The Pan-African Progress: Why Pan-Africanism Is Still at a Slow Start in Africa and Diaspora?

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The concept of Pan-Africanism and its first organized mass movement began in the Diaspora. Enslaved Africans who toiled tremendously to build America, set straight the path. Their descendant like Marcus Garvey and George Padmore continued the fight.


Pan-African Flag. Africa Continent Nation Flag.
UNIA flag

In the fall of the 19th century, when the colonial powers increased their quest for control over Africa, black leaders in America had a vision that the philosophy of Pan-Africanism could someday be mandated in the restoration of the African people and the entire continent to where it once rested: In the glorious past, in terms of social, political, and economic status.


African Leaders At The First Pan Africanism Conference
Credit: Black History Month 2022


It is critical to note that the philosophical concept was birthed in the Americas but it was long in practice in mainland Africa. African culture and traditions such as the Ujamaa philosophy founded by the Late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere can be promptly termed as the blueprints of Pan-Africanism both as a philosophy and a practical action.


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To realize the success of Pan-Africanism as it was intended by our fore-leaders, the philosophy must be put into practical action with a definite purpose. Unfortunately, this philosophy seems to be stagnant in a swamp of inadequate awareness, where it has been overlooked and thought of as a waste of time.


Pan Africanism like any other philosophy must be developed to its peak through its continuous practice. Africa has been interrupted in the historical odyssey and part of its story is locked behind the curtains of slavery, thus Africans have been detached from useful knowledge of their past that would inspire them into the future.


Why Pan-Africanism Is Still at a Slow Start in Africa and the Diaspora?

Many of the young generations of Africans are unaware of a such philosophy. Many of our senior citizens are also making it through life without realizing how this philosophy had been practiced in Burkina Faso under Thomas Sankara, Tanzania under Julius Nyerere, Ghana led by Dr. Kwame Nkurumah, etc.


Some key factors hindering the progress of the development of this philosophy, to note, would include the following:


#1. Black Peoples’ Indifference Approach Towards Pan Africanism

After centuries of colonization by the Arabs and Europeans, Africa remains to be the most devastated by the aftermath of these ordeals. One of them being disunity. Pan-Africanism is a philosophy that calls for the unity of African peoples whether at home or in the diaspora, replacing the old ethnic intolerance expressed in phrases like ‘I am a Yoruba, I am a Hutu or kikuyu or Tutsi,’ threatening inclusivity and togetherness among our people.


Unfortunately, not many Africans of this age are aware of the said ideology. Many are caught in the middle of the cobwebs of colonization and slavery. They suffer from a deep-rooted inferiority complex that includes self-hate. It doesn't have to be by circumstances or choice, African people are forced to conform to colonization be it physical or mental.


Poverty and inadequate infrastructure, which have been caused by irresponsible leadership in African countries have made many African elites and perhaps future race leaders give up on, despise and turn their back on the race. It has birthed the predominant self-hate. 


Pan-Africanism calls for unity, solidarity, patriotism, and pride among the African people individually and as a race. Sadly, African traditions and cultures have been whitewashed and made to look ugly, and most of the continent's people are made to identify with alien cultures.


It will be very difficult to reverse the colonial damage done to African descendants when only a few are interested in African culture and traditions and national unity expressed by the philosophy of Pan-Africanism. Africans must love Africa and its people like the rest of the world love its (Africa) resources


I am not an African because I was born in Africa, but because Africa is born in me – Dr. Kwame Nkurumah 

 

African peoples who will have given up and abandoned the struggle of every other person of African descent, to free up their minds from the mental chains of the new millennium enslavement will have transformed into a dangerous enemy for the development of the continent and its people.


Scattered all over the world, Africans are in dire need of unity and togetherness than ever before in history. This calls for cooperation in peace and harmony amongst its people in their independent race organizations, starting from the individual citizen.


#2. Minimal Mainstreaming of Pan-Africanism in Learning Centers

Perhaps this is the main reason why many African people express intolerance towards the Pan-African philosophy. Most Africans seldom know the word Pan Africanism at young ages. They learn about it and grasp its concept, if they do at all, at a very advanced age in their lives.


Most of the major learning centers offer no known practical study and application of Pan-Africanism. Interested Africans ought to conduct self-studies and personal reading to fully understand the philosophy. It calls for individual Africans to spearhead their self-education journey from scratch.


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Institutionalized education teaches what is necessary and if Pan-Africanism should be considered as necessary as it seems to be for the redemption of Africa, then it must be taught in schools and accepted as a key step towards self-education of African people, especially in the continent.


Africans from tender ages must be taught of the amazing things our ancestors contributed to civilization. The people must be well informed of their history through institutionalized education and that of self and not be left at the mercy of westernized or Arabized yardsticks of civilizations. For as the twig is bent so is the tree as it grows.


#3. African Leaders' Failure to Lead by Example of Pan Africanism

Leadership and governance might compensate for the two above. African people, properly led and educated, as Dr. John Clarke says, are the most efficient human fighting machine. Pan-Africanism and African leadership are inseparable, our leaders and elites must conduct the issues affecting our future with an African pole of excellence.



Safeguarding Africa’s interests should be a priority of African leadership as opposed to the racketeer politicians who have squandered our resources and driven our communities into ethnic clashes and any destabilization in whatever manner.


Again, leadership by force contrary to that of consent has destructed the continent and held it hostage at the expense of dictators and authoritarian leaders with minimal development tracks. It is past time and unnecessary.


African nationalism is meaningless, dangerous, and anachronistic if it is not at all the same time, Pan Africanism – Mwalimu Julius Nyerere


Pan-Africanism calls for an ‘Africa for Africans’ ideology, and its leadership must be committed to solving African problems in African ways and means. 


African leaders who wish to enrich themselves and swell their bank accounts while giving a blind eye to the African plague of wretchedness and underdevelopment must be brought to order if we wish to realize real change for all Africans.


African leaders are the tip of the spear in the battle for the redemption of Africa. The state of Africa must be defined through African leaders. In line with the African Union agenda 2063, the politics, economy, and security of Africa must aim to reposition Africa as an equal partner in the geopolitics of the world.


The Goal of Pan Africanism

Pan-Africanism is perhaps the starting point of the liberation of Africa and Africans globally. The liberation of Africa for Africans is the responsibility of Africans and its hindrance should not be blamed entirely on the former colonizers.


Well planned, organized and executed, the philosophy of Pan-Africanism has benefits far exceeding the pride, unity, and solidarity of the peoples of Africa it naturally carries along with it.


Pan-African, Kwanzaa Flag African


The philosophy was a success in Marcus Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), where he united hundreds of thousands of Africans in the diaspora. 


Under just four years, Thomas Sankara in the application of Pan-Africanism principles transformed Burkina Faso into a functional state. African people of this civilization must remember at all times that we are Africans and that Africa should be our business.


How old were you when you learned about Pan-Africanism and it being an ideology that calls for the unity of peoples of African descent across the globe? Kindly leave a comment below. 

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