity
Chorus:
O Sons and Daughters of Africa
Flesh of the Sun and Flesh of the Sky
Let us make Africa the Tree of Life
Let us all unite and sing together
To uphold the bonds that frame our destiny
Let us dedicate ourselves to fight together
For lasting peace and justice on earth
Chorus:
O Sons and Daughters of Africa
Flesh of the Sun and Flesh of the Sky
Let us make Africa the Tree of Life Let us all unite and toil together To give the best we have to Africa
The cradle of mankind and fount of culture
Our pride and hope at break of dawn. Assuredly, in unity, we’ll conquer all the enemies of Africa!
Despite the fight of victory fought by African patriarchs against their strong oppressors, till now African countries still experience a lock-up in the cage of self-enemy that’s even giving in a chance for the conquered oppositions to come in disguise to rescue and help.
The only continental solution Africans can engage in to have all-round progress is “unity.” We must learn to band together like our forefathers to stand against the common enemy of “self” for a better Africa to emerge and also to see in reality the Africa we have always desired.
Together we can make Africa become the tree of Life!
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