The just ended 3rd Julius Nyerere Intellectual Festival whose theme was 50 years of Pan Africanism saw distinguished Professor Bereket Habte Selassie of Eritrean origin challenging youth to mobilize their energy and establish networks as pressure groups to make institutions and Governments accountable to its’ citizens, and the formation of parallel parliaments like Kenya as the future belongs to them.
Professor Selassie who has lectured at various universities, a retired civil servant, and has published several books was speaking at the just ended 3rd Julius Nyerere Intellectual Festival on the topic “Pan Africanism and problems of African Nation States: challenges in the era of Globalisation .”
Professor was present in the meeting on the formation of the Organization of African Unity explained what he believed were the challenges to this unity.
African leaders through organization like African Union have core common values which are Democracy, National Unity and Stability, Rule of Law, Sustainable Development and Social Justice however these values are shared but not enhanced. There is urgent need to strengthen our governance structures, as democracy and good governance go one with another. These core values should be enshrined in Constitutions at national level, these should be governing principles such as what Kenya has done to come up with an exemplary constitution. The Kenyan constitution embraced national unity, rather than fearing to put individual national housing in order. He cited a Chinese proverb which says “danger or crisis should be viewed as an opportunity, as opposed to the current scenario where African leaders are always wanting to manipulate the constitution. He defined Democracy as citizens participation and acceptance of choices made, sadly in Africa leaders pay lip service.
On the rule of law he echoed that all are equal in the eyes of the law no one is above the law, human rights and religious freedom must be allowed. Sustainable development should meet the needs of the people he said without compromising future generations.
Professor Selassie has said the problem we have in Africa with our leaders is appreciating that these core values are related and inter dependant, and to borrow the words of Obama on his visit to Ghana in 2009 “Africa does not need strong men, but strong institutions.”
Among the other reasons why Africa must unite is because America, Europe and up coming global giant China are not sincere in the call for globalization, as they all want to abuse resources from the continent on an uneven playing field.
However African Union is a good place to start for uniting as it’s a step in the right direction, we must pressure our leaders to make this a reality and go beyond the rhetoric that has characterized the past few decades.
The Professor suggested that Africa move in the direction of abiding by the rule of law, create strong regional trade groupings and strengthen institutions, free media cannot be over emphasized and creating enabling environment for all technical field to enhance agriculture, trade and commerce.
In the question and answer session students, academicians and various publics questioned the likelihood of Pan Africanism and Unity citing African leaders as selfish and not cherishing the core values. Disease, Poverty and ignorance citing we have leaders that may get an education but are ignorant as expressed by a Ugandan student.
Another asked the continent can disengage from the agenda of the developed world, and suggested Africa needs it’s own brand/definition of democracy. Prof emphasized that we will not see development without unity, and women participation needs to recognized in the quest towards African Unity.
A retired female Professor commented we need to be deliberate how to tie core values, and globalization against the back drop of “investors” who destroy forests, displace locals in the name of Governments approval and patriarchal tendencies.
In responding to which African leader other than Ghadaffi could lead African in the desire for a united Africa Professor Selassie responded that currently he could cite none, adding that there is need for all to be rallied about the importance of this Unity and the need to teach younger people about the liberation struggle in order to bring to their knowledge, raise commitment, strength and create a heart for Africa.
Professor ended by echoing the sentiments of one of the participants in the question and answer session that “we have to be opportunist in order to achieve this.”
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