OPINION
By: Nfansu Camara
As we celebrate six decades of the African Union since its establishment, the organization has been at the forefront of disappointing Africans whose hopes and aspirations were reduced to nothing.
When one moves throughout the continent of Africa, one will conclude that this is a continent that is undergoing economic, political and even social comatose. The African Union is an integrated organization vested with the onus of welding Africans together despite our diversities and domestic political shortcomings. Rather, the organization has taken a back seat and become a mere spectator to the detriment of the people.
The continent of Africa is bleeding as we are witnessing numerous inter and intra-state conflicts within the geopolitical zone of Africa.
The neighbouring country Senegal has not been at ease because of the outrageous political disagreement between the government and the separatist group whose primary ambition is to liberate the Cassamance region. What has the African Union done to iron out that long-standing conflict in Senegal?
Movingly, the identity and resource-based conflict in southern Cameroon between the francophone segment and that of the anglophone, a subordinate group. What has the African Union done about that political barbarism in Cameroon where lots of innocent people including school children and powerless people were badly injured and many killed?
Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first prime minister and the first president of Ghana (then Gold Coast) may not have been a prophet, but his words have been fulfilled over the years in which he said: “We unite, or we perish because the colonial master is not asleep, and he might come through another draconian project.”
In addition, the desires of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and his compatriots to propel themselves through different avenues of unity had been rendered useless, when the continental body responsible for the task of connecting Africans together via one umbilical cord failed to deliver. What is an African union if not a mere political organization with no merit?
The organization of African Unity should have called for an urgent ordinary session to discuss thoroughly the political unrest in Guinea-Conakry, Mali, Sudan and Afghanistan rather than discussing ways and means to self-perpetuate themselves on the throne.
The economic organ of the organization, which the African Development Bank is now under the custody of international partners like the United States of America, being the second largest shareholder in the continental bank which is Africanized by name but administratively run by the West. Where are our leaders, Africa?
The African Union has failed which gave the propensity to the two global economic enslavers inclusively the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to impose conditions on African countries in their quest for grants and loans. No one should be surprised if lesbianism is continentally agreed to be practised. The Ugandan government under the administration of Yoweri Kaguta Museveni had taken the right approach to formally pass the resolution in the House of Representatives to impose legal consequences on whosoever practices it. What is the essence of the Africa Development Bank under the auspices of the African Union?
In conclusion, the African Union should wake from its slumber and begin to do the right things for the people and the continent of Africa through cross-fertilization and cross-pollination of ideas as we look to a vibrant continent. We can never be developed if we are always in perpetual conflict.
Africa is yet to be liberated because the mind is the standard portion of the mind and ours are caged.
